DUNSTONS
CHECK IN
By Kizito Makoye
Dunstan have never seen the famous Hollywood blockbuster so he will
never realise the riony of fate he faced. Because though the movie ‘Dunstan
Checks In’ was being staged live in this suburb of Dar es Salaam, for Ali
Dusntan, a youth living in the area, it was not really a piece of humour. Rather
it was a reality which did hurt, indeed.
Taking a cue from the movie, 40,000-odd human beings tried to battle it out
against 50 primates – one of the strangest scuffles of survival that the fields
of Africa have ever seen is being staged near the city of Dar!!!
But surprisingly the erstwhile upholders of the Darwin theory are now at their
wits end. And there is confusion all around. A group of moneys have sent people
packing in the Mtoni area near Dar after some people dumped them in cages. Poor
primates had to break in and search for food in most peculiar of habitats. Since
then, it has been a comedy of errors that is being staged in this small hamlet.
The biggest apprehension of all is that the moneys might be carrying infection
of some deadly diseases after they were subjected to test vaccination. A senior
official in the health department claimed on the condition of anonymity that the
government was extremely concerned about the people who have been injured by the
monkeys in past couple of days.
“We think they were vaccinated with some medicine, so are extremely apprehensive
and keeping a close watch on the proceedings,” he said.
But that is no solace for Ali Dunstan (33) a resident of Mtoni in Dar es Salaam
who was attacked by one of the monkeys and is bearing a scar on his hand. He
does not know whether he will contract the deadly disease and is keeping his
finger crossed. The monkeys, after being mysteriously dumped have attacked about
a dozen people already.
“I might be infected with HIV because we were told that the animals were
involved with tests for AIDS … I do not know my status yet but I think it is
better for me to go and test if I am infected so that I do not infect my wife,”
he lamented.
The resident have appealed to the government to provide any necessary assistance
before the wild animals, cause more harm especially to children but to no avail
as the authorities are sitting tight over the matter and are not ready to take
any action.
Starved and ill looking primates invaded the city suburb causing panic and
shock, the animal were aboard a pick up car whose registration numbers could not
be immediately found.
The animal which were in large numbers found their way out of the cages and
vanished to the streets and start biting people with keen interest to see them.
Dunstan is not the only victim, the eye witnesses said seven more people were
also been hurt and sustain minor injuries whose implication might be big as
expected.
Of cause it was not the first time for these residents to come across such
animals but they were surprised by the fact that the animal were hostile and
with injuries and some with tails chopped.
The driver of the pick up was immediately surrounded by anxious people who
wanted to know why he dumped the animal and their cages there but all that he
said is he was also instructed by his boss to do so.
“We were all surprised to see those animal brought here … we knew for sure the
animals were not surprised to be left there… we asked the driver of the pick up
but he told us he was also instructed by his boss to do so” Lamenting Ali
Kapirima a resident of Mtoni.
The animals which are believed to have been used for medical vaccine were aboard
pick up car Sunday afternoon whose numbers could not immediately known some of
then had injuries and had their tails chopped.
According to the residents the animals were confined in several cages as soon as
they were dumped, some vanished to the suburb vicinity and start biting people.
Knowing the risks involved the residents endeavoured to capture the animals
however they were not very successful as most had already vanished in hiding
places.
City council official who happened to be at the scene had offered some money to
whoever get hold of one animal in a bid to get exhibits for prosecution but
according to the residents the officials were seemingly in close ties with the
offenders.
Surprisingly until now some of the animals still roaming in the streets and no
efforts by the wild life department of the Ministry of Tourism and natural
resources is forthcoming.
“You know yesterday I saw a small baboon, I liked it and I decided to keep it …
surprisingly it was hostile... do you see all these scratches it is all because
of the animal .. later I managed to tie it and as I speak to you I have it at my
home, I never thought the animal was among those which were dumped’ said Juma
Halfan a resident of Mtoni.
When contacted for comments the Ward leader of the area Ali Chaurembo said he
does not know about the issue but he promised to further investigate.
“This morning I received guests from Wild life department of the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Tourism, they were also asking about the same thing but I
do know for sure, unless I follow the matter closely I am not in the position to
tell you any thing” Chaurembo said.
Panicked private insurers make
fresh appeal against the dismissal
Tanzania national Reinsurance Corporation Limited (Tan Re) has won the first
round of the battle with the Tanzania High Court dismissing the case filed by
the private insurance companies together.
Tan Re is a reinsurance company which was established by an Act of the
Parliament. It later secured a strategic investor, PTA Reinsurance Company
(ZEP-RE) to manage its transactions for the next five years. But the case turned
into a legal battle when the private insurers declined to accept Tan Re and
lodged a case.
