I don’t think intellectual capabilities alone are good enough to make a good leader. Nonetheless, I am convinced that an individual who is empty upstairs cannot make a wonderful leader either. You don’t have brainpower like Einstein to become a president. We cannot also yank someone from Mirembe and make him or her our president. A president can just have an average level of intelligence – as long as he or she is capable of handling the office.That being said, the kind of a president I would like is the type that has the ability to grasp and put issues in their proper context. Honestly, I have doubts whether Mr. JMK is that type of a president. Uncommon situations require uncommon solutions. Tanzania requires a very special leader. If anything, Mr. JMK sounds more of a common, Katibu Kata, operating from Ikulu. I have reflected so much about his government, but my current conclusion is based on his speech on the RDC issue.
One has to wonder, is Mr. JMK for real or he is just playing dumb? Reading the article above, I couldn’t just believe his rationale. So here are my thoughts Mr. President.
1) Throwing the God/nature card is a cheap, stupid excuse.
We need better crisis management process and contingent plans in place. Period. Folks, I have blogged on this before . I don’t have to repeat that.
2) Time isn’t on our side.
Successful people understand the value of time. Apparently, Mr. President, your administration is acting like you have plenty of time in your hand. This is what you said in January, according to yourself: “ During my first speech, I discussed fears of the looming drought, that we were going to grapple with food scarcity, after which I discussed the condition of power generation. I gave precaution on January 31, this year”.
This is the deal Mr. President. Identify problems is just the very first step in finding a solution. Nonetheless, when you want credit for identification of the problem without actually producing swift remedial actions, you are just good for nothing. You identified the power crisis on January 31, 2006. What happened between then and now? Please don’t tell me the engagement of RDC and finding a temporary solution in 10 months is the fastest your government could do. I wonder what Kasi Mpya means to you.
3) Fools rush in.
I am still to find a VERY good reason for engaging RDC. Nobody makes a seriously decision solely on a few factors. It seems to me that the only reason the government engaged RDC is because they charged a cheap rate. That only sounds good on the surface.
Smart people or governments do their homework before getting into a business venture. They perform a due diligence. It is obvious that the Tanzanian government rushed in. If you have power crisis in the country and you are looking for a solution, wouldn’t you go for a company with a proven track record? So, isn’t the following sentence from a president who is just shooting in the dark, with no specific target or goals?
“ …Richmond turned out to be a small company with little capacity, and their hopes were that once they got the contract they could secure loans from banks, which refused to do so”.
There is no such thing as “turned out to be a small company”. You should have had that information before sitting on the negotiation table with RDC. You know why banks refused? Because they did their homework, while your power committee members were just nursing their vitambis. Honestly, given the magnitude of the power crisis in Tanzania, it was stupid of the Tanzanian government to gamble. I cannot forgive you for that.
Smart people perform a cost-benefit analysis. Specifically, the government.
4) What kind of contracts did you sign?
I thought UDSM teaches Law. I thought the Attorney General knows something about Law. I thought the contract between RDC stipulated remedies to the government in case of RDC’s failure to perform. I don’t understand the Mr. JMK’s government contention that if the RDC was revoked, they might have taken advantage to take the matter to court and seek redress from the government. How lame and stupid is that?
What kind of contract did you sign Mr. JMK? You mean to tell us that the government didn’t have any clause in the contract that covers the government’s back in case of breach of contract by RDC? You are kidding, right?
There are official tests out there, such as the IQ tests that can tell of someone’s intelligence. Nonetheless, I am convinced that acting in a way that is consistent with common sense is a sure sign that your fellow jirani or ndugu is intelligent enough. When they consistently miss on little common sense things, then we must start questioning.
As I sit here, I am just wondering – do we really have intelligent leaders in Tanzania or just some dimwits who got lucky? I mean, how come common sense seems to evade them? If not, how come they have PhDs and big time credentials?
May be politics turns people into zombies. I don’t know. I just don’t.
