Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Citizen at his home village, Mahezangulu, in Bumbuli District, Mr Makamba who was attending a family Maulid said it was equally disappointing that civic leaders were contributing in ‘killing’ the nation building spirit by leading voters to wait for government to do everything for them instead of being pro-active in bringing about development.
Bumbuli. Former CCM Secretary General Yusuf Makamba has expressed concerns over the dying nationalism spirit in the country, saying the trend needs to change.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Citizen at his home village, Mahezangulu, in Bumbuli District, Mr Makamba who was attending a family Maulid said it was equally disappointing that civic leaders were contributing in ‘killing’ the nation building spirit by leading voters to wait for government to do everything for them instead of being pro-active in bringing about development.
“How do you tell voters to wait for the government to repair a road that is not passable today while wananchi could do something?” he reflected.
He said that civic leaders must now change and mobilise the people to do things that are possible instead of inculcating an attitude of waiting for government intervention which would not be possible at that particular time.
Mr Makamba narrated that the road to their village was built by the people with their own hands and was opened by the district commissioner when he was in Standard Four. “I remember the village chairman was Mr Hassan Msagati who was so serious that he sent his own son, Rashid, to court for not taking part in the road building work,” said Mr Makamba who led thousands of Mahezangulu villagers to repair the road weaving through mountains to and through the village.
He said during the early Uhuru days nation building activities took top priority over projects being implemented by the government.
“Why should we not repair our road now when it is not passable and enable our farm produce to reach the market instead of waiting for the government to come for help at a time when it does not have such funds?” asked Mr Makamba who added that after all it was the villagers who feel the pinch of an impassable road.
He warned civic leaders that they would be judged by their actions.
Mr Makamba also stressed the need for Tanzanian parents to make sure they gave their children religious training to make them God-fearing.
“Children are made and there is no question of a child becoming impossible to teach. We must give our children religious education because it would discipline them and prepare them to become good citizens and leaders of our country,” he said.
