The Weekly Sneak: On to the Next Thing

Well, it's not like I can NOT comment on the new cabinet thing even if I didn't want to. A little independence is one thing, but when a columnist starts to get too "self-directed" (i.e. out of touch with trending stories) then she might be inviting The Men In Nairobi to reconsider her contract, and not in a good way. As some former Ministers can tell you, performance reviews are a (insert your word of choice). As I am not a details girl, I have left all in-depth plumbing of the implications of the new appointments to those who are more competent. Instead, I have tried to offer a look beyond:

"Lookingat the arc of events that has led us to this point as a collective, I wouldhave to say that the prognosis looks good right now. We might just be learninghow to finesse our political processes with an eye to useful governance, whichis a step on the road to the unattainable idea of great governance. Now that we’redoing slightly better at this Executive and Legislature business, it might betime to turn our attentions to some of the other lurking behemoths: theJudiciary and that most important institution of all, the Civil Service."

It isn't hard for me to stir myself into a frenzy of nationalistic fervor, but so rarely does an opportunity come along to do so because things are going well. Political optimists, you know, we really have to work hard not to come across as desperately naive and/or clinically insane. But this Cabinet thing, good stuff, and an excellent jump-off point to look at our other institutions. So much work to be done! Feel that energy? Feel it? Yeah. :)

Perceptions of "Aggression" in East Africa

So this blogpost goes out to Njore, who asked for it.

What are the differing perceptions of aggression in East Africa? My experience is fairly limited, but I do know far more than my fair share of what some Kenyans think of themselves, and of Tanzanians, thanks to Facebook's chat feature. Here's what my handful of Kenyan correspondents think of themselves: that they have a monopoly on "aggression" in the region, which is a substitute word for all kinds of qualities. Aggression as I have seen it used can mean a strong work ethic, timeliness, speedy delivery, a refusal to tolerate bad or slow service and a willingness to firmly demand your due. In some instances, aggression meant violence, and I guess we have seen Kenya at breaking point in 2007.

Here's what they think about Tanzanians: that we lack this vital quality, entirely to our detriment. Oh, and that we've got a lazy grace to us, we're puzzlingly polite in circumstances that don't require it, that our language is dead sexy.

... ahem.

In the interest of free and open dialogue I am going to pass on this opportunity to state my opinion about the matter. Instead, I'd like to open the discussion up to whoever might be reading, and familiar with our corner of the planet. Fellow East Africans, and experts on the region, what do you think? What's your perception of the "aggression" factor of the various EAC member states and what does it do for them? See you in the comments section.

Trending: Creative Commentary

Good Tanzanian political fiction is in short supply, for the same reason that fiction is in short supply in Tanzania. We are only just beginning to unfurl our intellectual wings and get into the swing of a creative culture that goes beyond the oral forms. It is a large gap to fill and I won't even pretend that I have my finger on the pulse here- I can't remember the last time this crazy city life actually let me finish a book. However two really excellent developments have come about recently:

First is this bitingly sharp satirical Tanzanian news blog: My Tanzanian News. At the moment the team behind this brilliance is keeping a low profile but hopefully they will come out of hiding. In the meantime I really hope this is not a short-lived affair because they know exactly where to stick the knife in while keeping things light. That is a skill I seriously admire.

And secondly, Vijana FM have introduced a story-chain titled 'Beyond The Global Eye.' In brief, it is a fictional story that provides a platform to discuss international media, investigative journalism, social and political issues and globalization with an international cast of characters and a Tanzanian recurrent theme. I haven't come across anything like this before and as a true believer in the power of fiction to tell truths I am very excited about the experiment. So far only two authors have contributed but it is open to submissions from the public. To date there are three episodes with two more in the works. I strongly advise you check it out- current affairs are discussed in a most thinly veiled manner and the characters are engaging.

The Weekly Sneak: Pro-Government Conservatism

This week, I am being exceedingly conservative in The East African... please prepare for some very dry musings. I need a little time to make sense of what's actually going on under the nose and daily assault of information. Also, recent activities that placed me on the outer peripheries of several movement/activist type initiatives have got me recoiling into my staunch pacifist corner again:

"The reason it is worth raising these concerns now is that hand in hand with an escalation in violent conflict between Tanzanians and their government there there is a worrying trend in the forums of free expression that live online. Empty and not-so empty threats are not uncommon as more and more young men- why is it always the young men- are threatening to 'do anything' to liberate themselves from the state's oppression. Hate speech is creeping up on us. Trouble is, we are standing on the brink of deepening our democracy significantly in the next three years. The question is whether we will take our inspiration from the Obama school of social change, or have we already bred a generation of Julius Malemas?"

Beware the populist leader, I say.

