The Old Guard of the political elite is going through some tough times right now. Four ministerial resignations have done nothing but whet the appetite of the opposition, the media and much of the public for more bloodshed. Names are being thrown around with joyful abandon. It would seem that everyone and their grandma is a fisadi.*
It may be that we are having our first real generational power struggle. Our current president is just young enough to straddle the divide between the Nyerere generation and the post-ujamaa generation. He played this card heavily during the 2005 campaign to lure the youth vote, promising change in the form of a government that would be in touch with the needs of the current workforce and not in thrall to the gerontocracy.
As the fourth phase government does battle with the corruption Hydra, an interesting debate has emerged in various fora online and in the papers: is the clean-up sanctioned by Kikwete, or is it happening in spite of his wishes? Is JK an extremely canny strategist who is treading the dangerous path of getting rid of many of the people who helped him get into power, or is JK a helpless captive of revolutionary elements within and without the party? Weigh in folks.
*Fisadi: crook, seducer, corrupt person, vandal, villain, etc.
It may be that we are having our first real generational power struggle. Our current president is just young enough to straddle the divide between the Nyerere generation and the post-ujamaa generation. He played this card heavily during the 2005 campaign to lure the youth vote, promising change in the form of a government that would be in touch with the needs of the current workforce and not in thrall to the gerontocracy.
As the fourth phase government does battle with the corruption Hydra, an interesting debate has emerged in various fora online and in the papers: is the clean-up sanctioned by Kikwete, or is it happening in spite of his wishes? Is JK an extremely canny strategist who is treading the dangerous path of getting rid of many of the people who helped him get into power, or is JK a helpless captive of revolutionary elements within and without the party? Weigh in folks.
*Fisadi: crook, seducer, corrupt person, vandal, villain, etc.
This being my year of thinking positive, and because i desparately need to believe in a change for the better (while trying to crush the sneering cynic inside) - I vote for A Canny JK.
ReplyDeleteAnd then my Bongo side rears its head and votes for a bit of both because it's makes for great comedy material either way!