So Am I Your Minister for Public Service?

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

For a whole week, Mwanakwetu had been receiving short messages from some public servants in Tanzania whom he knows. They were teasing him with certain remarks. The main message content was this:

“Brother, Christmas is already over and here we are in the New Year 2026. Big brother, why have you gone quiet and failed to write us an article wishing your fellow public servants a happy holiday season?”

When Mwanakwetu received this message, he laughed loudly and replied:

“Don’t you have your own Minister for Public Service and the Chief Secretary? Tell them to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. After all, you can say your country has no religion, and then let their Government Communication Units prepare articles—let’s see how enjoyable they will be.
Why do you want Mwanakwetu to do it?”

One gentleman replied,

“But you prepared an article for the Judiciary of Tanzania.”

Mwanakwetu laughed again and said:

“Well, someone else’s good fortune—you sleep by an open door?”

This discussion was very entertaining, and it gave Mwanakwetu a lot to think about, because some of those public servants were employed with him back in 2004 as teachers, others as broadcasters, and others he met later in local government councils.

“Big brother, stop being stingy with your articles. We need your generosity too, especially us—your fellow public servants.”

On December 31, 2025, Mwanakwetu reflected on all the messages, made a decision, and resolved to write an article for his fellow public servants in Tanzania—this being their gift.

“That day started very well. The weather in Musoma town showed a temperature of 24°C, humidity of 10%, a 63% chance of rain, and wind blowing at 3 km per hour. At night, the cold was severe, and Mwanakwetu’s bed had no blanket. He wore several clothes and covered himself with three bedsheets. He was freezing, while sisters and younger relatives—connected to Honorable Easter Matiko, Member of Parliament for Tarime—showed no generosity toward Mwanakwetu.

At around 10 a.m., three men decided to go drink tea at a café.
At the café:One drank tea, soup, and ate two chapatis. Another drank tea, ate one piece of cassava, and soup.The third had soup and two chapatis.

While drinking tea, a discussion arose about how a public servant can transfer from one area to another. Several points were mentioned:Using a medical certificate,Claiming climate and health risks, Following one’s spouse, Bribing those who handle transfers—because money is “Western witchcraft.”

One participant said:

“I have been in public service for many years. Whenever I want to transfer from one place to another, I don’t resign, I don’t write letters to anyone, I don’t bribe any officer, and I don’t pretend to be sick. I have my own very low-cost method.”

The men at the café were shocked. Was he using a traditional healer with charms so that he and others could be transferred?

One man objected, another said, ‘Tell us—how is this possible?’

The man said:

‘This country’s public offices are full of poor people, jealous people, hateful people, and people who thrive on gossip.’

The others agreed that this was true.

He continued:

‘You want to leave Musoma and transfer to another region? Wake up early in the morning, go around about three fish cages in Lake Victoria. Take good videos and photos—holding fish, feeding fish, harvesting fish—while saying these words:

‘These three fish cages are worth 240 million Tanzanian shillings. They belong to MAKWEGA Company, and every eight months I earn that amount.’

I urge my fellow Tanzanians, especially public servants, to use opportunities wherever you are transferred instead of just complaining.

Opportunities are everywhere. I used Lake Victoria. Where you work as a public servant, there are opportunities in agriculture, livestock, and so on.

When I came to Musoma, I used this opportunity, and now I own three cages worth nearly 300 million shillings. Learn from this.’

He went on:

‘Once you’ve recorded the videos, produce a polished article like Mwanakwetu’s—add all the decorations—then distribute the videos starting with your social media pages.

Jealous, malicious, and gossip-loving colleagues in offices will stay up all night watching those videos, drooling.

Once the videos spread on social media, just count 60 days.
You’ll hear:PCCB is calling you,‘The Public Leaders Ethics Commission is summoning you.

They’ll ask: ‘Where did this young man get all this money?’

In the end, they’ll transfer you to another place—maybe Lindi.’

Indeed, you will be transferred to Lindi—not to help you, but to destroy your projects so they will collapse, leaving you without happiness or peace.

He concluded:

‘That’s how things work in our Tanzania—gossip moves faster than saying you are following your spouse.’

Remember, these men were simply drinking tea. After finishing, they paid their bill and returned to where they had come from, to finish December 31, 2025, the final day of the year.”

So what does Mwanakwetu say today?

My dear reader, with respect and humility, this article is specially dedicated to public servants in Tanzania. Mwanakwetu has prepared it in their honor, offering them this ‘method’ to obtain a transfer quickly—because one clever colleague has been using it repeatedly.