By Karl Lyimo

I AM still reeling from disbelief that incumbent President Jakaya Kikwete could have truly been encouraging Tanzanians to buy more cars… or (perhaps) NOT to be afraid of buying cars because of the suffocating traffic congestions jamming our streets – particularly the non-streets in the non-capital Dar es salaam metropolis.

This, the man said, is because the Government – his Government – already has plans to construct overhead carriageways to relieve the streets below from traffic jams! [Majira and other papers: July 19, 2010].

But, what is of greater concern is the president's claim that proliferation of vehicles is a sigh of socio-economic progress. What sacrilege. A big proportion of the vehicles are owned by the  Government and its assorted institutions, as well as a few business tycoons and a sprinkling of Tanzanian public service officials who are in senior positions of power and privilege.

God knows how many vehicles are 'owned' by Government ministries, departments and agencies – all at taxpayer expense. Most tycoons and public officials own several cars, compliments of ufisadi: gross tax cheating, price gouging and grand corruption in high places...

I think the president owes Tanzanians an apology – or, at least, a reasoned explanation, not just gloss over bread-and-butter, life-and-death issues that mean so much to his hapless subjects.

The incumbent President and Members of Parliament exit in a democratically-procedural ‘immolation’ at the expiry of their 5-year term of office. Then, bar a catastrophe of cataclysmic proportions, the two institutions will rise phoenix-like from the ashes via the October 31, 2010 general elections.

In Tanzania, oddly enough, ‘Parliament’ comprises the Presidency and the national Legislature. The possibility, albeit remote, is that there will NOT be a new face at State House – and relatively new ones in the National Assembly... But, that is stuff for crystal ball gazers, palm readers, soothsayers, prophets, phrenologists, midnight witches and other purveyors of astrological snake oil who blind us mortals with their Black Art.

So, if the good old 'Matonyas' of this country were holding off buying another car – the latest edition for the latest addition to their marital prowess – then they can now go ahead from next year when the president will start building overhead motor ways.

For, is it indeed not said that ‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride?’ But, that was long ago in the mists of time during the days of the legendary Robin Hood who had this curious socialist habit of robbing the rich on the highways of Nottingham Forest and giving the loot to the poor.

In the event, that stuff about beggars riding horses on the back of mere wishes has been grossly overtaken by events. It could be said in respect of Tanzania today that ‘if wishes were Shangingis (limousines), then  Tanzanians would be riding – doing so not only on earth-bound streets, but whizzing past along suspension carriageways in gas-guzzling Four-Wheel-Drives that are in any case out of place in urban centres.

So, if the president says it is alright for his subjects to buy more cars as they will soon enough no longer be running out of road-space, then just take his word for the gospel truth. It does not really matter that his people are among the poorest Societies in the world, living on (34 per cent) budgetary handouts courtesy of the international donor community – and more than occasionally suffering shortages of food and medicines!

When President Kikwete first addressed ‘his’ Parliament on December 30, 2005, he told the world that ‘a prosperous Tanzania was possible. A better life for everyone was possible. All it would take was for everyone to fulfill their duty.’ It has never been quite clear what every Tanzania’s duty is…

The man also said ‘our goal is to accelerate economic growth with new vigour, new zeal, and new pace, so that all citizens can have a better life…’

After five years of all that, it is nigh-impossible to gauge progress in the lives of most Tanzanians. In fact, the gap has widened beyond comprehension, let alone belief. Where a score or so of Tanzanians see Tsh1bn (nearly US$1m) as small change, ‘Vijisenti,’ others have difficulty making it through the night, through safe pregnancy and delivery, through quality education….

We are then having to embark on new sloganeering… ‘increased vigour, zeal and pace.’ Boy!

If wishes were nourishment, medicines, quality education and suchlike, perhaps more Tanzanians would prosper under the/a Kikwete Government. That would mean more income-generating socio-economic developmental activities all-round.

You don’t understand? Look at it this way…

In his last Bunge address on July 16, 2010, President Kikwete clearly gloated over the increase in new jobs...Sorry I've run out of editorial space... Cheers! [ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ].