By the voice from top roof of Africa
This is the voice not the divine one from wilderness like that of John the Baptist, rather this is just humanly from the top roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, conveying cautionary, compassion, heartening and of self awareness to Tanzania on how they arrived at the unprecedented violence on their seventh general elections since the country resumed multipartyism.
The choice of voicing from the top of Kilimanjaro is neither random or coincidence, this where on December 09, 1961, the founding father of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s commitment made on October 22, 1959 speech when addressing the Tanganyika colonial legislature (LEGCO), that, “We would like to light a candle and put it on top of Mount Kilimanjaro which would shine beyond our borders giving hope where there was despair, love where there was hate and dignity where before there was only humiliation,” was realized when Tanganyika attained its full independence on December 9, 1961, with Major Alexander Gwebe Nyirenda raising the torch of freedom on top of the tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro. This was a vision put forth for a newly born nation, which at it very early stages it manifested optimism not just in Tanganyika but in many African countries.
This was what we witnessed growing up in Tanzania, we were all brothers and sisters embracing Mwalimu’s key value in respecting the dignity all people only because thy were human, not less not more. One thing we were meant to be aware of was how our nations wealth was envied. The song we were taught as children in “Tanzania, Tanzania, Tanzania nchi yenye mali nyingi, watu wengi wa ulaya wanaililia sana….,” which literally translates “Tanzania, the land of many resources, is something many Europeans lament! For me, it was just another childhood song until I began to understand the current global geopolitical landscape which is defined by intensified great-power competition, primarily between the United States and China, leading to a fragmented and less cooperative world order. Power struggles manifest across various domains including technology, economics, and regional influence, often at the expense of global economic efficiency
Since the end Cold War, the world has witnessed how major nations invest heavily in building influence in various countries around the world, using different means and methods, but with the same goals and strategies, using that influence to cunningly or openly get what they want. To me, anyone who composed and mandated that it be taught in schools during those years deserves praise; it was not just a song but a prophecy.
Tanzanians since independence have enjoyed the efforts made by the founders of this nation to transform Tanzania from a piece of land divided by colonialists with a mix of tribes, religions, and different customs into a nation. This situation has remained the same until now. We have rejoiced in being praised for being a haven of peace, which was a well-deserved reputation because that is who we are.
From the southern tip to the northern tip, from the East to the West, we have lived like brothers and sisters, like one family. A Sukuma has married a Ngoni, a Chaga has married a Chaga, and a Mkinga has married a Haya; as long as we mixed, we prospered in a place where you cannot draw boundaries. Every family has grandchildren from more than three tribes and more than one religion; grandchildren of one grandfather are a representation of the nation, you will find Catholics, Lutherans, Muslims, Anglicans, Evangelicals, and others who, when drunk, say they wanted to be priests or sheikhs when for more than five years they do not know the door of a church or a mosque. These are our families.
As the saying goes, “Where there are trees, there are no builders,” we continued to enjoy that situation until we reached a point where we thought it was our birthright. We were astonished by those who fought, a nation formed by one tribe and one religion but still experiencing endless conflicts, producing refugees every day. It did not make sense to us; it was a distant nightmare.
What we did not know, or perhaps we knew but ignored, is that there are people in the world, even among our neighbours, who were sleepless, thinking and investigating how they could tear down this island of peace and turn it into a pool of blood. Unfortunately, after plans that began long ago, they finally saw the light and how they could implement their evil intentions against us. Our good fortune is that we have the opportunity to prevent this if we decide; we need nothing more than to make a decision. However, this is not an easy decision; it is possible but requires great courage, akin to telling a young person deeply in love that their partner does not possess the qualities they believe they have and that they might have worse qualities to the extent that one day they could even kill. Yes, it is a difficult decision that is possible, and it does not depend on a specific group of people; it is not the leaders of religion, government, politics, or any of them. Its success depends on the decision of all Tanzanians.
Our adversaries have done their homework well. After seeing for many years that they could not find a way to divide us, they found a gap and worked on it like the devil works, even if ancient narratives, stories, and sacred books paint a picture in our minds that the devil is a strange and terrifying creature; ultimately, what draws us into immorality is not the idea of the monster we have in our minds but rather a beautiful girl, a well-dressed man with his money, a respectable, honourable, and high-ranking father.
