Pendo Sanga

Political analyst ✍️ | Tuwapime kwa vitendo, si maneno | #SiasaYaKiwango

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ @TheEconomist They want to destroy Tanzania because President Samia will not do their bidding. This will not succeed.

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

To the Editorial Board of The Economist (@TheEconomist),

I would like to draw your attention to an article repeatedly promoted across your digital platforms titled, "Is Samia Suluhu Hassan Africa's most disappointing president?"

The substance of the article is, of course, open to debate and wildly speculative. However, my concern extends beyond its content. The article makes a number of serious claims while appearing to offer little evidence for some of its assertions and, from the perspective of many readers, does not seem to adequately present alternative viewpoints or responses from those being criticized.

What is even more surprising is the frequency with which this particular article has been promoted. To date, it appears to have been posted or reposted on your digital platforms on at least 22 occasions, including on 1 June, 31 May, 30 May, 28 May, 27 May, 26 May, 25 May, 21 May, 19 May, 18 May, 16 May, 15 May, 14 May, 13 May, 12 May, 10 May, 9 May, 8 May, 7 May, 5 May, and 4 May.

Given this extraordinary level of repetition, I would welcome an explanation from Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes (@zannymb) and Deputy Editor and Head of Digital Strategy Tom Standage (@tomstandage) regarding the rationale behind this promotional strategy.

The reason many readers are asking questions is simple: it is highly unusual to see the same article promoted so persistently over such a prolonged period. As a result, some have begun to wonder whether this is a genuine editorial decision or whether there are other motivations behind the campaign. The repeated promotion creates the appearance of an agenda-driven effort rather than the normal dissemination of journalistic content.

If The Economist holds a particular editorial position on Tanzania and its government, it would be more transparent to state that openly. Likewise, if there are reasons for repeatedly elevating this article above others, included but not limited to this being a paid hit piece, readers deserve an explanation. Transparency is an essential component of credible journalism.

I do not expect a response, but if one is forthcoming, many of us would be interested in hearing the reasoning behind what appears to be an unusually persistent promotional effort. If no response is provided, I hope the concerns raised by readers will at least be taken into consideration moving forward.

Regards,

N. N. Ngabu

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

Mungu anaipenda sana Tanzania. Katuepusha na makubwa zaidi ambayo yangeweza kutokea.

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

Zile $ 2 million (Shilingi bilioni 5) za Ford Foundation alizokua akizungumzia ndugu @rollymsouth ndio zilienda kwenye shughuli kama hizi.

Ndio maana wakina Tito, Mshabaha na Maria Sarungi walimshukia Madenge. Hawakutana taarifa kama hizi ziwarudie.

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ @rollymsouth Mungu wangu. Mungu atuepushie mbali. Hadi tumbo la uzazi limecheza.

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ Kosa la @rollymsouth ni kuufyata kipindi kile. Angepambana wakati ule

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@DavidHundeyin 😂😂😂😂

[David Hundeyin @DavidHundeyin]

I can't see this tweet until after this evening's premiere 🙈🙈🙈

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

Wakina Maria Sarungi ni shameless 😂😂😂

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

In their attempts to discredit @DavidHundeyin , the Ford Foundation activist circle may actually be strengthening the credibility of both David and the @Spearhead_Af team. I say this for several logical reasons.

First, they have been eager to label What Happened on October 29 as pro-government propaganda after seeing only a two-minute trailer. How can they confidently condemn an entire documentary without watching it in full? Their rush to dismiss it raises questions about whether they fear the perspectives it may present.

Second, many of these same activists openly supported documentaries by CNNNN and BCCC, both of which largely criticized the Tanzanian government. At the time, they defended those productions as important journalistic work. Why, then, are they suddenly opposed to another documentary on the same subject simply because it appears to challenge their preferred narrative?

What makes this contradiction even more striking is that the CNN and BBC documentaries were promoted heavily despite the fact that no representatives from those media organizations reportedly came to Tanzania to engage directly with people on the ground. In contrast, Spearhead actually sent a team to speak with Tanzanians who witnessed the events of that fateful day firsthand. One would expect such direct engagement to be welcomed rather than attacked.

The campaign against David has also relied on questionable tactics. At one point, activists circulated a photo supposedly showing David with President Samia. The image was later exposed as fabricated and heavily photoshopped. If the evidence against David were truly strong, why resort to using fake material to push the narrative?

