The emerging problem in Mtwara, should not be confused with the African natural resource curse, but rather a new pattern of African awakening in which citizens are rising up to demand what belongs to them in an effort to get out of the poverty . The government of the day must not turn a deaf hear or even politicize the issue in Mtwara. It must re-examine itself carefully, and respect people’s will to save its self.
The culture of secrecy in which contract details are negotiated and signed in the darkness by rogue public officials, has particularly imposed heavy economic burden upon the people of Tanzania which has led us to this point. Mtwara saga is certainly a product of phony contracts which has presented the government of Tanzania with a golden opportunity to review its investment and economic policies that seems to be repressive, deceptive, and not progressive to its people.
What is happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo or even in Niger Delta is quite different to what is happening Tanzania. DRC and Niger Delta have militants, factions and separatists in all out war, fighting their governments. Mtwara residents are on the contrary, waging a different type of war, a peaceful war that can never be defeated by the mightiest army on the face of the planet. And in the wake of rather stunning revelation of inflated cost of the pipeline ($1.2Billion) from the actual price of $600million, their strength has grown and there nothing the government can do but back down and address the mistakes made
Sand oil discovery in Canada brought economic boom to Alberta residents and Canadian economy as a whole. High school graduates working in the oil industry are earning in excess of $120 an hour which is considered average pay. Albertans are enjoying their natural wealth. Oil companies are investing -giving back- heavily on Alberta’s social programs and causes.
On the contrary, Tanzanian residents in Nyamongo; one of the gold rich regions in Africa are much poorer than they were before the Gold mining companies camped on their land. Water sources are polluted; animals are dying and the residents are silently suffering unknown ailments
Poverty and joblessness are the order of the day, while small scale mining that sustained the community for decades has literally collapsed, yet foreigners have the leverage to be employed as dump truck drivers. Thousands of jobless Nyamongo residents capable of driving forklifts can only standby and watch heavy dump trucks driven by Kenyans, South- Africans, Australians and Canadians move gold-sand from the land that once belonged to them. An obvious problem the government has neglected
Legitimate economic reasons are to blame for Mtwara protests. People in the south see natural gas has the only viable way out of poverty. They have seen the problems in Tarime, and are no-longer interested in promises.
All they need is action that will improve their lives. The government must not make a mistake of overlooking, politicizing, or even attempting to quell the protests using force. Instead, the government needs a cautious approach to determine the root cause of the problem it is
Logical government will raise various hypothetical scenarios as to why people in southern Tanzania do not want natural gas to leave their land. In retrospect, various theories will emerge in this self re-examination process. The government will come into terms with the fact that, this is a new era.
An era of internet-citizens, mainly youth that have found a new sense of confidence and self- approval. The government will discover a new generation that no-longer wants to complain and blame others for their misery; a generation that fear no tear-gas, water cannons or bullets. A generation that does not want handouts from foreign entities, rather, wants to sustainably liberate themselves from their ruins of poverty through their God given resources and talents.
A new generation that wants jobs, better education, better healthcare and improved infrastructure. We are referring to the generation that knows quite well, that Chinese don’t love them but their wealth. Mtwara people have realized that in the real world, there aren’t always an ending to fairy tales and acts of deception, and that any guarantee of happily ever after, must begin with them; a new awakening. And as long as their grievances are not addressed, the government will never be at ease.
They have realized that they must stand on their own and take care of themselves and not rely upon promises they have been hearing for the past fifty some years. Honorable Mwakyembe, Kagasheki, Magufuli and Muhongo are invariably known to be top performers in the current government. Notwithstanding, as long as these leaders are surrounded by indiscipline civil servants, and crooked politicians, architecting the diversion of important national economic projects for their selfish gains, these top performers will remain hostages of the goons, that seem to be in the government’s radar.
Citizens of the internet that communicates through text messaging and social networks have been awakened from their sleep and are literally unstoppable. They are no longer interested in political propaganda and the so called CHINESE Aid shrouded with corruption. They know what they need and when they need it. Mtwara is a contagious polity awakening the government must reckon with
Mungu Ibariki Tanzania
John Mashaka
mashaka.john@yahoo.com
mashaka.john@yahoo.com