Mkapa to Africans: Shun dependency, focus on self reliance

By ALVAR MWAKYUSA

FORMER President Benjamin Mkapa has lashed out at African countries that depended excessively on foreign aid, advocating, instead, adoption of sustainable strategies for making them some self reliant, as a basis for propelling their development.

Mr Mkapa also urged Tanzanians and Africans at large to work hard for enhancing economic development rather than depending on assistance from foreign countries.

“The development of any country is derived from an economy which is self reliant and thus countries need to chart strategies to achieve this,” Mr Mkapa said in Dar es Salaam yesterday during the launch of a 248-page book titled “Global Poverty; The Case for Sub-Saharan Africa.

”The book was authored by Ambassador Marten Lumbaga and published by Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Limited. Amb Lumbanga served as Chief Secretary when Mr Mkapa was president during the Third Phase Government.

The retired leader was visibly disturbed that many countries, including Tanzania, were still dependent and called for sustainable measures that would make them develop their economies and utilise local resources.

“There is no one who will come down here and give us money for development; we need to work hard for our development.

Self reliance also makes a country to be respected,” the former president stressed matter-of-factly. He explained that the book, which was launched yesterday, provides insights for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve their economies and welfare of their people.

“A lot of research was conducted before this book was written, it reflects poverty in Tanzania, Africa and the world at large. People must read it to find out the way forward,” Mr Mkapa stated.

The former president praised Ambassador Lumbanga as a hardworking and thoughtful person who always looked for alternative ways for tackling challenges facing the society, stating that “When he worked with me he was a very responsible person.”

Speaking at the occasion which was held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC), Ambassador Lumbanga said the book reflected the status of poverty globally and provided solutions for addressing the challenge in Tanzania, Sub-Sahara Africa and the world as a whole.

“I started writing this book in 2012, three years after I graduated with a Masters degree in Switzerland when I was serving as a diplomat in that country,” he explained.

The Managing Director of Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Limited, Mr Walter Bgoya, urged Tanzanians, particularly the young generation, to cultivate a culture of reading books.