Urithi wetu

[Fundi Mchundo]

A POPULAR UK newspaper recently published an interesting article on the possible danger facing footsteps of the earliest man to walk upright on earth.

The report said the ancient human tracks located at the Laetoli area in Arusha Region, which are over three and a half million years old, are being threatened by soil erosion and tree growth.

US scientists warn that the Laetoli steps may be extinct within the next few years due to uncontrolled human activities and are now calling for international action to protect them. Some American and local scientists even suggest that a museum should be built at the site to protect the national heritage. Others suggest that the volcanic ash footsteps should be transported to the National Museum in Dar es Salaam for safe keeping.

The American scientists who want the ancient ape-men prints to be shipped to Dar es Salaam, argue that ongoing human and natural activities at Laetoli could wipe out a key piece of ancient human history.

Some local scientists who understand very well what has happened to our treasured artifacts kept at the National Museum in Dar es Salaam warn that transporting the volcanic ash printed footsteps, might actually expose them to Western looters who have made a fortune out of our ancient Makonde masks, Chagga chiefs' skulls, carvings and other objects.

Security at our local museums and the questionable character of some of the employees who in the past had colluded with European and American museum owners or dealers to sell pieces of treasured past, leaves much to be desired.

Much as the American scientists seem to be concerned with the safety and security of the footsteps, ultimately is a sovereign right of this country to keep such treasured artifacts within our borders.

We, however, feel that it's not wise to ship them to Dar es Salaam but instead the government should heavily invest at the site by constructing the museum and making sure that the place is accessible.

It?s time that our country stopped being selfish with its own natural treasures and brush aside suggestions by the so-called Western scientists which have often been to the detriment of the nation.

The government needs to set aside enough money to ensure that Laetoli becomes a world class tourism centre by improving the infrastructure, train local residents to benefit from their heritage which has been kept for over 3.6 million years without being wasted and now someone comes around and warns that because of what they saw it won't last the next five years.

These footsteps should stay right where they are and local scientists should take the lead on how best to preserve them and use them as a cultural and educational tourism attraction that will earn this country billions of shillings in future.

We have already lost Kihansi spray toads which are earning some American zoo a sizeable income, so too our Makonde masks which are in Germany and the USA. We cannot afford to continue losing our national heritage through our own incompetence, greed and selfishness.

Wakati tunawabebea mabango hao tunaowaita mafisadi kuna umuhimu wa kuangalia sehemu nyingine za rasilimali zetu. Hapa juu tunazungumzia footstep zinazokisiwa kutoka kwa jamii ya kwanza ya binadamu kutembea wima. Hizi ziko kwetu. Si wengi tunajua hilo. Inakwenda na maji kama yanavyoainisha maandishi(ingawa sikubaliani na wazo la kujenga makumbusho na kupafanya mahali accessible kwa maana naamini kwa kufanya hivyo tuta-accelerate kupotea kwake). Tunazungumzia vyura wa Kihansi ambao nakumbuka tuliwacheka sana wazungu kwa kuhangaikia VYURA. Tuliwaona wapuuzi. Tumebaki na Kihansi inayojaa tope na wao wamebaki na chura ambao wanawaongezea umaarufu. Tunashabikia ujenzi wa mahoteli Ngorongoro bila kuangalia athari zake kimazingira. Tukiulizwa, tunajibu kwa jeuri, mbona Kenya wana hoteli kibao kwa nini sisi tunakatazwa. Kivutio kikubwa cha mbuga za Tanzania ni authenticity na exclusivity zake. Unawaona wanyama katika hali aliyotarajia muumba na hamkumbani na watalii kibao. Tunasahau kuwa Ngorongoro ni eco-system ya pekee duniani. Tunawatosa Flamingoes wa Ziwa Natron kwa hela mbuzi tutakayoipata kwa kuvuna soda ash. Itakapoisha, wawekezaji watafunga virago wakituachia ziwa tupu bila hao flamingoes. Nashangaa shujaa yetu Slaa yuko kimya kwenye hili! Kwa kuweka pamba masikioni tunajimaliza na kesho na keshokutwa hatutakuwa na kitu cha kuwaachia wajukuu wetu.

