Has Kikwete lost his "Legitimacy" to Lead?

[William J. Malecela]

Wakuu JF salaam,

- Wote tumeyasikia yote yaliyosemwa kwenye kongamano la Mwalimu's Foundation, infact hata Mangula naye amejitokeza na kusema yake kuhusiana na ubovu wa serikali ya sasa chini ya uongozi wa Rais wetu Mheshimiwa Kikwete, na cha kutisha sana ni pale Rais aliporudi nchini na kudai kwamba anajitayarisha kuwajibu wale wote tunaohisi kwamba uongozi wake una matatizo, na akadokeza kwamba wengi tunaomkosoa tunasumbuliwa na chuki za binafsi.

- Ninasema hivi, wakati Rais anajitayarisha kujibu mapigo ni vyema na sisi wananchi tukaweka wazi our case against Rais na serikali yake, tena with facts! Sasa tafadhalini sana ndugu zangu tujitahidini kuweka facts za mapungufu ya Rais wetu wa sasa, yaani Mheshimiwa Kikwete na serikali yake toka ashike madaraka, miaka minne iliyopita!

- One thing ninataka kuamini ni kwamba wote hapa tunakubaliana kwamba toka ashike madaraka hakuna hata moja zuri alilolifanya, lakini kama lipo lisemwe hapa! Labda tukimuwahi kabla hajajitokeza tunaweza kupunguza some nonsense kwenye majibu yake na pia tutawasaidia ma-Prosecutors wetu, hasa DPP na Hosea kuanza kutayarisha kesi againts mafisadi!

Respect.


Field Marshall Es!

 

[William J. Malecela]

- kwa kuanza ninasema kwamba Rais, ameshindwa kuwachukulia hatua za kisheria wahusika wote wa ubaradhuli wa Richimond, ambao umeliletea hasara kubwa sana taifa letu, na haya yamethibitishwa na bunge letu kupitia kamati yake maalum ya Mwakyembe.

- Kamati hii ilifanya uchunguzi wa kisheria kwa mujibu wa katiba ya bunge laetu la jamhuri na kutoa mapendekezo kadhaa kuhusu watuhumiwa na adhabu wanazostahili, lakini mpaka leo serikali na hasa Rais, wameshindwa kuwachukulia hatua za kisheria, hasa zilizopendekezwa na bunge.

- Kwa kutowachukulia hatua wahusika, Rais amelidharau bunge la wananchi wa Tanzania na hata sisi wananchi tuliowachagua, na pia aamedharau sheria za jamhuri, hili ni tatizo lake Rais either anawaogopa watuhumiwa wa Richimond, au ni marafiki zake, au hajui wajibu wake kama Rais kwamba ndiye The Law Chief Enforcer wetu.

- Sasa hii ni moja ya sababu muhimu ya baadhi yetu wananchi kuamini kwamba serikali yake yaani Rais Kikwete, imeshindwa uongozi na ikibidi yeye na wenzake waachie ngazi, maana tunao wananchi wengi sana wenye uwezo wa kuongoza ipasavyo, ambao wataziheshimu sheria zetu badala ya kuzichezea kwa kutumia mahela yetu mengi sana kuigharamia kamati ya uchunguzi kama ya Mwakyembe na kuishia kuificha uvunguni ripoti yake.

Respect.

FMEs!

Warioba:

1. Moja, ni kuporomoka kwa maadili katika Taifa letu, la pili mmomonyoko kwenye umoja wa Taifa, lakini tulitukanwa kwamba sisi ni watu tunaomwandama Rais Kikwete.

Lakini mwezi huo huo, Rais Kikwete akahutubia Taifa kutokea Butiama akazungumzia mambo yale tuliyozungumza tena kwa ufasaha zaidi kuonyesha kwamba ni matatizo kwenye nchi.

Alizungumzia kuporomoka kwa maadili, hatari inayoonekana kwenye kusambaratika kwa umoja wetu. Alizungumzia rushwa, akazungumzia ufisadi. Ni yale yale tuliyokuwa tumeyasema. Tulifarijika, tukapumua tukaona kumbe Rais wetu anaelewa haya matatizo.

2. Sasa wakati ule tumetukanwa kulikuwa na reaction ya watu mbalimbali baadhi walituambia kwamba yule kijana aliyesema alikuwa ametumwa na Makamba ili atutukane, sisi hatukuamini.

Kwa sababu ni huyo huyo alikuwa amesema maneno kama hayo huko nyuma sasa tukaambiwa amekuwa anatumwa, hatukuamini.

Sasa imekuja hii. Wote waliokuwa kwenye kongamano wanajua yaliyozungumzwa na katika majumuisho hayo inaonyesha yaliyozungumzwa ni mambo ya msingi na yamezungumzwa na watu wengi pale, tena kwa makini kabisa,

 

[William J. Malecela]

Dk Kitine: Nchi iko hatarini

Dk Hassy Kitine

• Waziri Simba asema hayo ni maoni yake

Na Ramadhan Semtawa


MKURUGENZI Mkuu wa zamani wa Idara ya Usalama wa Taifa, ambaye pia aliwahi kuwa Mbunge wa Makete na Waziri wa Nchi, Ofisi ya Rais (Utawala Bora), katika serikali ya awamu ya tatu, Dk Hassy Kitine ameonya kwamba, uchafu na wizi mkubwa wa rasilimali za taifa, mustakabali mbaya wa kisiasa na hali ngumu ya uchumi vinavyoikabili nchi, vinahatarisha usalama wa taifa.

