Seeing the Good in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Almost everything under the Sun has two fasciae either good or bad. Put it this way. There’s nuanced dichotomy almost in everything, principally the way humans traditionally do and interpret things. I’ll use this dyadic tactic to reconnoiter all good and subtle things methinks Covid-19 has engendered despite its obvious looming corollaries, idiosyncrasies and jeopardies to humankind. Too much or too little of everything is dangerous, whereas everything poised is good. After the novel coronavirus broke 1n 2019, it’s doom and gloom for the world almost in everything. The manner in and hustle at which the pandemic whelmed the world like bushfire were verily nerve-wracking. The self-promoted high and mighty of the world started to sound a death knell for Africa that they’ve always deemed. Ironically, before long, the pandemic turned tables on them and proved them wrong up until now. The pangs and twangs the pandemic’s dispatched are bigger and more palpable in the west than they’re in Africa.

However, as the things go, there seems to be a silver lining to it. There are some positive things attributable to this pandemic. The Swahili sage’s it that every calamity’s its blessings. Considering some new findings, there are chances that Covid-19–––if well studied and utilized–––is likely to help us to usefully change the world. Environmental activists, ecologists and futurists are happy with the ablution of air that comes with Covid-19.  Similarly, rare and imperiled animals, in some place, are coming back.

Further, according to the Canadian Wildlife Federation, there were 15,000 new sightings reported in the first days of April. Last year, is indicative of the improvements of some endangered animals.

            Arguably, the bigger picture one gets from ecofriendly changes such as air and water quality improvements speaks to the fact that our consumerism is something that’ll one time extinguish us. It further, speaks to how we can apply the good lessons from Covid-19 to take on the global warming–––we, as mankind–––and thereby easily avert the looming dangers we’re collectively facing globally. In this way, we’ve an opportunity to make sense of and reconcile Covid-19 science and global warming science.  I’m sure. If research is conducted on how trees–––our forests have improved––––chances are that much will be learned and gained from Covid-19. There can be a silver lining in this cloud of pandemic if humans become creative and avant-garde seeking to make opportunities out of what seems to be a colossal menace. Yes, one’s garbage might become another’s treasure.

            Apart from ecological goodies, there are some socio-economic goodies. For example, the husbands who used to come home in the middle of the nights under various ruses––––so as to become rare genera to their progenies––––are now home during thanks to the Covid-19 lockdown. The movements of such creatures were curtailed either for the fear of endangering their families or obeying the lockdown laws. The kismets they used to squander on liquor and prostitutes can now help their family to live better. Consider this. The used to be lonely housewives are now happy for what Covid-19 has awarded them.  

 Consider the lock out many went through; some to end up taking to streets to oppose the move. Similarly, kids who had already forgotten how their fathers look like are now happy to see them around toying with parenthood. Conflict over parenting not to mention infidelity must have fallen sharply despite the fact that there have been negative side whereby girls have been on a receiving end as far as premarital pregnancies are concerned. For example, according to the Global Citizen (August 19^th, 2022), in Kenya alone, “over a period of three months in lockdown due to COVID-19, 152,,000 Kenya teenage girls became pregnant—a 40% increase in the country's monthly average.” This is not good. However, it provides a lesson on how to avoid this to recur again. The good side of this is the fact that it alerts us to do things differently shall we go back to the lockdown to see to it that we seal the loophole that enabled this crime to be committed.

Also, there are some benefits from the lockdowns. Essentially, the lock in Covid-19 ushered in can’t be negated so to speak or being treated as fishing expedition. For, it has informed us about our un/preparedness as countries and peoples. Many governments were caught off guard; something that allowed corrupt officials to rob public coffers under the pretext[s] of the urgency in tackling the pandemic. The lesson learned is that countries and governments need to have emergency funds and laws altogether.

            Another goodie that Covid-19 shows as a lesson for Africa is technological divide. While many students globally were online learning, ours were struggling for various reasons such as lack of internet connectivity, electricity and the general programs and infrastructure that would have enabled us to address this anomaly. The upshot is that Africa needs to start thinking about technological and power interconnectivity. Dependency on others to help proved to not help especially during the pandemic in which it was everybody on his own. African sage has it that when spiders unite can tie a lion. We, too, despite being made to believe we are poor, together we can bridge the orifice we are having now as a people and a continent.

More importantly, as was with HIV/AIDS and Ebola in West Africa, humans have proved to be resilient. Maybe, it’s time to learn the model African countries used to thwart the two pandemic singlehandedly while the west’s just ringing the death knell as if it wasn’t their duty to help other humans.  Africa needs to come forth and teach the others how it survived the above two perils. For, apart from its experience from the two pandemic, up until now, Africa still faces lesser of the pandemic compared to others. Why while Africa’s accused of having feeble health services compared to the west that is now huffing.

Another good thing that Covid-19 ushered in the fact that our health and social systems are wanting and gouged. Who’d think that the so-called developed countries would lose the battle to Covid-19 as it happened?  Refer to the hecatomb of many of its elderly. Apart from our health and social systems, in western countries, their wellbeing, especially that of elderly, is in crisis. That’s why many elderly died compared to Africa and Asia where they are taken care of by their families instead of interning them in care homes.

In sum, Covid-19, despite its perils, presents challenges and opportunity to humankind shall we become creative and resilient, especially in preparing ourselves for the post-pandemic time. despite being a menace, Covid-19 can be a wake-up call for us to reconsider how we use our resources and the way we treat mother earth with myopia flaunted by our consumerism, egoism and greed as people and society.

Source: African Executive Magazine tomorrow.

Kama Samia Ni Mama Yetu, Maria Nyerere na Bi Titi Ni Nani?