14 comments:
Metty,
Sometimes I get bottled up with hate feelings towards irresposnibility to the point of telling myself that it is about time to constitute an impeachement process on Mr Kikwete and his entire administration, their retirement is long overdue. How could he, seriously, a whole president still blame God for electricity, and what will he precisely be blaming next? That Malaria and Cholera are the acts of God too? A president is supposed to be showing a clear cut vision to Maisha bora kwa kila mtanzania as he promised, and not indulging himself with cheap gossip politics.Using anything as a scape got is a cheap way to act unresponsible.
Why do you Mr President always miss the mark? Instead of leading Mwanza people in a mass strike against an author Mr Sauper, and what you did not believe, and worse still your unresearched reactions, Mr JK, you should have strategized your inner cirlce on how to tackle corruption bill. Mr Sauper, did his research and had reliable unrefutable sources complementing everything he shot in his film. Mr President you went for Mr Sauper's neck unprepared and made a fool of yourself. Was there really not a better mechanism around to port around the issue and not the person?
You still beat my understanding here, Mr president, have you even taken time to consult with your neighbours Kenya and Uganda just to be crystal clear that you have not apparently missed anything within your borders?, rather than packing your suit cases all the way to Samsung in Korea in search of electricity to the wrong people? Or may be the rain was plenty in Kenya and Uganda!
We have been going to the South Africans ever since I can remember. They in turn have come to show us how to run the banks, the airline industry and the madini and every thing. Even though most of the ventures they have touched leave a lot to be desired, why didn't we even consult with wasouth about electricity this time? Have we become more clever or learn our lessons here? I guess not because, if we had, we could have never gone to Richmond or Samsung. Read my lips, the deal with Samsung is going to backfire right middle and center!
I am sure someone out there is silently saying these are a bunch of clowns that have no clue what they are writing about. If they knew whatever they are writing, then they should have come down and help. the point is, it does not take a genius dude to figure out that Kikwete administration is giving people a bad check, which has come back more inssuficient fund to begin with. The change in Tanzania is a process and the fisrt step in bringing about that change is what we have taken.
If I go back to the swift trump card that JK used in his early days of his administration, and that really got him a tierbreaker, was when he formed an overnight committee to look into senseless killings of the innocent poeple. But guess what, the culprits or rather I would call those people that were apprehended as suspicious to all counts surrounding the murders have never been brought to Justice. Eight months down the lane and the government still can not figure out how to render justice? I guess the same justice will be afforded Mr Ditopile too. I know that every one is presumed innocent until proven guilt but where is the speed trial and justice?Or may be we were just blindfolded to think otherwise! this matter has already been characterized, it is the government responsibility to use judicial resources effectively and efficiently.
And what really gets into my last nerves, is when Mr President keeps calling on God's name for any thing that seems to be going awry. If you really wanna call on God unnecesarily like that then why not lead believers and pilgrimage's processions? we all call on God in our secret places when we are helpless and somehow need a little bit of hope, but JK you are putting God's name in vain publicly. And the country will never be led by asking taxpayers and voters to pray for the rain so that next year we could have electricity, what kind of strategy is that? and what if they do not want to pray? where will the buck stop at this time?
Mr Kikwete, I would have given you my benefit of doubt, if you would rather be talking about contractual implications with Richmond than the acts of God!
President Jakaya Kikwete has said that as a leader of a new government, he has the duty to build relations with other governments, and also lead a push by Tanzanian businesspeople to enter into fruitful joint ventures with foreign investors.
The President was speaking during an exclusive interview with The Guardian which covered issues related to his first anniversary as President of Tanzania.
He was specifically answering a question related to criticism directed at his frequent foreign trips.
The interview took place at the State House in Dar es Salaam.
”For example, in January, Prime Minister Tony Blair invited me to visit Britain. Should I say I can’t come, because people are going to complain?” he asked.
President Kikwete said that as President, he had both internal and international responsibilities.
”The Africa-Chinese leaders’ meeting is a responsibility of the President. Now did you want the President not to attend the summit?
The paradox of this is that if we had sent an official other than the President, those who had invited us would have said we probably belittled the meeting by sending a junior official,” he said.
He said that the African Union meeting was a heads of state summit which was usually preceded by the foreign minister’s meeting.
