COVID-19 AND WHAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED

As humans globally, regardless our social station[s] and whatnot that we wrongly take pride in, there are things we take for granted, from going to work, walking around to see a friend, neighbour or a sick person, among others, or to just walk aimlessly. We wake up and go to bed without even paying any attention to the significance of things we trivialise in our lives and wellbeing at whatever level and magnitude as humans simply because we’ve been doing such things freely and voluntarily without any interference of anybody or any power. As a human, after undergoing the lockdown, I am still living under––and I am sure many still do––,I came to  personally appreciate that there are things that we need to rethink about, especially how big and precious they are. The following are the things I came to  re-evaluate, valuate and value after the break and rampage of COVID-19 late last year:

FREEDOM

Freedom is among the biggest casualties of COVID-19 that many of us lost though temporarily––with the fear of not knowing when it will be returned. Before the genesis of COVID-19, nobody exactly knew how precious our freedom to do whatever we want is.  Think about the freedom to move wherever you want to go at any time and any manner––to do whatever you want to do or just do nothing except enjoying it; to wonder around for whatever purpose bad or good, important or trivial. Verily, when it comes to freedom, COVID-19 hasn’t only deprived us of our freedom of movement in our countries but also in the whole world. We no longer enjoying roaming around in the neighbourhood as we used to before. More importantly, who’d think that ever noisier politicians would be easily gagged? Who’d think that globetrotters would be grounded so as to save millions of dollars of paupers if not billions? Those who used to walk across the streets and see their friends, loved ones, parents and whatnots are now viewing freedom in a different light now. Even those unfaithful couples who used to use their freedom to commit their sins are now held at home. There’s an opportunity here. Those who used to stay at home alone while their spouses spending time out of the homes are now, at least happy. For such a people, COVID-19 isn’t that bad though.

Further, those with means who used to travel abroad for whatever reasons be they shopping, seeking treatments, education even touring have ever since been grounded thanks to many countries applying lockdowns and sealing their borders for the fear of COVID-19. How many people in poor countries who used to go abroad for the reasons above have been grounded, especially the sick ones? How many students are now stranded in foreign or in their countries simply because they can’t travel abroad? How many people are stranded at home simply because they can’t go to work because of the pandemic? How many poor people are stranded in miseries simply because they’re unable to get money; and thus, unable to put food on the table?  Apparently, for some, even the freedom to go to the store to grab something is now an expensive item. Ladies who used to go to the salons to do their hair are no longer enjoying this taken-for-granted beauty of life not to mention the gents who used to go to pubs to swallow two or three beers.

            Although freedom of movement becomes an issue when the governments curtail it for political parties, currently, everybody is concerned about it. Imagine how those whose loved ones have either been killed or injured by brutal police simply because they defied the order to stay indoors? How many are now suffering from the lack of justice simply because their cases couldn’t been entertained since courts are unable to do their businesses? How many poor people are now suffering even more since they’re unable to pay bills because they are unable to work and get money? Those whose lives revolve around hand to mouth reality are suffering even more than they were before despite facing the fear of the pandemic itself. Considering in whatever social station, geographic location or political position, COVID-19 sheer terror is immeasurable and indescribable so to speak. There’s a caveat here, however. There are those who take the pandemic seriously as opposed to those who take lightly due to the way they react towards it. Right from the off, this aspect involves individuals and society either severally or collectively. Refer to those who embarked on total lockdown such as China and Spain or just remained relaxed such as Japan and Sweden among many.

            Despite the brutality and cumbersomeness of the impingement of our freedom, there are some good things out of it. We are told that since COVID-19 ravaged the globe, our air and water quality have become spiffy. Rare animals have been sighted in many places roaming around not to mention the price of the pump to cascade down for the first time in many decades.

GOVERNMENT

Before the break of COVID-19, many African governments were viewed as being democratic except for few cases of dictatorship in some countries. Currently, many have shifted into becoming police states whereby police have been given more power to harass the population under the pretext of combating the pandemic. Thus, many common people who have nothing to do with politics saw the governments as something they’d no business with except when it comes to pay taxes or voting. However, since the break of COVID-19, every ear is turned to the government to hear what it’ll order as far as the movement is concerned. In addition, those who used to see doctors and others who need gears to work such as gloves and masks are now rethinking about the centrality of protective gears they used not even to think about up until they came across those who depend on them to function.

GEOPOLITICS

As for our geopolitics, we’ve seen neighbours even in the same block such as the EAC, EU and the likes close border to those they use to assure that they’re one and the same. COVID-19 has unearthed the double standard and selfishness human can have. In Britain, one supremo behind the lockdown, despite knowing he’s COVID-19 positive, allowed a lady to pay him a visit contrary to the laws and rules he enacted.

ECONOMICS

For those without means, COVID-19 opened the weirs. To make matters worse, our brutal, corrupt and unreasonable cops killed and tortured many under the pretexts of enforcing the lockdown. Others made a killing through extortion. As well, quacks, especially those using the world of God robbed many claiming they’ve discovered the cure.

Indeed, COVID-19 has redefined our lives! There are many aspects in which COVID-19 challenged us. As for today, this is enough.

Source: African Executive Magazine today

IS THIS NEW NORMAL GOING TO BE NORMAL REALLY?

HAS THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY REACHED THIS LOW? WHO IS FOOLING WHOM?

THE INITIAL CHALLENGES RELATING TO SHIFTING PARLIAMENT TO DODOMA.