 

[Bin Maryam]

Wakati tunawabebea mabango hao tunaowaita mafisadi kuna umuhimu wa kuangalia sehemu nyingine za rasilimali zetu. Hapa juu tunazungumzia footstep zinazokisiwa kutoka kwa jamii ya kwanza ya binadamu ktembea wima Iko kwetu. Si wengi tunajua hilo. Inakwenda na maji kama yanavyoainisha maandishi(ingawa si kubaliani na wazo la kujenga makumbusho na kupafanya mahali accessible kwa maana naamini kwa kufanya hivyo tuta-accelerate kupotea kwake). Tunazungumzia vyura wa Kihansi ambao nakumbuka tuliwacheka sana wazungu kwa kuhangaikia VYURA. Tuliwaona wapuuzi. Tumebaki na Kihansi inayojaa tope na wao wamebaki na chura. Tunashabikia ujenzi wa mahoteli ngorongoro bila kuangalia athari zake kimazingira. Tukiulizwa, tunajibu kwa jeuri, mbona kenya wana hoteli kibao kwa nini sisi tunakatazwa. Kivutio kikubwa cha mbuga za Tanzania ni authenticity zake na exclusivity. Unawaona wanyama katika hali aliyotarajia muumba na hamkumbani na watalii kibao. Tunasahau kuwa Ngorongoro ni eco-system ya pekee duniani. Tunawatosa Flamingoes wa Ziwa Natron kwa hela mbuzi tutakayoipata kwa kuvuna soda ash. Itakapoisha, wawekezaji watafunga virago wakituachia ziwa tupu bila hao flamingoes. Nashangaa shujaa yetu Slaa yuko kimya kwenye hili! Kwa kuweka pamba masikioni tunajimaliza na kesho na keshokutwa hatutakuwa na kitu cha kuwaachia wajukuu wetu.

Fundi Mchundo:

Ngoja tujazie hii mada. Watanzania tuna mapungufu fulani ya kiakili. Tunapiga kelele pale matatizo yanapotokea katika Pesa Taslimu (CASH). Lakini kwenye rasimali ambazo zinaweza kuwa vyanzo za pesa katika miaka inayokuja tumekaa kimya.

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Fundi Mchundo:

Ngoja tujazie hii mada. Watanzania tuna mapungufu fulani ya kiakili. Tunapiga kelele pale matatizo yanapotokea katika Pesa Taslimu (CASH). Lakini kwenye rasimali ambazo zinaweza kuwa vyanzo za pesa katika miaka inayokuja tumekaa kimya.

Shukran, Bin Maryam. Mimi nimeiweka hapa kiuchokozi. Pamoja na nyimbo zote za kupinga tunachokiita ufisadi, priorities zetu ziko warped. Tunagombea vijisenti wakati rasilimali yetu halisi tunaiangalia ikiteketea. Na hapo tukapokuta imeondoka na kuhamia ulaya ambako angalau wanaiheshimu na kuihifadhi tunapiga kelele za FOUL! Tutabaki kuwa perpetual victims.

 

[Sanda Matuta]

Fundi Mchundo:

Ngoja tujazie hii mada. Watanzania tuna mapungufu fulani ya kiakili. Tunapiga kelele pale matatizo yanapotokea katika Pesa Taslimu (CASH). Lakini kwenye rasimali ambazo zinaweza kuwa vyanzo za pesa katika miaka inayokuja tumekaa kimya.

Ni kweli Bin Mariam,

Nadhani ni bora tukawaza yale yanayoleteleea pesa hizo na jinsi ya kuzihifadhi kuliko kushikia bango kilichopotea kwani hakitarudi hizo zote zilizo baki ni porojo tu.

Mimi nadhani tuna mchango mkubwa kwenye hili,kwa mawazo tutakayo yatoa hapa kwani si wote wanao fahamu kwamab sehemu ile itapotea kama hakutakua na wakuwakumbusha wahusika kufanya linaro wezekana

 

[Masatu]

Tupo busy na "mafisadi" wa BOT hayo mambo ya heritage no-one alie tayari kuyaangalia...

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Tupo busy na "mafisadi" wa BOT hayo mambo ya heritage no-one alie tayari kuyaangalia...

Kweli tupu! Nimechungulia huko kwa Meghji nimewakuta wote! Hii apathy yetu kwenye mambo ya msingi itatumaliza.

 

[Pundit]

Kufikiria mazingira kabla ya kula ni kitu kigumu.Ndiyo maana watu wana hii apathy.Kuanzia wabunge mpaka hapa bodini.

Sasa wengine hata kama wameshapata "escape velocity" ya kuondoka kwenye maisha ya "a dollar a day" bado tunakuwa na ile mentality ya kama kitu hakiko tangible kama mabilioni ya BoT basi si muhimu, na kama ni muhimu kinaweza kusubiri haya yaliyo tangible.

Tunahitaji standard of living itakayotuwezesha sio tu kula na kushiba, bali pia kupanga mikakati ziada ya kimaendeleo kama vile ni vipi tutakabiliana na mazingira yetu.

