Let’s talk unity, Mkapa counsels

Retired President Benjamin Mkapa has cautioned against wasting time in idle talk and picking issues from the ‘grapevine’ as if they were gospel truth. Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Singida Roman Catholic Diocese, Mr Mkapa said Tanzanians should instead spend their time defending the country’s hard-won peace and unity – and shun divisive politics. Mr Mkapa who supervised over landmark economic reforms during his third-phase government tenure, was the guest of honour at the centenary celebrations held at the Jesus Holy Spirit Church in Singida municipality. The retired head of state observed that some people were out to divide the country - despite prevailing harmony and peace the country was enjoying now. Mr Mkapa’s call comes at a time when there is heated public debate on whether Zanzibar is a sovereign state, most of them rejecting the defining principle that the Isles are but one side of the United Republic of Tanzania, as originally penned by the founding statesmen, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere and the late Abeid Aman Karume. The retired leader further observed that Tanzanians professed to various spiritual beliefs and religions and that the country itself was home to over 120 tribes and more than 160 dialects. He added that used wisely, the country’s diversity could consolidate unity, peace and harmony. However, he cautioned that the same diversity could turn things awry if abused or polluted with divisive politics. He strongly condemned a section of people whom he said had developed a habit of collecting issues from the grapevine - and spreading them as though they were the most pressing issues of the day. He urged them to show love and tolerance instead, in order to sustain the prevailing unity among Tanzanians. Earlier, the head of Tanzania Roman Catholic Church, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo urged Tanzanians to convey a message of peace to those who use weapons to destabilize the country and bring disharmony. He stressed that such task - of conveying message of peace - would continue forever and that the anniversary was just the beginning of such noble task for the Catholic Church and other churches across the world. The on-going war of words between politicians over the status of Zanzibar has since ignited hot debate throughout the country. Last week, Kyela Member of Parliament, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe took issue with Zanzibar ministers over what he described as open disrespect for their public utterances on the official stand on the status of the Isles within the United Republic – most of them scoffing at that stand with near-hostile dissenting views. Last Saturday, the Minister of State in the Chief Minister’s Office, Mr Hamza Hassan Juma, retorted that Dr Mwakyembe should apologize for what he said in Parliament – also accusing him of disrespect to Zanzibar leaders – insisting that the Isles constituted a sovereign state. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) had earlier closed the debate – only to re-emerge within the past fortnight.