Worse yet, I am actually heaping some praise on the Kikwete administration for its commitment to democracy. My Celebrident might frustrate the living daylights out of me from time to time but at the end of the day he hasn't given me reason to fear that he has gone rogue. The trickle-down effects of his Tanzania-first attitude have been beneficial and I believe in giving credit where credit is due. While I can never join the party, I have no trouble with appreciating it's utility and competencies:

"It is worth repeating here that the current President has remained staunch in his avoidance of straight autocracy. With a Party chairman willing to exercise a bit of authority in order to retain as much of the spirit of 'public good' as he can manage, CCM has proved itself to be the chameleonic, learning organization that is smart enough to follow the winds of change. And as long as it is willing to flex and adapt to the times, however small the adjustments may be, then Tanzania retains a fighting chance, which is entirely different from the chance to fight. There is something to be said for that, and it is a lesson that I hope opposition parties are paying attention to."

Is Aid a Right?

No. Aid is many things, but a right it is not. Thanks for reading.

Three Opinions From Outside of This Box

There's a nice little culture of informed dissent fomenting in the online TZ intellectual life these days. Here are three recent independent pieces that provided some solid critiques and alternative perspectives:

Jason Lakin of the International Budget Partnership takes exception to the "political will" explanation for what really creates political change: at least as applied to politicians. While I don't think all politicians are devoid of the capacity to serve the greater good, I think he's right to call out civil society on our willful blindness to the mechanics of political change in favor of fuzzy ideals and easy catch-phrases:

Consider recent events in India: Anna Hazare, public crusader, ended his hunger strike a couple of weeks ago after persuading parliamentarians to strengthen an anti-corruption Bill. For 12 days, Hazare did not eat. Large numbers of Indian citizens took to the streets to support his cause. And then, parliament capitulated. Did parliamentarians suddenly discover their missing “political will”? They did not. They discovered instead the will of Indian voters.

Omar Ilyas takes exception to Chadema's recent political activities and the unholy mess they are trying to create in our political culture. It has to be said, I concur with him and have been waiting for exactly this kind of focused critique of Chadema's strategy. I want to like this party (although they are Conservative) and I am trying to respect the handful of keen minds that they have put in parliament. My MP is in league with this band of agitators. I think many of us are having to pull away because their actions are long past indefensible and heading towards threatening. If this party wants to reclaim its quality support, Omar's first paragraph pretty much says it all. This is about defending a political culture that has taken us decades to perfect: (apologies: its too pretty to translate into English and I am too lazy this morning. Please for to ask the Google Translate):

"Matukio ya hivi karibuni ambayo yamefanikiwa kupata nafasi ya juu katika vyombo vya habari kuhusiana na Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) yamenijengea mtazamo kuwa ili CHADEMA kushinda katika safari ndefu iliyonayo kama mtawala mbadala kinapaswa kushindwa sasa."

Hafiz Juma of the TEDxDar team- and Chairman of the Dar es Salaam Beard Afficionado Club- responds to M.G. Vassanji's recent article on what's going on with Tanzania. Just to give you a little taster, because there's a lot more where this comes from and you might need the dictionary in your Dashboard:

"There is a glossing over of historical context to the point of obtuse condescension as well as a misleading representation of everyday realities and governance processes demonstrated through confounding contradictions that periodically appear in the prose. This is not intended to be an admonition but rather a critical examination (albeit a meek one) of what I feel to be a skewed perspective."

Morning Constitutional

I was trying to squeeze the last drops of sleep out of my Saturday morning when The World's Best Housekeeper switched on the radio. And just like that I was up and out of bed: someone was discussing the constitution! To be precise, ITV and Radio One were broadcasting the second discussion on the proposed Bill to review the constitution that's going to appear in Bunge Anytime Now. They are holding these debates at the University of Dar es Salaam, and Nkrumah Hall was overflowing with young men and the odd young woman. The front rows held all the usual suspects: a row of professors, lawyerly types, opposition politicians and other famous talking heads.

Happy days. It's easy to focus on what's not functioning in a system, makes for better copy most of the time, but the truth is that part of this blog's work is to document (haphazardly) the democratic evolution of this one African polity. We're doing alright, yeah. I don't think my parent's generation was personally invested in the constitution in their day- these were not matters that plebs discussed when there was Nyerere to tell us how to think and what to do and when to do it. My generation does not have that luxury, nor do we want it.

Which is why I had to roll out of bed- we're breaking new ground here. No Bananas and Oranges, no oversimplification, no donor-interests in the driver's seat. Just straight up talking about how we want the country to be run- that's the stuff of democracy. And it's happening at the hill. That's a quiet achievement worth celebrating.

No, we're not likely to pull a South Africa. If the constitution does get amended, I expect we'll have a lot of hair-pulling and name-calling left to do. As it is the Commission that is tasked with doing this review is working under dodgy circumstances, as Presidential commissions are wont to do- no transparency. The opposition parties are doing their fire and brimstone thing, obviously hoping that someone will give them a fight so that they can look like political martyrs. CCM- conspicuously, and wisely, absent. Quality of discussion: variable.

