The King's Diary: Allowances Rock.

Dear Me:

With great bemusement do I follow the debate about allowances in Parliament. So much ado about nothing!

Widespread reliance on allowances is a cornerstone of the TKP’s rule. The ability to hand out allowances at will creates loyalty. Lower cadres are motivated to follow their bosses in the expectation of being ‘rewarded’ with the opportunity to attend a lucrative workshop. Bosses, in turn, are loyal to their superiors for fear of losing attractive benefits associated with foreign trips and positions on the boards of parastatals or high level working groups. Allowances thus create obedience and allow dissent to be easily spotted and punished.

The downside of the TKPs reliance on allowances is that a culture has emerged where work evolves around creating opportunities for yet another workshop, training or trip. Delivering services has become of secondary concern. Loyalty clearly comes at a price. A price the TKP is happy to pay by the way.

The culture of allowances is so widespread that these days even university students demand allowances to ‘sit’ for lectures. The benefits are so lucrative that civil society –those who constantly moan and groan about the TKP, remain silent on this issue. They prefer to benefit from its spoils rather than to address it.

The power of allowances in forging loyalty to the TKP is well illustrated by the inability of opposition MPs to make any real progress on the issue. They make a lot of noise, certainly, but that is about it. This is what makes the current debate so amusing. Only one extravert youngster has dared to state publicly that he prefers not receive the allowances due to him since he is already paid! No other person has joined him. No MP, no journalist and no NGO employee!

Another great thing about allowances is that most expenses are covered by our foreign friends: the donors. In their mistaken belief that services are not delivered because our civil servants lack ‘capacity’ they organize a never-ending stream of workshops and training events. And in their zeal to show ‘results’ they pay civil servants to attend, so that their events are well visited. In this way service delivery continuous to be undermined creating even more need for ‘capacity building’. I love it. It allows the TKP stays in power while spending huge amounts of other people’s money.

The King's Diary: Why We Teach in English

Dear Me

The other day I visited a secondary school. Expanding access to secondary education has been one of my favourite policies. It has made me popular with parents because many pupils who complete primary school can now continue their studies. At the same time my supporters benefit from the construction required.

Having pushed this policy for so long, I was curious how successful the project really was. While inspecting the building I decided to do a small investigation. I asked a Form 3 student: “How will your secondary education be of use to you and to Tanzania?”

His answer left me with little doubt: “In my secondary education used to find the political in swahili. I dont know why dont you find all subjects in secondary in Swahili others in English. I think if the subjects we can find in swahili the secondary it is their happy to enjoyed the subject except eny reason”. The answer was clearly incomprehensible.

Then I switched language and asked the same question in Kiswahili. This time I got a sensible answer: “Elimu yangu nitakayopata katika shule ya sekondari itaninufaisha mimi pamoja na taifa langu. Nitashiriki kikamilifu katika kazi ya kujitolea nafsi yangu kuondoa ujinga, magonjwa, nitashiriki kikamilifu kuwafundisha wazee ambao hawakupata nafasi ya kusoma” (The secondary education that I will get will benefit my country and me. I will participate fully in volunteering in person to eradicate ignorance, disease, I will participate fully in teaching the old who did not get the chance to study).

I was very pleased with the results of my research. More than 1.4 million students are enrolled in secondary schools. As a consequence there are at least 1 million families who are proud of the achievements of their offspring. By implication these families are grateful to me, the King, the one who has created this opportunity. At the same time these students do not learn much because they do not understand the language of instruction. And that’s wonderful too.

Parents are happy because their offspring made it into secondary school. Teachers are happy because they have jobs. My inner circle is happy because the children educated by the public education system will never form a threat to themselves or their positions. Even their children (who go to private schools) will never be outcompeted by these uneducated ignoramuses.

That night I slept really well. Rarely perform projects as satisfactory as this one.

The King's Diary: The Importance of Fighting Corruption

Dear Me

I have come to appreciate the importance of anti-corruption work. The other day I used the TKP’s anti-corruption drive to purge from the party my biggest opponents. And last week, our donor friends offered $ 100 million in return for a long overdue anti-corruption report. Making money has never been easier!

The Kingdom has benefitted in many ways from this anti-corruption survey. First, when after many years of haggling the TKP agreed to the survey, we received good marks (i.e. money) from our friends. Then we refused to release the results for 2 years. Our friends got so frustrated that they offered big money if we did. So in a demonstration of sincerity I ordered the release.

