Is Tanzania ousting Kenya as East Africa's powerhouse?

[Xplorer]

2016 Deutsche Welle
Date 20.05.2016
Author Loveday Wright
Karte Ostafrikanische Gemeinschaft Englisch
Infrastructure projects


Less than a year after President Magufuli took office, Tanzania is already gaining influence among its neighbors and moving away from its reputation as a lone ranger in the region. So what does this mean for Kenya?

Tansania Präsident John Magufuli
Despite having the largest population in East Africa, Tanzania has often been sidelined in regional politics. While Kenya's influence surged, Tanzania was accused of being too slow and cautious when it came to plans for regional integration and infrastructure.

But since John Magufuli's surprise election win last October, it seems Kenya could be losing its grip on East African politics as Tanzania increasingly presents itself as a viable alternative for regional cooperation.



Just last week, the Ugandan government announced it would route the country's valuable oil exports through Tanzania rather than Kenya, opting for a pipeline to the Tanzanian port city of Tanga.

A report commissioned by the Ugandan government in March found that the pipeline route through Tanzania was cheaper and would be in operation more quickly than the Kenyan option. The decision was a blow for Kenya, which will now have to go through with its own ambitious oil pipeline project alone, or find new partners.

An international railway project, championed by Kenya, has also come up against difficulties as regional players consider their options. Widespread media reports claimed that Rwanda was pulling out of plans to develop rail links to Indian Ocean ports through Kenya in favour of routes through Tanzania. But the Rwandan government has now said it plans to continue with both routes.

Magufuli's new approach

The readiness of Uganda and Rwanda to embark on projects and agreements with Tanzania, particularly when it means breaking off deals with Kenya, is a mark of the shift of influence within the region. Kenyan political analyst and commentator Martin Oloo told DW that President Magufuli's pragmatic, hands-on approach is making this possible. "It is changing the way business can be done: in a more efficient and effective way," he said.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame shakes hands with President Magufuli
President Magufuli visited his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame last month
One of Magufuli's key policies is cracking down on corruption. "What is endearing him to his own people and perhaps what is making sense economically for the region is that business can be done in cheaper ways, business can be done by minimizing corruption," Oloo said. "And corruption is expensive, so countries where there is runaway corruption, like in Kenya. That's impeding its competitiveness, its impeding its relevance within the region," he added.

Stability and growth

But Tanzania's recent political gains are not only down to Magufuli's leadership style. The country has enjoyed a steady growth rate of 6 - 7 percent over the past decade and is already starting to overtake Kenya economically. "Magufuli's performance will only be helping that to happen faster," Oloo said.

Despite widespread poverty, long term political stability has provided a solid foundation for growth and development. "You can decide to look at Kenya as a powerhouse maybe on the economic side, but you've got to accept that Tanzania is a powerhouse in terms of stabilizing these countries," said Richard Shaba, Program Coordinator at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Tanzania, a German political foundation. "We take most of the refugees. We do most of the reconciliation whenever these countries have a problem," Shaba told DW.

When it comes to stability, Kenya is struggling. Security has become a growing fear, not only for Kenyans but also investors. The country's border with Somalia makes it vulnerable to attacks from Somali terrorist group al-Shabab, making Tanzania an attractive alternative.

Kenyan police carry the body of a man killed in an al-Shabab attack
Kenyan police deal with casualties following an al-Shabab attack on a village on Kenya's border with Somalia last year
What's next for East Africa?

In the face of these difficulties, Kenya will now have to up its game if it wants to retain its regional strength. "What should be worrying Kenyans is that we need to take on runaway corruption, we need to improve efficiency, we need to make ourselves competitive within the region," said analyst Oloo. "And unless we do that, then our neighbors like Tanzania and Rwanda are actually going to run away with the opportunities."

If the latest developments in terms of regional cooperation are anything to go by, that is already happening. But according to Richard Shaba, even Magufuli's unconventional approach won't completely change Tanzania's traditionally guarded politics when it comes to cooperation and integration in East Africa.

"I think Tanzania will pursue more or less the same regional politics - being a bit cautious - because when the East African Community collapsed in 1977 we got our fingers burned very badly," he told DW. "Willingness is always there, but the approach will be cautious."

