Ballali not a US citizen, says envoy

[BAK]

Ballali not a US citizen, says envoy
THE CITIZEN

By Sakina Zainul Datoo
THE CITIZEN

Former Bank of Tanzania (BoT) governor Daudi Ballali is not a US citizen, the American ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Mark Green, said yesterday.

He told editors at a roundtable discussion at the American embassy in Dar es Salaam that Dr Ballali was breaking the law if he was still in the US.

Mr Green said the US government had not taken any step towards deporting Dr Ballali to Tanzania because the Tanzanian government had not requested for his extradition.

The envoy was, however, not categorical on whether Dr Ballali was still in the US.

"We track down people who enter the country, but we do not have records of people leaving the country. So we do not know if he is still there or not," he said.

Challenged to explain how the American government could revoke someone's visa without bothering to kick them out, Mr Green said they could not go knocking on every door looking for illegal immigrants.

However, Dr Ballali would be denied entry if he applied for another visa or tried to enter the US, he said.

There were reports that what the US revoked was Dr Ballali's diplomatic visa issued to him by virtue of his being the BoT governor, and that the former central bank chief still holds the Green Card, which makes him a permanent resident in the US.

But Mr Green was emphatic that Dr Ballali was not a US citizen.

"A citizen of the United States of America is not required to apply for a permit to enter the country. Balali is not an American citizen," he said.

The roundtable discussion was hosted by the American envoy to discuss President George W. Bush's visit to Tanzania next month.

Mr Green said there were three reasons behind President Bush's visit to Tanzania, including close relations between the two countries.

The visit is also a result of the increasing monetary support the American government has been extending to Tanzania.

The US is Tanzania's largest donor, having pledged $662 million this year.

The US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) "is the largest commitment in history by any nation for an international health initiative dedicated to combating a single disease".

By the end of this year, the US will have provided $818.4 million to Tanzania to combat HIV/Aids.

President Bush has also supported malaria eradication in Zanzibar, while the Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) will provide $698 million for investment in roads, water and power.

Since these are all projects under the US Presidency, and since Tanzania has been benefiting largely from these projects, President Bush would like to see firsthand where his efforts had been directed, Mr Green said.

He added that another reason was President Bush's belief in Tanzania's future "as this is a country on the rise".

Asked if the visit was secretly meant to lobby the Tanzanian government into allowing the US to establish a military base in the country, Mr Green dismissed such suggestions as "absurd".

He was reminded that some people in Tanzania were opposed to President Bush's visit because of what they see as America's aggressive foreign policy, particularly its involvement in Iraq, and support for Israel, which is accused of oppressing Palestinians.

But Mr Green said Tanzanians should think of the amount of aid they were receiving from the US, which he added, also gave a lot of aid to Palestinians.

Ambassador Green said President Bush's visit offered Tanzania a unique opportunity to promote itself and show the world what the country was all about.

"Since such visits attract world attention�it is an opportunity to promote tourism and investments for Tanzania," he said.

The exact date of President Bush's visit, the length of the trip and his schedule have been kept under wraps for security reasons, but Mr Green said the president would spend "substantial time" in the country and "move around as much as possible".

He said he hoped the visit would not bring the country to a standstill due to excessive security concerns.

 

[William J. Malecela]

Former Bank of Tanzania (BoT) governor Daudi Ballali is not a US citizen, the American ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Mark Green, said yesterday.

He told editors at a roundtable discussion at the American embassy in Dar es Salaam that Dr Ballali was breaking the law if he was still in the US.

Huyu naye mzungu lakini naye anapenda ujiko kama kina Marmo, si anyamaze tu tunaanza kuchoka naye, I mena kwani hatujui kuwa Balali, ana Green Card? Viongozi wangapi kutoka Afrika, wamewahi kurudishwa kutoka US kwenda nchi zao Afrika kwa kutuhumiwa kwa wizi? kwa nini asitoe takwimu au history?

Anyamaze sasa huyu naye yaani ujiko hata wzungu nao, aaaaahhhhhhhhh!

 

[BAK]

Anamfagilia Kichaka ili asirushiwe maswali hayo ya Ballali atakapotua Bongo wiki ya kwanza ya February.

 

[Mkandara]

Kosa kubwa la Wadanganyika ni udhanifu wao. Hakuna mbongo hata mmoja mwenye hakika kuwa Balali ana Green card wala hakuna mmoja anayefahamu kwamba yawezekana ana uraia wa Marekani yaani ni Uraia wa nchi mbili.

Mtu yeyote mwenye uraia wa nchi mbili huchukua visa ya nchi anayokwenda kama atatumia passport ya nchi nyingine kwa hiyo hao waandishi wa habari walikosea kuuliza swali na pengine sii kosa lao kwa sababu hawafahamu tofauti ya raia wa nchi mbili na yule mwenye green card ambaye sii raia ila ana kibali cha kuishi nchi hiyo kama raia wa nchi atokayo.
Ni kweli kabisa Balali asingeweza kuchukua visa kama angekuwa na green card, haiwezekani hata kwa raia wa kawaida acha hiyo diplomatic visa... hiyo green card pekee ni kibali tosha cha kuruka bila visa.
Hivyo basi kama kweli Balali alichukua visa miaka miwili iliyopita kwa pasi ya Kibongo, then dhahiri yeye hana green card labda awe ni raia wa Marekani lakini katumia pasi ya Kibongo.
Kisha ni kweli kabisa kuwa serikali ya Marekani haiwezi kumrudisha Balali kujibu mashtaka ambayo hayajawakilishwa kwao.
What if Balali kisha omba hifadhi (asylum) nchini Marekani?...na kisha wakilisha ukweli wote dhidi ya serikali ama kundi la watu ambao wanaweza hatarisha maisha yake bila kufuata sheria!..
Hali yoyote ya ukiukaji sheria za mahakama inaweza kabisa kumpa kinga Balali asirudishwe nchini unless serikali ya JK ioneshe kila dalili za kutumia haki na pia kuhakikisha usalama wa Balali wakati kesi hii inaendeshwa. Na nionavyo mimi pale Bongo Balali hataweza hukumiwa kisheria na haiwezekani akapewa nafasi ya kuzungumza. Kurudishwa kwa Balali Tanzania ni mhuri wa kifo chake kama wengine waliotangulia kina Sokoine, Mwaikambo, Kolimba na AC...

