The other day, I came across a rather heated debate. The topic, as you must have guessed from the title, was politics. The budget parliamentary session that ended a week ago gave us the best it could offer. It was a spectators’ buffet. All you can eat for $9.99.
Middle fingers were raised. No one seemed to be able to stop hemming and hawing. Some bragged about their echelons of education. Some glorified their “hood”. Dirty linen was on public display. Boy, we also heard bizarre propositions. Definitely the chorus was out of the tune with the soloist.
Memorable propositions included taking down the Askari Monument and replacing it with that of the local artist to naming the “push-ups stadium” after Mr.President. A memento. Guess what, the Minister in charge agreed. Part of what is expected. We certainly had too many irons in the fire. And it’s just the beginning.
All in all, one good thing came out of the stock. We’re not that disastrous. The proposed budget passed. There were minor amendments,of course. The seating must be justified. Tax payers are usually sensitive folks.But in the end, the government got the right-of-way. Maximum speed set at 120 Km/Hr. The #HapaKaziTu mantra now has something in hand. The journey toward opening the Pandora box of solutions to all our problems started on 1stJuly 2016.
In the midst of all that happened in the capital city, something extra took place. It wasn’t the budget. I knew the budget would pass. Business of collective responsibility is a mu#$@*@er. You can be afraid of your own shadow. You’re allowed to debate as much as you want. When it comes to voting, you dwell into partisanship. If you’re CCM, you vote for and with CCM. Is it true that if the budget doesn’t pass, the parliament can be dissolved? Go check.
So it’s not a budget. It’s fairness. This made me wonder whether we may actually be on the wrong track. Could we be following some set of wrong assumptions? That’s what I want to talk about today. Now hold on. I’m not trying to open a can of worms or create unnecessary complications. Just something out of my chest.
In Dodoma, as I had expected, the opposition parties came swinging. The fact that they lost last year’s election (they still contest the results) meant nothing. They were armed to the teeth. The results of that angst showed up at the end. As the parliament session came to an end, 12 of them were facing either suspension or some other sorts of punishments. It was a show like none before.
I say had “expected” because I know politics can be just as nasty as playing in the mud mixed up with cow dung. When you loose (and don’t want to be viewed as a sore looser), you bring whole different set of rules. You can even make things up. You get busy as Grand Central Station. No one expected them to go humble and nod their heads saying, “Yes Sir”. Did you? If you did, try to follow politics closer. They’re called “opposition” for a reason.
See, I am derailing. My apologies. What happened inside and outside parliament plus all orders that came after, in my opinion they’re not only wrong but also dangerous. Police issued directives on political parties meetings or gatherings. Then Mr.President himself called for unity while technically banning the constitutionally warranted “politics of political parties”. When I heard it, I thought we now have the Correspondents’ Dinner. Alas, we don’t. He wasn’t kidding.
So how do you go about to cut the mouth that feeds you? Here is the thing; the opposition may be using tactics that wouldn’t easily work. They may need to change their temples. However, we can’t deny that President Magufuli is a direct result of the opposition “noises”. You can call them nonsense if you want. I wouldn’t.
For years CCM had slept. It slept with Mr.President in it. I know this kind of thinking raises emotions. Bear with me. It was a luxury train with noise cancelling windows and doors. No matter what was said, no one heard. That’s why, after 50 years of independence, we were limping…seriously. Someone must be responsible. Stuff doesn’t just happen. Poor policies of a nation are structured and monitored by someone.
Just like the miracle at the Hudson River, the opposition jumped on the train. They started banging the corridors. Eventually those in quite zone popped out. They could now hear loud and clear. In the rumble of the jungle, Magufuli emerged. Good or bad thing about him, he had seen it all. He was in the system for decades. The storyline is easy to read. It was cluttered and chaotic.
Now truth be told, opposition did not cause the mess he is trying to clean up today. Opposition just made necessary noises. We know who created the mess, right? I know we’re all to blame. We allowed our country to suffer for too long. We should have watched like a hawk. We somehow got as comfortable as an old shoe. Wrong.
Things changed. They continue to change. For example, look carefully at our political landscape. Does it look like a country that would have allowed “business as usual to continue? Hell No! In case you doubt, look at election’s results figures. Millions had seen who was a wet blanket. The gravy train ride was about to come to an end.
Blame games aside (I am reminded we have the new awakening), let’s give credit where is due. Opposition has helped to re-shape our political landscape. If they hadn’t made all the noises they have made since multi-party system was introduced in 1992, can you imagine if Magufuli would have ever surfaced? If some of them hadn’t allowed themselves to be ridiculed as crazy as a loon, would we have got our “superman”?
If it wasn’t for bustling opposition noises and “nonsense”, Magufuli wouldn’t be making these radical changes. The quiet train would be speeding up. His job would have been simpler. Just make sure everyone follows and obeys the laws and then take the first lady to the beach. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. He inherited a mess. Somebody must take out the garbage. Fortunately, he is trying. Thank God.
Therefore, as wrong as the opposition could be, let us not forget their contribution towards the progress we have made or are making under President Magufuli. That means if he is (as opposition maintain) trying to suppress democracy, he is riding for a fall. Instead of pushing them down, allow them to freely and fairly function.
Use them as FREE watchdogs. They will always help him do a better job. They will help me see what his government can’t see (no government can see or foresee everything). They are raring’ to go. The only political price that may come is even better Tanzania. After all aren’t all roads leading to Rome?
The opposition may be wrong. I have advised few people I know in their caucus to do some adjustment their tactics. For example, they should listen more. A country wide listening tour could help. Just shut up and listen. However, in so many ways, they gave us President Magufuli. Not just the name and title but the man he seems to be. We must all allow them to function. Opposition in politics is like what competition is to consumers.
We need opposition. As clear as mud they may seem to be. As far as it goes, politics is about conflict and compromises. Through these conflicts and compromises, we get better policies. Functioning democracy allows citizens to defer complicated policy decisions to their elected leaders, but also requires citizens to monitor what politicians do and to hold them accountable at the voting booth.
That can only happen if all political parties are allowed to play on a fair field. Allow the opposition to shoot themselves on their feet if they may. Wananchi will judge them at voting booth. Otherwise, all their shortcomings will be blamed on you. Allow them to bear the consequences of the notion that opposition has gone to parliament to publicize their disagreements than trying to solve them.
Meetings or gatherings are part of the political process. One’s bark is worse than one’s bite. The opposition could appear threatening but will not actually do much damage if allowed to function freely. The opposite of that is actually what could do much damage.
These are my opinions. What are yours?
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