In the theatre of politics, silence is as important as speech, and absence can be equally important as presence. But when a politician of the stature of Freeman Mbowe is seen at a government function after a long absence, then speculation arises.
And when President Jakaya Kikwete cracks a joke around you, and the state sings praises in your honour, it leaves tongues wagging. Freeman Mbowe, whom his loyal supporters call Mwamba, has remained silent since his emotional and solemn farewell speech to CHADEMA supporters on January 22 at Mlimani City.
Remarkably, he hasn’t spoken a word in public since his humiliating defeat to Tundu Lissu in January. A lot has happened since then. Lissu, who defeated him for the Chairperson position, was arrested and charged with treason. He has been in custody since April, over three months now.
Since his first court appearance on April 10, which has been attended by diplomats and ambassadors, foreign human rights activists, friends, and comrades, there have been about eight other appearances. However, Mbowe’s absence has been the most noticeable.
Mbowe’s appearance at the launch of Vision 2050 was always going to raise eyebrows. Mbowe, in his usual poise, walked into the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre in Dodoma and went to sit in his designated position. But what really explains his public presence a day after the court hearing, Lissu’s case was once again postponed? Was Mbowe just attending a national event, or was his appearance a strategic and calculated move?
Major national event
The Nation’s Vision 2050 launch was a major national event that brought the country together — a symbolic gathering of shared hopes and ambitions for the future. Mbowe might have felt compelled to attend as a respected member of society. Even the disgruntled Humphrey Polepole, who resigned and was supposed to speak to the media during the launch, postponed his press conference, saying he wanted to give the event the respect it deserved.
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One would argue that Mbowe’s presence at the event exemplifies his commitment to active citizenship and national engagement. On the other hand, this was good optics for the state and the government. When Mbowe walked to take a picture with President Samia Suluhu Hassan on the main dais at the end of the event, the guests cheered.
President Samia, who had remained seated during other group pictures, stood, and Mbowe was seen helping slide her chair as she rose. A picturesque moment. A moment that the event MC used to rouse the guests with a “Tanzania oyee.” A true depiction of the “Tanzania we want in 2050.”
Despite the many postponements, Lissu’s case has reached a stage where the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) says there is enough evidence for the case to move to the High Court.
For the umpteenth time, the Senior State Attorney in Tundu Lissu’s case requested the court to adjourn the case to allow the High Court to hear and decide on an application seeking to conceal the identities of certain witnesses to protect them and grant them anonymity.
There has been significant public interest in the court sessions, which are now public after some ill-advised attempts to prevent people from attending. Mbowe’s absence from the court was initially seen as a decision to remain silent amid speculation about his political future.
Rumours were circulating about his possibly joining Chama Cha Ukombozi wa Umma (CHAUMMA), after his former close allies had already joined. His attendance at the Vision 2050 launch, amidst the spectacle of politics, seemed strategically calculated to convey a political message.
Sellout accusations
Mbowe’s detractors, especially those in the Lissu camp of CHADEMA, who have accused him of cosying with the government and being a sellout, will definitely use this occasion to affirm their accusations.
However, despite the mudslinging and accusatory rhetoric from the Lissu camp, Mbowe has remained civil, pragmatic, and above all, silent. He has not come out publicly to defend himself from the accusations, nor does he want to prove that he is not working with the government.
This notwithstanding, his silence and indeed his absence from the court proceedings from his onetime ally speak volumes. Mbowe is not a stranger to court battles, having remained in remand for eight months on terrorism charges.
During this time, Lissu, who was then the CHADEMA Vice Chairperson, stood in solidarity with his then-embattled Chairman even though he was living in exile. During President Samia’s visit to Belgium in February 2022, she met Lissu and asked that the case facing Mbowe be dropped.
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Mbowe’s presence at the launch and his absence from court should be read in the broader context of the country’s current political atmosphere. In the general calculations of politics, silence means something; every appearance signifies an impending political move.
As Mbowe shook the hands of President Samia as they took the traditional after-event photos, this act was laden with meaning – that optics is the currency of politics. In the grand scheme of things, Mbowe’s cosiness with the government will substantiate the Lissu-CHADEMA camp that Mbowe is indeed a state project.
However, others would argue that Mbowe is the pragmatic politician he has always been. And as a freeman (pun intended), choosing to remain silent is his prerogative, and attending Lissu’s hearing is a moral question rather than a legal obligation.
Nicodemus Minde holds a PhD in International Relations from the United States International University- Africa, Nairobi. He can be reached at nminde96@gmail.com or on X at @decolanga. The opinions expressed here are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Chanzo. If you are interested in publishing in this space, please contact our editors at editor@thechanzo.com.
