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Jul 29, 2006
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I was recently interviewed by one of the leading social media platforms in East Africa (www.JamiiForums.com).

It was a record interview, 8 hours consecutively where I responded to 85 very pertinent questions in a day, gathered from members of the forum. The people who asked these questions were from everywhere in the world. The interview is still accessible and anyone visiting the page can read and comment. This would not be possible through traditional media. An 8 hours long interview, I believe, is the longest one any politician has been subjected to.

Germany – Africa Initiative, Economics Conference

Podium Discussion
Berlin, 11.12.12


Models of development cooperation in the context of partnerships – experience of German and African border crossers


  • Scientists and experts from African countries and Germany demand new ways and structures in developmental politics. They request a focus on civil society instead on governmental partners. What do you think about budget aid?

A country that builds its economy on aid is setting up an unsustainable system that weakens its government. Aid, if not well canalised can do more harm than good as it would contribute to a vicious circle of corruption and other mismanagement of financial resources by either the government or local NGOs.

Strengthening the partnership with the civil society is a good move, but this support should focus on areas such as governance, to enable the civil society to participate in the improvement of existing government institutions that should not fail in its mission to deliver primary services to the population. The support to the civil society should not come to the detriment of government responsibility. Civil society must not replace government responsibility but rather advocate (advocacy role) for governance issues – transparency and accountability.


  • What could developmental cooperation look like in the future?
The paradigm shift of developmental cooperation shall be transformational, that is a development cooperation that empowers people in the countries to take charge of their development. It should open up from government and civil society to other areas like university/research and businesses. A partnership with mutual benefits to each other. Germany must be open on their interests so as Africa and build mutual trust.

  • The Foreign Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania once said that despite all critics regarding the Chinese engagement in Africa, the presence of the Chinese has a positive impact in Africa because it gives African governments a choice. They do not necessarily have to accept all conditions imposed by western donors any more. What do you think? Does this opportunity to choose strengthen the self-esteem of African politicians?
I believe that African governments should not have to choose between two sets of conditions from donors, but between two potential partners to do business with. If they turn their back on conditions imposed by the western donors because the ones imposed by Chinese donors are better, then there is still a problem of self-esteem. However, if this opportunity opens up the way to a real dialogue and negotiations around mutually beneficial conditions to access affect and reimburse aid money, then it is something to encourage. The wider the range of choice the better. It is wrong to embrace China just because they don't insist on issues of human rights and overall governance issues. It is as well wrong to dismiss China. China has a strategy on Africa so as European countries. African countries must develop their strategies against both China and Europe.

  • People talk about a second colonization of Africa by the Chinese. This development can only be avoided by Africans themselves. Do you think that the politicians in Africa are prepared for this?
First, I do not agree with the view that China is (or intends to) colonise Africa. China is the second largest economy in the world and it will be the largest in a decade and it would be hence difficult to stop its economic expansion in Africa. What China is doing today is opening up to a continent that shares many similarities with its own domestic market. However, it is important for African countries to protect their domestic markets and use this opportunity to build its capacity. I believe there are lessons to learn from China's success. Not only in terms of technology but also in terms of institutions around the economic sector. Europeans are talking about colonisation by Chinese. Europe must stop talking and offer better and sustainable terms to Africa. Africa will never be colonised again, at least not politically. The struggle now is for economic independence, and due to its wealthy and its young population Africa is the future and it will play its rightful role in the global economy.

  • Are friendly relationships to countries like Germany an asset in this regard?
Germany is another model of economic success, and intensifying trade with Africa, using African labour in manufacture would emulate positive competition. As noted earlier, it is good for Africa to have a wide range of partners to learn from, to choose from and to work with. Germany has a unique selling point to Africa, its dual education system that enhances skills development. Vocational training is crucial for Africa to address the issue of unemployment. In my country Tanzania, about 700,000 young people enter the labour market yearly but only 5% of them get jobs. Employers are complaining about poor skills. Therefore many young people, actually millions of them, leave secondary schools without any skills to enable them live decent lives. A partnership with Germany is a huge asset as far as education and vocational training concern. This is unique to Germany, and Germany must use it in its cooperation with Africa.

