Wednesday, February 13, 2008

EL: Just Couldn't Wait?

As I pointed out in my previous post, I don’t feel sorry for Mr. Lowassa. Obviously, I desire for him to repent for all his sins, but it is all up to him to do a soul search. Nevertheless, as far as his resignation is concerned, I just feel that “justice” was served. I am over 5,000 miles away from Tanzania, but the joy that the rest of Bongolanders felt when this guy announced his resignation, couldn’t just solidify my feelings even more.

We all transgress and hence beg for mercy and forgiveness at times. But forgiveness must come when one has seen the evil and wrong in them. Not my friend EL. He had to defend and justify his corrupt ways. The guy does not even feel an ounce of shame. Would you forgive a guy who is that arrogant?

Not in my court. And I think this guy is just evil. I am sorry to say that, but when a guy is not remorseful there must be plenty of ugliness brewing inside of them.

You know what though; I liked what the courage exhibited by MP Seleli, by challenging the former PM to swallow his own words and withdrew his stupid counterpunch. I just wonder why this story wasn’t widely publicized. But it was definitely juicy. Read on…

I do not evidence, but the vineyard in Tanzania has it that Mr. Lowassa started his corrupt ways a long time ago. That prompted the late Nyerere to carry out a negative campaign against this guy. That story could somehow be construed to be true, given the fact that Mr. Lowassa was eventually dropped from the Cabinet by President Mkapa in 2000. Given that Mkapa was handpicked by Nyerere, dropping Mr. Lowassa from the Cabinet was done by Mkapa to appease Nyerere.

Could it be that Mkapa was all hypocritical and not loyal to Nyerere? According to IPP Media, Mkapa brought Mr. Lowassa back to glory following the 2000 elections . Is it just mere coincidence that the reinstatement of Lowassa to a ministerial post was done after Nyerere’s death in 1999? You be the judge.

We all know that the Mkapa ended being just as corrupt as Mr. Lowassa himself.

I think I am getting off track. Let me steer my mind back to where I was going with this.

In Tanzania, Mr. Lowassa is regarded to be the president’s buddy, best buddy to be exact. I think there is nothing wrong with having your friend help you run the government. That is because a friend is in the best position to understand your ambition, goals and vision. That also works out great when such goals and visions are positive and meant to advance the country. Ideally, Mr. Lowassa could have helped Mr. Kikwete be the best Tanzanian president ever.

Time will tell if Kikwete is not another Mkapa in terms of corruption. Nonetheless, if Mr. Kikwete turns out to be of a different breed, then Mr. Lowassa is and will be in a very awkward position. That is, Mr. Lowassa will forever be regarded as a stupid PM who selfishly betrayed his friend. Mr. Lowassa will forever be regarded as the worst friend because a good friend doesn’t steal from a friend’s pockets. A good political friend doesn’t smear a friend’s government with dirt. But guess what? Mr. Lowassa just violated those friendship “codes”.

Of all stinky things that Mr. Lowassa could have done, to jump on the very first country crisis that Mr. Kikwete faced as a president to set in motion his corruption machine was the worst.

Try to imagine that.

It is scary to imagine that on the very first country crisis, the PM rolled out his corruption guns. Try to imagine what he could have done in ten years potentially as a PM. Try to imagine the fact that the guy was in a position to become the Tanzanian president in about 8 years.

Given that Mr. Lowassa, who was already stinking rich in Tanzanian terms, couldn’t wait for a couple of years before dipping his fingers into the government honey pot speaks volume about his character. And to me, that character is a stench of evil.

Unfortunately, Mr. Kikwete didn't know that. Or did he?
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Photo Credit: www.kikweteshein.com

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