Mzee Mwanakijiji
Platinum Member
- Mar 10, 2006
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M. M. Mwanakijiji
Professor Issa Shivji remains a flickering light of intellectual courage atop a hill darkened by clouds of fear and compromise. Among Tanzania's intellectual elite—in academia, the legal profession, and public service—Shivji is often viewed as a troublemaker. For more than half a century, he has challenged those in power, beginning with the nation's Founding Father, Julius Nyerere, and continuing through every presidency since. He has consistently demonstrated the rare courage to examine the state of the nation honestly and to call things by their proper names, regardless of the political consequences.
In his recently circulated essay, Terrorising Academic Freedom in Tanzania, Professor Shivji confronts a disturbing reality that has gradually become the new normal: Tanzanian universities are increasingly expected to remain silent, and academics are expected to mute their voices or risk not only political harassment but criminal prosecution for views that the ruling establishment considers unacceptable. Shivji writes with characteristic clarity that Tanzanian society now lives in "fear as the security apparatus continues its relentless campaign of arrests, detentions and abductions, with no signs of relenting."
This observation goes far beyond the plight of individual academics. It raises profound questions about the state of intellectual life, the rule of law, and constitutional freedoms in Tanzania. Universities have historically served as places where ideas are tested, governments are questioned, and society reflects upon itself. When fear enters the classroom, scholarship gives way to conformity, and education is reduced to an instrument of political convenience rather than a search for truth.
Shivji gives expression to what many Tanzanians have quietly feared for years: that much of the country's intellectual community has gradually been compromised by political pressure, institutional self-censorship, and fear of official retaliation. The result is an atmosphere in which many who should be speaking truth to power instead choose silence.
The deterioration extends beyond universities. Increasingly, the functioning of our justice system gives the impression that it has become an extension of the political establishment rather than an independent guardian of the Constitution. Some of the legal arguments advanced in proceedings involving political detainees, including opposition leader Tundu Lissu and others accused under terrorism-related charges, raise serious concerns about due process and judicial independence. Whether one agrees with their politics or not, every citizen should be concerned whenever criminal law appears to be used to suppress dissent rather than to administer justice.
Professor Shivji illustrates this concern through the prosecution of Melkisedeki Kaijage, an Assistant Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Dodoma. Examining the charge sheet against Kaijage, Shivji observes:
His conclusion is both alarming and sobering:
If this assessment is correct, then the implications extend far beyond one individual. It signals that university lecturers, researchers, and students are being warned that certain questions should not be asked and certain conclusions should not be expressed. Such a climate is incompatible with the very purpose of higher education. Universities cannot fulfill their mission if fear replaces inquiry and obedience replaces critical thinking.
History offers many examples of governments that regarded universities, students, and independent intellectuals as threats. Whether in authoritarian regimes in Latin America, military dictatorships in Asia, or one-party states elsewhere, rulers have often recognized that ideas possess the power to challenge authority more effectively than weapons. Consequently, universities become targets—not because they produce violence, but because they cultivate independent minds. Tanzania should not follow that path.
The tragedy is that our nation once prided itself on vigorous public debate. During the formative years of independence, Tanzanian universities became respected centers of intellectual inquiry, attracting scholars from across Africa and beyond. To witness an environment where academics increasingly fear expressing their professional opinions represents a profound national loss.
Professor Shivji, like an Old Testament prophet warning his society of dangers ahead, calls upon Tanzanians—and indeed intellectuals throughout the developing world—to recognize their moral responsibility. He writes:
His challenge is not merely directed at academics. It is directed at all citizens who believe that freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and the rule of law are indispensable to the future of our nation.
I agree wholeheartedly.
Silence is not an option. When intellectuals become silent out of fear, society loses its conscience. When universities cease to question power, democracy begins to wither. Professor Issa Shivji reminds us that the responsibility of an intellectual is not to comfort authority but to challenge it whenever justice, liberty, and truth are at risk. Tanzania needs more voices like his—not fewer.