Last  week,  we  terminated  our  story  of  “my  life  in  the  service  of  my  nation”  at  the  point  when  I  was  describing  the  initial  challenges  posed  by  newly  inaugurated   multi-party  Parliament  at  its  new  location  in  Dodoma.This  was  a  major  problem  that  I  had  overlooked,  namely   that  separating  the  location  of  Parliament  from  that  of  the  Government,  would  create   huge  operational  problems,  in  view  of  the  close  involvement  of  many  government  officials  in  the  business  of  Parliament,  particularly   those who  are  required  to be  available   during  Parliamentary   proceedings,  in  order   to  provide   professional  backing  and   expert  advice   to  their  Ministers, as and  when  required.                                   

 In  that  regard,   I  had  based  my  argument   for  shifting  Parliament  to  Dodoma,  entirely   on  the  example   of  the  South  African  Parliament,  which  is  based  in  Cape  Town,  while  the  South  African  Government  is  locates  in  Pretoria;  and  assumed   (wrongly)  that   this  arrangement  has  created  no  major  problems.                                                  

But  I  must  admit  that  this  argument  had  overlooked  that  other    problem   of   the  lack  of  guest  accommodation  in  Dodoma   at  that  time,  when  it  still  was   a  very  small  Town.                                                                            

Thus,  when  the  National  Assembly  Standing  Committees  convened  for  their   first   meetings  in  Dodoma,   that  is  when  the  acute  problem  of  accommodation  for  the  many  Government  officials  became    apparent.   Large  numbers  of  officials  from  every  Ministry  came  to  Dodoma  to  attend  Parliament  Committee  meetings  (the  attraction  of  per  diem  allowances  accounted  for  those  large  numbers  coming  to  Dodoma).   Obviously,  something   had  to  be  done,  to  solve  that  problem.                                    

I  therefore  ruled  that  all  Committee  meetings  will  continue  to  be  held  in  Dar  es  Salaam;  and  only  the  National  Assembly  sessions  would  be  held  in  Dodoma.

But  there  were  other   challenges.

Two   other  challenges  emerged   during  the  very  first  multi-party  Budget  session  of   Parliament.   These  were: (i)  the  walk-out  by  the  Opposition  camp;  and   (ii)  the  orchestrated  Opposition  camp rejection  of  the  annual  Government  budget.

The  Opposition  walk-out  from  the  House.

This  occurred  at  the  time  of  voting  in  order  to  decide  on  the  Government  budget  for  the  financial  year 1996/97,  which  was  the  first  Government  budget  to  be  presented  to  the  new  multi-party  Parliament.  After  the  normal   5-day  debate  on  the  budget  had  been  concluded, I  dutifully  put  to   the  vote,   the  traditional  motion “That  the  Government  budget  for  the  financial  year  1996/97  be  now  approved”.  But  because  this  was   the  first  time  that  the  new  Parliament  was  voting  on  such  a  motion,  and  many  of  its  members  were  completely  new  to  the  procedures  of  the  House,   I  took  some  time  to  explain the  special  procedure  that  is  always  used  in  voting  on  budget  motions,  namely  that  the  voting  would  be  by  roll-call,  whereby  each  member’s  name  would  be  called  out  by  the  Clerk  of  the  National  Assembly,  in  alphabetical  order,  and  he  or  she  would  indicate  his/her  vote  by saying   ‘yes’, or ‘no’, or ‘abstain’;  as  the  case  may  be.

But   immediately  after  my  statement,  Opposition  member  Dr.  Masumbuko  Lamwai,  rose  on  a “point  of  order”,  to  raise  objection  to  that  procedure;  suggesting  that  the  voting  should  be  done   by  ‘voice-vote’,   as  is  the  case  on  all  other  motions.            

 I  rose  again  to  explain  the  requirements  of  article  91(1)(b)  of  the  country’s  Constitution,  which  makes  it  mandatory  for  the  President  to  dissolve  Parliament  in  every  case  when  the  House  refuses  to  pass  the  Government  budget.  Thus,  I  said,  the  roll-call  method  was  the  only  way  of establishing,   beyond  any  doubt,  that  (a) there  was  a  quorum  in  the  House  at  the  time  of  voting;  and  (b)  that  the  decision  was  made  by  a  majority  of  the  members  actually  present  in  the  House  and voting.     In  view  of  these  requirements,  I  ruled   that  “voting   shall  be  by  roll-call”.              

That  is  when  all  the  Opposition  members  walked  out  of  the  House,  presumably  in  a  demonstration  of  protest.         

 The  Opposition  camp’s  orchestrated  rejection  of  the  Government  budget.

 In  his  tour  of  the  Lake  Zone  Regions  of  Mwanza,  Mara   and  Simiyu  during   the  second  half  of  the  year  2018,  President  John  Magufuli   voiced  his  grave  concern  in  some  of  his  speeches,  regarding  the  matter  of  the  negative  “No”  votes  which  were  cast  by  the  entire  Opposition  camp  in  Parliament,  in  their  futile  attempt to  reject  the  2018/19  Government  budget.   The  President  was  wondering   why  they  did  so,   “considering  the  fact  that  it  is  this  same  budget  which  provides  the  funding  for  all  the  development  projects  which  are  being  implemented  throughout  the  country,  including  the  constituencies  which  are  represented  by  these  Opposition  MPs”.      

The  President’s  comments  were  only  in  relation  to  the  2018/19  budget;  but,  in  fact,  perhaps  unknown  to  him,  the  position  is  that  the  Opposition  camp  has,  consistently  and  persistently,  been  voting  “no”  to  all  the  Government  budgets  of  every  financial  year,  starting  with  the  very  first  budget  presented  after  the  re-introduction  of  multi-party  politics,  as  we  have  just  seen  above.

