The current events we keep reading, watching or listening to in the Tanzanian media have got me "thinking" and wondering. What do they all mean? What do they all add up to? Such issues include, the bomb attacks, shootings, cases of acid attacks on foreigners and locals, hate speeches (religious and political), confrontations between Tanzania and some of its neighbours, etc etc. Why are they happening now? What has led to the culmination of all these episodes and what will be the ultimatum?
With most of our media outlets reporting "who says what happens where and when"; we are short of well researched reports that look beyond that. We are left with unconfirmed whispers and rumors in the streets (physical and digital) that sometimes ridiculously make sense. Are these events a result of the problems we keep turning a blind eye to or do we turn to conspiracy theories for answers?
I admit that to this point I have more questions than answers but I feel that there are questions we ought to ask ourselves. What I'm sure of is that as Tanzanians we are at a point we don't want to be and shouldn't be. We are now in a Tanzania where chaos and hatred have plagued us to a terrifying extent. As young as I might be, I don't recall a more divided and selfish Tanzania. We had enemies and problems, yes,but these enemies were a common one like Diseases, Ignorance and Poverty; and our fight was one. Lately however, these are used as tools to destroy each other. Religion and faith based institutions were institutions treated with respect to uphold human dignity and propagate good will. Are they still so today? Politics was a means to organize the people and find the best means to build a free and developed nation, accountably. Again, is that what we see today?
In a society that is divided and chaotic, an enemy has an easier means to conquer. For years, Tanzania has been renowned for being the harbor of peace and unity; an example to live by in Africa. Now we hold scary statistics on the state of affairs in Tanzania; a nation of more than 47 million people. Government statistics indicate that the country’s
unemployment rate stood at 11.7 per cent in 2012 from 10.7 percent in
2011. (guardian; January, 26 2013). The gap between the haves and have-nots has widen despite the growth in National GDP by 6%. The trend of drug abuse and trafficking keeps rising. The state of education in Tanzania leaves much to be desired while healthcare still faces a lot of challenges. In 2007, about 87% of the nation lived under $2 per day (WB, DRG). We have more youth graduating each year compared to those getting steady employment, disregard of those finding employment in their fields of studies. In short, do we have a canister full of desperate, easily compelled, hatred-fueled-with-little-to-lose youth just waiting to go off?
On the other side we have a government flawed by corruption, bureaucracy, lack of accountability, a monstrosity of contradictions; locked in more fruitless bull fights with the opposition every now and then. The Media on the other hands plays its watchdog role, barking and snarling on commands (on whose commands, is another question). But again we have more reports of minerals, natural gases and other naturals resources sighted, ripe for the picking. And we can't deny we have a bigger influx of foreign investors (I'm not against them) and more visits from international heads of highest ranks with talks of economic and social consensual benefits (again, neutral in this aspect). However, with the current world economic state of affairs, it's hard not to be nervous. Afterall, our neighbors DRC are a living example of what happens to a country once chaos turn full throttle to never ending wars; in the middle of a world whose natural resources are severely depleted. .
It's a conundrum, that brings me back to these main questions. What is happening to our beloved Tanzania? Where are we taking our country to?
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