EDITORIAL 0380, AUSTERITY AS A VIRTUE: THE CASE OF TANZANIA

The Republic of Tanzania has had two occasions to demonstrate to the rest of developing African nations to stay away from alien life styles that are incompatible with our habits and environments. In the first instance, it was under Tanzania’s founding father, Julius Nyerere. Today, the lesson seems to be repeating itself under President John Magufuli. In the mid eighties, a strange pattern of lobby engaged the governments of struggling African nations. The lobbyists, in their bases in Western capitals, had carefully summerised their objectives and marked their targets. In this case, African countries managing weak economies badly needed a…