”Now some people complain that the President should not have represented them there ? (laughter). But this is a new government...” Kikwete said.
Kikwete said that in a new government, one must start building relations with other governments.
US President George Bush, for example, is familiar with my predecessor Benjamin Mkapa, now if I had not gone there they would not have known me, he added.
He said he was surprised by a Tanzanian who hated his President’s visits to US, China, Japan and Korea, where he goes to meet other leaders.
”British Prime Minister Tony Blair has invited me on January 16 to visit London. Should I say I am not going to meet him because there are Tanzanians complaining about my trips outside the country?
Some people will continue to say these words, but I believe their complaints are not all that meaningful,” the President told The Guardian.
He said that usually, the President was the political symbol of a country in its foreign policy; and when the President met other leaders, he had the powers to open up doors of cooperation with other countries more than anybody else.
”Our local businessmen cannot reach other executive areas on their own without the President’s presence. During my visit to the US, we had a luncheon with NASDAQ officials, who later held talks with Tanzanian businesspersons.
”Under normal circumstances, the NASDAQ president, whose stock exchange volume stands at USD7.1trillion, cannot meet a person of the stature of TCCIA president Elvis Musiba. But because I was there, the NASDAQ president personally attended that event,” Kikwete said.
He added: ”When I visited Tiffany, a big jewelers company turning out billions of dollars, its officials were in some other place and had to be summoned to meet Tanzanian tanzanite dealers.
This is how they could meet; because I was there?otherwise it would have been difficult for local Tanzanite dealers to meet their US counterparts.”
The President added that such were the companies which we had been looking forward to work with our people.
”It is good to learn that Tiffany has already sent its experts here to investigate how they can work with Tanzanite miners,” he said.
Kikwete said that if the President would decide to lock up himself, Tanzania was going to lose many opportunities.
Today, our businessmen have begun talking of big business; this is simply because new ground had been broken, he said.
”It is after I had talks with the NASDAQ president that we now have the US Tanzania Business Association where businessmen from the two countries can meet.
”I visited New York Stock Exchange, whose business volume is USD22.8trillion, where we were given the honour to open the day’s business. It is because I was there on that day that we were given that honour,” President Kikwete said.
He said that the New York Stock Exchange had agreed to help Tanzania establish the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. ”Do you think Jonathan Njau can meet those guys up there on his own? (laughter). People should not just simplify these things,” President Kikwete said.
He added that in some other tasks he could delegate powers, but not in those big ones of high national interest, where the presence of the President was needed.
SOURCE: Guardian
Comment on this article
Hey Metty ! I could not agree with you more on this Observation.
Pardon my ignorance but i think JMK's leadership style (if at all) is very much so derived from his religion background,instead of practical scientific approach.
"Inshallah " Mentality. And we all know the meaning to that !
So prevalent in the Middle East !
Msemakweli
Nyie nae acheni mambo ya unafiki. Mnamsifia mtu ambae hata sasa hajaleta chochote jipya. Anatetea Richmond, how stupid are you kukubali huo ujinga. Wenzangu tuliosoma business nadhani tutakubali kuwa mkataba kama huo kamwe tusingesaini na hiyo kampuni hata kama tungekuwa tumelala. Kisha anatetea. Na tatizo bado lipo pale pale viongozi wakikosea hapa wanapelekwa pale. Angekuwa amebadilisha hilo mimi angepata sifa yangu kidogo. Mama yangu ni mwalimu wa shule ya msingi---nyumba anayoishi siri yetu--mara leo mshahara haujafika,lakini magari yanayo ongozana ktk msafara wa raisi sio chini ya 10 na ni magari ambayo wote tunayajuwa. Tibaigana anaacha kwenda kushugulikia kazi tunayomlipa afanye anakwenda kumsindikiza raisi, siku raisi akiingia mjini tokea safarini basi viongozi wote wapo airport kama sio ujinga huu ni nini. Mnamshangilia anafanya sherehe ya kufikisha mwaka mmoja---we mtoto wako anaumwa kwenda kufanya shere. hiyo pesa ya shere mnaonaje kama angepatia polisi waongezee fifaa vya kazi, au angewatupia wizara ya elimu wakasaidia wale wanao kaa chini--au wale walimu wanoishi kwenye nyumba za manyasi, au akawatupia wizara ya ujenzi wakajenga kale kadaraja kule kijijini ili mazao yafike sokoni kiurahisi---hapa kwa akili yake na washauri wake wameona wafanye shereh na nyie wote mnamuunga mkono. Kuna nini cha kusherekea Tanzania--ukimwi unavyokuwa kwa kasi, au ujambazi unavyo ongezeka, au huduma za jamaii zinavyoshuka. Kama serikali, haina cha kusherekea. Na hiyo pesa inayotumika kwa hizo sherehe sio ya serikali ni ya kwetu, kwa maana kila mtazania. Tunapo mshangilia jamaa kufanya shere kwa pesa yetu ni sawa na wewe upo hapa US kumshangilia mtu anaekwenda kwenye account yako kutowa pesa na kununulia Heineken wakati wewe tuition fees kujalipa, wakati wewe rent hujalipa, na wakati wewe utilities hujalipa. So JK think b4 your credit runs out completly.
