nngu007
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 2, 2010
- 15,862
- 5,797
Burundi is 27,830 sq km with population of over 8 million
Rwanda is 26, 338 sq km with population of over 10 million
Uganda is 241, 139 sq km with population of over 32 million
Kenya is 582,650 sq km with population of over 40 million
Tanzania is 947,300 sq km with population of over 42 million
Interestingly, the myopic people shamelessly said, ''Tanzania greatly likes to be recognized for her ‘Internationalist' policies, with her leaders spending more time shuttling the world than they do in their own country, though the facts show they are quite parochial.''
By the way, who's parochial in reality? But we Tanzania have never butchered one another simply because we're from different tribes or religion. THANK GOD!!!
Under our internationalism we're accused of making it possible for erstwhile foes President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to sit together and resolve their differences.
And Kenyans, thanks to that breakthrough, they are relatively enjoying peace after butchering one another.
Again, when one sees how our leaders 'waste time globe-trotting', one should as well have seen how their own legislators do not want to pay tax on top of amassing big chunks of land while the majority of their people suffer for lack of the same.
And again Tanzania is blamed for not consenting to the so-called free movement. Other EAC members would like their nations to use identity cards for travel in the region in lieu of passports. They would like to abolish work permits in the region, not to mention free land acquisition.
In other words, Kenyan rulers, even Rwandans, are looking for free land to offer to their man-made landless majority. Before we do so, let greedy rulers re-distribute the parcels they are holding without even putting them to use.
Another point is. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have big populations compared to the size of their land. So, instead of planning and controlling their population, they'd like to dump that burden to Tanzania!!
True, if Tanzania consented to this ploy, the future of its coming generations would be doomed. Look at this reality in numbers (TOP OF THE PAGE)
Another thing, however weak, is that Tanzania is afraid of Kenyan vibrant economy. Blindly and shamelessly they say: 'Tanzania is dirt poor, its economy a fraction of Kenya's. Further, it lacks the dynamism and skills to drive its economy forward at the pace of its neighbors. Even tiny Rwanda has a better capacity than [what] can be said of Tanzania.'
What nonsense! If this is the case, then why are Kenyans hollering for not joining EAC? Shall integration be an in-thing; we still can join Mozambique or even Zambia.
They erroneously aver that we are giving the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) too much. So be it, if it protects and safeguards our interests.
Let me tell our integration tutors one thing. They're the ones who introduced the East African passport. This consumed a lot of money in printing and designing not to mention purchasing them.
In Kenya and Even Uganda it is an open secret that almost all fertile land is in the hands of a few foreigners or rulers who grabbed it from the people.
Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda would like to see 'East Africans' acquire land in any state they deem fit. But again, apart from Tanzania, which country still has land for such purpose?
Demographic realities are not something to ignore. Rwanda's rural population per square kilometer of arable land was around 901 in 1999 -- one of the highest in Africa, Kenya's the rich and fertile western region, and population density goes up to 120 settlers per sq. km.
We know, in Kenya much of fertile land is owned by a few select in power or that used to be in power. In a word, Kenya has a very nasty land policy that for long has left the ordinary people landless and sidelined.
For instance, the family of the country's first president, Jomo Kenyatta, owns a chunk of land the size of Nyanza Province.
Similarly, that of his successor, Daniel arap Moi and Kibaki's also own big parcels of land not to mention former British settlers. In May 2006 Cholmondeley, grandson of Lord Delamere, shot dead an innocent Kenyan for trespass on his Soysambu farm.
Another killer point, Tanzania still remembers the loss suffered from the 1977 debacle of the first East African Community as a result of megalomaniac rule in Kenya and Uganda.
History is a good judge. Shortly before attaining independence in 1961, Tanzania wanted to delay its autonomy until all colonies in East Africa were ready for the same status. What exemplary Pan-African love and spirit!!!
