BY AMINA YAHYA
22nd December 2013
Prof. Chris Peter Maina of the University of Dar es Salaam hailed as “good culture” President Jakaya Kikwete’s decision to boot out the four ministers for failing to effectively manage the misconduct of the people under their leadership.However, he observed that the ministers should have taken vicarious responsibility as did Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Khamis Kagasheki instead of waiting for the head of state to dismiss unceremoniously.
Prof Maina cited similar historic resignations of the 1970s when Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi, then minister for home affairs, the late Peter Siyovelwa who was minister of state in the President's Office and two regional commissioners Peter Kisumo and Marco Mabawa who resigned on account of misconduct by junior officers.
The resignations followed disclosures of maltreatment of prisoners, widespread arrests of suspected murderers in Shinyanga and Mwanza regions.
Recounting spirited calls from MPs asking the prime minister to resign, Prof. Maina said such calls were misplaced, arguing that by doing so it would have meant that even the president must also go.
“In this saga, there are many people who should have resigned … not just the expelled ministers … there are other ministers whom Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) secretary general Abdulrahman Kinana branded as a ‘burden’ to the government who should have to resign,” he said.
For his part, a widely respected political scientist, Prof Mwesiga Baregu, said the report had vivid accounts of how criminal acts had been committed in the course of “Operation Tokomeza.”
Baregu said this was just the beginning because expect more than token sackings, arguing that all those proved to have committed such crimes should be punished through courts for violating human rights.
In another development, students at the Hill said the move had come ‘too late’ and would have little to amend the wrongs already suffered by innocent villagers.
Cecilia Ngaiza, a fourth-year law student said the government steps have come too late, citing the resignation of the former minister William Ngeleja, who left office over persistent power blackouts which still persist long after his departure.
Dr. Adolph Mihanjo, a lecture at the university’s philosophy department, said the incident was symbolic of rampant neglect and irresponsibility among ministers and other senior public servants.
Dr. Mihanjo said that Parliament had done well to uncover the rot in the offending ministries.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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