Bongo ishafilisika wanasiasa wanatuumiza na kutu "use" ili wafanikishe tamaa na raha zao binafsi, eti rais wa nchi maskini anaona ufahari kualikwa na Blair au Bush au kukutana na president wa nasdaq, hiyo crap ndiyo unawapa wazalendo wavuja jasho waliokupa kura, mara amkandie Njau mara Musiba, huyu jamaa kaishiwa mazungumzo ya akili, anaotoa kejeli na kashfa na kiburi mbele ya waandishi wa habari, apewe kura kweli huyu 2010? kwa jeuri gani aliyonayo, kama akishinda uchaguzi basi nchi ndio imekwisha kabisa.
@All
Sorry it took me while to respond to some of the comments. Si unajua tena XMas?
@Anonymous 11:25 pm
You couldn't have been more on point. I mean, why would the president think that ringing the bell at NYSE is such a big deal?
The last I checked, cholera is still around in Dar. Deal with that first. JMK's point of view is nothing more than a reflection of African's inferiority complex to the core.
Thinking that he is better than Elvis Musiba or Njau is not only insulting, but it shows how low our President has gotten. When you raise yourself at the expense of others, that just shows how crappy you are.
wizara ya viwanda na biashara
wizara ya mambo ya nje na ushirikiano wa kimataifa
wizara ya miundo mbinu
Aisee miwazara yoe hii inakosa policy, inakosa strategy
Kama Rais ana kazi ya kujenga uhusiano leo hii alikuwa anafanya nini wakati akiwa waziri wa mambo ya nje, hayo mambo yanayompeleka nje ni madogo mno,pia utaalikwaje wewe tu na kina Blair, maRais wa Kenya na Uganda Zimbabwe na Nigeria
nao wako hivo? tulia kweny kiti chako deal na wabaya wako, tatua matatizo ya nchi yako maskini acha kujipendekeza na kujikweza. Marais wa nchi wakikuchekea haina maana kuwa wee ni mshikaji wao sana wanakuchora na ktaka kukuburuza ukubali nchi yako iwe exploited na wajanja.
Ni haki kwa foreign investors kupewa tax holiday miaka 5?
Father Shao, Zanzibar.
There are many other better ways to attract foreign investors than those naive tax exemptions, we are not that desperate for foreign investors, we are desparate for good infrastructure and good governance in the government sector. We have smart people who are able and willing to turn things around, some are in Tanzania and some are abroad. We need to attract those smart Tanzanians living in Tz or abroad to invest in Tanzania, we don`t really need to go out begging people, we can collectively work with those investors or do it ourselves. Do those investors qualify just beacuse they are foreign or what?
You don`t just accept all investors, they have to meet certain conditions, they have to qualify to invest in Tanzania and with Tanzanians. When investors leave the country , we have to be able to run those investments on our own. Do we have that strategy in place? You have to have a strategy in place if you want them so bad.
Why do we fail as a nation in almost everything?
