Rungwe “We are moving backwards politically”

Hashim Rungwe Spunda was among the eight presidential aspirants in the 2015 general election. He is a politician, a High Court advocate and a businessman.

In this interview with PoliticalPlatform Reporter Louis Kolumbia, he gives his take on various developments in the country

Question. What is your take on the country’s current political situation?

Answer. We are passing through the most difficult times, politically, since the restoration of the multiparty democracy in the country. The current administration has failed to walk into the footsteps of previous administrations in as far as opening up the political space is concerned. Former Presidents, Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete respected the country’s multiparty Constitution and they were proud to see multiparty democracy prospers in the country.

These administrations protected the rights political parties as provided for by the laws of the land.

But now it is different. Those rights are not guaranteed. We are told that only political parties with representatives in the wards and constituencies should hold rallies in their areas of political jurisdictions. But this contravenes the provisions of the 1977 Constitution and the Political Parties Act of 1992.

But the Political Parties Act of 1992 provides that provisionally or permanently registered political parties are allowed by law to hold political meetings at any place in the United Republic of Tanzania. These provisions didn’t say that only political parties with representatives should hold rallies.

But what is worse is that security organs have also been hindering activities of political parties in the country by obstructing constitutional and legal activities organized by political parties in various places in the country.

The police should distance themselves from hindering democratic processes and facilitate political activities by providing security to ensure peace prevails.

It is my view that all these problems are caused by the fact that we do not have a new Constitution. The 1977 Constitution, despite various amendments, is not very suitable for multiparty politics. It only benefits the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

How do you view the country’s economic situation?

It seems we are going back to the old days of economic difficulties. Soon after independence all means of production were state owned under the Arusha Declaration.

Unexperienced locals were let to manage businesses that had been bundled into parastatals. They failed. We could not run even the hotels that we nationalised. As a result the Kilimanjaro Hotel, the Mount Meru Hotel and the New Africa Hotel went bankrupt and had to be privatized against during the economic reberalisation.

The government is supposed to facilitate trade and prosperity of business. It is not supposed to purchase aircrafts using taxpayer’s money, if it was necessary to revive the national carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), it should have purchased aircrafts on loan from manufacturers.

It was supposed to build and strengthen infrastructure and prosperity of private aviation companies like Precision Air and Fast Jet which have demonstrated competency in the business. Private sector is doing better in marine transport especially for modern boats plying between Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, why this should be considered impossible to aviation sector?

Likewise, the National Housing Corporation (NHC) isn’t performing according to people’s expectations. The corporation is implementing projects that have little benefit to ordinary Tanzanians. They are expected to build and develop squatters in areas like Manzese and provide them to low income earners.

NHC is expected to build enough shopping Malls and improve local markets in order to employ many Tanzanians and assure citizens hygiene in the food stuffs they purchase and end the ongoing situation where consumables are arranged down in the streets.

But, reports indicate that Tanzania is economically doing better with economic growth at an average of 7 per cent, what do you have to say?

Tanzania economy is growing in papers, its growth does not reflect improvement in people’s lives. If you want to measure this country’s economic development have a look at prices of commodities like maize flour, which is the stapple of the majority of the citizens. Prices are alarmingly escalating on the daily basis. While the price of maize flour has exceeded Sh2,000, sugar is above Sh2,400. Worse enough the country lacks the price regulator. This is the reasons why the government’s intervention to regulate sugar prices last year backfired, nobody cares.

Most of those preparing these reports have personal interests. But the truth is that Tanzania is among 25 poorest countries in the world.

We have reached at this stage due our failure to assist farmers improve agricultural production which employ. Agriculture employs over 75 per cent of Tanzanians. The government should subsidize agricultural production to in order realize the country’s really economic development. Also, recently the country has recorded serious deterioration and somehow collapse of business due to higher taxation, adversely affecting government revenue through reduced taxes and employment of Tanzanians.

You ran in the 2015 General Election, what plans did you have to develop the agriculture sector in the country?

I planned to subsidize agriculture in the country and completely transform the sector from rain water dependence to irrigation. Tanzania has abundant rivers, lakes and fertile soil to make this a reality and turn the country into food stuff hub within the East African region.

I promised people that I planned to use planes in irrigating various fields. Instead of flying Bombardier to Arusha with half passengers on board, I would have used the same for irrigation which could economically benefit the country more.

What strategies do you have to make Chaumma competitive, capable to replace CCM in the country’s leadership?

Chaumma’s strategies to win future elections are derailed by obstacles imposed by the government to opposition political parties. The stalled new constitutional writing process, as I earlier pointed out, is equally obstructing us from communicating with our people. The president and his assistants should be the first to ensure people’s rights provided in the country’s constitution and laws are guaranteed. My party has resolved to make peaceful efforts to ensure imposed bans are lifted for the benefit of Tanzanians.

How is Chaumma preparing for the 2019 Local Government Elections and the 2020 General Election?

Chaumma’s participation into future elections will utterly depend on the country’s political situation at that time. It shouldn’t be considered a surprise when Chaumma and major opposition political parties boycott future ections over unfair grounds of doing politics in the country. We are strategically involving other parties in the movement.

How do you view the fifth phase government under President John Magufuli?

President Magufuli’s government is a one man show. He is moving all over around alone contrary to a roadmap provided by the country’s constitution. Other government officers are now copying his leadership style, everyone is now fining people. You can keep wondering what the court will do if every individual charge fines.