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Kufikiria mazingira kabla ya kula ni kitu kigumu.Ndiyo maana watu wana hii apathy.Kuanzia wabunge mpaka hapa bodini.

Sasa wengine hata kama wameshapata "escape velocity" ya kuondoka kwenye maisha ya "a dollar a day" bado tunakuwa na ile mentality ya kama kitu hakiko tangible kama mabilioni ya BoT basi si muhimu, na kama ni muhimu kinaweza kusubiri haya yaliyo tangible.

Tunahitaji standard of living itakayotuwezesha sio tu kula na kushiba, bali pia kupanga mikakati ziada ya kimaendeleo kama vile ni vipi tutakabiliana na mazingira yetu.

Mkuu! Hii ni kama vile tunavyofyeka mapori kutafuta kuni na mkaa wa kupikia. Baada ya kupika, kula, kushiba na kukitoa tena, tunastuka kuwa mvua hainyeshi, nchi imekuwa jangwa na hatuwezi kuvuna hicho chakula tulichokuwa tunatafutia kuni kwanza! Kilichobaki ni kungoja Oxfam na wakina Bob Geldorf kutubebea bango kutuombea chakula kwa wale waliotuuzia mashoka na mapanga ya kukatia hiyo miti! Mbona hatutaki kujifunza?

 

[Bin Maryam]

Tupo busy na "mafisadi" wa BOT hayo mambo ya heritage no-one alie tayari kuyaangalia...

Naelewa huko busy, lakini kwa takwimu zilizopo sasa urithi wenyewe ndio unaochangia pato kubwa kwa taifa kuliko sisi wenyewe. Mchango unaotolewa na sekta ya madini na utalii inatoa pato kubwa kuliko kazi na akili zetu.

 

[Bin Maryam]

Mkuu! Hii ni kama vile tunavyofyeka mapori kutafuta kuni na mkaa wa kupikia. Baada ya kupika, kula, kushiba na kukitoa tena, tunastuka kuwa mvua hainyeshi, nchi imekuwa jangwa na hatuwezi kuvuna hicho chakula tulichokuwa tunatafutia kuni kwanza! Kilichobaki ni kungoja Oxfam na wakina Bob Geldorf kutubebea bango kutuombea chakula kwa wale waliotuuzia mashoka na mapanga ya kukatia hiyo miti! Mbona hatutaki kujifunza?

Mgogoro wa Darfur chanzo chake ni resources.

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Mgogoro wa Darfur chanzo chake ni resources.

Kwa bahati mbaya hatutambui hilo!

 

[Sanda Matuta]

Kwa bahati mbaya hatutambui hilo!

FM,

Huu ndio ugonjwa mkubwa sana tulio nao watanzania UVIVU WA KUFIKIRI.

Sio ss tu wan JF hata viongozi wetu ndio kabsaa.....
Nimesoma article leo hii kwenye Raia Mwema kuhusu UJengwaji wa Kiwanda cha magadi kwenye ziwa Natron kwamab ni hatari kwa mazingira lakini Waziri wetu mmoja hafikiri hivyo!
Yeye anawaza fedha zitakazo lipwa na muwekezaji kuhusu athari yeye hapana taka sikia unless kama kuna mwananchi/wananchi watato fedha kiasi kitakacho tolewa na mwekezaji ndio ujenzi utasitishwa.

sasa niambie kama sisi tunashindwa kuchangia haya mambo ya msingi tunategemea MAFISADI (mawaziri) watatu fanyia?

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

FM,

Huu ndio ugonjwa mkubwa sana tulio nao watanzania UVIVU WA KUFIKIRI.

Sio ss tu wan JF hata viongozi wetu ndio kabsaa.....
Nimesoma article leo hii kwenye Raia Mwema kuhusu UJengwaji wa Kiwanda cha magadi kwenye ziwa Natron kwamab ni hatari kwa mazingira lakini Waziri wetu mmoja hafikiri hivyo!
Yeye anawaza fedha zitakazo lipwa na muwekezaji kuhusu athari yeye hapana taka sikia unless kama kuna mwananchi/wananchi watato fedha kiasi kitakacho tolewa na mwekezaji ndio ujenzi utasitishwa.

sasa niambie kama sisi tunashindwa kuchangia haya mambo ya msingi tunategemea MAFISADI (mawaziri) watatu fanyia?

