MY LIFE IS GOD'S MIRACLE: MKAPA

At 75, Benjamin Mkapa looks several years younger and stronger than many a man of that age. He is still upbeat with the same keen focus and seriousness that defined his persona in the days he occupied the Magogoni Street address.

It is about eight years since Mr Mkapa left the State House as the third President of the United Republic of Tanzania, and his legacy is still felt in the country and beyond.

The former President, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, termed his longevity and the achievements as a miracle.

“All that I have been able to achieve in my lifetime is nothing but a miracle from God. And I have a reason to thank God for that,” he said at the conclusion of the service conducted at the Upanga Catholic Parish yesterday, officiated by Polycarp Cardinal Pengo.

In 1995, the Makerere alumna took a country that was in economic, political and socio—cultural transition. A decade of a mismanaged liberalisation policy and entrenched corruption had brought the economy on its knees with the inflation reaching 37.1 per cent in 1994, empty national coffers and a rapidly declining donor confidence that resulted into suspension of aid.

The government was in so much difficult in collecting revenue that it was forced to suspend new employment in the civil service, introduced fees in public hospitals and cancelled the National Service (JKT) training.

But ten years later, as Mr Mkapa, a former editor, left office in 2005 the inflation was in single digits (4.4 per cent), the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), which he created in 1996 was surpassing its targets.

Yet these achievements in steering the economy in the right direction, his efforts to open up the economy for foreign investments were not well received. He is accused of having ‘given away’ mining rights to foreigners at prices that were considered too cheap.

Mr Mkapa’s Mining Act 1997 and the subsequent mining contracts the country entered with multinational mining corporations were heavily criticised by activists and opposition as favouring too much investors at the expense of national interests that it prompted the formation of two Presidential commissions created by President Jakaya Kikwete. Ultimately a new legislation, Mining Act 2010 was created to try to give the government a “fairer share.” Mr Mkapa was also accused of heavy-handed dealt with the opposition and the civil societies. He also had a difficult relationship with the local media.

A crackdown in Pemba following the 2000 General Election resulted into the death of 23 people and a score of others going into exile in Kenya and Somalia.

Mr Mkapa, wearing a dark-blue suit and a white-blue stripped tie looked joyful. He was accompanied by his wife, three children and two grandchildren. He received a special gift from Pope Francis, which was presented to him by the Vatican Nuncio Archbishop Francisco Padilla.

Also in attendence at the service yesterday were former Prime Ministers Edward Lowassa and Cleopa Msuya, Sir Andy Chande, the former chiefs of defence forces Robert Mboma and George Waitara. Current ministers William Lukuvi and George Mkuchika were also in attendance.

Mkapa’s presidency was also marked by big disasters and accidents, the most notable being the MV Bukoba boat disaster in 1996 in which about 1,000 people died, the Dodoma train accident in 2002 that claimed lives of over 250 people and the El Nino rains in 1997.

Mkapa was born in 1938 at Ndanda, in Masasi District in Mtwara Region.

He graduated from Makerere University in Uganda in 1962 with a degree in English. He then became the managing editor of the government owned Tanganyika Standard Newspapers (TSN). He served in Tanzania missions abroad as ambassador, including in the US and Canada. He was also minister, holding several portfolios to the time he became President.

Despite campaigning on a platform of ending grand corruption, Mr Mkapa is criticised of failing to tame the vice. Critics further accused him of lavish spending having spent more than $15 million (Sh24 billion) on a private presidential jet and Sterling Pound 30 million (Sh75 billion) on a military radar, whose purchase was tainted by corruption.

Mr Mkapa was also accused to have improperly acquired Kiwira Coal Mine, managed by the TanCoal firm, which was later returned to the government.