Kauli ya Dk Kitine ambaye alishika wadhifa huo wa Ukurugenzi katikaIdara ya Usalama wa Taifa, wakati serikali ya Baba wa Taifa, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, imetolewa wakati nchi ikiwa imegubikwa na matatizo mbalimbali yakiwemo ya ufisadi na vita ya chini kwa chini ya kugombea madaraka.

Akizungumza katika mkutano maalumu na baadhi ya vyombo vya habari katika mgahawa wa Viwanja vya Gymkhana, jijini Dar es Salaam jana, Dk Kitine alionya kwamba, uchumi na maliasili za taifa zimeshikwa na wageni, huku Watanzania walio wengi wakifanya kazi za udereva, ufagiaji barabarani, kazi za ndani na mashambani.

"Nimewaiteni kuzungumzia mustakabali wa nchi yetu, kama mnavyofahamu mimi nimeshika nafasi mbalimbali nyeti kuanzia wakati wa Mwalimu," alifahamisha. Akifafanua na wakati mwingine akionyesha msisitizo kwa kugonga meza, Dk Kitine ambaye ni mchumi na aliyewahi kuwa waziri katika serikali ya Rais mstaafu, Benjamin Mkapa alisema, Watanzania wazawa wenye utajiri halali hawafiki hata watano.

Alisema kama wapo Watanzania wengine wenye fedha nyingi ni ambao wamezipata katika njia chafu ndiyo maana wamekuwa wakizificha ng'ambo. Alisema katika kipindi cha mwisho wa serikali ya Mkapa, nchi ilivurugika kiasi kwamba, hadi sasa haijulikani pa kuanzia ili kuweza kuisafisha kwani imeoza kutokana na kukosa misingi imara ya uongozi iliyoachwa na Mwalimu Nyerere.

Alionya akisema: "Haiwezi kuongozwa kienyeji".

"Hata hao akina Mramba (Basil), ambao wamekamatwa ni sawa na tone la maji katika bahari. Nchi hii imeoza, wapo wakubwa wanakula rushwa, lakini nani kafungwa?" alihoji.

Akionekana ni mwenye uchungu na uzalendo wa hali ya juu na nchi hii, alisema kuporomoka kwa fikra za utaifa, maadili ya viongozi wa umma, misingi imara ya uongozi kwa ujumla, kumeifikisha nchi katika kiwango cha rushwa kubwa ya kutisha.

Dk Kitine ambaye dhahiri alionekana kuchoshwa na mwenendo wa baadhi ya mambo yanayotendeka nchini, alisema watu wanazungumzia rushwa ndogo wakati wakubwa serikalini wanakula rushwa kubwa zinazoyumbisha uchumi wa nchi na kuleta ufakara kwa Watanzania. Alionyesha kushangazwa na kutokamatwa kwa baadhi ya watu ambao wanafahamika dhahiri kwamba, wameiba fedha kwa kutumia makampuni katika Akaunti ya Madeni ya Nje (EPA) ndani ya Benki Kuu (BoT).

Kwa msisitizo, alisema kuna baadhi ya viongozi serikalini, wakiwemo mawaziri wanapewa kiasi kidogo cha fedha kama Sh 20 milioni na kuachia zabuni au maliasili za nchi ambazo wabakaji uchumi hujipatia kiasi cha fedha kama Sh4 bilioni. "Watu hawa wabakaji wa uchumi, mara nyingi huwa karibu na viongozi wetu, unaweza kukuta waziri anapewa Sh20 milioni, anafurahi lakini mbakaji uchumi huyo anatengeneza Sh4 bilioni, na kuacha Watanzania hoi," alibainisha.

Alisema maadili yameporomoka kuanzia ndani ya Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) na kutoa mfano kwamba, waziri anajiuzulu wadhifa wake kwa tuhuma kama hizo, lakini bado anabaki kuwa mjumbe wa Kamati Kuu (CC) na mbunge. "Wakati wa Mwalimu, mtu wa namna hii anapoteza uanachama kwa sababu ameshindwa kulinda kiapo chake na kukiaibisha chama," alisema na kuongeza:

Alisema huu ni wakati ambapo Idara ya Usalama wa Taifa inapaswa kuwa nguzo na mhimili imara wa kuhakikisha viongozi wanaopatikana serikalini wakiwemo mawaziri, wanakuwa waadilifu ili kulinda masilahi ya taifa.

Dk Kitine alifafanua kwamba, kama Idara hiyo haitakuwa na nafasi katika kumsaidia rais kupata viongozi bora, ni dhahiri nchi itaendelea kutikiswa na viongozi wasio waadilifu ambao watalazimika kujiuzulu.

