East African Federation (EAF) public Views


If anybody calls Kenyans Nyangau again in this here forums, I will personally look for a word preferably an abusive one, which I will always use to refer to Tanzanians, we cant condone this, its not that we cant call you abusive names, there are lots that fit your character as Tanzanians, just try and call me or any other Kenyan a nyangau kisha tuone.
 


Smatta, names in most cases derived from the conduct. During freedom struggle, the leaders were refered as the front line freedom fighters.

Now this name begins with 'N' which you dont like will go if too much thinking on money among you gradually stops, otherwise will persist.

Alamsiki.
 
i dont care about this nonsense of EAC.Je watu wa huko vijijini Kigoma,Shinyanga au Mbeya
watafaidika na nini ?Hii ni political game,wanaofaidika ni wabunge wa EAC kula pesa za taxpayers.Tanzania tuna mambo makubwa ya kudeal nayo kama ufisadi,povery etc.
Sana jirani zetu wataleta armed robbery etc.We dont want this more
 


I thought Nyang'aus can't feel the pain? How does that feel. Tell your brothers and sisters that this is nothing compared to the real pain you will face when you come to the land of milk and honey. You're used to claim everything is yours but this time the buck stops here!
 

LOL!!! all bark no bite. yeah, i dont think you wanna piss off kenyans.
 
Members,

Once again it is becoming evident that folks have refused to
grow up. We have said it time and again that people should
cease and desist from insulting each other and calling others names,
yet we still see some doing it.Just like I promised last time, any
thread that digressses into insults shall be closed forthwith. Therefore
this one too goes in that direction.

Consequently after this action is taken other measures shall be instituted
including banning the notorious individuals who are known to insult others.

Lets grow up and respect each other for respect is a two way
street ladies and gentlemen.

Regards.
 
Why Tanzania needs second thought on EAC (1)

By FURA MURO, 13th June 2010 @ 16:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 99

THE East African Community (EAC) is on a high gear and is now moving to the Common Market stage.

Five years of implementation of the Customs Union (2005 – 2009) should provide a reasonable picture of what the future holds for the EAC, but more importantly for Tanzania. The Customs Union, which was the entry point in the implementation of the EAC treaty, has now been in operation for five years starting 2005.

Analysis of export figures from Tanzania to Kenya (the biggest importer of Tanzanian goods in the EAC) during the five years (2005 – 2009), indicate increased volumes and income but beneath the increase there is an uncomfortable fact in the sense that on average 55.61% of Tanzania’s exports to Kenya are raw goods.

If the Common Market stage gets underway, that proportion of raw goods exported to Kenya from Tanzania will increase and therefore destine Tanzania to primarily be a raw material supplier. The opportunity cost to the Tanzanian economy will be massive, given the nature of the EAC treaty.

There is much potential for Tanzania becoming a net-loser while facilitating greater gains and growth to its partners. Such a relationship is unsustainable. Tanzania needs to realize that the world market is more than the East African Market.

Our country is viable as an economy if we critically re-assess ourselves and embark on meaningful and bold transformation as a people and as an economy. Tanzania can become a successful and powerful country but this will not necessarily be achieved through the EAC.

From Customs Union to Common Market

The East African Community (EAC) is about to embark on the second stage of integration, namely the Common Market. This is coming after a “successful” implementation of a Customs Union which came into force in January 2005.

An Article in the 'Sunday News' of 1st November 2009 had some interesting statistics on cross border trade among Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya during the 2005 – 2008 Customs Union period. According to the article, Custom Union regime during that period has yielded “positive outcome all round” amid the initial “Biblical Thomas’ doubt.” In short and as an example, Tanzania’s export to Kenya increased from 93.3 million US$ in 2005 to 232.2 million US$ in 2008.

At face value the increase is interesting and encouraging. I then did a small homework in order to know a little more about Tanzania’s export performance to Kenya from Jan 2005 to October 2009.

