Whether the former Prime Minister's "tough decision" to 'switch sides' was pre-planned by the 'system' or not, I am actually pleased that it happened. This, to me, is an absolute game changer in the dynamics of our politics; anything can happen now! Personally, I was delighted by Lowassa's move yesterday because of one thing: the likely aftermath of this will be an overhaul of the entire goddamn system, which is exactly what I have always wanted to happen in my country in the first place - system overhaul!
For those of you who, like me, had a chance to study Systems Design, otherwise known as Systems Architecture, you will know that 'systems' can have internal 'systems' embedded within them. At its core, our political system under CCM has assumed this mode of architecture lately. For quite a long time now, we have been running on the same political system since independence, a system which was designed meticulously by its designer, Nyerere, the meticulousness out of which Mwalimu himself drew the punctilious exactitude of his obedience to his people as an architect of a nation.
This system worked well in the beginning, and became even stronger than it was envisaged by its architect. That is why we were able to avoid all the drama and tribal-wars that engulfed our neighbors. Over the years however, as Mwalimu retired and eventually succumbed to his deathbed, the political system he had designed created a vacuum - a void, if you like - within which more 'sub-systems' emerged. The combination of the 'void' and these 'sub-systems' within the 'main system' have become a nightmare to CCM, and it is possibly going to lead to CCM's demise.
Now, my thing is, Edward Lowasa's decision has come at the right time because our primary goal is to get rid of the corrupt, old 'system', which is holding us back; in any case, if we want real democracy, it is necessary to get rid of the circle of 'political monopoly' created by CCM, so that the wishes of our people can be respected.
The current 'system' has been so corrupted over the years to the extent that CCM feels they have a birthright to govern - even if they mess-up, steal, or embezzle public funds, such as in the ‪#‎escrow‬ scandal. They still feel like they are entitled to govern! No, that is effectively dictatorship, and it is not right! Sometimes, one feels like Tanzania is effectively under "CCM dictatorship" because people just don't trust even the National Election Committee (NEC) anymore since each election that comes CCM is declared the 'winner'; all these things need to stop! We need a fair and free election this time around so that our people can chose to be governed by whomever they want.
And for this reason, I applaud Lowassa's brave decision. Whether he was forced to do it by a 'sub-system' within the 'system' itself, that is irrelevant right now; as a people, all we wish for is just an end to the 'circle of monoploy'. CCM sasa basi - imetoshaa!!
God bless Tanzania, God bless Africa.
We all have one thing in common which is get rid of corrupt ccm, the problem we don't cares how the monster is chased out we are all excited by Lowassa and all what we care is the end results but let's proceed with the struggles to remove the monster but we needs to put mechanisms to tame this fisadi.
Mkuu Nietzsche I just interacted with you in the other forum. I stumbled and read your posting here and I am exited to meet a fellow systems guy in JF. I teach systems engineering (and systems approach to decision making) in USA. Now I can see clearly your way of thinking.
Let me read the other postings here and I may have more to comment.
CDM is introducing a huge snake to tame the rodents in its farm. The one million dollars question is how will CDM tame the snake once the rodents are finished.
That is the "detail" CDM needs to solve. The devil is in the details!
The problem is, you don't even believe this bulls!t.
Nietzsche,
Truly this might be a game changer, my worry is that if it's not do we really have a plan B to this! I didn't expect CHADEMA to give in this easily, atleast not this soon. To me it sounded/look like desperation
Above all if we want to get to the direction that everyone is dreaming of, i don't expect to be led by same leaders of what we say 'we are destroying' the vibe of democracy and revolution won't be there any longer if we keep embracing the "fellas" from the other side desperately without strategy to dissolve their "old" mind set.
For the first time I feel the eager to contribute/ reply/ comment on a post in JF! This is such a wonderful (in good terms) post I have ever read, good thoughts well put. I wish all this could be translated in swahili into a local magazine, and that could be given out to people for free at this critical point in time.
