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Martin Maranja Masese; open letter to President Samia Suluhu Hassan

Dear madam president, HE. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, As-salamu alaykum. Tumsifu Yesu Kristo.

Today, again, I come to you with great humility, but not diffidence, as an ordinary citizen of this great - ruined land. I will try to use my very vertical percipience, prudence and sagacity to try speak out, and I hope you will hand-pick these writings in a very positive way.

A mother is a caretaker. However, some activists believe that when it comes to leadership within the context of the country’s constitution, laws and regulations, the word mother should not exist. I prefer not to call you “mama” . You’re the president of this country.

Madam president, things are not good. Your leadership during a difficult transition period has been good, and you have done a good job. From a phase that ended abruptly to a new phase that is brimming with wisdom and great wisdom, as it may appear. Let’s talk!

Now things aren't looking good. We aren’t making that pick anyways. But it’s good we did this for now because it gives us more things to complain about in the meantime. You are running the failed government. I know, some people will hate me for saying this

I am aware that there are individuals (within your circle in the system) who will affirm that the situation is satisfactory. Rulers owns a set of these bunch on their docket. Their duty is to give only positive information, even when it’s evident that things aren’t well

The mistakes you’re making, both in the government and in CCM, are being replicated by your assistants. resulting in the people's complete loss of faith in your government. There was a consensus that this would be a better government than the previous one.

One thing is incontrovertible: No country thrives in the long-term under just one leader skills. Viability development only occurs when leaders invest in human capital & protect freedom of speech. What’s happening now is a total copycat from Magufuli tenure.

Someday, if you decide to get out of your docket or go on foot and talk to people on the street, people who aren’t assigned by your system to speak to you will understand that the streets have fade-up with your government completely. Check it and thank me later.

In a country where people provide their own electricity through generators and Solar panels, making their own local roads and sanitize their water, its obvious there is no government. Most government officials are there to enrich themselves and their cronies.

The fuel is a component in a growing economy. What’s your plan regarding this sector? Unregulated lobbyism and uncoordinated policy costing the sector badly. It’s three years down since you entered the office and we’re yet to see the impact on fuels

New jobs are not being created in both the government and private sector. There is no industrial construction going on. The country lacks economic policies that demonstrate a vision for overcoming poverty. No policy and its coordination. No blueprint.

If we remain quite, our generation will continuously vote in the wrong set of politicians into power who either aren’t smart enough to know the right things to do or just dont care about the people and despite knowing what to do have decided to not do the right things.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” Martin Luther King Jr quote on the detrimental effect of the silent witness. One voice heard encourages others to voice their concerns. Accumulative number of people make the difference.

So, we can’t afford to accept everything our government does or say. Never. It’s not feasible for us to remain silent about social issues. We won’t. Activists must defend citizen’s values when dealing with government that failed to protect and promote those values.

Madam President, you became an instant star and for a time, the hashtag with your names toured and trended online and other platforms. Why? You appeared to offer new hope to this country after the quietus of the late John Pombe Magufuli. What happened?

You’ve had several options of fostering an inclusive Tanzania by opening its civic space to future gen or a closed Tanzania, which remains willfully ignorant to new ideas. Since the takeover, you choose to lead this country down a new path, you opted the opposite

Your leadership style was seen as a potential contrast from your predecessor, a audacious populist who earned the nickname “tingatinga” for muscling through policies and who drew criticism for his intolerance of dissent. What really happened Madam president?

You have been confronted with the task of healing a country which was polarised during Magufuli tenure. The country moved toward full-on authoritarianism. That’s not a debate. Hoped for the best after his demise, but you offered (us) the opposite. I can tell.

Your regime has sought to muzzle independent voices, particularly those of the political opposition, members of civil society, the business community, and organized religion. Now it’s even a crime to single give out the testimony of what is going on in our country.

During Magufuli, TZ was transformed from a country where free speech was tolerated, to one where even mentioning Jo Pombe’s name without putting a positive spin on it could vex the suspicion of the supremacy. We’re now experiencing the same ride with you.

Citizens are now being compelled to express their criticism politely (ukosoaji wa staha). They are obligated to use the word ‘mother’ and they maintain that it is not appropriate to criticize (you) using language and voices that do not suit your credentials.

The interpretation of authoritarian rule is simple & it's averse to criticism. Tanzania’s founding papa, nyerere conceived of African liberation as the building of inclusive democracy, a free press, tolerance of criticism, respect for minorities, limits on power

During Magufuli reign, the ruling CCM’s increased reliance on authoritarian tactics mark a sharp drop in legitimacy from Tanzania’s once proud democratic norms. And now, the well known as good-hearted, Samia Suluhu is doing the same as the late Pombe.