The results (indicative) obtained show that in 2005 Tanzania exported goods worth 91.276bn/-, some 127.315bn/- (2006), 164.51bn/- (2007), 294.135bn/- (2008) and 188.873bn/- up to October 2009.

As indicated above, the trend shows increase. I further wanted to know which category/categories of products contributed the most to those figures in each year. The result I got is that on average each year a total of 77 groups of commodities were exported to Kenya.

Also on average in each of the five years just six commodity groups out of the 77 contributed the most to those export figures. The share of those six commodity groups was 55.61% in every year on average. The six commodity groups are almost entirely unprocessed products.

The grouping includes: .
Fish & Crustacean, Mollusc & other Aquatic Invertebrate
Coffee, Tea, Mate and Spices
Cotton
Cereals
Wood and Articles of wood, wood charcoal
Worn clothing

In simple and direct arithmetic, in every year 55.61% of our exports to Kenya was just six commodity groups on which very little manufacturing (if any) was done, while 71 commodity groups share the remaining 44.39% of the exports. Further examination could show that even among the 71 commodity groups not all got absolute value adding.

Implications to our economy

Figures presented above expose the weakness of our manufacturing sector. The figures are not good news to our country. Tanzania needs to utilize its resources to the fullest in order to develop. The 55.61% exports of raw goods to Kenya is happening even before the Common Market sets in.

It is not expected that the Common Market will bring with it increased manufacturing capacity for Tanzanian goods. It means the coming of the Common Market will firmly establish Tanzania as a source of raw materials/goods for our neighbours.

It won’t surprise much to find that the huge volumes of raw goods being exported to Kenya end-up being packed/ processed/value added by them after which they are exported to international markets in return for huge profits at our expense and all this “in the spirit of East African Co-operation.”

Strategic interests

The EAC treaty provides an outline for a comprehensive system of co-operation in virtually every sector of our lives. Kenya is the leading importer of Tanzanian goods in East Africa. Given the trade facts shown in the preceding pages in which Tanzania is by and large a supplier of raw materials, one wonders if the EAC arrangement is an appropriate route for our development; taking into account the styling of the EAC treaty. The styling of the treaty represents a kind of a one-way-ticket towards a deeper and deeper integration. According to a recent report by the Carnegie Endowment released in Washington on November 4th, 2009, the implementation of a likely agreement from the on-going Doha Round of trade negotiations would improve Kenya’s competitive position in processed foods and agriculture but would harm manufacturing and mining. As regards processed foods and agricultural production it is obvious and logical that our neighbours will aim at producing and selling/exporting as much processed foods and agricultural products as may be feasibly possible. Given the area of farming land in each of the five countries forming the EAC, it goes without saying that Tanzania (whose area is bigger than that of the other four countries combined), will be the main focal point from where agricultural production and fisheries would be sourced. With a much more free trade and greater movements of traders within the EAC (under the Common Market), we should expect Tanzania to be swarmed by non-Tanzanian traders looking for raw-goods as well as by “investors” wanting to own land in Tanzania for agricultural production to feed manufacturing/processing units located in neighbouring countries. The 55.61% raw goods component in our exports to Kenya exhibited during the first five years of the Customs Union (2005 – 2009) is expected to go up and fast.

10 Years of the EAC: Some observations

November 30th 2009 marked the 10th year since the treaty for the establishment of the present EAC was signed. During the 10 years much has been happening:-

- There has been a determined, vibrant push for a faster implementation of the EAC treaty. SADC is much older than the EAC but it is the latter whose attention and urgency we are being showered with, more persistently.

- Much of the intended focus seems to be on Tanzania more than on any other member of the EAC. Whenever convenient attempts are made to coerce Tanzania through blames into bowing/yielding to pressure.

- Insensitively and most probably unconsciously, part of our media has during the 10 years been playing the role of promoting the prominence of especially one member of the EAC. In the process and as a result of the “ripple effect” our younger generations’ tastes, likings and views are being shaped into what might not represent the best interest of a future Tanzania. This can be referred to as part of “the long-term game.”

