2013-09-05    Letter from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison

(Comments welcome here)

An open letter to the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Mr. Willian Lukuvi
Re : Your "On list of Drug Barons"
(a copy of which was given to the inmate)

 

I write this letter on behalf of the drug free Tanzania Movement which is moving with determination and majestic scorn for risk and danger to establish a drug free nation and a corruption free government.

I am mindful that this is a national problem and not a government or a sectional issue.  Therefore I cannot afford to be apathetic to the drug trafficking problem in our nation.

I am mindful that the problem of drug trafficking in our nation is so weighty in detail and broad in extent that it requires the concerted efforts of numerous individuals and institutions to bring about a solution.

I am mindful that to eliminate the drug trafficking problem in Tanzania , there is need for strong and aggressive leadership from the central government.  I am mindful that other agencies such as Drug Control Commission, Anti-corruption Bureau, Anti-Drugs Bureau, Tanzania Revenue Authority, Port Authorities, Airport Authorities, Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies, Coast Guard Authorities, and the Army (Tanzania People Defence Force), have significant roles to play in this all-important matter in our nation’s history.

I am mindful that your government has no political will to deal with drug trafficking and corruption problems and it has always mounted a strong defence in relation to the drug trafficking issue because of its incompetence, wanton corruption and weak policies against drug trafficking, and the fact that many  public servants are in cahoots with drug trafficking.

 

Therefore, you must ask why I chose to write to you an individual in the system I deemed  as one of the most corrupted and evil systems in the world.  You must ask why I chose to write to you while you have failed to diligently protect the public interests which is your duty bound.  (Refused to make public the name of the barons – 100 list of Big traffickers submitted to you by the Law Enforcement Agencies).

You must ask  why I chose to write to you while you have failed to defend transparency and the right to keep the public informed which is your duty bound as well as the essence of the good governance and democracy.

You must ask why I chose to write to you while you have failed legally, ethically, and politically to defend the interests of those who have trusted and put you to the public office as their leader.  And the fair question is what have you represented between the Drug barons and the people when you failed and/or refused to name the barons publicly?

The simple answer is, you represented the Drug Barons and betrayed the people and that’s why I chose to write to you.  These questions have lingered in people’s minds for a long time; who are the Big-time Drug traffickers (Barons)?  Who are  their cahoots accomplices, associates, partners, political backers?  How de the Barons operate?  Do they have drug underworld organizations?  Who are the operatives? 

 

Since we are not producing coca and poppies (opium) the raw products for cocaine and heroin respectively, how come there are huge amounts of drugs especially heroin in our land? 

 

Imported, who imports such large quantities of heroin?  What is their pattern of importations?  Airports (Cargo), couriers, parcels, Harbour (Containers)?  How do these large amount of drugs go through without detection by the ports authorities and customs?  Are there corrupted public servants or laxity, or incompetence or political influence?

Mr. Lukuvi, the public needs the answers to all of these questions. To be in a state of denial and refuse to name the barons leaves the public with one option, to go down with their conspiracy theories that the majority of our leaders are behind drug trafficking organizations and where do you put our nation’s image in the international community?  Where did you stand as a leader?

I write this letter with an abiding faith in justice and an audacious faith in the future of our nation. I hope this letter will be a catalyst and a roadmap for a new era of progress and hope.  I hope it will lead to new drug policies, new corruption policies, new political will from the leaders to implement those policies, and it will, I’m convinced, be widened and lengthened into a super highway of drug free, corruption free, justice, and equality as the grassroots and the ruling class in increasing numbers create alliances to overcome the common problems (corruption, drug trafficking, poverty, injustice, inequality).

I refuse to accept the cynical notion that our nation is spiraling down into the hell of a drug trafficking  hub in Africa .

I refuse to accept that our leaders are so tragically bound to the starless mid-night of corruption and drug trafficking that the bright daybreak of familyhood and drug free Tanzania can never become reality.

I believe that justice and the truth will have the final word in reality.  That is why right temporarily defended is stronger than evil triumphant.

I have the audacity to believe that poor people in our nation can have three meals a day for their bodies, education for their minds, medication for their diseases, and dignity, equality, and justice for their spirits.  I still believe that what self-centred men have torn down  other-centred men can build up.

 

I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over corruption and drug trafficking and nonviolence,  redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land.  Yes “and the Lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid.”  I still believe that we shall overcome.

Our strong determination will give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future.  Our strong faith give our tired feet new strength as we continue our forward stride toward the nation of drug and corruption free.

 

Today I write to you, inspired by Ms. Catherine Magige (Mp-Special Seats) and Mrs. Malecela (Mp-Same East) with their renewed dedication to dismantle drug trafficking networks in our nation and on behalf of all men to whom Beauty is truth and truth is beauty and whose eyes the beauty of genuine familyhood (Ujamaa) and justice is more precious than silver, or gold, or diamonds.

 

If I have said anything in this letter that is an overstatement of the truth I beg God to forgive me.

 

Finally, I would like to remind you and all politicians (the guardians of the drug barons) that the 2015 Election are just on the corner, I believe that people are not going to vote for the drug barons, their associates, their backers and those politicians who don’t have the guts to stand firm against big-time drug traffickers (Barons).  So you have to choose between drug barons and the people.

 

TZA Prisoner in HK, code named Mckenga

 

Link it to ; Prime Minister’s website, Parliament website, CHADEMA (Democratic and Progressive Party) website, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (The Revolutionary Party-CCM) website and try to get Mr. William Lukuvi’s face book account, or email account and link the letter.

 

c.f. Let's get those names, Bill, can we?

 

and Tanzania MPs want drug barons named

 

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