Obama Visit: Tanzania Should Not Brag

US President Barack Obama’s trips abroad are always iconic-cum-echoic despite the controversy they evoke. The amount of money spent on security details, economic expectations, issues addressed and whatnot. Looking at how a common mwananchi in Tanzania was negatively affected by Obama’s visit, Kenya must thank Lord that it did not go through such horribly harassing situation.

 

 According to the Ministry Foreign Affairs’ directives, upcountry people who intended to travel to Dar shortly before or during Obama’s stay were advised against doing so. Many streets, roads and facilities were closed down to give room for Obama to visit some projects.  America dispatched many aircraft, choppers, 14 armored vehicles and hundreds of Secret Service agents to Tanzania to enhance Obama’s security. Skeptic and disgruntled Tanzanians were interrogating the rationale of having their Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) and the violation of their airspace that’s temporarily shut down so as to force air travelers who were either coming to or departing from Dar es Salaam to relocate to other airports. 

All of the sudden, Dar became a no-fly zone. Others interrogated the position of the country protocols. Others called this colonial mentality of worshiping rich countries to entice them to donate more money to this begging country with humongous resources. There were many discussions about the pros and cons of Obama’s visit to the country.

One columnist was quoted as saying, “Thank you for visiting, Mr. President, but can we have our country back?”

The country was held to ransom for three days simply because Obama was in the town! The lives of common wananchi was turned topsy turvy for the whole time Obama was in the country.  One Swahili Daily, Tanzania Daima was quoted as saying that many concerned citizens voiced their concerned saying that closing roads and streets violates their basic right to movement. Again, President Jakaya Kikwete was laughing at the top of his lungs for enhancing such a ‘milestone’ which turned to be a nightmare for common mwananchi. To him the coming of Obama was more important than the lives of his earthlings.  Again, many questioned Kikwete’s sanity and moral ground as far as media freedom is concerned.  

 

The Committee to Protect Journalists wrote to Obama ahead of his visit to Tanzania to ask him touch on tribulations journalists in Tanzania have faced. Part of the letter read, “….several journalists have been attacked in connection with their work. In March, unknown assailants attacked Absalom Kibanda, chairman of Tanzanian Editor's Forum and managing editor of the New Habari media company, leaving the critical columnist with severe injuries. No one has been arrested. Local journalists also said they have often been threatened by officials and high-ranking businessmen via text messages, emails, or intermediaries. Reporters based outside the capital, Dar es Salaam, are often targeted, the sources said.”

 

When it comes to media freedom Tanzania might compete with Eritrea, Rwanda and Zimbabwe even though it has nary been in the news. Its media laws are archaic and draconian. For example, the 1976 Newspaper Act, allows the information minister to employ his discretionary powers to suspend even ban Newspapers or any publications he or she deems fit for the action. Apart from bad-media laws, Tanzania is among the most corrupt countries in Africa. It came to light a few months ago that Tanzania loses over one billion dollars in tax collection not to mention another big chunk of money that is lost to corruption annually. Government-owned Newspaper, the Daily News recently reported that the country loses Tsh 15 billion annually thanks to smuggling. It wrote, “The government suffers over 15bn/- loss annually in revenue due to smuggling and improperly taxed cement imports through Zanzibar, an industry source said in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.”  Such a country can’t be an ideal one or excluded from failed state status if truth is visited. Furthermore, every year the office of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) unearth and report mega corruption and nobody has ever been held accountable. Sadly though, every year witnesses the surge in corruption.  

 

In other words many mistake Kikwete’s seemingly high standing in leadership. What is going on in Tanzania is no different from other African countries with regards to corruption and bad governance. Two days before Obama arrived in Tanzania; Kikwete was quoted saying that Tanzania is currently the most favoured country in investment. Unfortunately though, Tanzania despite attracting many investors has lagged behind economically due to the fact that investment is clouded by corruption.   Again, the grave shines outwardly while it stinks inside. A recent incident involved a grenade attack on a political rally in Arusha where CHADEMA was wrapping its local government election campaigns. It was alleged without being refuted that police were behind the attack under the instructions of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Instead of rebutting the allegations police embarked on white wash and witch hunt whereby CHADEMA leaders were harassed and temporary detained.   

Looking at how Tanzanians suffered during Obama’s visit, Kenya needs to thank God for being skipped. I know many people will say that the coming of Obama means more cooperation with Tanzania. This does not hold water. Bill Clinton came to Tanzania and nothing changed. Essentially, Obama visited Tanzania not just because it is better than others. He came to erase or to minimize Chinese influence in the region.  In March 2013 Chinese president Xi Jinping was a special guest in Dar and Pretoria all venues Obama visited. Those who know nuclear politics say that Obama visited Tanzania to make sure that the recently discovered uranium is not falling into wrong hands. So too, many types of minerals are being discovered in Tanzania something America needs to put a hand on before Chinese and other vultures does the same. So what attracted Obama to Tanzania is not democracy or good leadership but resources. If Kikwete were a shining example of good leadership as his spin doctors want us to believe, he’d not have attracted China the way he did so as force Obama to come to extinguish the fire China left behind.

Again, Kenya should thank Lord it was skipped by Obama otherwise after his arrival my Nairobian friends would have love to hate his coming.

Source:The African Executive Magazine July 3, 2013.