That is how they used us to start spreading negative narratives among ourselves. Some influential people began to attract attention here and there, respected individuals in society, using political platforms, debates, and media outlets to paint a negative picture about these against those, and the rulers adorned the evils they inflicted, while the opposition polished the evils of the rulers. Before we knew it, we had already painted a picture of Mother Tanzania as a worthless land, unworthy of being occupied by anyone with a sound mind. The beauty of our minds, our knowledge, and our influence destroyed the image of our nation before ourselves. We began to hate each other.
Slowly but surely, we began to antagonize each other, building a culture of hating anyone who opposed us. Our tradition of debating without fighting began to lose its meaning; ultimately, we created a new civilization where if someone criticizes you, they become your enemy—that if you are not on my side, you are my enemy. Eventually, we began to give names, creating WhatsApp groups that were a mix of toxic ideas and contradictory thoughts, which spread among people with one agenda, whose job became to attack those with different views.
The nation entered a new world where journalists became divided and called each other names, lawyers the same, university scholars were not left unscathed, and civil servants likewise. Ultimately, we reached a peak of breaking our Tanzanian and African norms, and we began to celebrate deaths. Yes, we began to rejoice in deaths—something that even the biggest rivals would feel ashamed to show hatred towards before death. We became the first to post on social media to show our joy and satisfaction at the death of someone who was not on our side.
Here, like fruit on a tree ready to be eaten, we as a nation have reached a point where we can do anything to anyone without questioning. The poison we have been fed has worked wonders for our adversaries. They have struck, and we have found ourselves where we are.
The rise of nationalism and renewed global military build up
After the end of the Cold War and the fall of the USSR and the Berlin Wall, it was thought that the world was moving towards peace; perhaps the struggles and unending tensions could allow the world to breathe a little. But no, the brief period of calm that followed was like a deception. While it is true that some major nations even drastically reduced their military procurement budgets, believing the world was safe. The world has indeed witnessed a significant rise in populist nationalism and extreme right-wing movements across Europe and beyond in recent years, which often prioritize national interests and security concerns over global cooperation.
The last decade, and particularly the last few years, have seen a sharp increase in global military expenditure, reaching record highs not seen since the Cold War. Over 100 countries increased their military spending in 2024 alone, driven by heightened threat perceptions and conflicts like the war in Ukraine. The world’s largest spenders are competing to modernize their arsenals and this is where Tanzania comes in.
Tanzania is endowed with critical minerals. To the naked eye, this is great wealth and blessing. However, from the perspective of today’s world, this, if not handled carefully, poses a significant danger to national security. According to a World Bank report and data from the United States Geological Survey, Tanzania is projected to rank third in Africa and sixth globally in terms of mineral wealth by 2050.
According to reports by the World Bank and data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Tanzania is projected to achieve these rankings, particularly in the context of the global clean energy transition and increasing demand for materials like graphite, nickel, cobalt, and lithium. Tanzania is expected to rank third in Africa after Mozambique and Madagascar and sixth worldwide regarding future mineral wealth potential, especially for graphite and other minerals used in electric vehicle batteries. Tanzania holds over 18 million tons of graphite reserves, estimated to be the fifth-largest in the world. Together with Mozambique and Madagascar, these countries account for over a fifth of global graphite reserves. It has also discovered an estimated 1.52 million tons of nickel deposits in the Kagera region, and significant reserves of helium, estimated at 138 billion cubic feet, are present at Lake Rukwa Basin, making it the second-largest deposit globally.
These economic opportunity poses a potential national security risk associated with Tanzania’s mineral wealth. The existence of such wealth creates significant strategic interest from major global powers, which historically has increased the vulnerability of resource-rich developing nations to external influence and, in some cases, conflict or instability.
The strategic significance of critical minerals is underscored by their concentrated supply and geopolitical implications. Many of these minerals are extracted from a limited number of countries, creating vulnerabilities in the global supply chain. For instance, data indicates that China dominates the production of rare earth elements, accounting for over 70% of global production, and the Democratic Republic of Congo dominates cobalt production, also over 70% of global output. This concentration can lead to supply disruptions and price volatility, making the security of these mineral supplies a critical concern for many nations.