Si nadra siku hizi kusikia watu–––hasa wateule wake au wale aliowabakiza kwenye ulaji–––wakimwita rais Samia Suluhu Hassan ‘mama yetu’ ili kumfurahisha na kulinda ulaji wao. Kama tutakuwa wakweli kwa nafsi zetu, je kweli SSH ni mama yetu? Kwangu mimi, SSH ni rais wa JMT basi. Kwanini ninafikiri hivi? Nina sababu zifuatazo:
        Mosi, Samia si mama yetu bali rais wetu hasa ikizingatiwa kuwa umama wa taifa haupewi mtu kwa sababu ni rais bali kutokana na mchango wake kama upo. Je tukilinganisha mchango wa SSH na akina Maria Nyerere, mjane wa baba wa taifa au Bi Titi Mohamed, mama aliyepigania uhuru wetu hadi kuathirika kifamilia kwa kuachika na kufungwa tena kwa kusingiziwa kweli tunaweza kusema kwa haki na heshima kuwa SSH ni mama yetu?
        Pili, kama ni umama utokanao na urais, inakuwaje watangulizi wake kuanzia Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Hayati Benjamin Mkapa, Jakaya Kikwete na Hayati Dkt John Magufuli hawakuitwa baba zetu? Hapa kuna nini au ni ule udhalilishaji wa mfume dume kama siyo tabia ya kujikomba ambayo ilianza kuota mizizi kwenye awamu ya tano tokana na ukali wa Magufuli? Tulizoea kusikia mke wa Magufuli, mama Janet, akiitwa na walipoende kujipendekeza kwa mumewe wakimwiti ‘mama yetu kipenzi’ sifa ambayo imepotea ghafla baada ya mumewe kufariki na kutokuwa madarakani. Je ni kweli mama Janet alikuwa kipenzi au madaraka ya mumewe? Mbona siku hizi tunasikia akiitwa mjane wa Magufuli bila sifa ya kipenzi kuendelea kutajwa kama kweli alikuwa akipendwa kweli? Je kwanini SSH, ghafla amegeuka mama wa kila mmoja wakati alipokuwa makamu wa rais aliitwa jina lake la SSH? Kunani hapa? Hata hivyo, hili linahitaji wenye kuona mbali na ndani zaidi.  Je hawa wanaomwita SSH mama yetu wanamaanisha hivyo au kujikomba na kumzuga aendelee kuwabakisha kwenye ulaji? Je––kama tutafuata vigezo––SSH anastahiki heshima ya mama yetu ambayo kwa maana nyingine ni mama wa taifa wakati mataifa karibu yote–––tokana na mfumo dume–––huwa hayana mama wa taifa isipokuwa baba wa taifa?
            Kwa kujua tabia ya kujikomba inayoendana na madaraka, namshauri rais SSH akemee utapeli huu usiokuwa na sababu yoyote bali kujikomba na kumpumbaza na kumdanganya adhani wanampenda wakati si kweli. Hebu fikiria. Alipokuwa madarakani, Dkt Magufuli alikuwa akisema kila jambo na kuungwa mkono huku waliomzunguka wakimsifia na kujichekesha ilhali walikuwa wanalenga kumtumia na kumfurahisha ili wanusurike. Ukiangalia kwa sasa ambapo wale waliokuwa wakijifanya watu wake walivyomgeuka na kuanza kubomoa mema yake, utajua ninachomaanisha. Mfano wa karibu ni ile hali ya baadhi ya waliokuwa karibu naye kuanza kutetea bila aibu mambo ya aibu ana ajabu kama vile mradi mbovu wa ujenzi wa bandari ya Bagamoyo ambayo Hayati Magufuli alipiga kalam una kutamka wazi kuwa hata mwendawazimu asingeweza kuuruhusu. Mbali na hiyo, rejea kubadilika kwa ghafla kwa wapiganaji wa miamvuli waliotuaminisha kuwa taifa letu lilikuwa hali corona na lilikuwa likilindwa na Mungu kiasi cha kutovaa mabarakoa kwa vile Hayati Magufuli aliyapinga wanavyovaa mabarakoa. Je huu si ushahidi wa unafiki na imani za woga? Sina ugomvi na kuwepo kwa corona. Je kwanini mliokuwa mmezunguka Hayati Magufuli hamkumshauri au kuachia ngazi pale alipokuwa ameshikilia msimamo kuwa tulihitaji kinga ya Mungu na si barakoa na chanjo?
            Taifa letu ni ajabu kidogo. Ilifikia mahali watu wanajua kabisa kuwa walikuwa wakihatarisha afya zao na wengine ilmradi waendelee kuwa madarakani wasijue wangeweza kufa na kuyaacha. Kwa kuzingatia tabia hii ya ajabu na hovyo, namshauri rais SSH asikubali kuitwa mama yetu wakati wanaomuita hivyo wapo wanawake wenye umri mkubwa kuliko yeye ukiachia mbali wanaume wanaoweza kumzaa. Nisisitize. Tuwe wakweli kwa nafsi zetu badala ya kuendekeza njaa na unafiki. Tunawapotosha viongozi na wananchi wetu.
            Tokana tabia hii ya kinyonga, nachelea kuwa baadhi ya mambo aliyokataza Hayati Magufuli yanaweza kurejea taratibu kama vile safari za hasara na hovyo za maafisa wa serikali nje, matumizi mabaya, wizi, uzembe na mengine mengi. Rejea kadhia ya hivi karibuni ambapo wadau wa bandari walivyosikika kwenye mitandao wakilalamika kuwa bandari imerejea ujahiri wa awali ukiachia mbali wizi hata ujambazi kuanza kuibuka hata kabla ya Hayati Magufuli hajaoza.
            Biblia ina maneno ya busara yasemayo ajikwezaye atashushwa. Pia tuongezee kuwa akubalie kukwezwa asipostahili atashushwa na wale wale wanaompaka mafuta kwa mgongo wa chupa au kumtwisha kiremba cha ukoko. Namshauri rais SSH ajikumbushe kisa cha Yesu siku ya matawi alipoingia Jerusalem akiwa amepandishwa kwenye mgongo wa punda huku wanawake wakitandika khanga zao na wengine matawi ili apite. Je alipokamatwa, watu wale wale walisema? Walisema “asulubiwe” hata bila makosa. Kumbuka. Kabla­­­––kwa mujibu wa biblia­­­––Yesu aliweza kulisha umati pale alipobadili samaki sita na vipande vya mikate watu wakala na kusaza. Ajabu, baada ya hapo, ni wanufaika wale wale walisema bila aibu wala woga asulubiwe. 

            Mfano mwingine ni wa Musa. Alipowatoa wana wa Israeli Misri alishangiliwa sana. Cha ajabu, akiwa jangwani njiani kuelekea Kanani, walimgeuka wakakufuru wakisema walikuwa wamechoshwa na mana na pia walitaka wamuone Mungu vinginevyo wangemuua Musa. Mfano mwingine ni wa baba wa taifa. Alipokuwa kitini walimwimbia mapambio, ngonjera na nyimbo zote za sifa. Alipostaafu walimwita ‘Baba aambiliki” wakati walikuwa wakigwaya kumwambia zaidi ya kumsifu hadi wakaja na kile kilichoitwa zidumu fikra za mwenyekiti wa CCM. Je zilidumu au zimeishia wapi baada ya yeye kuishia? Hawa ndiyo wanadamu. Hawana tofauti na ndege kwenye mti wenye matunda. Yakiishia, nao wanaishia bila hata kugeuka nyuma kama ambavyo kwa sasa naona wakimpa kichogo Hayati Magufuli ambaye amebakiza wanyonge wake tu ila siyo wale walioshiba mikononi mwake. Hii ni kutokana na ukweli kuwa ukiwa na madaraka, ulaji au utajiri na nguvu watakusifia. Zana hizi zikishakutoka waliokuwa wakijifanya kukupenda wanakuponda. Waliokuwa wakikweza wanakushusha na kukushua. Jifunzeni toka kwa Hayati Magufuli na yanayoendelea. Leo sisemi mengi zaidi ya kuuliza tena. Je kweli SSH ni mama yetu au rais wetu? Je anahitaji sifa hii kweli? Namshauri SSH akatae unafiki na unywanywa wa kutaka kuingizwa mkenge na wasaka tonge na wachumia tumbo ambao wako tayari kucheza ngoma yoyote ilmradi tonge liende kinywani.

Chanzo: Raia Mwema kesho.

Uganda Needs a ‘Plover’ To Help To Move Forward

Though it isn’t well known even credited not only for its bravery and shrewdness but also services, a plover–––the only creature that can make croc’s mouth its palaver–––has a big lesson to teach to those facing the same fix. The plover’s the only creature that fears no croc’s callousness, ravenousness and viciousness. It comfortably enters croc’s deadly buccal cavity and cleans it without any panic. In Uganda, president Yoweri Museveni’s been in power for over three decades. He’ll soon commence his journey into the fourth. That’s never augur well with the majority of Ugandans. Mr. Museveni isn’t alone. In Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, the situation is the same. Paul Biya, and Teodoro Obiang Nguema have been in power since 1982 and 1979 respectively after deposing Ahmadou Ahidjo and Francisco Marcias Nguema respectively. The trio above shares some nexuses. They all toppled their predecessors and clung unto power without necessarily delivering on the promises. Further, they’ve ignored term limits though stipulated in their constitutions not to mention cannibalising power for their private ends.
To unseat Museveni, many have tried many tricks to no avail. Of all who tried to help Museveni go to retirement, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bob Wine’s daringly though not successfully given Museveni the run for his money. He forced him to display his brutality. After trying to snatch the morsel from his fangs, Museveni, through hijacking and sometimes killing many of those who seem to be in his way showed his true colour namely, callousness and disregard to human rights. For the first time, Ugandans started to learn new things such as drones, disappearances and torture that used to be Amin’s work-tools. 
Now that Museveni is in his fourth decade, Ugandans need a plover that must valiantly clean croc’s mouth. They already have one. What they don’t know is that they’ve one Bob Wine as their plover shall they stand behind him. This said, Wine also doesn’t know he’s but a plover that can turn croc’s mouth his palaver if he underscores the following facts:
        Firstly, he must persist without giving in or up. The work he’s already done to pave the way to power is big. Thus, he’d keep his amber burning to see to it when time to dislodge and dispose Museveni, he must be on the top of the game. If he persists, he’ll win where Dr Kiiza Besigye , FDC president, failed. Indeed, he’ll reap what Besigye and he sowed after a long scruffle.
        Secondly, Wine needs to accept and play a plover’s role to the crocs. He must not sit and wait. Instead, he must, by hooks and crooks, up the ante and strategize to eat in NRM’s turf. If anything, this is one of the guiles that helped Museveni to flat Wine. He ate in his turf. Therefore, instead of treating the NRM as his sworn foe, Wine must start to devise the methods by which he can plant his proxies in it. He must befriend those he thinks can see the light and partake of the second liberation.
        Thirdly, Wine must underscore and understand that politics is like a chess game. To realistically ‘clean’ the croc’s dirty mouth, Wine doesn’t only need to be on the top of his game but also to be ahead of the game. Museveni will be 82 years old in the next charades, sorry, elections. Haile Selassie (Ethiopia), Felix Houphouet-Boigny (Ivory Coast), Drs Hastings Kamuzu Banda (Malawi), Alpha Conde (Guinea), Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe) and Abdoulaye Wade (Senegal) are the only Africans who were presidents in their eighties. Of all, it is only Conde who’s still in office.  Thus, at that age, Museveni will be mentally and physically frail to withstand the hardships of maintaining power. Socially, he’ll be boring and tiring. He’s been in the game for too long. Thus, he needs someone to help him see the light. And this is none other than the one who’ll act like a plover.
        In sum, if Uganda and Wine need a plover, they’ve one, Bob Wine. As for the croc, who cares about or needs to have it? Uganda needs a plover in the palaver.

Source: Sunday Monitor today.

