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Per diem allowances are secondary to development issues
2006-10-22 09:49:16
By Rayner Ngonji
In religious teachings we are told that a leader whether a cleric, political or community grouping is a mirror or a role model to his subjects, and congregation in his/her society.
His conduct is closely monitored by all those who are under him and members of the public in general.
His speeches and preaches are supposed to reflect his deeds. It’s for this reason that in certain cases they are allocated special areas of residence to preserve the ’sanctity’.
That doesn’t mean that they are barred from mingling with people of other ranks, not at all. However, when that exercise is carried out, it’s handled with great care.
The whole essence behind the practice is to maintain a status quo and hegemony of influence and respect.
When they blunder or behave the other way round to the extent of eroding their ethical conduct, their character or image changes, affecting the trust and confidence with which the subjects and followers had bestowed on them.
You don’t expect a general manager, a director or a district commissioner to booze in areas like Mabibo, Manzese or Ubungo Kibango, places associated with idlers and mostly inhabited by minimum and middle wage earners.
The residents won’t understand them and instead they’d take them to be strangers with some hidden missions and the best treatment they’d get is isolation.
The recent incident where the Zanzibar Members of the House of Representatives were reported to have boycotted a seminar on democracy organised by the Finnish embassy simply because they could not be paid sitting allowances casts doubt over their commitment to the oath they took when assuming office.
Reports have it that the esteemed Representatives from the ruling party CCM and opposition Civic United front (CUF) asked the organisers well in advance as to whether they would be paid ’per diem’ allowance.
When they were told that there was nothing of the sort, they declared point blank that they would not attend, thereby compelling the Speaker of the House to diplomatically postpone the one-day seminar organised to mark 100 years of Parliamentary democracy in Finland.
The Finish Ambassador to Tanzania, Jorma Paukku said they did not consider the question of paying the legislators allowances because the session was supposed to be brief.
It’s disappointing because the behaviour hasn’t been with us in the country officially, to make it worse a people of their calibre.
What is even making it illogical was that they have boycotted a seminar from one of the donor countries (Nordic countries which Finland is a member).
This ugly scene came after the payments for the hall and transportation of the facilitators to and from their stations had already been made.
The organisers had already volunteered to pay for the facilitators and print papers and thought the participants would have known that and participate willingly.
Who doesn’t know that the esteemed representatives are already loaded with a number of allowances, what a machinga or a common Tanzanian would never touch even if granted another hundred years in this planet till he goes to his grave.
To boycott a seminar meant for the country’s development and call such members, leaders is a big mockery.
They are comparable with high school boys going on strike because they are being compelled to put on uniforms when they are going to a girls’ school.
That shows they either do not know their responsibilities or they have their own destinations. They are simply not with the populace that sponsored them to the August House.
Education in the real sense, is costly. When you have someone who is ready to pay for any kind of education for you, that problem is solved.
To have an arrangement where education is paid for in advance is a privilege of its kind which needs to be appreciated and embraced and not treated the other way round.
Should we follow the nyayo of these kind of leaders and also go on strike or refuse to attend any brainstorming meetings called for the sake of eradicating poverty, HIV/AIDS and ignorance in the society when told that allowances won’t be there?
Before I forget, who is really thinking for these members and if they are thinking on their own, did they really think?
What action was really taken against the members for having ditched the seminar because the seminar had a purpose or an agenda to be discussed, if it was not merely another passing cloud or a party for comrades who were once in Pugu or Mzumbe high schools?
It is high time such leaders set good example and the best thing now, is that they apologise to the concerned embassy and the public
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