Ng'wamapalala
JF-Expert Member
- Jun 9, 2011
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UDHAIFU wa Sheria ya Mamlaka ya Usafiri wa Baharini ya Zanzibar (ZMA) ya mwaka 2006, umeichafua Tanzania katika usafiri wa majini duniani, baada ya sheria hiyo kutoa nafasi ya kusajiliwa ovyo kwa meli za kimataifa bila udhibiti.
Kutokana na udhaifu huo, Tanzania imejikuta ikiwa na meli 400 zinazopeperusha bendera yake duniani, zikiwamo mbovu, zilizouzwa na zilizoondolewa sokoni.
Uchunguzi wa gazeti hili, umebaini si meli ya mv Gold Star pekee iliyokamatwa na bangi tani 30 yenye thamani ya Sh bilioni 125 hivi karibuni, iliyochangia kuchafua jina Tanzania, bali kumekuwa na meli zingine zilizokamatwa kwa makosa mbalimbali duniani.
Udhaifu
Mamlaka ya Usafiri wa Baharini ya Zanzibar (ZMA) imekuwa ikisajili meli kupitia wakala wake wa usajili ambaye ni kampuni ya Philtex ya Dubai.
Utaratibu huo, ulianzishwa baada ya Serikali ya Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar (SMZ) kujitoa kwenye Sheria ya Usafiri wa Majini ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ya mwaka 2003, na kuunda sheria yake ya Usafiri wa Bahari ya Zanzibar ya mwaka 2006 ambayo pia iliunda ZMA.
Sheria ya awali ya Muungano, iliweka masharti ya usajili ambayo ni pamoja na kutoruhusu usajili wa chombo chochote cha baharini chenye umri wa zaidi ya miaka 15.
Aidha, sheria hiyo pia iliweka masharti ya lazima ya kutaka kila chombo cha baharini kinachosajiliwa Tanzania, kiwe na hisa ya asilimia 50 kwa Mtanzania na lengo likiwa ni kuweka udhibiti wa mchezo mchafu unaoweza kufanywa kupitia vyombo vya kimataifa vya maji.
Hata hivyo, Zanzibar iliikataa na kuunda ya kwake ambayo inaruhusu usajili wa meli yenye umri wowote bila kipengele cha hisa kwa Mtanzania, hivyo kutoa mwanya kwa meli za nje ya Tanzania kusajiliwa kirahisi.
Kwa Sheria hiyo ya Zanzibar, inayoruhusu meli kusajiliwa na wakala, kampuni ya Philtex, mpaka sasa imesajili zaidi ya meli 400, ikiwamo hiyo ya bangi, zilizowekewa vikwazo na Umoja wa Mataifa (UN) na meli chakavu.
Meli ya bangi
Meli hiyo iliyokamatwa Jumamosi Italia ikiwa na dawa hizo za kulevya, imebainika haikutoka Tanzania, lakini mzigo huo umeichafua nchi kutokana na kuwa na usajili wa Tanzania, kupitia utaratibu wa Zanzibar.
Akizungumza na gazeti hili jana kwa simu, Waziri wa Mawasiliano na Miundombinu Zanzibar, Rashid Seif Suleiman, alikiri meli hiyo kusajiliwa Zanzibar mwaka 2011.
Hata hivyo, alidai katika biashara ya meli, hizo ndizo changamoto ambazo zinaikabili, ya kukosa uwezo wa kutambua mmiliki au wafanyakazi wa meli hizo wanabeba nini.
Biashara ya meli ni ngumu ukishafanya usajili huwezi kujua wafanyakazi wa meli hizo wanabeba nini, wakati mwingine hata mmiliki wa meli husika hajui, lakini jambo hili tunalifanyia kazi sasa, alisisitiza Suleiman.