As the world races towards a greener future, Tanzania is poised to become a key player in the global energy transition. The East African nation, rich in critical minerals essential for clean technologies, is experiencing a surge in mining investment. Experts predict that the sector’s value will soar to $6.6 billion by 2027, driven by the insatiable global demand for these coveted resources.
In a world where those with extreme views led by misguided nationalism no longer shy away from doing anything for their wealth and of their nations, we see how Trump leveraged the war against Russia and Ukraine to benefit from Ukraine’s mineral wealth without considering whether that nation needed more help than being pushed into a dire corner to accept giving up its resources in that manner.
We are not safe; the consequences of what happened yesterday have a long shadow over the powerful. Elections and movements now are merely used in the name of democracy to legitimize a long-term strategy to acquire our resources at the expense of our peace and unity as a nation.
I dare say in their initial attempt, they have succeeded; yes, our brothers have died, they have been left injured, wealth has been plundered, and our nation has been smeared with blood, but according to their strategy, this is just the beginning; they have a more significant second step that will follow, which is even worse. My hope is that after this initial blow, we all awaken, reflect, and evaluate ourselves. We have the power to either prevent them from continuing their folly against us or reject it.
Which way now!
As a nation, we have all failed; we have all been embarrassed. Let us not poke each other in the eyes with fingers because continuing to attack and insult each other will only lead us to walk into their script; that is how they have prepared their game. Let us stand, regret our mistakes, forgive each other, and rise up, hold hands, and move forward as a nation.
When I say let us forgive each other, I do not mean that it is an easy way out; I know the pain and anger we harbor against each other. However, this does not change the fact that if we do not return to our foundations of unity and solidarity and forgive each other, we will be completely lost; we will lose Tanzania forever, and there will be no hope of restoring it. Despite its difficulty, forgiving each other and moving forward is our only option right now; we must choose not to take the hard path of choosing among ourselves but rather to choose our enemies who have long treated us like pawns in a chess game.
President Samia Suluhu needs support from everyone to restore the nation to its foundations; as she is our leader and our guide, we have no choice but to follow her on that path. She must also sincerely uphold her words of extending a hand of reconciliation to all, even to those she believes are the cause of this. Its foundation is the same; forgiveness is like love; it does not count wrongs, does not resent, and bears all things.
To all Tanzanians, let us open the eyes of our hearts to see this bitter truth. After the deaths have occurred, those who incited us to reach this point, whether knowingly or unknowingly, are being used by the powers of the powerful under the guise of democracy, while the nation bleeds and cries. They celebrate victories, believing they have succeeded — yes, what they wanted has happened, and they see themselves as victorious, and now they toast with expensive wine to celebrate victories that to us are tragedies and disasters for the nation. While we bury our dead, they celebrate and shed crocodile tears.
Otherwise, how can you describe their new campaign now to ask bereaved families to gather photos and send them? What do they want to do with them? But the important question to ask is, if the protests had not occurred, and there were no distasteful photos like those, what would they be gathering? The answer is simple: those photos are of use to them, and they needed them because they wanted deaths to occur in the same way they did so that they could obtain that kind of imagery. To them the deaths that happened are just numbers but for us these are sons, brothers and bread earners.
Someone might ask if the protests had been left to continue, what would have happened? Our adversaries are not foolish; they use their minds well. They knew the protests would coincide with the election day, which according to the constitution cannot be postponed unless the country is at war; they deliberately planned that date. What does it mean that from the idea of initiating protests, this evil intent was present, looking at the type of protests — burning petrol stations, looting people’s properties, cutting fingers of voters? You do not need to be a prophet to know what they would do. Just as the devil cannot tempt you to engage in immorality if you have no money, he waits for the day you do, and that’s when he does his thing because you were in a fertile environment to grow his agenda.
Now, the voice that was high above the roof of Africa is coming down, believing that all those who were constructing arguments against the other side to build hatred have heard and understood. We need Tanzania free from hatred and strife because all those will be the foundations of triviality that will destroy us all. Let us declare forgiveness; I wish the President would designate a week of reconciliation when that day social media would be filled with messages of asking for forgiveness and reconciling, showing genuine love for one another, saving Mother Tanzania and embarrassing those who wish us ill.
Read more artciles by Deus Bugaywa