For this matter, I have few words to add sifa kubwa ya historia ni tendency ya kujirudia. Tanzania tuliwahi kuwa na uongozi unaojali wananchi kwa kiasi kikubwa sana (chini ya mwl nyerere), yanayotokea sasa ni dalili kuwa tuko karibu sana kuirudisha hiyo historia. Na kwa bahati mbaya historia hii kwa nchi za afrika, inarudisha na uongozi wa vyama mbadala, tofauti na vile vya ukombozi, mfano kenya kwa sasa. huenda tanzania pia mungu kapanga ije iwe hivyo! tutimize wajibu wetu, inawezekana.
Nice articulation, theorectically and even in the realm of the real. What would be most interesting, though, would be to envisage the goings-on in the minds of the chess players themselves especially EL and Mbowe not to belittle CCM strategists. Their current motives are quite apparent but their subsequent moves may not be easily predictable. I'm particularly very curious about how Mbowe and his UKAWA colleagues, once their priority one is achieved, are going to accomplish their primary goal: use state power to rein in the system to its right tracks - with the "wild card" on the saddle!
Mkuu kui, thanks a bunch! I appreciate that.
I also just wanted to make a note that I wrote the same article in Kiswahili and posted it under the 'Jukwaa la Siasa' forum. Being a 'new-bee' on here, I had previously posted this article on that very forum as well, but it was moved to the 'Palace' by the Moderator, I guess because I wrote it in English. One of the commentators above, who goes by the name of me geo, highly recommended that I re-write it in Kiswahili so it can reach a wider audience, and that's exactly what I did.
If you liked this one, I think you will like the Swahili version even more as I elucidated things even further in there. You can find the Swahili version here:
https://www.jamiiforums.com/jukwaa-...kiritimba-wa-kisiasa-na-mkakati-wa-ukawa.html
Nietzsche.
I agree with you we all need change. But do we know what we are getting?
I would like to hazard a change and maybe we may correct ourselves after 5 years BUT think about this:
While CCM may not have been that faithful wife who always kneels down while giving you your dinner (feminists will kill me here - hold your horses) is this the reason to divorce her and marry the new girl in town?
Maybe YES.
Maybe NO?
Kifyatu If I may mkuu...
We might not know what we're getting but as you have mentioned above people have already bitten the bullet and they're ready for some sort of change, or any sort of change to put the ruling party in line before they turn a country into a mornachical government. We're more than ready for something brand new!, and if the opposition wins, the nation will at least have a taste of a 'new wife'
And within 5 years we'll get to know their strength and weaknesses, the ruling party will learn a lesson, and wananchi will have power to bargain when it comes to choose who should lead our country.
Nice one!
MK254 check this out, does the feeling somehow remind you of the past elections in your country?!
Kifyatu If I may mkuu...
We might not know what we're getting but as you have mentioned above people have already bitten the bullet and they're ready for some sort of change, or any sort of change to put the ruling party in line before they turn a country into a mornachical government. We're more than ready for something brand new!, and if the opposition wins, the nation will at least have a taste of a 'new wife'
And within 5 years we'll get to know their strength and weaknesses, the ruling party will learn a lesson, and wananchi will have power to bargain when it comes to choose who should lead our country.
Girlie kui everything happening in Bongo has been giving me this nostalgic feeling. A nation on the verge of a rebirth, youths have registered in their millions, surpassing the targets, they have come out in large numbers forming up mammoth rallies.
Defections of notable leaders from ruling party, this whole thing is more like someone is reading out a script from Kenyan version of the happenings of the year 2002. Guys, enjoy the feeling and try not to be on the wrong side of history....
[Kifyatu;13660069]Mkuu kui I couldn't have put it better myself. I agree with your assessment.
On another topic, I come from Tanga and for most of our regional languages the name KUI has a "not-so-flattering" meaning. What does your name mean?
By all standards Lowassa is likely to win presidency.My only concern is that those in power may not be ready to relinguish powers to the opposition.
"not - so- flattering" meaning...oh! no!, am in trouble....lol!
I meant to use Kiswahili word KIU, but then I decided to play around with words and came up with KUI, which is short of kikuyu name Wangui.
I'd like to know what it means in your language...