Poor Contracts
Poor leadership
Lack of policy
Lack of strategy
Who is going to help us in these problems? Ourselves
Mr president by just going to talk to NASDAQ chief or UK or US or China you have not convinced smart people that you are doing great job. I think you are digging a grave and accumulating wasteful expenditures that will continue to harm the economy and make the poorest country poorer. It was too sad to hear what you said after one year in the State House.Cheo si ufahari wa kujitutumua na kujionyesha mbavu usizonazo, cheo ni Utmwa na Tumikia kafiri upate....Kuwa Mtumwa wa nchi yako usiwe mtumwa wa nchi tajiri, ukiitwa na Blair unayo haki ya kutoa nje na kusema uko busy na maskini wenzio akikuhitaji sana aje yeye mwenyewe, kwa nini wewe tu ndio uende kwao? wao wanakuja kwako? kina Njau na Musiba ukiwafuatilia wana uwezo mkubwa sana kuliko wewe wa kuelewa mambo na kuyafanyika kazi.hivyo kawaombe msamaha si vema kukejeli personality za watu hadharanni bila kuchukuliwa hatua kisheria. Au mzee anadhani yuko above the law?
Kama kejeli za Kikwete juu ya Njau na Musiba zingekuwa dhidi ya Reginald Mengi. Bwana angejibu kashafa hizo na kutaka aombwe msamaha, inakuwaje Musiba na Njau wanakaa kimya? Au ndio matatizo ya umaskini hayo?
Hizi sentensi za huyu jamaa hazina budi kuchambuliwa na kufanyiwa kazi, hatutaki majibu holela na mizaha tuna uchungu na nchi yetu. Tnaipenda nchi yetu.
@Anonymous 9:43, 10:19 and 10:38
I agree with your point of view. It is amazing the President thinks Njau or Elvis Musiba couldn't pull a meeting with big shots in the US.
David Mwaibula, as a former boss of Chambers of Commerce, was awarded a key to City of Atlanta way back before JMK became president. How did Mwaibula manage to pull that off?
We need good policies, strategies and a deliberate focus, not belittling others who are even capable than the President himself.
I wonder where politicians in TZ get the idea that they are better than the rest of us.
An inferiority complex is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. It is often subconscious, and is thought to drive afflicted individuals to overcompensate, resulting either in spectacular achievement or extreme antisocial behaviour. Unlike a normal feeling of inferiority, which can act as an incentive for achievement, an inferiority complex is an advanced state of discouragement, often resulting in a retreat from difficulties.
Sounds like JMK to me! Mr. President, please......if you need counselling so be it! But you seriously need help - Blaming God, Be-littling other people...etc are not fit qualities for a Head of State! Who do you think you're? Step up to the plate and take your responsibilities - kumbe mwanzo wako ulikuwa tuu "nguvu ya soda"?....Ama kweli, "LIMBUKENI" halina siri!
Well done for the very relevant Bongo Blogs.
I live in Dar and have done for the past 15 years (from London, UK ) what I notice about TZ culture is the constant 'questions without answers' hanging in the air.
A friend of mine living in Mbweni and working for ILO - had no electricity for two months - not a villager or someone unemployed living in the Swahilini - but a professional earing a good salary. Eventually she did what we all do -bought a generator!! Of course TZ journos are running scared - I agree due diligence was never done - why can't we see the company profile of Richmond Development Company or the share issues. National power generation is not a joke - it needs a professional approach from accompany with a solid track record in such a business. It is not the same as importing second hand cars( that have crashed and been written off in Japan)from Dubai. Some people say Sumaye opened the company and some say Lowassa is back to his old habits. Is it true that Lowassa's on is a shareholder- as you live in the States - maybe you can check - this information should be in public domain. Now that it has started raining -like rain-fed agriculture we have power and water and there is no 'post mortem' on what happened. Surely this is the time to plan and implement a proper energy strategy - but NO - as BONGOS that we are we will forget and in six months time we will be back in the dark and playing the 'blame game'.
