NOTE: This is among my opinion I sent to ‘The Echo Newspaper’ and published early November 2020.
Colonialists had the direct and overall domination of one
country by another on the basis of state power being in the hands of a foreign
power.
When we talk of colonialism in Africa we are talking of
phenomenon which took place between 1800-1960s. Colonialists began as a result
of changes in the mode of production in Europe.
The emergence of industrial revolution ushered in a new
process of production in place of the earlier slave-based economy. The
industrial revolution was a revolutionary trend in the history of mankind.
It was becoming increasingly hard or difficult for the
agriculture to satisfy the demand for raw materials required in the industries.
There was therefore, the need for the European powers, for example, the British
to go outside the country to look for additional raw materials.
Chinweizu (1978, p. 35) while discussing the European
conquest of Africa noted that “when Europe pioneered industrial capitalism, her
demands upon the resources of the world increased tremendously.
In addition to obtaining spices for her tables and manpower
for her mines and plantations in the Americas, Europe set out to seize for her
factories the mineral and agricultural resources of all the world.
Her need to take African manpower to the Americas declined.
She needed instead to put African labour to work in Africa, digging up for her
the riches of African mines.
So a ‘Mkoloni’ by behavior started by force to acquire the
materials for their own interest. Before colonialists African economy based on
barter trade. Africans suffered after entrance of colonialists.
Tanganyika was among the place where Arabs, Germans and
British settled. By then Swahili language started to grow finally they find a
word ‘Mkoloni’. After gaining independence in 1961 a word ‘mkoloni’ remains
till now as a Swahili political vocabulary.
Let me pull you back to Baba wa Taifa Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s Speech in
1968 when he addressed about discipline, he said, “ Displine must exist in
every aspect of our lives. And it must be willingly accepted discipline. For it
is an essential part of both freedon and development. It means that if we work
in a factory we have to accept the discipline of that factory. Whether the
factory is privately or publicy owned makes no difference. Its rules must be
adhered to, and the people who are in charge of particular operations must be
obeyed. Similarly in hospitals, schools offices and so on.”
After Magufuli sworn in on November 5, 2020, he assured the
Tanzanians to continue observing discipline for nation solidarity. He said, anyone
who will try to go against the rules he will not stop taking actions.
President Magufuli said, he will accelerate the fight
against corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Also he insisted the
executives to work hard for the benefits of the economy of the country.
On November 9, 2020 Magufuli repeated his firm stand on
discipline matters during the ceremony of swearing in Attroney General Prof.
Adelardus Kilangi that if his executives fail to observe discipline then he
must dismiss them. So why are you calling him a ‘mkoloni’?
Mwalimu Nyerere insisted that Tanzanians must stop abusing
people who are trying to ensure discipline, strictly he insisted to stop
calling a man of this kind a ‘mkoloni’ when he demands strict observance of the
rules in an office, a factory, a school or any other institution.
Tanzanians observed Dr. John Pombe Magufuli since took the
State House in 2015, he strictly ensure discipline in public offices. Magufuli
strictly observe the rules is not like ‘wakoloni’ did previously to our
grandparents.
The results of 2020 general elections a landlisde of 84 percent proves willingly accepted by Tanzanians because of his responsibilities of observing discipline.
Magufuli tried his level best to orderly conduct the
affairs for the development of Tanzanians, now we enjoy services in public
offices, so why you call him a ‘Mkoloni’? Stop doing so.
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