This   Opposition  camp’s  action  is  totally  puzzling.

The  Opposion  camp’s  action  in  persistently   attempting  to  reject  the  annual  Government  budgets,  is  not  only  puzzling,  but  it  is  also  absolutely  illogical,  for  very  many  reasons.  The  President’s argument  that  Government  budget  is  what  provides  the  funding  for  the  development  projects  that  are  implemented  in  their  constituencies,  is  only  one  of  them.  Other,  more  serious  reasons,  include:-                                 

(i)  the  adverse  constitutional  consequences  of  rejecting  the  Government  budget.         

The  Constitution  requires  a  new  general  election  to  be  held,  whenever  Parliament  rejects  the  Government’s  budget  proposals.   This  because   such  action  is  regarded  as  a  ‘vote  of  no  confidence’  in  the  Government  of  the  day.                                             

(ii)  The  adverse  financial  consequences  to  the  MPs  themselves.                                   

Because  there  will be no  money  to  pay  them  their  salaries,  allowances,  and  the  other  benefits  that  they  entitled  to.                                                                                                 

  (iii) The  adverse  financial consequences  to  the  whole  nation.                                   

Because  this,  in  effect,   will  be  a  complete  financial  ‘lock  down’;   which  means  that  no  money  will  be  available  for carrying  our  any  of  the  numerous  social  and  economic  activities,  that  are  normally  funded  from  Government  sources.                                   

(iv) The sheer insanity  of  the  action  itself.                                  

 It  is  insanity  because  the  Parliamentary  rules  provide  very  clearly,   that  the  ‘Opposition  camp’  is  always  comprised  of  the  minority  groups  inside  Parliament.  Hence  they  know,  or  ought  to  know,  that  being  the  minority,  their  action  is  inevitably  doomed  to  failure,  in  the  face  of  the  majority ruling  party  MPs.   what, then,  could  be  the  logic,  if  any,  behind  their  repeated  action?

The  history  of  the  British  Parliament   has  an  interesting  story,  which  says   that  centuries  ago  in  the  1820’s,  when  the  first  ever  Opposition  party  was  established  in  that  Parliament,  namely,     the  “Whig  Party”;  the  idea  of  an  official  ‘opposition  party’  being  established inside  Parliament   was  such  a  novelty,  that,  understandably,  part  of  the  British  press  became  curios,  and  wanted  to  know  what  the  role  of  such an  ‘opposition   party’  was  going  to  be.  Thus  they  interviewed  the  leader  of  that  party,  seeking  to  know  the  actual  functions  and  duties  of  his  new  party.  The  record  shows  that  his  only  curt  reply  was:    “ our  job  will   be  to  oppose  everything;  to  propose  nothing;  and  to  throw  the  Government  out  of  office”.  Could,  perhaps, the  Opposition  camp  in  our  own  Parliament   be  blindly following  this    “rule  of  thumb”  which   was  established  by  their  British  ‘ancestors’  several  centuries  ago?

 Reminiscences   of   my  time  as  short-term  acting President.

The  ten  years  of  Benjamin  Mkapa’s  presidency,  coincided  with  a  large  part  of  my  tenure  as  Speaker  of  the  National  Assembly. There  is  something  memorable  which  occurred  to  me  during the  period  of  Mkapa’s  presidency  which  I  consider  worth  mentioning  in  these  memoirs.  It  is  that  during  that  particular  period,   the  Constitution  of  the  United  Republic  of  Tanzania,  1977,  in  its  article  37,  made  provision  that  “whenever  the  President  and  the  Vice  President  were  both  out  of  the  country,  the  Speaker  would  take  over  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  President,  until  either  of  them  returned  to  the  country”.                                     

Now,  it  so  happened  that  during  his   Presidency;  and  because  of  his  many  international  commitments  and  obligations,  President  Benjamin  Mkapa  had  to  make  frequent  travels  outside  the  country.     On  three  such  occasions,  it  so  happened  that  his  departure  coincided  with  that  of  the  Vice President,   Ali  Mohamed,  who   was  at  the  same  time  out  of  the  country on  some  essential  business.  It  was  on  such  occasions   that   I  assumed  the  duties  and  powers  of  the  President  of  the  United  Republic,  but   with  certain  specified  limitations,  which  were  also  clearly specified  in  the  Constitution.   For  me  this   was,  to  say  the  least,  a   very  memorable  life  experience;  more  so   because,  towards  the  end  of  my  tenure  as  Speaker,  the  Constitution  was  amended  in  a  way  which  removed  the  Speaker  from  the  privileged  list  of  ‘successors  to  the throne’ ,  and  was  replaced  by  the  Prime  Minister of  the  United  Republic.  Thus, no  other  Speaker  can  now  look  forward  to  enjoying  such  rare  privilege  and  experience!

 Other  reminiscences  of  my  tenure  in  the  Speaker’s  Office.

My  first tenure  in  the  Speaker’s  Office  was  during  the  period  1960 – 1970;  when  I  worked  there  first  as  Clerk-Assistant,  and  later  as  Clerk  of  the  National  Assembly.  During  that  first  tenure,  I  happened  to  have  the  rare  opportunity  of  being  in  a  position  to  create, and   implement, some  new  ideas  of  my  own  creation;  an  opportunity  which  I  believe  was  facilitated  only  by  my  good  luck  of  being  there  at  the  right  moment, which  was  a  moment  of great  transformation  and  reconstruction;  when  new  ideas  are  clearly  needed.    That was  the  time  of  fundamental  transformation  from  colonialism  to  independence,  followed  by  a  period  of  reconstruction  of  the  governance  systems,  in  order  to  realign  them  with  the  new  environment,  and  the new   circumstances,  I  was  directly involved  in  the  reconstruction  of   the  Parliamentary  system.

