AfricaPress-Tanzania: It was sheer truth without mincing words by the Vice-President, Samia Suluhu Hassan recently that corruption is an enemy of development and State, whether one is in Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), you name it.
Her school of thought was that one must first clean one’s house or remove the beam out of one’s own eye, and then see clearly to remove the speck out of another person’s eye.
The Founding Father of the nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, declared corruption the fourth enemy of the people (read State) after diseases, ignorance and hunger, adding that such enemies require all Tanzanians, regardless of one’s religion, class in society, and party affiliation to fight.
As the country gears to have another general elections slated for October, this year, Tanzanians should be aware that anyone trying to influence them to be voted as a Councillor, Member of Parliament (MP), or President in any party, should only be considered along what he/she stands to offer in the community.
If any is trying to oil their hands by offering peanuts, which during the campaign periods are baptized with fancy names as gifts, tips among others, should be automatically disqualified, because citizens’ votes are not being sold to any candidate willing to represent them in the National Assembly.
It is good news that the Vice-President has sent shock waves to all candidates, who bribed people during party primaries, that they faced disqualification during the party’s top meeting.
As the media fraternity and other Tanzanians, who want genuine leaders, such people are the real obstacles in having free and fair elections and must be shown the door.
“In CCM, we are still conducting a thorough assessment on all party aspirants, who showed up to vie for different political positions, and whoever will be proved beyond reasonable doubts as having engaged in misdeeds, will be axed,” she stressed.
Her speech, coincidentally is in line with what Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Temeke Region in Dar es Salaam, recently shared with reports, when they visited premises of Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN), producers of Daily News, HabariLeo among others to reach the public with a message that corruption is unwanted in the country, and if one remains stubborn to groom it, then a jail would be the best place to put such a person.
It is unfortunate that some top political contenders are ready to sacrifice their ambitions over corruption and private interests, and one wonders if such a leader would shun corruption if vested with power(s) to lead.
