Dr. Bilal and the Future of COSTECH

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

This was a while ago:

2005-04-26 22:02:07
By The Guardian Election Watch Team


Current President of Zanzibar AMANI ABEID KARUME has his incumbency facing a big challenge, both from within and without. Within Chama Cha Mapinduzi, DR MOHAMMED GHARIB BILAL, soft spoken scientist turned politician claims that CCM has been losing its political constituency in the Isles.

The Guardian Election Watch Team examines the chances of the incumbent president passing the CCM's Special National Executive Committee (NEC) screen test, which is to be carried out today in Zanzibar.

Dr Bilal, a learned physics scientist, was once the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, before he was promoted to become the Isles Chief Minister in 1995 under Dr Salmin Amour's reign.

The re-emerging of Dr Bilal in this year?s race scheduled for October 30, rekindles people's moods experienced back in the 2000's general elections.

During the race, him and president Amani A. Karume contested intensely for the same post before the party's Congress proclaimed the incumbent president the winner.

Believed to be enjoying moral support from former President Dr Salmin, the scientist turned politician has been subjecting the current government to severe criticism.
Among others, Dr Bilal says the current leadership has failed to effectively coordinate the party and the government.

He says he has been forced to pick the nomination form for the post so as to heed an outcry from wananchi who are not satisfied with the way things are moving in the isles.

"The economy of the country is shrinking every passing day," he says.

Karume would finish his second term in 2010, should he win this year's election, which Dr Bilal has sought to cut short right at its elementary stage.

In his statement to the press, Dr Bilal, who is very precise when it comes to expressing himself, could not mince words on why he is challenging President Karume.

He categorically said that he has joined the race after discovering cracks in the ruling party, especially in Zanzibar.

He said the current leadership in the Isles has failed to deliver citing the case of mushrooming political parties as a manifestation of the ruling party's failure to perform better. He says this was evident that good governance was lacking.

He rejected claims that his decision to enter the race would divide CCM in the Isles into groups of those supporting him and those supporting the incumbent president.

"Let us be frank, there are a lot of governance irregularities that are clear in the current government that need new developmental vision," insists Dr Bilal in an interview with the press.

If he is endorsed by his party as candidate and later on succeeds to be elected president of the isles, he says, would put emphasis on economic recovery strategies.

He says, he will put more efforts on business, agriculture and fisheries sectors. "Those areas have now deteriorated because of poor governance," he adds.

According to him, Zanzibar has had a lot of development strategies, but researches that were conducted on those specific opportunities have not been utilised. This is totally an administrative error, he says.

I am confident that, I stand a better chance to bring about credible changes in the isles, he affirms.

For instance, Dr Bilal says, the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government has not yet prepared itself to compete in the globalised world, despite the fact that it has a policy on globalisation.

"There is an urgent need of beefing up the education sector so as to enable Zanzibar enter the competitive East Africa Community market and SADC," he says.

Dr Bilal says, the decline in the business sector's efficiency has resulted in the deterioration of the Zanzibar main port, prompting the decrease in money circulation.

The impact of this state of affair is the poor living standards being experienced by many people in the Isles, especially the low-income earners, he says.

For Dr Bilal, there is an urgent need to review the existing business policies so that they can fit into the rapidly changing global market.

Speaking on how the current government has handled the issue of good governance, he says the government has so far failed to impart the concept into the wananchi's mind

"It is so important to put more emphasis on the issue of good governance if we are to have an independent government which adheres to the legal basis of humanity and equality for all," he says.

"My intention is to put a strong basis that will rekindle the vigour and status of our party...to make it be viewed as a caring institution in the country," he observes.

He says, despite good idea of the current government to initiate a ministry responsible for good governance, the concept of good governance seems to be an alien concept among many people.

According to him, people have so far failed to utilise good governance concept to iron out their socio-cultural or political differences.

In order to get new ideas on how to rule the country, I will embark on a national-wide debate that will focus on how to improve the country's economy and politics in general.

I have decided to contest for the post after I have learnt that my party is slowly losing acceptability and support of people it used to enjoy before, he says, adding: "I assure the public?s view that I know how am I going to tilt this prevailing situation."