My  second  tenure  in  the  Speaker’s  Office  starting  from  1990;   also  coincided  with  another  great  transformation,  this  time  from  the  single-party,  to  the  multi-party  political  system;  followed  by  a  period  of  similar reconstruction  of  the  country’s  governance  systems;  and   I  again  got the  same  rare  opportunity  of  being  in  the  position of  authority  to  create,  and  implement,  some  new  ideas  of  my  own  creation,  with  regard  to  the  reconstruction  of  the  Parliamentary  system.

The  Books  of  Authority   on  the  subject  of  “leadership”  have  a  provision  that  explains  how  people  become  leaders,  which  reads  as  follows:-                                                    

“Some  people  become  leaders  because  they  possess  certain  talents,  or  charisma,  or  passions;  or  because  of  their wealth,  job  title,  or  family  name. Others  become  leaders  because  the  possess  great  minds,  or  ideas,   or  can  tell  compelling  stories; And  then  there  are  those  who  stumble  into  leadership,  because  of  the  times  they  live  in,  or  the  circumstances  in  which  they  find  themselves”.

 In  the  light  of  the  particular   circumstances  described  above;   I  humbly  and  sincerely  believe,  that  I  probably  belong  to  the  last  category of  leaders,  “who  stumble  into  leadership  because  of  the  times  they  live  in,  or  the  circumstances  in  which  they  find  themselves”.  In  other  words,  I  just  happened to  be  there  at  the  right  time.   It  could  have  been  someone  else!

  (Will  be  continued  next  week)

piomsekwa@gmail.com /0754767576.

IN THE MEMORY OF VUYO MOKOENA

About 12 years have lapsed since Vuyo Mokoena, a South African gospel musician, passed on. It was on 23 May, 2008 when Mokoena succumbed to brain cancer at the age of just 40 years. As his fan, I profoundly miss and remember him. Those who remember his hit song still miss him dearly. May God rest his soul in eternal peace. Amen.

Avulek’ amazulu,
Iyez’ iNgonyama Kwancibilik’ izintaba Kwasha nemimfula Lungis’ indlela zakho, Lungis’ ukuhamba kwakho Iyeza, iyez’i
Ngonyama yamazulu
literary
The heavens are Open
The Lion is coming
The mountains melt
The rivers dried up
Make straight your ways
Make straight your walk
He is coming
The Lion of the heavens

Give us a break ‘Dr’ Donald Trump COVID-19 cure

When US President Donald Trump got away with the murder after winning the presidency amidst allegations of Russian interference, he thought he’d always survive this scandal. Now in the last leg of his controversial and tainted presidency, Trump has revealed what many didn’t know for sure. He has revealed who he actually is intellectually and mentally.

Apart from winning underhandedly, soon after ascending to power, Trump sent mixed signals as far as his mental capability is concerned. To begin with, Trump tribalized the White House by appointing  partial advice-givers by appointing his relatives such as his son-in-law Jared Kutcher, his daughter, Ivanka and many bungling and dirtied business cronies to various national roles. Instead of allowing merit to inform his choice, cronyism and nepotism became the only qualifications for Trump’s appointees to be considered and appointed. This became an asset simply because Trump didn’t expect or need anything from them except dancing according to his tune. And indeed, they did as they have already proved from his vice president to almost each and every one in his admin. When he promised Americans that he would drain Washington’s swamp, they did not understand that he meant the opposite, filling the swamp with close sharks.

  After tribalizing the White House, Trump launched the war against his perceived enemies simply because they’re on the position of unearthing his netherworld of deceit and lies. He thus, fired the then FBI director, James Comey––the man leading the investigation into whether members of Trump’s campaign colluded with Russians who hacked the 2016 election––simply because he declined Trump’s wish to terminate the investigation. Ever since, the Trump White House has become a hectic place where being hired and fired has not boundary.

The above are by gone provided that the American voters decided to make do with them. Trump’s recent remarks that COVID-19 patients should be injected with sanitizers to sanitize their body is surreal. Trump was quoted as saying  “so, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light. And I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do, either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting. And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?”

            After coming with such ridiculous suggestion––even a kindergarten kid can’t ponder about let alone suggesting––the world was shocked little did it know this is Donald Trump a much knower who knows a little. This is Trump who believes he can get away with everything as he has done with the presidency.

            Trump is not the first quack to have suggested the use of lethal stuff to cure ailments. In Africa, we are used to such quackery involving greedy and ignorant preachers­­––who swindle unsuspecting illiterate followers by administering many things into them in the name of performing miracles. For, we see such many desperate earthlings doing all sorts of crazy things such as kissing feet of their clergy, ‘pictures’ of Jesus and his mother, drinking jik as it once happened in Zambia where such followers died and other two-timing things. It becomes sacrilegious when such unconventional methods are prescribed by the person who goes by the title of president. noting the danger people like Trump pose, a spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, the UK-based owner of Lysol, said in a statement that “as a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route).”

