Adeladius Makwega – Mbagala
Mwanakwetu once prepared an article discussing retired Inspector General of Police Said Bini Mwema. In that article, various stakeholders shared their opinions, and one contributor went as far as saying:
“Brother Mwanakwetu, retired IGP Omari Mahita is much better. This current IGP, Officer Camilius Wambura, is dangerous—Tanzania has never had an IGP like him.”
Mwanakwetu laughed a lot at this comment, then reflected on it privately. In his thoughts, he remembered Dr. Aisha Mahita, who was the Regional Medical Officer of Tanga, and with whom he worked between 2016 and 2018.
One day, the then Regional Commissioner of Tanga, Hon. Martine Shigella, held a meeting with leaders from all districts and councils in the region. Fortunately, the meeting took place in Lushoto town.
The meeting had many agenda items, one of which was the construction of medicine storage facilities (buffer stores) in every district council hospital. This agenda was from the Regional Administrative Secretary at the time, Engineer Zena Said. Dr. Aisha Mahita presented on behalf of the Secretary, and those responsible for implementing the agenda were district executive directors such as Dr. Nyaronga, Sabas, Haule, Captain Peter Nyalali, Jumanne Kiango Shauri, Makufwe, Mwanakwetu, and others.
This work was carried out without a budget, as the Regional Commissioner ordered it to be done urgently, with each council finding its own resources to ensure medicine storage facilities were built to protect the lives of Tanga residents.
During the follow-up, Dr. Aisha Mahita visited all the districts, and on this day, she was presenting the implementation progress.
After presenting, questions were asked and answered, and then one returned to their seat. As Dr. Aisha was going back to sit, one director joked with her:
“Dr. Aisha, you’ve had buffer stores built across the whole region without a budget—no money was provided, so you must repay it.”
Dr. Aisha Mahita became annoyed and pressured by these remarks and responded:
“Use your internal revenues… These directors under John Pombe Magufuli are really troubling me—they want to sabotage my work. I don’t even know where President Magufuli got them from.”
The directors became very irritated. Meanwhile, Dr. Aisha remained busy in the evening meeting, occasionally stepping out to another room. The directors started observing her and later discovered that she had been breastfeeding.
When she returned, the directors teased her again (pardon the expression):
“You yourself are confusing—up to now you’re still walking around with our uncle’s ‘food’? Go sit near our uncle and give him his restaurant.”
Dr. Aisha Mahita ignored them and went to sit near the exit door, frequently stepping out to attend to ‘our uncle’s hotel’ (a humorous reference to the baby).
One person remarked:
“This Dr. Aisha Mahita is confusing—just like her father, IGP Omari Mahita.”
The meeting continued until around 11 p.m., after which everyone returned to their respective accommodations. Mwanakwetu also returned home.
These are normal social interactions—people joke with each other. Even in the WhatsApp group of the Regional Administrative Secretary and the directors, there was humor. There were also two women in the group: the Secretary herself and the Director of Muheza. Sometimes the Secretary, Engineer Zena Said, would intervene, saying:
“My brothers, please reduce these kinds of jokes—you are in the presence of your sisters here.”
What is Mwanakwetu saying today?
He simply recalls those moments. Dear reader, remember that in that meeting in Lushoto, behind the scenes, the directors and Dr. Aisha Mahita exchanged playful verbal jabs:
“Dr. Mahita is confusing like her father… Dr. Mahita walks around with our uncle’s restaurant… I don’t know where President Magufuli got these directors…”
These are playful remarks among colleagues who understand each other—people who truly hate each other do not joke like this; they remain silent.
In this story, whether Dr. Aisha Mahita is truly the daughter of retired IGP Omari Mahita or just shares the name, she still bore the burden of association with him. Indeed, retired IGP Omari Mahita may be tough and resilient—but can his children, grandchildren, or relatives have the same character? Not necessarily.
This same question could one day be directed at IGP Camilius Wambura regarding his own relatives—today, tomorrow, or in the future.
Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:
“You’re still walking around with our uncle’s hotel up to this moment—why don’t we say anything?”
Have a nice day.
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