MPs Boredom Pill…?

I don’t want to sound like a prophet of doom, but as it is, Tanzania has a long way to go. Nonetheless, I find comfort in knowing that nothing stays the same. Life has never stopped providing plenty of surprises for all of us. Who knew, for instance, that Robert Mugabe would come to the point of hanging by the cliff’s edge?

So cheer up, Tanzania has better days ahead. I think that the Tanzanian society, especially those that want to keep the status quo, are failing to change and accept the fact that the Tanzanian society is being more informed. Folk are no longer glued to RTD or Uhuru newspaper for information. You could just get the juiciest stories from Jamboforums.

Again, let’s just see what will transpire five years from now.

In my previous post I reflected on the quality of the Tanzanian education. From my point of view, I really think that the Tanzanian education is missing one key ingredient, which is critical thinking. And I think most readers would agree with that.

So let’s just go this story, shall we?

In summary, the above story is about the MP for Kigoma North, Mr. Kabwe’s call for prohibition of MPs from becoming board members of parastatals or government wholly-owned corporations. Personally, I think the call is brilliant, since the central rationale behind that call is that MPs can’t have it both ways. That is, the MPs can’t be in both in the judicial and executive branches. Lawmakers must remain impartial and objective, ideally.

I have blogged on the notion of separation between the judicial and executive branch before. So Hon Kabwe is just picking up where I left.

So wouldn’t you expect that a “reputable” lawyer such as Hon. Nimrod Mkono to get it? Hardly. The guy is actually contending that prohibiting MPs from parastatals’ board membership is equivalent to injustice, since Parliament sessions are so short and that MPs will only end up being idle. Furthermore, Mr. Mkono contented that participation in board meetings would supplement MPs’ income.

Is that amazing or what?

Obviously, there is bucketful one can say about Mr. Mkono’s argument, the summary of which is simply stupidity. If our MPs are only productive during the Bunge sessions, then something is wrong. What about using the “off season” for communication with constituents, attraction of investments in their respective areas, review and research on upcoming and proposed bills, etc?

If we have to give MPs board membership as a boredom pill and a means of supplementing their income, then we are missing the core function of boards (wonder why profitable parastatals went under?). Furthermore, this argument from Mr. Mkono just solidifies our shortsightedness and stupidity as a nation.

Trust me; something is terribly wrong with the Tanzanian society. I am yet to be proven wrong on that. Seriously, if Mkono is a degreed individual and yet does not have a clear perspective, what about a poor uneducated farmer in rural Musoma?

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Photo Credit: Michuzi