 

[Jhaxan]

Verily nice

 

[MK254]

Na bado mtaisoma namba, miaka nenda miaka rudi, waliimba babu zenu, wakaimba baba zenu, mnauimba leo, mpo tayari kuwapokeza watoto wenu waimbe.

Huu ushakua wimbo wa taifa Tanzania, tutaipita Kenya, lazima Kenya ipitwe, hii Kenya haipo mbali, tutaipiga chini Kenya, Kenya itapitwa tu, kwani Kenya wana nini, Wakenya hawana chochote, mbona hawa Wakenya tutawapita tu, giant limeamuka na kuipita Kenya, Kenya kainchi kadogo tutakapita tu

 

[Samm999]

He he MK254 preach!!!

 

[Xplorer]

Na bado mtaisoma namba, miaka nenda miaka rudi, waliimba babu zenu, wakaimba baba zenu, mnauimba leo, mpo tayari kuwapokeza watoto wenu waimbe.

Huu ushakua wimbo wa taifa Tanzania, tutaipita Kenya, lazima Kenya ipitwe, hii Kenya haipo mbali, tutaipiga chini Kenya, Kenya itapitwa tu, kwani Kenya wana nini, Wakenya hawana chochote, mbona hawa Wakenya tutawapita tu, giant limeamuka na kuipita Kenya, Kenya kainchi kadogo tutakapita tu

Relax brother!!aliyeandika hiyo article ni Mkenya mwenzenu na sio Mtanzania.

afadhali yeye amestuka kuona TZ inapaa na anayo haki ya kuogopa maana mara anasikia watu wanajenga oil pipeline,mara anaiona hii SGR network

mara anasikia TAZARA inafufuliwa na watu wanafikiria kuimaliza SADC watoboe hadi South Africa,Mara anaona Mgodi wa Chuma na makaa ya mawe huko liganga na mchuchuma umeanza kujengwa(talking about $3bn project),mara anaona serikali imetenga zaidi ya $3bn kwaajili ya ujenzi,usafirishaji na uchukuzi,mara anaona LNG plant imeanza kujengwa ($15-20bn) mara anaona Kiwanda cha mbolea(kikubwa kuliko vyote Africa)kinaanza kujengwa $3bn project,mara anaona watu wameagiza ndege nne kwaajili ya kuifufua Kilimanjaro airways,mara anaona Bandari ya bagamoyo $11bn project inaanza kujengwa....etc

kwa hayo yote anayo kila sababu ya kuogopa na ninampongeza kwa kuliona hilo.

 

[MK254]

Relax brother!!aliyeandika hiyo article ni Mkenya mwenzenu na sio Mtanzania.

afadhali yeye amestuka kuona TZ inapaa na anayo haki ya kuogopa maana mara anasikia watu wanajenga oil pipeline,mara anaiona hii SGR network

mara anasikia TAZARA inafufuliwa na watu wanafikiria kuimaliza SADC watoboe hadi South Africa,Mara anaona Mgodi wa Chuma na makaa ya mawe huko liganga na mchuchuma umeanza kujengwa(talking about $3bn project),mara anaona serikali imetenga zaidi ya $3bn kwaajili ya ujenzi,usafirishaji na uchukuzi,mara anaona LNG plant imeanza kujengwa ($15-20bn) mara anaona Kiwanda cha mbolea(kikubwa kuliko vyote Africa)kinaanza kujengwa $3bn project,mara anaona watu wameagiza ndege nne kwaajili ya kuifufua Kilimanjaro airways,mara anaona Bandari ya bagamoyo $11bn project inaanza kujengwa....etc

kwa hayo yote anayo kila sababu ya kuogopa na ninampongeza kwa kuliona hilo.

Hehehe!! Nyie kituko kweli, vitu vyote ulivyotaja huwa tunahubiriwa kila siku humu na kwa miaka, naona kama utakua mgeni na hili jukwa la upande wa Wakenya. Aha! Kumbe ulijiunga na JF mwaka jana. Tatizo lenu hamna malengo kama taifa, mnakurupuka na kuwaza Kenya katika kila mnalolianzisha. Kila mradi mnapouanzisha, lengo kuu ni kuipita Kenya, mara bandari ya Bagamoyo mara reli ya kati mara nini.