Alisema njia pekee ya kuisafisha nchi hii ni kupata viongozi wenye fikra za utaifa, uadilifu na kuzingatia wajibu wao. "Nafahamu Idara ya Usalama wa Taifa inafanya kazi zake vizuri, lakini nafikiri ni vema ikazidi kumsaidia Rais ili tupate viongozi ambao ni waadilifu," alisisitiza. Kauli hizo nzito za Dk Kitine zimekuja wakati nchi pia ikiwa katika kipindi cha kuelekea uchaguzi mkuu hapo mwakani, huku makundi yanayowania madaraka yakiwa yanapigana vikumbo.

Alipoulizwa kuhusu kauli za Dk Kitine, Waziri wa Nchi Ofisi ya Rais Utawala Bora Sophia Simba, alisema: "Ni maoni yake, ana uhuru wa kutoa maoni, I respect him (namheshimu), Dk Kitine ni mtu ambaye ametumikia serikali kwa muda mrefu." Hata hivyo, alisema kwamba, ingawa anaheshimu maoni hayo ya Dk Kitine na ambayo serikali itayachukua kuyafanyia kazi, bado ana imani serikali inafanya kazi kubwa katika kuimarisha misingi ya utawala bora.

Simba alisema matatizo mengi makubwa yakiwemo ya tuhuma za ufisadi zinazoibuka sasa mizizi yake ni nyuma, lakini serikali iliyopo madarakani imeamua kuendesha nchi kwa uwazi bila kuficha mambo.

Waziri Simba alisema kuendesha nchi kwa uwazi, kumewezesha vyombo vya habari na wananchi kufichua uovu mbalimbali yaliyofichika ukiwemo ufisadi.

Alisisitiza kuwa hata hatua ya kufikisha baadhi ya vigogo mahakamani ni moja ya mafanikio makubwa katika harakati za kuimarisha utawala bora.

 

[Zakumi]

Mkuu FMES:

Sikupata bahati ya kuisoma hiyo report ya Richmond. Je katika mapendekezo hayo kulikuwa na majina ya wahusika, vyeo vyao, na adhabu walizotakiwa kuchukuliwa?

 

[William J. Malecela]

Mkuu FMES:

Sikupata bahati ya kuisoma hiyo report ya Richmond. Je katika mapendekezo hayo kulikuwa na majina ya wahusika, vyeo vyao, na adhabu walizotakiwa kuchukuliwa?

- Mkuu ripoti nzima ipo humu ndani somewhere, maana JF ndio tulikuwa mstari wa mbele sana na hii kitu, labda waombe Mods wakuchimbulie the whole thing ipo humu.

Respect.

FMEs!

 

[William J. Malecela]

TANZANIA

Reporter's Notebook: Tanzania

By Sebastian Sanga

There is a loud cry ringing out in every Tanzanian city: the outcry over corruption in the Ministry of Land, Housing and Human Settlement. Dubious deals have found their lucrative place in this ministry: residential and commercial houses on public open spaces, double allocation of plots and the haphazard mushrooming of petrol stations, among other violations. In a 2005 report, the Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB) confirmed that corruption was deep-rooted in the land sector, revealing, among other travesties, that property appraisers collaborated with land officers to falsify title deeds. Approving and issuing building permits is such a slow process that citizens are compelled to pay bribes for every stage, from typing the certificate to obtaining the land commissioner's signature, often totaling some 135,000 shillings (US$105) on top of official fees.

President Benjamini Mkapa, whose administration ended in November 2005, had vowed to adopt openness and transparency, but failed to live up to his promise. Land Minister John Magufuli told Parliament in August 2006 that his officials were "dirty", and that some, including Deputy Minister Rita Mlaki, owned questionable plots for speculative purposes. Ms. Mlaki refutes the allegations, but the new president, Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, has admitted that the Land Ministry is one of the government's most corrupt.

Unfortunately, The Land Ministry is not the only one rendered immovable by the crippling disease of corruption. The Controller and Auditor General estimates that over 20 percent of the government's budget in each fiscal year is lost to corruption, including theft, fraud, and fake purchasing transactions. The list of victims constitutes a litany of public woes.

The privatization process has seen numerous controversial orders flow from the top down. Members of Parliament who represent the public interest seem overpowered by those with less integrity. Former Finance Minister Basil Pesambili Mramba, who currently serves as minister of infrastructure development, wrote a controversial letter in September 2005 extending the port of Dar es Salaam's container terminal lease contract from 10 to 25 years without following proper procedures.

The letter, marked confidential, informed Tanzania Revenue Authority Commissioner General Harry Kitillya about the extension of the lease agreement between the Parastatal Sector Reform Commission and Tanzania Container Terminal Services, a local partnership between a Philippines-based company and Vertex Financial Services of Dar es Salaam, which earns more than 140 billion shillings (US$11 million) per month. Normally the PSRC would sign a lease after following required procedures including consultations with stakeholders.