For him, CCM has lost the support it enjoyed before because the current leaders are not interested in meeting the party members at all levels.

"Our party is deteriorating in the Isles - this is an open secret," he says.

Dr Bilal who is also CCM's National Executive Committee (NEC) member remarks that, he could not assume what he is claiming now during the period when he was the Chief Minister because of the limited powers he had.

Like other aspirants, Dr Bilal says he will respect the outcomes of CCM's decision on who is to be the Isles' next president.

"I will neither hang myself nor cry since the outcomes will be democratic," he says.

Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal is a nuclear physics specialist and a renowned academician.

Born in 1945, between 1995 and 2000 he was appointed Chief Minister of Zanzibar when Dr Salmin Amour was serving his second term as Isles president.

Prior to that, he was Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education for a period of five years. Then President Benjamin Mkapa was heading the ministry.

A Physics doctor at the University of Dar es Salaam since 1983, he has written a number of publications and attended many international conferences, including Second College on Microprocessors; Technology and Applications and Physics in 1986; Conference on Perspectives in Computational Physics in 1987 and Adriatico Research Conference on High Temperature Superconductors in 1988.

He has done a number of miscellaneous researches in nuclear physics.

Dr Bilal, is definitely a man of great history in Tanzania. He is perhaps one of the few scientists in the country, who have decided to 'hang' all the nuclear physics equations in the lab and take politics as a career.


My Take:
Binafsi simjui sana Dr. Bilal na sijui sana amefanya nini kisayansi. Hata hivyo, kwa namna fulani naamini huyu bwana siyo mwanasiasa ni mtu anayetakiwa kufungiwa kwenye maabara na test tube, linear calipers, microscopes, Isotopes, culture tubes etc ili akitoka aje na kitu cha maana! So, badala ya kumuacha agombee urais wa Zanzibar why can't we put him in charge of COSTECH? Ssa hivi Dr. Bilal ni mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Chuo Kikuu kipya cha Dodoma.

 

[MzalendoHalisi]

Dr. Bilal is 62 years- muda wa kustaafu umepita! Anaweza tu siasa na kuwa kwenye bodi kama Dodoma University.

COSTECH haihitaji mwanasiasa- but a well experienced and innovative patriotic Tanzanian Scientist

 

[Engineer Mohamed]

mhhhhh umekuwa MTABIRI wa madaraka ya viongozi wa CCM?

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Mzalendohalisi, je outside Tanzania, do we have any scientists working for some of world class research institutions ukiondoa wanaofundisha vyuoni? Ambao serikali yao ikiwa ofa ya kurudi nyumbani kuunda upya research industry watakubali? Nakumbuka jinsi Nigeria ilivyoweza kutengeneza wataalamu wake...

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Prof. Sospeter Muhongo? tunaweza kumtumia kuijenga costech au yuko busy sana...?

 

[William J. Malecela]

In his statement to the press, Dr Bilal, who is very precise when it comes to expressing himself, could not mince words on why he is challenging President Karume.

1. ...he has joined the race after discovering cracks in the ruling party, especially in Zanzibar.

2. ...the current leadership in the Isles has failed to deliver citing the case of mushrooming political parties as a manifestation of the ruling party?s failure to perform better.

3. ....this was evident that good governance was lacking. there are a lot of governance irregularities that are clear in the current government that need new developmental vision,?

My Take:
Binafsi simjui sana Dr. Bilal na sijui sana amefanya nini kisayansi. Hata hivyo, kwa namna fulani naamini huyu bwana siyo mwanasiasa ni mtu anayetakiwa kufungiwa kwenye maabara na test tube, linear calipers, microscopes, Isotopes, culture tubes etc ili akitoka aje na kitu cha maana! So, badala ya kumuacha agombee urais wa Zanzibar why can't we put him in charge of COSTECH? Ssa hivi Dr. Bilal ni mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Chuo Kikuu kipya cha Dodoma.

Heshima mbele mkuu, huyu mkuu Dr. Bilali kwanza lazima umpe heshima ya kuweza kusimama na kumkoma nyani tena mchana kweupee, maana yeye hakusemea pembeni kama wanasiasa wetu tuliowazoea, which is very important skill ya kiongozi safi kuwa nayo, yaani kutokuwa na uoga, yaani calling a duck as it is, if it smells like a duck, walks like a duck, then it is a duck, FULL STOP.