            What is obvious here is the fact that Trump has proved his ignorance about medication and how medicines come to use. He doesn’t know that for any remedy to be prescribed to any human must be vigorously experimented to see if it is safe or otherwise. It is scientifically proscribed, and it is criminal for any remedy to be used without going through such tests. Trump’s naivety reminds us of what transpired in Kenya in the 1990s when the then president Daniel arap Moi surprised the world by announcing that Kenya had discovered the cure for HIV/AIDS by the name of Kemron that proved to be a hoax resulting from being cheated by controversial doctors, Davy Koech and Arthur Obel. It seems surprise is the ambit of dictators. Before then, in 1987, Zirimwabagabo Lurhuma in conjunction with an Egyptian professor, Ahmed Shafiq duped Zairean tinpot dictator, Joseph-Desire Mobutu and his Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak that they had discovered HIV/AIDS cure. To make their boss happy, they named their new invention MM1 or Mobutu-Mubarak. Thanks to the desperation of the world, it initially listened to these scientific charlatans. The last buffoon in power to try a hand on the ‘breakthrough’ of discovering HIV/AIDS miracle cure was the former dictator of a tiny country of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh whose education, up until now, has never been made public not to mention his Trump like naivety. Instead of allowing doctors to get away with the credit of folly,  this nincompoop in power, Jammeh took it himself by administering his concoction of herbs hinged on spiritual healing techniques to poor HIV/AIDS patients in his country who later died because of this megalomaniac tendency entrenched in undreamed-of buffoonery.

            When it comes to making a killing or a political mile, swindlers and politicians becomes one. Who would expect a president worth his salt would tarnish his name easily and senselessly this way? Again, greed, ignorance and popularism are a good thicket for unreasonable creatures.
Source: African Executive Magazine today.

MUZIKI WA WIKI TEKENYESHI KIFIKRA

Tazama halafu fikiri na uamue kuhusu hizi dini zetu na uchafu uliofichika nyuma ya jina la Mungu. Kuna haya ya waswahili kurejea dini zetu za asili badala ya huu utumwa na utapeli wa wazi wazi.

 Samahani kama hii inakukwaza. Kabla ya kunihukumu, naomba UBONYEZE HII LINK. Je ni vibaka wangapi wamejazana kwenye nyumba za wezi zinazoitwa za Mungu wakati ni za majambazi wa kawaida na wachumia tumbo na wasaka tonge? Tafakari tafadhali.

MAGUFULIFICATION AND THE WAY IT AWAKENS AFRICANS TO BECOME SELF-CONFIDENT

News that some African countries decided to tackle covid-19 using African herbs might seem laughable for those who always believe that Africa cannot solve its problems. Recently, some African countries decided to use a herb concoction from Madagascar to try to cure covid-19.  Although the herb has not been certified by responsible authorities, trust by African countries in their medicinal wherewithal that used to sustain them before being colonised is a good beginning of self-confidence as a people and a society. Why has it been possible to devour whatever comes from abroad but becomes impossible for Africa to use its own medicines while we know many come from our own herbs and trees? Whatever comes out of this herb should inform us that Africans are now trying to conceptualize and understand who they actually are.

IS THIS WHAT TRUMP MEANT WHEN HE CAMPAIGNED ON THE PROMISE OD MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN?

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

COVID-19 prayers and quackery won't help Africa

The break of COVID-19 has redefined the world and the way humans variably address and problematize issues. After claiming many lives in the so-called advanced and developed countries by initially sparing the doomed Africa, the world started to ring the knell of death about what’ll be fall Africa after the giants have suffered terribly. That’s precisely because almost everything evil started in Africa. Refer to Ebola that killed thousands of Africans without shaking the world the way COVID-19 has. For those who bother to remember how Africa defied the law of the survival of the fittest must remember how it survived the 2007 credit crunch. Shall Africa survive once again, it won’t be a miracle.  Refer to HIV/AIDS whose first victims were gays in Los Angeles and New York despite the fact that doomsayers shamelessly thereafter claimed that it started from Africa. As well, there are some conspiracy theories that COVID-19 was created to control population while others allege it came to be after accidentally some virus aimed at creating biological weapons got out of control and many more. There is also an assumption that COVID-19 kills many more seniors than others, especially in care homes. Africa might have survived this because it doesn’t have its seniors confined in home because the culture doesn’t allow.

            One important thing that the break of COVID-19 has taught us is the way human reacts towards threats and vulnerability. Whereas the West is informed by science in its efforts to mitigate the spread of the contagion, some of African countries and Africans have pinned their hopes on and are informed by unconventional methods instead of science. Two of such methods are invocations and deception. When it comes to religion, many people still think that prayers can protect them from contracting the virus. Those who don’t understand the vestiges of cultural imperialism that foreign religion unleashed to Africa may wonder how sane people can defy logic by depending on prayers whose efficacy isn’t guaranteed. Again, thanks to the colonisation of the mind, Africans abandoned their ways of life, religions even identity and took refuge in make-believe hoo-has and myths. Whereas the so-called chosen ones or Israelites no longer pray for even dare to expect the manna from heaven,  poor Africans still do for their Peril.  That’s because Africans took everything colonial agents dubiously and maliciously inculcated in them to be true even lies and myths. Such misguided beliefs aren’t only about individual, especially quacks who use the name of God and religion to dupe others and become rich but also are about collective actions if not a suttee. For example, Burundi went great lengths by refusing to embark on any social distancing or lockdown as many countries did simply because the authorities believe Burundians are protected by God against COVID-19. If you ask for proofs on how Burundians are protected, you won’t get any reasonable answer.