After I ordered the release we tried to pull another trick by distinguishing between releasing in principle and when to release but this did not fly. So we published the report on a web link that does not function. But somehow the report did come out.

Not that it matters. There is hardly anything new in it. 86% of households consider the traffic police corrupt. Duuuuh. 73 percent believe that the judiciary is not fair or impartial. Oooooh. That compromising civil servants is an important way to maintain loyalty to the TKP and that this, in turn, keeps the country stable is something that donors fail to grasp. But never mind.

The survey did contain some useful information as well. 57% of households do not dare to report a corrupt act for fear of victimization or because they would not get protection. Good to know the TKPs system of repression remains effective!

As for next steps, with the report in hand I am going to ask the donors to address the corruption as identified. I did the same with the ICF, and received a lot to reduce roadblocks (sic). I am quite convinced that the donors will agree with me that major investments in computers and vehicles as well as elaborate ethics training and salary increases are likely to help bring down corruption. It will cost a fortune, but it’s worth it. Not?

Anti-corruption .... I love it.

The King's Diary: Dubious Spending

Dear Me

Last week I considered using public rankings of performance to motivate civil servants. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. There is quite some information available that could be used for this. Moreover, if I go about it smartly it could restore the TKP’s legitimacy and help deliver better services to thepeople.

The other day I got a ranking with amounts in outstanding audit queries by district, derived from information of the Auditor General. It shows how district officials manage taxpayers’ money. Out of 134 districts there are only five without any dubious spending: Chato, Kilolo, Songea MC, Iringa MC and Njombe. All others spent public money in ways that are unacceptable to the Kingdom’s supreme audit institution! Some managed to misspent as much as Kingdom Shillings 8,000,000,000.

(click to interact with the PNG)

It seems a good idea to honor the officers who have done well, maybe by giving them a promotion and allowing them to manage even larger budgets. In particular those in Njombe deserve credit. They have not had audit queries for years! There are also a few districts that managed to improve their financial management considerably recently: they cleared large amounts in outstanding queries. Especially officials in Iramba, Mpwapwa and Dodoma MC deserve to be praised for this.

On the other hand authorities in Kilwa, Same and Ukerewe do an extremely poor job. Each of them generated at least 6,000,000,000 Kingdom Shillings in dubious spending last year. These people need an investigation by the Kingdom’s Anti-Corruption Bureau; if I decide not to fire them right away!

Hmmm … this ranking could indeed work for me. Let me call a few journalists and television stations and organize a nice ceremony for the good performers.

... And Other Measures

His Majesty has just asked me to ask you if there are other rankings of performance, other than that mentioned in his last love letter to himself, that you would propose to him. In order to keep track of the performance of the TKP cadres of course. He's in a receptive mood, so make use of the comments section.

The King's Diary: Crusading Against Corruption

And now... a note from His Handsome Highness who I am sure you've been missing as much as I have.

Dear Me:

I’ve had little time to write over the past few weeks: reorganizing the TKP leadership required all my attention. That is behind me now. I believe I have successfully used the fight against corruption to strengthen my grip on the party and to rid the TKP leadership of some of its more problematic members.

Could I use the fight against corruption to consolidate my power over the lower rank and file of the TKP as well? It is an attractive proposition. Could it work? Citizens seem to be getting sick and tired of never ending tales of embezzlement. If I were to be seen as fighting corruption, I could definitely regain some of my popularity. Moreover I could get rid of some lower level administrators who block progress by eating and creating nothing but unhappy citizens.

Corruption by TKP rank and file is perfectly acceptable. It is necessary even to assure their loyalty. But if the TKP is no longer seen as working for the people, its legitimacy is at stake. At present too many officials in the Kingdom appear to believe it is sufficient to be loyal to the TKP and to do nothing more. My friends from the Empire of the East tell me that this is an unsustainable situation that breeds unrest and opposition.

In the Empire they have perfected an approach that demands loyalty and performance from their cadres. Only those who deliver are allowed to steal. I like their approach but could it work in the Kingdom? Do I know who delivers and who does not?

Maybe I should change the question. Do I need to know? By setting a few strong examples I could change the behavior of many, especially when those who are not mentioned believe they may be next.