Inafaa iwaingie kwamba Kenya hatujakaa kitako tukisubiri mje, pamoja na kwamba tumekumbana na changamoto hadi tulichezea mabomu ya alshabaab kila siku lakini hata hamjawahi kunusia makalio yetu. Labda muombe sana alshabaab wapate bomu lenye maafa makubwa na wafaulu kulipua, hapo labda mtakua mumetukaribia.

Maamuzi ya Mganda kupitiza bomba huko imewafanya msheherekee eti sasa ndio mumeipita Kenya. Mnasahau uchumi wetu unawashinda hata mkiunganisha uchumi wa Tanzania na Uganda, hata muungane muwe nchi moja bado tutakua tumewashinda.

Sasa nikianza kuorodhesha miradi ya Kenya si ndio utalewa hata kabla hujafikia kusoma yote. Hatujakaa kitako, tunasonga mbele, kwanza mnafaa mfaulu kujitoa kwenye orodha ya nchi maskini wa kutupwa ndio muwaze Kenya.

Nyie mnaongea kuhusu kuanza kujenga reli ya kati, sisi tunaongea kuhusu kukamilisha reli ya kati na ya kisasa itakayounga hadi Uganda na Sudan Kusini na Rwanda hadi Burundi. Na pia tutaunga Kisumu ili tufunike soko la Tanzania Kaskazini.

Tupo kwenye mikakati ya kuongeza viwanda Athi river, Naivasha, Mombasa n.k. ambapo reli hiyo itapitia

Tumekamilisha upanuzi mkubwa wa bandari ya Mombasa, na bado tunaongeza miundo mbinu humo, zikiwemo barabara kubwa

Tuna mradi mkubwa wa ukulima wa kunyunyiziwa maji pale Galana, ambao utahakikisha chakula cha kutosha nchini

Tunaendelea kuongeza umeme, na ndani ya miaka tatu tutakua na 5,000MW. Leo hii umeme haukatiki tena huku, imepitishwa sheria kwamba kampuni ya umeme italipia fidia pale umeme unakatika zaidi ya masaa matatu. Hatuishi kama hayo maisha yenu ya kuwasha majenereta kwenye maofisi. Hapo kwenu Dar ni chukizo kwenye suala la umeme.

Yaani bana labda nipate muda nikuandalie taarifa na ndio utajua kwanini kanga hana manyoya.

 

[Xplorer]

Hehehe!! Nyie kituko kweli, vitu vyote ulivyotaja huwa tunahubiriwa kila siku humu na kwa miaka, naona kama utakua mgeni na hili jukwa la upande wa Wakenya. Aha! Kumbe ulijiunga na JF mwaka jana. Tatizo lenu hamna malengo kama taifa, mnakurupuka na kuwaza Kenya katika kila mnalolianzisha. Kila mradi mnapouanzisha, lengo kuu ni kuipita Kenya, mara bandari ya Bagamoyo mara reli ya kati mara nini.

Inafaa iwaingie kwamba Kenya hatujakaa kitako tukisubiri mje, pamoja na kwamba tumekumbana na changamoto hadi tulichezea mabomu ya alshabaab kila siku lakini hata hamjawahi kunusia makalio yetu. Labda muombe sana alshabaab wapate bomu lenye maafa makubwa na wafaulu kulipua, hapo labda mtakua mumetukaribia.

Maamuzi ya Mganda kupitiza bomba huko imewafanya msheherekee eti sasa ndio mumeipita Kenya. Mnasahau uchumi wetu unawashinda hata mkiunganisha uchumi wa Tanzania na Uganda, hata muungane muwe nchi moja bado tutakua tumewashinda.

Sasa nikianza kuorodhesha miradi ya Kenya si ndio utalewa hata kabla hujafikia kusoma yote. Hatujakaa kitako, tunasonga mbele, kwanza mnafaa mfaulu kujitoa kwenye orodha ya nchi maskini wa kutupwa ndio muwaze Kenya.

Nyie mnaongea kuhusu kuanza kujenga reli ya kati, sisi tunaongea kuhusu kukamilisha reli ya kati na ya kisasa itakayounga hadi Uganda na Sudan Kusini na Rwanda hadi Burundi. Na pia tutaunga Kisumu ili tufunike soko la Tanzania Kaskazini.

