The
FIFA World Cup 2002, currently being played in Japan and South Korea, is
soccer’s quadrennial showpiece. It is widely regarded as the biggest sporting
event in the world, far outstripping even the Olympic Games in worldwide
popularity.
The
current edition will draw more than three million fans to the stands by the time
the finals are played. The cumulative television audience for the entire
tournament is expected to be about 40 billion, which is seven times the human
population of the entire earth.
Tanzanians
have been following this event with great fervour with newspaper headlines,
radio broadcasts and television airings giving the latest news on the
tournament. The contest has bridged divisions among Tanzanians and seeing how
many fans support the African teams one wished the same bit of patriotism
prevailed in trying to see the country through its economic, political or social
problems.
It
is a pity that while we encourage our teams on the continent to progress on the
football field, there are few in the country who sincerely think of how they can
contribute positively towards development and productivity. The majority may be
strong supporters of the country or the continent on the football field but in
daily life they care the least about development or progress in the true sense.
Last
week we heard President Benjamin
Mkapa make a call to senior government officers hiding over 1,000 vehicles to
surrender them by today, or face dismissal. The government expects to recover
over 10bn/- from the exercise but collection and saving of revenue is a
secondary issue in this case. What is of major concern is that while vehicles
meant for developing projects have continued to bear private plate registration
numbers and private addresses marked on their framework, where were the
financial, administrative or other managerial staff of the organisations
involved when the vehicles were being used for private missions by their senior
staff?
It requires individuals to stoop quite low to misuse vehicles sent in by donor
agencies for identified projects through tax money of individuals overseas, many
of who believe, incorrectly so, that aid and donations given to Tanzania are
well spent. And it comes as no surprise that senior individuals in the
Government have been pin-pointed as being part of the vehicle misuse scam
because corruption has been rampant in the country going by various Auditor
General’s reports which talk of billions being embezzled from Government
coffers.
Government
workers are supposed to be role models to other workers because they work
directly for the country. However when the
main actors of a system are self-serving, manipulative and greedy, when they
fudge facts, make false claims and promises and bend the law in various ways and
indulge in outright crimes, how can a country progress? The cost of maintaining
one vehicle runs to millions of shillings per year taking into consideration
insurance costs, fuel, and mechanical repairs along with wear and tear. Besides
being deprived of the actual benefit of the vehicles, the Government has had to
pay for maintaining the misused vehicles thereby making it a loser by all means
without exception.
In
management courses students are taught how to be aggressive, time-conscious,
tactful and devoted in one’s work to achieve success. Students are also taught
that these qualities cannot be isolated from honesty and sincerity. As long as
sincerity is lacking at the top level among Government workers, the Tanzanian
economy will continue to be dependant on aid the benefit of which, as in the
vehicles case, benefits individuals more than the country at large.
Religious
scholars who preach the word of God earnestly warn people of the grave sin of
abusing property or assets that one is entrusted with. Tanzanians have a choice,
seek forgiveness and achieve progress or condone religion, seek illicit wealth
and die a few years down the line having effectively contributed towards the
country’s retrogression!