Meli mbovu
Uchunguzi wa gazeti hili umebaini kuwa mbali na mv Gold Star, kukamatwa Jumamosi iliyopita Italia ikiwa na bangi, nchi hiyo pia Julai 9, ilikamata meli nyingine mv Venus, ikiwa na hali mbaya ya uchakavu kiasi cha kudaiwa kuwa huenda ingezama wakati wowote.
Mv Venus ambayo imesajiliwa kwa utaratibu huo, ilizuiwa kuendelea na safari kutokana na uchakavu. Meli za Iran Tukio lingine lilikuwa la Juni mwaka jana, ambapo meli za Iran, nchi iliyokuwa imewekewa vikwazo vya uchumi na UN, zilitumia udhaifu huo kujisajili kuwa ni za Tanzania ili kukwepa vikwazo vya kimataifa.
Meli hizo za mafuta, zilikutwa zikipeperusha bendera ya Tanzania na kuhatarisha nchi kuingia katika mgogoro, kwa kuwa hatarini kupata adhabu ya UN kwa kuruhusu Iran kupeperusha bendera yake.
Adhabu ya EU
Kutokana na udhaifu wa sheria hiyo, Umoja wa Ulaya (EU), kupitia makubaliano ya Paris, Juni ilitangaza Tanzania kuwa moja ya nchi, yenye meli zisizo salama kwa usafirishaji duniani.
Taarifa za uhakika, zimeeleza kuwa kutokana na tangazo hilo la EU, meli yoyote ya Tanzania inayosafirisha mizigo duniani, itakumbana na vikwazo vya kukaguliwa kupita kiasi.
Gazeti hili lilimtafuta Waziri wa Uchukuzi, Dk Harrison Mwakyembe, ambaye alisema baada ya kupata taarifa za meli hiyo yenye bangi, alizungumza na Waziri wa Zanzibar, Suleiman ambaye alithibitisha kuwa kweli meli hiyo imesajiliwa Zanzibar chini ya Philtex.
Hata hivyo, amenihakikishia kuwa wako katika mchakato wa kuikatishia mkataba kampuni hiyo wa kusajili meli visiwani humo na suala hilo wanalifanya kwa utaratibu wa kisheria wakiepuka kampuni hiyo kuiburuta Serikali mahakamani, alisema Dk Mwakyembe.
ZMA
Mkurugenzi wa ZMA, Abdi Maalim, alibainisha kuwa kupitia Philtex, hadi mwaka jana Zanzibar ilikuwa imesajili meli 400 na kati yao zingine ni mbovu, zimeondolewa sokoni na nzingine kuuzwa na kubaki meli 170 ambazo zinafanya kazi.
Alikanusha mfumo wa usajili na sheria ya Zanzibar vinavyotumika kusajili meli hizo ni dhaifu na kuwa matatizo ya kukamatwa kwa meli hizo yangeweza kutokea mahali popote.
Hata hivyo, hii sheria tumeifanyia marekebisho na hatusajili tu meli kiholela, kwa zile za abiria zinazosajiliwa ni zenye umri wa chini ya miaka 15 lakini pia tunaangalia ubora na kuzikagua, alisisitiza.
Alisema ZMA iliingia mkataba na Philtex wa miaka 10 tangu mwaka 2007 ambapo utamalizika rasmi mwaka 2017.
======================================================
ENGLISH ARTICLE
=================
SHIPPING industry players have pointed an accusing finger at the Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) for haphazard registration of foreign ships through its Dubai-based agent Philitex, thus tarnishing the image of Tanzania.
This comes days after a Tanzanian registered ship christened MV Gold Star was intercepted off the coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, with 30 tonnes of hashish, a composed form of cannabis.
The cargo ship was registered in 2011 by ZMA but its owners are said to be in the Marshall Islands. "It is because of this uncontrolled registration that Tanzanian-flagged ships have, since June this year been blacklisted in the European Union.