Tupo kwenye mikakati ya kuongeza viwanda Athi river, Naivasha, Mombasa n.k. ambapo reli hiyo itapitia

Tumekamilisha upanuzi mkubwa wa bandari ya Mombasa, na bado tunaongeza miundo mbinu humo, zikiwemo barabara kubwa

Tuna mradi mkubwa wa ukulima wa kunyunyiziwa maji pale Galana, ambao utahakikisha chakula cha kutosha nchini

Tunaendelea kuongeza umeme, na ndani ya miaka tatu tutakua na 5,000MW. Leo hii umeme haukatiki tena huku, imepitishwa sheria kwamba kampuni ya umeme italipia fidia pale umeme unakatika zaidi ya masaa matatu. Hatuishi kama hayo maisha yenu ya kuwasha majenereta kwenye maofisi. Hapo kwenu Dar ni chukizo kwenye suala la umeme.

Yaani bana labda nipate muda nikuandalie taarifa na ndio utajua kwanini kanga hana manyoya.

bado sijaona mradi wa $20bn katika yote uliyoyataja.

 

[MK254]

bado sijaona mradi wa $20bn katika yote uliyoyataja.

Sina haja ya kutaja gharama ya miradi, cha msingi ni kuwaza umuhimu wa kila mradi wenyewe. Kila mradi Kenya upo baada ya kubainika umuhimu wake kwa nchi, na utekelezaji wake. Sio kama nyie mnaanzisha miradi ili muonekane mpo tu mnakimbizana na Kenya.

Mnaibua ujenzi wa bandari ya Bagamoyo wakati mna bandari zingine ambazo zikiboreshwa tu, mtaweza kukidhi mahitaji yote ya bandari. Lengo lenu ni kuonekana mna miradi mikubwa, mnatapapa bila mipango ya kueleweka hadi leo mnajikuta wananchi wapo kwenye foleni za bidhaa za msingi kama sukari.

 

[Geza Ulole]

Sina haja ya kutaja gharama ya miradi, cha msingi ni kuwaza umuhimu wa kila mradi wenyewe. Kila mradi Kenya upo baada ya kubainika umuhimu wake kwa nchi, na utekelezaji wake. Sio kama nyie mnaanzisha miradi ili muonekane mpo tu mnakimbizana na Kenya.

Mnaibua ujenzi wa bandari ya Bagamoyo wakati mna bandari zingine ambazo zikiboreshwa tu, mtaweza kukidhi mahitaji yote ya bandari. Lengo lenu ni kuonekana mna miradi mikubwa, mnatapapa bila mipango ya kueleweka hadi leo mnajikuta wananchi wapo kwenye foleni za bidhaa za msingi kama sukari.

lengo letu ni kuhakikisha Kenya hapumui tunataka Kenya ifanye biashara na Somalia tu!

 

[Ngongo]

Relax brother!!aliyeandika hiyo article ni Mkenya mwenzenu na sio Mtanzania.

afadhali yeye amestuka kuona TZ inapaa na anayo haki ya kuogopa maana mara anasikia watu wanajenga oil pipeline,mara anaiona hii SGR network

mara anasikia TAZARA inafufuliwa na watu wanafikiria kuimaliza SADC watoboe hadi South Africa,Mara anaona Mgodi wa Chuma na makaa ya mawe huko liganga na mchuchuma umeanza kujengwa(talking about $3bn project),mara anaona serikali imetenga zaidi ya $3bn kwaajili ya ujenzi,usafirishaji na uchukuzi,mara anaona LNG plant imeanza kujengwa ($15-20bn) mara anaona Kiwanda cha mbolea(kikubwa kuliko vyote Africa)kinaanza kujengwa $3bn project,mara anaona watu wameagiza ndege nne kwaajili ya kuifufua Kilimanjaro airways,mara anaona Bandari ya bagamoyo $11bn project inaanza kujengwa....etc

kwa hayo yote anayo kila sababu ya kuogopa na ninampongeza kwa kuliona hilo.

