RECENTLY addressing a CCM presidential campaign rally in Dar es Salaam, former Union President and also the political party’s former national chairman, Mr Benjamin Mkapa, stated that the liberation of Tanzania happened a number of decades ago.
He was apparently answering back a section of the country’s political opposition, widely quoted to have uttered statements in their election campaign rallies to the effect that they were pushing their agenda forward to win a massive vote, assume the reins of power and liberate the people of Tanzania.
Mincing no words and in his straightforward and eloquent speaking style, the former president and CCM chairman brushed aside the opposition’s rhetoric on liberation, pointing out that the process was over a long time ago with independence in 1961 and the revolution in Zanzibar in 1964. Most Tanzanians who were old enough by the time in 1966 would remember how the then Union president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, lost his temper when students from the University of Dar es Salaam had marched to the State House in Dar es Salaam in an apparent protest over compulsory National Service and the accompanying salary deduction upon employment.
What must have angered Mwalimu most was the banner that suggested that life was far better under colonialism than it was after independence!
The demonstrating students were immediately expelled and told to go back to their villages to help their parents and fellow Tanzanians till the land. Some of them returned a year or so later under special allegiance declaration terms. Tanzanians don’t need any political liberation.
They had already achieved it. We understand the retired president’s anger in answering back all those who suggested that this country is in need of liberation.
What Tanzanians need is economic empowerment of its people, better infrastructure, better social services, including better education and better health services, clean water and reliable energy.
Decent political campaigning, especially in election times like these, require all participating parties to sell their manifestos to the people that should outline or sketch their plans for the development of this country if elected into power.
It is an insult to the independence pioneers of this country, who gave their all to fight for our liberation even under threat of prosecution, marginalization and banishment, to even suggest that Tanzanians need to fight for their liberation. Let all be so guided.
Mincing no words and in his straightforward and eloquent speaking style, the former president and CCM chairman brushed aside the opposition’s rhetoric on liberation, pointing out that the process was over a long time ago with independence in 1961 and the revolution in Zanzibar in 1964. Most Tanzanians who were old enough by the time in 1966 would remember how the then Union president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, lost his temper when students from the University of Dar es Salaam had marched to the State House in Dar es Salaam in an apparent protest over compulsory National Service and the accompanying salary deduction upon employment.
What must have angered Mwalimu most was the banner that suggested that life was far better under colonialism than it was after independence!
The demonstrating students were immediately expelled and told to go back to their villages to help their parents and fellow Tanzanians till the land. Some of them returned a year or so later under special allegiance declaration terms. Tanzanians don’t need any political liberation.
They had already achieved it. We understand the retired president’s anger in answering back all those who suggested that this country is in need of liberation.
What Tanzanians need is economic empowerment of its people, better infrastructure, better social services, including better education and better health services, clean water and reliable energy.
Decent political campaigning, especially in election times like these, require all participating parties to sell their manifestos to the people that should outline or sketch their plans for the development of this country if elected into power.
It is an insult to the independence pioneers of this country, who gave their all to fight for our liberation even under threat of prosecution, marginalization and banishment, to even suggest that Tanzanians need to fight for their liberation. Let all be so guided.
/Daily News.
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