Topic: Tanzania lone ranger in EAC integration bid

Tanzania lone ranger in EAC integration bid


Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich celebrates after he won men’s marathon during the London 2012 Olympic Games . The last time Uganda had won a gold medal at the event was 40 years ago. Photo/AFP AFP
IN SUMMARY

• Tanzania has been in the regional news for their stand against the other East African Community states, especially Kenya. They recently, increased the work permit fees for East Africans arguing that the bloc has not reached the integration level that would support free movement of labour.
• Apart from making it expensive for other East Africans to work in Tanzania, the country has also been accused of reportedly lighting fires on the wildlife migratory corridors to prevent the wildebeest from migrating into Kenya.
• Then there was the bus accident involving Kenyans who were travelling to Tanzania on a religious mission. It was reported that the public at scene of the accident demanded cash in order to help the victims.

Regional news indicates that competition is rising among East African nations.
One of the recent surprises was the Ugandan athlete Stephen Kiprotich who won the country a gold in the Olympics since the last one 40 years ago.
This made the Ugandans so proud sending the whole nation into a celebration. The fact that the athlete has Kenyan roots confirms that apart from suffering brain drain as brilliant Kenyans settle for jobs abroad, the country also suffers from ‘leg drain’ as the best runners choose to work and run for other countries.
The good news here is that this suggests a greater level of integration while providing some food for thought to Kenya on how to keep the best talents home.
Kiprotich’s achievement can also have some dividends in tourism circles across the region. The win was also one of the surprises at the London 2012 Olympic Games, earning a place among the best 10 CNN moments at the event.
For business, the lesson should be that you should always respect for your competition. I overheard some Kenyans suggest that our athletes had been told by their coaches to keep an eye on any Ethiopian on the tracks but to their unpleasant surprise, competition also came from other countries including Uganda.
Another point to note is that Uganda is actually friendlier to Kenya than Tanzania, being landlocked means that they have to depend on the Mombasa port.
They are likely to wish Kenya well since our problems can easily escalate to Uganda. Kenya also played good host to Ugandans during bad times in the past and therefore, that heritage creates some positive energy between the two nations.
However, the relationship has not been smooth all through. For example, the recent Migingo Island dispute created a lot of furore among the citizens of the two countries.
Nevertheless, the two neighbours are working together to resolve the Somalia crisis.
Tanzania has been in the regional news for their stand against the other East African Community states, especially Kenya. They recently, increased the work permit fees for East Africans arguing that the bloc has not reached the integration level that would support free movement of labour.
Rwanda on the other hand, welcomed all East Africans to work there freely. Tanzania is thinking scarcity while Rwanda is thinking abundance, only time will tell which kind of thinking is more productive than the other.
Apart from making it expensive for other East Africans to work in Tanzania, the country has also been accused of reportedly lighting fires on the wildlife migratory corridors to prevent the wildebeest from migrating into Kenya. Creating barriers to prevent one of the greatest animal action scenes in the world from taking place did not work.
The wildebeest eventually crossed the borders to Maasai Mara for what is termed as the eighth wonder of the world to happen. The lesson here is that there is no greater force than that of an idea whose time has come.
Then there was the bus accident involving Kenyans who were travelling to Tanzania on a religious mission. It was reported that the public at scene of the accident demanded cash in order to help the victims.
That is one of the saddest things about the Tanzanians’ perspective. You would expect them to be more hospitable. President Mwai Kibaki had to send military help to airlift the survivors to Kenya for better medical attention.
This brought back some memories from the past when former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere was quoted saying that Kenya is “a man-eat-man society”.
Former Attorney General Charles Njonjo reportedly replied that Tanzania was probably man-eat-nothing society. These ideologies from history are still affecting the relationship between Kenya and Tanzania.
But all is not lost, there is a lot of trade happening between the two countries, which points at a need to have a more cohesive approach.
There is also admiration of Kenya by Tanzanians.
The last time I was in Dar es Salaam, a taxi driver who picked me from the airport rated the developments in Kenya highly, he mentioned the bara bara za gorofa (super highways) that are being built and the new people-driven Constitution. He wished Tanzania could have the same kind of developments.
Time is ripe for the region to have a greater partnership orientation. Let us always remember that you can stand tall without standing on anyone and you can be a victor without having any victim.
Ngahu is the marketing director of SBO Research.
E-mail: [email protected]. Twitter@bngahu

Tanzania lone ranger in EAC integration bid*- Home*|businessdailyafrica.com

I do hope he just chose to avoid a scientific explanation as to why the fire was set up in the Serengeti! As for accident in Tanga, Kikuyu arrogance has given him guts to vomit accolades for uplifting their fellow Kikuyu's mothers who were in the hospitals already! Unfortunately, he forgets there are over 200,000 IDPs still in camps 5 years after 2007's PEVs! BTW i am surprised at the way he is blindly claiming Ugandans to be friendlier to Kenya and at the same time speaking for them to be not friendlier to Tanzanians! Watch out ur nepotism mentality...! can do anything just to win a bread!