Murder in the name of love

    By Makau Mutua

Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of the KHRC. you need to know:

Marriage, though it’s the basic unit of society, is often a very cruel institution to women. 
Senior public figures, including ODM’s Raila Odinga, have spoken up against intimate-partner killings.
Those of us who’ve been married in the Christian Church have uttered the words “till death do us part”. More on this later. Suffice it to note there appears to be an epidemic of murder and wanton killing of one spouse, or lover, by another. I say “appears” because there aren’t reliable statistics in Kenya on these macabre slaughters. In the past, partner-killings have only been the concern of civil society organisations like the Kenya Human Rights Commission, or Fida, the women’s rights group. Now senior public figures, including ODM’s Raila Odinga, have spoken up against intimate-partner killings. What is going on? Let me take you into the mind of the killer and our culpable society.
        Most intimate-partner killings take place among spouses. Usually, domestic violence boils over, and in a nanosecond, a life is snuffed out. As a general rule, the male partner is the perpetrator. Even so, there have been several high profile murders of males by their female partners. Some men have gone as far as forming male-only groups to “save” boys and men from women. I laughed when I first heard of the idea. Imagine White Americans creating a Whites-only group to “save” them from African-Americans. That’s the text-book definition of a White supremacist hate group. Similarly, Kenyan “male-only” groups are nothing but patriarchal cabals of misogyny. Shame on them. Such men lack the cojones – balls – to be real men.
        Let’s go biblical. Christian marriage vows generally run something like this. “I, Makau Mutua, take you, Athena Harris, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” Before the “woke” generation, the bride’s vow included the words “and to obey.” Meaning the bride [wife] pledged, like the husband’s “chattel” [property], to obey him. No such obligation was placed on the groom [husband]. The pastor would then command the “man” to kiss his “wife.” The man, not the husband, would kiss his wife. The word “wife” makes the woman a toy, a plaything for the man.
Hatred for women
        These deep-seated notions of misogyny and hatred for women were imported into Africa by Christianity. A cardinal theme of the Bible – and the Quran – is misogyny, or patriarchy and hatred for the female gender. Most African societies practised varying degrees of misogyny and so it wasn’t a large normative leap for them to embrace the patriarchal teachings of the Bible and the Quran. This relationship of “ownership” between the genders where the female is inferior, or subordinate, and the male is superior, or an overlord, is akin to the relationship between the enslaved and the enslaver – all in the name of “love”. Marriage, though it’s the basic unit of society, is often a very cruel institution to women. 
        Patriarchy is visible all around us. Women are paid 50 per cent of what a man earns. Men own most of the land in Kenya and the overwhelming wealth in GDP and per capita. There’s more. Most of the work that women do [in the home, child care, and farming] is unpaid labour. There are more men than women in the public and private sectors. Women are a minuscule percentage in higher echelons of the corporate world. More boys and men have access to education than girls and women. Men overwhelmingly dominate the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary in spite of the two-thirds constitutional edict, which the state has flatly refused to implement. It’s Kenya’s state policy to subjugate and marginalise women.
        Men and boys rule the roost. If you doubt me, visit any average Kenyan household. Boys will be playing outside, or on their electronic gadgets and the girls will be in the kitchen with their moms and other women slaving to cook and clean. The men will be sitting in the living room, or the yard, drinking and eating. Shamelessly. The women and girls serve them. When the women and girls forget to keep the glasses of booze full, the men snap their fingers and they come scurrying to find out what the “master gender” wants. Often, I have seen men abusively fondle the domestic workers and other women serving them. This is reality, not fiction, for women.
        Economic, political, and social powerlessness by women is the basis of domestic violence, marital rape, and often murder, or severe beatings. After all, the men “own” their wives and can treat them as property. It doesn’t matter what the woman wants. When women kill their spouses, or lovers, it’s often because they’ve had enough abuse and cruelty inflicted on them. It’s an act of desperation, or self-defence, or diminished control because of the violence visited on them by “their” men. I suggest that Kenya takes a serious look at the problem of the subjugation of women by men — in all sectors — because that’s the Petri dish in which femicide is incubated.
Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at Buffalo Law School. He’s chair of KHRC. @makaumutua

Source: Sunday Nation today.

CCM UNDER PRESIDENT SAMIA’ STEWARDSHIP : WHAT CHANGES SHOULD WE REASONABLY EXPECT?

There was  a  historic  ‘change  of  guard’  in  CCM,  when   President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan  was  elected  CCM  national  Chairperson  on  30th  April,  2021.  At the  time  of  her  election,  CCM  had     just   attained  the  age  of  forty  four  years.  A  political  party  of  forty  four  years   is,  obviously,    pretty  oldish.  And  there  is  a  ‘wicked’  inclination  in  some  people,  to  suppose  that   old  political  parties  “have  outlived  their  usefulness”!  
        Today’s  article  will  endeavour  to  dispute  that  notion,  by  just  narrating  how  CCM  has  managed  to  survive  for  all  these  years,   despite  going  through  some  difficult  political  challenges  which,  under  some  other  multi-party  political  jurisdictions,   could  have  easily  thrown  the  ruling  political   party  out  of  power.   
Down  memory  lane.
        The  gurus  have   been  said,   that  “history  is  the  memory  recorded  in  our  brain”.  I  personally  had  the  great  good  fortune  of  being  a  key  player  in  the  hectic  preparations  for  CCM’s  establishment, when  I  was  appointed   member/secretary  of  the  joint  TANU/ASP  20-man  Commission  which  had  been  set  up  to  make  preparations  for  its  establishment,  and  subsequently  being  the master  of  ceremony   at  its  birth  day  celebrations  at  Amani  Stadium  in  Zanzibar  on  5th  February,  1977;  plus,   soon  thereafter,  being  appointed  the  first  Executive  Secretary  General  of  the  newly  born  party.  I  therefore  have  some  rich, pleasant  memories  ‘recorded  in  my  brain’,  which  could   help  in  facilitating   informed   discussions  regarding   this  topic.   For  that  reason, this  article  will   now   take  our  readers  ‘down  memory  lane’,  by  recalling  the major  historic  events  which  led  to  CCM’s  establishment;  and  its  subsequent  chequered   ‘stages  of  growth’  thereafter.  
It  was  Mwalimu  Nyerere’s  bold  initiative.
        The  starting  point  was  President  Nyerere’s  acceptance  speech  on  22nd  September,  1975,   upon  his  re-nomination  by  the  joint  TANU/ASP  electoral  conference,   as  TANU’s  candidate  for  that  year’s   Presidential election.  In  the  course  of  that  speech,  President Nyerere  made  the  following  ground  breaking   proposal:-                                                                                                                                                                                “Our  country  is,  legally  and  constitutionally,  a  One-party  State.  But,   in  reality,  we  have  two  parties.  I  believe  that  this  is  a  constitutional  anomaly,  which  is  a  very  serious  matter.                        It   is  my  sincere  conviction,  that we  should  now  give  serious  consideration  to  this  matter,  and  find    way  of  removing  this  anomaly.  I  am  convinced  that  we  will  greatly  strengthen  the  unity  of  our  people,  and  also  give  ourselves  greater  capacity  for  carrying  our  revolution  forward,  if  we  now  agree  to  merge  our  two  parties,  in  order  to  form  one  strong  revolutionary  party,  which  will  lead  our  revolutionary  nation”.                                                                                                                                                                (I should  perhaps  draw  special  attention  to  the significance  of  the  words  “in  order  to  form  one  revolutionary  party”  in  the  last  sentence;  because  that  is  precisely  why  the  new  party  was  named  “Chama  cha  Mapinduzi”).
Nyerere’s   proposal  was  received  with  enthusiastic  acclamation  by  the  entire  conference,  no  one  dissenting.  Hence,  the  practical  implementation  of  that  proposal  subsequently  commenced  when,  on  2nd  October,  1976,  a  20-person  joint  Commission,  comprising  an  equal  number  of  members  from  both  parties  was  appointed,  and  given  the  task  of   “making  all  the  preparations  necessary  preparations  for  the  formation  of  the  new  party,  resulting  from  the  voluntary  merger  of  the  two  parties”.   And, as  already  stated above,  I  was  appointed  Member/Secretary  of  that  Commission.
  CCM’s   measured  stages  of   growth  thereafter.
         The  new  party  was  born  under  the  monopolistic  ‘One-party  State’  political  dispensation.  Its   Mission and  Vision,  were clearly stated in the Preamble  to  its Constitution,  as  follows:- “Tumeamua  kwa  pamoja,  kuunda  chama  kipya  cha kuendeleza  mapinduzi  ya  kijamaa  nchini  Tanzania,  pamoja   na  mapambano ya  ukombozi  wa  Afrika,  juu  ya  misingi  imara   iliyojengwa  na  TANU  na  ASP.  Chama  kipya  tunachokiunda,  tunataka  kiwe  ni  chombo  madhubuti  katika  muundo  wake  na   katika  fikra  zake;    na   pia  katika vitendo vyake vya  kufutilia  mbali  aina  zote  za  dhuluma  na  unyonyaji  hapa  nchini;  na  kupambana  na  jambo  lolote  lile,  ama  la  mtu  kuonea  mtu  mwingine,  au  chombo  cha  Serikali  kuonea  au  kudhalilisha  wananchi;  au  kudhoofisha  uchumi  wa  nchi  na  kuzorotesha  maendeleo  ya  Taifa  letu”.  
         My  humble  submission is   that  CCM’s  continued strength over the past 44 years,  lies principally in its successful implementation of its  Mission and vision,  and  its  policies  and programmes  which  are  articulated  in  its  election  manifestos  every  five  years;  which  has  been   the main source  of   its  continued  appeal to the majority of the Tanzanian electorate,  giving   CCM  huge  successes  in  all  the  multi party general elections  that  have  been  held  over  all  these  years.
CCM’s   organizational  structure.
        CCM’s   other source of strength,   lies in its organizational structure, and  the  party’s  healthy  practice  of  regular  and  continuous  recruitment of  new  party  members   mostly  from  among the younger generations;  as  well  as  new party leaders at all levels of the party hierarchy, through the process of party elections which are held regularly  after every five years (or  every  ten years in the case of the national party Chairman);  plus  its  successful  implementation  of  its  election  manifesto  promises.  In  my  view,  these  are  the   factors  which  have   been   great  and  significant  assets  that  have  contributed  hugely to the party’s strength, and sustainability. 

