March 2024

source

Ever since he was elected, Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli has had a strict and no-nonsense approach. He cancelled the Independence Day celebrations and called for a national clean up of the country. Onlookers were amazed when he actually took part in the cleanup himself.

He means business

Magufuli won the October 25 elections and took office November. It has just barely been over a month since he came into power, but he has already proved how serious he is about tackling corruption and Tanzania’s other issues. He has introduced austerity cuts and cracked down on public corruption, earning the nickname “The Bulldozer.” And he is already producing results: some officials have been jailed for tardiness, the head of the tax authority has been suspended, the use of public funds to pay for Christmas and New Year greeting cards has been banned, he ordered the cost of a party to inaugurate the new parliament to be slashed from $100,000 to $7,000, and he fired the head of the main state hospital after finding patients sleeping on the floor.

source
source

{adinserter CNP5}

Cancelling a celebration for a cleanup

The country’s celebration marking its independence from Britain in 1961 is normally extravagant. There are military parades, choirs and traditional dances in Dar es Salaam.

“It is shameful we’re spending money to celebrate independence when our people are dying of cholera,” the president said.

Tanzania is indeed struggling with a major cholera outbreak that has infected about 10,000 people and killed 150. When he initially announced his plan to cancel the celebration, social media users in Tanzania and other East African countries created the hashtag #WhatWouldMagufuliDo and shared their exaggerated money-saving plans. They are poking fun at him a little, but his initiatives have gotten great support – including from former president Jakaya Kikwete. Kikwete, who took part in cleaning his hometown Chalinze, said:

“I am happy with his exercise. Let us give our president full support in his campaign to fight cholera and other communicable diseases.  I am very happy with measures he is taking to curb inefficiency, tax evasion and other malpractices in public offices, I am very proud of him.”

source
source

More than just talk

Magufuli took part in the national cleanup himself.  He picked up litter with his hands and said with a smile:

“Let us work together to keep our country, cities, homes and workplaces clean, safe and healthy.”  

Joining the president were dozens of fishermen shovelling leaves and plastic rubbish close to a fish market near the presidential palace.  A crowd watched the president in awe as he worked. The national clean up took place all around Dar es Salaam, with smoke curling up in the sky as citizens burned rubbish.

source
source

SEE ALSO: The Gambia Bans Female Genital Mutilation.