It is strikingly blunt whitewashing for one of the perpetrators to now come out publicly attacking the very status quo his ejusdem generis cartel created. This sudden moral awakening comes from a series of public addresses by former Balozi Humphrey Polepole, delivered over three consecutive weeks—and it continues.
Many of us are left wondering—what exactly is he trying to achieve? To others, he is a hero of their lifetime and religiously staunch, seeing him as Saul, who became Paul in the Bible.
The large crowd’s eager anticipation soon met with disappointment, as Polepole’s words failed to address the pressing concerns many expected him to tackle. His public addresses followed immediately after his resignation as Tanzania’s Ambassador to Cuba. Instead of confronting urgent issues like abductions, disappearances, and citizens’ welfare, his speeches focused mainly on routine topics within a CCM reform agenda.
Polepole’s accusations appear to stem less from genuine public concern and more from a personal grudge—frustration at no longer being “in the kitchen” of power—and an attempt to sow discord. Recently, he has shifted his rhetoric to lean towards die-hard CHADEMA supporters, who have been visibly supporting him on social media platforms like X, in an obvious attempt to broaden his base.
His heroism is recognised for his courage in addressing issues others would avoid, such as irregularities in CCM’s internal presidential campaign process. One might assume he is advocating for the awakening of a politically, socially, and economically distressed nation. Perhaps he is; however, his approach focuses on individuals rather than the entrenched system that perpetuates these injustices.
Lacking legitimacy
This destructive, smear-driven brand of politics lacks legitimacy. It does nothing to restore the dismantled oversight institutions—the gatekeepers of our democracy—that were systematically weakened under his watch. In one address, he went so far as to contemptuously warn the CCM presidential candidate not to “collect nomination form from INEC,” and suggested she should “go back to her party and do the needful,” implying she was illegitimate.
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He even mocked and discredited candidates from other parties like ACT Wazalendo, calling them a project of those he has consistently referred to as wana matandao (literally meaning “deep state”). Was this necessary, or simply political theatre?
The central truth is this: the inequalities that still plague Tanzania stem directly from the unhealed wounds inflicted by the regime Polepole served. What he now laments, he helped build. How does he forget the allegations that he was imploring councillors from opposition parties to defect to CCM? During his tenure, defection was the business of the day. All defectors said the same thing: they wanted to join forces with the regime because it was “doing the best job.”
Persistent difficulty
Polepole’s rhetoric, though wrapped in reformist language, reflects a deeper national challenge—the persistent difficulty in turning political slogans into meaningful institutional change. When the current administration took power, it introduced the much-celebrated “Four Rs” (Reconciliation, Resilience, Reform, and Rebuild), inspiring real hope for reform.
It was a moment that could have mirrored South Africa’s and Sierra Leone’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission—where wrongdoers publicly accounted for their actions through truth-telling, reparations, and systemic reform. But the Four Rs were never backed by structures capable of delivering justice or healing.
Any transitional justice expert would see a clear gap, as there was no clear philosophical guidance or definition of what they meant, which bodies would implement them, or how reconciliation would address past misdeeds and compensate victims.
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This gap allowed figures like Polepole to walk away unaccountable, their past sins now haunting them, prompting their public tantrums. These examples underscore how political systems often lack genuine accountability when former insiders recycle power through new roles or parties.
The real healing of democracy requires institutionalising processes like truth commissions, genuine reconciliation, and structural reform—not just rhetorical shifts or personality attacks, as is now done by a former ambassador whose diplomatic status has been stripped by the President.
It is hard to predict how his public stunt will ultimately conclude. However, it is important to recognise that history will remember Humphrey Polepole not as a reformer, but as one of the architects of Tanzania’s democratic decline.
The weakened democracy he criticises today is the same one he helped dismantle. He should reflect on his past misdeeds before targeting others while attempting to obscure his own dark side.
Fortunata Kitokesya is a lawyer and human rights expert. She is available at fortukito@gmail.com or on X as @fortunatak. 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.
One Response
“Polepole’s accusations appear to stem less from genuine public concern and more from a personal grudge—frustration at no longer being “in the kitchen” of power—and an attempt to sow discord.”
Ad hominem. Is the author affiliated to ACT Wazalendo? The piece reads like she is.