‘Let us not only talk about Mwalimu, let us live him’

Dar es Salaam. People should stop looking at what past leaders have done just for the sake of glorifying their achievements. They must use the same to find solution to prevailing problems. The observation was made by Col Henry Masiko, a Commissioner in the Uganda Office of President during the just-ended Mwalimu Nyerere Intellectual festival.

Speaking during the festival, Col Masiko noted that it was very unfortunate that many people took lives of past leaders as just history, and fail to connect what they had done then with what ails the continent today.

He noted for instance, that Mwalimu Nyerere Chair and pan Africanism studies could be used to find solution to numerous conflicts which Africa is facing today.

“We hail Mwalimu Nyerere for being able to unite the people at the time when technological advancement was a dream. I am sure that if we decide to blend his tactics with the aid of modern technology we might be able to find solution to segregation disease which is affecting Africa today,” he said.

Col Masiko said people should stop seeing Mwalimu Nyerere as a person as if you closely scrutinise his leadership and life style you will come to a conclusion that Nyerere is a philosophy which, if closely studies and applied, will help Tanzania and Africa overcome many of their problems.

“We need to redefine our missions and methods. We have always looked outside for solutions to our problems. It is time we start looking home as we have resources such as Mwalimu Nyerere, whose philosophy can help us overcome many of our problems,” he insisted.

Col Masiko comments followed litany of testimony from representatives of a number of countries who narrated how Mwalimu Nyerere influenced their struggles in 1950’s and 50’s.

A representative from Mozambique embassy in the country noted for instance that if it were not for Mwalimu’s efforts, it would have taken longer for Mozambique to attain its independence. She noted that it was Mwalimu Nyerere who influenced Mozambique struggles and helped it get its freedom.

Likewise, South Africa High Commissioner, Thanduyise Chiliza, noted that South Africa history would have been very different today if it were not for Mwalimu’s contribution.

“It was Mwalimu Nyerere who shaped South Africa struggles for independence. Mwalimu not only gave us a base from which to conduct our struggles but he also contributed ideologically on how the struggles should be conducted,” he said.

He noted for instance that after many years of fruitless struggles, African National Congress (ANC) adopted Tanganyika African national union (Tanu) modus operand and it was from that vision that ANC was able to intensify its struggles.

He noted that lessons gained from Mwalimu and Tanu changed ANC tactics and framed it into a new organisation which in addition to armed struggles it included propaganda which enabled the party to get the much needed support from grassroots.

“That was not all. It is from Arusha declaration that we learned the importance of people’s education for people power,” he said.

Mr Hazem Shabat, Palestine ambassador to Tanzania, attributed Mwalimu Nyerere’s efforts to Tanzania’s reputation as capital of liberation struggles not only in Africa, but far beyond.

“Though many mistook what Mwalimu Nyerere did, but it is now evident that Mwalimu’s interest was to liberate and not dominate. This can be seen in many countries which Mwalimu helped to rid of colonialism,” he said.

The ambassador disproved notions that Mwalimu Nyerere’s contribution to Palestine struggles did not yield to anything. He said that was not so because the solidarity which Palestine people have today can also be attributed to what the country learnt from Mwalimu Nyerere.

“Mwalimu Nyerere has contribution in many things which Palestine has accomplished. We have influenced a number of international laws and this would have not been possible if we had not had crucial lessons from many people including Mwalimu Nyerere,” he said.

Act, don’t blame

Col Masiko’s statement in a way was supporting what was said by former President Benjamin Mkapa in his presentation. Mr Mkapa blamed many people, notably politicians and intellectuals, for spending most of their time criticising and blaming the authorities.

He said it was very unfortunate that many people have been misusing the freedom of speech.

“The real challenge to us is to read more, contemplate deeply and to translate its principles (Mwalimu’s people’s centred development vision) into our changing times,” said the former head of state while delivering his keynote speech at the event.

Responding to a question after his presentation, Mr Mkapa noted that freedom of speech and expression should be used to make deep analysis, something which would help the country solve its problems.

He insisted that blame game would not help anyone, let alone the country, overcome its challenges.Mr Mkapa also called for a national dialogue through which the country could deeply and extensively reflect on challenges it is going through.

The former President noted that it was very unfortunate that freedom of expression accorded to the public has not well been exploited.

Though he did not specifically tie any issue with the lack of coherent debate, Mr Mkapa noted for instance that until now he has not seen any meaningful insight on where went wrong with the process to write a new constitution.

But he himself refused to be drawn into debating the new constitution issue noting that he was not authoritative person to discuss the issue.

“I don’t want to discuss this issue in detail because I am not an authoritative person to do so. When this process started I was not in the government or in the party, Judge (Joseph) Warioba and his team came to me and I offered by comments and that was all,” he said.

Nevertheless, Mr Mkapa noted that it is disheartening that through the process seem to have stalled, no one has come up with deep insight of what went wrong.

“I have not read any deep analysis on why this process has gotten us where we are now. There are a lot of issues to discuss about this and no one is offering any explanation,” he said.

On the other hand, a renowned commentator, Mr Jenerali Ulimwengu said it was discouraging that many Tanzania leaders seem to be wise after leaving office.

He made the remarks after hailing Mr Mkapa for giving a good and precise analogue of late father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

“I would like to congratulate Honourable Mkapa for a very good speech and precise words about life of late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. But, I have learnt here that unfortunately, our leaders become wise after leaving leadership posts,” he said amid cheers from the gathering.

Mr Ulimwengu, who was stripped of his citizenship during Mr Mkapa’s presidency, said it was upon leaders to ensure that they give direction of the country leadership by also listening to what people say.

He said in doing so leaders might be able to know the minds of their people and how they want to be governed.

“In listening to the people, one major thing which may come out of the people is constitution. The way I see it the process to write a new constitution has stalled and it has been stalled deliberately,” he said.

He said though leaders wield a lot of powers on their hand, they can only govern well if they give their people more freedom to speak and do what is within their power.

He noted that apart from Mwalimu Nyerere, who took deliberate efforts to ensure that the country return to multipartism, other leaders have not shown anything as a sign of giving their people freedom to do what they please.

Mr Ulimwengu noted that though many people have been praising President John Magufuli’s leadership, but if you look at the bigger picture, Tanzanians has backtracked about 50 years in upholding democracy.

“This has been done through oppressing people freedom to express themselves but more so though curtailing freedom of people representatives inside the Parliament,” he said.

He said in order to unstuck the nation, there was only one thing which should be done and that is ensuring that the new constitution process is revived.

Otherwise, Mr Ulimwengu said former president Jakaya Kikwete should be asked to explain why the nation spend colossal amount of money for a project which has not helped the country.

“If former ministers have been charged for causing loss to the government, Honourable Jakaya Kikwete should also be sent to court for, one, causing huge loss to the nation and second, for leaving people in the wilderness,” he asked.

Speaking earlier, CCM secretary general, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, said many leaders fail to govern well because they don’t establish permanent channel of communication between themselves and the people they lead.

He also said many current leaders lack courage of admitting the mistakes they commit when in power.

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