Our ships now undergo rigorous inspections as they are not trusted," sources told this paper yesterday. Zanzibar opted out of the Tanzania Merchant Shipping Act of 2003 and enacted Zanzibar Maritime Transport Act of 2006 to oversee the industry.
However, stakeholders have faulted the legislation for giving room to registration of "questionable" vessels. In 2007, ZMA entered into a ten-year contract with Philitex for registration of ships through "open registry" which allows registration of foreign owned vessels.
Only last year, the Isles authority, through the Dubai agent, was accused of registering over 30 oil ships belonging to the government of Iran at the time that country was facing economic sanctions by the United Nations for its nuclear programmes.
"As of last year, we had registered over 400 ships but only 170 are in active operations. Others have been sold and changed registration while others have broken down and are no longer operating," ZMA's Director General Abdi Maalim told this newspaper on Monday.
He defended the legislation covering flagging of vessels saying the authority conducts due diligence before registering any ship. Reached for comments, Zanzibar's Minister for Infrastructure and Communications, Mr Rashid Seif Suleiman, said the government was contemplating the possibility of terminating the contract with Philitex.
"However, since the ship was caught red handed with the drugs, its registration has been automatically revoked," the minister said. Meanwhile, Minister for Transport Dr Harrison Mwakyembe told the Daily News he was in contact with his counterpart in Zanzibar regarding the contract with the Dubai agent. "Authorities in Zanzibar are working around the clock to terminate the registration deal with Philitex," Dr Mwakyembe said in a telephone interview.
However, the ZMA boss had hinted that terminating the contract with Philitex would have legal implications on the government of Zanzibar. "What I can tell you for now is that the contract will be reviewed next March, since there is a provision which stipulates that it can be reviewed five years after signing ," Mr Maalim explained.
Established in 2009, ZMA is charged with the responsibility of monitoring, regulating and coordinating activities in the maritime industry. Italian customs officials intercepted the Gold Star following a tip off that the vessel was carrying a huge consignment of drugs and she had been followed for several days before the operation was launched.
They said the crew were Syrian and Egyptian and that before they could board the 82 metre, 38-year-old ship, they had to obtain permission from Tanzania where it was registered.
Tanzanian registered ship christened MV Gold Star
source: Dailynews.
Kutokana na udhaifu huo, Tanzania imejikuta ikiwa na meli 400 zinazopeperusha bendera yake duniani, zikiwamo mbovu, zilizouzwa na zilizoondolewa sokoni.
Uchunguzi wa gazeti hili, umebaini si meli ya mv Gold Star pekee iliyokamatwa na bangi tani 30 yenye thamani ya Sh bilioni 125 hivi karibuni, iliyochangia kuchafua jina Tanzania, bali kumekuwa na meli zingine zilizokamatwa kwa makosa mbalimbali duniani.
Udhaifu
Mamlaka ya Usafiri wa Baharini ya Zanzibar (ZMA) imekuwa ikisajili meli kupitia wakala wake wa usajili ambaye ni kampuni ya Philtex ya Dubai.
Utaratibu huo, ulianzishwa baada ya Serikali ya Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar (SMZ) kujitoa kwenye Sheria ya Usafiri wa Majini ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ya mwaka 2003, na kuunda sheria yake ya Usafiri wa Bahari ya Zanzibar ya mwaka 2006 ambayo pia iliunda ZMA.
Sheria ya awali ya Muungano, iliweka masharti ya usajili ambayo ni pamoja na kutoruhusu usajili wa chombo chochote cha baharini chenye umri wa zaidi ya miaka 15.
Aidha, sheria hiyo pia iliweka masharti ya lazima ya kutaka kila chombo cha baharini kinachosajiliwa Tanzania, kiwe na hisa ya asilimia 50 kwa Mtanzania na lengo likiwa ni kuweka udhibiti wa mchezo mchafu unaoweza kufanywa kupitia vyombo vya kimataifa vya maji.