- Tanzania is being lured and wooed through a number of different ways and approaches into “falling in love” with the EAC process. Efforts continue to be made to cultivate and enhance as much closeness to Tanzania as can be possible, in different spheres. The promotion and publicity that the EAC project is being given is as if through the EAC we will at the end of the day find ourselves ranking just near Malaysia (and the likes) in terms of economic and social development.

- Primary forces behind the break-up of the first EAC (1967-1977) are now the leading enthusiasts and pushers of the present EAC, but why? What has changed? What windows of great/golden opportunity have they spotted? Is it true that now they are believers in a win - win arrangement?

- There have been calls urging our leaders to speak on the benefits of the EAC arrangement. Is it true that the arrangement is so Godly that it only has one side – the good, the beneficial side? What about the other side of the coin? Tanzanians need to know and weigh both sides of the arrangement. Otherwise we most probably might be getting ourselves into trouble by rubber – stamping, a process which on balance does more harm than good on us.

- Is Tanzania fully confident of the destination of the “train” that we are in? Has Tanzania learnt enough lessons from the numerous unbeneficial agreements/contracts/arrangements that the country signed to, during the past 15 years or so?

(Continues tomorrow)

The author of this article is an economist who is currently doing private business.
Daily News | Why Tanzania needs second thought on EAC (1)

Why Tanzania needs second thought on EAC (2)

By FURA MURO, 14th June 2010 @ 16:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 181

YESTERDAY we published an examination of some developments that have taken place during the 10 years existence of the East African Community (EAC). In the second and last part of this article, the author FURA MURO, makes more observations and recommends on measures that Tanzania should take to achieve faster development…

Opportunity cost

- Evaluation of the performance of exports from Tanzania to Kenya during 2005-2009 should serve as an important indicator in assessing the benefits of the EAC to Tanzania. If even before the Common Market starts to operate more than half of our exports constitute raw goods, we surely need to think again. The figures present facts, which are set to worsen, come the common market.

- If Tanzania continues to allow so much of its raw goods to be exported to its neighbours within the EAC, instead of devising ways through which value can be added on the raw good for subsequent export to the international market, then a very significant opportunity cost occurs to us. If it goes that way, which is in effect Tanzania facilitating greater returns to our neighbours (and not to Tanzania) from goods or products produced from our lakes, ocean, rivers and land, we have to think again.

- Tanzania also has to be sure that the time and other resources spent on the EAC arrangement could not have been spent more beneficially elsewhere in our economy, since a day has only 24 hours -- which have to be utilised carefully. Tanzania should and must choose wisely so that we don’t reach a stage where we lose the country.

- By continuing with the implementation of the EAC process, Tanzania will be exposing itself to a host of new and costly (but unnecessary) problems. These might include tedious and time-consuming follow-ups on law-breakers on employment regulations; land ownership, etc. It is expected that there will be tireless attempts by nationals from neighbouring countries to circumvent Tanzania’s land ownership laws & regulations in order to own land in our country.

The big picture

For some 20 years now, the share of Africa, South of Sahara (49 countries, including the relatively richer South Africa) in both world trade and global GDP has at best been about 2%. Strictly speaking the 2% is statistically insignificant and strategically irrelevant, even if the 49 countries were to unite.

Africa and Tanzania for that matter should think again about the ongoing push for regional integration, given the huge amounts of infrastructure investment required to make the integration succeed. Though it is important to think as Africans for Africa, it is far more important to first think as Tanzanians, for Tanzania.

The priority should be for Tanzania to come up with its own original Tanzanian solutions to our development problems and devoting less time, effort and resources in our participation in implementing East African or African solutions because we can not afford to over-stretch and make ourselves available for whatever is floated on the African/East African table.

Given the amount of natural resources that Tanzania has, our country is viable if we transform ourselves. Out of the 2% of global economy mentioned above, the South African economy account for roughly 0.5%. The remaining 1.5% is shared by the rest, i.e. 48 countries. Rules are rules, but to every rule there are exceptions.

