The Bulldozer
Although I rarely observe who Time's, Newsweek's, or
Playboy's Person of the Year is, I will occasionally mull it over once I hear
about it. It's a sobering thought that Queen Elizabeth II, Mikhail Gorbachev,
and Albert Einstein have won the award at one time or another…as well as Adolf
Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Newt Gingrich.
For the year 2015, I have a winner myself: President John
Magufuli.
Here was CCM, the ruling party since the 60's in Tanzania, on their last leg when Magufuli singlehandedly saved the party. Magufuli's loyalty would come at a cost to CCM. Nicknamed 'The Bulldozer', John Magufuli widely declared he would crack down on corruption. His eye contact was directed at people from his own party when he made that remark. To the electorate, this was little more than lip service before business as usual could be conducted.
A few months in, and Magufuli has proven to be true to his word. In his first speech to Parliament as president, he famously said:
"I'm telling government officers who are lazy and negligent to be prepared: They were tolerated for a long time. This is the end."
The cabinet would be the first to shrink, from 30 to 19 posts. Some ministries were merged, while others eliminated altogether. Next to go were the infamous Ports Authority Director Awadhi Massawef and anti-corruption chief (snicker) Edward Hoseah. But why stop with the big guns? Magufuli has also been known to visit ministries, just to check if people were at their desks.
His next target would be the culture of waste inundating the government.
Most foreign travel has been banned for government officials, as well as business class flights, except for the most senior officials. Next, the independence day celebrations were cancelled…in favor of a street cleaning campaign. Christmas cards were eliminated (why should the taxpayer pay for this?), even refreshments at official meetings have been restricted.
On a recent visit to Muhimbili National Hospital, the president found patients sleeping on the floor…and fired the hospital director. In a country with a cholera outbreak, these services simply wouldn't do, he decided.
One popular trend and hashtag in social media reads #WhatWouldMagufuliDo? This is where people post pictures of themselves applying Magufuli's values by saving money. There's the wrecked car with the hood taped shut, the man who couldn't find a taxi, and so attached himself to a spare tire in back of a car to hitch a ride.
People, understandably, are still skeptical and refer to 'the power of soda', meaning that soda can only remain potent for so long before it inevitably fizzles.
For Magufuli, in the meantime, it's just work. Hapa kazi tu.
Here was CCM, the ruling party since the 60's in Tanzania, on their last leg when Magufuli singlehandedly saved the party. Magufuli's loyalty would come at a cost to CCM. Nicknamed 'The Bulldozer', John Magufuli widely declared he would crack down on corruption. His eye contact was directed at people from his own party when he made that remark. To the electorate, this was little more than lip service before business as usual could be conducted.
A few months in, and Magufuli has proven to be true to his word. In his first speech to Parliament as president, he famously said:
"I'm telling government officers who are lazy and negligent to be prepared: They were tolerated for a long time. This is the end."
The cabinet would be the first to shrink, from 30 to 19 posts. Some ministries were merged, while others eliminated altogether. Next to go were the infamous Ports Authority Director Awadhi Massawef and anti-corruption chief (snicker) Edward Hoseah. But why stop with the big guns? Magufuli has also been known to visit ministries, just to check if people were at their desks.
His next target would be the culture of waste inundating the government.
Most foreign travel has been banned for government officials, as well as business class flights, except for the most senior officials. Next, the independence day celebrations were cancelled…in favor of a street cleaning campaign. Christmas cards were eliminated (why should the taxpayer pay for this?), even refreshments at official meetings have been restricted.
On a recent visit to Muhimbili National Hospital, the president found patients sleeping on the floor…and fired the hospital director. In a country with a cholera outbreak, these services simply wouldn't do, he decided.
One popular trend and hashtag in social media reads #WhatWouldMagufuliDo? This is where people post pictures of themselves applying Magufuli's values by saving money. There's the wrecked car with the hood taped shut, the man who couldn't find a taxi, and so attached himself to a spare tire in back of a car to hitch a ride.
People, understandably, are still skeptical and refer to 'the power of soda', meaning that soda can only remain potent for so long before it inevitably fizzles.
For Magufuli, in the meantime, it's just work. Hapa kazi tu.
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