Hata hivyo, Zanzibar iliikataa na kuunda ya kwake ambayo inaruhusu usajili wa meli yenye umri wowote bila kipengele cha hisa kwa Mtanzania, hivyo kutoa mwanya kwa meli za nje ya Tanzania kusajiliwa kirahisi.
Kwa Sheria hiyo ya Zanzibar, inayoruhusu meli kusajiliwa na wakala, kampuni ya Philtex, mpaka sasa imesajili zaidi ya meli 400, ikiwamo hiyo ya bangi, zilizowekewa vikwazo na Umoja wa Mataifa (UN) na meli chakavu.
Meli ya bangi
Meli hiyo iliyokamatwa Jumamosi Italia ikiwa na dawa hizo za kulevya, imebainika haikutoka Tanzania, lakini mzigo huo umeichafua nchi kutokana na kuwa na usajili wa Tanzania, kupitia utaratibu wa Zanzibar.
Akizungumza na gazeti hili jana kwa simu, Waziri wa Mawasiliano na Miundombinu Zanzibar, Rashid Seif Suleiman, alikiri meli hiyo kusajiliwa Zanzibar mwaka 2011.
Hata hivyo, alidai katika biashara ya meli, hizo ndizo changamoto ambazo zinaikabili, ya kukosa uwezo wa kutambua mmiliki au wafanyakazi wa meli hizo wanabeba nini.
Biashara ya meli ni ngumu ukishafanya usajili huwezi kujua wafanyakazi wa meli hizo wanabeba nini, wakati mwingine hata mmiliki wa meli husika hajui, lakini jambo hili tunalifanyia kazi sasa, alisisitiza Suleiman.
Meli mbovu
Uchunguzi wa gazeti hili umebaini kuwa mbali na mv Gold Star, kukamatwa Jumamosi iliyopita Italia ikiwa na bangi, nchi hiyo pia Julai 9, ilikamata meli nyingine mv Venus, ikiwa na hali mbaya ya uchakavu kiasi cha kudaiwa kuwa huenda ingezama wakati wowote.
Mv Venus ambayo imesajiliwa kwa utaratibu huo, ilizuiwa kuendelea na safari kutokana na uchakavu. Meli za Iran Tukio lingine lilikuwa la Juni mwaka jana, ambapo meli za Iran, nchi iliyokuwa imewekewa vikwazo vya uchumi na UN, zilitumia udhaifu huo kujisajili kuwa ni za Tanzania ili kukwepa vikwazo vya kimataifa.
Meli hizo za mafuta, zilikutwa zikipeperusha bendera ya Tanzania na kuhatarisha nchi kuingia katika mgogoro, kwa kuwa hatarini kupata adhabu ya UN kwa kuruhusu Iran kupeperusha bendera yake.
Adhabu ya EU
Kutokana na udhaifu wa sheria hiyo, Umoja wa Ulaya (EU), kupitia makubaliano ya Paris, Juni ilitangaza Tanzania kuwa moja ya nchi, yenye meli zisizo salama kwa usafirishaji duniani.
Taarifa za uhakika, zimeeleza kuwa kutokana na tangazo hilo la EU, meli yoyote ya Tanzania inayosafirisha mizigo duniani, itakumbana na vikwazo vya kukaguliwa kupita kiasi.
Gazeti hili lilimtafuta Waziri wa Uchukuzi, Dk Harrison Mwakyembe, ambaye alisema baada ya kupata taarifa za meli hiyo yenye bangi, alizungumza na Waziri wa Zanzibar, Suleiman ambaye alithibitisha kuwa kweli meli hiyo imesajiliwa Zanzibar chini ya Philtex.
Hata hivyo, amenihakikishia kuwa wako katika mchakato wa kuikatishia mkataba kampuni hiyo wa kusajili meli visiwani humo na suala hilo wanalifanya kwa utaratibu wa kisheria wakiepuka kampuni hiyo kuiburuta Serikali mahakamani, alisema Dk Mwakyembe.
