Legacy: Mwinyi's leadership reshaped Tanzania's economy and politics

Dar es Salaam. Political and financial stakeholders have stated that the late President Ali Hassan Mwinyi will be remembered for his policies that opened Tanzania's economy and facilitated the transition to plural democracy.

President Mwinyi died on February 29, 2024, while being treated for lung cancer at Mzena Hospital in Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced his death on national television, signalling the end of an era in Tanzania.

Mwinyi, Tanzania's second President, will be put to rest on March 2.

Born on May 8, 1925, in the Coast Region, Mwinyi was born =on May 8, 1925, in the Coast Region, Ali Hassan Mwinyi was affectionately known as "Mzee Rukhsa" for his liberal economic policies. He initially worked as a schoolteacher before entering the political arena. Mwinyi served as the president of Tanzania from 1985 to 1995, succeeding Julius Nyerere, the founding father of the nation.

Opposition ACT-Wazalendo founder, Zitto Kabwe, spoke separately to The Citizen and compared Mwinyi's leadership to that of China's Deng Xiaoping, who succeeded Mao Zedong.

"Mzee Mwinyi will be remembered for his leadership that was instrumental in bringing about economic and democratic reforms. Tanzanians will miss him," he said.

Chadema secretary general John Mnyika said that when Mwinyi became the second President, the country was in a bad economic situation. He conducted negotiations with donor countries and international organisations, assembling a team to submit Economic Reform Programmes 1 and 2.

"Several steps were taken. President Mwinyi died with foreign reserves scarce and the economy shaky, requiring additional big reforms. Let us honour him by carrying out these reforms, which, among other things, would boost the economy for many people and lower the prices of necessary commodities, making citizens' lives easier," he said.

Furthermore, he said that Mzee Mwinyi took power during the global transition from single-party politics to multi-party democracy. He founded the Nyalali Commission in 1991, and Tanzania eventually adopted a multi-party system in 1992.

However, this transition was not accompanied by constitutional and legal reforms to lay the groundwork for rights, freedom, and equality in multi-party democracy and strong constitutional institutions throughout the country.

"Let us reach a national consensus on the framework of the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, as well as Tanzania's governance system. During Mzee Mwinyi's term, there was a disagreement regarding Tanzania's governance system, namely the union structure. This problem existed in the past and it exists today. The constitutional reform process and the comments obtained by the Warioba Commission were guiding us towards national consensus.

 Unfortunately, the Special Constitutional Assembly of 2014's disruption of the proceedings has placed the country in a state of impasse regarding this intricate matter. He remarked: "Let us honour him by carrying with this process until we have a new governing structure and a national consensus."

He said Tanzania ought to keep advancing the honourable Swahili language. Mzee Mwinyi was a champion in this sense, following Nyerere. He stated that although Swahili is now recognised on a worldwide scale, Tanzania has to establish it as the official language of Africa and promote it as one of the continent's products and services in international political forums, economic marketplaces, social interaction, cultural competition, and digital and online globalisation. He felt that the President of the United States should have a particular plan.

For his part, Judge Joseph Warioba said that Mwinyi would be best known for his support of political and economic changes. "The loss of President Mwinyi is profound for the country; he assumed leadership during a period of intense unrest." It was a time when things happened and things were really tough," he remarked. The East African Community was disintegrating at the time, so we had to take numerous steps to create other organisations, he continued. The country was in serious jeopardy since the Kagera War had consumed all of our foreign resources.

Judge (rtd) Warioba, who served as prime minister from November 5, 1985, to November 9, 1990, elaborated on the shifts in politics and the economy.

Tough economic times

Lack of foreign capital, fuel shortages that made it difficult to run industry, and food shortages made it impossible for the nation to afford goods. "It was necessary to address both the domestic and global political upheaval that was occurring during those years, as well as the political change movement," he stated. He spoke of Mwinyi's abilities at the time, such as his ability to listen to his assistants. Mwinyi seemed gentle, yet she made difficult choices.

"Our unity and peace should not be lost," he declared, after claiming that he managed to stabilise the economy in the first five years and oversaw political developments in the subsequent years, all of which occurred under trying circumstances.

During his stay, Mwinyi demonstrated courage, as noted by his coworker Stephen Wassira. "I knew Mzee Mwinyi when I was still a young boy; I entered the Tanzanian parliament at the age of 25 when Mzee Mwinyi was already the Minister of Health in the first term of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere," he stated. According to him, during his tenure as President, Mwinyi nominated him as Deputy Minister of Local Government and Cooperatives, where he assisted Ngombale Mwiru. Later, in 1989–1990, he was elevated to the position of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Cooperatives. Wassira was named Regional Commissioner for the Coast area following the 1990 national elections.

He said Mwinyi took over the country when it was in a difficult situation, and people's needs were hard to come by, which is why he allowed people to import goods from outside the country. "This is a great loss; I have received it with sadness because Mzee Mwinyi has made a significant contribution to the history and development of Tanzania," he said.

Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, Chairman of the Civic United Front (CUF), stated that the loss is significant for the nation, particularly in terms of economic changes. He stated that when President Mwinyi took office in 1985, Tanzania's economic position was severe; he initiated economic reforms due to the country's large debts, and he began importing products to solve shortages of vital things. He launched political system reforms in the country by appointing the Francis Nyalali Commission, which supported a multi-party democratic system, albeit constitutional modifications were proposed to allow for such a system.

Abel KInyondo, an economist at Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), believes Mwinyi serves as a bridge in the country's economic reforms. He claimed Mwinyi ascended to power at a time when the economy was in decline. "We faced drought, and the oil-producing countries decided to reduce their sale leading to an increase in prices, today, many countries produce oil, compared to then," he went on to say.

He stated that at the time, the economy was rocked by one shock after another, and Tanzania's plan to respond to these shocks began in 1982. "When Mwinyi came to power, there were multiple challenges shortage of the dollar, food, petroleum products, which is why he was the economic bridge to our economy today," he went on to say.

He said Mwinyi came up with the Structural Adjustment Program from the World Bank that torched the public sector, and subsidies to agriculture while stabilization policies from the IMF aimed to stabilize the shilling against the dollar.

“The structural adjustment programs led to the beginning of many industries transitioning to the private sector, reducing employees. It wasn't 100 percent perfect; it had its hardships; some organizations died, and people lost their jobs but led us to where we are now,” he said.