Rampant corruption has also engulfed the procurement system, where billions of shillings sink into the wrong hands every year. In July 2006, the Ministry of Finance came up with a proposal to write off debts worth over 46 billion shillings (US$3.6 million). Skeptical MPs, especially from the opposition wing wanted to form a committee to investigate why debtors had reneged on their commitments. One case singled out for scrutiny involved KJ Motors, which never delivered on a 147 million-shilling (US$115,000) contract to supply motor vehicles. The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee said signs pointed to corrupt public servants and their liaisons with notoriously dirty businessmen.

While such graft keeps Tanzanians poor, corruption in the Ministry of Health and its agencies, such as the Tanzania Food and Drugs Agency (TFDA), actually puts their lives at risk. Counterfeit drugs abound in pharmacies as officials continue to solicit bribes from illegal dealers, and many of the HIV testing kits supplied hospitals are defective. The contract that granted two companies exclusive rights to sell HIV rapid-test kits in Tanzania is shrouded in suspicion. Tanzania tested several HIV kits for national distribution a few years ago, but senior officials at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare decided to include only the Capillus kit, manufactured by the Irish company Trinity Biotech, and Determine HIV, manufactured the American firm Abbot Laboratories. Both products, distributed solely by Bharat Rajan's Biocare Health Products Company, are now outdated as HIV rapid-test kits, as they detect the virus when antibodies develop after an attack, while the latest generation of test kits are able to detect it as soon as it enters a person's bloodstream by detecting antigens. Further, the Capillus kit had failed to meet key benchmarks set up by the ministry that tested the kits. The media, which reported widely on the story, linked the companies' monopoly on the test kits to corruption.

Unfortunately, the Tanzanian courts offer no recourse. In a 2005 public survey by the PCB, 97 percent of respondents said corruption was rampant in the country's judiciary. The study also tracked the various forms that corruption takes at different stages. At the beginning of the legal process, court clerks ask for bribes from people filing cases. Failure to pay may have devastating consequences, such as deliberately hidden or misplaced documents. At the hearing stage, corruption manifests as delays in setting hearings, vague or contradictory orders, improperly filed documents and deliberate omission to record court proceedings. And at the verdict stage, cases are dismissed on technical grounds or vague interpretation of the law, judgments are delayed. Factors such as poor remuneration, poor working facilities and inadequate supervision tempt judicial personnel to the dark side. Resident magistrates rarely make more than 100,000 shillings (US$80), without benefits. High court judges make over 500,000 shillings (US$390), supplemented with other fringe benefits.

Elections in Tanzania don't fare much better. Corruption was especially rampant during the 2005 campaign, when the ruling Revolutionary State Party (CCM — Chama Cha Mapinduzi) reportedly distributed cash, mobile phones, and other rewards to voters. The CCM is known for using election law provisions that allow candidates to offer hospitality, gifts, and favors – known as takrima – to constituents during campaigns. The law does not limit the form, amount, or duration of such gifts, creating what critics call a "loophole for corruption"—particularly pernicious since the CCM received significantly greater government subsidies under the law than other parties. The High Court recently banned takrima.

Former CCM Secretary General Philip Mangula criticized the PCB for failing to curb corruption in the electoral process. Tanzania's anti-corruption laws are governed by the Prevention of Corruption Act, a poorly designed law that that the establishment of the PCB has sections, which make the fight of corruption difficult. For example, Section 19 of the Act declares that prosecuting a public officer charged with corruption is only effective with the written consent of the director of public prosecution, but written consent is often difficult to acquire. The PCB is assigned to investigate acts of corruption and thereafter submit the evidence gathered to the DPP, which decides whether or not to prosecute suspects. This makes people call PCB a toothless agency for failing to fight corruption, especially that which involves big shots.

 

[William J. Malecela]

Tanzania: Poll spells doom for Kikwete, say critics

Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) - The results of the latest opinion poll do not augur well for President Jakaya Kikwete, his government and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, some experts and politicians warned yesterday.

By The Citizen (Tanzania) | 08.13.2009

Commenting on the poll conducted by a research company, Synovate, and whose report was released in Dar es Salaam on Monday, they said the most remarkable finding was the sharp decline in the President's popularity. Whereas he was elected to Parliament with an overwhelming majority of 80 per cent of the votes in 2005, the recent survey placed his popularity at only 66 per cent.

In separate interviews with The Citizen, the commentators said that to blame were institutions, which were expected to deliver the CCM campaign promises. Also under fire are officials appointed by President Kikwete to serve in various positions.

The Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) deputy secretary general, Mr Zitto Kabwe, welcomed the opinion poll "as an important ingredient in our democracy". The Kigoma North MP said polls reflected the people's perceptions of their leaders and their stand on issues of concern to them.

"With President Kikwete's 66 per cent popularity rating, I'm confident that the opposition will end the two-thirds majority, which CCM has enjoyed in the last two decades since the re-introduction of multiparty politics and we could end up dominating Parliament after 2010," he added.

The survey, the MP said, had given the strongest indication so far that a year before the General Election, President Kikwete's popularity "has plunged significantly". He said the opinion polling was carried out (June 9 and 17) before the Budget Session debated the skewed allocation of funds for road construction to the various regions, and the Richmond and Kiwira scandals, putting the Government on the spot.