  The  transition  to  multi-party  politics.
        The  party’s  transition  to  multi-party  politics  was  its  second  stage  of   growth,  when  it  was  effected  in  1992,  when  the country’s  Constitution  was  extensively  amended  in  order  to  include  new  provision  which  would   accommodate  the  new   multiparty  political dispensation. This  transition  was  actually  initiated,  and actively   processed,  by  CCM  itself;  having fully   realized  that  the political  landscape in  many  countries  on  the  world  was  rapidly  changing  in  that  direction. The  entry  into  multi-party  politics  necessitated   CCM’s  participation  in  the  multi-party. electoral competitions.     
The  challenges of  multi-party  politics.
        After  the  transition  to  multi-party  politics ,   CCM   has,  inevitably,  been  facing    a  variety  of  challenges,  including the  possibility  that  CCM’s longevity  alone   could   lead to  its downfall  from power, allegedly because “people will eventually get tired of it”! In  my  humble  opinion, this  is  not a  valid proposition,  simply because:  unlike  human beings,  who die basically due to biological causes  that lead to the human heart ceasing to function;   Organizations,  such  as  political  parties,  can  only die due to  avoidable  human errors  such  as  scandals,  and  other   which  are  committed  by  the  erring  parties  themselves. “self-inflicted  injuries”. 
Examples  of   CCM’s  self-inflicted  injuries.
        The dictionary definition of the word ‘self-inflicted injury” is that it is “an injury which one inflicts deliberately upon himself”. The word “deliberately” is a key word in this definition. It means that the resultant injury must have been deliberately inflicted upon the injured, through his own deliberate negligence.  Thus, as  a veteran ‘mzee wa Chama’ myself  who has all along been in its ‘corridors of power’,  I can venture to testify positively to the contention that CCM  has, sometimes,  been a victim of its own ‘self-inflicted injuries’. The following examples may serve to illustrate this point: 
 (i)  Its   dismal  electoral  performance in  the 2010  Presidential  election.
The results of the 2010 presidential election,  manifestly showed that CCM’s support among the voting population, had sharply declined  and  gone  down  to  unprecedented low levels. These results had provided a  loud and clear “wake-up call” to the party,  which,  commendably, lost no time in responding to this call, by embarking on a serious  internal evaluation exercise,  in order  to determine the true causes of this sudden  decline in its popularity among the electorate. 
        This exercise revealed, that the major sources for this loss of support were the following:
(a) The damaging scandals which were closely associated with the party’s leaders.                           These included the “Richmond scandal”, which effectively rocked the  National  Assembly, with  the CCM MPs being divided into two  antagonistic groups, with  one  group  being  labeled  as   the ‘mafisadi’  group;  and  the  other   identifying  itself  as  the ‘anti-mafisadi’  group.  As  if  that  was  not  enough,  the Richmond scandal was rapidly followed by another, equally damaging scandal,  known as the “EPA scandal”;  which  consisted of serious accusations being directed at certain prominent CCM   national  leaders, who were alleged to have  illegally ‘stolen’  huge sums of money from the External Payments Account (EPA) of the Central Bank (BOT).                                                                            Such accusations naturally raised anger among the community, and thus contributed to the loss of public trust in the ruling party. 
(b) The ideological challenges: the failure to implement Ujamaa.   
         The dismal failure to implement the Party’s Ujamaa ideology,  was  certainly  one of the major challenges to the strength and reputation of Chama cha Mapinduzi,  which  was  caused  primarily  by  factors  such  as;- 
 (i)  Attempting  to  build socialism without socialists.
         It  is  stated in the Arusha Declaration document itself, that “Socialism cannot just establish itself.    It  can only be established, and maintained, by people who have complete faith in the efficacy of this system”.  In   our  case,  it  can be asserted that the party was attempting to build socialism where there were no committed socialist,  a  state  of  affairs  which was  aggravated   by the  presence  of  other  negative,  ‘self-injury’  factors,  including :- 
(i)   The  mismanagement  of  ‘Operation  Vijiji’.                                                                     
         The  mismanagement of  the  “Operation  Vijiji”  exercise  in  1973/74  created   massive,  negative anti-Ujamaa  attitudes among the people, particularly among the majority rural population.  The  that  these  mismanagement   actions   were  committed   by  the  inept, reckless administration officials  of  the  party  and  its  government,  who literally used ‘brutal force’  by   forcing people to relocate  to what were designated as “Ujamaa villages”, during the relevant ‘operation’ in 1973/74;  whereby  large numbers of village people were  literally  ‘rounded’  up at their established homes,  and  herded off,  together with their belongings, to  distant bare sites,  which were supposed  to be their new residential areas;  and  were  just abandoned and left  to fend for themselves, their previous homes having been  destroyed  as a strategy  to prevent them from returning there.  
Such brutality, necessarily created  massive  ill feelings, plus  utter  frustration,  and collective anger, among the affected  people;  who  therefore  decided  that  ‘if this was the Ujamaa they were being told about, they would have none of it!                                             (ii) The failure of the Ujamaa industrial sector to deliver. 
         The other factor which contributed to the loss of faith in the efficacy of the Ujamaa ideology;  was the miserable failure of the much touted Ujamaa industrial sector; which, unfortunately, failed to produce enough goods and services to satisfy the needs of the people. This resulted in extreme shortages of all the essential items required for people’s daily consumption, to the extent that  in the early 1980s, people had to join long, endless waiting  lines, in order to be able to purchase any item whatsoever, from  the few designated  shops which were  allowed  to  keep  and  sell  these essential  items.  Fortunately  however,  the  ‘Ujamaa  failure’   caused  no  harm  to  CCM,  because  CCM  is   a  “mass  party”   which  is  not,  basically,  anchored  on  adherence  to  ideology. 
 A  manifestation   of  CCM’s  inherent  strength.

        The fact  that  CCM  has been able to overcome all these nagging  problems, and   still  continued to win  the  subsequent general elections  so handsomely, is a clear manifestation of its solid  inherent strength;  and  this,  is  the   inveterate  strong  CCM   which,  on  30th  April,  2021,  was  placed  under  the  stewardship  of  the  new   Chairperson,  President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan. With  this  background  information  in  mind,  we  can  now  return  to  the  question:- what  changes,  if  any,  should  we  reasonably  expect  from  the  new  leader? (will  continue  next  week)
piomsekwa@gmail.com  /  0754767576. 
Source: Daily News and Cde Msekwa today 

 

BBI Must Create ‘Super Nation’ To Replace Existing ‘Tribal Nations’

