Kikwete warns against the ‘return’ of chieftainships

Dar es Salaam. Retired President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday conveyed his displeasure over a rising trend of re-establishing chieftainships in the country, warning that this could throw the nation back to the bygone era of ethnicity loyalty.

Tanzania's fourth President, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), was addressing the Mwalimu Nyerere Intellectual Festival at the institution organised by Kigoda cha Mwalimu.

The conference brought together academics, politicians, various leaders and students to discuss Mwalimu Nyerere’s philosophies and the eloquent leader expressed his shock that chieftainship was gaining a re-birth in the country, insisting this was one of the things that Mwalimu Nyerere abolished.

“I don’t know where they want to take us… I don’t whether this will mean the coming back of the Supreme Mangi,” said Mr Kikwete.

He explained: “My grandfather was a traditional ruler of our tribe, and these [those pushing for re-establishment of chieftainship] have been inviting me to their meetings, but I have always refused because I’m not impressed.”

He noted that the Chieftaiship idea was long dead and hence there was no point of even discussing it in meetings.

“We should not go back to thinking along tribal lines. Things like ‘our tribe is not being considered’. If you are taking that path, it is an anticlimax,” he warned.

This, he said, was the strong foundation that, “Our very bright, forward looking and visionary leader (Julius Nyerere) established.” Some of the participants reiterated the stance expressed by the retired leader saying that the nation should not allow itself to be drugged back to chieftainships as this could divide the country on the basis of ethnicity.

“If the situation continues like this, every tribe will follow suit, because many will probably see some benefit. It’s important that this issue is talked about early enough because it was not in the philosophy of the Father of the Nation and I personally don’t believe that those chiefs exist,” Dr Amos Mwajombe said in an interview with The Citizen.

In another development, Dr Mwajombe, who is a development consultant based in Dar es Salaam, noted that holding of various debates between students in higher education institutions about where the country was and where it is headed was the best way to embrace and apply the philosophies of Mwalimu Nyerere to all upcoming generations.

He said that at present most students were focused on studying for exams and were always on the phone so they did not have time to discuss national issues through debates as the case was in the past.

“Colleges that are the centre of knowledge must formalise these discussions in order to build the capacity of students to understand what is currently going on and what their responsibilities are. Lecturers should also be part and parcel of these discussions,” he said.