By Kizito Makoye, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania
In a dramatic turn of events, Tanzania’s
president Samia Hassan yesterday August 28 ousted her spy chief who served for
less than eight months, Said Massoro, in a surprising move that left people in
a state of pandemonium.
Surprisingly, the president
wasted no time in appointing a new spy chief, a seasoned spy named Ali Idi
Siwa, who was swiftly sworn in at the State House.
The shocking dismissal comes
as the country finds itself entangled in heated political tension over the
controversial deal to relinquish control of vital ports to Dubai Port World.
The president's reasons for
the changes in the covert security organ remain privy to insiders.
Barely a week after Catholic
Bishops strongly opposed the government's decision, in their hard-hitting
pastoral letter they warned the government over the tendency to disregard
people’s opinions, prompting President Hassan to make a short remark suggesting
that “No one has guts to sell Tanzania"
On June 10, Tanzania’s
national assembly approved an “intergovernmental agreement” the
Tanzanian government entered into with the Emirate of Dubai in October
2022 aimed at “developing, improving, managing and
operating the sea and lake ports in areas like special economic zones, logistic
parks and trade corridors.”
The authorities have since
cracked down harshly on protesters and activists who criticized the agreement
for giving another country excessive control of Tanzania’s ports. The critics
contend that the government’s action violated Tanzanian and international law.
On June 19, police arrested
and detained 18 people for two days during a protest in Dar es Salaam.
President Hassan’s critics have
it that the government's move potentially compromises the country's
sovereignty.
Ordinary citizens have voiced
their deep concerns, likening the move to pawning national sovereignty to her
former oppressors.
As the nation grapples with
the implications of this surprising move, intelligence analysts are tirelessly
trying to draw inferences on the motivations behind this sudden shuffle at the
highest echelons of power.
In the midst of this
uncertainty, the country watches with bated breath as the aftermath of the president’s
decision unfolds.
One question looms large: What
lies ahead for the political future of this country?
**Makoye Kizito is an international journalist and researcher based in Tanzania
No comments:
Post a Comment