What happened in Uganda yesterday is another evidence that Africa has a long way to the truly Transparent, Free and Fair election!

Elevated overt presence of the heavily armed police and army across Uganda during the yesterday election characterized by delayed ballot papers even at a stone throw away distance from the the Electoral Commission HQ is yet another indication again that most parts of Africa are still far away from the the truly transparent, free and fair election.

I want Uganda and the rest of Africa to be peaceful and stable, but the long serving governments are a source of instability in Africa, sowing seeds of anarchy, tribalism, nepotism etc. Rulers are using military instruments to crush their ideological opponents. The yesterday temporary incarceration of  Kiiza Basigye the arch-rival of President M7 is not acceptable. The atrocities  perpetrated against opposition is not different from apartheid (the state of being apart) practiced in South Africa 21 years ago. The only difference is that in South Africa it was the minority whites against Blacks and coloured. In the free Africa it is about Few blacks in power against fellow citizens. Divergent ideologies and point of views on how we should govern ourselves is causing us trouble and some say that is not the kind of democracy Africa wants. It is not that Africa doesn’t want democracy, those in power who have turned public offices into private properties do not want the democracy of passing power instruments peacefully to another fellow.

Kulipa kodi Na kusimamia matumizi yake Ni wajibu wa kila Mtanzania

Nimebahatika week hizi mbili kuwa site agent- kusimamia ujenzi mahali fulani. Kazi hii imenipa nafasi ya kutembelea maduka kadhaa ya wafanya biashara. Nimegundua mambo yafuatayo:
1.Wauza bidhaa pamoja na kuwa na Mashine za EFD za kutoa risiti za mauzo ili mamlaka husika ziweze kujua ni sehemu gani ya mauzo inatakiwa kutozwa kodi, hawafurahii kutoa risiti. 

2. Ukiwataka watoe risiti wanakwambia mtandao uko na shida. Kwa sababu nina uelewa wa mambo ya IT mmoja nikamwambia anipe nijaribu kuona na kusaidia, alikataa. 

3.Ukidai risiti wanapandisha bei mlopatana mwanzo. Risiti inakuwa adhabu kwa mteja hivyo kufisha moyo mteja kang’ang’ania risiti 

4.Bei kwenye maduka hazibandikwi ili kulinda haki za mlaji. Hii inawapa wafanya biashara uwanja mkubwa wa kucheza na saikolojia ya mlaji. Hii sijawahi kuiona nchi zilizoendelea ambazo serikali zake zinawajibika kwa wananchi. Bei ni Lazima zibandikwe kwa kila bidhaa. 

5.Nilienda Sao Hill pia pamoja na shughuli zangu nilitaka kujua kwa nini wanashindwa kuiuzia au kuitosheleza Tanesco na nguzo za umeme ili hali wana miti ya kutosha. Nilichoambiwa kiliniacha midomo wazi. Sitakisema kwa sasa. Ila nashangaa serikali yenye mikono mirefu inashindwaje kushughulika na jambo hili once and for all ili kuleta nidhamu katika taratibu za manunuzi. 

Nashauri tu wananchi kama kweli sauti ninazozisikia mtaani ni za dhati kutoka kwenye mioyo ya Watanzania kwamba, “tumepata jembe”, “Rais huyu ndiye tuliyemtaka”, “Kama akiendelea hivi…”, “tunamkubali ” na maneno mengine mengi, tumsaidie huyu ndugu yetu. Tufanye wajibu wetu. Mfano kama sote tukiamka leo tunaokwenda madukani tuwaambie wafanya biashara hakitaeleweka hadi watupe risiti, mbona nchi itapata adabu kwa ghafla!

Ni wakati wa kutafakari na kufanya maamuzi sahihi: Kwa miaka 38 tumekuwa nchi ya kauli mbiu kila baada ya miaka 5

Ethiopia wamezindua treni ya umeme ninachojua ni ya kwanza kwa East, central Africa na Southern Africa (ukitoa South AFrica) (sijui West na North Africa kama wana treni ya namna hiyo) Nilikuwa Ethiopia mara ya kwanza mwaka 2003 na mara ya mwisho mwaka 2009. 2009 nilikuta wamemaliza:

– kujenga ile ring road na sasa hivi treni ya umeme!

– Njaa iliyokuwa inatesa nchi ni historia!

– Kahawa wanaongoza sasa!

– Viwanda vidogo vimeshakua na vinazalisha kwa masoko ya nje
pia mfano viatu!

– Shirika lao la ndege ni kubwa kuliko mashirika yote ya ndege
Africa!

