john mashaka answers back

RESPONSE TO DIASPORA WRITER………….

To our readers, friends, supporters, opponents and Mr. Michuzi who has been a crossing bridge, linking an island and the mainland, please accept our appreciation for providing us the opportunity to reason together on matters that have held our country and continent hostage. We are indeed gracious, and very optimistic that in spite of the small steps we are making, the debates we are raising will one day open the vault of riches for millions of Tanzanians who have been locked out, and now shivering in the cold of poverty.

For more than forty-eight years, Tanzania has been free, and so have other African countries. Freedom from colonial oppression was a ticket for the country to march forward socially, politically and economically.

It was a check for the natives to have the sense of belonging. Unfortunately, the years of freedom have left our hospitals dilapidated, our roads in pathetic conditions, and domestic public schools left for poor, and ordinary citizens with the feeling of being third class citizens. And I guess the cause for all these suffering would be something for both of us debate, even though I will point fingers at our GREEDY leaders who have sold Africa.

From my own point of view, attributing the suffering in our country, and the continent as whole to poor leadership, and management would not be too far from the truth. Many of our current leaders are drunk with power and blind with stigma of riches. They are so delusional; they have forgotten that they owe their splendor and glorious lifestyles to the people. They have become so arrogant and have developed the sense of being untouchable because they do believe that the people they are leading will never wake up.

To my brother and a friend the “DIASPORA” please be aware, “that life is always hiding all kind of people until the need arises”. These debates are not to glorify Dr. Shayo, or John Mashaka, they are meant to instigate a school of thought.

They are meant to foster and nourish reasoning amongst ourselves and possible ways and means to resuscitate life into our dying continent. These debates are meant to stir arguments amongst ourselves on how to solve the problems which have made us “slaves” in our own free country.

Debates are meant to get the other side of the story, they are meant to get differing ideas out of people, and at the end of the day, if we are reasonable people, we come into a common ground. Mr. DIASPORA, you have argued your case like an attorney trying to save his client from the death row, and I commend you for your effort.

You have come out of the hiding at the right time when the country and the continent needs people like you to save it from destruction.

You need to come out and stir debates for the common good. You must come out so that we can join hands in fighting mans common enemy, Tanzanian’s number one headache, poverty, UFISADI and hopelessness. You must come forward and challenge our leaders as to why our country Airport has no air condition yet out MP’s driving over hundred million vehicles. Come out and question how in the world can a public servant own billions of shillings yet our schools have no books?

In the course of our various debates, I have learnt so much, I have learnt from the “not fortunate and voiceless” more than I have, from my learned colleagues. Most of the so called social elite cannot think anymore because they have all they need, and little to worry about. Tanzania is not poor and has never been; the only obstacle the country is faced with is that, it is blessed with more wolves and gluttonous leaders than the ascetic ones.

The vault of opportunities and riches in the country is in the hands of chosen few who dictates how you eat, sleep and die.

One of our readers wrote me an email in which she asked me to write an article or perhaps lobby our members of parliaments to pass a law obligating all public officials to educate their children in the country public schools and not abroad so that the educational system could be changed for the better. Being poor and voiceless, she believed that her voice was inaudible and muted and hoped someone amongst us would speak for her. I am confident the likes of Charles Mukuru will stand up for her, and hope many more can emerge when they are direly needed.

Even though my counterpart has dissected the matter at hand more or less like a Jurist, let me sum up my views in a different way. Let me avoid legal approach to maintain simplicity, and allow me to start by asking a very simple question; what makes a good leader, what are the basic qualities? Don’t you think that someone’s past plays a pivotal role when it comes to electing a leader? How would someone with violent past be given the role of peace making?

Only in Africa you can’t question these qualities out of a leader…………..

Have you ever sat back, and thought about those leaders who regard themselves as “Vijana” in our parliament with guaranteed seats each election year just to sleep with hefty allowances and Porsche SUS outside waiting? And agree that this is the model of African patriotism, and be satisfied? It only comes natural for the young generation to demand change; we must send them messages to demand alteration of behaviors. You can do it without aligning yourself with any political party, religious affiliation but as an ordinary citizen.

We are the most blessed generation in mans history, however the many advancement we (humans) have made, we are the poor of the poorest; we are so lazy, not only lazy to use our hands, but lazy to reason. We have let ignorance camouflage the reality around us. We have let hate and jealousy to kill worthwhile ideas needed to rid the country of poverty. We are so poor because we have let selfishness kill the foundation of our country’s brotherhood in which a few dictate how much you can eat and where to eat. Time has come for us to rise above the stigma of, if you can’t; then someone else should not.

Dr Shayo and John Mashaka, never intended to steal the show, they realized on the urgency of the matter. They realized that the economic hardship in the country and in our continent, are core products of poor management. The two realized that, without joining hands, nothing is ever going to change. They realized that educating the public on the ramifications of VOTING in the people who have no interest of the country in their hearts is like selling their future, and their children’s dreams.

Only in Africa would Qaddafi represent the poor majority, thank you to our keen leaders! As brother lets disagree for now, but agree at the end of the day.

Mungu Ibariki Tanzania

John Mashaka

Mashaka.john@yahoo.com