I’m always excited to come back home, Tanzania. And this time around, I was especially excited because I was moving back home. After eight years of living abroad, with two degrees and three years of work experience, I felt it was time to go home and contribute to the development of my country. So, I did just that. But like anyone moving back home, I had too much luggage to take with me on the flight, so I sent my additional 45kgs of personal goods (two suitcases filled with my used shoes, handbags, clothes and shoes, and my flat screen TV) via cargo. Big mistake.
First, I was informed that the airline misplaced my TV, and that I should wait for a few days to get it. Once they said it arrived, off I went to the Dar-es-salaam Cargo Airport and that’s when reality hit me. Our country, although I love it with all my heart, has a long way to go. And I don’t know if we will get there in my lifetime. I spent 12 hours at that airport trying to get my stuff out. There is such a long process in getting things out. You’d think that the government would put into place an efficient structure for people like me, Tanzanians who are living abroad and are coming back home to serve their country, so that we would want to come back and not face such ridiculous processes.
How can it take a day and a half to get personal effect goods out? And why should I have to pay to bring my personal and used things into my own country? Things that are going to be in my room, not things to be sold. And why is the process of getting cargo goods out so complicated, not transparent and full of loopholes? As an individual, you need an ‘agent’ to get your stuff out, which means paying about $100 in agent fees alone. Not only that, but you are taken from window to window, from office to office, to pay this fee, to sign this receipt, to photocopy this document and to write this letter, and throughout the way, of course, you are reminded of the different shortcuts you could take by simply bribing someone to make the process go by faster.
Secondly, my TV was still reported missing and after making noise in every office I visited, and with the help of the airline, they took me through their large storage room where all cargo is kept. I’m taking about all kinds of large and small boxes, some tagged, others not. I went through each and every box until I found my own box, which was tucked away somewhere because someone didn’t pay close attention and put it in the wrong section. Really? Should these mistakes still be happening in our time when we should be able to track everything? Why on earth would I ever want to send anything via cargo now, especially after this incident of a reported lost TV, when actually it was right here, but someone along the lines just shoved it in some corner without paying any attention? What’s worse is that there was no apology from the handling company. Nothing. What’s worse, after paying about $500 to fly my things to Tanzania, I was frustrated to have to pay about $250 to get my things out. I was charged all kinds of fees, from handling, storage, documentation and taxes to agent fees, inspection and other additional fees that I don’t understand myself.
I love my country unconditionally, through its good moments and bad moments, through bad roads, water shortages and random power cuts. After all, home is home. But there are some things that are simply unnecessary, there are some things that should not be condoned, things that could be better organized. But as Tanzanians, we have this ‘pole pole’ mentality; we are passive in nature, we don’t like to express ourselves too much or sound too annoyed or frustrated. We can’t let this define us anymore, I am tired of keeping quiet and watching ridiculous mistakes get made. We need to be more vocal about issues and not say “this is your country, this is how things are done here.” That can no longer be an excuse. We need our country to be more efficient in all ways possible. And where there are loopholes and mistakes, those in authority need to stop, listen, reflect and take action – rather than just shoving aside the opinions of those who actually have a valid point!
For my Tanzanians living abroad, be warned. This is the reality back home. For a minute when I was at the airport this afternoon, I regretted coming back home to deal with this. But as I reflect, I realize my frustration comes from my lack of Tanzanian-style patience that is needed to survive here. So my question to you all is, how much more should we take and when do we say enough is enough and change is necessary? When will our government realize that they need to establish and implement proper policies that will attract people living abroad to come home to a welcoming environment? How can we get rid of this inefficiency that is slowly but surely defining us to this extent?
Change is needed. And if it doesn’t happen anytime soon, this country will lose many people, people who will never want to come back and settle here because they can’t stand the bureaucracy!
Tanzania sirudi ng’o. Nitajipa presha bure.
Khairoon you are spot-on here: “But as Tanzanians, we have this ‘pole pole’ mentality; we are passive in nature, we don’t like to express ourselves too much or sound too annoyed or frustrated. We can’t let this define us anymore, I am tired of keeping quiet and watching ridiculous mistakes get made. We need to be more vocal about issues and not say “this is your country, this is how things are done here.” That can no longer be an excuse. We need our country to be more efficient in all ways possible”
I think this wave of attitude will not fade at least not in my lifetime, labda tupate some sort of revolt, or some 60s style civic campaigns that Nyerere did for Tanzania ‘unity’. Bila hivyo, we will always be defined by our ‘pole-pole’, passiveness/indifference attitudes. Pole Khairoon, ila I thank you for your post because an eye that reads it will get the warning.
This is just sad and it’s not the first time I hear this. And it doesn’t only happens at the cargo airport, but also at normal public airports. They give such a hard time to people coming in (which gives the first impression of the country) and going out.
