Mkapa calls for national dialogue

Retired President of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa yesterday called for national dialogue through which Tanzanians could reflect on challenges the country was facing.

 Speaking on the first day of the Eighth Mwalimu Nyerere Intellectual Festival, Mr Mkapa said it was unfortunate that freedom of expression had not been well utilised.

 “People are demanding freedom of expression, but there is a difference between having freedom of expression and how you use it…so far, I have not seen any serious engagement through freedom of expression to deliberate on serious issues,” he said.

 He added that it was sad that the available freedom of expression was being used to discuss people instead of issues.

 Mr Mkapa did not give a direct example, but noted that he had yet to see any meaningful insight into what went wrong with the process to write a new constitution.

He, however, refused to be drawn into the debate on constitution review, saying he lacked the authority to discuss the issue.

 “I don’t want to discuss this issue in detail because I’m not authoritative enough to do so. When this process started I was neither in the government nor in the party.  Judge (Joseph) Warioba and his team came to me, I offered my views and that was all.”

 A prominent commentator, Mr Jenerali Ulimwengu, wondered why many Tanzanian leaders seemed to become much wiser after leaving office.

He made the remarks after commending Mr Mkapa for his analogue of the late Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Nyerere.

“I would like to congratulate Honourable Mkapa for a very good speech and precise words about the life of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, but I have learnt here that our leaders become much wiser after leaving leadership posts,” he said amid cheers from the audience.