By Utingo

The fact is Without TZ there is no EAC!!

Really? I don't think so!

I think posts are more getting ridiculus by the day;who is next to spew some BS?

By chash

Now I know why the integration process seems to be failing, and you can tell from some of the threads here.Drugs!! The use of drugs. Madawa ya kulevya. One country of EAC has allowed its people to use drugs while the other countries have not allowed...am talking about miraa, mairungi. How do you work smoothly with someone who is taking drugs that are banned all over the world.. How will the integration work. How will you allow free movement of people whose pockets are loaded with drugs? EAC should go back to the drawing board to discuss this miraa thing.

Interesting analysis. I salute the guy who re-battled the Kenyan

What was the point of starting this thread anyway? Some of you can really stoop low, going over the internet to find articles written by people from a country you hate then going over the comments and posting the best retaliation from your country just to paint the other country bad is a big show of immaturity.

By genekai

Really? I don't think so!

the bring your wisdom if you dont agree

By chash

Now I know why the integration process seems to be failing, and you can tell from some of the threads here.Drugs!! The use of drugs. Madawa ya kulevya. One country of EAC has allowed its people to use drugs while the other countries have not allowed...am talking about miraa, mairungi. How do you work smoothly with someone who is taking drugs that are banned all over the world.. How will the integration work. How will you allow free movement of people whose pockets are loaded with drugs? EAC should go back to the drawing board to discuss this miraa thing.

Ya leo kali duh!!!

I think Tanzania doesn't need any of those countries to be self contained. TANZANIA should be the powerhouse dictating what should be done and what not.
Nyinyi mutoi can't tell us nothing...!
TANZANIA is big, we got lands, resourceful and water. Tutaona rwanda na kenya zitafika wapi with land issues growing exponentially.. And without forgetting food security... Lets wait.. Time will tell my friends.

For the record. We don't need EAC integration.... It's not inevitable to Tanzanians in a defining margin. Yes its good but Not potential..

This is a EAC=SCAM!

By aminiusiamini

I think Tanzania doesn't need any of those countries to be self contained. TANZANIA should be the powerhouse dictating what should be done and what not.
Nyinyi mutoi can't tell us nothing...!
TANZANIA is big, we got lands, resourceful and water. Tutaona rwanda na kenya zitafika wapi with land issues growing exponentially.. And without forgetting food security... Lets wait.. Time will tell my friends.

Don' you think that word is a bit superfluous for Tanzania given the state energy sector is a shambles, how is the TZ economy to grow exponentially without a solid energy management program.

By platonist

Don' you think that word is a bit superfluous for Tanzania given the state energy sector is a shambles, how is the TZ economy to grow exponentially without a solid energy management program.

The power ratio was a setup from greedy politicians who didn't foreseen this coming. What happened was, never improved infrastructures, put modern plans for sustainable energy future,bad contracts et etc.. But we are working on our end to make energy more available to everyone.
Also remember, the user have enormously exceeded compared to other EAC nations so the supply made impossible.
The ministry of energy have people working on this issue for permanent solution. Believe me!
And of course once Kikwete is gone we should be back to normal tho he has improved economic growth unfortunately unrealistic to its citizens.

Wakenya wanapenda sifa za kijinga! kama sisi hatutaki EAC wao si waendelee! kwanini kelele nyingi Tanzania ,Tanzania! eti barabara za juu! Tatueni Ukabila,tofauti ya matajiri na umaskini. Wakenya wakabila kama sana na wabibafsi.

By kajembe

Wakenya wanapenda sifa za kijinga! kama sisi hatutaki EAC wao si waendelee! kwanini kelele nyingi Tanzania ,Tanzania! eti barabara za juu! Tatueni Ukabila,tofauti ya matajiri na umaskini. Wakenya wakabila kama sana na wabibafsi.

Mkuu upo right sio ukabila tu hata political wise hawafai wote for instance recently there was a claim that both Ug and rwanda support rebels. Who doesn't know that, our intelligence is most sophisticated unit and has managed to keep all African countries in check. We know what's going on all over.
Suala la ardhi ni sehemu ambayo compelled most of east African countries to emerge as one. Imagine if Kenyans or rwanda forget uganda had land for their population and we are the one with population problem. Do you think they would have pledge what they asking us now?
Think about resources... Rwanda wikl collapse if efforts aren't made to invest in human capital. Wao hawana kitu ndo maana watusi wamejaa kila pahala wanasomeshwa na serikali ya Kagame ilikuja kuiteka east africa with human power. Kagame is investing in industries otherwise they will spend their time in drc for bread.
Kenya is eroded with all the stuff but stability is at high stake. Same as uganda.
Kumalizia... We absolutely dnt have anything in common to team up with these guys we will have tribal coflicts angalia wakikuyu na watusi na wahutu.. Sisi tuko over 120 patachimbika.
Also think of how bad we will be polarized with these guys our core values are deemed yet integration will prove catastrophical.