David himself is both a journalist and an activist based in Ghana, much like Maria was a Tanzanian journalist and activist based in Kenya before relocating to Canada. On the surface, one might expect solidarity between individuals who occupy similar spaces. Yet Maria has emerged as one of David’s fiercest critics. The reason may lie in what the short trailer appears to suggest: that activists such as Maria and her associates may have played a role in escalating tensions and encouraging unrest before and after October 29.

Ultimately, the events of the past few days reveal an important reality: activists, like all human beings, are not free from bias, personal interests, or political agendas. Their interpretation of the truth should not automatically become the universal standard by which all other perspectives are judged.

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

In their attempts to discredit @DavidHundeyin , the Ford Foundation activist circle may actually be strengthening the credibility of both David and the @Spearhead_Af team. I say this for several logical reasons.

First, they have been eager to label What Happened on October 29 as pro-government propaganda after seeing only a two-minute trailer. How can they confidently condemn an entire documentary without watching it in full? Their rush to dismiss it raises questions about whether they fear the perspectives it may present.

Second, many of these same activists openly supported documentaries by CNNNN and BCCC, both of which largely criticized the Tanzanian government. At the time, they defended those productions as important journalistic work. Why, then, are they suddenly opposed to another documentary on the same subject simply because it appears to challenge their preferred narrative?

What makes this contradiction even more striking is that the CNN and BBC documentaries were promoted heavily despite the fact that no representatives from those media organizations reportedly came to Tanzania to engage directly with people on the ground. In contrast, Spearhead actually sent a team to speak with Tanzanians who witnessed the events of that fateful day firsthand. One would expect such direct engagement to be welcomed rather than attacked.

The campaign against David has also relied on questionable tactics. At one point, activists circulated a photo supposedly showing David with President Samia. The image was later exposed as fabricated and heavily photoshopped. If the evidence against David were truly strong, why resort to using fake material to push the narrative?

David himself is both a journalist and an activist based in Ghana, much like Maria was a Tanzanian journalist and activist based in Kenya before relocating to Canada. On the surface, one might expect solidarity between individuals who occupy similar spaces. Yet Maria has emerged as one of David’s fiercest critics. The reason may lie in what the short trailer appears to suggest: that activists such as Maria and her associates may have played a role in escalating tensions and encouraging unrest before and after October 29.

Ultimately, the events of the past few days reveal an important reality: activists, like all human beings, are not free from bias, personal interests, or political agendas. Their interpretation of the truth should not automatically become the universal standard by which all other perspectives are judged.

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ @TheChanzo @ThatBoyKhalifax ndio maana kumbe mlimshambulia sana @rollymsouth na ndio maana mnamshambulia sana @DavidHundeyin? Kumbe mnatetea maslahi ndugu zetu? 😂😂😂.

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ @rollymsouth @rollymsouth alikua na opportunity nzuri sana ya ku-expose ukweli. Kwa bahati mbaya akaelemewa na wanaharakati. Ila muda ni hakimu mzuri sana.

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

Hello @rollymsouth,

Your tweet has made it on to the What Happened On October 29 documentary.

We thank you for the courage to expose paid commercial activists for their role in the election and post election violence.

We know they attacked you because you revealed the truth, that they have donors behind them and those donors have an agenda.

I know they ran a smear campaign against you here. Stand tall because your tweet exposed a bitter but necessary truth.

But this is a lesson to you as well. You cossied up to the paid activists believing that they were your friends. They threw you to the dogs as soon as you became an inconvenient truth for them.

I urge you to man up. Come out of your X (Twitter) exile and expose the demonic activist cult.

Amandla brother ✊🏾

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ @CNN @BBCWorld We were waiting for a documentary that will give a more balanced and unbiased view of October 29. Thank you @DavidHundeyin and your team at @Spearhead_Af 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

Activists are a very funny bunch. In fact I would go as far as to say they sometimes act borderline clownish.

When @CNN made a documentary on post election riots in Tanzania, the activists applauded.

When @BBCWorld made a documentary on post election riots in Tanzania, the activists applauded.

Now that an African outlet such as @Spearhead_Af has made a documentary on the same matter, activists are up in arms claiming that the documentary is paid for by the Tanzanian government.

