ETHICS : How JPM is a sacrifice for TZ

On several occasions, JPM has repeatedly avowed that he has come to serve Tanzanians and to be a sacrifice for Tanzania. His recurrent emphasis of the sacrificial role he wishes to undertake for Tanzania is exceptional, something that cannot pass without making it acknowledged.

It needs a public reflection and attention because unlike JPM sacrificial mission, what we are commonly used to, is nothing else than the ongoing abuses of authority, by leaders, in politics, business, and even religion. This has revived interest in what I would call destructive leadership.

This a leader who is there for his people. To be a sacrifice, in other words to give something that is valuable in order to help Tanzanians, is a highest calling when it comes to the current African leadership styles.

He is a sacrifice, meaning he is prepared to pay the price, because he knows very well that its sacrificial role is not cheap, inexpensive or cut-rate, it can be costly.

Unswervingly, by being a sacrifice to his country, it means he is actually ready to do whatever to ensure the well-being of his people even if it is to his detriment. In other words, Mr President is ably saying he is prepared to become a martyr and indeed a ransom for wananchi.

In most African societies, we are not used to this language and type of leadership. It is unusual to hear a leader thinking about his people earnestly. JPM sees, for the sake of Tanzanians, the sky as his only limit.

In Africa, there are leaders who are quite happy to continue to lead while ignoring reality, overestimating personal capabilities, and disregarding the views of others.

We simply have leaders with tarnished reputation, some of them busy pretending to be leading but they are actually there to weaken countervailing social institutions, they prefer to use the military to suppress dissidence, and usurp national resources for personal gain. These are not sacrificial leaders.

JPM has shown that he is not only uttering words to make Tanzanians happy, but his resolve is clear. It is vivid and can easily be seen in the nature, signs, and proper effects of a contrite spirit that makes Mr Magufuli.

He is simply apprehensive and concerned about the quality of life of his citizens. He is also vigilant when it comes to bad guys who want to jeopardize his country’s purposes. He is out there to ensure that their selfish, short-term interests do not endanger his vision. These are the characteristics of the sacrificial president of the new era in Tanzania.

One can easily say there is nothing new in his presidential role, but we have seen unusual and fantastic gesture of good wills in his leadership. For example, since he came to power, he has had to sacrifice a lot for the government by sacking his friends who were part of his team, but who could not meet the requirements for the rebuilding of Tanzania.

He was not happy with friends who had undesirable behaviours and attributes. So his actions were meant to stave off destructive tendencies in them. A leader whose focus is to serve his people sacrificially is also expected to be committed to maintaining both moral and ethical standards.

Similarly, JPM has also gone another step forward. He was not happy and ready to compromise the quality of life for not only the constituents, but the entire country. Uncommonly, we have also seen JPM inviting competent, talented, able and faithful outsiders to be part of his team. This is an unfamiliar move, but useful for and characteristic of sacrificial president of the new era.

So there is a clear logic of sacrifice in JPM’s leadership and his attempts to make sacrifice central to his vision for Tanzania should not be underestimated. His apparent context for and emphasis on offering himself for the suffering Tanzanians connotes that he is a gift for Tanzania at this particular time of the new season.

Dr Alfred Sebahene is a lecturer at St John’s University of Tanzania.