The Problem Is the One Giving Orders

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

On this day, Mwanakwetu woke up very early because he had work that was starting that same morning. As soon as he arrived at the work site, he found people putting up banners while two young men were setting up their music equipment.

He placed his bag down, greeted the young men, and asked if he could connect his extension cable so that he could carry out his journalistic work by accessing electricity.

These young men were very courteous. Suddenly, one of them received a phone call before connecting Mwanakwetu’s extension cable, while giving instructions to another person in these words:

“You go and bring that microphone here, okay?... I’m finishing setting up the equipment, okay...”

That morning, Mwanakwetu’s ears were first welcomed by the sounds of hammers from those installing banners and tents, while nearby the waves of Lake Victoria could be heard. The young man finished talking on the phone and continued with his work.

Then the young man made another phone call and said:

“This computer seems to be shaking a lot. Now I don’t know whether I should use the phone. If there is another computer, bring it here...”

There was silence, except for the sounds of the waves of Lake Victoria and the continuing hammering.

 

Then a Michael Jackson song was played, ‘I Wanna Start Something,’ one of the several songs by Michael Jackson from the album Thriller.

As the song continued playing, the young man took Mwanakwetu’s extension cable, plugged it into the power source, and continued with his duties. Mwanakwetu himself listened carefully to the music because he remembered it from his childhood. His thoughts traveled far back to 1984/1985 in Mbagala, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

“At our home there was the funeral of my father’s grandmother known as Binti Mkongeni, who was the mother of Mwanakwetu’s paternal grandmother named Hedwiki Omari Binti Mkomangi. The funeral proceeded well and the burial took place. After the funeral was concluded, I, my younger brother Modestus and Michael, Mkomangi Mkundi, Nasilika Nyema, and many other young children accompanied Aunt Biligita Makwega. We had been sent to Mbagala Bugudadi, near Mbagala Mission and near the home of Mama Mwingizi as it is today. There was a house rented by a man named Julius Gopali, who owned Gopali Enterprises (Mbagala Sabasaba). We were going to return buckets and many other items that had been used during the funeral.

As we were walking, we met children our age, twins (Kurwa and Doto), who teased us by throwing sand at us while cooing like pigeons, ‘kruuuuuuu kruuuuuu, kruuuuuu, kruuuuu...’ This annoyed me greatly, so I went after them intending to fight them. Behind me, my aunt Biligita Makwega came to support me, and the twin boys ran away. They were making pigeon sounds because I was wearing denim trousers that did not reach my shoes—the so-called pigeon trousers (‘don’t touch’)—and that is why they teased me. But I did not accept it and confronted them.”

At that time, those ‘don’t touch’ trousers were extremely popular, and songs such as I Wanna Startin’ Somethin’ and Olie and Jerry’s There’s No Stopping Us were very popular on the radio, in music halls, at social gatherings, in homes, and even in films.

 

Remember that Mwanakwetu was at this special assignment, and these memories of those songs were simply coming back to him. Meanwhile, the work proceeded well, and after about ten minutes, the senior officials entered the lake because there was an event taking place in the middle of Lake Victoria.

Those who remained behind included a man—not the DJ—who received a phone call. The surroundings were quiet, and these words could be heard:

“I told you there is no going to JKT. Didn’t you hear the minister say that killing is a normal part of a police officer’s job? Now you want to go there and kill people? If you want to go there, do not use my name and bring disgrace to me. I have said you are not going, and I have already told your mother. Even if it is a job, you can do other jobs. Why must you work there?”

The man ended the call. Mwanakwetu immediately asked him why he was arguing on the phone. The man explained that his son had completed Form Six and was supposed to go to JKT according to the law, but he had refused because he feared the current situation and the lack of understanding within society.

“Those who started the conflict should deal with their own conflict. They should not drag my son into it. I do not want that at all...”

Mwanakwetu then asked what exactly the Minister of Defence and National Service had said. The man replied that it was not the Minister of Defence but Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmodu Thabiti Kombo.

The man took out his smartphone and played a video containing these words:

“Everyone is carrying out their responsibilities, everyone is going to work. Why all these disturbances? Why are you bringing back disturbances? We have already treated this nation, we have already healed this nation, even within religious institutions we have healed it. Just try it here—go outside and threaten a police officer with a stone. Do that and see what happens! Do that and see! Their General Order allows it. The General Order tells them to attack first. No one should be blamed. Almighty God has blessed us with a beautiful nation, Tanzania. The Constitution has already done its work, and we will involve others through good relations, through diplomacy...”

After Mwanakwetu watched the video, the leaders suddenly returned from the lake and the event continued. Many young people from the security and defence forces were in attendance.

 

As the event continued, about ten meters away there was a female police officer who had been there since early morning. Later another female officer arrived, and the first one left. Both the first and the second officer appeared to be of the same age group, young and energetic.

Afterward, the event ended and Mwanakwetu proceeded to his second assignment of the day. He placed earphones in his ears and listened to Olie and Jerry’s There’s No Stopping Us, one of the songs of the 1980s.

Several days later, he decided to prepare this article.

What is Mwanakwetu saying today?

Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs was quoted as saying:

“...just try it here—go outside and threaten a police officer with a stone. Do that and see! Do that and see! Their General Order allows it. The General Order tells them to attack first. No one should be blamed...”

Mwanakwetu believes these words were not appropriate for Minister Kombo to speak. First, he is not responsible for the Ministry of Home Affairs, nor is he the Minister of Defence and National Service.

Look at how such words discourage parents and make them unwilling to allow their children to participate in important matters. As a nation, where can we go under such circumstances? Such statements place our police officers in a difficult position because, in reality, they have no quarrel with the people; the quarrel lies with those who issue orders to them.

It is impossible for a police officer to be threatened with stones by citizens if there are no bad instructions behind it. The one giving orders must be careful, must have humanity, and must consider the safety of both the police and the citizens. If there is someone like Mahamoud Thabiti Kombo, then this is a problem and one of the sources of endless difficulties, because police officers themselves are citizens.

Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:

“The problem is the one giving orders.”

Have a nice day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com

0717649257