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Sumaye’s move is commendable
2006-07-09 09:29:22
By Editor
The justifiable reason why the concept of life presidency is frowned upon is that it creates the double impression that someone was born to rule and do so for ever, presumably because no other person is capable of being a leader of a given country.
In Africa, the concept was orchestrated by Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi, by doing which he triggered enormous misgivings at home and beyond the borders.
Every country has a crop of quite many well-educated, culturally polished, patriotic-oriented, maturely-disposed individuals who fit the bill for the presidency.
But since only one person can assume the post, and therefore the presidency is unlike the cabin of a bus that hosts scores of passengers, that person is not the only person who is capable of running the show till he or she dies.
In descending order, every country has, literally, a surplus of individuals capable of serving as
Vice-president, prime minister, minister, permanent secretary, ambassador, commissioner, director and whatever else.
No-one has a monopoly of ability and by extension, no-one is indispensable.
The important thing is for holders of top,
middle-level and even lower-ranking positions to acknowledge that fact. The acknowledgement must extend to the rest of the people the wananchi.
Curiosity, part of it genuine and part of it probably cynical, usually focuses on national leaders who retire, over how they can adjust themselves and re-integrate into society as non-leaders.
Tanzania has had the fortune of having leaders who had no qualms about retiring and leading their lives gracefully, and, what’s more, engaging themselves in worthy activities or causes as opinion-shapers, role models, counselors, peace brokers; and, overall, as nation builders.
Abundant evidence has been provided by the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, his successor Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Mr. Benjamin Mkapa; and ex-prime ministers Mzee Rashidi Kawawa, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, Justice Joseph Warioba, and Mzee Cleopa Msuya.
The latest in the league is Mr.Frederick Sumaye, who left for a study mission in the US early in the week.
The message and lesson to be drawn from here is that prime minister-ship, like the presidency, is not a life-long vocation; and that active, resourceful life does not cease once one ceases to hold the post.
Learning and studying has no end, whatever one’s station in life, past, present or future. We are accordingly hailing Mr. Sumaye for his decision to plunge into the world of advanced academia.
The course will be incremental on his scope and resourcefulness for personal and, more importantly, national benefit; the overriding aspect being to teach and remind aspiring and current leaders that everyone is a human being; a Tanzanian; and a patriot, leadership positions being incidental .
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