It is widely said that “in unity there lies strength”, but this is not always so. One of the main arguments put forward in favour of the EAC is that the unity will mean strength, bigger market (120 million, poor people), investments attraction etc…etc.

Tanzania has the right to think globally, and to aim big. If 48 sub-Saharan African Countries account for a mere 1.5% of the world economy, how real and true is the argument that unity of 5 East African Countries (the EAC, a small sub-set of the 48 countries) will result into something powerful, a stronger voice, a magnet for investments, and so on?

Exports data from Tanzania to Kenya from 2005 to 2009 point to a trade relationship which is not sustainable because one of the partners i.e. Tanzania has essentially been a supplier of raw goods to the other, a picture which is expected to worsen under the Common Market regime.

The EAC is an experimentation which Tanzania is embarking on, in which tiny, fragile economies with weak and inefficient administrative and regulatory systems are forging a European Union (EU)-styled integration! Learning is good, but copying unwisely can be dangerous and demeaning.

Tanzania’s objective should be to organize itself into a competitive economy so that we can export to the whole world, especially to the bigger, richer economies that account for 98% of global income. In other words, it makes more economic sense to position ourselves to export to the roughly 6 billion relatively wealthier people of the greater world, rather than focusing so much on EAC’s 120 million poor people.

This should be our priority, and we can achieve it without going through the EAC and its entangling treaty, and the amount of time that we are going to waste there.

Hallo Tanzania: why shop around for problems?

What Tanzania should do to achieve faster development:- Our problems are not so much to do with the availability of natural resources within Tanzania. From that fact, one of the most urgent steps that Tanzania should take is to carry out a critical and thorough examination of itself as a nation and as an economy.

To do this Tanzania has to borrow or learn much from the medical field. Appropriate treatment starts from, or depends on the quality of DIAGNOSIS undertaken on the patient/problem. In my opinion, the most primary and serious problem that Tanzania faces has to do with the quality of our Human Capital, in all its dimensions.

Almost every problem that Tanzania faces today is directly or indirectly associated with the cumulative and consequential effects of the Human Capital quality problem, since 1961. Again, this problem is serious, it is structural, and therefore it should be further diagnosed before strategies for its treatment are sought.

The ultimate objective should be to transform our Human Resource into being able to meet the requirements or demands or essentials of a market economy/capitalist system that we are in. The requirements can be described as a package broadly consisting of speed, accuracy and efficiency.

The package enables a society to be able to handle the complexities and sophistications associated with the running of a market economy which include tricks, manipulations, dummies, management systems & styles and optimization strategies. Once the Human Capital problem is thoroughly addressed, the tireless efforts of our leader to develop Tanzania will bear greater results and our potentials as a country will be realized. Tanzania can become a big, powerful country.

It is possible!

Another area which needs urgent attention is the promotion and embracing of Economic Efficiency in all spheres of our lives and at every level. Let us make Economic Efficiency an essential component of our culture. A sub-part of Economic Efficiency, which can greatly improve our economy, and the lives of Tanzanians is waste-minimization.

Tanzanians endure wastefulness in nearly every level of our day to day living, from the small kitchen in the village, peasants’ farms (especially during harvests) to the big parastatal organizations, and government ministries and departments.

Being so poor but so wasteful is disturbing.

- Tanzania also needs to conduct a serious, honest and exhaustive internal discussion about its future. Let Tanzanians wherever they are, come out and reason for our beloved country. After all, time is not so much on our side.

Recommendations:

Given the state of our manufacturing sector on the one hand and the quality of our Human Capital on the other, it is advisable for Tanzania not to allow itself to continue to get further sucked into the EAC process. On balance, Tanzania is a net loser.

It means Tanzania’s time and other resources will yield greater returns and satisfaction if spent elsewhere like in putting our house/economy in order so that we can one day be able to negotiate from positions of strength. Also, to continue with a bad project simply because you have already invested in the project or you are already committed to it is as good as being suicidal. Those costs are sunk.