The other day, I received a report from the energy and water regulator with information about the performance of urban water utilities. Why not make a start and use this information? I could create a ranking and publish it with great fanfare. I could then promote the managers of utilities that come out on top and fire the ones at the bottom. Or better, I could make sure that the non-performers are accused of corruption! Hmmm … I may be onto something here

Performance ranking of urban water utilities

Ranking (from worst to best)	Urban water utility	Percent of water that was produced for which no revenue was received	Average hour of daily Service(hrs)
20	DAWASCO	56.7	9
19	Kigoma	51.6	7
18	Dodoma	44.3	20
17	Mwanza	44.2	22
16	Lindi	44.0	6
15	Bukoba	43.8	23
14	Iringa	42.0	22
13	Musoma	40.5	22
12	Sumbawanga	40.2	16
11	Songea	39.8	24
10	Shinyanga	36.4	15
9	Babati	35.1	12
8	Singida	34.1	5
7	Moshi	32.5	23
6	Mbeya	30.0	23
5	Mtwara	27.4	10
4	Tabora	26.7	20
3	Arusha	26.3	18
2	Tanga	24.6	24
1	Morogoro	24.1	19

Source: http://www.ewura.go.tz/annualreportswaterreg.html

The King's Diary: Time For My Legacy

Dear Me

I hear complaints about my presumed lack of leadership. Columnists criticize my frequent travels and joke about my Management by Walking About. To all of them people I say: you fail to understand. I just secured my second term; a third term is not possible. I have achieved my goals and now I focus on the future. I have three objectives.

First I will work on my legacy. I will travel the world, mediate between warring factions and become an elderly statesman.

Next I will also secure my son’s political future.

Finally, I will secure my financial future. In the beginning of my term I will take it easy as I do not want any dirt to come out before my term ends, but by the time I retire I have to be rich.

Domestically I will step back and relax. Already I have asked the youth league of the TKP to sort out dissident voices in the party. The prime minister is correcting, on my behalf, Ministers who went against my interests, including the minister of Infrastructure with his attempts to rid road reserves of billboards and other structures. Meanwhile, I will stand by and enjoy the fight between the would-be’s about who will become the next King.

Whoopie --- life is good. Time to hop on another plane for yet another good governance or transparency initiative.

01 April 2011

The King's Diary: Agriculture, First.

Dear Me

Almost two years ago the Agriculture Matters Initiative was launched. It has worked wonders. The Kingdom imported hundreds of tractors and sold them at throw-away prices to those we owe for their support during the elections. We’re inviting plenty of large scale investors to buy big tracts of land (at a reasonable commission of course) and have introduced a fertilizer voucher scheme that generates very smooth pays offs to my people.

The Agriculture Matters Initiative has also helped keep the inquisitive donors at bay. As the Kingdom’s homegrown plan to address poverty, their rhetoric of country ownership leaves the foreigners little choice but to embrace the initiative. Even the smarter foreign sponsors who smell a rat (after all which country asks the business sector to develop its poverty reduction strategy?) prefer to ignore the initiative’s inconsistencies in the interest of good relations.

Now that our self-promoting scheme is bearing ‘results’ and paying my supporters handsomely, complaints crop up. The other day an academic argued that the credit window of the Agriculture Matters Bank is not pro-poor because it only allows loans of at least Kingdom Shillings 100 million, a massive amount. Well, of course, the amount is massive. These loans are meant for my supporters; not for peasants! It was a great move to state that small cultivators should organize themselves into groups to qualify for the loans. They’ll never manage to do that.

While I will deal with the academic who raised the loan issue, the fact that people start to express concern demonstrates the need to be careful. I should avoid that the Agriculture Matters Initiative creates dissent amongst my most loyal power base: smallholder farmers. It seems that the Initiative creates fear of being displaced from agriculture, their livelihood, because of losing their land to land grabbing large-scale investors.

The remarks by the former Secretary General of the United World, who leads another large scale agriculture initiative, were helpful. He stated that “responsible large scale farming systems can play an important role in directly supporting small farmers through technical advice, transfer of new technology and support and access to markets”. Maybe I can tell my supporters to change tack a bit and make sure that in addition to enriching themselves, also peasants benefit. And possibly I can hear more from the former Secretary General when he visits the Kingdom: he really seems to understand our situation.

23 March 2011

* A quick apology: this post is terribly late as I have been lax in my blogging lately. As punishment The King has given me a manual lawn mower and ordered me to clear up the Ikulu grounds. I guess it's better than the dungeons.

The King's Diary: Political Conundrums.

Dear Me

For almost seven years I have tirelessly worked to deliver a better life to my subjects. But I seem to have failed. Problems I faced when I came to power such as electricity rationing, delays at the port, traffic congestion, a malfunctioning railroad, backward agriculture and an untrained and unskilled population remain unresolved. Other things are getting worse: food prices are skyrocketing, the Treasury is out of cash and one of the donors has walked out on us calling the Kingdom “an unreliable partner”. More may follow. Meanwhile TKP officials continue to line their pockets without delivering anything, the opposition is getting more vocal and citizens are getting restless. This is an explosive situation! As leader I need to find a solution and restore the TKPs legitimacy.