The Building Bridge Initiatives (BBI), if anything, is likely to define and redefine Kenya as the country aiming at ushering in a new and positive approach to conflict resolution shall it succeed and meet its intended goals. Truly, the whole world’s watching what Kenya’s recently embarked on after two arch-foes entered in a dialogue after their famous handshake 9th March, 2018, after many years of the recurrences of tribal toxicity that resulted in tribal bedlam, especially after the general elections. Famous conflict resolution guru, Johan Galtung once says that “our problems are located in the past, in the present and in the future.” And indeed, our history of relationship’s a lot to tell on our past, present and future. For, nobody can competently and realistically conceptualise the future without keenly looking into the past. We may ignore our past for our peril. Again, we can’t escape its ramifications. This is a natural law of things.
         For Kenya, as a nation that’s refused to become a nation but a country, the BBI acts as the reminder that Kenya cannot run away from its past. Therefore, addressing past evils is sine qua non for Kenya to move forward competently and peacefully. Therefore, after the two protagonists underscore their roles in this impasse; and thereby came out of their cocoons, Kenya’s, once again, proved its resilience and broadmindedness matters of nation. However, historically, since gaining its independence, Kenya’s built the country but not the nation. This can be seen on how the communities or tribes (I hate to use this colonial coined word) have always regarded themselves as the nations. That’s why it is a normal thing to hear some Kenyan politicians academics and elites talking about the Maa nation, the Kamba nation, the Kalenjin nation, the Luhya nation etc. If anything, such a mindset must be the first element the BBI must thwart in order to create an opportunity for the creation of the super nation called Kenya. Tribes might feel they’re nations thanks to their organic formation and thinking. However, in the modern complicated and globalized world that more needs unity than anything, such a rationale’s what I call logical fallacy. It doesn’t work. And if it does, it does so counterproductively. How can tribes allow the super nation to survive while it stands on their way? For the super nation to exist, tribal nations must die. The two can't coexist harmoniously in any form and way. The neighbouring Tanzania provides an ideal example. With over 120 tribes or three times of what Kenya is comprised of, it decided to butcher the tribal nation in order to allow the creation of the super nation known as the United Republic of Tanzania after the mainland Tanganyika united with the Islands of Pemba and Zanzibar in 1964. This is the history of the peaceability of Tanzania, which Tanzanians like to refer to as the Island of Peace.
        As argued above, for Kenyan super nation to exist, tribal nations must be intentionally abandoned. This said, there’s no way Kenya can get rid of such tribal nations without creating the system to do so. As a Tanzanian, I’ll use my country’s experience. To begin with, Tanzania started with the politics of nationality as opposed to the politics of tribalism. Kenyans know too well how their postcolonial government hinged on tribalism in lieu of nationalism. Although Kenya’s founders sung nationalism, they danced to tribal tune. This doesn’t work at all. For nationalism, true nationalism to exist, everybody needs to be on board. That’s precisely why I’m saying that the BBI must not be politicised. If it is, many chauvinistic and Machiavellian politicians–––who thrive in toxic tribalism–––will use tribal politics to sabotage the process of national building. One thing’s unavoidably important here. Create the laws that’ll illegalise tribal politics by seeing to it that those who break such laws receive heavy punishments. And if this is done, you’ll rise up to the occasion for your prosperity and security as a people and a nation. Such laws must be enshrined in the constitution of the land in order to give them prominence. Laws alone cannot solve the problem though. National dialogue, granting on campaigns must be launched to educate the citizens about the importance of having a nation but not just a country made of trivial tribal nations as Kenya’s been.
        Additionally, Kenyans must be educated about the importance of the unity of their country first through civic education and strenuous campaigns so that they can make a very sound decision on the matter. There’s no way Kenyans can aspire to solemnize the union of East Africa while they have failed in theirs.  Latin sage’s it that Caritas incipit domi or charity begins at home. This is very central. For, any country in the region that aspires to join the EAC needs to have something positive to bring to the table as far as relationship is concerned.  This is because birds of feathers flock together. This means that if Kenyans succeed in creating a super nation over tribal nations, it will be able to convince others that it is ready for the unification of the EA.
           In a nutshell, Kenya’s a very big chance of creating the super nation through the BBI shall it not be hijacked by tribal politics or being politicised to serve myopic and narrow interests of some politicians. The BBI must be made to serve all Kenyans but not some Kenyans. The super nation guarantees peace and security not only to the country but also the entire region, especially at this very moment when many parts of the world are creating regional collaborations and globalizing.

Source: African Executive Magazine today.

‘Wazee wa Dar’ ‘Uwakilishi Maalum’ Ni Ujima na Ukoloni Mamboleo

Hivi karibuni rais Samia Suluhu Hassan (SSH) alikuwa na mkutano na wazee wa Dar es Salaam. Waandaaji wa mkutano huo na mheshimiwa rais ndiyo wanaojua mantiki na sababu ya kuchagua wazee wa Dar na si wazee wa eneo jingine kama vile Dodoma ambapo ndiyo makao makuu ya nchi. Sina ugomvi na wazo wala mkutano wa mheshimwa rais kukutana na wazee wa Dar wakati wowote na kwa sababu yoyote ikimpendeza. Hata hivyo, nina maswali. Kwanini wazee na wazee wa Dar na si wa Dodoma au mkoa mwingine? Je ni sababu na vigezo gani vilivyotumika kuteua wazee wa Dar mbali na wao kujifanya wawakilishi wa wazee wote nchini? Je hao wanaodai kuwawakilisha waliwachagua? Na kama waliwachagua,wamechauguliwa vipi? Je kweli wazee wa Dar waliwakilisha wazee wote nchini? Tungefurahi kama maswali haya yangejibiwa au kufikiriwa wakati mwingine mheshimiwa rais atakapoamua kukutana na wazee. Pia afanye mpango wa kukutana na vijana ambao ndiyo injini inayotekeleza busara na ushauri wa wazee kama vipo katika utawala wa haki na sheria.
        Kubwa lililojitokeza kwenye mkutano tajwa ni kwa rais SSH kutoa onyo kwa wanaotaka kurejea jinai ya zamani. Alikaririwa akiwaaminisha wananchi akisema “leo nimesoma mtandaoni, Dar es salaam kuna watu wanajaribu kupima kima cha maji, vijiujambazi ujambazi na uporaji vimeanza kuja juu, naomba nitoe meseji wasijaribu kupima kina cha maji, IGP upo hapa, mitandaoni wanamtaja afande mmoja kuwa alikomesha ujambazi, wanasema mama turudishie, IGP kaliangalie hilo vizuri.” Nampongeza rais kwa kulisemea hili. Hata hivyo, kulisemea na jambo moja na kutekeleza ni jambo jingine.
         Jambo jingine ni ile hali ya wazee wa Dar kutaka nao wapewe nafasi za upendeleo kwenye taasisi za maamuzi kama vile mabaraza ya miji, bunge na megineyo. Hili halina tija zaidi ya kuturudisha kwenye ujima na kutoendelea ukiachia mbali kupendeleana na kubaguana. Litaongeza mzigo kwa walipa kodi ukiachia mbali kutokuwa na umuhimu wowote. Wakati tunapendekeza kubana matumizi na wengine wakitaka ianzishwe kodi ya uzalendo, inabidi tuangalie kubana matumizi na siyo kupanua na kuzidi kumuumiza mlipa kodi maskini. 
         Tunachopaswa kufanya ni kujiuliza. Kwanini viti maalum, umaalumu upi wakati wote wana changamoto? Leo tuna viti maalumu vya vijana, wazee, wasomi walemavu ambao hawamwakilishi yeyote zaidi ya matumbo yao. Kwani, wizara husika zitafanya kazi gani? Je tutabaguana na kupendeleana ili iweje na kwenda wapi? Tuweke mfumo wa haki wa kushindania fursa badala ya kutegemea hisani. Maana, kila jimbo lina kila aina ya watu hawa wanaopewa uwakilishi wa kupendelewa. Kila jimbo lina wazee, wanawake, walemavu na vijana ambao wanawakilishwa na mbunge wa jimbo ukiachia mbali kuwa na wizara maalum kwa ajili ya watu hawa. Je hawa wabunge¬¬¬–––kama siyo kuendelea kuwagawanya watu wetu na kuendelea kuwafanya tegemezi ili wasione matatizo yao na kuyatatua–––wanamwakilisha nani kama hawa wanahitaji wawakilishi maalum.
        Kesho tutaambiwa vinahitaji viti vya uwakilishi vya watoto, wanajeshi, madaktari, waandishi wa habari, wasomi, wakunga, wagonjwa, wazururaji hata makahaba. Hivi viti havina tija na vinatuchelewesha na kutufanya tuwe wavivu wa kufikiri. Rejea vinavyoliaibisha bunge kwa sasa ambapo wabunge waliotimuliwa na chama chao wameng’ang’aniwa na bunge wakati hakuna wanayemwakilisha ukiachia mbali kuwa pale kinyume cha sheria. Rejea walivyopewa majina mabaya kama vile Covid-19. Hii yote inaonyesha kutohitajika kwao katika mfumo wetu wa kiutawala. Tunahitaji kujikomboa pamoja na taasisi zetu.kama hivi viti ni dili, kwanini wale tunaoona wameendelea hawana hivi viti? Rejea ukweli kuwa nchi za magharibi zimeendelea kwa kuweka mazingira ya haki na mfumo wa kupigania fursa za uongozi bila kuangalia jinsia au hali maalumu. Huku hakuna viti maalum vya aina yoyote. Kwani, watu hawataki wala kutegemea upendeleo au umaalum. Hata kuteuliwa kwa rais SSH kuwa makamu wa rais na hatimaye rais si kwa sababu ni mwanamke. Hapana, ni kwa sababu ni binadamu, mtanzania na mwenye sifa zinazofaa. Angekuwa hana uwezo angechaguliwa eti kwa vile ni mwanamke? Hata haya maneno ya ni rais mwanamke ni upuuzi. Huyu ni rais wa Tanzania basi. Naye anapaswa kujisikia na kujichukulia hivyo. Hakuna mwenye haja na jinsi ya mtu. Hata sheria inapokuwa ikifanya kazi yake, haiangalii jinsia wala umri wa mtu ukiondoa ule wa watoto. Ukifanya makosa unashughulikiwa kama rais basi.
Wazee waliutumia uzee kutaka waonewe hisani ili kuboresha maisha yao. Kwani hawakujiandaa? Je viinua mgongo walivyopewa baada ya kustaafu vitafanya kazi gani? Kama kuna changamoto basi wanayo vijana na walemavu kuliko mtu yeyote. Andaeni mazingira safi badala ya kupeana upendeleo usio lazima
Hakuna haja ya kukamuana na wapiga simu au wengine kutafuta kodi ya uzalendo zaidi ya kubadili mfumo wetu wa kikoloni na tegemezi. Nini kifanyike? Andaeni mfumo bora wa haki na huru unahimiza ushindani wenye tija.Mfano hapa Kanada, kila mtu ana bima. Hivyo, hakuna mawazo tegemezi ya kutegemea upendeleo au umaalum bali ithibati. Mzee, mtoto, mtu mzima, kijana, na wengine wote wana bima ya Afya. Hawahitaji upendeleo na hakuna upendeleo. Kuna haki badala yake. Hakuna anayetaka kupendelewa bali kutendewa haki bila kujali jinsia wala nini isipokuwa wanaobaguliwa na kunyonywa kimfumo kama wananchi wa asili ya hapa, wageni na wengine ambao mfumo huwahimiza na kuwafanya wawe tegemezi na mzigo kwa hasara yao huku wanaowatawala wakiendelea kuwaibia wakitajirika na hawa wakizidi kuwa maskini. Huu ni mfumo wa kikaburu ambao umefumbiwa macho hapa nchini. 
Kimsingi, haya mambo ya upendeleo, licha ya kukinzana na uhalisia na sheria na usawa wa binadamu, ni aina fulani ya ukoloni. Hakuna nyenzo na zana zinalisha na kunufaisha mfumo wa kikoloni kama utegemezi. Rejea viinchi vidogo kama Ufaransa, Uholanzi na Uswisi vinavyosaidia Afrika wakati imejaliwa raslimali zenye thamani lukuki. Mfumo huu umejengeka kimataifa kwenye dhana ya ufadhili na ufadhiliwaji ambapo mwenye kufadhili ana nguvu juu ya yule anayemfadhili. Japo Hayati rais John Pombe Magufuli hakuliona na kulielezea kama nifanyavyo, aliweza kupiga vikali dhana ya umaskini na utegemezi wakati tumejaliwa raslima zenye thamani lakini tukashindwa kuzitumia kiakili na vilivyo.
Tumalize kwa kumshauri rais SSH asiingie mtego wala kufanya huruma ya hata kufikiria kutoa upendeleo kwa wazee. Hata hivi viti maalum vya sasa vinavyoanza kuumbua chama chake, angeviondolea mbali na kujenga mfumo wa haki wa ushindani ambapo wanaume na wanawake watashindana kwa haki ili kukomesha mfumo dume na wa kikoloni. Hili linawezekana. Rejea wanawake wawili wanaowakilisha vyama upinzani bungeni walivyochaguliwa bila kupendelewa na kuwabwaga wanaume. Rejea hata SSH alivyowabwaga wanaume na kuteuliwa kuwa mgombea mwenza wa Hayati Magufuli. Si kwa sababu ni mwanamke. Ni kwa sababu ana sifa zilizokamilika za kuongoza basi. Hivyo, basi, wazee wa Dar na wale wanaolilia au kutegemea viti vya uwakilishi nisameheni. Fikiria juu ya kuunda mfumo wa haki utakaoleta maisha bora kwa wote badala ya kila kundi kutaka upendeleo. Hivi viti havitatua matatizo yenu sana sana vitaendelea kuwagawanya na kuwadhoofisha. Ni ushauri tu wa bure.

