Government should fight corruption and propel the economy to middle class status

After wining the 2016 presidential election, the NRM ruling party has been championing its slogan of Hakuna Mchezo, literally meaning no laxity when it comes to service delivery to its citizens. The essence is to ensure that all government officials with the responsibility should be held accountable for effectively and efficiently fulfilling and delivering government programmes as planned. They are to closely monitor the government programmes and where need arises, report on progress so that remedial actions are done timely. Many times government officials abdicate their responsibility thereby tarnishing the image of government hence giving the opposition the opportunity to discredit government effort in service delivery to its citizens.

On the other hand, the main opposition party, FDC during its 2016 campaigns used a song, Toka Kwa Barabara, Besigye ana yingia, literally meaning get away my way. This was intended to show the NRM leadership that they had failed and therefore it was time to hand over power to FDC leadership! In essence, if one seems to be blocking one’s way, he/she should be asked to get away to pave way for continuity of work/progress.

Now that NRM seems to be holding onto power, particularly after passing the age limit bill and the lifting of the term limits, there is therefore need to fight corruption, maintain its steady progress in order to take the economy to middle income status. In my view, the two slogans come handy. NRM government needs to maintain and sustain its stand on no tolerance to corruption. Both government and those in private sector found abetting corruption should have their property confiscated and removed from office! This is where the FDC slogan becomes applicable. Such officials should be got rid of the way of government delivering services to its citizens! The opposition in government provides checks and balances. Such a slogan, if adopted by government would appease the opposition as it would rightly serve their interests.

True, the population has been pointing a figure at government for failure to deliver the promised services. It is on the very reason the opposition usually takes tango with government. This is because the government is seen to be exercising laxity in dealing with corrupt officials and their networks. At times, government, particularly its leadership reappoints corrupt officials with overwhelming evidence within government positions. This heightens the anger of the opposition and the entire citizens. According to both the opposition and the citizenry, justice should not be denied, but needs to be seen.

Many commissions of inquiry have been held. The most recent being one on land where government and private individuals have been implicated in corruption scandals, denying citizens their rights and privileges in receiving service delivery and fighting poverty. Government should decisively take action on the officials and pave way for effective and efficient delivery of services to its citizens. A government marred by corrupt officials cannot propel the economy to the envisaged middle income status. It was also unfortunate for the President to just lament on the level of corruption of his government officials when he met his counterpart from Tanzania, president Magufuli while commissioning the construction of the oil pipeline in Hoima. It is now time, during this extended period that the NRM government should talk tough and walk the talk, propel the economy and take it to the desired middle income status.

Another strategy would be bringing more of the opposition members into the mainstream of the government positions. Now that some of them have openly come out to work with the government, why not embrace such a move? More so the infighting within the NRM party provides a fertile ground for NRM to offer solace to those who have shown allegiance to the party. Hon Anywar has openly come out to support and work with NRM party to enable delivery of services to her constituents. This should be a welcome move! Who knows, she might revisit her stand on Mabira Forest so that Madhivani will be given some land for sugarcane growing, hence creating employment for the youth! This is how issues of development are handled through constant stakeholder engagement and collaboration.

All in all, the NRM government should now embrace some of the good intentions of the opposition, which are in tandem with its own aspirations for the benefit of the entire population. In my view, both Swahili slogans are talking the same language – no laxity in service delivery, ensuring that corrupt tendencies and officials should be got rid of, bureaucratic channels of communication broken and strengthening the monitoring systems of government programmes. Let the NRM government embrace the Toka Kwa Barabara slogon openly without fear or favour! It should get rid of the officials frustrating government programmes as soon as possible. Otherwise, effective and efficient government service delivery has potential to propel the economy into middle income status!

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