Why Reform Minded Dr. Magufuli Ought To Be Given Space and Time

Special Contributor, Dar es Salaam*  

My efforts to trace one of the late Mwalimu Nyerere’s golden quotes on the art and science of development was in vain, nevertheless, I still remember the main gist of the quote where Mwalimu alluded that many people in our countries want to see development, but very few of them are keen and ready to take part in the process.

Mwalimu’s great philosophy, rather a prophecy if you like, has ticked in my head for so long but it came to memory after reading some of the comments emerging from a section of Tanzanians-locally and other critics from abroad on the current leadership.

One such example is a recent article in the online version of the Economist which challenges President Magufuli’s leadership style. The article, vividly embracing some local opposition sentiments in Tanzania, alleged that the President has no vision and thus his administration is running things impulsively!

As an independent Tanzanian, not an inner circle of the Magufuli’s administration, I may not be well exposed with facts and figures to defend his style, approach and some of the quick wins, but speaking from experience as a commoner I, find those comments against the President more romantic than pragmatic.

If history is the best teacher we should remember all the political lamentations, yelling and at times defamatory statements that emanated from the opposition against the past ruling party,CCM, administrations (although opposition held constituencies and councils are not any better).

Three points of fact out of those screaming, which I tend to agree with, are around the need to intensify war against corruption; more focus on collecting government revenues and quest for close supervision of social service projects and delivery.

As a result of the above weak spots, well placed critics were up high against untamed grand corruption and misuse of public wealth and assets; low government revenue base and inefficiently delivered social service projects. All these needed more concerted efforts, if you ask any common Tanzanian.

I’m not suggesting that those past administrations did not do their part, they did their wonderful part but we must know that every development and new times bring in new challenges to be attended by new administration (that's why Barack Obama as the 44th US President had to win election through his famous slogan "Change We Can Believe In")

Reminiscing on these challenges of the past, gives us the impetus to agitate for more systemic transformation of the present and future as Mwalimu once said “self-criticism is good for future mitigations” (If I got him well from original Swahili KUJIKOSOA NI KUJISAHIHISHA)

Now here comes Magufuli: after 20 years as an ardent observer of the missed opportunities to transform this country, the lucky ball came on his way and un obscured inside the penalty box in extra time; he won the ruling party presidential candidacy and proceeded to win the tight October, 2015 general election.



Magufuli rose from poor rural livelihood 

Magufuli’s ascendancy to power echoes the Ben Carsonian tale-Think Big and You Shall Grow Rich. Like Carson, a famous US neurosurgeon cum Republican politician who rose from worst to best student, “Kamagufuli” as fondly known among his “hommies” in Chato, grew up a born hard worker: showcasing his reform mindset at early stage and on every government position he was entrusted.

He worked hard at college and in political life

 

During the highly contested campaigns he moved from a quiet but aggressive politician to a great orator: sharing his life story that resonated well with the voters. His story of poverty, hard work and vision for transformation won many hearts and souls.

His agitation for change and transformation (out of the many changes promised in the election) was more emphatic and trustworthy in my view. He displayed the true and believable vision, and above all, clear and unquestionable persona necessary to deal with the three weaknesses inherited from the past.



His story of change resonated well with the story of many

And then he won the race; started working on day one, issued decisions on day two and many directives on day three. Suddenly Tanzania was rising from the sleeping giant of East Africa to a roaring lion. The rest of what he did in scaling up the fight against poor revenue collection, instill sense of responsibilities and accountability and restoration of the lost government glory are not the main issues for discussion today.

In power: He remains a cheerful but ardent reformer

The gist of my argument today is to share and show how flabbergasted I’m with most of the emerging critics of Magufuli. Surprisingly, those who went out organizing demonstrations (bloody at times) and other public outcries against what the past administrations were seemingly failing to address, are the very enemy of Magufuli who is bonafidely addressing their own grievances.

That’s why I have a personal covenant that me, I and myself will never be a politician. It’s really stunning and complicated to understand politicians and how they perceive things. Bad enough the political malady is widely injected among our youth activists.

As we scorn our own Magufuli for nothing but his dedication for our own story of redemption, neighbours, the rest of Africa and beyond are increasingly fascinated and admire Kamagufuli’s leadership and transformational style. This reminds me of Okot P’ Bitek’s story in the famous “Song of Lawino and Song of Ocoli) when he said: “the only pumpkin in the homestead ought not to be uprooted.”

We seem to do the opposite. When Magufuli suspends errant public servant in his self styled "kutumbua majipu” (lancing the boils), the same critics who even at times named in public the same individuals as “epitome of corruption” turn around to blame him with hilarious semantics.

You will hear them naming the President’s actions as cruel, dictatorial or against the law (although at no point a single section of the breached laws is cited). Again the same people who out-cried against poor revenue collection are today the main critics, now joined forces with people like those behind the Economist's article, to brand Tanzania as becoming a tough place for doing business.

Paying taxes to the government is both divine and economic: there is no country in the world where meaningful development emanated from foreign aid other than own revenue base. Magufuli is open, loud and clear: he wants us to turn the tables for each business to pay rightful government taxes (just as common wananchi do via various services).

The same us who will benefit from the fruits and who have just started, in the National Assembly and elsewhere to list our own priority projects to be funded by the government, are very busy discouraging him with shoddy arguments against tax collection.

It ought to be clear; defending Magufuli’s leadership style should not be equated with any attempt to discourage constructive criticisms against his regime. Lest we don’t know, there is a huge difference between constructive criticism and what I call “mere puff” criticism. The later, just as Plato said of false poets and story tellers: we should discourage and vehemently oppose.   

Nevertheless, Magufuli ought not to worry about criticism in whatever form, he has to continue pursuing his vigorous reform agenda and nothing else, for Plato warned: “to avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” Departing from the unleashed transformation to do nothing, say nothing and be nothing cannot be our option as a nation.

To conclude, my late comrade Prof. Haroub Othman once named Nyerere "An Intellectual in Power," with his focus and delivery mindset I should not hesitate to declare Magufuli as "A Transformer in Power," who ought to be given space and time to deliver his vision.

Go Kamagufuli, go reformer, do it transformer!

*The writer is a development expert who filed the article from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.