Thread by @MikocheniReport

Good morning! How are you today!

...what do you mean, not again?

Come on. You knew there was going to be a post mortem didn't you? Besides, you don't just come down from live tweeting for several days just like that.

Anyways, its the weekend so this is really just a chill...

...session to say a few things that coukd not be said before the burial of the late President Magufuli.

First of all, I apologise to my fellow Tanzanians. I am aware of our unwritten social contract and the clauses that define the appropriate conduct expected of a patriot

...when soeaking of national matters in an International language.

To add insult to injury, I inserted myself in the situation instead of focusing strictly on the events and the late President Magufuli.

Finally, I may have come across as a sycophant of the government by

...being so complimentary about everything.

Some of you might have wondered if I had suffered a head injury. Or been bought off. Or gone all soft and wonky because I am a feminist and our current Head of State is a woman.

I assure you, this is not the case.

Ila bwana, tulikuwa tunaelekea pabaya.

My beloved Tanzania was in trouble. We were beginning to fight amongst ourselves. Strange things were happening.

As soon as President Hassan was sworn in, I saw people say very strange things. Things they would never have dared say

if the President was a man.

On top of that, it has been difficult to listen to people advise Tanzanians on what to do, think, feel, et cetera. It felt patronizing.

And from some corners, it came across as downright hostile.

All this during a State funeral. We had not even

Laid the late President Magufuli to rest.

I took action. There is such a thing as strategic communication. Yaani, tumia nafasi na jukwaa ulizonazo kutuma ujumbe ili ifike kwa walengwa.

As former President Kikwete did yesterday, now we online wags know that he can hear us 😃

I decided on a multi-pronged approach. Live tweet the funeral so that anyone outside of Tanzania who speaks English might have an alternative source of information about what was going on.

No more single-narrative.

Also, help us remember that Tanzania has a certain status

that we must uphold through our words and actions when the global gaze is upon us. It is in the social contract, is it not?

Next, it is important as a feminist with a public profile to use the opportunities presented to me to push back against The Patriarchy

If I had not done so, I would be complicit in the continuation of the misogyny that we have all suffered. It is still a threat, we will have to address this issue for some time to come.

The machinery of State is perfectly aware. The Chief of the Defense Forces told us to give

the Commander in Chief her due respect.

Jenerali Mabeyo, Mkuu wa Majeshi, alituweka kwenye mstari jana.

With the might and discipline of the Armed Forces on display in such a public manner for the first time being used to make a point.

Remember: I work with media. Optics are important. Statecraft is important. I did my best to show that Tanzania had earned the live and respect that we are given.

The Heads of State, Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers who spoke at the State funeral were here for a reason and

They all congratulated President Samia Suluhu Hassan and gave her her due respect as a the Tanzanian President.

There is a reason it is called Statecraft.

If our fellow Africans, our friends and neighbors, as well as our government and armed forces and retired Presidents

acted in unison, it is up to us to get the message or not.

Eniweizi, next week in @The_EastAfrican more on some of that topic from a perspective I hope you find entertaining.

Finally, while I had to find a way to both say what I had to say so that I can now move on with

Peace in my heart. I was suffering from grievious wounds. My parents served this country faithfully their whole lives.

Mlimsikia Rais Kikwete alivyosimulia vile ambavyo binti yake alimwambia 'Dad, you never make time for us' ikamuuma?

Well. I also had my Dad. The Lord took

Valentine Mukono Eyakuze in His Mercy in November of 2015. He was 85 years old when he passed.

I thank God for it. These past few years? Sijui ingekuwaje kama bado angekuwa hai. Mjane wake, Mama yangu, yupo.

Let me end there on that topic.

And finally,one cannot purport to believe in free speech and not practice it.

You must find the courage of to live your convictions lest you live the small and withered life of a hypocrite.

This not easy to do. I watched journalist friends pay the price for doing their job.

So, the three-pronged approach.

I rewrote my article for @The_EastAfrican which came out this week.

I live-tweeted the public State funeral events to send a message and also to help the many friends of Tanzania aeound the world get some small, subjective insight into what...

...was going on. Love and goodwill are precious, if they are offered to you rise to the occasion.

And try to rise above the provocations of those who mean harm to women, to Tanzania, to democracy. But if you cannot, let them know that not all women and not all Tanzanians

...are 'naturally soft.' Setting boundaries is healthy.

Finally, I did what my soul compelled me to do. A friend and editor gave me a platform and I stood on it and wrote what I had to write.

So, if I have offended you by my actions, I apologise for breaking our social contract.

But the social contract was/is in tatters. We must tape it back together again. Together.

Uhuru. Amani. Umoja. 🇹🇿

To conclude, yesterday I had the priviledge and the pleasure of being on a panel with @MwangiMaina_ , @TunduALissu , @NevilleMeena. We discussed the state of media in Tanzania. We challenged each other and were challenged by the audience.

What a pleasure it was to disagree

with @TunduALissu to his face. And for him to upbraid me on what he felt was wrong with my approach to certain matters over the past few weeks and going forward to the end of 21 days of mourning.

If we had agreed, I would have been shocked and dissappointed. So many politicians

are inconsistent. I really appreciate those who can keep it together even if I find their ideology to be not to my taste.

Word to the wise: @TunduALissu is extremely well-informed, erudite and confident. And very, very loquacious 😁

Truly a lawyer and a politician 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

We only tease those we are fond of, au siyo?

Basi, poa. My morning smoothie isn't going to make itself and I am starving. Have a great day!