There are moments in a startup journey that feel almost unreal. When something you built to solve a problem suddenly stands before a nation. For us at Hakiki, that moment came on May 21, 2019.
And at the center of it stood John Pombe Magufuli.
From an Idea to a National Conversation
Hakiki was never just a product, it was a response to a national problem.
Counterfeit goods had quietly infiltrated everyday life in Tanzania medicines, cosmetics, electronics posing risks not just to businesses, but to human lives. Estimates showed that up to 20% of products in the market could be fake, costing the country hundreds of billions in lost revenue each year .
We believed technology could restore trust.
Hakiki became a platform where:
- Manufacturers and regulators could trace products across the value chain
- Consumers could verify authenticity instantly
- Government could strengthen oversight and tax collection
But belief is one thing.
National recognition is another.
The Day the Government Listened
On that day, at the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) headquarters in Dar es Salaam, something shifted.
The event itself was already significant. It wasn’t just about telecom — it was about rebuilding national infrastructure. President Magufuli had been pushing for stronger use of state-owned systems, even directing government officials to adopt TTCL services to strengthen the institution .
Then Hakiki entered the conversation.
When the TTCL CEO spoke about Hakiki, it marked the first time many in that room and across the country heard of a locally built solution tackling counterfeit products at scale.
But the defining moment came later.
The President’s Response
When it was time for the President’s speech, President Magufuli returned to the subject.
And he didn’t just acknowledge Hakiki, he engaged with it.
He spoke about the importance of ensuring that Tanzanians are protected from fake products. He emphasized accountability, authenticity, and systems that serve citizens not just businesses.
In that moment, you could feel something rare happening:
A Head of State was not just being briefed on innovation, He was connecting it to national priorities.
For us, standing behind that idea, it was powerful.
Because this wasn’t endorsement for the sake of ceremony.
It was understanding.
When a Startup Becomes a National Tool
That moment changed everything.
Hakiki was no longer just a startup pitch, pilot solution or a concept looking for adoption
It became part of a national narrative protecting citizens from harmful counterfeit goods, strengthening regulatory systems, supporting government revenue and building trust in Tanzanian products.
And most importantly, it showed that local innovation could reach the highest level of leadership and be taken seriously.
The Leadership Behind the Moment
President Magufuli was known for many things discipline, urgency, and a strong stance on accountability.
But in that moment, what stood out was something else, his willingness to recognize value when he saw it.
At a time when many startups struggle to even get a meeting, Hakiki was heard, understood and elevated.
That kind of leadership doesn’t just validate ideas. It accelerates them.
Remembering the Man, Through the Moment
When news broke of the passing of John Pombe Magufuli, many stories were told about policies, reforms, and controversies.
But for us, the memory is personal.
It is that moment when a national problem met a local solution, when leadership met innovation, when belief met recognition and suddenly, what we were building mattered at a scale we had only imagined.
A Legacy That Lives On
Hakiki’s mission remains unchanged:
- To build trust.
- To protect consumers.
- To empower systems through technology.
But its journey will always carry that defining moment,
when a President paused, listened, and saw the future in something new.
Because sometimes, history is not just written in policies.
It is written in moments.
And for us, that moment will always include him.
You can watch the video of the lauch event on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGqoMjatE4&t=7645s