But all of these are expected hiccups on the road to a new and improved constitution. At least if we do this one thing and pass the Bill, the door will be opened up and we'll do more as time and public opinion dictates. My favorite part: this older gentleman stood up and pointed out that public servants have forgotten themselves and gone feral. How is it that we have allowed our public sector to run off unhinged and start dictating to We The People how things must be done? A complete perversion of the governance relationship if there ever was one. We are a democracy, after all and this babu had reminded us of a crucial truth.

Too often we forget that the government is here to serve us, and not vice versa.

I only have the one worry when it comes to this constitutional review thing: freedom of expression. Watching the discussion, it is obvious that the moderator is trying to control the crowd so that nothing too offensive gets said. On the one hand, this is fine: courtesy by all means. On the other hand, the moderator is stifling contributors. It's a fine balance and I don't know if he's getting it right. I'm watching a young man having a Live TV meltdown over his problems: cost of living, hard life, corruption. Very vigorous, but totally offpoint. Not to mention hysterical.

Ah well. At least we're talking, neh?

Celebrating Womanhood 2011

Okay, I set up a kind of open-ended questionnaire so that we could have a little fun on the blog with Women's Day. Again: things get heavy- you know? So I like to lighten things up from time to time. Which evidently works for some folks because the sarcastometer in the comments section is tickling me something fierce. Okay, let's play:

1. Are you a feminist? Are you gendered male or female? (stop sniggering, these are perfectly valid terms).
Yes, I am a feminist (philosophically and practically). I am gendered female and happily in touch with my masculine side.

2. What do you think of the feminist movement in Tanzania?
It could be better. For sure.

3. What's the one thing you think African women could use a little help with?
Anonymous had it right: independent income. But I think I would end it at "Independent"

4. Which woman do you most admire in the world, and why? (Note: I know you loves your mama, but not today. Keep that for mama's day and give some other lady a chance). Meryl Streep. I like her shaggy-ass self. She's like the concentrated version of womanhood, a stock reduced to gelee. Essential, really. I also have a fine hankering to be Halima Mdee for the political opportunity, but one life at a time. Or, like, Angela Basset. The list goes on.m, ..

5. Which one is better to watch on TV: Soccer, Rugby or Tennis?
Rugby. Mh-hm.

6. Angelina Jolie: Hot? Not? Why?
Yawn. While my masculine side appreciates much across the board, them puffy lips and crazy eyes don't do it for me. Oh well.

7. Do you know what infibulation is? (if you must describe, please keep it clean).
Yes, and Google it. Then think about it.

8. FGM: torture and abuse or culture and tradition?
Torture and abuse masquerading as culture and tradition.

9. Feminists are making a mountain out of a molehill: true or false?
False. So, very, false.

10: Who is your favorite Tanzanian politician? (sorry. I couldn't resist. I just couldn't)
I would tell you but not only is s/he completely inappropriate, I have enough problems justifying my political views on the blog as it is without owning up to preferences that are not shallow. Politicians are like crack: whack but somehow you go back.

11. Special seats: difficult subject. I am engaged in this and the deeper i go, the more I try to understand and respect the issue... the more things slip away from me. for example: i am not inclined towards affirmative action. But- where would women be in this society without it? then again- was it the religious (Muslim and Christian) influence that truncated our experience in and belief in women's power? ... it's a journey. I don't have the answers. But asking the questions is so much fun. And there's some living to be done, so onwards.

e.

The F-word Survey 2011

This year, I am on top of International Women's Day. Yay! I almost always miss this one, which is embarrassing, but this year I can build up towards it. It's been a bit doom and gloom around here lately hasn't it? Let's do a little affirmation instead. I want to throw this one to the readers, by asking you a few questions and hoping you will participate in the comments section. Feel free to ignore the questions and say what you want to in the comments section anyways as long as it pertains to Women's Day in whatever oblique way. Cheers :)

1. Are you a feminist? Are you gendered male or female? (stop sniggering, these are perfectly valid terms).
2. What do you think of the feminist movement in Tanzania?
3. What's the one thing you think African women could use a little help with?
4. Which woman do you most admire in the world, and why? (Note: I know you loves your mama, but not today. Keep that for mama's day and give some other lady a chance)
5. Which one is better to watch on TV: Soccer, Rugby or Tennis?
6. Angelina Jolie: Hot? Not? Why?
7. Do you know what infibulation is? (if you must describe, please keep it clean).
8. FGM: torture and abuse or culture and tradition?
9. Feminists are making a mountain out of a molehill: true or false?
10: Who is your favorite Tanzanian politician? (sorry. I couldn't resist. I just couldn't)

Wreak havoc in the inbox and see y'all soon, and lightheartedly, in a few. Oh, and feel free to suggest some questions/topics too.

