TANZANIA will be marking fifty years of independence at the end of the year. On the outset, political independence ought to mean claim to self rule and determination. But that’s not how it works and it doesn’t take a wide stretch of the imagination to discern that.
We are a poor country, not in terms of what we have but how we live. Freedom in poor countries comes with too many strings attached, leaving very little room to walk in. Under such circumstances decisions are largely influenced by forces from without. That alone is enough to interrupt the growth and development of a poor nation.
But there are also forces from within at play that disrupt our growth. It is like Catch 22, we are damned if we don’t, we are damned if we do. The only problem here is that we seem to be too gullible and unwilling to change.
We are also very quick to forget where we come from. Many successful Tanzanians today came from poor, ahem, humble backgrounds. Once they make it they tend to develop insatiable appetites for things they never had in their previous lives. We are not firm believers in the greater good.
They become selfish and make public institutions their own private fiefdoms. Corruption and embezzlement of public funds becomes the order of the day. As they go about town looking like American pimps in the seventies, the institutions they are entrusted with are left on their knees. That is us!
There are examples of poor countries that slithered to prosperity in fifty years. Such countries took bold decisions and worked hard to ensure their implementation. With help from various sources I will use South Korea as a model.
In May 1961, the South Korean military junta declared what it termed “Pledges of the Revolution”. One of the declarations was that all corruption and government misdeed would be disposed and fresh and clean morality would be introduced.
Another declaration was that the reconstruction of a self-reliant economy would be priority. The South Korean administration then announced a five year economic development plan, an export-oriented industrialization policy.
Then they set to work on accomplishing their priorities and the result was that the economy grew rapidly with vast improvement in industrial structure, especially in the basic and heavy chemical industries.
Since capital was needed for such development, the regime used the influx of foreign aid, mostly from Japan and the United States, to provide loans to export businesses, with preferential treatment in obtaining low-interest bank loans and tax benefits.
These businesses would later become global multinationals owning numerous international enterprises. They call them chaebol in South Korea, a term often used to mean conglomerate. Through aggressive governmental support and finance, some have become well-known international brand names, such as Samsung, Hyundai and LG. That is them!
It gives one no pleasure to be the bearer of unpleasant news, but the truth of the matter is we have failed where the likes of South Korea have succeeded. This should not be misconstrued to suggesting that Tanzania has not achieved anything in fifty years.
A little introspection may be needed here. Instead of just thinking of celebrating the achievements, we should find the time to ask ourselves what went wrong on the way to heaven. How come we are taking too long to get there?
When the Koreans chose a pragmatic approach to end their problems, we picked fixed ideas and theories that we never took their implementation too serious to begin with so naturally they were doomed for failure.
Better yet, as others sought industrial technology, we opted for mascara, lipstick and perms. We are contented with putting on a cosmetic appearance at any cost. We forget that in due time the aesthetic coating of make-up will wear off and we will go back to being our ugly selves.
In Tanzania, it seems that everyone wants a desk job, their specialized disciplines regardless. Someone shrewdly explained the reasons for such a trend. One is that a desk job is the buttered side of the bread, it is where money can easily change hands and no questions are asked. And the second obvious reason is that field work can only get one dirty, nothing more.
It is no wonder then after fifty years of independence all notable Tanzanians want to be politicians. We don’t like getting all greasy and oily, we love our lipstick and shiny shoes. It is also no wonder then that to outsiders, there can only be two sets of Tanzanians.
One half is made up of thieves and the other half is made up of half thieves, lurking on any opportunity to have their big day. And yes, thanks to us because we brought it on ourselves. The fact that I shall forever remain Tanzanian makes my heart bleed even more, more than many others who may opt to relocate to Somalia, or the whereabouts.
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