FORUM: Mixed feelings over proposal to sack inept ministers
Children walk down a dusty trail to their rural school in USA River, Arusha. Our readers are calling for the ouster of the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Shukuru Kawambwa, for failing to improve access to, and the quality of, Education in Tanzania. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
While some readers are of the opinion that many of the ministers on the chopping block should just be shown the door, others argue the purge could be used by those in power to get rid of political rivals. Read on to find out how:
Whereas the ‘sack incompetent ministers’ idea seems popular, one reader cautions against politicizing education and agriculture issues, and another defends the targeted individuals as competent, heaping blame instead, on the iniatiator of the idea, Mr Nape Nnauye. Here are our readers’ comments, in their own words.
Anonymous via SMS
I agree that Dr Shukuru Kawambwa has failed to tackle problems facing his ministry, one of which is teachers not getting their promotion when they are due.
I am totally opposed to sneaking politics in the education and agriculture sectors. We should discuss problems soberly in open forums, and come up with solutions.
Firing executives deemed not to have discharged their responsibilities effectively is a reckless approach, particularly when it transpires that they are innocent.
Mbaruk, Tabora
The minister for agriculture and his deputy should be sacked because they are obstacles to the development of agriculture, the backbone of our economy.
They have also failed to address a number of challenges facing the sector, such as unreliable and untimely supply of inputs such as fertiliser, pesticides and insecticides.
This is a very serious shortcoming, considering that livelihoods of many Tanzanians depend on this sector.
The ministry should be led by a visionary, hardworking and competent person.
Anonymous via SMS
The three senior officials have shown every sign of failure. Over the past five years, the Kilimo Kwanza project has not produced good impressive results.
It is a crying shame that, whereas Ruvuma, Rukwa, and Katavi regions constitute the country’s bread basket potential, we should be experiencing hunger.
It’s because political will is lacking in tapping that potential. On the education docket, the plight of teachers remains a serious problem. Therefore, the proposal is justified.
Anonymous via SMS
With due respect to all those concerned, the three ministers are doing well; Nape goofed.
Anonymous via SMS
Absolutely true, I am proposing that Shukuru Kawambwa should be dropped because he is underperforming.