Kinachosikitisha si waziri peke yake hata Mheshimiwa mbunge wa sehemu hiyo ( ipo kwenye jimbo la karatu)kanayeongoza mapambano dhidi ya tunaowaita mafisadi hafikiri hivyo! Haoni umuhimu wa kuhifadhi hao flamingoes. Sasa kama hawa ambao wanadai wanatofauti na hao walioshika usukani sasa hivi hawaoni umuhimu wa kutunza mazingira katika jimbo lao kuna matumaini kweli? Mimi nilidhani kwa vile wamo humu jukwaani na kuna wakati walifikia kuomba ushauri kuhusu dira au utume wangechangia kwenye hii mada. Wote tupo kwenye ufisadi wa BOT, machimbo kitu ambacho kinanifanya nifikiri kuwa pengine kinachogombewa ni kushiriki kwenye huo ulaji! Inakatisha tamaa. Mungu inusuru nchi yetu. Mungu inusuru Tanzania.

 

[Morani75]

Wakuu heshima mbele.... Nakubaliana na mawazo ya article hii, kwa kweli panapojiri sifa lazima tuweke mbele. Mimi naomba kabla sijasema nimpongeze JK kwa kuanzisha Wizara ya Mazingira (huyu ni Profesa, narudia ni profesa kabisa ndiye waziri) lakini haya yote yanatokea naona waziri labda ameamua kufumbia macho, au kuna justification to allow it, au basi hatekelezi majukumu yake!!! Naona kwenye other threads kuna wawajibikaji wa Serikali wakiwemo kina ZM wameshikiwa bango kwa kufumbia macho mambo pale BOT lakini bado huyu mheshimiwa hajakamatiwa bango katika issue ya ziwa Natron, na mengine mengi (zikiwamo nyayo za watu kale, si utani mwanangu ni rasilimali hizo hata zangu nadhani in a million years itakuwa dili so be careful!!) mpaka leo!!! sishangai sana lakini nina mengi ya kujiuliza kama wenzangu "WATANZANIA PRIORITIES ZETU ZIPO WAPI??"

kwa hili la Darfur, nadhani tuangalie ramani (topo map) tutaona kuwa waheshimiwa wanaosema ni resources hawajakosea sababu kule major resource, MAJI hakuna na ndio ksheshe lenyewe hilo..... hapo sasa

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Profesa (?) ndiye aliyembele kupigia debe ujenzi wa mahoteli Ngorongoro, barabara za lami na kuongeza air strip. Mtu yeyote anayetaka kujua madhara ya lami aangalie jinsi wanyama wanavyobamizwa kwenye barabara iendayo Iringa inayokatisha Mikumi. Mimi hawa maprofesa, madaktari (Ph.D) sina hamu nao.

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Kibaya zaidi ni kuwa kwa sababu makampuni ya magharibi yanadai Environmental na Social Impact Assessment ifanyike kabla ya kujitumbukiza tumewakumbatia wale wanaotoka uarabuni, India na China kwa sababu wao hiyo awajali. Kwa mawazo yetu finyu tunaona ndiyo wanautupenda kwa sababu wanaheshimu uhuru wetu wa kujiangamiza. Hicho kiwanda cha ziwa Natron kinasukumizwa na Tata kutoka India, mahoteli ya mbugani yumo huyo mwarabu aliyenunua Kilimanjaro na barabara karibu zote sasa hivi zimeshikwa na makandarasi wa kichina.

 

[Morani75]

Fundi, yaani unajua kuna vitu mtu unakaa unaangalia na unashindwa kusema chochote kwa kweli.... Nilisoma kitabu kinaitwa "Dragon and an Ostrich - Sino African Relationship" (nadhani nimepatia hiyo title)!! Kwa kweli sijui tuendapo...

 

[Sanda Matuta]

Fundi, yaani unajua kuna vitu mtu unakaa unaangalia na unashindwa kusema chochote kwa kweli.... Nilisoma kitabu kinaitwa "Dragon and an Ostrich - Sino African Relationship" (nadhani nimepatia hiyo title)!! Kwa kweli sijui tuendapo...

kuna mengi ya mfano huu ila hayana washabiki hapa.
Nadhani ili kuleta tofauti nimuhimu kuendeleza mapambano na kumulika bila ya kuangalia nani anachangia na nani hachangi labda iko siku watageuka upande huu nakuona ni muhimu.

Wengi wetu tunadhani hapa ni kuzungumza tu lafu unaachana nayo

 

[Bin Maryam]

Kibaya zaidi ni kuwa kwa sababu makampuni ya magharibi yanadai Environmental na Social Impact Assessment ifanyike kabla ya kujitumbukiza tumewakumbatia wale wanaotoka uarabuni, India na China kwa sababu wao hiyo awajali. Kwa mawazo yetu finyu tunaona ndiyo wanautupenda kwa sababu wanaheshimu uhuru wetu wa kujiangamiza. Hicho kiwanda cha ziwa Natron kinasukumizwa na Tata kutoka India, mahoteli ya mbugani yumo huyo mwarabu aliyenunua Kilimanjaro na barabara karibu zote sasa hivi zimeshikwa na makandarasi wa kichina.

