Magufuli Demonstrates He's Not a Joker, Means Business

Public servants have been put on notice - change and serve the people or go. Only three weeks after being sworn in, President John Magufuli has already made clear that when he preached 'work and nothing else' in his campaigns, he meant it.

Though heads have not started rolling, but the directives which he has given in his first three weeks in office, have sent a clear message that business as usual syndrome would not be tolerated by Dr Magufuli's government. And, if people though that it is politicians from opposition who are going to suffer from the no nonsense head of the state, indications shows that first culprit of Dr Magufuli's quest for change will be those working in the government.

For one thing, Dr Magufuli has already indicated that he will not entertain spendthrift government. His decision to cut foreign travel by public officials except with permission from his office, as well as slashing of Bunge cocktail budget, has clearly showed what he meant by cost cutting measures. But, Dr Magufuli reinforced his message through the Parliament inauguration speech in which he outlined what he intends to do in the next five years. In the speech, Dr Magufuli showed the challenges which the country faces but he went further to draw a roadmap showing how the government will tackle the problems.

Dr Magufuli listed corruption as the first problem which he encountered during election campaigns. He told the Parliament that in all areas where he went during campaigns, corruption topped list of people complains.

He also said wananchi are dissatisfied with the performance of the Local Government Authorities (LGAs). Areas which he cited as most wanting in LGAs performance include revenue loss, failure to collect revenue, misappropriation of public resources and poor implementation of some of development projects.

On land, Dr Magufuli said conflicts between farmers and pastoralists should end, double allocation of plots should also be stopped, people who horde large land which they have not developed should start to think on how they are going to develop the land, municipal and councils should start implementing land plans immediately and people who have invaded open spaced and other reserved areas should start parking now. In fact, in Dar es Salaam, demolition of houses built on open spaces has already started and television footages have shown some of posh houses pulled down with their owners witnessing. This could not be imagined in the past regime.

The head of the State also indicated that he wants to see corruption, theft and bureaucracy at the port become issue of the past.

But it is his resolve to ensure availability of enough water which will please many people, especially those in rural areas where people, notably women, spent most of their time looking for water from unsafe sources.

He has also put Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) on notice. In his speech he said TRA should find solutions to thorny issues including tax evasion, corruption among its officials, bureaucracy and revenue loss to list but a few. He indicated that his government would not tolerate any TRA official who will be impede government resolve to collect enough revenue, especially from large businessmen.

Power utility firm, Tanesco, was also given a task to ensure that intermittent power cuts and addressed and power rationing should come to an end. Noting that some government official participate in poaching, Dr Magufuli asked Tourism and Natural resource docket to find lasting solutions to the problem which has tarnished the image of the country abroad.

"How come tusks are impounded in China or Europe while they passed at Dar es Salaam Port? Something should be done to make sure that this situation does not recur" he said. But he also asked the docket to address perennial conflicts between villagers and national parks and forest reserves and revenue loss.

On health services, Dr Magufuli told Parliamentarians that the government would do everything possible to make sure that health services are send near to the people in order to reduce congestion in few health facilities. He also said it is his resolve to ensure that cost sharing is moderated so as to remove all unnecessary contributions which patients have to make. One solution he proposed is ensuring that all people are enrolled in health insurance schemes. This will also address the problem of shortage of drugs among public health facilities.

Immigration is also in the President's radar. He said haphazard issue of work permits should come to an end, the department should also be prudent is issuing residency permits and closely follow what the foreigners who have been granted work permits are doing. He said he wants end to the trend where foreigners have been engaged in activities which locals could handle easily.

On education, Dr Magufuli said it is his dream to see that the government addresses notorious problems in the sector such as shortage and lack of learning and teaching materials, removal of unnecessary contributions for guardian and parents, unending teachers' complains, poor learning environments, lack of teacher houses and others.

He said that he recognises efforts taken by the Judiciary to address problems under its area. But, he said more needs to be done to ensure that cases are heard quickly.

On mining, he said his government would make sure that locals benefit more from the God given resources by, among other things, ensuring that small scale miners are allocated areas for their activities and they are facilitated with equipment and markets.

Generally, Dr Magufuli showed that his government is ready to work together with other stakeholders to realise his government's dreams. And the way he has been executing his duties, Dr Magufuli has started to endear many people, earning accolades from even some of opposition politicians, some of whom were critical to him during campaigns.

Kigoma Urban MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe is one of opposition politicians who have bought into Dr Magufuli's promises in tackling corruption, especially at higher level. The ACT-Wazalendo national leader says he has decided to support Dr Magufuli on that issues because in the last 10 years the country has been rocked by a number of grand corruption scandals.

"Therefore, it is only logical to support someone who has shown determination to deal with that situation," says Mr Zitto adding: "We have built strong opposition basing on grand corruption agenda. Now we have a president who has decided to join us in this crusade. Why should we oppose him?"

It is now clear to everyone what and how the fifth phase government wants to do to advance the country and improve people lives. The problem at hand is whether Dr Magufuli will get competent and committed people to assist him carry out this responsibility.

For the targets to be achieved, there is one major obstacle which the country needs to overcome and that is mindsets of most Tanzanians. Over years, Tanzanians have been moulded into a certain type of social-political-communal mode of living. The public service has also not been spared in that trend.

Looking at what Dr Magufuli want the government to achieve and the way he wants it to do that, and his hint that he would need a lean Cabinet, it points one obvious thing - he will need a team of people who are ready and able to do thing differently. A minister who does only relies on what has been written on the books when dealing with emerging problem does not fit into Dr Magufuli's plans.