Opposition politician accepts Magufuli job offer

Dar es Salaam. The Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo) adviser, Prof Kitila Mkumbo (pictured), yesterday accepted President John Magufuli’s appointment as Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Water and Irrigation, saying he was honoured by the gesture.

“I saw the statement by the Chief Secretary a few minutes ago as I was heading to the lecture room; all I can tell you now is that, it is an honour to be appointed new PS for Water and Irrigation,” said Prof Mkumbo in a telephone interview with The Citizen.

He later wrote in his verified Twitter account: “I thank @MagufuliJP for the honour he gave me to be able to serve our country as Permanent Secretary. May God help me.”

By accepting to serve in the position, Prof Mkumbo, who had hitherto been teaching at the University of Dar es Salaam, defied expectations from some quarters that he would politely turn down the appointment so as to continue his work as an academician, opposition party adviser and socio-political analyst and critic.

Serving as a permanent secretary in the government means the professor has abandoned his old stance against the tendency of President Magufuli appointing academicians to lgovernment positions.

Few months after President Magufuli announced his Cabinet and the list of PSs, which was dominated by professors and PhD holders, Prof Mkumbo criticized him, arguing that academics should be left to do their work, which includes conducting research.

“I don’t agree with the tendency of the President to appoint academicians especially from the University of Dar es Salaam into various positions in the government; academicians should be left out of the government so that they conduct researches,” he was quoted as saying by a local television station.

His appointment also indicates that President Magufuli has changed his stance with regard to appointing members of the Opposition to serve in his government.

Last year President Magufuli said he did not understand why the Zanzibar President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, appointed members of the opposition parties to his government after the Civic United Front (CUF) Secretary General Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad refused to shake Dr Shein’s hand during the burial ceremony for Former Zanzibar President Aboud Jumbe.

“You won the election by over 92 per cent and yet you pick members of the Opposition into your government…I can assure you there won’t be anyone from the Opposition in my government, although I won the election by only 58 per cent,” he said.

In order to serve well in his new position, Prof Mkumbo yesterday resigned from his position as adviser to the ACT.

ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe confirmed that the party has accepted the professor’s resignation.

“Because of the presidential appointment, Prof Mkumbo can’t continue to serve as the party’s adviser.

“He has written to me to offer his resignation from the position and I have accepted it,” Mr Kabwe said in a statement to the media, adding:

He, however, pointed out that the the prof would continue to be an ACT member.