"If another survey were to be done today, President Kikwete would most likely get between 55 and 60 per cent. If he got 80 per cent in 2005, and the CCM won got 69 per cent of the parliamentary seats, getting 66 per cent in 2010, would mean that his party will have only 55 per cent of the more than 300MPs," Mr Kabwe said.

 

[Bluray]

- One thing ninataka kuamini ni kwamba wote hapa tunakubaliana kwamba toka ashike madaraka hakuna hata moja zuri alilolifanya, lakini kama lipo lisemwe hapa! Labda tukimuwahi kabla hajajitokeza tunaweza kupunguza some nonsense kwenye majibu yake na pia tutawasaidia ma-Prosecutors wetu, hasa DPP na Hosea kuanza kutayarisha kesi againts mafisadi!

Daang,

Unajua nimeona kama FMES amekuwa presumptuos, kwanza kwa kusema Kikwete hakufanya hata moja zuri, lakini ninapotaka kumtetea na kusema "jamani tuache kusema hakuna hata moja alilofanya la maana" kwa moyo wote, natafuta jambo moja la msingi, lisilopingika kabisa, na silipati.

This other business ya DPP ni wishful thinking, watu wanashindwa kumshtaki Mkapa unafikiri wataweza kumfanya nini a sitting president?

Yaani kufikiri katika hii top echelon kuna watu wa level ya DPP wana usafi na principle ya kumshitaki Kikwete ni ndoto.

Hata Warioba na gravita yake anasema "the president is the symbol of a country" pretty much anamuweka above the law, wameenda kumsema Butiama huko, karudi kawasema wana chuki binafsi, bado Warioba anaongea na caution akimsema makamba na kusema "Rais anaheshimu watu, na sisi tunamuheshimu"

Mtu kashawaambia mna chuki binafsi (au kasingiziwa na magazeti yetu? maana tunayajua) Kwa hiyo kama tunasema ili kuanzisha movement na kutoa ideas na information, sawa.

Lakini kama tunataka DPP amshitaki Kikwet ni ndoto, kwanza structure ya nchi haiwezi kuruhusu impeachment na prosecution, the only way one can do this.

Wabunge wengi wanategemea largesse ya CCM, ambayo inaongozwa na Kikwete na majambazi wake, sasa impeachment itaanzia wapi?

Kwa hiyo tuseme kwa kuweka the record straight, na kama kuna movement ya kumshtaki Kikwete basi strategy iwe ni kumuondoa madarakani, halafu baada ya hapo unamshtaki vizuri yeye na Mkapa.

Lakini haya mambo ya kuota DPP atamshitaki kikwete ni alinacha, DPP mwenyewe kabla ya kupewa kazi watu wanatafuta info zake zote za kuweza kum blackmail ili asiweze kufanya fyoko.Unacheza na system ya bongo.

 

[Kasheshe]

- Kamati hii ilifanya uchunguzi wa kisheria kwa mujibu wa katiba ya bunge laetu la jamhuri na kutoa mapendekezo kadhaa kuhusu watuhumiwa na adhabu wanazostahili, lakini mpaka leo serikali na hasa Rais, wameshindwa kuwachukulia hatua za kisheria, hasa zilizopendekezwa na bunge.

Field Marshall ES,

Kaka mark your words correctly.

Respect
Kasheshe

 

[mfianchi]

Embu niangalie mazuri aliyofanya Kikwete ah mbona sina kumbukumbu ya hata moja oh sasa nimekumbuka kamleta mchezaji filamu maarufu toka Brazil Maximo na la mwisho kuwateua wabunge hawa Sofia,Kingunge na Makamba hawa wanaruburudisha kwa nyimbo za kuvaa viatu vya mwl Nyerere,wengine nyimbo za hakuna mwanaume kama Lowasa na wengine ah wana wivu bwana hao ni wehu talala lala hayo ndio nakumbuka mazuri ya kikwete

 

[William J. Malecela]

At least 15 people have died after a passenger train ploughed into a stationary cargo train in Tanzania, reports said Monday.

Local officials said that more people were believed to be trapped in the wreckage and that the death toll could rise.
The Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen Daily said that Infrastructure Development Minister Shukuru Kawambwa blamed the accident on negligence.

'The two drivers involved and the stationmasters should be arrested immediately and appropriate action taken against them,' the newspaper quoted him as saying.

The accident took place in the Mpawapwa District, close to where a 2002 collision between two trains killed close to 300 people

- Kwenye huu uzembe kuna aliyechukuliwa hatua za kisheria to this day?

Respect.

FMEs!

 

[William J. Malecela]

- Ten people were dead and over 300 in hospital in Tanzania Thursday, one day after an explosion at an armoury on the outskirts of the capital Dar es Salaam.

The blast from exploding artillery shells, bullets and other ammunition, which took place on the Bagala army base, was felt throughout the whole of the coastal city, and set many nearby houses on fire.

An investigation has begun into the cause of the blast, although officials believe it was accidental.

The explosion caused panic and one of the dead was a child who jumped into a river and drowned, the BBC reports.

Several hundred children are also waiting to be reunited with their parents after fleeing the explosion.