Chanzo: Raia Mwema leo.

Jafo Jitathmini kwa Hili la Takataka

Waziri Seleman Said Jafo (Ofisi ya Makamu wa Rais Muungano na Mazingira) aliiacha dunia hoi na maswali mengi yasiyo na majibu pale alipokaririwa na vyombo vya habari akitoa siku kumi kwa wanaohusika na kuingiza takataka hatarishi nchini–––kwa kisingizio cha kuingiza shisha–––kuwa wakamatwe na kuchukuliwa hatua za kisheria. Waziri aliiacha dunia hoi si kwa agizo wala tamko lake bali ile hali ya kuwa na taarifa lakini akaacha kuzifanyia kazi na badala yake akatoa tamko tata tena lenye kuweza kuwastua wahusika wakaishia.Je waziri hakujua wala kuliona hili? Kwanini kama kweli hakuna namna?  Bwana Jafo alisema ana taarifa kuwa mhusika kwenye sakata hili la taka hatalishi alishaingiza makontena 500 yenye uchafu hatarishi? Je kwanini hukutoa taarifa Takukuru na vyombo vingine vya usalama kwanza wakamkamata mhusika ndipo ukatangazia umma? Je waziri alikuwa na haraka ya nini kama siyo kumuonya mtuhumiwa aishie ili mambo yaishe wakati ana taarifa na uwezo wa kufanya hivyo kabla ya kutoa tip inayoweza kuwastua wahusika wakakimbia nchi? Je namna hii tunaweza kukomesha mabaya kama wanaopaswa kuyazuia wanakurupuka na kutoa maagizo na matamko ambayo kimsingi, hayalengi kutusaidia kama taifa bali, kwa kiasi kikubwa kuwa ni kama PR?
        Je  waziri alishauriwa vibaya au kuna namna ya kumstua mhusika aishie na kuwaachia uchafu wenu? Kama taifa, tuna kila sababu na haki ya kuuonyesha ulimwengu kuwa sisi siyo taifa la hovyo kiasi kugeuzwa jalala la kila uchafu tena hatarishi kwa watu wetu na taifa kwa ujumla.
        Maswali nimengi kuliko majibu. Je Tanzania imeharibikiwa kiasi hiki kiasi cha kuhitaji kiasi kikubwa hivi cha shisha? Je shisha nalo ni uwekezaji wakati ni haramu nchini? Hata kama kweli tunahitaji uwekezaji, kweli tumefikia kiwango hiki cha hovyo cha kuhitaji uwekezaji katika shisha bangi na mihadarati?
         Kwanza, hata hao walioingiza uchafu huu, ima hawakutumia akili, au wana namna wamechezea au kudharau vyombo vyetu vya usalama kiasi cha kujiamini hivi. Maana haiingii akilini kuingiza kiasi hiki cha taka bila kuwa na namna ya kufanya hivyo bila kuhofia umakini na weledi wa vyombo husika. Kuna haja ya kuunda tume huru ya kuchunguza kadhia hii ili kujiridhisha kuwa hakuna nyingine kama hizi na kama zipo zimefanyika kwa muda gani na kuleta madhara gani kwa taifa.
        Je hao watumishi wa umma ni nani, wangapi na wametenda jinai hiik wa muda gani? Ikiwezekana kuna haja ya kujua mbinu waliyotumia kutenda jinai hii kwa taifa letu na watu wake. Je ni wanagapi watakimbia nchi baada ya waziri–––ima kwa bahati mbaya hata makusudi, japo hatuamini hivyo–––kuwastua huku akidhani analisaidia taifa wakati anawasaidia wao? Je kwa uzembe huu wa wazi, waziri anajitathmini vipi ili kuitendea haki nchi na ofisi yake? Maana, haiingii akilini umkute ndege anakaribia kunasa kwenye mtego halafu umstue aruke na kupotelea mbali nawe useme ulikuwa na lengo la kumkamata. Je waziri hajui kuwa simba mwenda kimya ndiye mla nyama? Waziri alikuwa na haraka gani hadi anachukua hatua za kinadharia badala za vitendo? Japo siyo mawazo  wala imani yangu, ‘haraka’ ya waziri inaweza kuchukuliwa vibaya kuwa alitaka aonekane mchapakazi bila kuchapa kazi katika kadhia hii au kuna namna. Au ni ile hali ya baadhi ya watendaji kufanya kazi kwa kutumia kamera na kutoa maagizo makali makali wakati hawafuatilii hata hayo maagizo? Tukubaliane. Hapa kuna tatizo tena kubwa tu. Sitaki niseme waziri alikurupuka japo wapo watakaoamini hivyo kulingana na hali inavyojidhihirisha. Hasha. Hata hivyo, hakutendea haki habari au tips alizopata kuhusiana na kadhia tajwa. Hakuwa na haja ya kufanya haraka, kama kweli alidhamiria kukomesha mchezo huu kwa kuhakikisha anakusanya ushahidi wote na kuwashika watuhumiwa ndipo akatangaza.
        Namuomba Mheshimiwa waziri husika ajitathmini. Kama atashindwa, basi mheshimiwa rais aingilie kati ili liwe somo kwa wengine waache ima kukurupuka, kutuchezea shere kama siyo kuwapo namna. Maana mheshimiwa rais aliahidi kwa ukali kuwa ukimzingua mnazinguana. Ukisikia kuzinguana kwenyewe ndiyo huku hata kama ni mtihani mkubwa kwa rais. Tunataka na tunastahili matendo na si matamshi matupu yanayoweza kutoa mwanya kwa wanaotuhujumu kukimbia nchi. Je waziri alishindwa kuliona hili kweli au kuna kitu kimemziba macho asilione jambo jepesi kama hili lisilotaka hata stashahada wala cheti kuling’amua? Je kunani hapa kama tutakuwa wakweli. Maana, haiwezekani waziri akafanya kama alivyofanya asijue madhara ya kufanya hivyo.  Tunaamini waziri anajua kazi yake vizuri kama kiongozi wa umma na raia wa Tanzania. 

