• The late President John Magufuli of Tanzania nearly attained a model kind of leadership that the Africa needs.
• He actualised an ideal that cherished internal solutions to the country’s problems without going into a borrowing spree
Training and straining of muscles beget muscle power. Eliud Kipchoge discovered this after realising that he could overstretch his arms' muscles to come up with a masterpiece athletic show.
He went out of his way to popularise the notion that humans can overstretch the limits through endurance and commitment to purpose (No human is limited). To his credit, Ineos challenge will remain etched in the annals of history as being the first fastest man to run a marathon under two hours. Such is the feat that muscle power can do.
Contrary to Kipchoge’s ideals, African leaders, especially Kenya’s, have mastered the art of only channeling their energy into distending one muscle. It’s rare to spot a Kenyan politician with a lean figure: the protrusion of their tummy is a manifestation of well strained muscle of the stomach courtesy of concerted swallowing the largesse most of which are amassed unscrupulously from the public resources.
This is why the mantra: “Fire of suffering becomes the light of consciousness” seems to have not found its footing in Africa, especially when the continent still relies more in handouts while at the same time sauntering under the squalor of under-development. Africans have suffered so much and this should have by now elicited a reawakening, especially within the minds and souls of the leaders.
Taking the advantage of our lack of brain muscle, the West has more often than not instigated some civil conflicts to enable them take the lead in exploitation of our precious resources. You may want to look into the case of DRC, which is ever tipped into civil strife while her resources are not fully benefiting them.
Mention diamond, gold, copper, asphalt, oil, and many more mineral salts and you realize the country is wallowing in opulence untold. Not to mention the fertile soil and the good climate that favours farming of cash crops such as coffee, rubber, sugar cane among others. It would take a brain power with proper muscle to realise that the country needs to initiate a conversation with “herself” to exploit her own resources for the betterment of all citizenry; not just a few.
The late President John Magufuli of Tanzania nearly attained a model kind of leadership that the Africa needs. He actualised an ideal that cherished internal solutions to the country’s problems without going into a borrowing spree. He sealed corruption loopholes and instilled work ethics and discipline in civil service. He for sure, left an indelible legacy.
I got buoyed up when President Uhuru Kenyatta paid tribute to Magufuli’s model, singling it out as the best for Africa. The homage depicted that my president had finally found a right leadership model devoid of unchecked borrowing. I bet the transmutation to the same was inevitable only to be miffed by the recent pronouncement of IMF’s Sh255 billion loan against the backdrop of wanton deletion of resources and runaway corruption.
This happens at a time when Kenyans are suffering and dying from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The loans would have been appreciably embraced if they served the intended purpose and used well without corruption.
Simon Bodo