  • The African Diaspora Communities have a crucial impact on cooperation based on partnership. The Diaspora is part of the economic development. Dambisa Moyo says that remittances have to be facilitated to strengthen the input and the impact of the Diaspora in their countries of origin. What does that mean for a country like Tanzania?
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Source: Noshua Watson, IDS (2012)


Remittances can play a big role in the economic development of Africa. When I think of Bangladesh, for example, in almost all countries of the world, both Nationalised Commercial Banks and Private Commercial Banks have corresponding relationships with banks through which Bangladeshi migrants may easily send their money to their beneficiaries' accounts with any branch of any bank in Bangladesh. For a country like Tanzania, enforcing such corresponding relationship network and streamlining the process (transfer) could help canalize its remittances in a positive way and contribute to the national economies.

Using mobile banking for transfer could help reach the remote households that may not easily access financial institutions. Tanzanians in the diaspora are estimated to be sending more than USD 360m as remittances annually, almost equal to our traditional exports of tea, coffee, cashew and cotton. Once the issue of remittances is given emphasis, Tanzanians in the diaspora will take interest in the running on the country and advocate more for accountability from leaders. It is healthy.

  • Returnees from western countries are often frustrated by the bureaucracy and corruption in their countries of origin. Their businesses fail because they don't have personal relations to the decision makers. What has to be changed to make them succeed? How can we positively influence this change?
Just like foreigners, it is important for returnees to learn the business environment of their countries of origin before investing into businesses. Workshops and business travel may be organised, and websites developed to permit this education to take place before the journey back home. In such platforms they would be able to evaluate the risks and build useful networks with successful businessmen on the ground.

Transparency is key to avoid falling in the trap of nepotism and corruption. By the time the business is set up and millions of shillings invested, it is often hard to resist the pressure from the corrupt environment that one would face on the ground. However, if most of the bureaucracy could be done online or through specially designed channels within or outside the country of origin, corruption would not be an issue and the meanders of bureaucracy will be avoided.

  • How can we positively influence this change?
I see foreign ministries and embassies as the main actor to facilitate and implement these ideas.

  • Mr. Kabwe, you are among the youngest parliamentarians in Tanzania and you are using primarily twitter to communicate with your fans and friends. Can social media reduce corruption and lethargy in African democracies?
Social media in itself cannot reduce corruption or create democracy. It is a tool, and it works differently in different African countries.

I use both ways, traditional way of communicating through political rallies etc. I definitely believe that social media has made information easier to access and brings a new level of interactivity between the media and the people, but also between politicians and other leaders and people.

I was recently interviewed by one of the leading social media platforms in East Africa (www.JamiiForums.com). It was a record interview, 8 hours consecutively where I responded to 85 very pertinent questions in a day, gathered from members of the forum. The people who asked these questions were from everywhere in the world. The interview is still accessible and anyone visiting the page can read and comment. This would not be possible through traditional media. An 8 hours long interview, I believe, is the longest one any politician has been subjected to.

Through my personal blog (zittokabwe.com), Facebook Page and Twitter account (@zittokabwe), followers could read and react on the private motion I had on billions of Tanzanian shillings in Swiss accounts by Tanzanian citizens. The motion was passed by the Parliament that the Executive must investigate the Swiss billions held by Tanzanians and report back to the Parliament during the April 2013 parliamentary session.

In April 2012 I moved a motion in Parliament to censure a Prime Minister following misuse of public funds by ministers as evidenced by the Controller and Auditor General. I used social media (primarily Twitter) to ask citizens to call their MPs to sign a petition (hashtagged #sahihi70 ) – 70 signatures needed to qualify to move a vote of no confidence against a Prime Minister (#VoteOfNoConfidence). My party has 48 MPs only, but the petition was signed by 75 MPs. It was an uncomfortable topic for some members of the ruling party but with all the attention drawn on these issues through independent social media it was hard for the government to ignore the issue and they had to respond to questions. Eventually the President sacked 8 ministers including Ministers of Finance and Energy, key ministries.

Social media was very instrumental in both these examples I have given. Social media is also an accountability tool by citizens to politicians. I am questioned a number of issues on social media and respond. I am asked questions by people who would never get such an opportunity because of the distances the traditional media keep between politicians and the people.

  • How can civil society support this process?
Access to internet remains a challenge, even with the optic fibre. Unlike in Europe, only few Africans can afford a computer or even a smart phone. Some social media offer Internet access through gprs to enable cell phone users using cheap telephones (not smart phones with ISO) to interact via Internet, or even to post in social media via sms. If researches were done in this regard and funds were available, if this was successfully implemented and distributed, there would definitely be a revolution in governance throughout Africa.
 

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I am so glad and humbled am part of Jf by bein one of its member, Viva Jf. Hii inatiya moyo saaana.

Personally nimependa sana swali na part hii hapa chini... Na nimependa the fact kuwa an African Economist is evidently acknowledged plus her work.

