When we lost Amina Chifupa, the young female voice in parliament was dealt a severe blow. I wasn't sure that we would recover. I thought we'd be stuck in silence in that ghetto called Viti Maalum. Especially since Jay Kay was ill-advisedly suggesting even more special seats for women as a way to increase our political clout!
But I did notice that Amina hadn't been entirely alone: there was a quiet young woman in nerd chic glasses sitting somewhere behind Rashid Hamad Mohamed (CUF-Wawi). He tends to push up the bar and many parliamentarians sound remedial if they speak within half an hour of a contribution by the leader of the opposition. This first-time Special Seats MP did not suffer that problem as she earnestly clutched her written speeches with trembling fingers and powered through her stage fright.
I have yet to see her screaming like Anna Kilango Malecela of the overwhelmingly dramatic soliloquies. I'm conservative like that, I like my leaders to handle themselves when they are in their formal role.
I was very, very happy when she announced her Kawe candidacy (Christmas came early this year). Although it was a risk to endorse her on the blog* she came through like a champion. And now I get to have Halima Mdee as my very own shiny, brand-spanking newly elected, self-made-woman, kick-ass MP. I know it is a bad idea to fall for a politician, but The Gut tells me that this one might just be the one of the good eggs in the tray.
*The last time I totally bought into a young politician, he pitched a wobbly in his mid-term and I haven't been able to figure out his behavior since. Once bitten, twice shy.
Hongera Mdee! Mwanamke wa shoka wa ukweli!
ReplyDeleteGot too many reasons to follow the Bunge sessions this term. Honestly, I cant wait!
@SN: can't wait either. hongera na wewe, mdau mwenzangu. 2takajenga ka-nchi ketu ka-one step at a time.
ReplyDeleteNever heard her speak, I'm yet to read anything she wrote. I don't even know how she look like. But tangia atangazwe there is excitement across the isle. More power to her. We will be paying attention. I hope she will be independent enough and not controlled by Slaa, or Mr. Mbowe (who I think is incredibly incompetent).
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly, All I want from my MP is to be creative and sponsor legislations that will turn into TZ friendly/Pro development laws. Just to go there and making noise doesn't cut it. If she can be that, I'm all for it.
Quite frankly, all I want from my MP is exactly the same thing. But good legislation requires good legislators. The young MPs are going to start pushing for laws that make sense for 2010 looking forward. Some of our laws haven't been dusted off since the British left. Some of our MPs haven't been dusted off since the British left either :)
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