The new cabinet only has two and a half years to the next election and is expected to address a multitude of issues; Tanzania is struggling with a limping economy, skyrocketing inflation, surging national debt and, possibly, a looming power crisis. The task ahead for appointed misters is heavier than imagined, the national debt having surged to a record high of $12.5 billion (Sh20 trillion), and inflation currently hovering at 24 percent, the highest in the past two decades.
With almost 30 months to the next general election, the reshuffle has delivered an even larger cabinet of 30 full ministers and 25 deputies, by any standards it is the largest in Eastern Africa. The task of maintaining the cabinet is simply too expensive and comes at the wrong time. However the most telling issue is lack of cohesiveness and focus; a bigger team with less time and even less of a mandate will most probably not have enough time to merge as a solid unit or forge a common strategy to deal with the multitude of problems facing the country.
teweli's musings 