By JENERALI ULIMWENGU

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Some things happen and they take your breath away, and you have to pause and drink the whole thing up. It happened this past Friday when I received news that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had informed the court trying Freeman Mbowe that he was no longer interested in pursuing the case. In other words, Freeman was free.

Without a doubt that was a momentous decision that overjoyed millions of Tanzanians who had been following the proceedings in court for the past few months and many of whom had been hoping that the opposition party leaders would eventually be found innocent of charges of “terrorism,” which many considered spurious.

It had been a roller-coaster of a case, in which the prosecution witnesses appeared to be unsure of themselves, to give contradictory testimonies, to fumble and to display a singular lack of concentration.

Almost half of the witnesses the prosecutors had promised did not show up and those who did looked and sounded unsure of what they were saying. In particular, the Director of Criminal Investigation, whose testimony had been expected to be pivotal, because it is his investigations that had occasioned Mbowe’s arrest, did not show up and no reason was given for his no-show.

Yet, when the prosecution had exhausted its evidence, the court decided Mbowe and his co-accused had a case to answer. How this could be, a number of observers were mystified, but some said it was a positive thing, for it now gave Mbowe’s defence team to shoot holes in the state’s case and show it was trumped-up and motivated by political expediency in a government intimidated by the growing strength of the opposition led by the principal accused.

All along, there had been persistent efforts by political activists and civil society campaigners to get Mbowe out of remand. The hashtag MBOWE IS NOT A TERRORIST was taken up by bloggers and other contributors to social media and widely circulated.

And, very recently, several religious leaders managed to buttonhole President Samia Suluhu Hassan and asked her to intervene and end the prosecution of Mbowe and take steps to heal the nation by working for a more conciliatory atmosphere in a country that had been torn apart by the negative politics of the past six or so years.

The next thing from that was the release of some unknown “terrorist suspects” before the big news that Freeman and three others had been let go by the state authorities.

There was, of course, jubilation and, even with the start of Lent, bars ran out of beer.

Still, questions lingered. Was the release of Freeman to be taken to mean that the president had acceded to public campaigns and the recent requests by the clerics? This would, of course, work in her favour because it would show her as a lady who listens, a far cry from her predecessor, who once declared himself to be “granite.”

I am sure she had to be careful not to make it look like she had “pardoned” Free, a suggestion that had already drawn the ire of Chadema’s leaders a little earlier. Of course, the so-called presidential pardon would be out of the question until Freeman had been found guilty and sentenced; no one pardons someone who has not been convicted.

But the nolle prosequi is a different matter. It speaks to the accusers, saying they are no longer willing to continue with their accusations, which is plausible, seeing as their case had been crumbling before their very eyes day after day. If this is what Samia caused to happen — by ordering the DPP, who is her direct employee, to let go — then she was wise and is to be commended. It would have allowed the state to save face — somewhat — ended the suffering of a freedom fighter and introduced a sigh-of-relief moment in the psyche of the country. That could only be good for us all.

Now, Freeman the habitual campaigner is back and I expect him to take up his campaign once again. No doubt, foremost on his mind will be issues such as reassessing and strengthening his party and whipping up the campaign to demand a new constitution.

The time he spent in isolation will have strengthened him, given him time for reflection and introspection, and he will have come out as steel tempered by fire. I almost expect him to repeat that legendary introduction by a columnist who had just returned from the world war: “As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted...”

It is to be hoped that Freeman’s release will open other doors to let in Tanzanians living in exile, such as Tundu Lissu, Godbless Lema, John Heche Ansbert Ngurumo and others who fled because they believed the late John Magufuli was going to kill them (and I believe them).

Let all of them come home, which will signify that the Pombe era is truly over and we can now move forward in the construction of our country after some terrible experience that had left this beautiful place psychologically scarred and in need of serious healing.

Karibu, Free!

Ulimwengu is now on YouTube via jeneralionline tv. E-mail: [email protected]