Hili ni bandiko la mwaka 2016 hadi 2017 ni vyema wadau wa siasa za ukanda huu wakalisoma kwa utulivu huku wakisubiri mechi ya FA Cup Man v Palace.

nomasana, sam999, NairobiWalker, hbuyosh, msemakweli, simplemind,Kimweri, Bulldog, MK254, Kafrican, Ngongo, Ab_Titchaz, mtanganyika mpya,JokaKuu, Ngongo, Askari Kanzu, Dhuks, Yule-Msee, waltham, Mzee, mombasite gabriel, Juakali1980 , Boda254, mwaswast, MwendaOmo, Mwanakijiji,Iconoclastes, oneflash, Kambalanick, 1 Africa, saadeque, burukenge, nyangau mkenya, Teen-Upperhill Nairobi, kadoda11

 

[Barbarosa]

Hehehe!! Nyie kituko kweli, vitu vyote ulivyotaja huwa tunahubiriwa kila siku humu na kwa miaka, naona kama utakua mgeni na hili jukwa la upande wa Wakenya. Aha! Kumbe ulijiunga na JF mwaka jana. Tatizo lenu hamna malengo kama taifa, mnakurupuka na kuwaza Kenya katika kila mnalolianzisha. Kila mradi mnapouanzisha, lengo kuu ni kuipita Kenya, mara bandari ya Bagamoyo mara reli ya kati mara nini.

Inafaa iwaingie kwamba Kenya hatujakaa kitako tukisubiri mje, pamoja na kwamba tumekumbana na changamoto hadi tulichezea mabomu ya alshabaab kila siku lakini hata hamjawahi kunusia makalio yetu. Labda muombe sana alshabaab wapate bomu lenye maafa makubwa na wafaulu kulipua, hapo labda mtakua mumetukaribia.

Maamuzi ya Mganda kupitiza bomba huko imewafanya msheherekee eti sasa ndio mumeipita Kenya. Mnasahau uchumi wetu unawashinda hata mkiunganisha uchumi wa Tanzania na Uganda, hata muungane muwe nchi moja bado tutakua tumewashinda.

Sasa nikianza kuorodhesha miradi ya Kenya si ndio utalewa hata kabla hujafikia kusoma yote. Hatujakaa kitako, tunasonga mbele, kwanza mnafaa mfaulu kujitoa kwenye orodha ya nchi maskini wa kutupwa ndio muwaze Kenya.

Nyie mnaongea kuhusu kuanza kujenga reli ya kati, sisi tunaongea kuhusu kukamilisha reli ya kati na ya kisasa itakayounga hadi Uganda na Sudan Kusini na Rwanda hadi Burundi. Na pia tutaunga Kisumu ili tufunike soko la Tanzania Kaskazini.

Tupo kwenye mikakati ya kuongeza viwanda Athi river, Naivasha, Mombasa n.k. ambapo reli hiyo itapitia

Tumekamilisha upanuzi mkubwa wa bandari ya Mombasa, na bado tunaongeza miundo mbinu humo, zikiwemo barabara kubwa

Tuna mradi mkubwa wa ukulima wa kunyunyiziwa maji pale Galana, ambao utahakikisha chakula cha kutosha nchini

Tunaendelea kuongeza umeme, na ndani ya miaka tatu tutakua na 5,000MW. Leo hii umeme haukatiki tena huku, imepitishwa sheria kwamba kampuni ya umeme italipia fidia pale umeme unakatika zaidi ya masaa matatu. Hatuishi kama hayo maisha yenu ya kuwasha majenereta kwenye maofisi. Hapo kwenu Dar ni chukizo kwenye suala la umeme.

Yaani bana labda nipate muda nikuandalie taarifa na ndio utajua kwanini kanga hana manyoya.

Lakini aliyeandika hii habari ni Mkenya na siyo Mtanzania!

 

[Mwasita Moja]

Hata hili wanafiki Wa chadema watalipinga.

 

[MAKANJAMNA]

Sina haja ya kutaja gharama ya miradi, cha msingi ni kuwaza umuhimu wa kila mradi wenyewe. Kila mradi Kenya upo baada ya kubainika umuhimu wake kwa nchi, na utekelezaji wake. Sio kama nyie mnaanzisha miradi ili muonekane mpo tu mnakimbizana na Kenya.

Mnaibua ujenzi wa bandari ya Bagamoyo wakati mna bandari zingine ambazo zikiboreshwa tu, mtaweza kukidhi mahitaji yote ya bandari. Lengo lenu ni kuonekana mna miradi mikubwa, mnatapapa bila mipango ya kueleweka hadi leo mnajikuta wananchi wapo kwenye foleni za bidhaa za msingi kama sukari.

