Tanzanian-born truck owner in Oman opens up on financial discipline for diaspora

The country, deeply rooted in its heritage with UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Bahla Fort, has a strong historic tie with East Africa, and its proximity has made it favourable for young Tanzanians seeking greener pastures in the East. Kiswahili is predominantly spoken within the country.

“You go to the airport, the courts, the government offices, and even the shops; you will find people speaking Kiswahili; it is widely spoken,” he explained. That makes it easier for Tanzanians who find language barriers when they join the diaspora communities in other countries.

The transition to Omani life for young Tanzanians is swift, and for the ambitious, able-bodied youth, there is no limit to what they can do to earn a living.

Maharuky is putting the final touches on his newly built house in Dar es Salaam; his life is comprised of frequent visits between Tanzania and Oman, and he decided to build his domicile to avoid the high costs of hotels and rented accommodation whenever he visits the country.

Unlike many in the diaspora, he chose to oversee his house construction himself; many have fallen for relative ploys to swindle the diaspora whenever they send money for construction, so he chose to be hands-on.

He often would return to Tanzania whenever there was another phase of continuation of building the house, and now with just a few things left, he is ready to wrap up and get back to Oman to continue his logistics business.

 “It’s just windows left; I have done all the electrical installation, and I am just waiting for Tanesco to come and connect my house to the main grid,” he beamed. Maharuky is well-travelled, having lived in Bangkok, Iran, and Ethiopia, among other countries, but his sanctuary is always home in Tanzania.

His unwavering principles on money have always guided him as a diaspora in all the countries he has travelled to; he believes in saving 40 percent of whatever he makes, putting that away for the rainy days, and not telling anyone about it. He said if you save that percent every month, in a year you will find that you have saved a vast amount of your income.

He has seen many Tanzanians who have recklessly consumed all their hard-earned dollars on lavishing stuff and indulging in excessive drinking and parties, then end up the next day with no coin in their pockets but regrets.

He uses 60 percent of his income to send to family back in Tanzania and for his daily expenses while knowing he has enough savings.

“You still do not have to send all your money back home; you might get back empty-handed at the end of your stay, so just be smart with whatever you earn when living abroad,” he emphasised.

He urges young people to make use of the banking facilities in whichever country they relocate to, avoiding worldly desires and temptations to explore the nightlife experience of that country because that is a sure way to deplete all the money they will earn. No matter what you earn, wisdom and determination are required; moving to any country means you are going there with plans and goals, and he is sure most people do not plan to go to a foreign country to just have fun and not achieve any accomplishments, but many young people have fallen into the abyss pit of alcoholism, drugs, and depression on foreign soils. As an elder and an avid traveller, he has tried to mentor many young Tanzanians he meets, in hopes that their time abroad will be worth all the struggle and hard work at the end of it all.

He knows many young Tanzanians who have left for Oman and got pulled into the world of nightlife, and knowing that life in Oman is expensive, they end up spending all the salary they have for their one month of work in one night.

 “They wake up in the morning with empty pockets, but his friends would convince him to go out again next weekend with promises of better music and nightlife experiences, forgetting he has responsibilities back home in Tanzania,” he said.

Some end up in debt and abject poverty. Without principles and goals, one will just waste his time abroad, but when you save money, you can invest back home and multiply his investment and reap from his hard-earned dollars. He is seeing the fruits of his labour with his newly acquired truck and his growing property that he now owns in Oman and Tanzania. He advises young people that enjoyment and partying have no end, but there is surely an end to money that is not wisely spent.

One sole purpose of going abroad is to earn, and you have to value your blood, sweat, and tears, not fall into despair upon returning home.

Many are blinded by the good time; little do they see how fast the time passes by, and by the time their visa duration ends, they go back home with meagre savings that won’t allow them to relaunch their lives back in Tanzania.

He is now committed to mentoring young people in the Tanzanian diaspora community in Oman who continue to flock to the country seeking various forms of employment.

He also warns the youth not to fall for scam schemes by fake work agents, who promise young Tanzanians they will find jobs in Oman for a fee.

He said one has to follow proper channels, the Tanzanian embassy in Muscat, Oman, or the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Dar es Salaam, are the only credible sources of information if one wants to know of job openings in the country; he added: “There is no payment for a work visa to Oman; all information should be confirmed at the embassy,” he urged.

Now the owner of a semi-truck, he enjoys his time on the road in Oman and visiting family and friends during his vacation in Tanzania; he loves short walks during the day and reserves his evenings for prayers, he is an early sleeper, fully utilising his days off to replenish his energy before he embarks back to the road life in Muscat.

Honesty and hard work have always been the most cherished qualities that have opened doors for him, and he urges young people to harness those qualities in their lives.