By Gauree Mdee
The unsavory manner by which a security guard, waiter, bouncer, shopkeeper or even cop treats his fellow countryman can at times be deemed indicative of how neo-colonialism hasn’t faded entirely. Why is this said? Well, because the same way the above said parties treat individuals of a fairer, paler skin tone is the same way our heads of public office treat the investors.
1995, weeks before former president Mkapa is elected into office, his opposition rival, Augustino Mrema at the time, warns the people of Kahama of the imminent mining operation and the effects that would come with it, and that their land had been taken by foreigners. The statement was brushed off and defined as hearsay and fear mongering by the governing party.
Come 1996 — the MV Bukoba incident occurs and recently elected Mkapa steps up to the plate in such a commendable fashion that from an outsider’s point of view it was nothing short of humanitarian, the sole beneficiary of a benevolent heart had just spoken. Sadly, the response to the 423 who died from a carelessly overloaded ship was impressive in comparison to that of 52 miners buried alive across Lake Victoria in Bulyanhulu three months earlier in August by a bulldozer carrying out a corporations’ orders, while on the surface people were being forcefully evicted from their homes hours after the public funded radio rendered it safe to mine again.
This is just one example of how one countryman treats another hoping for a better kickback from another. This is also metaphorically saying that a waiter treated you badly perhaps because of your darker shade while hanging onto hopes of benefiting from one who actually tips. Here is where irony ckecks in; Gold mining companies like Barrick and Anglo Gold did not leave the expected tip that the evicted community used to.
So, miners from Bulyanhulu, not entirely compensated; victims of the Mbagala explosions, not entirely compensated; Mwalimu Nyerere Airport “space takers”, not entirely compensated. We shall have to wait and see how the Gongo la Mboto dwellers are treated in the reimbursement process, lest we forget our Masai sisters and brothers in Loliondo days away from their fate being sealed waiting to hear whether “Arabs have taken this land” as one of them insipidly put.
When will the people who pay taxes be worth more than the people who pay few? This first come first serve attitude that exists with foreigners should come to an end. A recent developing story was reported by the international media painting Tanzania as a country of laissez faire when a Tanzanian flagged ship with no Tanzanians on board got caught in the cross-hairs of a rabid wave off the coast of Russia and split in two. How they were even allowed to sail with a flag is the question. But furthermore, is this the country we have been reduced to? One of give and get nothing in return?
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Thanks for the this piece Gauree. On one hand there is definately a problem with the way authorities value wananchi (in comparision to, say, foreigners), and on the other, there is the value of representation (principally through the media).
However authorities decide to value wananchi, if the media fulfills its definition of being “collective”, then it is likely it would reflect the relationship between authorities and wananchi clearly. If it is indeed reflected clearly, then people have more information to act on this relationship. But note that what the media portrays can be “good” or “bad”; that does not change its role as a collective communications protocol, ie: taking into consideration perspectives across the population.
I like that your piece highlights the urgency of representing this relationship – between Tanzanian government authorities and wananchi – comprehensively in the media.
I’m looking forward to reading more from you. Cheers!
Thanks mate. Will take that into consideration.