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 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: A New Year

A month ago I posted a link to The Choice by Neema Kwamamlaka, a great tongue-in-cheek story about contemporary Tanzanian politics at the very top level. Then Neema came up with a suggestion: how about if she showed us the King's Diary entries every so often? Brilliant. Would I care to host them on the blog? Um. Does a fat man belch?

TMR is happy to introduce to you The King's Diary. This will be a regular feature (time permitting) of the blog, a column in which His Most Excellently Handsome Highness the unnamed King will let us read his intimate thoughts on the trials and tribulations of governing a poor but pretty country somewhere on the East Coast of Africa. I think that he might even be persuaded to answer a question or two from his loyal subjects in the comments section.

The King’s Diaries by Neema Kwamamlaka

Dear Me,

Now that my new year’s resolution is to act more strategically, I have decided to keep a diary. By putting my thoughts to paper, I may be able to think clearer about what my options are.

What a mess I have landed in. Sure, The King’s Party won the elections hands down. This was expected. But what an operation to clean up now that the campaigns are over: promises made to supporters need to be honoured and the opposition party believes it stands a chance to win the next election. On top of that there are demands for a new constitution. I need to manoeuvre carefully if I want to remain where I am now.

Before I strategize on how to deal with the post-election rigmarole, let’s start with a list of what I want to achieve this year:

1. 1. Stay in power
2. 2. Become richer
3. 3. Become an historical figure, admired by its people.

That was easy. I believe that is about it. Now to work!

Obviously the TKP will need to honour promises made in exchange for votes and money during the election campaign. Shop owners need to get something in return for their support to our candidates. But I doubt whether it is wise to oust hawkers from the Empire of the East. Yes they operate illegally. Most do. And of course, they don’t vote, so they are a sitting duck. In fact they are a better target than the ambulant traders who we kicked around after the last election. That cost the TKP a lot of goodwill. Better not to repeat that.

But traders from the Empire of the East have a powerful ally in their government. I do not want to upset our relations just when we are getting along so well. There must be other ways to reward the shop keepers. What, for instance, if the city’s’ infrastructure is improved by building some flyovers? At present the city seems perpetually stuck in a traffic jam. I should be able to sell this idea to the shop owners and create opportunities to make money on the side at the same time! Moreover, if I tell the city authorities to initially put more pressure on the traders and to almost make their business impossible, maybe I could come to their rescue by agreeing with the Empire of the East to make an end to the harassment of their traders in exchange for the flyovers! Sounds like a plan.

Hurray for myself.

20 January 2011

Food for thought from some fellow bloggers.

Yeah, so- is it just me or does our government behave a lot like one of Hand Relief International's affiliates? Start at the beginning, by the way, or you might get lost around the time the Flying Spaghetti Monster and His Noodly Appendage show up.

Speaking of looking for the underlying motivations, Swahili Street offers this interesting challenge:

"What would be the one factor that a future historian of Tanzania might choose, and for which she would have records, to examine similar [cosanguine] political and business relationships of today?"

What an awesome question. I guess that would have to start with a candid description of the ruling class in Tanzania, a horribly fraught issue...