The stumbling block was the refusal of the key stakeholder’s private insurance
companies to reinsure with Tan Re by ceding 25 of their liability for each
policy issued. The High Court earlier had granted an injunction restraining the
commissioner of insurance from implementing section number r18 of the
reinsurance act.
Earlier the commissioner could not force the insurers to do business with Tan
Re. But now with High Court dismissing the case they have won the first round of
the battle and is all set to implement the Act.
According to Tan Re Establishment act 40 per cent of total capital required will
be sourced from government institutions and 15 per cent from foreign investors.
The authoorisedshare capital of Tan Re is Tsh 20 billion with a minimum of Tsh
10 billion being fully paid up capital of the cooperation.
T In view of the High Court dismissal, Tan Re’s ability to get business yet
again is a possibility which the government would like to implement in the
earnest. Insurers objected to Tan Re as they felt that this was a new company
and the financial base was also quite weak.
Religion weapon to fight HIV
menace
Sheikhs and Imams learn about safe sex
to train people but refuses to accept condoms
By Kizito Makoye
It finally seems to be up to the religious leaders to achieve what
the doctors, social scientists and social workers failed to do. And the message
will be that of restraint since it is still a taboo for the religious leaders to
talk about condoms in public. The National Muslim Council of Tanzania, in
collaboration with a US-based NGO, is planning to train Muslim religious leaders
about various aspects of AIDS prevention and control expecting people to at
least lend their ears to their religious preachers.
The project is jointly funded by Balma In Gilead and Pact Tanzania as part of
Africa’s Faith Initiative, aimed both to capacity building and fight
discrimination.
A subject which has largely been a taboo for people in most countries can only
be successfully addressed by the religious leaders, feels the director of
Bakwata National HIV/AIDS programme Dr. Saidi Mpendu, the Executing Authority
for the Programme. Even Madrasah teachers will also be roped in, he claimed.
“But the training will not touch on the issue of condoms as it is contrary to
morals of Islamic faith,” he claimed.
“But we can always emphasis and try to convince people about the need to adhere
to some of the basic safety norms and prevent the rate of spread of HIV/AIDS in
the community,” he said.
“It is high time for the Muslim society to come forward and fight against AIDS.
The society must be told about the scourge and its implication. The community
can no longer turn a blind eye to the immoral practices that lead to the spread
of AIDS,” said Sheikh of Mwenge Mosque Abdallah Haji
The programme will target educating Imams and Sheikhs at regional and district
levels.
Various seminars have started in Kigoma and Tanga and so far, 80 leaders have
been educated. The project was taken up after a survey which showed that the
Muslim leaders along with a large cross section of people in the community were
still ignorant of AIDS related education. “The response so far has been good,”
Mpendu claimed.
Mongella
urges political parties to keep peace
By Express Reporter
The President of the African Parliament, Ambassador Getrude Mongella
has urged the country’s political parties to find out a solution to the
disturbances that occurred during the recent civic elections in Dar es Salaam
through dialogues.
Mongella said this over the weekend while commemorating the day when the first
Human Rights Declaration Draft was prepared 56 years ago.
The statement comes in the wake of the political chaos that erupted during the
elections in which a 16-year-old boy, Khalid Omar Khalifan, was killed.
“Parties must meet to discuss this problem regardless of their differences. I
will be happy to see this being done,” said Mongella.
She called upon the political parties to observe human rights in order to avoid
similar incidents in the future.
On the other hand, representatives from various parties blamed the government
for the chaos.
Africa Child Trust (ACT) has decided to support
orphans and widows (wajane) in Tanga Region through Chumbageni Tanzania
Assemblies of God Church. Already 27 Tanga orphans have been given support
through the programme.
“The orphans have been provided with school needs including fees for the
secondary scholars” said the Secretary of the ACT for Tanga Chapter, Dr. Imna
Malele.
Amana Hospital in Ilala Municipality, Dar es
Salaam Region has received Tsh. 6.6 million from Stanbic Bank Tanzania.
The donation consists of 30 beds, which were handed over in the presence of the
Bank’s Deputy Director, Calvin Maseko; the Ilala Constituency MP, Iddi Simba;
and the Ilala District Commissioner, Seif Mpembenwe.
back to headlines
MVITC
to offer diploma courses
By Merline Mhamaka
Morogoro Vocational Institute and Training Centre (MVITC) is
expected to start offering diplomas in vocational education next year, after its
curricular of studies has been rectified.
This was disclosed by Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) Acting
Director, Sylvester Nyambo last week in the report he presented to the Deputy
Minister for Labour, Youth Development and Sports, Mudhihir Mudhihir.
The changes come after deliberations between the institute and various
stakeholders.
The report was presented at the 11th Graduation Ceremony, where 112 graduates
were awarded with certificates.
Experts in the technical education sector, Nyambo said, and other stakeholders,
have been pressuring for diploma courses at the institute.
