Happy 50th Anniversary Tanzania (Tanganyika)

Today, December 9^th 2011, Tanzanian are celebrating the independence of Tanzania. This is 50^th Jubilee/Anniversary of Tanzania independence from the Great Britain that took over as Mandate Colony to over see the welfare of Tanzania (then Tanganyika), which was colony of German East Africa, after Germany was defeated on WW II.

Tanzanian, all feel happy and rejoiced that they attained Uhuru (independency) and claimed to become self reliable (kujitegemea), but many are asking if this 50^th anniversary celebrates the true independence of Tanzania/Tanganyika or Danganyika (fooled)? To explain this many have to look for what Tanzania accomplished in 50 years. Is Tanzania matching forward toward prosperity or is going backward to more poverty, poor leadership, explosive corruption and faster growing inequality?

My taking for this independence as independence of Danganyika and not Tanganyika is that Danganyika represent too many people running to Dar-Es-Salaam, commercial capital, looking for better life and no one is interested in farming the rich fertile land of Tanzania, rather peasantry, faming that is from the hand to the mouth. Also the categorization of this independence as independence of Danganyika is due to many lies of politicians and corruption it brings by wide growing favoritism of it members operating like a cult while many ordinary Tanzanians are literary dying from hunger, starvation and poor quality of life in general. The expectation and mandate the leaders gets from Tanzanian is way too high than they should get, the corruption is like tickling bomb ready to explode, poverty is like nuclear reactor ready to melt down, and people have no way of easy out air and recalibrate.

But here is the good news; Tanzania is doing much better in almost all aspects of national stability than its neighbors by far. For instance, look at DRC on the west, is on the turmoil since anyone could remember; Burundi and Rwanda constantly cant get along due vicious tribalism that immersed in their hearts and blood; Uganda on the north is constantly caught up in the civil wars by Lord Resistant Army and Banyamulenge in Rwanda and Congo; Kenya  on the north it has its own civil war, tribalism and now Somalia terrorist threats; Zambia is still by far tribal and infected by internal conflicts; Malawi is very small and struggling; and Mozambique has come far-far way improving but is haunted by the past communist movements that has left permanent scars. In contrast, communism’s last nail on the coffin was hammered by President W. H. Bush.

These comparison makes Tanzania, the island of peace as it is called the right place to be, right? That is absolutely right. But when you compare Tanzania and the place it should be after all, 50 years of independence with many opportunities came by and passed by without proper leadership and capitalization  to such unique opportunities, Tanzania is trailing. I believe that Tanzania should have been way far ahead but the politics of CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi or like its clone name Chukua Chako Mapema/Take what is yours faster or corrupted party) has corrupted the leaders, the environment and sadly its peoples. The hope of Tanzanians is lips service, many are boiling inside and wish they could have done something to alter the direction toward prosperity.

Here is the truth about a Tanzania, if someone is a teacher or a cop or lower grade government worker is certainly underpaid, but he or she has home-maker/stay-home wife (no income), four children/average (2 at secondary school and 2 at primary school, tuition fees and all costs is about 1,200,000Tsh/= annually), his/her salary is about $100/160,700Tsh/= a month average (1,928,400Tsh/= annual), including shelter, food, dressing, supply, and other miscellaneous spending this person cannot make a living if you use all aspect of economics. Is that right? Now, in Tanzania this person has a car, wear expensive clothing, has a house in the village and possibly in the city or pays expensive rent in down town and won a house in the village, is in the bar every 4 nights of the week, he visits his remote home in the province, he is supporting other relatives and friends because he is lucky he has j.o.b. because so may don’t have j.o.b. to the that it became a life style.

This is how corruption is imbedded and breeding in the blood of Tanzanian at the leadership to whenever you can find regular services. Every one is out get one another and majority above 75% plus are struggling to make the living, at least basic needs. Inequality is so vivid in the comparison to the city and the remote areas of the country. How could such a person I described above survive, make a living and be happy the way things are at same time? Corruption, corruption at its inner-core and on steroids, it has become a life style.

Corruption takes away sense of independence, resilience, ownership, self esteem/pride, accountability, equality, leadership and motivation values that are responsible for prosperity of nation/society because it put cap on peoples by embolden few creating entitlement and dependency for things that one can and should get done by their own if empowered. Self reliance comes from empowered, free, resilient, accountable and responsible people, and not otherwise.

Happy 50^th Anniversary Tanzania and we wish and pray that you take a look, soul search of what you accomplished and what you did not accomplish past 50 years then ask yourself what will you be doing better this time that way coming 100^th anniversary you can point out that you are responsible and you learn from the mistakes of the past and of others. To do the same thing and expect different results, Ben Franklin said that is “Insanity” and I hope and pray you are not one. God bless you and you may flourish.

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