ZMA
Mkurugenzi wa ZMA, Abdi Maalim, alibainisha kuwa kupitia Philtex, hadi mwaka jana Zanzibar ilikuwa imesajili meli 400 na kati yao zingine ni mbovu, zimeondolewa sokoni na nzingine kuuzwa na kubaki meli 170 ambazo zinafanya kazi.
Alikanusha mfumo wa usajili na sheria ya Zanzibar vinavyotumika kusajili meli hizo ni dhaifu na kuwa matatizo ya kukamatwa kwa meli hizo yangeweza kutokea mahali popote.
Hata hivyo, hii sheria tumeifanyia marekebisho na hatusajili tu meli kiholela, kwa zile za abiria zinazosajiliwa ni zenye umri wa chini ya miaka 15 lakini pia tunaangalia ubora na kuzikagua, alisisitiza.
Alisema ZMA iliingia mkataba na Philtex wa miaka 10 tangu mwaka 2007 ambapo utamalizika rasmi mwaka 2017.
======================================================
ENGLISH ARTICLE
=================
SHIPPING industry players have pointed an accusing finger at the Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) for haphazard registration of foreign ships through its Dubai-based agent Philitex, thus tarnishing the image of Tanzania.
This comes days after a Tanzanian registered ship christened MV Gold Star was intercepted off the coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, with 30 tonnes of hashish, a composed form of cannabis.
The cargo ship was registered in 2011 by ZMA but its owners are said to be in the Marshall Islands. "It is because of this uncontrolled registration that Tanzanian-flagged ships have, since June this year been blacklisted in the European Union.
Our ships now undergo rigorous inspections as they are not trusted," sources told this paper yesterday. Zanzibar opted out of the Tanzania Merchant Shipping Act of 2003 and enacted Zanzibar Maritime Transport Act of 2006 to oversee the industry.
However, stakeholders have faulted the legislation for giving room to registration of "questionable" vessels. In 2007, ZMA entered into a ten-year contract with Philitex for registration of ships through "open registry" which allows registration of foreign owned vessels.
Only last year, the Isles authority, through the Dubai agent, was accused of registering over 30 oil ships belonging to the government of Iran at the time that country was facing economic sanctions by the United Nations for its nuclear programmes.
"As of last year, we had registered over 400 ships but only 170 are in active operations. Others have been sold and changed registration while others have broken down and are no longer operating," ZMA's Director General Abdi Maalim told this newspaper on Monday.
He defended the legislation covering flagging of vessels saying the authority conducts due diligence before registering any ship. Reached for comments, Zanzibar's Minister for Infrastructure and Communications, Mr Rashid Seif Suleiman, said the government was contemplating the possibility of terminating the contract with Philitex.
"However, since the ship was caught red handed with the drugs, its registration has been automatically revoked," the minister said. Meanwhile, Minister for Transport Dr Harrison Mwakyembe told the Daily News he was in contact with his counterpart in Zanzibar regarding the contract with the Dubai agent. "Authorities in Zanzibar are working around the clock to terminate the registration deal with Philitex," Dr Mwakyembe said in a telephone interview.
However, the ZMA boss had hinted that terminating the contract with Philitex would have legal implications on the government of Zanzibar. "What I can tell you for now is that the contract will be reviewed next March, since there is a provision which stipulates that it can be reviewed five years after signing ," Mr Maalim explained.
Established in 2009, ZMA is charged with the responsibility of monitoring, regulating and coordinating activities in the maritime industry. Italian customs officials intercepted the Gold Star following a tip off that the vessel was carrying a huge consignment of drugs and she had been followed for several days before the operation was launched.
They said the crew were Syrian and Egyptian and that before they could board the 82 metre, 38-year-old ship, they had to obtain permission from Tanzania where it was registered.
Tanzanian registered ship christened MV Gold Star
source: Dailynews.