The King's Diary: No Revolution Here

Dear Me,

The uprising in the Arab countries keeps hounding me. Even the opposition is inspired by them, threatens me with popular protest and calls for change. I am not worried. Things are firmly under control. Except that … isn’t this what Arab King colleagues thought as well?

What might my people be upset about? Recently,

1. my police killed peaceful protesters,
2. power rationing was stepped up,
3. an army base exploded,
4. and we started harassing street vendors in earnest.
5. Meanwhile it turned out that kids in secondary school don’t learn a thing,
6. student loan corruption was exposed and
7. we sold our pride by begging the Great Nations for more free money.

Then there are the usual irritations of economic hardship, rising inequality, unavailability of clean water, traffic jams, rising food prices, no jobs, my buddies benefiting big time from mining contracts, huge tax exemptions for my supporters, a failed rail network, delays at the port, an exploding budget deficit and of course the never ending electricity arbitration saga.

But I also have things going for me. Let’s see:

1. the Kingdom is stable,
2. my efforts to distribute bed nets and to fight malaria work.

Hmmmm…, a bit unbalanced. Still I am convinced my approach to power will keep the lid on the situation. The TKP’s approach is so much more subtle and effective when it comes to repression than the overt repression the Arab Nations relied on. First we restrict economic opportunities such that the middle class remains small. Then the TKP uses violence only occasionally. And if we do, we announce it ahead of time giving the disloyal time to flee.

Instead of using violence, the TKP has perfected the art of creating fear. Announcing someone’s imminent death helps spread fear about how ruthless the TKP can be. And then there is the fear of poverty. TKP members know it is dead easy to get kicked out of the party and lose one’s benefits. It is simple for us to finish off a successful business by sending the Kingdom’s Revenue Authority (KRA), to ruin an obstinate peasant with a court case, to blacklist recalcitrant consultants and NGOs, to make sure the children of vocal citizens are denied access to school and to send the career of a civil servant into a nosedive by spreading rumors.

As long as the TKP uses these approaches sporadically but to great effect, it creates huge uncertainty. This combination of fear and uncertainty is really effective. It makes my subjects so unclear about my real powers that they prefer to swallow their pride and instead of speaking out they choose to self-censor and behave themselves.

Once the Arab disaster has settled I am sure other Kings would like to study the TKPs approach to staying in power. Till that time, I’ll keep quiet thus adding to the myth of being in control. Meanwhile I hope the Bedouin King holds out and throws his country into civil war. It will do wonders for my credibility when warning my subjects not to protest or face instability. Not that the latter is likely. My Kingdom does not have oil or diamonds worth fighting over and I don’t believe my army will support me when forced to choose between supporting me or the people. Hmmmm… maybe this is the right time to take some of my subjects’ grievances serious.

The Constitution

It has been a quiet time in the political scene. Okay, maybe not but I have been taking a news break and so far not even the WikiLeaks saga has managed to suck me back into the vortex. But this Constitution thing, it's got me itching. Twitching.

But first I have to ask, on the right hand side in a poll: have you read the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania?

Tanzanian Exceptionalism?

This is an idea that has been rolling around my head for a while. And it's probably going to take a bit of doing to explain. But here's a start:

Emergent Democracy.* It's a concept I have only stumbled upon recently after thinking that the idea of emergence shouldn't belong to economics alone (emergent market). Yeah, I know. I move slow. Now, onto the good stuff:

-"action of many individual participants"

- "complex and unpredictable results"

- "efficiency beyond the comprehension of any individual participant"

- and my favorite bit: "Supporters of the idea point to instances in which bloggers have brought about political change by posting about issues that mainstream media had not paid much attention to..."

Now: comparative political analysis has it's uses but I have felt for years that Africa is underserved in this area by her many polities, ethno-political complexity, geographic variety and impenetrability, structural racism, ignorance fuelled by spotty documentation, and general misunderstoodness. None of which are new complaints amongst Africanist scholars, I'm just cribbing from those who've gone before and standing on the shoulders of giants.

This mash-up of convoluted thinking is trying to address how strange comparisons happen: the Kenya/Tanzania pairing for example. I think it makes more sense to do a Tanzania/South Africa pairing in the post-colonial context if one counts South Africa's independence as having happened in 1994. Which is when the emergent market concept kicks in nicely. Kenya/Tanzania? What, because of geographic proximity? That's just lazy. Yes, even if we're going all EAC. It's still lazy.

But that's just one layer. Evidently there is a technological/communications component: it seems that social media is an integral factor of emergent democracy as a concept. Not to mention the way it introduces/acknowledges complexity by embracing the idea of multiple actors outside of the traditional roles (legislator, executive, judge) without devolving the discussion to something as trite as single-issue lobbying.

