Thabo Mbeki’s reflections on the legacy of Benjamin Mkapa

Thabo Mbeki’s reflections on the legacy of Benjamin Mkapa

Nyani Ngabu

Nyani Ngabu

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My take:

Excuse my French and pardon my vernacular, Thabo Mbeki knows his ‘shit’.

I tip my hat off to him. To get what I’m talking about, watch the video of him reflecting on the passing of our 3rd president, Benjamin Mkapa.

President Mbeki seems to know our [Tanzanian] history better than a whole lot of Tanzanians. That I can tell you.

Not surprisingly, presidents Mbeki and Mkapa, formed a relationship going as far back as the early 1960s, and which continued well into the 21st century.

When it comes to statecraft in our almost 60 years old of self rule, President Mkapa is only second to Mwalimu, in my humble opinion.

Again, excuse my French, but President Mkapa knew his shit, too.

He could hang with the big dogs. He was as good as the best of them.

For maybe a few of us who saw him in action on the international stage, it’s fair to say he rarely disappointed.

Yes, as President Mbeki said, he [Mkapa] was very passionate. Sometimes even combative a la the now infamous BBC HARDtalk interview.

Nevertheless, I don’t recall even a single time when he had a cringeworthy moment.

Even if I disagreed with him, I never felt embarrassed to call him my president.

Not to intentionally date myself here, but I still vividly remember the first and only [I stand to be corrected] presidential debate we’ve ever had in our country.

It pitted the top three at the time against each other: Mkapa, Mrema, and the money man John Momose Cheyo.

Those two had nothing on Mkapa. He won the debate, hands down.

Then in 1996 at some panel discussion in Algiers. It was Mkapa, Mandela, and some others that I don’t remember offhand.

Mkapa being the policy wonk that he was, even left Mandela almost speechless. He was very eloquent. Knew the issues he was talking about. Just downright impressive!

I have tried to scour YouTube to see if I can find a video of that discussion, but to no avail.

Anyway, it’s a sad loss. Play the video to hear what President Mbeki had to say.
 
Thabo Mbeki na Mzee Mandela walipewa passport ya Tanzania na Mwalimu watumie kusafiria hapa Kikwete alipokua kwenye msiba wa Mandela alimuuliza Mbeki umeirudisha passport yetu mimi nimeleta viatu ambavyo Babu aliposafiri kuelekea Libya kitu ambacho unatakiwa kujua Mbeki alipoenda kusoma Urusi alienda kama Mtanzania na wapo wakuu wengi wa Jeshi SA wanaongea kiswahili na wengine wameoa dada zetu mpaka lugha zetu za makabila wanajua kwa kuwa wengi walisoma hapa na kukulia hapa hata waliporudi kwao wengine waliendelea kuja...kikosi cha police Gauteng kukamata wauza unga kimepata mafunzo hapo Moshi wanajiita Barret nao wanavaa kama FFU wa bongo.Tanzania na SA ni Nchi zinazoshirikiana toka muda mrefu na Mambo mengi..
 
Mkapa didn't win the debate..
Mkapa alikuwa anasoma kila kitu hata first speech yake ya kwanza Jangwani alisoma Tu hotuba yake alipooza mno..

Lipumba alikuwa surprised winner hasa data za uchumi ndo maana next election akaja kuwa second nyuma ya Mkapa..
Lipumba ndo ndo alianza pata umaarufu uliopelekea CUf kuwa top opposition..

Cheyo pia alikuwa surprised notable..
Hasa pale Microfone ya Mkapa iliposumbua sauti ..akasema hii ndo Technolojia..Mkapa alikuwa Waziri wa sayansi na Technology..

Alieshindwa Debate alikuwa Mrema
Alionekana hajui a thing..

Ila nakubaliana kuwa Mkapa diplomasia Mkapa was so good hasa later on akiwa Rais..

Na Mkapa kwenye English fluency was the best..nimekuja leo kugundua kumbe alikuwa na Degree ya English..

Mkapa was arrogant na mbabe..Ila
Personal skills yes ..alikuwa one of the top dogs in Africa or maybe the world .
 
Wanabodi,Rais mstaafu wa Afrika ya kusini Bwana Thabo Mbeki akihojiwa na shirika la utangazaji la Afrika kusini( SABC) amemzungumzia Rais Mkapa kama nguli wa diplomasia na lugha za kimashauriano.

Mbeki amesisitiza kuwa amefahamiana na Rais Mkapa miaka ya 1960 wakiwa katika harakati za ukombozi wa Afrika ya kusini,Aidha Mbeki amemuongelea Hayati Mkapa kama mtu ambaye Mwalimu Nyerere alimlea na kumuingiza kwenye siasa kimkakati kutokana na kuwa na akili nyingi.

Thabo Mbeki amesema hatahudhuria msiba kutokana na matatizo ya covid 19 Africa ya kusini lakini anamkumbuka Mkapa kama mtu aliyekuwa hana haraka ya mambo bali alikuwa msikilizaji na mtoa hoja nzito ambazo zilihitaji tafakuri.

Kwa mujibu wa maelezo na mahojiano hayo Thabo ameonyesha kuwa bara la Afrika litamkumbuka sana Benjamin Mkapa hasa kwenye suluhisho la mgogoro wa sudan na Msumbiji.

Ni watu wachache bara la Afrika wenye uwezo wa kutambua nini maana ya uongozi kimataifa na kikanda bali Ben Mkapa alilifanya hilo kwa umahiri mkubwa sana.

Thabo Mbeki amesisitiza Mkapa ni mtu aliyeimudu vyema lugha ya kiingereza kwa ufasaha mkubwa na kujiamini pale alipotumwa na mwalimu kutetea hoja za uhuru wa Msumbuji na Afrika ya kusini.

Thabo Mbeki amesisitiza Afrika ya kusini inamtambua Mkapa kama moja ya Raia wake namba moja kwenye mapambano ya uhuru wa Afrika ya kusini.
 
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