– Kazi ya kujenga bwawa kubwa la Hidase la kuzalisha umeme wa MW 6,000
litakalokuwa la 11 kwa ukubwa duniani na linajengwa kwa fedha za ndani,
ujenzi umefikia kiwango cha zaidi ya %50 sasa! n.k

Hiyo ndiyo tofauti kati ya inchi inayoongozwa na watu wa vitendo na nchi inayoongozwa na watu wa longolongo. Kama raia wa nchi hii nina siku kadhaa za kufikiria na kuamua. Ili tusonge inaonekana itabidi tuachane na upenzi huu tulete mabadiliko na siyo marekebisho tu. Logic inaanza kunituma kuwa huwezi kulisukuma gari bovu ukiwa ndani, ni lazima utoke nje. Inaonekana tarehe 25 October mwaka huu nitashauri Watanzania wote bila kujali itikadi tulizokuwa nazo na upenzi tutoke kwenye hili gari tulisukume. Ninampenda sana Dr Magufuli lakini naipenda zaidi nchi yangu. Tunataka sasa Tanzania nyingine ambayo viongozi tuliowapa dhamana kila kukicha watakuwa wanatafuta sababu kwa nini jambo fulani lisifanyike na si kutumia muda na mali zetu kutafuta sababu za kuelezea kwenye majukwaa kwa nini halikufanyika.

Mungu ibariki Tanzania!

Mungu ibariki Africa

Mabadiliko ni mchakato endelevu, yasipoleta tija kuna n’gwe ya pili, tatu nk

Baadhi ya Watanzania tunaotaka mabadiliko tunajichanganya. Tunazunguka mbuyu kwenye maoni yetu, tunaacha maswali badala kutoa majibu. Tunasema hatuna hakika tunataka mabadiliko gani halafu bado tunayataka. Tunasema hatuipendi CCM lakini tunaonyana tusiikatae hivihivi. Inachanganya sana kusoma maoni ya wadau wa mabadiliko kwa sasa. Kwa kawaida kabisa ukizungumzia mabadiliko ya kisiasa ni kubadili mfumo kutoka wa zamani kwenda mfuma mbadala (mpya). Bila shaka mabadiliko yoyote yaliyosubiriwa na jamii kwa muda mrefu hupokelewa kwa furaha bila kujali kesho patatokea nini. Idd Amin alipompindua Milton Obote, Waganda walilipuka kwa nderemo mitaani. Vivyo hivyo Kanu iliposhindwa Kenya, wakenya walifurahi sana (hata wale waliokuwa Kanu).

Consequences kwa mabadiko haya yalokuja kwa njia tofauti yalikuwa tofauti. Raia waliyafurahia na hiyo si dhambi. Kwa sababu watu wanapotaka mabadiliko maana yake kuna kitu hawaridhiki nacho. Kitakachotekea baadaye kama madhara ya mabadilko huwezi kuwalaumu watu kwa maamuzi waliyofanya bali mnaingia tena kwenye n’gwe ya pili ya mabadilko. Hakuna palipoandikwa kuwa mabadliko huwezi kuyabadilisha baadaye ukiona hayakuwa na tija. Ni kuwadanganya watanzania kuwashawishi kuwa mabadiliko watakayoyafanya sasa yateleta mbingu. Mabadiliko ni mchakato endelevu. Nikipima mambo yote kisiasa, kiuongozi, kiuchumi, huduma za jamii, utawala bora, bado naona ni wakati mwafaka wa Watanzania kubadili mfumo wa utawala wa sasa. Miaka zaidi ya hamsini imetosha. Kuna haja kabisa ya kubadili huu mfumo. Nimeanza kupiga kura tangu mwaka 1985, pamoja na concern zilizojitokeza kwa upinzani, hili la kutambua kwamba hawawezi kuleta mabadiliko ya kisiasa hadi tu pale watakapoungana, na vyama vinne vimeungana, kuna sababu bora zaidi ya kusupport mabadilko kwa sasa kuliko wakati mwingine wowote. Propaganda kabla ya uchaguzi zitakuwa nyingi lakini sauti ya mabadiliko ya kisiasa nchini siku zote itakuwa ya juu zaidi. Ni maamuzi yetu ama tubadili mfumo au tuendelee kama tulivyo.