Hayo kwa leo

ideal i dont think any sensible being is keen on a political federation other than a common currency which Kenya will be the substansive loser in the short term before she adjusts to the new lowly rated forex. In the long term ofcourse it will make sense; so anyone thinking of a political federation should just be real, Museveni cant give up on Ug, so is the tourist down south from Tz. We aint interested in governing Tz but lobby for an interlinked economic grapevine running across all spheres East of the Eastern african plate.

By kajembe

Wakenya wanapenda sifa za kijinga! kama sisi hatutaki EAC wao si waendelee! kwanini kelele nyingi Tanzania ,Tanzania! eti barabara za juu! Tatueni Ukabila,tofauti ya matajiri na umaskini. Wakenya wakabila kama sana na wabibafsi.

umerudia jina ukabila mara ngapi. so what if we have ukabila it is not a problem that will end in one day. it takes time that is why we passed a constitution to mitigate the effects of tribalism and prevent a re occurrence of 2007 post election violence. hizo sifa za kijinga kama barabara za juu ndyio zina tupa morale. the little steps that we take help gives as hope that things are changing and the government is working. A journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. If you have lived in a country where nothing was ever done before and things were collapsing (moi era) you know that its a good thing when you see the government do little things to try and lessen the burden on its people. these little things have butterfly effect e.g hizo barabara za juu as you have mentioned has helped increase investment and provide jobs case in point thika road if you were to ask any nairobian how real estate has changed in that area or you can look at the post on Kenyan Tanzanian suburbs .

It seems you are unaware of the fact that nobody is forcing TZ to do anything if you don't want its fine the rest of the countries shall move on an example is the fertilizer plant that was to be built by all the east African countries. originally the plan was to revive some collapsed plants in either in tororo or tanga but there was opposition from some quarters not Kenya. kenya had no problem with the plant being in any of the other countries as phosphates for the fertilizer would be taken from Mrima Hill, in Kwale in Kenya’s coast and Homa Hills, in Nyanza and create jobs for the local population, but the argument was that this will only benefit Kenya. if you think about it, the host country would also have benefited so when all countries pulled out Kenya decided to go it alone and has already started the initial steps of building the plant and may be completed by 2016. the irony is that eastern african region and parts of southern Africa there is no single fertilizer plant and we have to depend on foreigners. the funny thing is in 2016 you will probably be using Kenyan fertilizer.

Another example is the Kenya-Uganda railway when Kenya wanted to build a new railway with uganda. With them on their side and Kenya on its side, because of bureaucracy Uganda started dragging their feet, so Kenya decided to go it alone. we would build ours, transport the goods to the border then it would be up to them to do as they deemed fit. Reason being the huge cost of Ugandan trucks on Kenyan roads and the hope to build a more efficient mass transit system. Kenya has already signed a deal with a Chinese company to build the new railway, Uganda is still arguing about it.

The point is this nobody is going to wait for anyone. call this UBINAFSI but its to bad if one door is locked you look for another Kenya will not and is not forcing Tanzania to integrate they are a sovereign nation and can do as they please.

You know im one person who has been wondering why eac keeps waiting for Tz to get ready for this thing.Its clear they will never be ready for it.Its always the same BS of never ending nonsense.I think we should just move on.They like it slow,which happens to be too slow for us.
If they in their right senses ever imagine that there is a way they can catch up with kenya first ati ndio sasa wakubali muungano then i dont know.....
And what is this that they will lose that other eac members wont lose?nkt.

By mkenya1987

umerudia jina ukabila mara ngapi. so what if we have ukabila it is not a problem that will end in one day. it takes time that is why we passed a constitution to mitigate the effects of tribalism and prevent a re occurrence of 2007 post election violence. hizo sifa za kijinga kama barabara za juu ndyio zina tupa morale....

Muendelee. Hahaha speaking of fertilizer... We have gas and oil we will sell you guys too. And for the record fertilizer can be extracted from gas.... Stuff. So for fertilizer w good buddy.

By aminiusiamini

Muendelee. Hahaha speaking of fertilizer... We have gas and oil we will sell you guys too. And for the record fertilizer can be extracted from gas.... Stuff. So for fertilizer w good buddy.

I hope you meant that you will sell it to us,why then are you opposed to Eac if you count Kenyans as potential buyers for your Oil and gas

Tatizo watanzania umbeya

By aminiusiamini

Muendelee. Hahaha speaking of fertilizer... We have gas and oil we will sell you guys too. And for the record fertilizer can be extracted from gas.... Stuff. So for fertilizer w good buddy.

i'm guessing you did organic chem in secondary school not all fertilizers can be made from oil in-fact it involves mixing of various compounds other than hydrocarbons e.g phosphorus and why would we want your oil we already have ours much more than any country this side of africa

This is suprising- if we are talkining about intergration then how did the kikuyu come in- am a tanzanian but why talk of tribe while we are looking at a country? anyway i think all countries are sovereign and also agreeing to enter in an intergration also considers the protection of the coutries interest! So if we so think that is the best way to pretect our interest then we do so- Tanzania does not report to anyone nor any country but only to the tanzanian citizens- So if your not one of them then you have no right to criticize- we decide as we see it FIT.