        Huwa sipendi kurejea mfano huu. Kwa wanaokumbuka sakata la Chavda wakati wa awamu ya pili watajikumbusha namna alivyoliibia taifa pesa nyingi ambapo badala ya kukamatwa, aliamrishwa aondoke Tanzania ili kuepuka kuwaumbua alioiba na kugawana nao au tuseme waliomtumia kama mbuzi wa kafara.  Je nani wako nyuma ya mchezo huu mchafu ambao waziri anapaswa awajue kwa vile alisema ana taarifa za kila kitu. Je namna alivyojua kuwa mhusika aliingia nchini kama mtalii na kujigeuza mwekezaji wakati ni ‘kanjanja’ kama alivyosema waziri, atashindwa kujua waliowezesha mchezo huu mchafu?
        Tumalizie kwa kumtaka waziri ajitathmini akijua fika kuwa maagizo yake yalitolewa kwa pupa kiasi cha kuweza kuhatarisha harakati za kuwakamata wahusika wa kadhia hii. Si vizuri kurudia makosa kama yale yaliyotajwa kwenye kisa cha Chavda. Kuna mengi tunapaswa kujua toka kwa waziri pia juu ya ni kwanini mchezo huu mchafu umekuwa ukiendelea bila vyombo vyetu vya usalama kustuka na kuchukua hatua stahiki. Mheshimiwa Japo, kuna kila haj ana sababu ya kujitathmini ili haki itendeke na taifa letu liwe salama na siyo kichwa cha mwendawazimu walevi kujifunzia kunyoa. Kama utafanya hivyo, licha ya kutoa soma, kuwajibika na kuonyesha usafi na ‘umakini’ wako, utaliepushia taifa kashfa na hasara visivyo vya lazima.

Chanzo: Raia Mwema kesho.

UNAJIFUNZA NINI HAPA?

PRESDIDENT SAMIA’s HISTORIC ELECTION AS CCM NATIONAL CHAIRMAN.