Effort to re-style institutions to ensure impunity has extended to the judiciary, which has been incapacitated through state appointments that have been exerted without independent parliamentary vetting. Courts have sided with the state on every issue under contention.

To date, we have observed media that appears to have been heavily compromised. Your government has turned the known media into an executive rubber stamp. Shutting down critical media outlets to silencing strong opposition voices its now becoming a norm.

We need media that delves deeply into issues in order to get to the bottom of issues of national interest and come to a discourse that makes logical sense. Captivating media outlets won’t help you anyhow. We now experiencing comedy journalism. It's scary.

While Magufuli is still loved by many on streets by his fictitious propaganda, others loath him for putting his critics behind bars. A number of journalists and opposition politicians were killed in broad daylight during his presidency. We are now back to that road. 

Investigations into these killings were neither carried out nor condemned. Like many autocratic rulers before him, Magufuli peddled the illusion of development & progress that could easily disappear once he’s gone. The really definition of a benevolent dictator.

The rising number of people who have gone missing under mysterious circumstances has caused shock and concern among the public. People go missing. Authorities seem not to care much about It. The silence has been deafening. No hint of their whereabouts.

The people who have gone missing so far could be just the tip of the iceberg. Maybe it is not that late for relevant authorities within your government to provide the needed answers. Family members accuse the force of involvement, a charge the police completely refute

It’s against the laws of nature for people, items, or animals to just vanish in thin air without the existence of any explanation then you will be right. There could be numerous unreported disappearances. We fear that the real scale of disappearances could be far greater.

Former Mayor for Ubungo & Kinondoni, Boniface Jacob, through his X page, received and published information about the people who gone missing, with Dar es Salaam topping the list of Regions with the highest number of kidnappings and disappearances:

Police force have been criticized for their apparent lack of action amid a fresh wave of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions. When the family members made enquiries at local police stations, they were told that no arrests had been made.

Many relatives of those who have disappeared report that they were taken away by people who identified themselves as police officers, driving what seemed to be police vehicles. Numerous families had reported disappearances under similar circumstances. 

It is distressing that there are claims of individuals who have gone missing purportedly after being taken by the police. The issue inflicts immense anguish upon families left in limbo, not knowing whether their loved ones are alive, suffering, or dead.

These abuses committed by your regime will only worsen if left unchecked. Madam President, crimes of this regime must not only be exposed and denounced — they must also be deterred and punished. It is therefore high time for drastic actions to be taken.

We will protest police brutality & political inequity bravely. We aren’t safe enough to let the iniquitous trend continue. we’re not deep lying to ourselves. Protesting police brutality must be justified. We’re not going to normalizing the killing of people under police arrest.

With this garbage so-called unity and solidarity, We will be working in vain if we do not have the peace that is brought by people having freedom, freedom of expression is a mus. It should be protected big time. People should be free within freedom itself.

Youth in Tanzania just want to be safe and stop living in fear. We know that if we do stay quite, we, our brothers, sisters, friends, or other families could become the next victim of police brutality, unlawful arrest, or extrajudicial killings. We truly know that.

We want to be able to use our phones , drive our cars, dress how we wish without being arrested, extorted, killed, or locked up in jail unjustly with no reasons. We don’t want to lose our lives or be forever disabled because we were hit by a stray bullet. Hell no.

We don’t want to pay money to an officer of the law to help us recover stolen items or take up a robbery case. We want to help accident victims without being accused of murder if they wind up dead eventually. We want rights to a fair trial. Loud and clear.

We don’t want to be beaten ane dehumanized to a point we confess to a crime we didn’t commit in the police detentions. want to go out in one piece & come back home in one piece. We want a reform in the police force. We’re saying NO to Police Brutality. 

If you pay cash, you get away with the murder. Literally Tanzania police force motto. If you afford an expensive lawyer, there will be no prison time for you. Our judicial system motto. Different set up but same ends. If you have enough money you can get away.

It’s the same on the other side of the coin; the oppressor tries to use fear tactics & intimidation to silence the people, this can also be contagious. It takes a brave voice to stand up under the threat of such intimidation from your government.

All we are asking for is the barest minimum. We simply want the government to value our lives as human being. We are well within our right. Currently, many have been killed, many injured, with several others arrested. We want to put those things clear.

We’re asking for 24 hours electricity, for portable water, we’re asking for good health care system, food security, we’re asking for a better education system, we’re asking for massive employment opportunities, we’re asking for better housing.

