AfricaPress-Tanzania: WHILE former President Jakaya Kikwete on Friday opened up on how the attributes and performance of the late President John Magufuli enabled him to ascend to the presidency in 2015, the third phase president, the late Benjamin Mkapa recalled that Dr Magufuli strongly opposed interference into the country’s internal affairs by foreign powers.
In his historic book titled ‘My Life My Purpose’ under the Chapter titled ‘Internal and Foreign Relations’, the late President Mkapa recounts that the late President Magufuli never tolerated any individual who tampered with the country’s sovereignty.
According to the late former President Mkapa, during his leadership there were representatives from certain nations who believed they deserved preferential treatment from his government.
“Certainly there were representatives from certain nations who believed they deserved preferential treatment from us, the British obviously: though they were cautious around me because they knew I had been politically educated by Mwalimu who was very sensitive to paternalism,” reads a paragraph on page 176.
The late Mkapa wrote in his book that he remembered some members of the diplomatic community who tried to be quite overbearing with ministers at times.
Giving an example, the late former President Mkapa recalls an incident that occurred in the 2000s when the late President Magufuli came under pressure when he tried to implement a cabinet decision.
“I remember my Minister of Works, John Pombe Magufuli, coming under pressure from the American Ambassador, Robert Royally, when he tried to implement a cabinet decision to change vehicle number plates in order to easily identify vehicles which had been purchased with donor funds. We had taken this measure to restrain the misuse of these vehicles, many of which were used by the government,” the late Mkapa recalls in his book.
He adds: “The Americans didn’t like this at all, as in their case these vehicles were used by some American aid workers while on holiday in the country. Royall was furious, he told Magufuli that this was unacceptable.”
But Magufuli replied: “There’s no way in which you can change our decision, and if necessary, I am prepared to help you load your vehicles and take them back wherever you want to take them.”
According to the late Mkapa, Ambassador Royall was shocked, but Magufuli added: “I am serious, this is a sovereign country. What is wrong with recognising that a vehicle is a donor project vehicle”? The change went ahead.
When he ascended to power in 2015, the late President Magufuli preached about the need for Tanzania and the African continent in general to be self- reliant.
He said, given the abundant resources that Africa is endowed with, it is possible for the continent to finance its own development projects.
He walked the talk by implementing a number of projects with internally generated funds, a move that left other leaders in the world surprised.
Dr Magufuli passed away on March 17 at Mzena Hospital in Dar es Salaam after battling heart-related illness technically known as chronic atrial fibrillation. He was buried on Friday at his birthplace-Chato in Gaita Region.
