Counting the cost of a soiled image

Finally President Samia Suluhu Hassan has got the courage to say what some of us were saying all along – but our views were blatantly ignored.

The reprobates existed everywhere and are still wondering why, Pres. Hassan, is dismantling the bedrock of brinkmanship that was sold as bravery, and couched in ultra-hawk nationalism.

Two things illustrate the above point. The President was Vice President when the world was told that investors could not take the government of Tanzania to court.

She was very much around when civil servants were made to piss in their pants at the mere sight of the Big Man.

This column has stated – and states for the umpteenth time – that rule of law must be guided by our political leaders … and, more so, by those in whom much power is bestowed, to respect the doctrine of “Separation of Powers.”

In speaking out openly, President Hassan has assisted the judiciary which was inundated with cases where corporations, domestic and foreign, took the government to court and got huge awards for it.

It shows why the person of the President – no matter what sweeping powers granted by the constitution – must be measured in tone in matters that demand more than ability to work up the emotions of an unknowing public.

The temptation to sound like a Messiah is always great. Tanzania will one day – like President Hassan – gather the courage to count the unnecessary losses in court awards that the country suffers.

Even more serious is the reputational damage done to the country.

A few thousand residents of Songea or Tabora could not care less whose ego has been poked – as long as two things are achieved. They get entertained on podium, their egos are inflated. Tanzania does not negotiate with beberus for instance and they get to share spoils of heroic wins on social media.

The case of our airplanes being impounded over a case which Tanzania lost in court come to mind.

The Fifth Phase government and its doings should teach us that one can even pass laws to justify nationalization. But, injustice anywhere shall never end well. As we all know, we are now paying the price for our skullduggery.

If you have dealt with civil servants, you also know that they looked to the gallery on every decision – and you can be sure it did not augur well. Out went professionalism, and in came the desire to be seen to be populist, with disastrous result for which, I will one day write a book.

Former President Jakaya Kikwete created a Presidential Delivery Board whose purpose was to assist streamline excellence in civil service performance.

As it were, a good idea was demonised in 2015 simply because the new President found it convenient to throw the baby with the birth water. Civil service delivery is key in our development pursuit.

Fast forward to a few days ago – and the 6th President is telling all to hear that discipline and fear are like fuel and water; the two don'’t mix.

We have for years pretended that they can when, we know for a fact that fears only breed’s contempt, not respect. We also ought to know that many decisions ought to be made based on technical advice, not on what the boss will say or how the gallery will react!

If President Hassan is interested in delivery, she has to confront the genie in the bottle – and that may mean shaking up to the bottom things that make Tanzania unique. The key is in our approach and attitude tow work.

We are quite happy to do nothing but sing praises of the boss. There is no better example than the recently concluded Tanzania Music Awards where the praises heaped on the Head of State herself were more than anything else said about music and the awards themselves.

This kasumba problem is found right from the village to the national government levels – and never ends even in the private sector in Tanzania. Those with power are happy to be praised so much so that a former foreign minister called a former president God!

We have to decide if we want hollow praises to define us, or we want to be a nation known for its work ethic.