            Apart from quacks in the name of God and  unreasonable beliefs in impossible, there are quacks who are now duping other ignorant masses that God enabled them to discover the cure for COVID-19 by simply dreaming or praying for water and herbs. Such criminals are making a killing by duping other illiterates without underscoring the fact that their greed and myopia can result into spreading the pandemic even more. Ironically, some countries aren’t even taking actions against such criminals! And to easily and safely enjoy and exert their powers, foreign religions have always been in bed with the governments all over the world. Wherever there’s a politician, there’s a cleric. The duo is like hyenas and lions. They all hunt together and brutalise their prey the same way. This is because, apart from doing the same job or harvesting where they didn’t sow, they’ve the same type of allegiance and cooperation. There are a lot of online clips of quacks who claim they have discovered the cure for COVID-19. Thanks to using local vernaculars, even youtube has failed to pull their clips down.

In 2010, scholars Lugo and Cooperman conducted research to interrogate the centrality of religion among nations of the world. They found that Africans put more faith in religion than others including those who exported their religions to them. In this research, Senegal led with 98% compared with Italy––where the Roman Catholicism originated with just 24%–– or Saudi Arabia where Islam originated without even providing its data. If it were an exam, when it comes to the importance of religion, Africa would generally score an B average while Europe would generally score an F grade by average. If you want to see how religion has nothing to do with human development flip the data and compared the units of analysis in economic or human development. It is obvious that Africa will score lower than anybody. The argument I make here is that while Africa is fully entrenched in believing in religion as its means of addressing its problems, others believe in science. As well, when it comes to the people who refused to be converted  such as Chinese, Japanese and Koreans or who were partly converted such as Indians, they are the same who are now claiming a big cake of economic development whereas those who totally accepted to be converted such as Africa and Central and South America are languishing in miseries and poverty. This is the irony we need to ponder about and see what this volumes sees and works on to help many out of darkness.

Back to how to arrest and deal with COVID-19, we need to face the truth, tell  and remind each other that prayers and cures discovered by ways of dreams aren’t helpful at all. If there’s anything they can help is spreading the pandemic.  Surely, if we don’t change, we’ll perish not just because God wants us to perish but because we’ve refused to use our heads. Authorities shouldn’t encourage or tolerate backward and mummified thinking simply because they want political mileage. Such a lie will lead to disastrous end not only for those hoodwinked illiterates but also those who cheat them. There are no miracles when it comes to dealing with COVID-19 but only facing the reality that science still has a lot to offer up until now. God gave us brains to think but not to believe. This is why must be our first step to finding solutions to most of our problems before thinking about how, what, when etc.  this applies to all including those who proposed the injection of disinfectants in our bodies to cleanse them.

Source: African Executive Today.

THE EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1995 : MY RE-ELECTION TO THE SPEAKERSHIP.

The  special  significance  of  the  1995  general  elections,  was  that  they  were  the  first  ever  multiparty  elections  to  be  held  in  our  country,  since  independence.  But  there  were  also other  significant  features  associated  with  those  elections,  including  the  following:-                                               

  (i)  my  re-election  as  MP  for  Ukerewe,  plus  re-election  as  Speaker  of  the  National  Assembly.               

 (ii)  the  “change  of  guard”  at  State  House,  involving  President  Mwinyi’s  exit,  and  President  Mkapa’s   entry.                                       

  (iii)  the  inauguration  of  the  first  ever  multi-party  Parliament.  And

  (iv)  the   transfer  of  Parliament  to  Dodoma.

The  change  of  guard  at  State  House,

Because  these  were  the  first  ever  multi-party  elections   to  be  held  since  the   country’s    independence,  they  had  their  own  special  attractions.                              

 In   the  Presidential  election,  four  political  parties  actively participated.  They  were:  CCM;  which  fielded  Benjamin  William  Mkapa;   NCCR-MAGEUZI,  which  fielded  Agustino  Lyatongga  Mrema;   CUF,  which  fielded  Professor  Ibrahim  Lipumba;  and  UDP,  which  fielded  John  Momose  Cheyo. The  results  were  that   Benjamin   Mkapa  of  CCM  scored  61.8%  of  the  total  valid  votes  cast;  followed  by  Agustino  Lyatonga  Mrema  of  NCCR-MAGEUZI,  who  scored  27.8%;  followed  by  Professor  Ibrahim  Lipumba  of  CUF,  who  scored  6.4%;    and  John  Cheyo  of  UDP,  who  scored  4.0%.

And  n  the  Parliamentary  elections,  ALL  the  13  fully  registered  political  parties  participated,  in  232  constituencies.  The  results  were  that:  CCM  won  in  186  constituencies  (including  my  constituency  of  Ukerewe).  That  was  a  handsome  80.2%;    followed  by  CUF,  which  won  in  24  constituencies (all  of  them  in  Zanzibar);  which  amounted  to 10.3%;  followed  by CHADEMA,  which  won  in  3  constituencies,  amounting  to 1.3%;  and  finally  by  UDP,  which  likewise  won  in  3  constituencies,  also  amounting  to  1.3%.The  ‘change  of  guard’  at  State  House.