Ukweli ni kwamba sijui too much about Zanzibar, lakini kwa wale wanaojua vizuri siasa za huko wanasema kuwa another 5 years ya Karume, kuwa ni unbearable, lakini mkuu I like the gutts ya Dr. Bilali, ya "kukiuka maadili ya chama" na kum-challenge the sitting makamu wa CCM visiwani, mkuu tunahitaji sana viongozi wa namna hii Tanzania, ili tuondokane na hii tabia ya kuamini kuwa rais wa CCM ni lazima amalizie term ya pili pia, na I hate inapoongelewa kama ni a done deal yaani sisi wananchi ni kufuata tuu, yaaani ni pure nonesense na pathetic political thinking kwa taifa linajaribu kujinasua kisiasa na kicuhumi,

Huyu Dr. Bilali, anafaa na he has my vote tayari hata kabla ya uchaguzi.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

kumbuka mzee alivyoletwa Dodoma na kuminywa? sijui walimpa ofa gani, but whatever happened it somewhat silenced him.

 

[William J. Malecela]

kumbuka mzee alivyoletwa Dodoma na kuminywa? sijui walimpa ofa gani, but whatever happened it somewhat silenced him.

Dr. Bilali na Mkapa, walikuwa washikaji wakubwa toka Eimu ya juu, na ndio hasa sababu ya kupewa uwaziri kiongozi, kwa hiyo siku zote Mkapa alikuwa akiamini kuwa ana upper hand over him, kwa hiyo kule Dodoma, ni Mkapa tu aliyemwambia tena kwa ukali na amri kuwa rudisha form now!, mkuu akarudisha bila ubishi, ingawa mwanzoni alikuwa ni Salmin, ndiye aliyemkosesha urais kwa kudai term ya tatu.

Lakini ninaheshimu ubavu wake wa kusimama na kusema, akasikikia!

 

[Pundit]

Dr. Bilal ni nuclear physicist anayebelong kwenye ma-particle accelerators ya NASA au CERN,how he got into Zanzibari politics I don't know.

All sane Tanzanians of age are entitled to vote and contest political offices.

 

[Game Theory]

T

My Take:
Binafsi simjui sana Dr. Bilal na sijui sana amefanya nini kisayansi. Hata hivyo, kwa namna fulani naamini huyu bwana siyo mwanasiasa ni mtu anayetakiwa kufungiwa kwenye maabara na test tube, linear calipers, microscopes, Isotopes, culture tubes etc ili akitoka aje na kitu cha maana! So, badala ya kumuacha agombee urais wa Zanzibar why can't we put him in charge of COSTECH? Ssa hivi Dr. Bilal ni mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Chuo Kikuu kipya cha Dodoma.

All i know ni kuwa kuna kipindi alikuwa anakuja kumwaga vitu pale Columbia na najua vile vile wale jamaa wa NSA huwa wanamtumia ndege wakimtaka at least 4 times a year ambako huwa wanamfanyia briefings na mengineyo yahusiyo NSA. In short jamaa ni Nuclear Phycist in the same level as AQ Khan na Rihab Taha na ni mtu wao ndio maana jamaa haogopi na watawala TZ wanajua hilo

ni miongoni mwa wachache ambao serikali ya USA haiwezi kuafford kuwaachia wawe rogue ndio maana bado wako valued huko states


Hivi unamjua Dr Rihab Taha? kama humjui basi muulize Saidi Yakubu huyu mama alikuwa anafanya nini pale University of East Anglia...maana ni alumi wote hawa

Yule jamaa wa Kichagaa wa NASA naona aliamua kuachana na uraia wa Tanzania vile vile...naye ilikuwa anarudi bongo at least mara mbili kutembea na of course security detail yake ilikuwa si mchezo


Mwana kijiji kama outlook yako ni hiyo then ingebidi watu kama Clinton na Blair wabaki mahakamani kwani ma Lawyers kama wao hiyo ndiyo speciality yao na Gordon Brown angeendea kuwa Chancellor of the Exchequer kwani yule ni Mchumi

 

[Mtanzania]

Huyu Dr. Alikuwa anabugia rushwa sawa tu na akina Prof. Mahalu, Benjamini Mkapa walipokuwa pale wizara ya elimu ya juu miwaka ya 90.