Six of the dead were soldiers at the base.

Police said the death toll may rise as searches were still to be conducted of burnt-out buildings.

- Vipi huu uzembe kuna aliyechukuliwa hatua, au hata huo uchunguzi kufanyika?

Respect.

FMEs!

​

 

[William J. Malecela]

The cumulative financial and economic loss to IPTL, SONGAS and RICHMOND's corruption Enterprise

Tsh 697Bln lost in IPTL, Richmond and BOT Corruption enterprise

In the energy sector as represented by the country's power utility monopoly, the Tanzania Electric Supply Company, Tanesco, things are not better.

In fact, the situation has been growing from bad to worse, especially when it comes to the expenditure of Tanesco's revenue accruing from tariff.
The main source of Tanesco's financial woes has been the drafting and signing of lopsided contracts between the power utility company and independent (most of them alleged to have foreign connections) power supply firms.

The best example of such lopsided contracts is represented by two independent power supply firms, Independent Power Tanzania Limited, IPTL and SONGAS.

According to available reports, Tanesco has been paying the two independent power supply firms capacity and energy charges since they were installed in Tanzania.

For instance, in 2006, when the independent power supply firms had to be used to the maximum due to acute drought that reduced, quite considerably, the water levels at all major hydro electric power generating dams, the IPTL was paid 3.5bn shillings per month in capacity charges while SONGAS was paid 6.2bn shillings per month for the same.

The energy charges for IPTL per month amounted to 9.2bn shillings while SONGAS stood at 13.3bn shillings per month bringing the total amount for both IPTL and SONGAS to 22.5bn shillings per month.

The government, on its part, helped Tanesco by paying the IPTL 26bn shillings per annum. However, when one considers the fact that during the period under review (the year 2006), Tanesco revenue per month was between 26bn and 29bn shillings, the government owned power utility company was left with very little money after paying the two independent power supply firms 22.5bn shillings per month!

In months where Tanesco earned 26bn shillings in revenue per month, Taneseco was left with a mere 3.5bn shillings perhaps only enough to pay its employees' salaries.

And in months where Tanesco earned 29bn shillings in revenue, it was left with 6.5bn shillings after deducting the constant 22.5bn shillings payable to the independent power supply firms.

In short, independent power supply firms have been major bleeders of Tanesco's revenue, hence making it extremely difficult for the country's power utility company to use its revenue for, among other things, rehabilitation of dilapidated and construction of its new power infrastructure.

And the major source of most of Tanesco's power blues has been nothing but the drafting and signing of lopsided contracts which raises question marks over both the commitment and patriotism of Tanzanians who took part in the realization of such contracts which raises more questions than answers.

Tanesco bleeds Tsh400bln in corrupt debts

In a nutshell, for the year 2006 alone, Tanesco paid the two independent power supply firms 244bn shillings while the government coughed up 26bn shillings bringing the total amount to 270bn shillings!

Had Tanesco not spent the 244bn shillings on the two independent power supply firms in capacity and energy charges, the amount of money would have gone a long way towards rehabilitating most of the dilapidated power sub-stations in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam.

The foregoing whopping sum paid by both Tanesco and the government does include what Tanesco would later pay to Dowans and Agreco which revolved around 152m shillings per day for a contract of two years!

Therefore, when one adds the BoT financial scandal of 427bn shillings with the 270bn shillings from the two independent power supply firms, whose nature of contracts is nothing but scandalous, this brings the total amount to 697bn shillings.

In terms of what use the foregoing money could be put to consider the following:

The current cost of constructing one kilometer road to tarmac level in Tanzania stands at 1.2bn shillings while that of a railroad stands at 1.7bn shillings.

The 697bn shillings can finance the construction of 581 kilometers of tarmac road and 410 railroad.

Since Rukwa is one of the so called big four (others are Ruvuma, Iringa and Mbeya) and with Rukwa's regional town, Sumbawanga being 280 kilometres from Mbeya, using the funds lost due to these scandals the town could easily be linked by a Tanzania Zambia Railway (Tazara) standard rail network and thereby making it for the Region to make use of its yearly bumper harvest of foodstuff, which include maize, in transporting through the railway line to other needy regions in the country.

The other remaining 130 kilometers, after subtracting 280 from 410 kilometers of railroad could link Tazara up to 37 kilometers from Iringa town.
Therefore when one considers how cancerous corruption is to a country's economy, it is easy to appreciate how 697bn shillings-misspent in corruptive practices, could have changed rail network between Sumbawanga and Iringa through the linkage of Tazara and by extension completely changed the regions' economic landscape and Tanzania's economy in general..

 

[Babuyao]

Walau kitu kimoja: Kajenga chuo kikuu cha Dodoma. Vijana wetu wanasoma pale.

 

[William J. Malecela]

-New evidence of dubious payment on behalf of Meremeta Gold company -Successor company TANGOLD benefited from another cash remittance.

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

THE Bank of Tanzania (BoT) made questionable payments of over $118m (approx. 150bn/-) to a foreign bank to liquidate a loan issued to the now defunct Meremeta Gold Mine Company Limited, THISDAY can now reveal.

