FORMER president Ali Hassan Mwinyi asserted yesterday that today's breed of mainly divisive and self-centred political and social leaders have betrayed the legacy of the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
In rare public comments about the current state of politics in Tanzania, the retired president faulted the country for slowly losing the once-cherished ethical values articulated by Mwalimu, and called for immediate efforts to reverse the trend.
Mwinyi was Nyerere's immediate successor after he voluntarily stepped down from power in 1985 and served as the country’s second president until 1995, earning the affectionate nickname 'Mzee Ruksa' among Tanzanians for presiding over the liberalisation of the country's economy and political spectrum.
Now aged 91, he said patriotism, unity and moral values among public leaders – the salient points of Nyerere’s leadership ethos - have now all but disappeared, and contemporary leaders are now driven by a sense of selfishness, hypocrisy, racism and greed.
“The emergence of groups such as 'Panya Road' shows directly that the values are now vanishing in a country ... we need to do something by educating these people,” he noted in reference to the emergence of violent gangs of machete-wielding thugs popularly known by that moniker in parts of Dar es Salaam.
Mwinyi made the remarks yesterday at a public forum and debate in the city which was organized by the Institute of African Leadership for Sustainable Development (Uongozi Institute) in the city to mark today’s 17th anniversary of Mwalimu Nyerere's October 14, 1999 death from illness at the age of 77.
Mwinyi described the surfacing of robbery groups in Dar es Salaam and other parts of the country as a sign of declining social values, and added that Tanzania - having traditionally stood as a model of unity and tolerance in Africa - is slowly descending into divisions.
He cited religious divisions, tribalism and political opportunism among social evils that are now taking root in the country.
A major concerted effort is now needed to inspire the current youthful generation and map out a positive vision for the country’s future, he further noted.
According to the ex-president, Tanzania can achieve progress faster and make bigger strides in development if it decides as a nation and as a people to live by Mwalimu Nyerere’s legacy and follow his vision.
He urged the wananchi to promote and defend national unity, and to work hard for development. On his part, the director of the Nyerere Resource Centre at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Prof Issa Shivji, noted that Tanzania still needs Mwalimu’s ideas as they are very relevant in facing up to today's worldly challenges and for future generations as well.
Elements of nepotism, ethnicity and tribalism all go against the principles of nationality and solidarity which were pioneered by the founding father of the nation, Shivji warned.
“The yawning gap between the rich and poor has incredibly kept widening year after year and I haven’t seen any leader warning about this ... we need to recognise it as a harmful thing for the country’s development,” he said.
According to the professor, it is extremely unfortunate that the current generation of national leaders seem to have been bent on destroying the foundations of national unity and sharing ideology that Nyerere fought so hard to build.
He said Tanzanians needed to revisit the fundamentals that Mwalimu stood for, especially in laying out a long-term vision for the country and its position on the continent.
He slammed what he called the now ‘normal” tendency of religious leaders promoting political issues in churches and mosques, saying such practices were divisive and not unifying for the society.
“Mwalimu’s vision took into account the most underserved communities and the majority poor…he also fought against racism and segregation to bring the nation to a place where people feel equal with each other and not superior to others...this is what Mwalimu wanted,” Shivji said.
He also called on parents and guardians to ensure that they instill the right manners and ethics in their children as they grow up, so they may be well prepared for the future especially when aspiring for various positions of leadership.
According to Uongozi Institute chief executive officer Prof Joseph Semboja, yesterday’s forum was aimed at bringing together politicians, academicians and members of the public to engage in deep discussion about Mwalimu Nyerere's legacy and its relevance to the Tanzania of today.
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