Pale yalikuwa ni mashindano kila mtu na wake. Baadaye Nyerere akawadanganya Wadanganyika kwamba eti Mkapa alikuwa Clean, ukweli kwa watu tuliopita pale miaka hiyo tulikuwa tunajua kwamba hakuwa clean na labda alikosa tu mwanya wa kufyonza mali za wananchi. Alipopata wote tumeona alichofanya.

Bilali nashangaa anapiga kelele nyingi lakini kwa ufanisi wake pale wizarani sioni kama ningelikuwa mimi ningempatia hata ukatibu kata. Yeye arudi mlimani kufaundisha. Hana tofauti na akina Karume au huyo waziri kiongozi anayedhani kuwa MC kwenye sherehe ye Mkapa ni jambo la maana mpaka kuweka kwenye CV.

CCM inatakiwa kubadilika na kuruhusu mawazo mapywa na vijana wapya ili kuleta radical changes kwenye yetu. Mimi naamini Hamad angelikuwa rais mzuri mno kwa Zanzibar kuliko hawa wezi wa kura.

 

[William J. Malecela]

Huyu Dr. Alikuwa anabugia rushwa sawa tu na akina Prof. Mahalu, Benjamini Mkapa walipokuwa pale wizara ya elimu ya juu miwaka ya 90.

Mkuu heshima mbele, ninakubaliana na wewe on this one.

 

[MzalendoHalisi]

Mtanzania,
Hivi kubugia na kula rushwa ni tofauti? Over. Bilal kumpeleka COSTECH sii sahihi- kwa umri wake- na tayari siasa zimeshamwaribu, atafutwe tu cnidate mwingine- hata CV ya mama Kingamkono- imekaa tu vizuri- na pia ni mama mwadilifu!

 

[The Khoisan]

kumbuka mzee alivyoletwa Dodoma na kuminywa? sijui walimpa ofa gani, but whatever happened it somewhat silenced him.

Dr. Bilali na Mkapa, walikuwa washikaji wakubwa toka Eimu ya juu, na ndio hasa sababu ya kupewa uwaziri kiongozi, kwa hiyo siku zote Mkapa alikuwa akiamini kuwa ana upper hand over him, kwa hiyo kule Dodoma, ni Mkapa tu aliyemwambia tena kwa ukali na amri kuwa rudisha form now!, mkuu akarudisha bila ubishi, ingawa mwanzoni alikuwa ni Salmin, ndiye aliyemkosesha urais kwa kudai term ya tatu.

Lakini ninaheshimu ubavu wake wa kusimama na kusema, akasikikia!

Hizo enzi za Bilali za Cost shairing!! Lakini nilisikia Bilali na Nkapa walikuwa hawaivi kabisa. Bilali alikuwa analindwa na Mwinyi na Nkapa JKN. Nasikia ilifikia time mpaka alikuwa antoa maamuzi mazito bila kumshilikisha Nkapa. Nkapa alishamkamia kumshughulikia lakini Salmini akamuokoa kumpa u-Chief Minister. Hayo ndiyo yalikuwa majungu chuo kabla ya uchaguzi 1995!!!

 

[kingwendu]

All i know ni kuwa kuna kipindi alikuwa anakuja kumwaga vitu pale Columbia na najua vile vile wale jamaa wa NSA huwa wanamtumia ndege wakimtaka at least 4 times a year ambako huwa wanamfanyia briefings na mengineyo yahusiyo NSA. In short jamaa ni Nuclear Phycist in the same level as AQ Khan na Rihab Taha na ni mtu wao ndio maana jamaa haogopi na watawala TZ wanajua hilo

ni miongoni mwa wachache ambao serikali ya USA haiwezi kuafford kuwaachia wawe rogue ndio maana bado wako valued huko states


Hivi unamjua Dr Rihab Taha? kama humjui basi muulize Saidi Yakubu huyu mama alikuwa anafanya nini pale University of East Anglia...maana ni alumi wote hawa

Yule jamaa wa Kichagaa wa NASA naona aliamua kuachana na uraia wa Tanzania vile vile...naye ilikuwa anarudi bongo at least mara mbili kutembea na of course security detail yake ilikuwa si mchezo


Mwana kijiji kama outlook yako ni hiyo then ingebidi watu kama Clinton na Blair wabaki mahakamani kwani ma Lawyers kama wao hiyo ndiyo speciality yao na Gordon Brown angeendea kuwa Chanselor of ex cheque kwani yule ni Mchumi

Mzee Game theory without a doubt unayo heshima yangu kwa data zako!!!