According to our investigations, the central bank made the suspect payments through the New York-based HSB Bank, after the gold mine company went bust.

Impeccable government sources have revealed that BoT also paid an additional $13.34m (approx. 17bn/-) to another bank account under the name of TANGOLD, at the National Bank of Commerce Limited Corporate Branch in Dar es Salaam.

It is understood that BoT transferred a total of $118,396,460.36 to Nedbank Limited through HSB Bank based in New York, being payment to liquidate a loan issued by Nedbank to Meremeta Gold Mine Co. Ltd after the company had gone bankrupt.

On the other hand, another payment to the tune of $13,340,168.37 was made to the TANGOLD bank account at the NBC Corporate Branch, our sources say.

Government insiders also say that beforehand, BoT officials purchased a controversial 155bn/- Treasury bond and later exchanged the amount for US dollar currency, which was used to effect the suspect payments to Meremeta and TANGOLD.

Before being liquidated, Meremeta Gold was a joint venture owned on a 50-50 basis by the Tanzanian government and a private company called Trinnex (Pty) Limited.

The company went bankrupt following what was officially described as ’’poor performance.’’ Its assets and liabilities - including the Buhemba Gold Mine in Mara Region - were then transferred to TANGOLD, a new company wholly owned by the government.

It remains unclear why the government through the central bank - decided to clear the loan on behalf of Meremeta Gold Mine Co. Ltd after it became bankrupt, instead of Nedbank Ltd filing its claim directly to the liquidator.

The BoT governor, Dr Daudi Ballali, has recently faced a storm of criticism over various allegations pointing to massive misappropriation of funds at the central bank. The allegations have prompted calls from opposition members of parliament for the embattled governor to either resign or be sacked.

The Deputy Opposition leader in parliament, Dr Wilbrod Slaa (Karatu´s CHADEMA), made a call in the National Assembly for Ballali to step down as BoT governor in order to pave the way for a full investigation into the allegations.

Basically, the allegations have centred on the reported mysterious disappearance’ of foreign exchange funds from the BoT´s external commercial debt account, in excess of $200m (approx. 250bn/-).

There have also been queries on the ever-ballooning costs of construction of the BoT Twin Towers headquarters in Dar es Salaam, said to have now reached a staggering $340m (approx. 425bn/-), which is more than four times costly compared to similar buildings in London, New York and Tokyo.

Much reference has been made to a mysterious, widely circulated email document that, amongst other things, accuses Ballali of personally facilitating the alleged funds misappropriations at the central bank.

However, according to our impeccable sources, the latest revelations of payments made through BoT to clear the Meremeta loan and boost the TANGOLD account are not mentioned in the much-hyped email document.

 

[William J. Malecela]

Mkapa should be investigated-opposition


09 Feb 2008
By Angel Navuri, Dodoma


The ppposition alliance has named former president Benjamin Mkapa among people lined up for in-depth investigations following allegations that he is among shareholders of a firm that acquired the formerly state-owned Kiwira Coal Mine while he was President.

Addressing a press conference in Dodoma yesterday, the Assistant Opposition spokesperson, Dr. Wilbrod Slaa, (Chadema) flanked by Hamad Rashid Mohamed, (CUF), who is also the opposition spokesperson in the House, said Mkapa had shown no sympathy for poor Tanzanians by grabbing resources that could benefit the majority.

``Official BRELLA registration documents indicate that Benjamin William Mkapa, an entrepreneur using Box 15 Lithuli Street (meaning the State House) is the property owner of Tan-Power Resources Company Ltd that has denied thousands of Tanzanians the right to own shares in the country`s wealth. He has tainted his own credibility and should be held responsible for his misdeeds,`` said Dr Slaa.


``Our ambition is to make sure that all looted resources are returned and the wananchi relieved of the burden currently on their shoulders. You all remember when Lowassa told us that the national economy was in top gear. Now it appears that the good economic situation was in his pocket and that of his colleagues,`` explained Dr Slaa.

He gave as an example the unclear terms of agreement that resulted into the milking-dry of Tanesco, which is currently obliged to pay 244bln/- annually to power companies such as IPTL, Agrekko, Austrum, Songas and Richmond, contracts which he said should be reviewed with immediate effect.

He alleged that 87 foreign fishing boats were currently over-exploiting the country`s resources in national waters, yet the government had opted to remain silent for reasons better known to some government officials.

Dr Slaa recalled the time the opposition members were warned in Parliament not to refer to the national economy as being threatened, ``But with no doubt the findings of a select committee under the chairmanship of Dr Harison Mwakyembe on Richmond Development Company LLC have proved that corruption allegations made by the opposition against some government officials were genuine,` he said.


* SOURCE: Guardian

 

[The Doctor]

Sorry, my Kiswahili is very poor.

Dk Hassy Kitine, isn't that the guy who brought Makete at the verge of collapse, who obviously his whole life stole from left, right and center?

A so called MP, who rather ripped off his district than doing sometthing for its development. Isn't Makete the place were 100dreds of NGOs are registered dealing with development, orphans, AIDS... but the money seems to end in the pockets of people not in Makete. Isn't that a very good example for the real problems of Africa?