 

[William J. Malecela]

Mkuu Bob,

Heshima kaka, la Green Card tuliambiwa na reliable sources hapa JF na tunaziamini, na haiwezekani a foreigner akaishi US more than 25 years akiwa World Bank, tena kwenye excutive level kama Balali alivyokuwa, bila kuwa na Green Card, maana nafikiri enzi hizo ilikuwa kupata kwa mtu mwenye position kama yake, ilikuwa automatic, au!

Ndio maana mimi ninaamini 100%, kuwa anayo hiyo majani ya kijani mkuu na angekuwa hana, saa hizi tungekuwa tunaongea mengine, au!

 

[BAK]

Mkuu umeongea point tupu hapo. Hata mimi siamini mtu anaweza kuishi US miaka yote hiyo asiwe na ganda la kijani, lakini tuvute subira yote yatajulikana tu.

 

[Mwakilishi]

Kama alivyodokezea Mkuu Mkandara, huyu bwana Dr. Ballali bila shaka atakuwa na uraia wa US ila anatumia passport ya Tanzania kama wafanyavyo wabongo kadhaa na wengine tunabanana nao humuhumu JF, hivyo hiyo wala si hoja!

 

[Mtanzania]

Kosa kubwa la Wadanganyika ni udhanifu wao. Hakuna mbongo hata mmoja mwenye hakika kuwa Balali ana Green card wala hakuna mmoja anayefahamu kwamba yawezekana ana uraia wa Marekani yaani ni Uraia wa nchi mbili.

Mtu yeyote mwenye uraia wa nchi mbili huchukua visa ya nchi anayokwenda kama atatumia passport ya nchi nyingine kwa hiyo hao waandishi wa habari walikosea kuuliza swali na pengine sii kosa lao kwa sababu hawafahamu tofauti ya raia wa nchi mbili na yule mwenye green card ambaye sii raia ila ana kibali cha kuishi nchi hiyo kama raia wa nchi atokayo.
Ni kweli kabisa Balali asingeweza kuchukua visa kama angekuwa na green card, haiwezekani hata kwa raia wa kawaida acha hiyo diplomatic visa... hiyo green card pekee ni kibali tosha cha kuruka bila visa.
Hivyo basi kama kweli Balali alichukua visa miaka miwili iliyopita kwa pasi ya Kibongo, then dhahiri yeye hana green card labda awe ni raia wa Marekani lakini katumia pasi ya Kibongo.
Kisha ni kweli kabisa kuwa serikali ya Marekani haiwezi kumrudisha Balali kujibu mashtaka ambayo hayajawakilishwa kwao.
What if Balali kisha omba hifadhi (asylum) nchini Marekani?...na kisha wakilisha ukweli wote dhidi ya serikali ama kundi la watu ambao wanaweza hatarisha maisha yake bila kufuata sheria!..
Hali yoyote ya ukiukaji sheria za mahakama inaweza kabisa kumpa kinga Balali asirudishwe nchini unless serikali ya JK ioneshe kila dalili za kutumia haki na pia kuhakikisha usalama wa Balali wakati kesi hii inaendeshwa. Na nionavyo mimi pale Bongo Balali hataweza hukumiwa kisheria na haiwezekani akapewa nafasi ya kuzungumza. Kurudishwa kwa Balali Tanzania ni mhuri wa kifo chake kama wengine waliotangulia kina Sokoine, Mwaikambo, Kolimba na AC...

Mkandara,

Niliwahi kuandika hili siku za nyuma kwa kutumia uzoefu wa hapa UK. Maelezo yote ya Balozi wa USA hayajanifanya nibadili kitu kwenye yale maandishi yangu ya kwanza.

Kuna uwezekano mkubwa sana Ballali ana uraia wa USA. Alipokuwa gavana alikuwa anatumia passport ya TZ na hivyo kulazimika kuomba visa. Kwa jinsi
hizi nchi zilivyo, gavana akiomba visa wala hakuna haja ya kuhangaika kutafuta kama ni raia pia au la. Kuna watu wengi wana uraia kwa mfano wa UK lakini wakirudi kwao na kuchukua madaraka, wanaendelea kuomba viza kama njia ya kuficha uraia mwingine.

Kwenye green card sijui sheria za USA zinasemaje lakini ingelikuwa hapa UK, automatically ballali angekuwa amepoteza hiyo green card kwasababu alichukua permanent job kwenye nchi yake. Ila tu hata ukipoteza na kwa case ya Ballali ambaye ana familia USA, ukitaka kuirudisha ni rahisi sana maana bado alikuwa hajakata ties zake na USA through family connection pamoja na kuendelea kuwa na nyumba.

Waandishi wa habari hawajui sheria za uhamiaji na ndio maana wanashindwa kuuliza maswali vizuri.