Lakini naomba tuwekane sawa kuhusiana na huyo Mkuu Gordon Brown PM, infact huyo bwana si mchumi ila ni 'historian' pitia kule kwenye wikipedia utaona CV yake kwa ufupi, infact ana PHD ktk history, ila kwa mambo makubwa aliyoyafanya pale Treasury watu wengi wanadhani ni mchumi, hii sio sahihi.

Ila kitu kikubwa alichokifanya Mh. huyu wakati yupo pale treasury, alihakikisha anazungungukwa na 'vichwa' vikali ktk masuala ya uchumi, na hawa ndio waliokuwa 'brain' behind Gordon's sucess at the treasury.
Inasemakana alikusanya vichwa toka pale 'London School of Economcs' na hawa ndio haswa waliokuwa wapishi wa mkate.

Wazee husema ukitaka kujua kutengeneza mkate waulize mafundi wa kuupika mkate. Na hivi ndivyo alivyofanya Gordon aliwaweka karibu wataalamu waliobobea ktk uchumi na hakuwa mbishi kuwasisikiliza pale walipotoa ushauri uliokuwa makini. Ingawa nae alikuwa ni challenger mzuri ktk hoja zilizokuwa zinatolewa na sio kukubali tu kama kondoo.

I hope i have made some ponts clear, 'kingwendu wa kingwendu'

 

[Mfwatiliaji]

Mzee Game theory without a doubt unayo heshima yangu kwa data zako!!!

Lakini naomba tuwekane sawa kuhusiana na huyo Mkuu Gordon Brown PM, infact huyo bwana si mchumi ila ni 'historian' pitia kule kwenye wikipedia utaona CV yake kwa ufupi, infact ana PHD ktk history, ila kwa mambo makubwa aliyoyafanya pale Treasury watu wengi wanadhani ni mchumi, hii sio sahihi.

Ila kitu kikubwa alichokifanya Mh. huyu wakati yupo pale treasury, alihakikisha anazungungukwa na 'vichwa' vikali ktk masuala ya uchumi, na hawa ndio waliokuwa 'brain' behind Gordon's sucess at the treasury.
Inasemakana alikusanya vichwa toka pale 'London School of Economcs' na hawa ndio haswa waliokuwa wapishi wa mkate.

Wazee husema ukitaka kujua kutengeneza mkate waulize mafundi wa kuupika mkate. Na hivi ndivyo alivyofanya Gordon aliwaweka karibu wataalamu waliobobea ktk uchumi na hakuwa mbishi kuwasisikiliza pale walipotoa ushauri uliokuwa makini. Ingawa nae alikuwa ni challenger mzuri ktk hoja zilizokuwa zinatolewa na sio kukubali tu kama kondoo.

I hope i have made some ponts clear, 'kingwendu wa kingwendu'

Vipi huku kwetu? Je akina Kikwete hawajashtukia au wameshindwa kutumia mbinu kama hizo za akina GB? mbona tunazidi kuzama kila kukicha?! au huku hatuna hivyo "vichwa"?

 

[Kitila Mkumbo]

Huyu Dr. Alikuwa anabugia rushwa sawa tu na akina Prof. Mahalu, Benjamini Mkapa walipokuwa pale wizara ya elimu ya juu miwaka ya 90.

Pale yalikuwa ni mashindano kila mtu na wake. Baadaye Nyerere akawadanganya Wadanganyika kwamba eti Mkapa alikuwa Clean, ukweli kwa watu tuliopita pale miaka hiyo tulikuwa tunajua kwamba hakuwa clean na labda alikosa tu mwanya wa kufyonza mali za wananchi. Alipopata wote tumeona alichofanya.

