THE TIE ROD END HAS BROKEN

Adeladius Makwega – Mbagala

 

After the demonstrations described as peaceful on July 7, 2026 were forcefully suppressed, Mwanakwetu was left with a heavy reflection: what happens when a critical system breaks down—not by accident, but repeatedly?

 

In the search for answers, he encountered an account of an accident:

 

“I received a call that the old man had been involved in an accident while at work. I spoke with him; he says he is fine, but his condition is not good. It is reported that the steering rod (tie rod end)—a crucial component in a car’s steering system—had broken.”

 

This is a small component, yet one with a major role. It connects the steering wheel to the front wheels. It ensures that the driver’s decisions are translated into the actual direction of the vehicle.

 

But when it breaks, the reality becomes undeniable:

 

The car loses direction. It pulls to one side. The steering loses its meaning. And often, an accident is not a matter of “if”—but “when.”

 

This is where the comparison gains its strength.

 

In interviews with two women, their argument was simple yet profound: peaceful demonstrations are a measure of a society’s self-awareness. They are a way for citizens to direct their thoughts to leadership without breaking peace.

 

If that is the case, then peaceful demonstrations are not a problem—they are a system.
They are a link.

They are the tie rod end of a society.

 

They connect the voice of the people to the direction of leadership.

 

Now ask yourself: what happens when this link keeps breaking?

 

Can leadership still claim to understand the direction of its people?

 

Can a society maintain genuine stability without a legitimate way to express itself?

Is silence born out of suppression a sign of peace—or evidence of a broken system?

 

The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania did not establish the right to assemble and demonstrate as decoration.

Article 20 recognizes this right as a fundamental pillar of a democratic society. It ensures that leadership does not stand alone, but listens to and is guided by its people.

 

It is true that this right has limits. But those limits are meant to protect the system—not to destroy it. They are meant to ensure demonstrations remain peaceful—not to eliminate them altogether.

 

This is where the argument becomes even stronger:

Suppressing peaceful demonstrations repeatedly is not protecting stability—

it is endangering the direction of society.

It is like driving a car knowing the tie rod end is broken, yet convincing yourself that you still have control because your hands are on the steering wheel. The truth is, the steering wheel is there—but it is not taking you where you intend to go.

And the danger is not only sudden—it accumulates.

 

Because a society that is not heard will not remain silent forever.

 

And when peaceful voices are suppressed, they may seek other, less peaceful paths.

 

Mwanakwetu does not shout—he warns:

Let us not break the very links that hold us together as a society.

Because sometimes, the greatest danger is not the presence of demonstrations—

but the absence of peaceful ones.

And when the tie rod end breaks,

it is not only the wheels that lose direction—

but the entire journey.

Wishing you a good day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com
0717 649 257