Tanzania’s newly-elected President John Magufuli implements radical changes

Tanzania’s newly elected president, John Magufuli, has taken an aggressive stance against what he deems to be wasteful practices by the state. It seems Tanzanian civil servants may have to gear themselves for some change

Newly-elected President John Magufuli, whose campaign slogan wasHapa kazi tu (Work and nothing else), is a man true to his word. That’s if his recent statements and implemented changes are anything to go by.

For the first time in 54 years, Tanzania will not be officially celebrating its 9 December Independence Day. According to the BBC, he said it would be “shameful” to spend huge sums of money on the celebrations when “our people are dying of cholera”. Cholera has reportedly killed 60 people in the country in the last three months.

Some of the changes implemented since President Magufuli came into office:

• No more foreign travel, embassies will take care; if it’s necessary to go, special permission must be sought from him or Chief Secretary
• No more 1st class and business class travel for all officials except President, Vice, and Prime Minister.
• No more workshops and seminars in expensive hotels when their so many ministry board rooms available.
• President Magulufi asked how come engineers are given V8s when a pick-up is more suitable for their jobs.
• No more sitting allowances, how the hell are you paid allowance for a job which you have a monthly salary; that also applies to MP’s.
• All individuals/firms that bought state companies that were privatized but haven’t done anything (20years later) are to either revive the industries immediately or hand them back to the government
• Last week, he ordered the cost of a party to inaugurate the new parliament to be slashed from $100,000 (£66,000) to $7,000.