Recently during the ongoing parliamentary session, MP Teddy Kassela Bantu strongly recommended that the outgoing First Lady Mama Anna Mkapa should leave her post at EOTF (Equal Opportunity Trust Fund), upon leaving Ikulu. Do you think the MP was right?

NO. I think the MP was totally wrong because EOTF is a non-governmental organization (NGO), registered under the normal process and not registered under Ikulu. Taking EOTF from Mama Mkapa is like nationalizing the NGO – making it a state owned entity. EOTF was doing a good job because of proper management from those who run it, and there is no guarantee that it would be run properly by whoever takes it over.
Khadija Masudi – Volunteer.

NO. I am of the opinion that the MP was not right. Banning Mama Anna Mkapa from continuing to run EOTF, simply because she is vacating Ikulu is incorrect. If that is the case, then all other wives of senior government officials such as First Lady Mama Shadya Karume should stop leading their NGOs from the end of October.
Jesca Ismail – Councillor.

YES. I think EOTF should be left at Ikulu. In other words, it should be nationalized so as to continue benefiting more people. This is a special case; if EOTF was just an ordinary NGO, then its offices would not have been situated within the Ikulu grounds. I believe that using the influence of Ikulu and capturing the confidence of the donors, Mama Mkapa was able to get a lot of support. So if the NGO is to maintain the same support, then it should remain where it is, lest donors would ask a lot of questions before supporting it.
Abdul Mangu – Tutor.

NO. I am sure the MP erred somewhere. To me, leaving EOTF behind after the president’s tenure of office is not different from nationalizing the NGO. We all know the problems of nationalization, that in most cases, nationalized entities are mismanaged. I feel that an NGO cannot be nationalized. You can either privatize or nationalize only something that is related to profit generating. I think EOTF should remain as it is, if it is to continue serving its purpose.
Elizabeth Mwenda – Entrepreneur

Compiled by Timothy Kitundu.