A nation is built by people and great nations are built when competent people are given the opportunity to pilot the affairs of the nation. Competency is achieved through skills and experiences developed over time. Nowadays, employers employ individuals through competency based selection processes which ranges from all sorts of aptitude tests to interviews. However, in Tanzania a third process has unofficially been added which is favoritism and if not checked will threaten our Nation building.
From my experience as a hardworking recent graduate of Engineering, I boldly walked into the Tanzanian "Labour Market" to search for good jobs which will help me develop myself and build my skills and professional career as an engineer. I went into the market with certainty that my hard work and academic success will help me to excel in every aptitude test and interview that I will find myself. I started my job search spending most of my days and nights in the cyber cafe applying for jobs. My focus initially was mainly in the Mining related jobs (especially the multinationals) which is the dream job for every young Tanzanian engineering graduate.
Like every other recent graduate, I prepared myself for the stiff competition in the selection process and spent sleepless nights reading aptitude test materials and some interview tips. As days and months pass by, I noticed that most multinational oil and gas job opportunities are seasonal especially for graduate positions. That made me to diversify my job search from strictly multinational Telecom companies to every other sector that have graduate positions like indigenous oil and gas sectors, banking sectors, manufacturing and so on.
In February 2007, I got a job aptitude test invitation from XXL Tanzania . which for me was an opportunity to give my best and secure a dream job. I prepared very hard for the test and two days to the test date, I moved down to DSM from ARUSHA to stay closer to the test venue. On the said test date, I arrived at the test venue with all the necessary credentials as stated in the invitation. I passed through the accreditation where the original copies of my credentials were checked to make sure I meet the minimum requirement for the position. After been cleared, I was directed to my sit. After we were seated, we were given all sorts of instructions as regards the test and the company. As the instructions were coming, the tension within me kept rising as that was my first job test. The profile of the company been dished out by the people conducting the exam makes me long to work for them the more, however, I decided to focus more on the two obstacle staring at me (aptitude test and interview) which I saw as the only hindrance stopping me from achieving my dream as a young engineering graduate.
When the time came, we were given the test materials and were instructed to start the test which we did and when the time elapsed, we were instructed to stop and the papers were collected. The examiners told us that the test result will be posted on the wall outside the company premises in DSM within two days and that the successful candidates will be contacted for the interview stage. The two days waiting period was filled with prayers to God to help me be among the successful candidates. Early morning on the appointed day, I went to the company but lo and behold the results have not been posted yet. I waited and while I was there, many other people came around for the same purpose. Later towards the afternoon, the results were posted and to the glory of God, my name was on the list. I jumped and thanked God in jubilation for helping me cross the first hurdle while I pray to him to accomplish the work which He has started by helping me in the second hurdle.
In the evening of that same day, I got an official invitation for the interview stage. I prepared and prayed hard and early in the morning of the interview day, I prepared and went to the venue much earlier than necessary in order to avoid any form of obstacle which might come from traffic jam and all sorts of unforeseen circumstances. I waited in the interview venue till the interview time. When the time came, we were called in for the interview by one of the interviewers. We were drilled through different stages from individual to group and hands-on in order to test our competencies in different areas. The interview finished in the evening of Friday, February 9, 2007 and by Saturday, February 10, 2007, I got an email that I was successful in the interview. I couldn't help but to thank God for making a dream come through and for making all my hard work not to be in vain. I broadcasted the good news to my parents and they were so happy for me. I was later instructed to get my international passport ready which I borrowed money from my sister to do immediately. From my inquiry, I was told by some employees that the next stage will be medical examination and then resumption.
Lo and behold, I got a twist of my life when I waited for several months and didn't hear anything again from the recruitment team. I couldn't believe that this is coming from a company who made us believe that one of their codes of conduct is "zero tolerance to corruption". I put up calls but they were never answered. I sent emails but they were never replied. Later, I happened to contact one of the guys who also passed the interview the same time and he told me that he has been called. I asked what he did that I didn't do, that made him to be called while I wasn't and that was when I knew that he had an uncle working in the company at that time. This was the time it done on me that although I passed the official competency based selection process stated by the company, I didn't do well in the unofficial selection process called favoritism. I pressed hard to redress the situation but to no avail. When I saw that the situation was drifting out of my hand, I quickly got a job in the banking sector (at least to keep body and soul together) while I continuously press for the job I was denied in XXL Tanzania .
Although I was heartbroken, I wasn't deterred. While in the bank, I continued trying other opportunities and as it pleases God in the same year, I got the PTDF scholarship to study my MSc at United Kingdom. I left the shores of Tanzania in 2008 for my MSc which I successfully completed in September, 2009. Immediately after that, I was offered a Scholarship by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council to undertake a PhD programme, which I successfully completed in 2012 emerging as the first candidate in my faculty to have completed his PhD work before the official completion date without correction. Immediately I completed my PhD, I got an offer from one of the top Universities in South Africa to continue my research work in Low Carbon Energy Systems.
Although people might say that what happened to me is "a blessing in disguise" but I think it is high time we started exposing the evil that is happening in our society. I know there is someone out there who has been cheated because of favoritism. This eleven letter word has lead to incompetency and decay in our society. Some unqualified people have gotten into positions they never merited because of favoritism. Some people have gained admission into universities while those that are more qualified than them are left out because of favoritism. Some have even gone ahead to sale employment positions to people that can afford it while those that are qualified but don't have the money to buy are left out.
The problem caused by favoritism is hydra headed. It discourages hard work and competition while at the same time promotes corruption. It gives room for people that are not qualified to handle the affairs of the nation while the qualified are left out. It is also against the rule of law.
Let us as a nation learn to build based on merit. Let employees employ based on merit. Let government appoint people based on merit so that Tanzania will achieve her merited growth.
I indulge you to join in this fight against favoritism by mentioning any company, university or government parastatal that have denied you anything whatsoever (from employment, admission, promotion etc) because of favoritism. It is high time we started to expose the evil in our society.
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