Not any longer the aftermath of colonialism and not even corruption, the problem is theft and that all the money poured in had not helped even a bit, but has indeed financed bunches of criminals, who made it up in any institution, be it ministries (MoH), land and settlement and likely any can put on the list, isn't it the church who should be put here as one of the most disgusting and prominent members and isn't this system one, where also criminal businesspeople from Tanzania and abroad can steal....?

 

[MawazoMatatu]

Nchi hii ishakua tambala la deki mana huna pa kuanzia kuisafisha..! na uchafu wake umezoeleka hakuna anayeshtuka.

Ufisadi,watu kupoteza maisha kutokana na uzembe kama ajali au magonjwa yanayoweza zuilika ni habari iliyozoeleka.

Ukiuliza au ukijalibu kuhoji unaambiwa hii ndio bongo bwana we mgeni nini? Watu wamechoka, wamekata tamaa na wamekubaliana na hali halisi..!

Huwezi kumuokoa mtu aliyedumbikia kwenye shimo lenye kina kirefu kama yeye mwenyewe hana nia ya kujikomboa.
Hao ndio watanzania wa leo..!

Labda tuanze upya..!

 

[Sikonge]

Hatua moja mbele, hatua moja nyuma.

Vyuo vikuu wajitumbukiza malumbano ya siasa

Na Thobias Mwanakatwe , 11th December 2009

Wasomi wa Vyuo na Vyuo Vikuu Mkoa wa Mbeya ambao wanaunda Shirikisho la Wanachama wa Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), wamejitumbukiza katika malumbano ya kisiasa baada ya kuwataka viongozi wa Taasisi ya Mwalimu Nyerere kujiengua na kuanzisha chama chao cha siasa.

Tamko hilo lilitolewa na shirikisho la wanachama wa CCM wa Vyuo na Vyuo Vikuu Mkoa wa Mbeya, ambalo jana wamefanya maandamano ya amani kulaani vikali kauli zilizotolewa na baadhi ya wanasiasa waliohudhuria kongamano lililoandaliwa na Taasisi ya Mwalim Nyerere wiki iliyopita.

Akisoma tamko hilo baada ya maandamano hayo kupokelewa na Mwenyekiti wa Umoja wa Vijana Mkoa wa Mbeya, Reginald Msomba, Katibu Mkuu wa Shirikisho hilo, Mzava Timotheo, alisema viongozi wa taasisi hiyo wanaonekana wanafaa kuendeleza kazi ya kumuenzi Mwalimu Nyerere kushindwa kutekeleza majukum waliyokabidhiwa na kuanza kuchafua serikali.

Timotheo alisema kongamano la Mwalimu Nyerere baadhi ya wanasiasa waliohudhuria walitoa kauli ambazo zimeonyesha chuki, ubinafsi, fitina, uchochezi na hujuma didi ya CCM na viongozi waliopo madarakani.

"Kauli zilizotolewa na wanasiasa hawa haina mashiko na sio za kweli, inawezekana zilitolewa chini ya mwavuli wa ubinafsi na uroho wa madaraka na tunadhani huenda imechochewa sana na wengi wao kuwa nje ya mfumo wa uongozi ssa,"alisema Timotheo.

CHANZO: NIPASHE

 

[Bluray]

Siasa za Nigeria zishaanza kuingia bongo, unahonga wanafunzi wachache wa vyuo vikuu wenye njaa, wanaanza maandamano na vurugu kukuunga mkono. Mwanafunzi wa chuo kikuu anayeunga mkono sera za Kikwete hata elimu yake ya chuo kikuu naitilia mashaka.

TheDoctor,

The fact that Dr. Kitine is tainted by corruption surely diminish his moral standing, but as I pointed out on another post here, replying to a similar argument leveled at Mr. Mateo Qaresi, the fact that these people have issues does not remove the fact that they can still say the truth regardless of their records.

We should concentrate on what is said, is what Dr. Kitine said the truth or not? Once you start engaging in ad hominem attacks (focusing on the person instead of the argument) you will be reduced to no discussion, after all, who among us doesn't fall short in one aspect or another?

Ad Hominem attack
1. Person 1 makes claim A.
2. Person 2 makes an attack on person 1.
3. Therefore 1's claim is false.

Illogical !

I have been guilty of this myself. The pretence that reputation alone can qualify or disqualify a comment is fallacious.Let's stick to the issues, and forget th personalities.

I have said again and again here, one of Africa's largest problems (the whole developing world really) is the fact that we Africans cannot operate on policy, we tend to revolve around personalities and strongmen. This is why you still have people up to today crying for Nyerere while Nyerere left a body of works that can formulate guiding principles for his thinking, but people do not want to understand his philosophy of life, they want to resurrect him and let him lead.

This same focus on personalities -not facts and policies- will blind us into dismissing the Qaresis and Kitines of this world just because they beat their wives and use public funds improperly to take them to Canada for hospitalization.

We should use even mafisadi to end ufisadi, we should not be reduced to the ongoing CCM factions shenanigans, we should float above them pursuing big ideas.