The Foreign Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania once said that despite all critics regarding the Chinese engagement in Africa, the presence of the Chinese has a positive impact in Africa because it gives African governments a choice. They do not necessarily have to accept all conditions imposed by western donors any more. What do you think? Does this opportunity to choose strengthen the self-esteem of African politicians?
I believe that African governments should not have to choose between two sets of conditions from donors, but between two potential partners to do business with. If they turn their back on conditions imposed by the western donors because the ones imposed by Chinese donors are better, then there is still a problem of self-esteem. However, if this opportunity opens up the way to a real dialogue and negotiations around mutually beneficial conditions to access affect and reimburse aid money, then it is something to encourage. The wider the range of choice the better. It is wrong to embrace China just because they don’t insist on issues of human rights and overall governance issues. It is as well wrong to dismiss China. China has a strategy on Africa so as European countries. African countries must develop their strategies against both China and Europe.
 
Yeah! Napenda na ninafurahishwa na uzalendo wa Hon.Zitto kabwe katika kutangaza mtandao wetu Jamiiforums, hii inanipa moyo sana kuona mtandao kama huu unapewa shavu hata nje ya nchi na ninaamin siku 1 JF itakuja kuwa widely famous to the world like others social network like twitter and fcbk.

Thanks Zitto na wanasiasa wengine waige mfano wako huu wa kuthamini kwanza vya nyumbani.

JF DAIMA.
 
I am so glad and humbled am part of Jf by bein one of its member, Viva Jf. Hii inatiya moyo saaana.

Personally nimependa sana swali na part hii hapa chini... Na nimependa the fact kuwa an African Economist is evidently acknowledged plus her work.

Umeona eh? Ona waziri anavyosema:

The Foreign Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania once said that despite all critics regarding the Chinese engagement in Africa, the presence of the Chinese has a positive impact in Africa because it gives African governments a choice.

Ina maana waziri wetu alikuwa na maana kuwa choice tunayopata kutoka kwa Wachina ndiyo hii? Kujengewa nyumba bure ndiyo choice ya Afrika siku hizi eh? Hivi tukiitwa mediocre tunawezabisha kweli?

​"…I have for long told my friends that Africans aren't mediocre people but it's a tough argument to maintain. How can you convince someone you aren't mediocre when you can't build your own home, when you can't grow enough food to feed your own people, when you can't treat your own people of disease? How can you maintain an argument that you aren't mediocre when you've thrown out all things that make you a proud African? Like building your own home?

By accepting the Chinese to build us a new home, the African Union has sold its pride. It has just announce to the whole world that we are not just useless but we are also very broke, we cannot build anything.

I refuse to accept that all the 54 countries of Africa could fail to raise USD200m that the Chinese spent on the project……"

Read full article


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African Union leaders have inaugurated a new$200m headquarters, paid for by China. The complex in Addis Ababa, the capitalof Ethiopia, is a symbol of China's rapidly changing role in the region as itturns increasingly to Africa to satisfy its appetite for natural resources.

- Kama hatuwezi kuungana kujenga makao makuu yetu, tutawezaje kuwa ma mikakati madhubuti ya kuzisaidia nchi zetu kujikwamua na umasikini?

- China sio tu kwamba wamejenga na kughramia ujenzi wa hilo jengo, wataendelea kulitunza. Tuna uhakika gani kiusalama kwamba kila kinachoendelea humo hakiwi monitored au kurushwa hadi china ikizingatiwa kwamba design, na construction yote imefanywa na wachina.

- Licha ya kuwa na jengo hilo zuri, kwa aina hii ya viongozi wa Africa, kunakitu chochote cha maana kitakacholeta majawabu ya matatizo ndani ya hili jengo zuri? Do we really need such a buliding considering our poverty?

- Hii inaashiria nini kwa makampuni ya kichina kufanya kazi barani Africa, zabuni na maamuzi ya kutoa kazi zinazohusisha makampuni ya china hayatakua na conflict of interest kazi nyingi kuishia kuchukuliwa na wachina?
​
Ni kweli kabisa kwamba ni afadhali kufanya biashara na China kuliko jamaa wa western, hata hivyo ni kiasi gani Africa inapata kwenye hiyo trade?

Source: https://www.jamiiforums.com/jukwaa-...on-hq-puts-all-africans-to-great-shame-4.html
 
Ni kitu kizuri,na hoja zilikua mzuri,ila angalizo anacho sema mdomoni kiwe na moyoni
 
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