Because  President  Mwinyi  was  completing  his  constitutional final  term  in  office;  the  1995  Presidential  election  brought  into  State  House  a  new  CCM  President,  Benjamin  William  Mkapa,  who  came  in  with  his  trade  mark  philosophy  of  “ Uwazi  na  Ukweli” (Transparency  and  Truth);  thereby  promising  to  operate  a  fully  transparent  Government;  a  promise  which  he  quickly  fulfilled  by  introducing  monthly live  addresses  to  the  nation  from  State  House,  for  the  purpose  of  ensuring  that  the  people  were  constantly  informed  of  what  the  Government  was  doing,  and  why.   He   also  established  in  his  office,  a  ‘Directorate  of  Presidential  Communications’;  and directed  that  a  senior  official  be  designated  in  each  Government  Ministry,  whose  main  responsibility  would  be  to  regularly  inform  the  public  through  the  mass  media,  of  what  the  Ministry  was  doing.   He  explained  these  actions   by  saying  that  “in  a  democratic  society,   the  people  have  the  right  to  be  informed  on  all  issues  that  are  of  concern  to  them,   and  that  is   the  mandatory  duty  of  the  Government”,  he  said.        Presumably  for  the  same  purpose,  he  also  instituted  a  system  of  annual  Presidential  addresses  to  Parliament,  which  were  well  received,  and  highly  appreciated,  by  the  MPS.

Other  significant  features

The  other  significant  features  of  the  I995  elections  included   the  major  reforms  which  were  introduced  by  the  Ruling  Party CCM,  in  its  Rules  for  the  nomination  of  its  election  candidates,  both  for  the  Presidential  and  the  Parliamentary  elections,  and  the  Local Authority  elections.                  

  In  my   other  capacity  as  member  of  the  CCM  National  Executive  Committee,  I  participated  in  the  making  of  these  new  Rules

With  regard  to  Presidential  elections,  whereas   under  the  previous  mono-party  system, the  CCM  National  Congress  was  always  presented  with   only  one  candidate  recommended  by  the  National  Executive  Committee,  for  it  to  accept,  or  to  reject;  but  now,  with  the  advent  of  multi-party  politics,   CCM  wisely  decided  to  introduce  a  new  set  of  rules,  which  made  provision   for effective  competition  between  Presidential  aspirants;  whereby,   ANY  CCM  member  who  wants  to  enter  the  race  for  the  Presidency   was  allowed  to  do  so,  by  just  completing  the  relevant  application  forms.  Thus,  under  these  new Rules,  a  total  of  eleven  candidates  offered  themselves  for  consideration  in  the  1995  Presidential   election.

And  for  the  parliamentary  elections,  whereas  previously,  the  ‘primary  nomination’  exercise  was  done  only  at  the  District  level  by  the  District  Delegates  Conference,   this  exercise  was  now  brought  down  to  the  lower  Ward  level,  to  be  undertaken  by  the  Ward  Delegates  conferences.   This  had  the  additional  advantage  of  involving  a  much  larger  number  of  participants  in  the  nomination  process  for  the  CCM  parliamentary  candidates.

The  dissolution  of  the  last  ‘single-party’  Parliament.

Although  the  dissolution  of  Parliament  is a  normal  exercise  which  is  customarily  performed  by  the  President  at  the  end  of  the  five-year  term  of  every  Parliament;  the  dissolution  of  this  last  ‘single  party’  Parliament  was  going  to  be  a  ‘one-off’ event,  deserving  special  attention. So,  I  decided  to  take  that  opportunity  to  make  two  operational  decisions  of  a  historic  nature.                      

One   was  the  complete  transfer  of  Parliament  to  Dodoma.  Whereas   Parliament  had  indeed  partially   moved  to  Dodoma  by  holding  its  short-period  (ten  day)  sessions  there    in  the  CCM  Assembly  Hall;   all  the  long  Budget  sessions  were  still  being  held  in  Karimjee  Hall,  Dar  es  Salaam.  The  decision  which  I  announced  was  that “beginning  with  the  first  meeting  of  the  new  Parliament  after  the  general  elections  in  October,   ALL  Parliamentary  sessions (including  the  Budget  sessions),  would  be  held  in  Dodoma.

The  second  decision  that   was  that  “starting  with  the  same  meeting,  the  Parliamentary  sessions  will  no  longer  be  held  in  the  CCM  Assembly  Hall”;   and  explained   that  this  was  because  I  deemed  it  wholly  inappropriate  for  the  forthcoming  multi-party  Parliament  to  be  holding  its  sessions  in  the  CCM  Assembly  Hall.  It  was  therefore  necessary  to  move  to  a  different  facility  which   belongs   to  the  Government. 

The  practical  effect  of  these  decisions   was  to  transfer  Parliament  permanently  out  of  Dar  es  Salaam  to  Dodoma;  and  also to  move  it  out  of  the  Dodoma  CCM  Assembly  Hall.

Preparations   for    the  first  multi-party  Parliament.

Since   this  was  also  going  to be  the  first  ever  multi-party  Parliament to  operate  in  our  country  since   independence;  and   I  was  going  to  be  the  Speaker  privileged  to  preside  over  this  transition;  I  felt   it   was  a  great   personal  honour   and     privilege.    I  therefore  made  preparations  that  would  adequately  reflect  this  special   significance  of  this   particular  event;   in  my  desire   to  ensure  that  the  incoming  multi-party  Parliament   would  satisfy  the   curiosity  of   the multi-party  democracy  stakeholders;  plus  the  vague  expectations  of   the  80%  of  Tanzanians  who  had  rejected  the  idea  of  abandoning  the  single-party  system.,  as  per  the  Nyalali  Commission  Report.

