You cannot eulogize Mwalimu without Arusha Declaration
It took a good 48 hours for the western press to report that Mwalimu died in London on October-14-1999, while the breaking news was all over in the African press. Why?
Late Professor Chachage in one of his articles writes about this analogy “ if you see children throwing stones at the mango tree be rest assured there are mangoes up there” its only when the African press was publishing the contributions of Mwalimu the western media followed.
This either shows the ignorance of the west about Mwalimu or the intentional underplay because he was not their favorite or they never understood his blue print The Arusha Declaration.
The west never understood Arusha Declaration (AD), the western media describes AD as a cornerstone of ujamaa, or family hood, which they say was imposed on Tanzanians. The aim was to collect people into villages or communes, where they would have better access to education and medical services. Nearly 10m peasants were moved and a substantial majority was forced to give up their land. But to most Tanzanians, the idea of collective farming was abhorrent. Many found themselves worse off; incentive and productivity declined, and ujamaa was effectively abandoned.
The above is the understanding of the western scholars about AD.
I am a product of AD, a child from a very poor family becoming a university professor and like me there are many thousands of Tanzanians with a similar tale. The Arusha Declaration was instrumental to keep in check the widening gap between the rich and the poor.
Today scholars attribute that Capitalism is failing because this gap has become so huge that it is excruciating and unbearable. Today 52 years after AD the legacy of Mwalimu is vindicating the tribulations and turmoil in the capitalistic ideology.
The accelerated development that is happening today in Tanzania is because the country is peaceful, united and the population is part of the development. This is the foundation that was built on the genesis of AD the blue print of Mwalimu.
Every year the month of October starts with symposiums on Mwalimu and his contributions. Past leaders are invited to talk about Mwalimu’s history and legacy. Most of them talk about how humble he was, how honest, tolerant and intelligent he was but they do not speak about Arusha Declaration. WHY?
If AD was misunderstood by the west the retired leadership that is invited to speak at these annual symposia intentionally avoid AD because since 1985 to 2015, the leadership has strategically moved Tanzania away from AD. Anyone who speaks about Mwalimu and ignores AD is nothing but a big hypocrite, a charlatan and a pretender, they should not be given a platform to eulogized Mwalimu.
I have a strong feeling that Mwalimu’s contributions are intentionally underrated. Who can dispute that Mwalimu, despite his country’s poverty level at that time was the main force for African independence struggle because of his staunch belief in humanity and equality.
Mwalimu broke off relations with Britain, Tanzania’s principal aid donor, after its failure to use force when Ian Smith declared UDI in 1965. No other African President did that.
Mwalimu stepped down peacefully and voluntarily, while it was fashionable and lucrative to become life President. The list of positive contribution is long for both his country and Africa but this piece is not about his contributions.
Today while I am in diaspora and when I meet fellow Africans be it from East, West, North or South and once I say that I am from Tanzania, the reply is, so you are from the land of Nyerere. No one says you are from the land of Kilimanjaro, or Serengeti or Ngorongoro, he was the leader who outgrew his country.
Those who have intentionally misinterpreted AD brag about how Mwalimu was responsible for poverty in Tanzania. They forward the argument that someone who preached about self-reliance was vastly depended on foreign aid.
As if the colonial ruler left Tanzania in riches, at the time of independence then Tanganyika was ridden with poverty, there was hardly any skilled, qualified human resource, infrastructure was debilitated and there was rampant infectious diseases. This is what was given to Mwalimu. It’s totally unfair to blame Mwalimu for the poverty.
Mwalimu spent post-independence years to establish a stable, dignified nation. When it was time to focus more on development the Ugandan war led by Nduli Iddi Amin was imposed on us. This was a severe blow to us but as a nation we persisted and the rest is history.
Mwalimu laid the potential path for future development based on AD. I therefore submit that to eulogize Mwalimu it is de rigueur that AD is mentioned but how can that be done when AD is not implemented, it has become something like a defunct, outdated and redundant document.
Zulfiqarali Premji is a retired MUHAS professor. His career spans over 40 years in academia, research and public health.