So my question to activists such as Maria Sarungi and her gang is this, if this documentary is paid for by the Tanzania government for its benefit, who paid for the CNN and BBC documentaries and to whose benefit?

Mind you this documentary has not even come out yet. But activists are up in arms because a snippet of the documentary talks about how they coordinated an online campaign to motivate young Tanzanians to riot to stop a constitutionally mandated election.

To this end I say thank you @DavidHundeyin and thank you Spearhead. It is time that an African story be told by an African news agency and I am looking forward to the premier in Dar Es Salaam.

And to the activists and everyone who seems to be upset, I say this, practice what you preach. You were happy with the CNN, BBC and other western media outlets narrative now it is time we hear a balanced perspective.

What Happened On October 29 is about to be the biggest documentary released this year 🙌🏾.

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

KWELI MUNGU SI ATHUMANI

Huyu Billy Miya wa kipindi cha Maskani 47 cha Radio 47 ya Kenya ndie aliekua akishabikia ghasia nchini Tanzania za wakati na baada ya Uchaguzi Mkuu. 

Alikua alitoa commentary nyingi sana za kinafiki na kutusub. Leo ndio anaona kumbe kwenye maandamano hakuna logic ya kuchoma mali binafsi za watu?

Halafu kwenye clip ana lalamikia CX-5 kuchomwa moto kumbe sababu ni na yeye anamiliki CX-5 🤡.

NB- Kwenye maandamano haya Kenya walikufa watu pia. Muambieni kuwa wakifa watu haipaswi zungumzia uharibufu wa mali binafsi eti 🤫

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

Maria Sarungi ni mnafiki na ndumilakuwili. Kawatumia watu wengi sana kwa jina la "harakati" ili kufanikisha ajenda zake, kubwa kuliko likiwa la kujipatia fedha kwa wafadhili.

Muda ni Mwalimu mzuri ila ipo siku umma utaonyesha msululu wa watu waliotumika na Maria huko yeye akiendelea kula maisha Nairobi Kisha kwa sasa Canada.

Maria anakutumia kisha inapomfaa yeye anakuchoma yeye anaendelea na maisha. Hata hawa vijana wake Mshabaha, Hilda na Sativa nawaonea huruma sana ila ipo siku watakua mashuhuda.

Kwa kifupi Lissu yuko jela kwa sababu ya Maria. Ni Maria ndie aliekuja kwa Lissu na mpango wa kuzuia Uchaguzi akimuaminisha kuwa nyuma yao kutakua na baadhi ya wanasiasa/balozi za Ulaya, wafadhili, viongozi wa kisiasa na kidini, pamoja na vyombo vya ulinzi na usalama.

Lissu aliaminishwa kuwa Oktoba 29 yatafanyika Mapinduzi na ni yeye atakaepachikwa kama Rais 😂.

Ndio maana mara ya mwisho Lissu anaonekana hadharani kabla ya Uchaguzi akasema kwa kujiamini "Sasa ni rasmi niko ndani kwa ajili ya Uchaguzi. Siku tatu baada ya Uchaguzi nitatoka".

Ndio maana sasa hivi Lissu yuko desperate. Katika wote waliosuka ghasia za Oktoba 29 ni yeye tu ndio yuko jela na hana dalili za kutoka.

Anyway sisi yetu 👀. Tunaendelea kuwa ndugu watazamaji mpaka pale yote yatakapo jidhihirisha.

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ Rais Samia hakurupuki 🙌🏾

[Nyani Ngabu @NNgabu_]

Sasa mtaelewa kwanini tulisema Tanzania haipaswi kuingia kwenye makubaliano yoyote kinyonge.

Rais alikua sahihi alipohoji kwanini Ruto alitangaza ujenzi wa kiwanda cha kuchakata mafuta Tanga bila yeye kuwa na taarifa.

Tungefuata mkumbo huo ina maana ingebidi tufuate terms and conditions walizo jadiliana Ruto na Dangote.

Alicho kufanya Rais Samia, Profesa wa Siasa, ni kuwaza kete kumi mbele. Matokeo yake ni Dangote kaja nchini pamoja na ujumbe wake ili kuanza mjadala rasmi.

Asante Rais Samia kwa uongozi wako mahiri wenye maono.

[Pendo Sanga @pendossanga]

@NNgabu_ @KatibaMpyaTz_ 😂😂😂😂😂