We are divided into shareholding categories. What about non-shareholders? National interest always trumps personal gain. Your government should once abandon selfishness for the benefit of the people. They must take our country’s interest a get-go.

If you remain silent when important things are going on that affect almost everything and the entire society, then you are tacitly approving what’s going on, So we can’t afford to remain silent on the issues that matters the most. We will speak, loudly.

Let people give you a compliment you deserve, allow them to praise you and sing those songs you like the most, they will applause you with some harps and chants, but never stop them from criticizing you and your leadership. Patience is measured here!

We all know the current uneven political playing field and biased institutional environment, any CCM victory in the elections will be seen by many as lacking legitimacy. For that cause, you don’t see the need to have a valid discussion of new constitution (KATIBA MPYA?)

Tanzanians can still draw on their longstanding norms as a source of resilience in navigating the way forward. Many recall the role of you, Madam president to take this call as a YES, so that we can start a new journey that will leave your legacy, forever!

If needed reforms remain ignored, patriotic, independent voices and the hopes of anything resembling a ‘new hope for the country’ will remain an illusion. And the only rectification is to account in the new constitution. We need to reform our country.

Constitution handed you the baton. There's hooligans who can advise you erroneously. Madam President, Don’t listen to those goons anyhow. They want you to do some wrong moves so that they will get something on paper to push their agenda. Stay alerted!

Magufuli banned rallies, suppress the press, cowed and co-opted independent institutions, and committed overt and covert violence against political opponents and ‘dissenters’ within the ruling party (CCM) and the opposition forbye. Don’t forge to buy that roadblock.

The previous government, under John Pombe Magufuli believed the opposition were puppets of foreign interests. His sole language to the opposition was force, and he made it his mission to eradicate multiparty politics. He failed before his demise. 

Your government has often shown a disturbing penchant for entering into agreements that will land the whole country into trouble for careless commitments. The fact of the matter is that the government has, over time, eroded trust it could have had with the public.

I’m not trying to look obfuscation. There have been issues that have generated alot of speculation. This is literally saying, the country has kinda been running on autopilot mode. You really must take a steady path-but not of the term benevolent dictator

Madam President, there comes a point when every institution is spotlighted. This is the moment when integrity and endurance are tested. Despite the varied views, there must be an organization that puts things in perspective. The judiciary, must stand alone.

I believe, greed is the reason why African leaders end up selling their countries to foreigners for the benefit of themselves and their families. We have had it enough witnessing our inherited properties, raw materials and land being sold in the name of investment.

Inflation hits high. Pushed by cost of commodities and equipment, so monetary alone can’t arrest the situation. People in the streets have no money and yet commodity prices are going up. What’s your government’s fiscal measures to help addressing the situation?

Your government need fiscal measures like reviewing taxes, charges, fees and levies on key items to address the factors which push pressure on the cost increase that increasing food scarcity, hence pushing up the prices. As of now your government is close-mouthed.

Madam President, your government needs fiscal measures such as reviewing taxes, charges, fees, and levies on key items to address the factors which push pressure on the cost increase that increasing food scarcity, hence pushing up the prices.

Your government’s attitude towards the matter is currently closed-mouthed. Monetary policy is a short-term measure but in the medium term we need to ensure supply of commodities like wheat grain and edible oil are sufficiently produced locally.

The way things are going, you will end becoming the president who just receives tabled reports but who isn't on top of the matter. You're now surrounded by pompous people who only value and valor is in giving you false praise. Shtuka Madam President.

So long as we stand by the principles enshrined in constitution, we will continue to thrive. Protecting the constitution isn’t something can be just left to the high or Court of appeal to decide. Every branch of the government has an equal responsibility to uphold.

The grass always seem greener on the other side; but when you get there, reality dawns. This is our country, we love our land, we will contribute each of our quota to greatness, but if only we see, the government is working for us, citizens. Nothing less, nothing more.

The ship is full of wise people. Be careful who you let on your ship. some people will sink the whole ship just because they can't be the captain. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Acquire ideas from wise creatures.

We will keep producing the cassareep every now (we need to cure the problem), grassing our community. Our routine. We can’t afford to remain silent in the midst if all those chaos. All that’s necessary for evil to triumph is good men do nothing. This isn’t radicalism. 

Time is always right to do what is right, and we will do it perfectly. This we can assure you Madam President. The nation is in mourning. You are now quashing many people hopes.

Sending my greetings. Buenas noches señora presidenta. Regards,

Cc; MMM, Martin Maranja Masese.

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