STRAIGHT TALK : A million dollar question: Is there famine in TZ?

It is the big question now and certainly the buzz of the day. It is a million dollar question that is sending shock waves all across the country--there is no open and straight answer as every side is assuming it holds the truth.

But also the approach of the question is enigmatic as is the philosophical question of to be or not to be. And who is right and who is wrong is also another big question which is making all Tanzanians look like they are merely doing a guess work.

And the question is -- is there draught or not and if there is, is there famine or not and if is there, is there a duty for the government to provide food relief to the affected population or not, and if not who has the duty to cover the stop gap period?

There has been out cries from all corners of Tanzania giving information to the effect that there is a danger of starvation encroaching many districts and hundreds of villages and hence thousands of Tanzanians.

However, due to internal public discipline, most regional and district commissioners are afraid or not willing to come forward to openly state that the areas under their jurisdiction are facing famine. They’re hesitant because they might lose their jobs given the fact that they have been warned before.

So, while this is reported widely all over the country, President John Magufuli has vehemently denied that there is famine and starvation. He says he is the one to know that and he is the one to declare such a state and naturally so the state of emergency and top gear steps to tackle it.

But since he denies its presence, Dr Magufuli has shockingly told Tanzanians that he will not entertain any idea of providing food assistance and instead he made a call to all those who are facing the plight to take advantage of the rain for planting.

Well to me that is strange. First, if it was true that the President was adequately informed of the state of the situation.

Secondly, if the President was really aware that there was a long period from planting and harvesting which means some of the farmers would not be able to enjoy their labour because they would have perished in between.

Thirdly, I am not sure if Mr President knows that the people he told he would not provide food aid to are subsistence farmers and they do not have any backing to support them.

But fourthly if I were the farmer I would have felt insulted this was told to be as if I wanted to be a beggar or lazy and pretended that my crops did not make it.

This is on top of the fact that the bulk of the votes that propelled President Magufuli to power came from those farmers he is now trying to alienate and deny them the needful state support at their dire times. This is wrong, and the right thing is for the government to look again seriously into the problem.

The government should firstly provide the needed food aid hence that is why there is a stock of reserve food in government hands, it must support and provide seeds because this country has failed to provide insurance in the form of security net.

We do not want to witness the horror of people dying or suffering because it would defeat the spirit of country caring all the citizenry.