Reducing our involvement in the EAC or even withdrawing can be costly, but not as costly as deciding to hang on. The Common Market protocol has already been signed and ratified by parliament and some aspects of the market are to become operational on July 1.

Nevertheless, Tanzania should “swallow its pride” and abstain from implementing the protocol until it is comfortable that we are not becoming a spring-board for others’ economic and social development.

*The author of this article is an economist who is currently doing private business.
Daily News | Why Tanzania needs second thought on EAC (2)

Pls Note: WE need constructive argument overhere!
 
the above may be true but my friend umoja ni nguvu..we are of the same mother as EAfricans we cant divorce ourselves,where else in the world would you find our shared commonalities eg language? in a family there may be diferent members with different personalities and yet they are one !
 
sounds shallow! so from ur theory Kenya is that member who is bright and Tanzania is that one lagging behind! Tanzania can add value on its rawmaterial and sell itself if at all we want to strike gold! stupid leaders are letting us down periodly
 
Geza Ulole said:
sounds shallow! so from ur theory Kenya is that member who is bright and Tanzania is that one lagging behind! Tanzania can add value on its rawmaterial and sell itself if at all we want to strike gold! stupid leaders are letting us down periodly
Click to expand...

Did I miss the memo? Is there a treaty that you signed to bound you into only exporting raw materials to Kenya? No, really... Look at it in my perspective, the author of this article is indirectly insinuating that Tanzania is somehow arm twisted or forced into supplying raw materials alone to Kenya thus blocking it from exporting other commodities of much benefit to it, while obviously this is not the case. Its common fact that in the absence of Kenya (hypothetically), another country would align itself to benefit from Tanzania, just as Kenya is doing right now, which country wouldn't want cheap raw materials for its industries? Am sure Kenya isnt one of them.
 
The writer of this article sounds desperate and empty upstairs,he has only pointed out problems and not offered any solution,I wish he would explore ways Tanzania can transform herself from a supplier of raw materials into that of value added products.You must invest in innovation, embrace new technology and most important encourage local participation in the economy, by encouraging the growth of Small and Medium size Enterprises and co-operative movement.
Entrepreneurship is the key,your govt must create an enviroment that would enable Tanzianinas to embrace this emerging opportunites, this is a challenge to every individual Tanzanian,dont wait for things to happen,make them happen.If you find out that you are exporting raw materials,find out ways that can encourage value addittion at a price that is not neccesarily cheap but affordable to Kenyans or E. Africans for that matter,give tax incentives,reduce the cost of production and manufactures will flock to your country.
You have an advantage over us,here in Kenya the cost of doing business is still high,we are heavily taxed,the cost of power is still high,always worried about political stability plus many other challanges,and still we have managed to keep investors here and still promote local investments.
Instead of positioning yourself as cry babies of East Africa,find ways of converting your problems and challanges into opportunities.Even us we still have some issues with EAC but we are not complaining,we have embraced it and positioned ourselves to fully benefit from it.TZ should remember,it is not about our countries but individual citizens of EAC,it is upto everyone of us to wake up and explore avenues we can empower ourselves.It can encouraging to hear a Tanzanian teaming up with a Kenyan to form a company with branches in Dar and Nrb even Kampala.We must share skills,and find out how we can merge our talents to build this region,we should not over rely on our individual govt's,they too have selfish interests in this EAC thing.
USA is a super power because different states united to form a strong union,the same applies to EU.Tanzania has everything on earth any nation would dream of,we should be hearing better things from you people,not complains everytime you talk about EAC.Remember it was your project thru the late Nyerere,and it is time for you defend and protect it by all means.I heard TZ has donated land to build the EAC HQ's,this is a good move.
 
Demonstrate arrogance, he is awaking the Public to look into value addition arena and cut the exporting of raw materials that at present is 57% to Kenya and other countries as he and me share the same belief that TZ can do that and improve its manufacturing industry! By the way the article has two parts, so sit back and wait to see his advice! pheeew relax and hide ur pompousness!
 
