Tanzanian politics have taken a sharp turn over the past week when the ex-PM, implicated by a Parliamentary probe of a corruption scandal, was forced to resign leading to the dissolution of the entire cabinet of ministers by President JK. In my whole life, I had never seen the wananchi (citizens) so keen and interested to know the proceedings and discussions taking place in the Parliament as they did last week. Hundreds and thousands of people were walking around with their radios turned on. Others crowded in small public places, pubs and restaurants to watch the legislators present their cases. This must serve as a reminder to our leaders that our sustenance and well-being, as a people, is within their hands. The endless discussions and small-talks in the public and private places are undisputed evidence that "the people are concerned" and are a wake-up call to the MPs and our leaders in general to become more accountable and act more responsibly in their duties.
Today, the situation was more or less the same as the President announced the new cabinet. Once again, thousands of people were glued to their TV anxious to hear the "new names". But this made me think again: Is there anything really new? New faces, new names, new structures with less ministers, new... but the same "mindset", unless God takes first place in their hearts. In times like these when men are "lovers of their own selves... and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God" (c.f 2 Tim 3:1-7), it is highly unlikely that a new cabinet will resolve all our problems. Unless these new officers realize and acknowledge, like king Nebucadnezzar of old (Dan 4:37), that God is ultimately the ruler of everything and the One who has given them power and authority, we are bound to go around through the same shame only to see another corruption deal uprooted ten years down the line.
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1
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