And so it makes sense in my head to think of Tanzania as one of the emergent democracies on the continent: diverse population, diverse agendas, complex interrelations. Democracy at work however compromised it may appear to an external observer (the system does in fact self-correct for balance. or peace. and no, you don't get to choose how.). Modernist habits- the adoption of IT technologies, leap-frogging stuff like a cumbersome landlines parastatal telephone system. Entrepreneurial spirit and political savvy. These are just a few of the significant positives that Tanzania could continue to build upon.

Which means, naturally, that there are significant negatives threatening to drag us down too. Beginning with oversimplification: our decades-long public-education mess is not serving us well. I have heard keen-minded colleagues in the field of political analysis say things that are shockingly dubious about our history. And then cling to antiquated notions against all evidence of research, articles and voluble argumentation. That's messed up. If idealism and conservatism constantly trump evidence and dynamic thinking we're gonna tie ourselves up in knots.

Put down the verbal gun. I'll be the first to admit: I had to leave the country to learn the country, if you know what I mean. Yeah. Try buying a well-researched, totally dependable collection of books on Tanzanian history and let me know how that went for you, bongolander. Being kept uninformed about the gritty bits of our contemporary history is a part of the social contract that I think we should push to renegotiate in a global kind of sense.

But that's just one layer. There's the real issue of haves and have-nots: what's our mechanism for handling economic stratification? America advances the idea of universal opportunity: if you just work hard enough you too shall be a millionaire. Now, it's a nice little bedtime story and we all know it doesn't quite work out that simply. Still, as a national ethos... it's pretty positive. Constructive. Non-partisan. It's got non-Americans skipping on planes to go find their streets of gold in a country that isn't nearly as kind to immigrants as it's PR campaign suggests.

The Tanzanian social contract is sort of libertarian with heavy doses of social liberalism. Social stratification is a lived reality for Tanzanians of all walks of life, as economic enclaving is almost impossible here. Perhaps one major factor, often overlooked, is the fact that the state owns land in Tanzania and only leases it to citizens for prescribed periods of time. Which means that this business of going Happy Valley and shooting trespassers is not done with impunity here. All to say, it can be hard to be entirely untouchable here as some folks from the previous government may have found out to their surprise. I like it that way- keeps us honest, lean and mean.

Tuesday 23rd November: I completely forgot to mention a major factor in the social contract! Corruption. We point our fingers upwards and knock our politicians about for stealing public funds- and they deserve it. However, we also don't talk about the fact that living in Tanzania these days means hustling and you can bet your bottom shilling that most every adult has at one point or another deliberately initiated or engaged in corrupt practices for their own gain. So it's structural. I don't really know how this fits in with the emergent democracy framework, or if it does. Might be more of a cultural issue- one man's nepotism is another man's family duty.

Another layer: emergent democracies are not all that common. Not really. It takes a certain fluidity, technophilia, mental flexibility and creativity to live and thrive as an emergent democracy. I think that Tanzania, in her post-colonial history, has proved that she's got what it takes to adapt to the various situations thrown up by a rapidly changing, ever-competitive world. Doubt me? Look at how we handle our elections. It might not be perfect, but it's a far cry from Kenya (eish), Uganda (puh-leeze), Burundi (hm?), Rwanda (democracy? heh.), Congo (basketcase), Zambia (mh.), Malawi (mh.), and Mozambique (meh. maybe).

Thing is, it's not about superiority or inferiority. Here's how Asia has always been a touch more privileged than Africa as a developing continent. See, Japanese folks don't get subjected to anxiety dreams over what Indians are doing. Because no one is confused about whether Asia is a country or a continent. Both polities, both cultures are respected in their individual right as they work the nation-state model. Africa? Not so much. Why is it that on this most diverse of continents we don't embrace the fundamental idea of real diversity? With functionality as the only real measure of success? Sure, there are fifty-plus polities. What's wrong with the idea that they are all exceptional, and worthy of study in their own right?

I think that only after this level of respect for individual polities has run it's course will it make sense to talk about a pan-African identity and accept the demands of massification/ manufactured collectivization. Europe still won't get it together, and it's taken them how many millenia? Enough said. Gonna end here for this foray and see what turns up in the comments section :) Be gentle. Heh.

*Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is tugging my heartstrings for money. I would give him some if I wasn't perpetually embroiled in a fight with my bankers over the quality of their retail services. Still, what a fantastic resource is Wiki? Sigh.

Politics and Media: The Party That Gagged Itself

The Establishment is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to political material to blog about. CCM has shown creativity in its campaign media strategy. However it recently earned itself the distinction of being the only party in Tanzania that is hostile to dialogue. That's right: a political party that is hostile to dialogue during the campaign season of a general election year. WWNT*?

A couple of weeks ago CCM forbade its candidates from participating in political debates. This blanket ban covers presidential, parliamentary and local government candidates and includes private and public media as well as political rallies. CCM has decided to do this during the 2010 elections that mark the dawn of both the media age and democratic competition in Tanzania. Stop laughing, I couldn't make up this kind of PR disaster if I was paid to do it.

