Tanzania’s 3rd Phase Government -- Benjamin W. Mkapa

sheikh shaaban · 2022-02-17T16:58:48+00:00

Under Mkapa the biggest drive was privatization of assets and nationalization of debt. Although Mzee Ruksa gets blamed for laisse faire liberalization it was Mkapa really who had overdone economic liberalization. I disagree with a lot of what he did in privatization of parastatals which was essentially hegemonic employing his in laws to execute some of the big deals. We all remember his brother in law who was employed at the Central Bank but he was able to partner with a South African firm which at one time took overall control of TANESCO operations. Or the boy who was appointed the CEO of the holding company of telecoms privatization, I think it was SIMU 2000. Under him however, we had the most fruitful diplomatic policies and direction almost at par with Nyerere. So on the international front we excelled but domestically his government was thuggish especially during the final five years. I condemn Mkapa for his reckless disposal of family silver – government houses across the whole country, for peanuts. The District Health Officer was the Head of the District Hospital. This official used to live within walking distance of the district hospital. There was logic to that as he was on call instantly and it was cheap. That arrangement was replicated in every district in Tanzania. Today the house has become private property and the medical doctor stays miles away from the hospital! How can such nonsense be allowed? As a result we now have absentee landlords across the whole country. Other than private benefit there was no justification whatsoever for this stupid policy that got rid of these houses at book value. Even today I am not really sure what his government sold – was it the residences or the land or both? I have a conviction that one day, hopefully this day comes soon, and we shall repossess the land on the residences when the lease periods elapse, even if it will be 99 years. This needs to be a Parliamentary resolution and this is the only acceptable cure. Mkapa was also a thug in his dealings with any elements of opposition. He was brute and reckless with the Pemba CUF simmerings and did not even regret the killing of civilians on international media. Similarly, this was the case with Mwembechai killings. His residence in Dar es Salaam along Sea View area used to be a NHC structure with a number of flats. All those flats vanished and he now owns the entire block. NHC was never privatized. So how did he come to own privately that property. Did we not build for him a lodge, with public funds, elsewhere? And remember, it was during this phase that one Magufuli was identified and became a junior minister and this is when he initially tasted the beauty of power. When he became a full Minister for Works he sponsored a cabinet paper that eventually led to advising the President to dispose Government residential properties. It was a stupid strategy that should have been stopped because it was in principle against Good Governance specifically the concept of Conflict of Interest. Cabinet members including the President were sitting tenants in the very houses that were being discussed for disposal. How could they then be allowed to sponsor and even advise on a matter they were directly interested in as beneficiaries. That was crazy and very thuggish in my view. Even worse, one Magufuli’s execution of the policy is found wanting in many respects. Relatives that were not public servants got allocated residences and even concubines got to partake in the mealie. There was no excuse for this kind of extravagance and a penalty has got to be paid one of these days. This matter can never rest or go away although I am aware of efforts to prevent any investigation of this fiasco but I am sure one day, and that day will come soon rather than later, these properties will be brought back to the Public to which they really belong. We all recall during this phase a President who started a company headquarted in his official State House Lodge that actually bought a coal mine being privatized. This was corruption at its worst but we all kept quiet. Therefore as you now expect my worst condemnation is for the Third Phase Government under Mkapa. It was a joy when JK came along.

Thread starter sheikh shaaban
Start date Feb 17, 2022
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sheikh shaaban

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Tanzania’s 3rd Phase Government -- Benjamin W. Mkapa

sheikh shaaban

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