Lowassa amekuwa subject ya mazungumzo na utata. Vinara wa mfumo hodhi wa sasa wanajenga hoja kwamba sasa hivi mabadilko hayawezekani tena kwa sababu ya Lowassa. Nalipinga hili kwa sababu kuu mbili: 1. Mabadilko ambayo nayataka kisiasa hayajajengwa juu ya imani kwa mtu fulani. Yamejengwa juu ya haja kwamba mfumo mpya hautachukulia kila kitu poa, mfumo mpya utakuwa unaelewa kwa nini nimewaweka wao nikawaacha wale. 2. Mungu hutelekeleza azma yake bila kujali wanadamu. Mipango yake haitegemei wanadamu kwa sababu hubadilika. Ibrahimu katika msahafu aliahidiwa na Mungu kupewa mtoto na kwamba uzao wake utakuwa mwingi kama mchanga wa bahari. Baada ya miaka kadha Ibrahim hakupata mtoto kama alivyotegemea. Wakakubaliana na mke wa Sarah amwingie mjakazi, wakapata mtoto. Ibrahimu alikosea lakini bado Mungu alimpa mtoto kutoka katika viuno vyake. Mungu alikuwa anataka kuleta mfumo wa taifa kupitia Ibrahim. Vivyo hivyo nikifikiria Tanzania kuna siku lazima mfumo wa utawala utabadilika si lazima upitie kwa chama fulani unaweza kupitia kwa vyama (kama sasa hivi) au chama kingine, Hata kama kibinadamu kina mawaa. Mawaa si ajabu maana hata mfumo unaotawala sasa hivi una mawaa tena makubwa tu. Ni muhimu basi kuamua ama kuubadili au kubaki kama tulivyo na kuendelea kuwa nchi ya walalamikaji.

My advise to UKAWA and CHADEMA

In politics I don’t see it a problem for politicians to decamp and move to places where their interests are served better. The opposition we have today is a result of disgruntled members of the single party system. If Lowassa really moves out of CCM he will be doing so for mainly two reasons:

1. To get a psychological relief of the pain he suffered after being axed from CCM candidature
2. He wants to still pursue his dream popularly known as “safari ya Matumaini” that meaning standing as a presidential candidate against his former fellow cabinet minister Dr Magufuli

Whether it is a mistake for the coalition of parties for people’s constitution (UKAWA) to allow him to be their flag bearer or not time will tell. Mostly in my view that will be determined by the outcomes of October elections. If UKAWA wins, opposition are likely to consolidate their power and change the constitution in their favour (not for Wananchi per se). If they lose election their loose coalition is likely to disintegrate and CCM is likely to consolidate their power for quite some time to come. The negative perception against Lowassa in this scenario is likely to diminish CHADEMA and make it an irrelevant force in the politics of our country. That will be a tragic demise of the once respected opposition party not only by its followers but by CCM too.

If I was in the position of influencing what happens in UKAWA and especially the main opposition party I would advise the following:

Welcome Lowassa’s in the party but not as a presidential material but as a senior adviser to the party. File in a strong presidential candidate from within the existing members of CHADEMA. Invite more defectors from the ruling party to consolidate their influence in Councilors’, parliamentary and presidential elections. Bank on gradual progress of the party and UKAWA coalition even if it doesn’t win on the presidential ticket. Focus especially on members of parliament to even out CCM dominance in the house. UKAWA in this scenario stands 50/50 chance of winning presidential votes and 60/40 to win the parliamentary and council seats. If UKAWA loses by any margin the effects would not derail their agenda for change it will rather consolidate by their influence in the House. UKAWA and the leading party (CHADEMA) are likely to continue consolidating and the likelihood to win the next election is even much higher than if they lose with Lowassa as a flag bearer.

CCM had already suspected a potential defection by its key members and cadres. Traditionally ruling parties especially those who have ruled since independence are a hard nut to crack. This is by virtue of their consolidated power and influence to the government institutions including security machineries for the last 54 years. CCM knows circumstances of 2015 election will be unique and are likely to employ the most vicious methods be it conventional or non-conventional to win this important election. Lowassa was feared by most of CCM leadership as a man of vengeance and would likely avenge his intra-party opponents. He was not feared because of his perceived corruption behavior as opposition has sold a story for some time now.

The misappropriation of public money and corruption in the ruling class is so systemic that it is difficult to just single out one member without touching the rest. The ruling party is clever enough to know that.  That explains why despite the Richmond scandal being hipped on Lowassa he was still nominated by the Party Central Committee to contest for Monduli constituency in 2010 and he won by sounding margin. In the House Lowassa was also elected as the Chairman of Defense and Security Committee. So I don’t see rejection of Lowassa to really base on corruption allegations. CCM would be even more apprehensive of Lowassa by him moving to opposition and are likely to employ every tactics and resources at their disposal to prevent him from becoming a president.   This is a hard choice for CHADEMA in my view. Hard as it may seem they still need to make decision for the interest of higher principles after which results would be more sustainable. Mungu ibariki Tanzania.