The West is a bit late: Kicking and Screaming about President Magufuli’s actions!

I wish there was more worried voices, when the President John Pombe Magufuli censored radio stations. When he used time and efforts to silence journalists and newspapers. I wish there was more voices when he got bloggers and social media personalities to stop and pay higher taxes. I wish there was more worried voices when the opposition and activists was behind bars. These has all happen within a year time. Still, that haven’t catched much flack or buzz. Nearly nothing has scratched the surface.

This proves the government and the totalitarian ways of Magufuli and the Chama Cha Mapinduzi. Magufuli (CCM) wants all the love and no criticism. That is just the way that man is, he is certainly not getting a big enough boost at home, so he has to build his confidence at the public office. That seems to be the thing.

You know that this government is going overboard, when big-stars and musicians are getting their songs blocked from being played on the radio. One celebrity was unlucky and got her sex-tape leaked. In other countries that would have been PR Boast and ratings special, but in Tanzania. She got a meeting with the law. Therefore, this state is already unfair. As the person was a victim of a personal files and tapes being leaked. Not that she was starting a personal porn-hub.

That is why I am bit mad today. I have a deja vu’. Had the same feeling when the Anti-Gay Bill was ushered in Uganda a few years back. Instead of looking at the systemic reasons for the default law, the oppression and the acts of impunity against the public from the NRM. The public outcry and from foreign donors was against that one simple bill. Even if the bill is spiteful and morally bankrupt. The ones crying out loud, should enforce their vision to whole society and the whole system built around the President. Instead of looking at one minority, they should wonder and look at all the people looked up for their political activism. However, that train has never arrived and still isn’t.

That is why I know today’s plea, is a fart in the wind. But let’s be clear. The Anti Gay Monitoring Unit of Tanzania isn’t a policy. It is a bad idea, but so is everything else I have mentioned. It is only a fresh day or two, since the ACT Wazalendo Chairman Zitto Kabwe was freed from prison. Another political suspect and been detained a lot lately has been Tindu Lissu. So, it is not like there is free space and freedom in the first place.

Even on the 26^th April 2018, on the Union Day, as the Opposition planned rallies. The cities and towns was under a military siege. As the President didn’t want anyone to be dissidents. However, the rallies didn’t happen and was more of ghost-towns. Therefore, the President didn’t get any rallies against him, but neither get a noble celebration of the Union of the Republic.

That the EU and USA are reviewing their relationship with Tanzania now is a bit bitter to me. Why didn’t it matter, that opposition and MPs got into trouble with the law? Why didn’t it matter that the media houses was closed and lost license for while? Why didn’t the rights matter, when bloggers and social media personalities lost their freedom and space?

But now the LGBT is in trouble, then your start screaming and shouting. You see how dumb it looks? You didn’t even flinch when the same government suspended girls who got pregnant, therefore, all girls are getting twice a year checked by the school. To ensure that they are not. Therefore, teenage girls are in trouble if they are pregnant before their ending schooling.

That is why I have trouble with the scrutiny today. Not that is deserved, as the supposed crackdown on the LGBT community in Tanzania is bad, but you should have seen it coming with all the other measures done by the Magufuli regime and his ways. Where he is acting as the lovely kingpin, who can even tell how woman are supposed to dress. That is why this was coming to you, but you didn’t mind the other things he did. But you start bitching when he goes after the LGBT.

You should have cared much sooner, now your late. These reforms was a slow-train coming. It was bound to happen. He gotten away with much bad in the past and now took it to another level. You accepted the others. But didn’t review it over the suspensions and closing of media houses. Off arresting MPs and Opposition leaders, you didn’t stop him from enforcing strict laws and levying high taxes on publications, social media and such. No, just let him be, without fearing his actions. However, now that he went for a group of this stature. Your reacting!

Sorry, but your late. Time to take actions for all, not just the LGBT. That is if, if you care about the human rights. Because you didn’t care, when one fell, but now they fall. You are kicking and screaming. Peace.

Is President Magufuli afraid of statistics now?

The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and President John Pombe Magufuli who has done his to silence critics, media and opposition politicians. Now, he is starting to control the Education Sector or the Higher Education, as the ones doing surveys and research now with the amendment of the Written Laws and the Principal Acts, Amendment 31. which will stop you from publish any data without permission. Secondly, the same folks cannot publish the data- or statistics even if it truthful, when it differs with the official government data. Therefore, the truth always has to be similar to the government and not be separated from that.

The CCM and Magufuli must be afraid of what the NGOs and Higher Education are doing, as they want the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has to decide if their survey or study is even truthful compared to the numbers they have crunched. They are not accepting the works or the analysis of others. As they might find out that the beans-production isn’t as good as the CCM wants or even the inflation in the coastal region compared to Moshi.

That the ones publishing a statistics or data without the permission from the NBS will get a possible fine of 10 million shillings. They are really afraid of the statistics that doesn’t fit the narrative of CCM. They are already afraid of the Social Media, the bloggers and the newspapers, they have suspended people for writing songs and politicians for calling Magufuli a dictator. He really has to take the pulse on everything.

This shows how bad and how weak the President is. He cannot even trust the educational or the ones surveying the land, as they will belittle his ego and his reputation. He has to be the grandest man ever residing in Tanzania. Magufuli has to be praised and loved like a genius. Even if he is far from it. Is he afraid of academic researchers?

Have they shaded him so much, that the lack of economic progress or even keeping up with his own pledges, become so bad he has to secure the data the Higher Education and the NGOs are creating? Unless, they fit the narrative of the CCM?

That is what I am getting out of this. The Tanzanian government are afraid of researchers, NGOs and the educational surveys, that might find results that doesn’t fit the President and his party. That is why he has to say: “no, you cannot publish that”. That is what he is up too, because he cannot have statistics showing the reality, he needs numbers that are fitting him. Good to know how tin-skinned the man is. Peace.