 The main   preparations  concentrated  on  reforming  the  Standing  Orders  (the  Rules  of  procedure)  of  the  National  Assembly.   For  that  purpose,  I  spent  much  time  studying  the  Standing  Orders  of  the  British  House  of  Commons (upon  which  the  Rules  of  procedure  of  most  of  the  Commonwealth  Parliaments  are  based);  and  those  of  the  Indian  Lower  House  of  Parliament,  the   Lokh   Sabha;  to  see  if  there  were  any  Rules   that  we  could  usefully  adopt,  or  modify,   to  suit  our  particular  circumstances.    I   had  no  desire  of  just  “copying  and  pasting” things!                                       

   As  a  result  of  this  study,  our  Standing  Orders  Committee  was  able  to  design  a  number  of  completely  new  Rules  that  had  not  been  experienced  before  in  our  single-party  National  Assembly.  These  included  Rules  that  made  provision  for:-                                                  

 (i)  the  position  of  Leader  of  the  Opposition,  the  Shadow  Cabinet,  the  Opposition  Chief  Whip,   and   the  Official  Opposition  spokespersons,.                                                                

(ii)  Rules  which   specifically  guaranteed  both  space and  time,  for  the  intervention  of  all  of  these  Opposition  leaders  in  the  proceedings  of  the  House.  For  example,  that  immediately  after a  Government  motion  has  been  moved  for  debate  in  the  House,   the  Speaker  must  call  on  the  relevant  Opposition  spokesman  to  present  the   views  of   the  Opposition  side,  before   opening    it  for  general  debate  by  the   other  MPs.                                                 

(iii)  New  rules  were  also  made  for  new  sitting  arrangements  inside  Parliament;  which  allocated  the  Government  Ministers  and  the  MPs  of  the  Ruling  party,  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Speaker’s  Chair;  and  the  Opposition  legislators  on  the  left  hand  side.   (I  must  admit  though,  that  I  merely  ‘copied  and  pasted”  this  Rule  from  the  British  House  of  Commons,  as  I  am personally   unable  to  explain  the  logic  for  this  arrangement;  other  than  that  it  originates  from  ancient  British Parliamentary  history).

The  initial  multi-party  challenges.

After   having   settled  properly  in  our  new  multi-Party  political  environment,  and  Parliament  having   commenced  its  normal  business;   the  multi-party  challenges  quickly  started  emerging.               

It  had  been  generally  expected  that  the  management  of  the  new  multi-party  Parliament  would  probably  present  some  challenges.  And   indeed,  that  is  exactly  what  happened.

The  multi-party  elections  had  brought  into  Parliament  several  very  knowledgeable  and  robust  Opposition  politicians,  such  as  the  seasoned  advocates  Mabere  Marando  and  Masumbuko  Lamwai;  plus  veteran  politicians  like  Steven  Wassira,  Paul  Ndobho,  and  John  Cheyo;  who  were  also  quite  adept  and  skillful  in  the  art  of  challenging  the  Speaker  without  rancor  or  ill  will;  and  had  the  ability to  frame  their  arguments  in  a  manner  that  made such  arguments  extremely  difficult  to  counter.                                                                                                   

That  was  the  new  crop  of  legislators  that  I  now  had  to  deal  with.  And  they were  very  fast  in  showing  their  prowess;  actually   right  on  the  first  sitting  day  of  the  new  Parliament;  when  I  was  in  the  process  of  administering  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  new  members.        

After  two  members  had  taken  the  oath,   apparently   Opposition  legislator  advocate   Mabere  Marando   was  listening  carefully  to  the  wording   of  this  oath,  and  had  detected  certain  words  therein,  that   he  considered  unacceptable.   Thus,  he  rose  in  his  place  “on  a  point  of  order”,  as  provided  for  in  the  Rules  of  the  House,  and  was allowed  to  speak.                

 He   raised   objection  to  the  words  in  that  oath which  read  as  follows:  “I  swear  true  allegiance  to  the   Government  of  the  United  Republic  of  Tanzania”.  He  argued  that “It  is  improper  and   unrealistic,  and  even  dishonest,   for  members  of  the  Opposition  to  swear  allegiance  to   the  CCM  government,   due  to  the   fact  that  the  Opposition  parties’  basic   mission  in  this  Parliament,  is  actually  to  work  towards  its  downfall,  either  through  defeat  on  a  motion  of  no  confidence  moved  in  this  House,  or  at  the  next  or  subsequent  general  election,   so  that  we  can  take  its  place.     In  such  circumstances,  how  can  we  honestly  swear  allegiance  to  the  government  which  we  are  fighting  to  remove  from  power?” .  .  .  In  my considered  opinion,   the  proper  and  honest  thing  for  us  to  do,  is  to  swear  allegiance  to  our  motherland,  the  United  Republic  of Tanzania,  and  not  to  the  government,  which  we  are  actively  seeking  to  remove  from  office.                                                        

Mr.  Speaker,   I ask  for  your  guidance  and  ruling  on  this  matter,  before  we  proceed  any  further”.

I   was  impressed  and  persuaded  by  his  argument.  I  therefore  ruled  in  his  favour;  and  directed  the  Clerk  of  The  National  Assembly,  George  Mlawa,  to  delete  the  words  “the  Government  of”  from  the  text  of  the  oath.  The amended  sentence  in  the  text  of  the  oath  of  allegiance  now  read  as  follows : “ I  swear  true  allegiance  to  the  United  Republic  of  Tanzania”.                                                    

That  resolved  the  matter,  and   enabled  the  proceedings  to  continue.                                                                                                     The  two  members  who  had  already  taken  the expunged  oath  were  directed  to  take  the  amended,  correct  oath  of  allegiance  to  their  motherland.

(Will  be  continued  next  week)

piomsekwa@gmail.com  /  0754767576.

Source: Daily News and Cde Msekwa.