DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIANS must take a firm and uncompromising stand against public officials who embezzle public funds. Silence, indifference, and quiet tolerance only fertilise corruption.
If we are serious about national development, we must be equally serious about condemning, exposing and naming those who steal from the public purse. Public funds are not abstract figures in a ledger. They are classrooms not built, medicines not stocked, roads not repaired and clean water not delivered.
Every shilling diverted into a private account represents a broken promise to citizens who pay taxes and place their trust in public institutions. When an official embezzles, it is not a victimless crime. It is a direct assault on the wellbeing of millions. Corruption does more than drain resources; it backpedals development.
Tanzania’s ambitions for industrial growth, improved social services and poverty reduction depend on disciplined financial management. When funds meant for infrastructure or social programmes are stolen, projects stall, costs escalate and public confidence erodes. Investors hesitate. Donors grow cautious.
Citizens lose faith. The result is a slower, more fragile path to progress. Why must we reach this stage, just because a few want to eat dishonestly? It is important to recognise that corruption also undermines the government’s genuine efforts to serve its people. Many public servants work diligently to deliver results under challenging conditions.
However, the actions of a corrupt minority cast a long shadow over the entire system. They weaken reform initiatives, distort policy priorities and sabotage carefully designed development strategies. In effect, corruption fights against the very government it infiltrates.
Naming and condemning corrupt officials is not an act of hostility toward the state. It is an act of loyalty to it. Accountability strengthens institutions. Transparency restores credibility. When wrongdoing is exposed and punished, honest officials are protected and encouraged.
A culture of integrity becomes possible only when misconduct carries visible consequences. If, however, corruption is tolerated, it hardens into culture.
Today’s unchallenged embezzlement becomes tomorrow’s unwritten rule. Young professionals entering public service will observe what is rewarded and what is ignored. If they see that theft leads to wealth and impunity, some will follow that path.
ALSO READ: 20bn HEET project: UDOM pushes for early completion
Over time, public funds risk being viewed not as sacred resources for national development, but as spoils to be divided and spent on lavish lifestyles. Such a trajectory would be disastrous.
Future generations would inherit institutions hollowed out by greed. Essential services would deteriorate. Social inequality would deepen as a small circle prospers while the majority struggles. Reversing such decay would demand far greater sacrifice than preventing it today.
Therefore, citizens, civil society, oversight bodies, and the media must act with courage and professionalism. Allegations of embezzlement should be investigated thoroughly and reported responsibly. Evidence must guide accusations. Due process must be respected.
Yet firmness is essential. Where proof exists, names should be made public and legal consequences pursued without fear or favour. Patriotism is not blind praise. It is the defence of national resources and the insistence that power be exercised with integrity.
Tanzania’s development depends not only on visionary policies, but on collective vigilance. By condemning and exposing those who embezzle public funds, we defend our future, protect honest leadership and affirm that public office is a trust, not an opportunity for plunder.