The 'Kabourus' have taken the money and run and we are back to the same old same old nonsense of TANESCO staff stealing everything from oil in the transformers to over one billion shillings the accounts staff stole a onth or so back and nothing has been said. It's less than 15% of the population that have electricity anyway and because of some selfish people wanting to get rich and having no brain the few that had were plunged into darkness. I always want to laugh when you hear these donors and World Bank people congratulating Tanzania on the fight against corruption - when in the new millennium when others are pushing the boundaries of use for the new technologies - we are sitting in the dark with no water - because of selfish people. Who is Mohammed Gire??? What qualifications does he have?? When was the company opened??? What former businesses has he been involved in ? Can a 'jua kali' SME provide power to a nation? Any answers?
Never Mind.
Brothers and Sisters,
Rome was never built in a single day!
This is Kikwete's time
Lets give him time
Remeber Brother Ben genesis!??
Do you all know popularity policies?
This is the government of popularity and NOT laiz isie faire as you try to imagine you self.
Nendeni japo mkawe wabunge muone.
Msamalia Mwema.
IPP Media is a powerful Group of Newspaper, Television and Radio companies, being Tanzania's premiere information provider. As Chief Executive officer, Reginald Mengi is ultimately accountable for the journalistic practices of the group.
Trumpeting daily his commitment to overcoming corruption in Tanzania and the role investigative journalism should play in this respect, Mengi stated in IPP Media’s publication the Guardian newspaper on 20th March 2007, that ‘the fight against corruption needs collaboration among editor’s journalists and media …….to unearth corruption and scandals in the government and private sectors……as investigative journalism promotes good governance, transparency and accountability…’
Addressing the Tanzanian Christian Union of the Press in September 2006, Mengi stated that ‘…..in order to win the war against corruption, the media must distance itself from corruption……to build and sustain the credibility and integrity of the media, media houses should fight against corruption in their newspapers’.
Good investigative journalism requires compliance with the laws of defamation particularly, the law of Libel given it is the writer, editor and publisher of ‘published material’ that is held to account in this respect.
In May 2004, Benjamin Mengi, Reginald Mengi’s brother, assigned the lease to Silverdale & Mbono Farms (Hai District) to British investor Stewart Middleton in full compliance with the laws of Tanzania. In May 2005, Mengi demanded the lease back on the basis that he had not been paid in full despite, signing a full receipt. When Mr. Middleton refused, he and his Tanzanian staff have been subjected to violence, harassment, imprisonment and intimidation based on accusations levelled by Benjamin Mengi and his wife Millie Mengi.
An objective examination of IPP Media’s ‘investigative’ and ‘accountable’ journalism in respect of the accusations reveal a worrying story in relation to IPP Media's conduct.
On 22nd November 2005, the Guardian and Nipashe newspapers accused Mr. Middleton of issuing a dud cheque to Benjamin Mengi for $7,000 and that he and his Tanzanian Technical Manager had forged the lease to Silverdale & Mbono Farms. http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2005/11/22/54489.html
There is no offence of issuing a ‘bogus’ cheque under the Penal Code of Tanzania, no charge sheet was produced in court, and no formal arrest had been made of the men who were denied legal representation. Investigative journalism would have established and revealed this fact. It did not. Further, IPP Media did not report the fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew all charges against the men when he had been apprised of the facts of the complaint.
On 19th January 2006, the Guardian and Nipashe Newspapers accused Mr. Middleton of stealing articles of equipment from Silverdale & Mbono Farms and destroying structures and uprooting coffee trees. It repeated again (after all charges had been dropped by the DPP) the fact that Mr. Middleton was accused of issuing a fake cheque to Benjamin Mengi and of forging the lease to Silverdale & Mbono Farms. It also stated that Benjamin Mengi had taken possession of Silverdale & Mbono Farms.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2006/01/19/58115.html
The publications did not state, that Mr. Mengi’s application to have the investor evicted from the farms was dismissed by the High Court Moshi (Lands Division) by Hon. Kileo or that no criminal charges were pending against the investor or his staff (Land Case 1. 2006).
On 24th May 2006, the Guardian accused Mr. Middleton of preventing a court entourage onto his home Silverdale Farm, stating that the purpose of the visit was to allow doctors to exhume bodies of animals kept on the farm by Mrs Millie Mengi. http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2006/05/24/67061.html.
