Having taken to reading The East African of late,I couldn't help noticing something that has graced the front pages of the said newspaper in the past four or so issues.
If you are an ardent reader of the same, you may have noticed it too. The main picture on the front pages in these issues shows a 'quixotic' East African president with different people in each issue. This president is in the person of Mr. Kikwete of Tanzania.
In the September 11 – 17 issue, the picture is that of President Kikwete congratulating President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi after signing of a full ceasefire agreement with Palipehutu-FNL in Dar es Salaam.
In the next issue (September 18 – 24), the picture is that of Kikwete arriving from Havana, Cuba, after attending the 14th summit of the Non-Aligned movement.
In the September 25th – October 1st issue, the picture is that of Presidents Kikwete and Bush at a New York hotel.
The picture that graces the front page of the current issue of the newspaper is that of (you guessed it right!) President Kikwete with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan when they met in New York.
This being a Regional paper, then the East African presidents should be given equal 'front page experience'. However, as it is now, it seems the other two Presidents in the Region have done nothing of import, in the last four weeks or so, to humour the 'paper' into warranting them front page treatment.
Anyway, truth be told. Mr. Kikwete is a man of action and a person who is out to effect changes in the country the Tanzanian electorate served him on a silver plate.
Yesterday, he called a Press conference that was televised on leading channels in Tanzania. In the conference he answered questions posed to him by journalists. Even the Kenyan “political instability” chit-chat he had with President George Bush was quizzed by a journalist. But he answered it tactfully, making sure he doesn’t open a can of worms. He said Bush just asked, in passing, about the “political instability” in Kenya (a friend to the USA, as Kikwete put it) and that there was no cause for worry. Time will tell whether there is anything to worry about or not(Click here Bush/Kikwete chit-chat.)
I doubt whether the other two presidents in East Africa can call a Press conference and encourage journalists to ask them questions they feel like asking in full public view (Television) without fear of retribution and scathing, scalding criticism. I dare them to take up the challenge. We, the electorate, need to ask questions of public interest and get answers to quell the building pressure in our bowels. Messrs. Emilio Mwai Kibaki and Kaguta Museveni, are we, the people who voted you to office, asking for too much here?
Anyway, if only his contemporaries in the region would take the cue from him (President Kikwete), then, maybe, the eye of The East African might be caught and they may be accorded 'front page treatment' to break the four-week monotony.
3 comments:
u r on point. I really wanted to get an interview with him when he was in Mn a few weeks ago, lakini one of our staff writers had senority... . All the same, I taped his speech as UST honored him with a law doctorate... check it out on our blog... http://newsomalia.blogspot.com/2006/09/tanzanias-president-kikwetes-visit-to.html
HE LOOKED VERY COURAGIOUS AT FIRST, AND VERY TRUSTED, BUT NOW I'M AFRAID ON HOW HE HANDLES POWER CRISIS HERE IN TANZANIA.
I THINK HE NEED NOT TO TALK A LOT, BUT RATHER TO ACT MORE.
ANYWAY HE CAN MOVE OUR COUNTRY(TANZANIA) VERY FAR IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT IF HE GAIN EXPERIENCE
Hi anonymous. Methinks you are spot-on regarding this issue. Mr Kikwewte has been in power for 11 months now. He needs to make good his promise to the Tanzanian electorate. He'll be judged against this capricious backdrop. There's alot of unravelling to be done...
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