There is no bigger gift that CCM could have given the opposition than their silence. These days, tune into the radio or any of the major TV stations and you are likely to trip over a political debate. The beauty of the exercise is that candidates are invited to these debates, deferring the costs of having to place ads and packaged messages to promote their manifestos. An opportunity that the opposition has embraced and CCM has chosen to ignore

A couple of nights ago, My Lady of the Sly Smiles called me to tune into ITV. Veteran journalist and agent provocateur Jenerali Ulimwengu was moderating a debate between youth candidates from the opposition at the Kilimanjaro Kempinski. Some of those candidates are very seriously impressive. One or two even displayed gravitas, a nice characteristic to have as a politician. The empty CCM spot stuck out like a missing tooth in a supermodel's smile. In protest, one older gentleman in the audience captured the mike and asked the GoP in absentia a rather irate question. Heh.

There is a saying that 'tis better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt. Running for office must be the exception to the rule. Even in the public-image-driven US where a number of leaders have been superbly dense (Quayle, Bush II, Palin...), ways have been found to manage the situation. The same could be done, surely, at the presidential candidate level. For all his accessibility and genuine love of people, Celebrident Kikwete does NOT do spontaneous Q&A sessions with the press around. It is one of the wonderfully bizarre contradictions of President The Fourth's character, and his administration.

Through its gag-order, CCM is deliberately giving up on the most critical media, as Jiang Alipo points out:

"TV is even more intimate than the closed meetings they have which only die hard CCM members and leaders attend. A candidate explaining his/her policies on my TV screen is more intimate; it feels more like one is talking to me in my seating room. The good thing about TV debate is that we see the communication skills of the candidates, particularly those capable to debate issues and answer questions about important issues direct from the voters."

It may be that this decision is based on CCM's belief that it will win no matter what, that the opposition poses a negligible threat, and that voters are content to elect a party that does not respect their intellect. The implicit message is that CCM don't have to work for our vote, they just assume we'll give it to them. What a brave notion. Alternatively, the gag order is an act of sheer desperation. Maybe the Party believes that it will be used to mop the floor clean if it engages with the opposition and with voters in policy debates. If that's the case, I would have to encourage the Party to gird its loins. Better prove to be a fool in public than give off the pungent odor of political cowardice.

*WWNT= What Would Nyerere Think? Ruling parties are often prone to desperately bad PR decisions, but this one surely deserves a prize. The ghost of Mwalimu is probably crying at the sight of such political incompetence.

Elections 2010: Zenji

I did the usual survey of political opinions in Zenji while I was there the past week. From the man on the street, it sounds as though the predictions for the coming elections are positive. Taxi Driver Number One told me that Zanzibaris were only waiting for the elections to formalize the coalition government since Maalim Seif is the favorite candidate. Taxi Driver Number Two confirmed this, and the only CCM member I could corner said something along similar lines. Other things that I learned: Zanzibar is interested in renegotiating the terms of the Union in it's favor, consensus politics are preferable to oppositional politics, Eid ul Fitr gets celebrated for four days straight (!), the Zanzibari/Zanzibara distinction is alive and well.

The mood on the island was quite relaxed as far as I could tell, even though there were more campaign posters than there are Zanzibaris. Upon leaving, I got a bit of ribbing about not hanging around to see the vote... but much as I would love to watch Zanzibar ease in a genuine coalition government, elections is no time for a mainlander to be hanging around without a press pass.

Back in Dar, I got The Question from the two drivers I regularly work with and one electrician: what's going on in Zenji? In the discussions, seems like everyone is interested and invested in the outcome of this election, and the overall message is quite clear- party politics are all well and good, but this time around people are voting for individuals. Evidently, the High Court needs to get on the independent candidate wagon already...

Despot Needed, Please Enquire Inside.

So, the people have spoken via a non-scientific blog poll and they have said loud and clear that they aren't too strongly attached to their personal freedoms. 50% of respondents are in favor of a benevolent dictatorship, two people want in on Perfect Steak Quest, two of you don't care how things get done so long as they are done, and one person is actually in favor of democracy (and the sole winner of the Mikocheni Report Virtual Hug Prize).

Seriously? I guess it is a good thing we're not having a referendum about this democracy business.

Still, I think that this year's elections are already proving to be extraordinary because of the heightened focus on the primary stages, the parliamentary candidates and local government elections. We're expanding and improving our democracy even as we express our discontent with it. Typical.

Public Interest Intellectualism

I came across a recent paper by Amb. J.V. Mwapachu on the University of the Future in Africa,* discussing the policy side of tertiary education and the place of academia in development. In it, I found this opinion quoted:

"In his critical paper, 'From Neo Liberalism to Pan Africanism: Towards reconstructing an Easter African Discourse.' Shivji laments, in the context of the impact of neo-liberalism on higher education in Africa, that the "public intellectual, whose vocation is to comment, protest, caricaturise, satirise, analyse, and publicise the life around him or her is rapidly becoming history."