Mrs. Millie Mengi has issued a civil plaint against Mr. Middleton accusing him of killing her animals kept unlawfully on Silverdale Farm and of forging a quarantine order issued by Zonal Veterinary Officer Dr. Swai in March 2006 who declared the animals to be suffering from Foot & Mouth Disease and imposed a Quarantine order on the animals.
The publication did not state the fact that Mr. Middleton was not present on the farm when the entourage led by Mengi attended, that the court order was issued before the hearing for the order and that Mrs. Mengi had no lawful right to keep animals on the farm and could remove them at any time she wished.
On 20th July 2006, Mr. Middleton was once again arrested on allegations brought against him by Mrs. Millie Mengi. This time he was accused of breaching a civil court order. Mr. Middleton was brought before the court, refused bail and sent to Karanga Prison by Moshi Resident Magistrate, Temu and held in a prison cage outside the High Court in Moshi. IPP Media reported the arrest and imprisonment the following day. http://www. ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2006/07/20/70739.html
The Daily News reported on July 26th, 2006, that the High Court in Moshi ordered the immediate release of Mr. Middleton ruling that there was no evidence to support his arrest. IPP Media publications did not report these facts.
On 3rd February 2007, the Guardian newspaper accused four members of Mr. Middleton’s staff of attacking one Salim Habib, an employee of Benjamin Mengi with Pangas on Silverdale Farm without reason. The publication further stated that Mr. Middleton had stood by and watched the assault. This information was also broadcast on IPP Media Radio 1 Network. IPP Media newspaper the Nipashe carried a further article some days later stating that Mr. Middleton’s staff were now ‘on the run’ having absconded from bail.
As a matter of public record, this was a blatant lie. As a matter of public record, no member of Mr. Middleton’s staff had been arrested however, Salim Habib Mengi’s cattle manager had been arrested and charged with Malicious Damage by driving forty head of adult cattle belonging to Mrs Millie Mengi onto a two hectare field of commercial maize on Silverdale Farm destroying crops and causing $20,000 of damage. IPP Media did not report this.
On 11th April 2007, the Guardian and Nipashe newspapers reported that Mr. Middleton and his wife had been ordered to pay 90m/-for defamation, based on comments accredited to them in the Daily News on June 2006.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2007/04/11/88175.htm
One would think, that being fully apprised of the laws of Libel that IPP Media would know, that in cases of Libel, only the writer, printer and publisher of the material could be sued. As such, the case and the judgment were completely outside of the courts powers. IPP media did not print this or the fact that the investor’s lawyers Moshi advocate Westgate Lumambo had deliberately failed to file a defence in the case, which was heard without Mr. Middleton being present in court.
The publications stated Mr. Middleton had accused Benjamin Mengi of bribery and corruption. In fact, the person accredited with these remarks was Dr. Juma Ngasongwa Minister for Empowerment, Investment& Planning. IPP Media did not state this or the fact that he had not been sued.
Instead of demonstrating a commitment to investigative journalism with a commitment to fighting corruption and good governance, the above media practice amounts to nothing short of a cowardly, deliberately inaccurate and abusive attack on the British investors, which appears to be nothing short of journalistic terrorism. All the publications are couched in a language of suspicion and unqualified accusations of guilt against Mr. Middleton and his staff. No right of reply was ever given and all viciously attack Mr. Middleton’s commercial interest and reputation, not only in Tanzania but worldwide given the articles were published on the Internet.
To conclude, Editors and Journalists in Tanzania, are urged to consider, whether or not, in Mr. Middleton’s case, IPP Media has engaged in accountable, investigative journalism in a manner that promotes good governance and transparency and fights the war against corruption and abuse power.
The answer to that question, should guide them in their decision as to whether of not, (as Reginald Mengi suggests they should) they wish to collaborate with IPP Media in setting a national agenda on fighting corruption and, will shape the future of journalist credibility and practice in Tanzania for years to come!
NOTE
(All noted publications and abuses of due process are a matter of public record for verification purposes)
All IPP Media articles written by Jackson Kimambo.
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