After hearing all this again and agian makes one question..can TZ really change? Do i really want to go back and face such things even though it’s my home. I dont know.
If there was only a way for our people to actually see that there is room for improvement and that we should do something about all this badala ya kukaa kimya, yaani I would love that lakini tumezoea sana kukaa kimya tu utadhani hatuna midomo!
For those of you planning to move back home with ur things, unless u have some crazy connections or are somewhat (even remotely) related to an MP, a minister or anyone important, suffering through this system is part of the game here. Unfortunately, it is what defines us.
I wish I just got a chance to revamp aspects of this country. I wish I had just one month, and I could recruit a team of people to make these changes happen maana what we have now is just pointless and rather hopeless.
Nonetheless, Tanzania ni nchi yetu na kuipenda ni lazima.
So very sad to hear that, and I do feel the full situation.
This nation is still far to change however we are the one responsible to make that change. The big problem of we Tanzanian ni kwamba huwa hatujali kila kitu na tunaona kila kitu kwamba ni wajibu wa mtu fulani; hili ndilo linalotuacha nyuma karibu [kwenye]kila kitu maana wengi waongeaji sana bila vitendo katika kila nyanja.
Kuna mambo ya serikari kama serikari lakini pia kuna mambo mengi tu ambayo yanasababishwa na sisi wenyewe, kama uzembe,kutokujali muda na hiyo pole-pole yetu.
Tunapoongelea serikali ni kweli kuna mengi yanayotakiwa kufanywa kama kujali hao returnee na kupata incentives or more priorities lakini wafanyakazi wote ni sisi wenyewe na wanaofanya huo uchafu na urasimu ni sisi kwa sisi watanzania, kwa hapo tunaweza kuona kuwa tatizo kubwa ni Wantanzania wenyewe. Hatutaki kubadilika na wengi wana wivu, uzembe na kutojali muda, hata kwa Watanzania wenzao na matokeo yake ni urasimu [kwenye] kila ofisi.
Haya si [ya] serikali, [bali] ni mabadiliko yanayohitajika kwenye jamii nzima.
Pole sana, Khairoon. I have been there too, and it is chaotic, only for strong hearts to persist.
What’s insane is that many of the airport services themselves are outsources to Swissport, and even then we see these problems.
Joji – revolt is deifnately needed. Labda in some smart way.
Where are the young people in this… why can’t they intervene and make things work smoothly?
God!!!!Tz inahitaji maombi kwa kweli!
The thing is, I used to think it is our responsibility as the future leaders of this country, we should make the change, that it is upon us to make a difference. But I wonder how to make this possible? I’m here, at home, where I know so much has to be done, but how do I even start? In this pool of 34 plus million Tanzanians, what voice do I have? And how can I make a contribution without being considered a ‘mzungu mtanzania’ – I.e., people who come back from abroad and think they know it all? These changes cannot be done by one or two people… We need a full movement! Who’se in?
Khairoon, do you remember this discussion? Tuko pamoja (but just bear in mind that it’s like war out there)!
Patience… I think that’s what we need. I do believe that sort of transformation – from West to our motherland – can be stressful, especially in the first few weeks. Most people who have been there and done that would advise you to pick your area of expertise and concentrate on that. Most of the time we try to change EVERYTHING and of course, ending up disappointed.
Anyway, read the last comment on the link/web-page I provided above.
I think what frustrates me the most is that there is this mentality that it is okay, that things are okay as they are, that we may not need any change, that this is how the country is. This kind of indifference in this environment is what kills you. I’ve picked my expertise (media, broadcasting etc) and it’s just been a week since I’ve been home, but I can already taste the challenges of bringing about any sort of change in my field … I just want us to improve. I look at our neighbours in Kenya, for instance in their news coverage and their news broadcasts and wish we even got to that level, lakini coming here and sharing your knowledge and pushing for change… people just look at you and think “kwani who does this woman think she is? amesoma nje ndio anajiona anajua sana au ni vipi?” – – – you know what I mean?
Khairoon,
Really glad you posted this. Whenever I mention to my parents that I want to come back, they keep giving me examples of bureaucracy and lack of this and that. I find it sad(funny also) that Tanzanians themselves will tell you why are you bothering to come, look at the state of things here.
Totally agree with you on the fact that there needs to be a movement. One strong way I feel that this cultural change could happen is by businesses operating more professionally which would drive change in consumer expectations as well as how businesses interact.
All this talk about how if the EA community is finally in full swing, Tanzanians will loose their jobs etc is just a manifestation of peoples fear that Kenyans (who are much more professional in work) will take over, for obvious reasons. Maybe, this might be the kick in the ‘behind’ that Tanzanian culture needs. What do people you think?
Taha