Truth to be told, i find the recent GOT's wrath on individuals accused of hauling insults to the Presidency appalling. To me, the attempts aim at inflicting fear to any sort of activicism outthere and maiming the prevailing freedom of expression, a tradition Tanzanians are accustomed to and not read to let go easily.
As a matter of fact, the recent enacted laws are fast making JPM unpopular among the youths since are proving to infringe on their individual's right to privacy. It is such disheartening to me that JPM is resorting into embracing intolerable Kagame's stance towards lawful opposition and media freedom, uncharacteristic of a deep rooted culture of leaders' obligation to take fierce criticism a part and parcel of our democracy in Tanzania.
To many free minded individuals like me will find the cracking down on individuals via policing and wiretaping their conversations in social media as a wastage of valuable resources that could otherwise be useful channelled where most needed.
To me these repressive developings, are acts of censorship and are creating more disapprovals than harmony within the society and risk a serious backlash from those feeling oppressed. One needs to look accross the continent to affirm the hypothesis that suppression of media freedom and right to free speech has weakened that same fabrick that hold a nation together and led to political turmoils and hence instability.
IMHO, JPM as a politician foremost needs to thoroughly assess himself and distance his leadership from abuse of excessive power accorded to him within the current constitution that is a source of serious contention.
In the sphere of fair democratic practises, JPM needs to evaluate these supressive laws and see whether his Presidency needs these draconian laws to operate as are only meant to cushion him from his duty to be fiercely challenged and taking criticism be smooth or rough. As a President, he needs to see these laws are tricky to his regime since set him apart from people he leads. As always attested since immemorial, ruling the country with iron fist instigates more disapprovals than a leader can ever imagine and historical has never yielded positive results.
Someone needs to tell him ASAP of humility to leave intact that open room for discussion, criticism (positive or negative) and free expression esp. among youths in their social media platforms as the only means of active engagement regardless of being abusive or not to his absolute powers unfortunately bestowed upon him by the constitution that needs change.