A Vote of Gratitude to President Mkapa
- Category: Children
- Date 21-11-2004
- 597 views
Bravo ndugu Benjamin Mkapa! Your Excellency, if I had the means, I would seek you out wherever you are and shake your five. But being such a humble subject, let me simply write to register my heartfelt gratitude for your thoughtful act of reaching out to the lowliest of your citizens to give them a feast; a day and reason to be happy and celebrate with all of us. Thank you for being a good fountain of compassion and hospitality to the suffering individuals, an example for all to emulate.
It was with emotive ecstasy that I read the story, in this newspaper, titled, “Mkapa’s Eid gesture to Dar’s needy kids” (Sunday Citizen 14th November 2004). The report said that President Mkapa offered an assortment of festive items such as rice, goats, a cow, and cooking oil to orphanages and children’s centres for the Eid el Fitr celebrations, observed on Sunday 14th November 2004. State House Comptroller, Anatory Itatairo presented the gifts, on behalf of the President, to the respective institutions at a State House function, where the President was praised for being mindful of the needy by demonstrating love and sympathy.
It is not as if the President did the unexpected – he did his duty – but a duty he could otherwise have safely ignored. Everyone understands that he could have waited to attend the Eid el Fitr prayers somewhere in the heart of the Capital City to make political pronouncements and dish out millions of shillings to please the affluent religious leaders, who in turn could influence other followers on the politics of the country. The President would have sent emissaries allover the country to mosques to represent him and praise his government. Even a State House dinner with the Muslim leadership would have been sufficiently exciting. Shouts and claps would have resonated across the country, and no one would have complained that the poor, disadvantaged individuals, such as these helpless children, have been ignored. It is important that the needy children deservedly caught the attention of the head of state.
I guess that the President is not a Muslim. Nevertheless, his gesture has far-reaching implications for all and sundry. It is a call to acknowledge and uphold the virtue of unity in diversity that is desired for national and world stability. This planet is today host to many religions and sects, so if each believer of a particular faith had to despise, discredit or ignore the faiths of others, chaos and confusion would reign. Pope John Paul II reportedly observed on Eid el Fitr that “the commitment to unity should infect ordinary Christians and not a matter for experts”. (“Pope irked by gay culture in church” The Citizen 15th November 2004, page 21).
To rejoice with others and help the disadvantaged share in the communal joy is a mark of mature faith, which cements the spirit of respect for each other’s faiths and finding meaning in the religious orientation others. Moreover, many believers hold that man was created in the image of God, thus to bring genuine joy to mankind is to please God.
The President’s gesture emphasizes everyone’s duty to care for the disadvantaged members of the society. All in authority should aim to improve the lives of the miserable individuals, other than putting the ones who need less help at the forefront, as is characteristic of many government and political leaders, especially as far as corruption is concerned. In fact what makes the President’s act laudable is the fact that he might not have been thinking of how much benefit in terms of votes or even cash he would earn by donating to the needy children.
The children enjoyed the day, regardless. Honestly, I do not understand Islam. Yet, observing what goes on during the holy month of Ramadan, and contemplating the intentions underlying the practice, I get a sense of believers in the Almighty whose commitment climaxes into a season of self denial of food, drink and other worldly amusements. I regard this as spiritual exercise that strengthens one’s resolve to pursue the will of God at the cost of worldly pleasures. Fasting underlines the virtue of restraint and moderation, which is relevant and important for all mankind, devout or nominal believers, even atheists.
When all is said and done, the care of our children is the care of the country’s future. To bring joy and celebration to the suffering children of the nation is to plant seeds of joy for all eternity. To give the young ones hope and love is to lay a foundation for a nation that is full of hope. Above all, Your Excellency, the needy children allover the country require more of your personal involvement in mitigating their plight. The prosperous sections of your population deserve your recognition and encouragement to register further economic advancement, but you owe the poor and disadvantaged persons your unflinching endevour to pull them out of economic, social and other maladies!
By Venansio Ahabwe
Source: Peering Eye, Sunday Citizen