HEAD OF STATE IS RIGHT ON PUBLIC ETHICS CODE

In the all too brief one year as Head of State, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has once again told it like it is in a manner that is unusual but appropriate is terms of exemplary leadership.

Summoning extraordinary courage that has been all too lacking in admonishing leaderships in many of the world’s developing countries – including Tanzania – President Hassan firmly warned leaders against what is perhaps best described in Kiswahili as “nidhamu ya woga” in public leadership.

Noting that Tanzania was “still facing unethical challenges in public service” after more than 60 years of political independence from alien rule, the Head of State cited (as living examples) seemingly endless “squabbling among government ministers with their deputies and permanent secretaries”.

This is despite changes which were made by previous governments in attempts to “restore respect in the public service”… Instead – President Hassan stressed – sham respect for the national leadership dominated, based NOT on bona fide ethical beliefs and practices but, instead, on the legendary “Lion of Judah” as a virtual symbol of worship.

All this coming from Tanzania’s first-ever woman Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence and Security Forces rolled into one (proverbially speaking) is phenomenal, to say the least.

The President took the rare opportunity to set matters right during a brief ceremony held in Dar es Salaam on Saturday to formally swear into office some reshuffled cabinet ministers, as well as newly-appointed members of the Public Ethics Council.

We are indeed happy to note that the President has highlighted the importance of always stressing strict observance of the set Code of Ethics at all levels of public governance.

Compromising good governance must be avoided at all costs, as it is bound to also to compromise any and all efforts being made to attain sustainable socioeconomic development for all.

FOCUS ON PEOPLE IN GRAFT WAR

The call by Vice President Philip Mpango upon the authorities – including the government – to intensify the ongoing war against corruption must not go unheeded. This latest call was made for the umpteenth time more than 60 years after the country secured political independence from colonial rule.

If nothing else, this means that corruption is not only still with us in Tanzania – and that it is also growing by changing tactics and otherwise diversifying so much that effectively surmounting the malady calls for intensifying the war against it.

This is especially regarding “grand corruption” that is born of abuse of power and position by the few in society for the benefit of the few and at the expense of the many – with the grand perpetrators mostly going unpunished.

It also plays untold havoc with the economy and the society at large.

Hence that near-desperate call on the authorities to intensify the graft war made when Dr Mpango officially flagged off the annual Uhuru Torch Race in Njombe Region on Saturday.

Appropriately enough, the call was also directed at all Tanzanians, as no war on corruption can be won without involving the people at large.