Hata mchina, mwarabu au muhindi kabla ya kuja kwetu walifanya juhudi nyumbani kwao. Matumizi mazuri ya mali asili zao na vipaji vyao ndio vilivyofanya wao wapate nguvu ya kuja kwetu. Na wanavyovifuata vikiisha wataondoka lakini sisi hatuna pa kukimbilia.

Wakati wa Clinton, kulikuwa na mkataba wa kusaidia viwanda Africa. Wachina wakajenga kiwanda Botswana au Swazi na wakatumia mkataba huo ku-export nguo Marekani na sasa wameshaingia mitini na kuwaachia watu majengo.

Kama sikosehi kipande cha barabara kutoka ubungo kwenda Tazara (11 Km) kilisuburi mhisani.

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Meeting rejects L.Natron ash scheme

2008-01-24 09:23:28
By Angel Navuri


Evironmental stakeholders drawn from Kenya, Tanzania and representatives of foreign missions have rejected a proposed soda ash project at Lake Natron, citing negative social and environmental impacts.

In an unprecedented move, the stakeholders, who gathered in Dar es Salaam yesterday at a public forum organized by the National Environmental Management Council to give their views regarding the project, unanimously faulted a presentation made by a government representative.

The representative, who was trying to convince them on the advantage of the scheme, was booed by the audience who said he was less informed and ``unprepared`` to lecture them.

Jema Mkwale from the Danish Embassy in Dar es Salaam said that the presentation didn�t give enough details to show the advantages and disadvantages of the project.

�The plan will benefit the investors but the people around the place will not benefit anything from it and worse, still their health would be in danger,`` she said.

Mkwale said the Maasai people who live near the lake are the ones who would be affected by the project, adding: ``I am sure the Maasai people would not even be employed in the project as the investor is likely to bring his own staff.``

Muosiya Mwinzi from Kenya said the government had to work on the proposed project carefully before involving the public first as this would be the only way to solve the matter.

``Tanzania government has not yet convinced us on the advantage of the project. It needs to work on the proposal carefully,`` Mwinzi said.

The Chairman of Engaredo, a village near Lake Natron, Christopher Ndunwali said the lake had been a tourists� centre and had benefited both the government and the people living around the area.

``My village is against the project because we will not benefit anything. The undertaking will only profit the investor and the government,`` he said.

The chairman for Journalist Environmental Association of Tanzania Deodatus Mfugale said the project would pollute the environment and destroy the ecosystem.

He said that Lake Natron was a bird life area where 75 percent of birds from Tanzania, Kenya. Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti were nested.

�We are against the project because it will affect the lives of the birds, especially flamingoes. They may end up vacating from the area completely and yet it is a tourists� attraction,� he said.

NEMC Director Anna Maembe said before they accepted any proposal, they first had to visit the place and compare the negative and positive side effects of the proposed project.

``We decided to collect public views and see what they had in mind so that we could ascertain if the project would have a positive effect on the people,� she said.

Tata Chemicals has submitted proposals to the government through Lake Natron Resources (Tz) Ltd to put up a factory capable of producing an annual 500,000 tones of soda ash.

The conservationists have however, warned that implementation of the project would threaten flamingoes into flight, making the country and the entire region lose a world-renowned tourist attraction.

The lake, which touches the border with Kenya and lies 40 kilometres from Magadi, is a significant breeding site for the Lesser Flamingo - a species forming the majority of the world�s flamingo population.

The Lesser Flamingo is listed in the 2006 World Conservation Union (IUCN) red list of threatened species, and hence the fear by some conservationists that the construction of the plant would adversely impact on Tanzania`s tourism industry and the environment in the three East African countries.

There are also fears that the Lesser Flamingo, which accounts for 75 per cent of the world flamingo population, would face extinction since the lake is its only remaining significant breeding point.

Flamingoes are a major tourist attraction in both Kenya and Tanzania and contribute substantially to the two countries` fast-growing ecotourism sector.

Experts say the birds are very sensitive during breeding and can abandon their eggs or chicks in case of any disturbance.

Angalau kuna watu wanajitahidi kutusemea ingawa sijui kama watasikilizwa. Mbona mbunge wa hiyo sehemu yuko kimya? au naye anaunga mkono mradi huu?