Mwalimu Nyerere proverb " mineral does not rot" is out dated in the era of Dr Magufuli

Mining in Tanzania date back from Germany colonial era in 1890s, where gold discoveries occurred in Lake Victoria region. Gold production goes up and down until Tanganyika independence in 1961. Under Nyerere president, the national took a direction of socialism and nationalized all production sector including mining sector with a slogan that “minerals does not rot” and our late father of the nation added some wise word “we will mine when our grandchildren go to school and understand minerals and mining”.

At Nyerere’s reign, larger scale mining decreased to the end point and small scale miners operated illegally. Years passed and regime changed from Father of the national to president Mwinyi and then to Mpaka as regime changes also philosophy of the national economy changed.

At Mpaka regime things turned to capitalism economy from socialism. All nationalized property at this time released to private sector, at this time the grandchildren from Nyerere reign where adult and educated enough to run the mining sector but they proved failure and most of them become the employees of international mining company and government.

This capitalist economy philosophy passed in the same direction to president Kikwete regime. What goes, comes around, where sovereignty law for natural resources coming back in Dr Magufuli regime. But in the era of president Dr Magufuli is different from Nyerere time in the environment of technology and in level of education of Tanzanian in mining sector. But they both share the same common philosophy for the aim of nationality first. What are differences from Nyerere reign that make the slogan “mineral does not rote” does not fit for.

Dr Magufuli regime? Today in every year graduate degree in geology, mining and mineral processing are approximately 400 only in Tanzanian universities forget diploma graduates but from Nyerere their where no graduate. Where are they going all this human resources? If Dr Magufuli regime will hold the slogan mineral does not rote? It is purely this slogan does not work at this time. But this does not mean to let mineral plunder and looter to enjoy the show.

This it means Dr Magufuli need to think how to empower small scale to medium scale to take off for utilizing the human and natural resources for national developments in mining industry. On other hand Nyerere reign was associated with technology problem but in the age of dotcom, mining technology like exploration equipments, ball mill, jaw crusher, dumper truck, processing plant and all other can be bought with finger tip in android phone of Tsh150000/=. This indicates that technology is no longer the limitation.

 Good enough this time mineral commodity market is very open for every one as long as the market trick is traced properly. This was quite different from Nyerere reign. At this time Tanzanian must drop down the slogan that mineral does not rote but must tight belt and think how we are going to mine if the international mining company will be left our pie to our hand because of the sovereignty law of natural resources.

This must be spear headed and supported by President Dr Magufuli to make all the difference and remarkable change of the event and bring the meaning of nationality.