UN body urges Govt. to promote
indigenous food produces
By Joshua Mshana
The Tanzanian government should promote local food produces to facilitate the
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Programme which aims
at enabling women to be self-sufficient economically by training them in various
aspects of food processing, feels UNIDO country Representative for Tanzania and
Malawi, Dr. Felix Ugbor.
The government should also help in developing the packaging technology for
locally produced food so it can fetch better price and accepted in markets all
over the region, he claimed.
“In certain countries, there is an effort by the government to promote locally
produced goods. The government protection to domestic industries and specific
incentives make locally made goods competitive in the market. For instance,
indigenous products in Austria are marked with A1, which means Austria first.
This encourages and sensitizes local consumers to buy domestic products. In
Tanzania, we must have an initiative which will sensitize our people to buy
local products as they are having high quality as imported ones,” he said.
“We have trained SMEs in all technical aspects of food processing, book keeping
and accounting. But they now have to be assisted on how to improve packaging,
access support services and micro credit so as to compete with imported goods
and also they need to get marketing skills through participation in the trade
fairs and exhibitions. Here the government has to play the role of a
facilitator,” he added.
Most of the people who have undergone the UNIDO training are producing
agro-products especially in the food sector as it increases their income. Small
scale food processors and other agro entrepreneurs are contributing to the
economy and are also helping to reduce food loses, he felt.
“Smaller enterprises need credit facilities at reasonable rates as well as other
business support services so that their products can be competitive in the local
and international markets. It will also help them to source technical assistance
from donors and access credit from bigger financial institutions gradually,” he
pointed out. The government must ensure that local producers do not produce at
high costs and the cost of doing business has to be continuously watched and
regulated. There is a need to have a consumer society so as to encourage people
to buy what is made in Tanzania, he said.
Packaging was one of the limitations and it would be impossible for that small
scale food processing units to produce all the packaging material. “Therefore
the government should invest in packaging industry heavily, he noted.
Land use in Kilimanjaro Region
to be reviewed
By Heckton Chuwa, Moshi
Land use patterns in Kilimanjaro Region needs to be reviewed to
maintain ecological balance in the area immediately, a concerned Kilimanjaro
Regional Assistant Administrative Secretary has urged institutions and
interested parties to deliberate the government on the issue highlighting
solutions in conserving the forests and other natural resources.
The invitation was made by Ms.Martha Ufunguo, during the opening ceremony of an
awareness campaign on the Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund (EAMCEF)
in Kilimanjaro.
About 40 per cent of the total household consumption for people living adjacent
is sourced from the forest mainly comprising firewood, construction material,
medicinal herbs, wild fruits and other food materials.
Ms. Ufunguo said in Kilimanjaro Region, the portion of the Eastern Arc Mountains
comprise five regions.
Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Morogoro, Dodoma and Iringa are highly populated because of
their potentiality in terms of productivity, harming the ecosystem and causing
destruction of natural resources for a long time to meet the demands of the
human civilisation situated around the mountains.
“It’s my hope that participants in this meeting will come up with the
deliberation on the land use in terms of agricultural practice and forest
conservation,” she said.
Ms. Ufunguo claimed that the government was committed to conserve its biological
resources, having ratified the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), on the
course.
EAMCEF Executive Director, Mr. Francis Sabuni, said the institution has been
established as a mechanism to provide for long term.
Reliable and sustainable funding support to biodiversity conservation in the
Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania would be given, he assured.
One of the aims of EAMCEF was to provide realistic financing for community
developments and conservation projects as well as research activities aimed at
improving bio-diversity and sustainable use of natural resources in Eastern Arc
Mountains.
40 million without birth
certificates
By Angela Mazula
About 40 million people remain without birth certificates, according
to Kinondoni District Commissioner, Athumani Mdoe.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting dealing with birth registration in the
country Tuesday this week, Athumani Mdoe on behalf of the Regional Commissioner
said that over 30 per cent of all estimated birth worldwide are not registered.
In Tanzania a number of children are unregistered every year and most of them
come from poor, marginalized or displaced families.
He added that everyone has the right to be registered at birth as laid down in
Article 7 of the Convection on the Rights of the Child.
The DC said Tanzania is one of the 191 countries that have ratified the
Convection and thus it is obliged to comply by the article.
He said birth registration in the country range from three per cent in the rural
areas to 22 per cent in the urban areas.
Heather Borquez, Country Director from Plan International in Tanzania said the
organisation has the capacity through working together with different partners
to have an impact on birth registration by supporting local initiatives and
raising the awareness amongst families and children to support a national and
global advocacy campaign.
“Birth registration campaigns encourage the government to introduce more
effective and accessible system for birth registration. A nation cannot plan
adequate provision for education and healthcare if it is underestimating its
population,” she added.