Bilali nashangaa anapiga kelele nyingi lakini kwa ufanisi wake pale wizarani sioni kama ningelikuwa mimi ningempatia hata ukatibu kata. Yeye arudi mlimani kufaundisha. Hana tofauti na akina Karume au huyo waziri kiongozi anayedhani kuwa MC kwenye sherehe ye Mkapa ni jambo la maana mpaka kuweka kwenye CV.

CCM inatakiwa kubadilika na kuruhusu mawazo mapywa na vijana wapya ili kuleta radical changes kwenye yetu. Mimi naamini Hamad angelikuwa rais mzuri mno kwa Zanzibar kuliko hawa wezi wa kura.

You are absolutely right. Tumekuwa watu wa kufikiria kwenye boksi, kila tukifikiria cheo fulani tunawafikiria walewale tu. Kuna watu wetu wengi wamesoma na wanafanya mambo makubwa ambao hatuwajui. Ukitaka kuwapata hawa tangaza nafasi kama hizo kwenye magazeti na uweke sifa unazotaka, uone. Lakini kama tutaendelea na mtindo wa kuteuana, hakuna ujanja itabidi kuishia kuteua makada tu ambao ni walewale tu. Inabidi tutoke kwenye shimo. Hapa Uingereza hata u-director nyeti kama ule wa DfID wanatangaza, lakini sisi hata uVC tunateuana. Huu uhuni lazima tuuache.

PS: Nakumbuka executive directors wa benki nyingi za binafsi Dar ni a jamaa tuliyosoma nao mlimani na wanafanya mambo makubwa sana.

 

[Choveki]

Huyu Dr. Alikuwa anabugia rushwa sawa tu na akina Prof. Mahalu, Benjamini Mkapa walipokuwa pale wizara ya elimu ya juu miwaka ya 90.....

Inaelekea yeye tu ndo hakufanikiwa sana kama hao wenzake.

Wengine wameuliza kuwa sayantisti mzima kwanini ajiingize kwenye siasa?, Jibu ni kuwa huko ndo kwenye ulaji, si mnaona bungeni kulivyojaa ma Dr, kiasi kwamba wasio kuwa na hizo PhD wana nunua karatasi za A4 zilizoandikwa majini yao na hiyo shahada ya uzamili halafu wanaanza kujiita Dr fulani.

Pia kwa kiasi kikubwa nakubaliana na Fieled Marshall ES kuwa pamoja na yote anahitaji kusifiwa kwani wangapi wanaweza kusema huo ukweli wazi wazi?.

Kuhusiana na umri wake, ni kweli yupo above 60, je wangapi wana zaidi ya 70 bado wanatesa?

Binafsi napendelea watu waliobebea kwenye fani fulani, masayantist, maprofesa nk wabakie huko huko kwenye fani zao na siyo kujiingiza kwenye siasa kwani nina uhakika kuwa huko wangefanya mengi ya maana kuliko wanavyong'ang'ania kwenye siasa.

 

[Kijakazi]

Mzalendohalisi, je outside Tanzania, do we have any scientists working for some of world class research institutions ukiondoa wanaofundisha vyuoni? Ambao serikali yao ikiwa ofa ya kurudi nyumbani kuunda upya research industry watakubali? Nakumbuka jinsi Nigeria ilivyoweza kutengeneza wataalamu wake...

Je unaweza kutuambia hayo mafanikio ya wanigeria... manake ili tuweze kukopi....manake unaongelea jinsi nigeria walivyofanya na ninahisi unasema tuwakopi, naomba ufafanue kidogo usemi wako...........

 

[JohnShaaban]

...Ukitaka kuwapata hawa tangaza nafasi kama hizo kwenye magazeti na uweke sifa unazotaka, uone ...
...Hapa Uingereza hata u-director nyeti kama ule wa DfID wanatangaza, lakini sisi hata uVC tunateuana...

Huu ndio wokovu pekee utaotenganisha siasa na professionalism, kuwafanya walau baadhi ya wasomi wachache wafanye shughuli za taaluma zao!

Tumsubiri mwokozi maana Mkwere na Bunge lake wameshalewa madaraka!
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