I came across an interesting book by Richard Hofstadter that seems to speak to our precarious situation. It discusses party history in the Great Imperialist Nation. Like us, the Great Nation struggled with its opposition, and like the TKP, the incumbent party was set to destroy the opposition by all means. They even succeeded, but when they did the remaining party fell into disarray. During the Era of Good Feeling (1816-1824) the party ruled virtually unchallenged and fell into several factions that failed to work together. Without external pressure toward solidarity, internal disintegration was unchecked.

How much this resembles our situation. The TKPs power is virtually unchallenged. Could it be that because there is no incentive to compromise and accommodate one another, TKP big wigs fall out in different factions and interest groups and fail to collaborate?

If correct then going after the opposition will not result in triumph but in chaos. Should we stop fighting the opposition and allow them space to compete? Should we allow them to demonstrate and to highlight TKP weaknesses? It could drive TKP members to greater solidarity. Should we allow them to win constituencies of non-performing MPs? It will certainly prune the TKP of its weak members and entice others to work harder. Hmmm.... interesting thought. Could it really help restore the TKP’s glory? I need to think this over.

14 March 2011

The King's Diary: Education and Tracking the Opposition

Dear Me,

Inspired by the Arab protests, the opposition keeps calling for change. Do they realize who they are challenging? I cannot allow anyone to threaten my position. Already I instructed my ministers to denounce the opposition whenever possible. I also told the police to keep a close eye on them and to harass them whenever they can.

I am sure the opposition has heard me, but I am not sure whether they have listened. If they do not come to their senses, I fear I will have to resort to violence to calm them down. Meanwhile I'll keep beating the instability drum by publicly stating that the opposition threatens peace in the Kingdom. If I cannot scare the opposition into submission, I should still be able to make my subjects believe that only the TKP can guarantee stability! We simply have to remain in power.

While it is necessary to protect my position, by treating the opposition harshly we might be putting wind in their sails. Citizens always tend to sympathize with the underdog. And as long as deep dissatisfaction continues to run through my Kingdom, the opposition is likely to prey upon it.

Take education for instance. Parents no longer accept the argument that the TKP brought them schools. They expect their kids to learn. On this count statistics presented to me in confidence are worrisome: 23% of teachers are not in school on any given day and when in school, teachers spend half their time outside the classroom. As a consequence children are only taught 2 hours and 04 minutes a day! Instead of the 5 hours. It’s a miracle some still manage to pass their exams.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Education pays all teacher salaries in full and on time. Of course they do, I insist on it to ensure a large loyal TKP cadre across the Kingdom. I wonder though whether time has come to demand more from the teachers than loyalty alone. Maybe I can talk to the Teacher Union and convince them to tell their members to teach as well. In addition, I could demand headmasters to closely track teacher performance. And I could order 10 household leaders to monitor headmasters and inform the TKP about it. Hmmmm.... I like it. It strengthens our control, won’t cost a penny and might defuse the popular unrest a bit.

07 March 2011

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 King's Diary: Gongo la Mboto

Dear Me,

What a terrible and shocking incident. Apparently my Kingdom does not need terrorists to blow people up. And what a bad timing. It disturbs me that this tragedy coincides with the upheaval in the Arab Nations. I fear that if I do not placate my people soon they might exploit this event to revolt and create havoc.

To immediately defuse people’s anger I will tell my secretary to call the media to tell them that I intend to visit the site of the explosion. Expressing sympathy to victims makes for good coverage and is likely to boost my popularity. This may not be enough, though. People are really irate: I’ve been told that calls for demonstrations are circulating already.

After the attacks in the Great Nation, their Leader called for a War on Terror. It boosted his popularity and eventually brought him his re-election. I wonder whether I could follow this example. Would it be possible to initiate something major that secures pleases ordinary people? Something that can be done without spending too much: after all we remain broke.

Hmmmm. What about a Responsible Citizen campaign? One element could be an investigation into what happened. I could use it to clean up of the military. If I blame the incident on less loyal elements, I could even use it to expand my power base. Yes, let me form an investigation committee, led by staunch supporters, with a mandate to make heads roll.