Owners fail to disinfect
buses
By Kizitto Joseph
Dar es Salaam City Council has sued seven transport companies for
failing to disinfect their passenger buses despite having been given a notice.
The charges were issued at Sokoine Drive Magistrate Court between December 3 and
7 before magistrate Fatuma Kiwanga.
Prosecutor in charge, Grayson Fuwe told The Express on Monday that the companies
were taken to court after failing to execute the City order of disinfecting
their passenger buses within fourteen days starting from October 15.
According to Fuwe, 68 transport companies with buses travelling upcountry were
told to disinfect their buses to avoid insects carrying skin diseases.
“Here we have seven companies charged for ignorance of this order. All owners of
passenger buses have been ordered to disinfect their buses at least once every
two months,” said Fuwe.
The concerned companies are Umba River, Makete, Zafanana Air Bus Service, Bufalo
Bus Service, Moro Best, Tash and Chafco Bus Service.
Parents urged not to misuse
HIV funds
By Kizitto Joseph
The Society for Health Development of people living with HIV/AIDS (SHIDEPHA+)
has called upon parents and relatives to pay for the education of their
children.
Chairperson Joseph Kato said last week that some parents and relatives, despite
being economically well-off, still send them to orphan centres asking for
financial assistance.
“Some of them come here with luxury cars asking for educational assistance for
their children they have taken from villages. Perhaps assistance organizations
are driving the society to a place where it forgets its responsibilities,” he
said.
SHIDEPHA+ ensures the welfare of orphans by providing them with fares, fees,
uniforms and other educational facilities. Kato thanked the Social Action Fund (SATF)
and other non-governmental organizations for the contributions.
NICO to create millionaires
By Angela Mazula
Removing poverty may have been the priority for the government but
some think in other terms. They are dreaming it big, even bigger than one can
expect. And they are inspired by the example of one of the Asian countries
which, after battling against acute poverty and healing wounds of one of the
most fierce battles ever fought, is talking in terms of Richie Rich.
Vietnam is the ispiration for the National Investment Company (NICO) officials
who are claiming that they have the capacity of creating millionaires in
Tanzania.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam, Felix Mosha, Chairman of NICO, said the company
epitomises the collective efforts toward being rich and should be regarded as
part of the national efforts - not only to eradicate poverty but also to make
millionairs out of, well, not exactly moles but Tanzanians. The company is
trying to sell dreams which they expect will be shared by people at large.
“Vietnam is one of the countries that managed to create 500 millionaires in a
five year programme. We are trying to adopt same strategies at NICO by which we
would manage to do the same,” Mosha said.
NICO is part of a consortium led by Rabobank Nederland based in the Netherlands,
which is bidding to buy 49 per cent of National Microfinance Bank (NMB).
Rabobank Nederland is among six bidders that pre-qualified for buying 49 per
cent of NMB shares.
The other banks bidding for the deal are Akiba Commercial Bank, Bank of
Tanzania, First Rand Bank from South Africa, Standard Chartered Group limited
from South Africa and Standard Chartered Bank (T) from Tanzania.
The last bid submission through the Parastatal Sector Reforms Commission (PSRC)
will be on February next year.
Govt
to fund diabetes associations
By Nestory Ngwega,Tanga.
The ministry of health in the country has decided to establish
health associations all over the country to deal with chronic ailments like
diabetes. The government has also welcomed various interest groups and NGOs to
come forward and be constituents of this associations.
Diabetes in the country was fast becoming a menace and if not controlled will
spread even faster, claimed experts. Government is also conducting tests through
various hospitals to prepare a database to offer them a representative trend on
the disease profile and its spread.
In fact the disease was spreading faster than many could have expected due to an
utter lack of awareness. Even many of the patients were in the dark about their
status as diabetes patients.
Forming association was the only way to combat the disease successfully, by
spreading awareness and keeping a close watch to the spread of the disease.
“There is a need for health education to many residents in the municipality
especially on diabetes which seemed to be as strange to many of them,” said
chairperson of Tanga diabaes Association, Dr. Margreth Muhando.
Mainly a lifestyle disease, the entry of diabetes in the country marks a
transition in the Tanzanian society as well. “Diabetes is one of the dangerous
diseases which claim the lives of many people, therefore, it should be taken
seriously as being the case to other big cases like heart attack and malaria,”
she said.
She said the future plan is to provide education to all people, not only in
Tanga Municipality, but in the whole region to make people aware of it and adopt
a new life style to avoid diabetes.
“This is difficult because people have no habit of checking up their health
status, they only attend hospital when they fall sick. This is dangerous and as
medical personnel, we have to educate our people to change their life style
especially on health matters” She said.
She however said that, one good method that would help people to avoid such
disease is to cultivate a habit of doing physical exercise at least three times
per week.
She said, physical exercise might help them to reduce weight, thus outmatically
reduce the obesity which is friendly to diabetes.