Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Dons see wisdom in delay to name cabinet

DAILY NEWS Reporter
SPECULATION continues on the choice of new cabinet by Union President John Magufuli, with political analysts describing the delay as a strategy by the head of state to build up a team that will help him achieve his desired reforms.

In separate interviews with the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam, several analysts also termed the 26- day wait so far as deliberate “in the sense that President Magufuli may want to first implement certain government programmes in a style that illustrates an example to his future team that will make it to his cabinet.’’
A lawyer and Opposition icon, Professor Abdallah Safari said the delay by the president in naming his cabinet is probably based on his wish to be more cautious in coming up with a credible team.
“I think he wants to be more cautious, which explains why he is taking more time to build an effective credible team just as Buhari of Nigeria did,” he said. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari took 166 days before he announced his cabinet only recently.
President Buhari had taken much longer than expected before making any ministerial appointments as he did background checks to ensure his first cabinet would reflect his central message of ‘change’ and ‘integrity’.
Prof Amon Mbelle of the Department of Economics of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) said Dr Magufuli has taken more time to announce his cabinet because downsizing is often a painful undertaking, needing careful planning or analysis, especially concerning trade-offs.
A lecturer at UDSM, Mr Richard Mbunda, opined that the president was most likely being strategic - in the sense that having served in ministerial positions in the last 20 years, he is cognizant that some leaders are aligned to taking appointments in a ‘business as usual’ stance.
“On that note, it appears President Magufuli has bigger plans of changing systems to be more accountable, which needs time to vet and build,” he said. The academician noted that it appears the president is aware that he cannot work alone and needs a dependable team.
“That is the team he is silently building. He wants a clean team - and to remain clean, you need a clean team,” Mr Mbunda observed. He also suggested that President Magufuli could also be trying to illustrate an example in how he wants his future team to implement delivery of government programmes.
“He is doing a number of things now and giving prior example to any cabinet member that he will appoint in future. I can see him telling them: That this is how I want you to work, this is how I want you to operate,” he noted.
A lecturer at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), Dr Emmanuel Mallya, said the announcement of the cabinet has likely taken some time to be made public because Dr Magufuli wants to put together a keen government. It is important, therefore, that he assesses available options and gets important information on those that he would want to pick for the cabinet posts at stake.
“He is illustrating that for good results; it is important to work in a cautious but sure manner in this regard,” said the OUT don. Dr Mallya said it was important to give the problem more time to do the right decisions on the sort of people he would want in his government.
Another analyst, Mr Julius Mtatiro, said President Magufuli still needs time to cross-check information on the people he wants on his team, since it would be a letdown if he appoints someone only to see their scandals get out a few days after being appointed.
“The motivation that Dr Magufuli has started with, illustrates to all of us that he wants to put foundations for a performing team. He needs a small and effective cabinet at that and one that can work within high austerity measures,” he said.
When retired President Benjamin Mkapa assumed the highest post of the land in 1995, it took him five days to form a cabinet while it took President Jakaya Kikwete 14 days. For President Magufuli, 26 days have now elapsed so far without one.

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