Mr. Mkapa arguably, was the best choice for presidential candidate to lead our country into a new era of globalization and propel us into 21st century. At least, that is what Mr. Nyerere intended, when he favored him for the CCM presidential candidate. Mr. Mkapa’s resume certainly reads like that of a candidate for NEPAD secretary general, (if there is any such position), as a man of diverse experience and diplomatic skills. A common man born and raised in poverty in rural Masasi-Tanzania, who rose to preside in national and international prominent posts, before he became President. A graduate of Makerere University, the only University under the colonial rulers, which perhaps educated the local brightest students from three countries Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. He began his career as a journalist and went on to become country ambassador to Canada and then to the US, before holding a series of ministerial position that included Foreign Affairs, Information/Broadcasting and Culture, Science, Technology and Education. Everyone would agree that such attributes would make a great leader. Yet, those same attributes remain where they are, on the resume.
After nearly ten years of transformation, Tanzania lists as one of the poorest nations in the world. Under Mr. Mkapa’s leadership Tanzania has slipped another few places in the United Nations' Human Development Report - a yearly document which ranks countries from one to 175 as to how staggeringly lowest are in the areas of life expectancy, educational attainment and income. Tanzania checks in at number 160 in the year 2003, nine place below last year’s. The worse fact is Tanzania ranked below, Eritrea, Sudan, Djibouti, Madagascar, Bangladesh, Rwanda and Haiti. Just imagine how worse can a country be to come behind Rwanda, Haiti, Eritrea, or Sudan? Yet some members of parliament (MP’s) have recommended extra term for Mr. Mkapa, which by the way, is unconstitutional! More case at point is that not only you have elected MP’s in the parliaments who do not understand the constitution, but it is also a sign of pervasive problem, a country whose population is extremely ignorant. The voting majority of Tanzanian are street vendors, hawkers, peddlers and peasants, so no one should be surprised at the outcome of this UNDP report. Yet, there is something very disturbing if we as a society think Mr. Mkapa leadership in the office was valuable while as a country we continuously fall behind. Those Tanzanian’s who will disagree with this UN report, are likely those in high position within the government, as an attempt to preserve their power. In addition few other ignorant and incompetent bureaucrats, might disagree. An intelligent person might look at the report critically, with realization that even though Tanzania has made tiny steps towards development, its pace for development might be much slower than say, that of Sudan.
Today, Tanzania is a society that lacks direction and social consensus about the choices for its future. A society lacking common shared basic values, hopes and visions and is endangered by instability, hostility and friction. Tanzania is the society in economical, political, social, and moral crisis, yet none of the current leaders on the government or the list of future leaders seems to have the vision, integrity, moral courage or the knowledge to tackle these problems.
To assess Mr. Mkapa and his government correctly, is to put him on the jury of his peers, notice the use of scholars and intellectuals throughout this article. Indeed, a small percentage of Tanzanians, have the education trai
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