RE-THINKING ALOUD : The person of Fatma Karume speaking…

The gods talk by signs. It may be a leaf falling in summer, the cry of a dying beast or the ripple of wind on calm water. It might be smoke billowing close to the ground, a rift in the clouds or the flight of a bird’… so starts ‘Stonehenge, A Novel of 2000 BC’, authored by Bernard Cornwell in 1999.

I quote those simpler words to buttress my thesis that ‘things, whether you believe in God or natural course, work out in so mysterious a way human societies sometimes fail to comprehend when an era is up and gone.

There are hundreds subtle things that portend the beginning and ending of eras. Only that our eyes and ears – or is it all of our sense organs? – are so limited that time lapse before we come to terms with realities. Today, the person of Fatma Karume – self-styled “Shangazi wa Taifa (an aunt of the nation) is just that. She is a fleeting moment of talking signs.

The Aunt of the Nation

Fatma is a renown lawyer. She is an avid commentator on issues and vocal critic on legal, social, political and miscellaneous event and policies. She imbues more of what nowadays trend as ‘activism’ subsequently sending her out as more of an activist and social critic. One can settle down with one – that she is an activist.

But Fatma is a Karume – she is born of Amani Abeid Karume – former president and chairman of the revolutionary council of Zanzibar.

If that is not enough, Fatma is granddaughter to late Abeid Amani Karume, again renowned first president of Zanzibar and chairman of the revolutionary council. One way or another, in her we have a daughter born and raised in vortex and ideas of revolutionaries. In short, she is the daughter of revolution

As daughter of revolution, Fatma is expected to possess extraordinary qualities. As distinguished advocate, lawyer and chairman of the Tanganyika Law Society it would be vexing to find her a weakling. It thus comes down to this: Fatma is representative of what an intellectual worth her salt should be. At this personal level, a responsible ‘authority’ should accept her being who she is – doing what she is meant to.

Reading Fatma as a Personality

For sake of knowledge and sincerity, let us agree Fatma Karume has privileges most of us weren’t lucky to have. She is first of all daughter to the establishment.

Thousands decision makers in this country have had occasions to shake hands with a Karume – whoever among them – or received favours therefrom. This naturally means she is not a simple character to throw overboard and be over with. A move against her need very calculated tactics.

It is not surprising Fatma is overconfident when commenting on issues and criss-crossing powers that be. She has where she stands and a name to insure her.

She has much in her name and more in her intellectual valour. An attack on her would certainly bring issues in the party – CCM – and not auger well in the main-street. It is a confusion feared by any ‘authority’ because repercussions would threateningly grow especially worse when the ‘authority’ retires. That is a lesson.

Fatma’s profile is talking…

We have unsaid words yet coming to us yelling. They are signs the gods or God is sending to us. That we need sons and daughters of establishment to come off lairs and save this nation. This nation will see light when they come out and make a stand. Fatma’s disposition is a sign to this.

Vocal figures like Zitto Kabwe and Tundu Lissu, yes, they are vocal! But what! They are failing by not deducing from what the Fatma syndrome means. Her person calls to enlist support from some families. We won’t have fruitful politics if sons and daughters of Nyereres, Mwinyis, Mwapachus and the likes are left driving expensive cars, worshiping plush plots, job assurance and all that. Over histories, power is frisked through setting young generations of establishment against their own. Ragtag followers from scam majority won’t help your parties.