In addition I could opt to bring improvements to ordinary people’s lives. If I harness citizens own efforts and address issues that require mostly coordination, it will not have to cost much. And the TKP can easily provide coordination as the 10 household system has the capability to bring people together. It has not been used for this purpose but being the King I could order all 10 household leaders to organize their people. Initially the people could be enticed to donate blood for the victims. Later, the Campaign could expand to include monthly environmental clean ups, maintenance of drainage systems or pothole repairs.

Nice, I like it. Zero cost changes that boost my position and improve the lives of ordinary people. This tragedy might have a silver lining after all.

February 18, 2011

The King's Diary: That Disappointment in Egypt...

Dear Me,

Some Great Arab Leaders were forced to flee their countries. What losers! To be ousted by youngsters with a desire for change but no real sense of purpose. Chaos will come from this. Not that it matters. New leaders will emerge and once they have established themselves, things will revert back to normal. Personally I am a bit concerned, though, as I would hate to have to give up my job.

Many of the elements that ignited the mass movement in the Arab Nations are present in my Kingdom today. The TKP just celebrated 50 years in power and while the TKP brought stability, people remain poor and repressed. And like in the Arab Nations, the Kingdom’s population is young, unemployed and unhappy about its lack of prospects.

But I have two things going for me:

1. The youth are badly educated
2. The youth are not connected to the internet all phone numbers have been registered: no anonymity in my Kingdom!

This will buy me some time. But sooner or later internet will become accessible to all. It might be wise to explore possibilities for censoring while I can. I learned that effective web filtering technology exists. Let’s test it out on porn and other filth on the internet under the guise of stopping moral decay. If it works satisfactorily, we can expand its reach to other areas.

Finally, my dangerous friend just expanded his power base by becoming the chair of the military oversight committee in parliament. If he really gets the support of the military he is well placed to become my successor. I better keep a close eye on him: he is great when loyal and a formidable adversary when not.

February 17, 2011

The King's Diary: Billboards Economics.

Dear Me,

How I love the new Minister for Infrastructure! Last campaign billboard companies offered me a lot of free publicity. Now the Minister has decided to ensure more. With great zeal he is threatening to remove illegally constructed bill boards. Of course they are illegal!

How well those red crosses on the sign boards work. The publicity companies fear for their business, and it won’t be long till they will request an audience. I will grant it graciously. I will even be prepared to consider maintaining their boards. In return for some small favours, of course.

A pity that such an effective Minister will lose his job soon. In the run up to the elections a few too many road contracts were signed. Yesterday I checked the numbers: there are roads under construction for almost King’s Shillings 3.1 trillion (Kshs 3,100,000,000,000). Meanwhile we are procuring roads for another KShs 940 billion. All this will have to be paid from the development budget in the Ministry of Infrastructure which only has Kshs 721 billion. So there is a whopping Kshs 3.2 trillion shortfall!

Good thing not all will have to be paid this year. And brilliant of the Minister to threaten cancelling road contracts for shoddy work. But this won’t do. There is no way the Treasury is going to find the money to pay for this. As soon as it comes out, someone will need to be scapegoated. I fear the Minister will pay for it with his job. Shame really. He’s been serving me so well.

The King's Diary: International Business

Dear Me

So nice to be around peers. I love coming to the Secluded Kingdom. Good wine, powerful company and BIG money. The mountain air does me well. I’m in such a good mood, I even allowed myself to divulge in charity.

Yesterday I met the Leader from the Island Kingdom. He assured me of his continued support. I wished he had left it at that. But he continued to waffle about value for money and even ... climate change. Adapt or perish I believe he said! How hard it was to keep a straight face. As if climate change is on my list of things to worry about! Leadership change, maybe. But climate change?

Still, I believe I managed to make a somewhat intelligible remark stating that I would probably be a first victim of rising sea levels as my palace is close to the ocean’s shore. I pulled it off and money will continue to flow. That is what matters really.

Speaking of money, the elections were so costly that we are out of cash. Two weeks ago I ordered the Ministry of Finance to send a letter to the representatives of Great Nations requesting for additional funds. Today provides an opportunity to reiterate my request. To soften the minds, I will demonstrate what a responsible international player the Kingdom is. I’ll make some goodwill gestures. Maybe by stating that the Serengeti highway will not harm wildlife. And, I could agree to discuss setting up a court to try pirates.

To top it all up, I’ll ask my secretary to book a stop-over in one of the Evil Nuclear Nations. With the newly discovered uranium reserves, it will send a clear message that I am not just begging for money; I mean business.

January 31, 2011