Government’s policies are also unpredictable. President Magufuli has banned politics till 2020, but CCM officials are busy holding meetings and rallies. Also, appointment of cabinet ministers who demonstrated readiness to stand and advocate people’s rights were revoked .

Coming the fake certificate operation people who were implicated to possess such documents were given immunity simply because belonged to the team of beneficiaries. We can’t run the country by dividing citizens into teams? Where should those who don’t belong to any team go?

The government is supposed serve Tanzanians equally without favoritism regardless of their political affiliation, tribe, gender, race and level of education.

There is no need for the government to be of double standard, because it lose moral authority to lead the country. People expected to see phantom workers financial beneficiaries and tax evasion bigwigs would be charged, but nothing has happened.

Which other areas do you think need to be given special attention?

Unemployment. The government has expelled over 9,000 public servants over fake certificate saga. Recruiting the same number shouldn’t be considered it has created new jobs as they are announcing that’s just replacement. It should provide the citizen with employment opportunity as it promised during the 2015 election campaigns.

Taking an in depth glance in the fake certificate saga, one will be left wondering.

The 9,000 terminated people have worked in respective sectors for years, displaying competitive stewardship which enabled them to be promoted to top jobs. Terminating employment of these people means the country is rejecting experience they have to be replaced with armatures. This is not fair because the country is insisting in work experience.

We don’t encourage fabrication of academic certificates. The government was supposed to use wisdom in solving the problem especially by allowing those who displayed sound work competence to attend training in courses of their employment to develop their carrier and attain required qualification.

Does it mean the government hasn’t done anything good to the country?

Even if the government provides citizens with honey and breads every morning that remains to be its obligation.

They shouldn’t expect applause for better performance in areas they are supposed to deliver being part of their responsibilities. It is the government’s obligation to ensure hospitals are full of medicines and that our children receive better education at schools.

If the government is constructing the Central Railway to a Standard Gauge level, it has built the Kigamboni Bridge, constructing a flyover at Tazara area and build an interchange at Ubungo nobody is supposed to clap hands at them because that is their obligation, for that purpose they were elected.

That’s why when people face food shortage, they face the government for assistance and it is their right to be fed by their their government.

It is something different when Belgians come to connect Dar es Salaam with clean and safe water from Ruvu. These will deserve citizen’s handclapping because they have brought part of taxpayer’s money from their country to end water woes in our country.

Can you mention 5 key issues which forced you to aspire for the top job during the 2015 General Election?

The first thing is hunger. Through modern agriculture, I wanted to end frequent food shortages in the country and employ many Tanzanians in the sector.

Secondly, I intended to make Tanzanians happy. Unlike recent reports that ranks Tanzania among countries with unhappy citizens. People need to be proud of their country and nationality. Thirdly, I thought indigenous Tanzanians who once given financial support could increase government’s revenue and employ majority of citizens need to be empowered.

But, I intended to increase love and harmony among Tanzanians and that I intended to maintain peace and security with neighboring countries.

We entered the 2015 elections with looming corruption complaints, why this wasn’t part of your agenda?

Huge corruption take place in government institutions not private companies. It is huge corruption and fraud that damage country’s economy denying them with improved social services. Chaumma intended at plugging loop hole in those areas, investigate those accused and bring them to justice.

The government for years have been singing that certain people are involved in corrupt incidents without seriously taking action. Somehow, former President Jakaya Kikwete took initiatives by bringing fraud suspects implicated in Bank of Tanzania (BoT) scandals before court of law. Those found guilty were charged and innocent suspects were discharged. It was good start.

Instead of singing fraud and corruption songs, the government is supposed to prove allegations at the court of law.

What do you say on escalated insecurity in Rufiji? Do you think the government is doing enough to stop the killings? What more should be done?

What happen in Rufiji is disappointing because apart from losing manpower, citizens are living in a state of fear. Attackers are killing without taking anything, when we talk of causation the ongoing assaults are caused by revenge. People have accumulated hate in their heart, in some countries blow themselves at this stage.

The government should seat down and ask itself what went wrong in the area. Government official’s relationship and citizens should be reviewed. Hopefully, this is the starting point. But, since they are criminals like others, perpetrators need to be arrested and face charges according to laws.

Do you think it is the right time Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF) should be deployed to the area to end the killings?

Deploying TPDF in the area would mean the government has surrendered to criminals. How can the government enter into war with its citizens?

Before deploying a battalion, the government should find what prompted to the killings. Currently, buses are peacefully, travelling to Southern Regions of Lindi and Mtwara. So, why deploying the army there? The police could avert the situation in case they handle the issue professionally, with full involvement of citizens.

Who is Hashim Rungwe and what is he doing in the city?

I am an independent High Court advocate. I was born on January 01, 1949 in Ujiji, Kigoma Region. I went to Kipampa Primary School between 1959 and 1966, received secondary Cambridge certificate in 1969 and high school studies in the country.

I hold certificate in sales promotion, French studies, Public Administration and History of Africa, philosophy of Africa and development issues from various colleges and universities in the country.

Also, I am a degree holder on Arabic Language and Islamic Studies graduated at King Abdullah University in Saudi Arabia between 1979 and 1982. Also, a law degree pursued at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) from 1996 to 2003 before being accredited as a professional High Court lawyer.

Previously I worked in various government institutions. Also, I served as the executive director of Bahari Auction Mart and Bahari Motors since 1982 and 1990 respectively. Politically, I became a member of TANU, CCM, and NCCR-Mageuzi before founding Chaumma which elected me party’s national chairman in 2014. I am married and a father of 5 children.