In  accordance  with  the   established  CCM’s  tradition  of  “kofia  mbili”  for  all  the  Presidents   who  are  elected  to  that  high   office  on  its  ticket,  President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan  was  elected  CCM  national  Chairman  on  30th  April,  2021.  That  position  fell  vacant  following  the  sudden  death  of  her  predecessor,  President  John  Pombe  Magufuli,  on  17th  March,  2021.
         The  expression  “Kofia  mbili”  means  the  CCM   rule  and  practice  of   one  person holding   two  leadership  positions simultaneously.   Thus,  at  the  Presidential  level,   the  person  who  gets  elected  as  President,  also  becomes  the national  Chairman  of  that  party.  There  was  a  time in  the  past  when  this  rule  applied  also  the  persons  who  were  appointed  to  the  Government  positions  of  Regional  Commissioner  or  District  Commissioner,  who   thereby  also  became  the  party’s              Regional  or  District  party  secretaries  in  their  allotted  Regions  or  Districts.      But  this  practice  was  discontinued  in  1982/83,  when  it  was  decreed  that  these  two  positions  shall  be  held  by  two  different  persons;  thus  confining  the  privilege  of  ‘wearing’  kofia   mbili  only  to  the  Union  President,  who  becomes  the  party  national  Chairman,  and  the  President  of  Zanzibar,  who  becomes  one  of  the  two   national  Vice  Chairpersons.
In  this  respect,  President  Samia   made  history.
        President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan  actually  made  history,  by  becoming  the  first  ever  woman   to  hold  the  position  of  President  of   the  United  Republic  of  Tanzania,  and  Chairman   of  the  ruling  party  CCM.   And  her  initial  performance  in  both  positions  clearly  shows  that  she  has  “all  it  takes”  to  be  both   a  successful  President, and  Chairman  of  the  ruling  party  CCM.  
Her   demonstration  of   genuine  self  confidence.
            In  her  powerful  maiden  address  to  Parliament  in  22nd  April,  2021;  President  Samia,  in  a  captivating  demonstration  of   immense,  genuine,  self  confidence,  said  the  following:-  “  Ni  mara  ya  kwanza   katika  historia  ya  nchi  yetu  kupata  Rais  mwanamke.  Kwa  sababu  hiyo,  najua  watakuwapo  baadhi ya  watu  ambao  wanadhani  kuwa  sitoweza  majikumu  mazito  ya  Urais.   Nataka  kuwaondoa  hofu  kwamba  Mwenyezi  Mungu  hakuumba  ubongo  dhaifu  kwa  mwanamke,  na  ubongo  imara  kwa  mwannaume.  La  hasha.  Wote  tulizaliwa  tukiwa  sawa.  Isipokuwa  kwamba  makuzi  na  umakini  wa  akili  ya  mtu,  vinategemea  jamii  inayomlea,  pamoja  na  shughuli  zinazomzunguka.   Nataka  kuwahakikishieni  kwamba  mimi  nimekuzwa  katika  jamii  sahihi,  na  pia  kwamba  nonao  uzoefu  wa  kutosha  wa  kazi  za  umma”.
        And   indeed,   her  curriculum  vitae  fully  attests  to  the  fact   of   her  vast  experience,  both  in the  government,  and  in  the  ruling  party.  For  at  different  times,  she  was    Minister  in  the  Revolutionary  Government  of  Zanzibar   from  2000  to  2010;  and  was  also  Minister  in  the  Union Government   from  2010  to  2015;  and  Vice  President  of  the  United  Republic  of  Tanzania  from  2015.  
        With  regard  to  her  experience  in  the  ruling  party,  her  CV  shows  that   she became  a  member  of    CCM    way  back  in  June  1987.  Thereafter,   she  has  been  a  member  of  the  party’s  Central  Committee  and  the  National  Executive  Committee  from   2002.  She  has  also  been  a  member  of  the team  which  drafted   the  CCM  election  manifesto  for  four  consecutive  general  elections,  starting  from  the 2005  general  election.   
        Prior  experience  may  be  helpful, but  is  not  a  necessary qualification.’  
A  person’s  ‘prior  experience’  is  normally  and  routinely  demanded  by  employers  who  are  in   the  process  of  recruiting  new  staff.   But  for  political  leadership  positions,  this  is  not  an  absolutely   necessary  qualification;  because serious  people  who  have  no  relevant  experience,  can  still   ‘learn’  through  the  process  of  doing  the  job  itself.
         This   reminds  me  of  a  little  story  which  was  told  by  President  Nyerere  in  February  1977;   soon  after  he  had  appointed  Edward  Moringe  Sokoine  as  the  new   Prime  Minister  of  the  United  Republic,  replacing  the  long   serving  Rashidi  Mfaume  Kawawa.  In  that  story,  Mwalimu  Nyerere   was  comparing himself  with  Edward   Sokoine;   and  said  that  whereas  he  himself  had  no  prior  experience  of  how  Government  actually  works.  Thus,  he   had  to learn  this  on the  job  itself,  when  he  first  joined  the  colonial Administration  as  Chief  Minister  in  September  1960.
         For  example,    he  did  not  know the  procedure  for  communicating  with  the  Governor,  who  was  the  Head  of  Government  representing  Queen  Elizabeth.    He  was  thus  obliged  to  ask  for  help  from   his  Permanent  Secretary;  who  advised  him  to write  a  “MINUTE”  to  the  Governor.  “I  did  not   even  did  not  know  how  such  “ Minute’  looks  like”  he  said!  “ I  had to  ask    the  Permanent  Secretary     to  draft  the  relevant  ‘Minute’  for  me”.  But  Premier  Edward  Sokoine  will  encounter  no  such  difficulties,  because  he  was  already  a  Minister, and  therefore  has  accumulated  sufficient  experience  of  working  for  the  government.  
        Similarly,  because  of  President  Samia’s  accumulated  experience  obtained  from  her  long   distinguished service, both   in  the   Zanzibar  and  the   Union Governments;  she  will,  obviously,  have  no  difficulty  whatsoever,  in  carrying  out  her  new  responsibilities.  And   she  has  already   demonstrated  this  in  her  initial  performance.
President  Samia’s  initial  performance.
        A  well  known  Kiswahili  proverb  says  this:  “ Nyota  njema  huonekana  asubuhi”.  This  is  exactly  what  we  have witnessed  through  President   Samia’s   initial  performance  during  the  first  few  weeks  of  her  Presidency, during  which  she has  demonstrated  her  personal  governance style,   in  two  distinct  ways:  One  was  that  she  intends  to  maintain  her  predecessor’s  speed  and  tempo;  when,  in  her  first  cabinet  reshuffle,  she  retained  all  the  Ministers  who  had  been  appointed  by  her  predecessor.  Plus,  at   the  ceremony  of  swearing in  these  Ministers,  she  also  showed  that  she  was  determined  to  follow  the  direction  of  her  predecessor,  when  she  issued  directives  the  Tanzania  Revenue  Authority  “to  expand  the  tax  base  by  increasing  the  number  of  tax  payers,  and  avoiding  the  use  of  force  in  the  collection  of  taxes,  such  as  closing  the  tax  payer’s  bank  accounts,  or  forcibly  taking  money  from  their accounts.                                
         These   directives  would  appear  to  indicate  that  she,  like  her  predecessor,  intends  to  relay  largely  on  obtaining  her  government  revenues  from  the  country’s  own  resources.  She  also  issued  directives  to  the  Prevention  of  Corruption  Bureau   to   investigate   certain  suspicious  withdrawals   of  vast  amounts  of  money  from  the  Central   Bank  of  Tanzania (BOT).  This  would  appear  to   indicate  that  she  is  also  determined  to  maintain  her  predecessors  supreme  efforts  in  curbing  the  immoral  thefts,  and  plundering  of  public  funds  with  impunity.                          
        But   the  other  indicator   was  when  she  announced   her  appointment  of  Permanent  Secretaries  and  other  administrative  heads  of  public  Organizations  only  four  days  later;  in  which   case,   she  demonstrated,  equally  clearly,   that  she  is  determined  to  chart  her  own  governance  direction  with  her  own selected  team  of  officials  in  the  top  public  service  positions. For  she  appears  to  have  gone  fishing  in  the  deep  blue  sea  of   the  vast  public  service  establishment,  and  made  her  own  catch. 
The  president’s  May  Day  speech.
        Her  speech,   which  she  delivered   at  the  CCM  Kirumba  Stadium  in   Mwanza  on  the  occasion  of  the  annual  international  May  Day   celebrations,  is  yet  another  indicator  of  the  governance  direction  in  which  she  will  be  moving.   In  that  speech,  the  President  succinctly   outlined  the  various  measures  which  will  be  taken  by  her  Government  to  improve  the  welfare  of Tanzanian  workers;  including  a  salary  increase,  to  be  effected   on  May  Day  next  year.             
         But   more  that,   she  said  that   “ in  the  coming financial  yea,  the  Government  intends to (a) promote  between  85,000  and  91,000  new  employees,  at  a  cost  of  449 bn/-;  (b)   pay  salary  arrears  to civil  servants,  and to  change  the  civil  service  structure, all  of   which  will  cost  the  state 120bn/-;  (c)   employ  40.000  new  workers,   specifically   in  the  Health  and   the  Education  sectors;  and     (d)   reduce  the  ‘pay-as-you-earn’  (PAYE)  tax  which  is  charged  on  workers’  salaries,  from  9  to  8  percent”.                                                                             
        The  President  finally  said:  “It  is  my  fervent  hope  that  these  measures  will  provide  some   welcome  relief  to  our  workers.  But  I  want  to  assure  you  that  I  will  come  up  with  a  good  salary  package  next  year,  which  will  include  a  review  of  the  minimum  wage  for  workers,  both   in  the public, as well  as  in  the  private  sectors”. 
        “President  Samia’s  speech  spells  hope”  declared  the  SUNDAY  NEWS  in   its  front  page  headline  of Sunday,  2nd   May,  2021.
And  in  her  new  role  as  Chairperson  of  the  ruling  party.  
        The  new  chairman did  the  same  even  on  the  first  day  of  her  CCM   chairmanship.  But,  for  a  better  and  clearer  understanding  this  matter,  It  would  be  helpful,  first,  to  appreciate  the  conventional   pivotal  role  of  political  parties in  all  properly  functioning  “parliamentary  democracies”;   which  is  that  political  parties  “provide  a  stable  base  for  the  operations  of  the government  of  the  day”  in  the  relevant  jurisdictions,  by  facilitating,  and  enabling,  smooth   and  uneventful  ‘power  transfers’  to  take  place.                                         
        At  the  conclusion  of  the  competition for  votes  during  regular,  free  and  fair   general  elections;      whichever  party  wins  the  majority  of  the   votes  cast,  is  granted  the  right  to  form  the  government  of  the  day.  This  is  clearly  evident,  for  example,  in  Great  Britain,  where  ‘power  transfers’   have  always  been  peaceful,  and  totally  uneventful;  and   from  where  we,  and  all  other  Commonwealth  countries,  inherited  the  parliamentary  system  of  government,  which  is    also  known  as  “government  by  political  party”,  that  we  are  currently  operating.    
        It  should  therefore  be  appreciated,  that  even  after  the  re-introduction  of  multi-party  politics    forty  four  years  ago, the  ruling  party  has  been  providing  a  stable  base  for  the  operations  of  its  governments;  a  factor  which  accounts  for  all  the  peaceful   power  transfers  from  one  phase  to  another  that  we  have  constantly  witnessed,  including the  recent  transfer  from  the  fifth  phase  government  of  President  John  Pombe  Magufuli,  to  the  sixth  phase  government  of  President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan.  
        Thus, in  terms  of  the  Kiswahili  proverb    nyota  njemme  huonekana  asubuhi,  President  Samia‘s  ‘promising’  star  was  already  clearly  visible,  and  shining  brightly  during  her  ‘morning’  weeks  in  the  Presidency;  for  she  had  already  displayed  the  kind  of   firmness  and  determination,  that  many  casual  observers  had  probably  never  expected.  
        But  on  the  other  hand,  she  had  fully  satisfied  the  expectations  of  the  majority  of  Tanzanians   and  other  well wishers,  who  had,   either  individually  or  collectively,  expressed  their  full  confidence  in  President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan’s  ability  to  deliver.   And  this   provides  solid  proof  that  she,  indeed,  has  ‘all  it  takes’  to  make  a  successful  President  of  the  United  Republic  of  Tanzania.
President  Samia  election  as Chairperson  of  CCM.  
        Immediately  after   President  Samia  Suluhu  Hassan  was  duly  elected CCM  national  Chairperson  on  30th  April,  2021,  by  the  CCM  special National   Congress;  she   “hit  the  ground  running”.   For   on that  same  day,  she   got  down  to  the  serious  work  of  appointing   the  group  of  officials  who  will  constitute  the  party’s    Secretariat.                                                        
      And  she   again  surprised  many   observers  by  appointing  new  faces;  including  the   Secretary  General  Daniel  Chongolo;   the  Deputy  Secretary  General  for  Mainland  Tanzania   Christine  Mdeme, the    Secretary  for  Ideology  and  Publicity  Shaka  Hamdu  Shaka;   and  the   Secretary for  Organization Maudline  Castico .                                                              
        The  only   officials  retained  from  the  outgoing  Administration  ware:  Deputy  Secretary  General  for  Zanzibar  Abdalla  Juma  Sadalla  Mabodi;   Secretary  for  international  and  political  Affairs   Dr.  Ngemela  Lubiga;   and  National  Treasurer  Dr.  Frank  Hawasi. “ New  CCM  machinery  full  of  surprises,  graced  with  diversity”  so  declared  THE  CITIIZEN  ON  SATURDAY    of  1st  May,  2021   in  its  headline  news  item  on  page  2  thereof.  And,   indeed  it  was. 
piomsekwa@gmail.com  / 0754767576.

Source: Daily News today and Dr Msekwa Himself.