AfricaPress-Tanzania: DELVING beneath the surface of electoral politics in most parts of the world, one discovers that, there is a wide gap between candidates’ promises to the electorate, and delivery on the promises.
Tanzania, too, hosts some candidates who shout themselves hoarse during campaigns, as they present catalogues of what sound like miracles that they would achieve if they were elected as members of parliament and even as holders of the highest office – the presidency.
Considerably, though, Tanzanians have gradually wizened up to the trickery of candidates who manipulate them as stepping stones to financial fortunes and attendant prospects.
Expressions like ‘tenderpreneurship’ are indeed by-products of elections constituting, for that species, an industry run by human devils.
It is no wonder, therefore, that during election seasons, some people go into an overdrive to get into what they perceive to be openings to financial and material gains.
Incumbent President John Pombe Magufuli changed perspectives on electoral politics when he was the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) flag-bearer in the 2015 presidential contest.
In league with his compatriots, as fellow leaders and citizens at large, he anchored his campaign on a commitment to fix what, put in an analogical context, was to save a vessel that was being swayed by strong winds and faced the risk of sinking.
Right from the word GO after becoming president, he set in motion a series of measures for resetting the country back on the rails.
Purging the civil service of ghost workers, sealing loopholes for tax evasion, trickery in squandering State funds, and lethargy at workplaces, are among the glaring examples.
The periodic high-profile civil service reshuffles has become commonplace, driven by President Magufuli’s earnest commitment to ensure that underperformers are replaced by those deemed to be better suited to deliver satisfactory results.
Many presidential appointees are thus supposed to be on their toes, since the exit door remains ajar for under-performing ones. The underperformers deservingly suffer the “kutumbuliwa” fate.
During road trip stop-overs en-route to Dar es Salaam after ex-President Benjamin Mkapa’s burial in Masasai District in Mtwara Region recently, Dr Magufuli spoke bitterly about some aspects of ineptitude.
They include lack of maintenance of the Nangurukuru- Lindi Highway, declaring that he would soon take action in that regard.
But, as Founder President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere used to stress, “It can be done; play your part”. Let’s all do that for our collective benefit !