Kaka. Mchezo huu hauhitaji hasira.

Nyie jengeni Malls, sisi tunajenga viwanda vya mbolea na chuma...

Nyie fanyeni shopping.. sisi tufanye biashara..

 

[1 Africa]

Kaka. Mchezo huu hauhitaji hasira.

Nyie jengeni Malls, sisi tunajenga viwanda vya mbolea na chuma...

Nyie fanyeni shopping.. sisi tufanye biashara..

Shopping is also business my friend.

 

[Xplorer]

Sina haja ya kutaja gharama ya miradi, cha msingi ni kuwaza umuhimu wa kila mradi wenyewe. Kila mradi Kenya upo baada ya kubainika umuhimu wake kwa nchi, na utekelezaji wake. Sio kama nyie mnaanzisha miradi ili muonekane mpo tu mnakimbizana na Kenya.

Mnaibua ujenzi wa bandari ya Bagamoyo wakati mna bandari zingine ambazo zikiboreshwa tu, mtaweza kukidhi mahitaji yote ya bandari. Lengo lenu ni kuonekana mna miradi mikubwa, mnatapapa bila mipango ya kueleweka hadi leo mnajikuta wananchi wapo kwenye foleni za bidhaa za msingi kama sukari.

we dont need your advice on our economic strategy,Bagamoyo port inajengwa na vilevile dsm port tumeshatenga 1.5 trillion kwaajili ya kuiboresha this year while Tanga port new equipment tumeshazinunua,Mtwara port maboresho yake yanaenda sambamba na ujenzi wa kiwanda cha mbolea,LNG plant,na kiwanda cha cement.

you are not in TZ so you ll never understand why sugar have been scarce recently,however a campaign against hoarding is ongoing to insure that the "fake scarcity" engineered by people like you fail.
For your information,we are about to double our sugar production within three years and i hope Kenya will be one of our customers and Four of the strategic areas that have been identified for cane farming expansion include Rufiji Valley, Kigoma, Kilosa, Ngerengere and Bagamoyo.

Again be honest to yourself, the Ugandan blow, followed by the Rwandan one, plus the eternal warlord regime in South Sudan and the crippling of Lapsett, plus Kenya Airways downgrade and the collapse of the new airport- let alone that your oil needs $70 a barrel or more to even dig up, means Kenya is facing some really tough times. Your government needs to admit this, and develop a new strategic plan for Kenya instead of playing a witch-hunter.

 

[Geza Ulole]

Shopping is also business my friend.

shopping is not meaningful business, if u don't produce what u put in the shelves! Tell me what percent of the stock is Kenyan made? Malls is uchuuzi business!

 

[1 Africa]

shopping is not meaningful business, if u don't produce what u put in the shelves! Tell me what percent of the stock is Kenyan made? Malls is uchuuzi business!

Do You hear yourself???
Before things get to the shop,they are manufatured,before manufctured they are produced(farming,mining...etc--how large are these economic activities.)....I can go on and on. Do some research on supply chains and the likes.

 

[saadeque]

nyi watu mnasikitisha kweli...Naona saii mngengoja mpaka mtupite ndio mje mjigambe apa...Hivi hamchoki naii "tuta....."yenu.viwanda vya fertilizer pia sisi tushajenga.mko nyuma yetu daily

 

[burukenge]

J

Kaka. Mchezo huu hauhitaji hasira.

Nyie jengeni Malls, sisi tunajenga viwanda vya mbolea na chuma...

Nyie fanyeni shopping.. sisi tufanye biashara..

Jengeni mwanzo viwanda vya kuzalisha sukari ni aibu iliyoje wananchi wa the sleeping, snoring giant kupangia sukari foleni.

 

[Geza Ulole]

Do You hear yourself???
Before things get to the shop,they are manufatured,before manufctured they are produced(farming,mining...etc--how large are these economic activities.)....I can go on and on. Do some research on supply chains and the likes.

I meant all that Produce comes from Production and can mean goods to the final stage standing in the place of manufacturing! Most of those malls in Kenya r selling foreign merchanise!