He’s been office for all of three weeks and already Magufuli has earned a reputation for rocking the boat, with his no-bullshit attitude and corruption-busting plan of action.
Sure he’s the son of a farmer, but this guy’s far from simple; his first real job was a school teacher, thereafter he educated himself as an industrial chemist and eventually became Tanzania’s minister of public works. The latter position saw Magufuli tackle some of the country’s largest construction projects without even a whisper of corruption or maladministration. In fact, he’s well-known for being a-corrupt, seriously.
So what is it that makes John Magufuli so great? Well, unlike so many of his counterparts, he’s relentless in his assault on corruption, laziness, and overspending; something that no doubt has already made him very unpopular among his own political comrades as well as leaders like Zuma and Mugabe. Let’s face it; the man makes almost every other leader look like a thief.
Three weeks in office and we’ve already got at least 10 major changes to report, imagine what the man can get done in five years.
Have a look at some of this legend’s highlights so far:
He cancelled Independence Day celebrations, saying that it’s “shameful” to celebrate while people are dying of cholera. Instead, the money that would have been used has now been set aside for street and public area cleaning.
After visiting the Muhimbili Hospital for the first time and seeing the dire state of affairs, the president ordered that more than 200 million Shillings earmarked for parliamentary parties be used to upgrade the hospital facilities. Less than a week later the hospital had 300 extra beds. He then fired the entire hospital board and had broken equipment repaired.
Magufuli cut his inauguration party budget from $100 000 to just $7 000 and gave the difference to the very same hospital mentioned above.
In his first week he ordered a ban on all international travel by government officials; adding that they need to focus on the rural areas of Tanzania and the poor, while commissioners and ambassadors who are already overseas can fulfil any foreign obligations.
All first and business class flights are off limits for government officials; except the president, vice president and prime minister.
Government workshops will no longer be held at hotels and function halls. Instead, they will be held at government-owned chambers so as to use what has already been paid for.
He fired Tanzania’s chief of revenue after 350 containers listed in his books disappeared from Dar es Salaam harbour. The prime minister is currently heading up that investigation.
He appointed the country’s very first female vice president.
When he had to travel 600km from Dar to Dodoma to open parliament; he chose to drive himself rather than have government organise a jet.
Magufuli went on record in the national assembly saying that, now that he’s president “it will not be business as usual.”
Pretty f*cking cool right? Well, here’s one more thing you might like to know about “The Bulldozer;” yeah, that’s what they’re calling him.
His tagline for his presidential campaign was “Work, nothing else.”
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