Mzee Mwanakijiji
Platinum Member
- Mar 10, 2006
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Kevin Rutashobya - Dodoma (KLHN)
The Canadian lobbying group led by Amb. Ms. Janet Siddal has decided to pull back from their well coordinated campaign to influence the parliamentary discussion and eventual decisions on reforms outlined and proposed by the Presidential Commission on Mining Sector Reform led by Judge Mark Bomani.
The pull back came in the wake of a massive counter campaign orchestrated by JamiiForums, individual MPs, with the on-ground detailed and well carried out moves by journalists in Dodoma.
The counter campaign was initiated after it came to light that world largest gold mining company Barrick Gold was trying to derail the much needed change in the mining sector for the fear that the changes might in some ways reduce its massive profit from this East African nation.
Some of the MPs who had had a chance to meet with the Canadian delegation in Dodoma during breakfast and dinner meals arranged and paid by the Canadians were enraged and others puzzled why such an effort from the Canadians (especially the presence of the Ambassador) except if the changes were to benefit the country and bring new standards, laws and regulations in the mining sector.
The lobbying involved the use of so called "sticks and carrots" methods which basically involved promises of aid to individual MPs and their constituencies and other favors while at the same time using very clear and pronounced threats if the MPs failed to compromise in favor of Barrick Gold.
In countering this move, JF and some media houses carried a campaign of "questions and more questions" aimed at the ambassador and her delegation, and accusing them of interfering with a parliamentary process and by doing so showing detectable signs of contempt of our August House. The campaign was carried out by distinguished journalists who are expected to write reports and feature stories that some will come out tomorrow to questions the Canadians motives and actions.
"this loose network of our own counter lobbying seems to have worked perfectly, we couldn't have asked for anything better" one journalist told this writer.
It was after this barrage of questions that the Canadian Ambassador H.E. Siddal called off the exercise.
A Canadian source who spoke to KLHN on conditions of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak on the matter told KLHN that the Ambassador and her delegation are returning to Dar-es-Salaam ASAP where she is expected to issue a statement on the matter probably sometimes on Friday.
The Commission on Mining Sector Reform was created by President Kikwete late last year to review mining contracts and propose better changes in the law and regulations so that the mining industry would be very beneficial to the country economy and the welfare of our people. The deliberations of the commission's report are expected sometimes before the end of this year's budget session.
The Canadian lobbying group led by Amb. Ms. Janet Siddal has decided to pull back from their well coordinated campaign to influence the parliamentary discussion and eventual decisions on reforms outlined and proposed by the Presidential Commission on Mining Sector Reform led by Judge Mark Bomani.
The pull back came in the wake of a massive counter campaign orchestrated by JamiiForums, individual MPs, with the on-ground detailed and well carried out moves by journalists in Dodoma.
The counter campaign was initiated after it came to light that world largest gold mining company Barrick Gold was trying to derail the much needed change in the mining sector for the fear that the changes might in some ways reduce its massive profit from this East African nation.
Some of the MPs who had had a chance to meet with the Canadian delegation in Dodoma during breakfast and dinner meals arranged and paid by the Canadians were enraged and others puzzled why such an effort from the Canadians (especially the presence of the Ambassador) except if the changes were to benefit the country and bring new standards, laws and regulations in the mining sector.
The lobbying involved the use of so called "sticks and carrots" methods which basically involved promises of aid to individual MPs and their constituencies and other favors while at the same time using very clear and pronounced threats if the MPs failed to compromise in favor of Barrick Gold.
In countering this move, JF and some media houses carried a campaign of "questions and more questions" aimed at the ambassador and her delegation, and accusing them of interfering with a parliamentary process and by doing so showing detectable signs of contempt of our August House. The campaign was carried out by distinguished journalists who are expected to write reports and feature stories that some will come out tomorrow to questions the Canadians motives and actions.
"this loose network of our own counter lobbying seems to have worked perfectly, we couldn't have asked for anything better" one journalist told this writer.
It was after this barrage of questions that the Canadian Ambassador H.E. Siddal called off the exercise.
A Canadian source who spoke to KLHN on conditions of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak on the matter told KLHN that the Ambassador and her delegation are returning to Dar-es-Salaam ASAP where she is expected to issue a statement on the matter probably sometimes on Friday.
The Commission on Mining Sector Reform was created by President Kikwete late last year to review mining contracts and propose better changes in the law and regulations so that the mining industry would be very beneficial to the country economy and the welfare of our people. The deliberations of the commission's report are expected sometimes before the end of this year's budget session.
