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- Feb 11, 2007
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Finns Facts: Ignore Zitto Kabwe and Dr Idris Rashidis pro-Dowans talk
Finnigan Wa Simbeye
THIS DAY
THIS DAY
KIGOMA North legislator Zitto Kabwe, in a rare move, has decided to join forces with Tanzania Electric Supply Company Managing Director, Dr Idrisa Rashidi, to allegedly pressure the Government into using our vital tax money to buy second hand Dowans Holdings turbines at an inflated price of 60bn/-.
Mr Kabwe who has managed to pull crowds of voters in his favour because of his steadfast arguments and anti-graft stance both in parliament and in public rallies, has joined Dr Rashidi, a former Bank of Tanzania governor and an alleged beneficiary of over 13bn/- radar procurement scandal from BAE Systems.
Kabwe has gone out of his way in trying to convince the public that Dowans turbines are good after all, despite all the scandals and thieving tactics associated with the company and its predecessor, Richmond Development Company.
The youthful legislator has even suggested that the 2004 Public Procurement Act be amended to allow the Government buy the used Dowans Holdings turbines, which has a capacity of 40 megawatts, because the country is heading towards a spiraling electricity demand.
Dr Rashidi says currently Tanzania uses 700MW of electricity per annum which is short of the actual demand which he said needs an extra 105MW of energy.
Annually, argues the man who in some countries would not be in office, the countrys electricity demand increases by between 15 and 20 percent.
Very convincing arguments by the learned Tanesco boss and his new-found bedfellow, Kigoma North legislator, but certainly not to Parliamentary Energy and Minerals Committee Chairman, William Shelukindo.
The veteran Bumbuli legislator argues that even if necessary, buying used Dowans turbines is contrary to the 2004 PPA.
Most of us queue behind Mr Shelukindo and although Kabwe has on several occasions been a public favourite when debating important national issues, this time around he risks losing his grip on the electorate who will question his sincerity in supporting this latest attempt by Dowans to sell us used turbines.
There is no question that this country needs more power generation which will not necessarily come from Tanesco, bearing in mind that the 2008 Electricity Act deregulated the energy sector which has since seen serious committed private energy companies such as Artumas Tanzania Limited.
Tanescos Rashidi and Chademas Kabwe should be encouraging Energy and Minerals Minister, William Ngeleja to speed up the process of drafting regulations to the new energy law so that serious private investors and not greedy businessmen, find their way into the local market and burden consumers.
Rashidi and Kabwe should be telling Ngeleja and other stakeholders to get down seriously and return Kiwira Coal Mines Limited back to the Government and invest in electricity generation instead of allegedly touting for Dowans turbines.
Rashidi and Kabwe should be advising Dowans to get serious and enter the local energy market which has since been liberalized, other than argue to convince tax payers that our vital money should be used to purchase second hand turbines from a scandalous company contrary to the law.
For the time being, the public and Government can comfortably ignore the duo and let them do the Dowans touting which is good for their jobs.