President Hassan

Joint Communique on the Occassion of the State Visit to Uganda by Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, 10th – 11th May 2022 (10.05.2022)

Civil Society Coalition on Oil and Gas (CSCO) – Civil Society Statement on the Announcement of the Final Investment decision for Uganda’s Oil and Gas Sector (07.02.2022)

Opinion: Is Zitto eyeing Shaka or Msigwa’s Office?

In the recent days there has been something weird about Zitto Kabwe, the party leader of Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo). Who has been extremely defensive and standing his ground for the wrong utterings of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, as she deliberately or by mistake uttered some wrong figures in the New Years Eve Address.

If this had been the Chama Cha Mapundzi (CCM) party’s Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Shaka Hamdu Shaka. That would have made sense. It is Shaka’s role to make the President look smart and defend her craft. It is the work of the ruling party and the appointed leaders in the Ministry of Finance or the Bank of Tanzania to address the misgivings of the President. You wouldn’t think a critic, an opposition and a supposed rival would defend her. However, Zitto did and he has done to a T.

Kabwe have even used the moral argument and the discussion technique of making it smaller than it is. While also implying that this mistake isn’t important or that vital to begin with. As it doesn’t matter, if the countries foreign exchange is in the millions or the billions. It doesn’t matter if the government spending in the billions or the trillions. That is just a typo… that just how to make a mockery of an attempt to hold the Executive and the Head of State accountable. As she should deliver true numbers and figures. Everyone cannot fact-check and see if the figures are right in a report. That is the gist of it.

I would have also understood this reasoning coming from Director of Information Services and Chief Government Spokesperson of Tanzania, Gerson Msigwa. Who would also defend the CCM and the President. His role and job is to praise works of the government and it’s entities. Just lkike Shaka does as a party official. Alas, both of these gentlemen does what Zitto just did the last few days of the new year.

Maybe it’s tiring to be on the barricades of the opposition in Tanzania. Anyone can oppose and be as blunt as Freeman Mbowe or Tundu Lissu. Someone has to be more gentle and read the room. Maybe that’s the role of Kabwe now. His the gentle spirit and the friendly fire fellow. Who only wants to speak of bigger things like unemployment, poverty and other matters. Since, showing or talking about wrong figures doesn’t matter. Seriously, how can you be this daft?

If you allow without correction things like these. Then your short-sighted defences will backfire, as you have become a crony and a man seeking for office. Instead of actually trying to show yourself to be different from the current regime. There will be no difference with Kabwe or President Hassan. It will be more of the same and nothing ever changes. Just a continuation of CCM and with a ACT Wazalendo banner instead.

I don’t get why Zitto does this and to what gains? To prove that he will defend the government and it’s President? But at what cost and to what extent? Is this how he works as opposition or has he lost the plot? Is it too much pressure and it’s better to become compromised? What gives? I just wonder… because this is weak tea and smells awful.

He better come correct. Because, saying millions and billions doesn’t matter… and is just a typo. Is just a breathtakingly stupid assessment. As his giving way to much credit and the authorities should have come to the aid of the President. If the two gentlemen who his sounding alike these days. That’s what I am getting from this.

So, when are you getting appointed and when is Msigwa or Shaka getting fired? Peace.

Tanzania: President Hassan copies her predecessor by arresting a cartoonist depicting her

It is now revealed that cartoonist Optatus Fwama has been detained by the authorities since the 23^rd September 2021. The Cartoonist is incarcerated at the Oysterbay Police Station in Dar-es-Salaam. The arrest has happened after a cartoon went online and viral. Where the President Samia Suluhu Hassan as a kid playing with water in the shadow of Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

We saw similar thing happening when a comedian Idris Sultan was arrested for switching the face-off of the predecessor Joseph Magufuli. That happened in 2019 and he got arrested for doing so on the social media. In the same term of the predecessor he arrested several of journalists for exposing his regime. Therefore, the current Head of State is willing to do the same.

President Hassan must be faint hearted or thin-skinned. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the authorities clearly have enough time on their hands to arrest and detain dissidents in this manner. It isn’t shocking. This is a pattern and what they do. We know this is how the CCM is guarding their truth and control of the media. Clearly, there is only one way and that’s the way of the CCM.

There is one unwritten rule that you should never insult the President or mock it in the United Republic of Tanzania. That’s because whoever that person might be. They are being demi-gods and supreme overlords after sworn-in to office. This is what is happening and this is why people suddenly faces the law for writing, speaking, broadcasting or leaking internal documents, which we’re supposed to be kept in the dark.

A President is above the law and cannot be criticized. A person who is the Head of State should only be praised and glorified. That is why cartoonist Fwama has spent days behind bars. The cartoonist didn’t understand the role and the dogma of a President. You are supposed to sing psalms and write biblical phrases for their eternal reign.

President Hassan is following Magufuli here. Fwama is the victim of the same sort of tyranny. The only difference is that it’s another Head of State. She cannot phantom that people would make such cartoons or make fun of her. However, if you are a head of state and a leader. You should expect people to do so. Because, everyone will not agree with you and neither will everyone respect you. That’s life and some leaders handles that pressure. Others does like the to mentioned and uses the iron fist against their dissidents.

If you can’t handle the pressure, maybe you should resign. The President should handle and have enough character to laugh these sorts of depictions off. However, it is proven that this wasn’t possible. We are clearly asking for too much. It’s not in her, but she doesn’t know better. Because, she is only following the mantle of the deceased. Peace.