Monday, September 26, 2016

Magufuli's Reviewers and their True Colours...

Peter Fabricius's article titled "Magufuli Reveals his true Colours" (Institute of Security Studies - https://www.issafrica.org/…/magufuli-reveals-his-true-colou…) makes me wonder whose true colours are at display here?
Usually when you write, you expose yourself, you reveal your inner feelings, thoughts and views! That's what we are all doing whether we like it or not. I am an Africanist, I love my continent and its people, I love its natural resources and its struggles to manage its present and shape its future. I love to give hope, and not to rob my Africa brothers and sisters of their optimism for things aimed at improving in the future. As a matter of fact many things have improved in most African countries in the years since Independence. We have our sad stories as does Europe in the case of Bosnia, Ukraine, Chechnya, Yugoslavia, or the similar mishaps in Latin America's Haiti, Venezuela, Columbia, and other. The world is perpetually set in struggles between various factions, interests and ideologies. Perhaps these countries and peoples are pawns in this landscape. Whatever the causes or reasons, let us get back to the article on Magufuli's colours.
The article above could as well have started with propositioning what would be the case in Tanzania if the police were trigger happy as they are in the USA? What would have been the situation in Tanzania if the media was left to abuse the country's leaders the way westerners disrespect and contemptuously slander their leadership as they do President Obama in the USA? Africa is another continent, with a different set of game rules, even if we are all in a global village, we are all coming from our own individual households (countries) and retreat to these same households (countries) at the end of the day. The writer should have asked what does the majority in Tanzania want out of its leadership? Its these majority, who voted President Magufuli into State House, it is they who accepted his campaign message and his party's election manifesto. They are the ones who hold a contract with the President. So ask, what do Tanzanians want from Magufuli?
Instead the writer seems to originate from his own biases, he seems to write from biases that restrict him from seeing that its what the majority of Tanzanians (the 75% of Tanzanians who live in rural areas, or the 60% of Tanzanian voters who voted for Magufuli), want from their President. Moreover, the writer could just as well have posed the question, what would Tanzania gain or lose from these cyber critics who instead of floating respectful arguments and propositions, they want to lace their diatribes with insults and disrespect? As an African, I have minimal tolerance for anybody who is dissing leaders and adults.
In addition, the writer could have asked, what are the opposition's goals for dissing the President or trying to discredit his government in the most abusive language? Who is so naive in this adult world, to claim that the opposition is always noble in their intentions? Oppositions all over the world, are a desperate lot who usually do not spare any tricks or sinister tactics to embarrass those in power. They too should be questioned, and not taken lightly as saints with noble intentions.
The writer did not reflect on statistical evidence that proves President Magufuli is on the right course. Even the Governor of the Tanzania's Central Bank (Professor Benno Ndullu) recently shared economic indicators that prove the country is making steadfast progress as regards foreign direct investments, major infrastructure investments (e.g, the USD $8 Billon standard gauge railway and the USD $4 Billion oil pipeline from Uganda), export growth (e.g., increased receipts from mining and tourism ), healthy foreign reserves (around USD $4 Billion), increased government tax revenues (averaging TSh 1.2 Trillion monthly), and a generally positive economic climate. As a matter of fact, Tanzania is still yet to achieve the globally recommended tax to GDP ratios (thats why the Tax Authorities, TRA, are tightening tax loop holes and reigning in more sources).
In essence, the President and his intermediaries, have held several meetings with the private sector (e.g., TPSF) representatives to share economic sector analyses and projections. The message has always been, the private sector's role in industrialization of Tanzania. This President has uttered several times in public, that industrialization, by the private sector is the way forward into transforming Tanzania's economy to a middle income status. Moreover, the President has urged Tanzanian business community to take lead! Nevertheless, recently representatives from Norway's Statoil met with President Magufuli to reaffirm their resolve and commitment to go ahead with construction of a USD $20 Billion LPG plant in Lindi. They are still on course, not otherwise. But the writer wanted us to believe things were vice versa!
The writer failed to inform us or remind us of the fears Tanzania and other EAC countries had about the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. There are profound worries about the negative impact of this agreement to the growth of local industries, especially in more nascent economies such as Tanzania's. It is no big wonder why Kenya is more attuned to the European market, it has the industrial infrastructure to compete on a better footing than Tanzania and or Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi. Removal of tariffs for some EU imports to the EAC region might spell doom to some budding industries here. So, the writer failed to bring this argument for Tanzania. Tanzania is acting responsibly and cautiously. Tanzania's position is aimed at minimizing losses and maximizing gains, as any responsible government does.
On the replacement of limousines and 4x4s with sedans, it was not correctly observed by the writer. Tanzania's parliament has passed a motion where government purchases of 4x4s are restricted to those not exceeding 3000cc, and also the procurement being done centrally through a single entity so that savings be made on prices. Furthermore, the motion also categorically stated which type and size of vehicles would be appropriate for different levels of leaders. This is a frugal government, aiming at making proper use of state funds in order to benefit the more vulnerable Tanzanians more effectively. Moreover, the writer could have also mentioned that President Magufuli's government has amended procurement laws to arrest loopholes which enabled dishonest officials steeply mark up prices uncontrollably. This obviously paints better colours of the President's resolve to rid the country of graft and stealing of public resources. President Magufuli is doing a GREAT JOB at this.
So the writer should have been talking about what the majority of Tanzanians want, instead of placating the whims and complaints of a few foreign investors. He should have played fair to why President Magufuli is STILL VERY ADMIRED within and without the country, and why in East Africa the other Presidents also admire his steadfastness.
The writer should have talked to the Tanzanian youths who last year were very skeptical about CCM being able to produce a change setting President, and who are now 100% behind President Magufuli, and want him to travel the same course throughout his mandate. We know our colours in Tanzania, these are green, yellow, black and blue. President Magufuli was given the mandate by the electorate to hoist these colours on all flagpoles, and make our country proud, secure and free from vices.
The writer, may I conclude, has therefore shown his true colours, mainly that of bias against an African President who wants his country to prosper and emancipate itself from self inflicted or externally inflicted economic, social, political and legal injustices. It is unfortunate that African leaders who want to truly guide their countries on a path towards an economic, political, social and cultural transformation that places its citizen at the center of all change, are not given a positive press. So, for our East African Presidents, especially President Magufuli and President Kagame, you are DOING GREAT to your peoples and countries!
Keep your course...
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