Part of this might be explained by the gap between the analogue and digital generations. Professor, may I introduce you to the blogosphere? Comment, protest, caricature, satire? Check. Analysis, publicizing the life around? Check, check, check. Nonetheless, I think Mzee has highlighted a crucial point- at least one major part of the public intellectual's discourse was the discussion of Ideas.

While I would like to assure Prof. Shivji that there are some young intellectuals working in the sphere of public discourse through various means- newspaper articles, online fora, discussion panels- I don't know that this is necessarily done as frequently in blogging, where we tend to focus on events and people/celebrity. In my experience, the pressure in blogging is to get as close to the event horizon of whatever is current in your areas of interest. This does not leave much room, or sympathy, for broader ruminations.

I have also been struck by the fact that there is a gendered aspect to this field. Surprise! There are just not enough female or feminist intellectuals sticking their oar in the stream of 'hard' public discourse. But that's a tangent- what I wanted to say is that the above quote does point to a vacuum in our public discourse: the discussion of those Ideas on which our plans and actions are supposedly based. For instance, how do we perceive our practice of democracy today in Tanzania- should we be content with personality politics? Are our gender roles are in keeping with our 'utu' philosophy on the worth of human life? What about the concept of excellence in animal husbandry (small-holding, humane treatment and transport infrastructure) that might result in The Perfect Steak being an exemplary product of Tanzanian agricultural prowess- is that supported by Kilimo Kwanza?

To kick it back to our education system, I haven't really seen much evidence of it being geared towards developing critical thinking and the creativity, independence and daring required to innovate. That might be something to worry about when talking about the University of the Future. Anyways, here's a little treat I found about a different form of intelligence for those of you with an inner geek . Have a thoughtful weekend.

* 'The University of the Future: Perspectives for Tanzania.' Paper presented by Amb. Dr. Juma V. Mwapachu, Secretary General, East African Community, at the Tanzania Higher Education Forum on "Universities for Sustainable Development: Trends, Prospects and Challenges," Arusha, 12th May 2010.

The Morality of Tanzanian Schoolgirls

Just caught a Saturday radio program targeting women. La Dee did mention something interesting: Saturday morning is a strange time to broadcast with women in mind seeing as 99% of us are busy taking care of the chores that couldn't fit in the week, double-and triple-burden lives that we live.

Anyways, today's issue was schoolgirls pregnancies which isn't a topic I can walk past without taking a glance. It was not as encouraging a debate as I had hoped. Aside from the first guest, an NGO activist agitating on behalf of women's education, the discussion revolved around the thorny issue of 'morality.' Not social mores mind you, just the 'morality' or lack thereof of schoolgirls who get pregnant.

I was forced to conclude that Tanzania must be the only country in the world where young women of school-going age manage to self-impregnate, saucy little hermaphrodites that they are. Our solution: kick them out of school. Because pregnant teen mothers with a truncated education is what we need in order to combat poverty.

During the program, they ran the Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA) radio ad encouraging women to stand for office and encouraging us to vote for them because They Can. Not to be cynical or anything, but 40+ years of women in politics in Tanzania and we still have shockingly medieval laws on the right to choose, child custody, inheritance, divorce, asset ownership, freedom from sexual violence, sexual harassment, glass ceilings, age of consent... I've run out of breath. And this is with one third of our parliament made up of affirmative action special seats MPs whose only- ONLY- job is to represent the concerns of their gender.

Hm. One strategy might be to vote in opposition candidates in every constituency that puts up a woman and kill three birds with one stone: kick Umoja wa Wanawake Tanzania in their gonads by reducing their elected presence, increasing the number of women voted into office and increasing the opposition's share of government. In the hopes that any woman smart and strong enough to make it into elected office will have the big brass ones she'll need to slay our patriarchal demons.

Maybe then those slutty schoolgirls who regularly experience the miracle of immaculate conception might have a fighting chance.

On Inequality.

I asked a question a couple of days ago, and got some thoughtful answers in the comments section. Just wanted to share some highlights: gapminder.com. It is awesome. And then this:

and:

accompanied by this:

"Will more recent data show an increase in inequality, since many of the mouth-watering shangingis you saw are probably newer than 2007 models? I daren’t hazard a guess. But an interesting question suggested itself to me, and I want to ask it of you as a sociologist: does a higher gini coefficient – more inequality – lead to more aspiration and motivation for self-improvement among the people, or does it engender more resentment and desperation?"

Reminds me of a discussion we had in my Soc. days when Prof. Washington (I think it was him) was telling us about a study which showed that in the U.S. Airforce, where promotions come faster and 'easier' than in the Army, the levels of entitlement and discontent amongst airmen was higher than amongst soldiers who were used to the idea of a long hard slog to the top. To tease that out a little, the answer to the inequality/social consequences question has to examine people's expectations and their experience and perceptions of social mobility and social justice.