Nafikiri unahitaji kuangalia 'African journey' .. .... odyssey Jonathan Dimbleby alipokuwa anasafiri kutoka Congo kwenda Durban, wakati Congo wanasafirisha cobalt kwenda kutengeneza battery za cell phones nk. Madini kutoka Congo yanakadiriwa kuwa na utajiri wa 24 trillion US dollars.
　
Hatuwezi leo hii sisi kama waafrika kung'ang'ania kuungana na Congo ili tufaidi utajiri wao? (Hicho ndicho Kenya wanakifanya) Kila nchi ina rasilimali zake sasa kama Kenya wanapenda kuchinjana kama nguruwe halafu wanasema ati Nyerere alisema tuungane na huo ni kama msahafu tusiubadilishe hilo linakuwa ni jinamizi. Nyerere alilitaka hilo la kuungana alipokuwa hai na sababu alikuwa nazo lakini tusisahau ni marehemu JK Nyerere ndiye alifunga mpaka na Kenya manyang'au kwa sababu ya ukahaba wao na nchi za magharibi.

Jakaya Kikwete na B W Mkapa ni wasaliti wanafikiri familia zao zitajificha kwenye hii Jumuiya. Vizazi vyetu bado vipo hai na watalipishwa mara dufu mara muda utakapowadia. Ni hawa hawa wakenya ambao wanatupiga vita hata kwenye rasilimali zetu halafu kuna vimburu wanakuja hapa na kufikiri rasilimali za Tanzania ni mali ya Moi au ukoo wa Kenyata au Kenyans. We will never surrender endeleeni tu kufikiri sisi tulioona yale mapambano tumesahau. Nop wrong number and the sooner you realize that the better. Smata aka Jasusi kutoka Kenya na vikaragosi wao hawawezi kuiteka Tanzania. We are bigger than Kikwete or CCM for that matter.
 

blah blah blah, bottom line is EAC is a reality and you cant do anything to stop it. kenyans will come to tz and you will have to take it. you will have to put up with a kenyan neighbour who cant speak proper kiswahili.
 
nomasana said:
blah blah blah, bottom line is EAC is a reality and you cant do anything to stop it. kenyans will come to tz and you will have to take it. you will have to put up with a kenyan neighbour who cant speak proper kiswahili.
Click to expand...

Endelea kuota ndoto za mchana.
 
nomasana said:
july 1st

from that date onwards reality slowly and painfully will dawn on u too
Click to expand...



I can tell you hizo ndio ndoto za mchana, si unaona lakini huelewi. Tanzania ilikuwa colony na walishindwa itakuwa nyang'au. Unafikiri wewe kwa sababu huwezi kufanya lolote basi kila mtu hawezi kufanya chochote. Endelea kuota muda wako utafika wakati ndoto imekwisha.
 

if you are so powerful please enlighten us what u can do to stop the EAC and kenyans from coming to tanzania?
 
nomasana said:
if you are so powerful please enlighten us what u can do to stop the EAC and kenyans from coming to tanzania?
Click to expand...

Kwa hiyo unataka nikwambie wewe noma sana ili iwe nini? Nije nikupigie vuvuzela. Noma sana nenda kibera kwenye vibanda hasara, lakini hata siku moja usije kufikiri watanzania ni malofa kama wewe. Angalia Nairobi wangapi mmeua na bado tamaa ya fisi mkono wa binadamu ukatike.
 

vuvuzela?? u mean the one that you imported from south africa or kenya becuz tanzania is an incapable of manufacturing one for themselves? 😛ound:😛ound:😛ound:

let me put it to this way you xenophobic And insecure homo sapien, KENYANS ARE COMING TO TANZANIA WETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. THE SAD TRUTH FOR YOU IS THAT YOU CANNOT STOP KENYANS FROM COMING EVEN IF YOUR TRIED.
 
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