FAREWELL TO AMBASSADOR MWANAIDI MAAJAR
Tribute to her historical appointment and
legacy
BY MOHAMED MATOPE,
Washington DC, January 28, 2013
Two and a half
years ago, President Jakaya Kikwete made history by appointing seasoned lawyer,
Mwanaidi S. Maajar, Tanzania’s first female ambassador to the United States.
Ambassador Maajar’s pick surprised many observers. People did not doubt her
capabilities but it had not been done in the more than 50 years that Tanzania
and the US have maintained diplomatic relations.
Despite the fact
that she had been High Commissioner to Britain before coming to Washington DC,
many questioned whether a Tanzanian woman could effectively perform the duties of
ambassador in this citadel of global power play. To say the least, expectations
were low founded equally on baseless fears.
But as Mrs. Maajar’s tour of duty winds up,
it is imperative that we put in perspective what this formidable woman has
accomplished in her rather short stay here and, by extension, the fundamental
impact of her presence on the Tanzanian community here and in the US generally.
First and foremost, Mrs. Maajar is a highly talented and skilled diplomat of
our time.
What has been most striking about her
tenure of office is how effective on the job she has proven to be, improbable as
it once seemed. She transformed the ambassador’s role as radically as President
Barack Obama changed the American presidency. Before her arrival, the ambassador’s
office was regarded as elitist post and generally detached from mainstream life
and society.
That negative perception changed
completely as she connected outright with the people and the community at large
to the extent that she became, and was seen, as part of the community itself.
She is a dynamic and likeable leader, who leaves behind unmatched inspiration as
her biggest legacy in this country where ambitions can be easily lost in the
fast paced lifestyle of doing anything, from politics to scientific inventions.
She will be
remembered more as a bridge builder and unifier of what was once a highly
fragmented community here in America. Before she came, the general perception
was that the embassy was a separate entity (not a mission for the people) and
therefore, had no business linking up with the Diaspora community. That
perception was debunked under her tenure of office.
We also
witnessed the transformation of the ambassador’s persona from the traditional diplomatic
aloofness to that of a more engaging and role model organizer for results. Through
her untiring efforts, the society of Tanzanians living in Washington DC,
Maryland and Virginia (DMV) and other organizations of Tanzanians in the United
States were strengthened and contributed markedly to the reawakening of our
cultural and national identity as Tanzanians living abroad.
Also, Mrs.
Maajar has arguably done more to integrate our community than any of her
predecessors. We should remember that Mrs Maajar around during the 2010 general
election, which was characterized by hyper partisanship and polarization of the
national agenda here in United States as
well as in Tanzania. Mrs. Maajar had all
the reasons to also advance partisan actions that would have split our
community even further. Instead, she steadfastly remained non-aligned and chose
to tread the unifying path. As a result, the Tanzanian community in the United
States emerged more integrated today than it was three years ago.
After two and
a half years of meritorious service through her unrelenting efforts, she has
succeeded immeasurably to unify our community, shaped as much by her experience
as a lawyer, as well her skills as an administrator. We measure our leaders’
greatness by their ability to do big things, Mrs. Maajar was able to organize
our community and overcome huge obstacles even in the face heartbreaking
despair. She simply never gave up even when matters appeared to be hopelessly
out of hand.
Aisha Damji, a
Tanzanian business woman in California, said there was a reason the community
held seemingly endless farewells parties for Mrs Maajar. “She is people’s
person,” said Aisha. “Her performance as ambassador was spectacular. All Tanzanian
women should be proud of her, and now, the pressure is on our leaders to appoint
another female ambassador,” she concluded and lobbied in typical American
style.
Ends