I don't know if there is a universal answer to that question- societies differ considerably in their tolerance of inequality. America is exceptional in its ludicrous insistence on "equality" but under Pax Americana many of us have acquired an aversion to inequality. Not a bad ideal, just a bit out of touch with human reality and sadly insensate to human history.

I will venture this opinion on the responses to inequality in Bongoland: inequality is breeding some motivation for self-improvement amongst the minority who have reason to believe they can be socially mobile, and resentment and desperation in the majority that knows that upward mobility is unlikely in their case.

Those of us who have a solid education- one that imparts skills rather than rote learning- are in the minority but entirely cognizant that this is an asset in a hungry and protectionist job market. Some of us are choosing crooked ways to get where we need to go (yes ten-percenter, I am talking about you) and some of us are happily working away to become part of that beautiful and important modern institution: the middle class. And it really is a worker's market- is there any industry or profession in this country that couldn't do with more competent people? This middle class has the potential to build up all the other institutions we so crave in order to achieve a western-model modernity: professional associations, service industries, small- and medium-sized businesses, intellectuals, professionals, innovators, etc. We believe in social mobility irrespective of gender, race or religion because education and employability are more important- and useful. And we abhor inequality, as long as this belief does not interfere with our cushy lives.

Then there are the barbarians at the gate. Dubious literacy and numeracy thanks to a shockingly inept public education system and a brutally unconcerned government. Exploited mercilessly by petty rural officials, ignored by the primate city and her big-time officials. Young men flooding to Dar looking for any job to put food on the table, send money home and maybe earn them enough to afford a family. Pregnant schoolgirls who get expelled. Grandmothers raising their offspring's children who died of AIDS. No roads. No electricity. No market for surplus goods. Splashed with mud by passing Shangingis. These guys, Aidan, are the ones throwing rocks at the ministerial and presidential motorcades. They are righteously pissed off. They are thinking that maybe this democracy thing is a load of bullshit, and that "development" is a scam run by twice-a-year Mzungu visitors and their local enablers. Missionaries are exempted.

Nyerere gave us a gift and a curse when he told us that every Tanzanian was worth as much as any other Tanzanian. He built a nation on this dreamer's fallacy, and inculcated us with a slightly useless human rights perspective of life with socialist leanings. So we are have the sense of entitlement of a U.S. Airman. And the slow-ass chance of promotion of a U.S. soldier.

We are quite schizophrenic, as my former boss used to tell me. We kill albinos to get rich. We attend charismatic churches preaching the gospel of affluence. The UtuNet is incapable of absorbing all the fallout. Corruption stories hit media peaks like no other kind of story as we hunger to see the bastards bleed. We are young, and angry, and ready to punch fisadis in the face. And times are a-changing fast in this emerging market, leaving all the unfortunate laggards behind. Left-behind is a sensation that would induce anyone to bitterness.

"does a higher gini coefficient – more inequality – lead to more aspiration and motivation for self-improvement among the people, or does it engender more resentment and desperation?"

In Tanzania? Yes, and Yes.

The Kawe Candidate Question

Ask the blogosphere and the blogosphere shall provide. Turns out that not only is Ms. Rita Mlaki not running for the Kawe constituency, Halima Mdee is :) High five @ shurufu for the retweet.

Practical Feminisms

I have been lucky enough to join a very recent initiative that aims at investing in women, both financially and socially using ITC technologies for the betterment of us all. It is my pleasure to introduce the beta version of the brand new Malaika Web. I hope to be editing content for them in the near future and hope that y'all will give a hand to this fabulous, homegrown, young Tanzania initiative.

In a nutshell, this is an opportunity for women to network, learn, invest and grow as entrepreneurs. For the die-hard sexists who might be wondering: why women? Because it's practical, and because it is necessary:

"Recent local evidence shows that:

· Targeting women works! The 2008 Impact Evaluation of Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) II preliminary findings suggest that targeting women can have a positive impact on health, education and nutrition countrywide. It has also been observed that as women get wealthier they tend to invest more in their families and reduce household vulnerability while as men get richer they divest more and tend to increase household vulnerability.

· Microfinancing women works! As of December 2009, BRAC Tanzania was operating in 18 regions with a cumulative disbursement of US$44 million in its microfinance programme.

· Mobile connections work! As of March 2010, Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) reported that the total subscriptions to mobile networks amounted to about 18 million generating average revenue per user exceeding US$ 10 per month."

If a woman does well, her whole household does well. Elementary social truths, m'dear Watson. And to further allay any grumblings: half the team behind the scheme is xy-chromosomed. Inclusiveness is very much a part of this initiative. So let me encourage you here to join up with Malaika Web's Beta version and take the journey. Let's see where we end up :)