Pupils greet Kikwete

On 15th October, in a remote village of Kanga in Chunya, Mbeya, something unthinkable happened. Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete's  motorcade found itself on a firing line from a hail of stones by irate village marksmen.Fortunately, Kikwete was not injured. Nonetheless some of his people were.

The vehicle of the Minister of Communication Science and Technology, Shukuru Kawambwa was damaged. Some journalists accompanying the president were injured.After this kafuffle, over 60 innocent villagers were apprehended in a police heavy swat. 

Tanzanians are known for their tolerance. They call themselves ‘People of peace.’Some neighbours used to refer to them as corpses and sheep that would be bulldozed and bamboozled by any tyrant without taking any action whatsoever.The situation has changed.
   
Kikwete (one time stopped from standing for  presidency by founder of the nation, Julius Nyerere in 1995) promised Tanzanians heaven. They are experiencing hell on earth. He promised to lead them to Canaan; the land of honey and milk. Kikwete called his electoral win a Tsunami in magnitude. True, it has turned to be a real one when it comes to suffering. 

Kikwete and Mkapa are symmetrical save that they differ in names.  Along with his immediate family, Mkapa allegedly amassed colossal fortune using his office. Kikwete is doing the same- at bigger magnitude -shall he not be tamed. His wife runs an NGO that solicits money from dark sheep as it was with Mkapa’s wife.

Kikwete spent much tainted money during his presidential campaigns. Rumours are rife that he got this money from his associates implicated in various mega corruptions. And this has acted as a talisman for his associates from facing the music. 

Allegations implicating Kikwete have been oft-surfacing. Last year the opposition came up with what is known as the list of shame. One notable scam directly touching Kikwete and his ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) is known as EPA. It was alleged that in this crime, over USD 133, 000 million was stolen from the Central Bank to finance Kikwete’s campaigns. He’s never repudiated this!  This has caused a lot of brouhahas and bugaboos in the country. Slowly it’s dying off after the chief architect, the governor of the Central Bank, Daudi Ballali died suspiciously allegedly to conceal evidence.Kikwete has never formed any commission to probe this mysterious death! 
   
Under Kikwete’s watch, corruption has surged even higher. What will he do if he is the axis of the corruption he’s refused to fight?  Again, this has given birth to in-fighting in Kikwete’s ruling party. Party cadres opposing corruption mainly being pro-Nyerere, are voicing their anger openly towards Kikwete. Tanzanians are totally pissed off with Kikwete. Some analysts are predicting more crises shall he not take a new direction aimed at delivering the country and living up to his promises. 

Tanzanians, once wrongly regarded as docile and ineffective, have made a dramatic mark on history. They’re the first to give marching orders to a seating and powerful premier.Last year, when consigliore Edward Lowassa was implicated in scams, he hit the road alongside four powerful ministers.  The cabinet  was consequently reshuffled leaving many more powerful ministers in the cold.

Now that the Tanzanians are waking up from their lethargy, maybe, things will change for the better.  Apart from Kikwete’s humiliation, the president of Teachers’ Union (CWT) was recently beaten by teachers when he advised them to stop boycotting classes in demand of improved livelihoods. Kikwete has allegedly been using in-planted heads of trade unions to weaken, toy, bamboozle, and sideline workers. 
   
Currently, workers are giving him a heck after threatening to cripple his government. The government decided to go to the court to seek injunction to stop a nation-wide teachers’ walkout. Will this solve the problems for good or just avert the danger temporarily?               
   
Who would think Malawians could usher in change in Africa? Who would think Zambians would take on their rulers? Methinks, soon, people  under the yoke of tyranny in Rwanda, Uganda, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ethiopian and others will turn tables against their tormentors. Tanzanians are tired of a-dime-a-dollar politics of deceit seen everywhere in Africa.