“Poor TAZARA”
By Kizito Makoye
“Poor TAZARA,” remarked a dismayed businessman whose consignment was
abandoned half way before it reached its destination in Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.
The businessman refused to bribe a TAZARA official who demanded a quid pro quo
at Mlimba Station and as a result was left stranded with his consignment. The
remark certainly reflects the feelings of many of TAZARA’s customers who
constantly feel let down by the services offered by the public institution. Poor
service is what many associate TAZARA with these days.
In a stakeholders’ meeting discussing options for TAZARA divestiture held at New
Africa Hotel on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office,
Planning and Privatisation, Dr. Enos Bukuku said TAZARA performance has declined
in the last ten fiscal years.
“The authority has made efforts with limited success to revitalise the railway
into a competitive and financially viable company in the face of major
difficulties including limited haulage capacity,” he said.
He added that the financial crisis that the corporation is facing needs remedial
action.
TAZARA problems have not come as a surprise to its governing body. Rather the
leadership has failed to formulate viable solutions due to their complexities.
In 2002 a council of ministers gathered in Zambia to discuss the need for
private sector participation in TAZARA.
The ministers resolved that an option study on private sector participation in
TAZARA should be commissioned to be carried out by the Presidential Parastatal
Reform Commission (PSRC) in Tanzania and the Zambia Privatisation Agency (ZPA).
Despite these efforts, many businessmen remain pessimistic. The railway is
frequently used by businessmen who transport various goods ranging from food
Items, vehicle spare parts and furniture to hardware and domestic utensils.
Talking exclusively with The Express many businessmen in Dar es Salaam were
disappointed over the fact that the services offered by TAZARA are deteriorating
day by day. Many wished there could be an alternative means of transport.
According to the businessmen who sought anonymity, the whole system needed a
boost. “It is all messed up,” as one of them commented, saying that many have
been experiencing problems when transporting their cargos to all the major
stations along TAZARA line.
“We have lost hope transporting our wagons through TAZARA, unless you bribe
somebody your wagon can not be listed on the schedule to reach a destination,”
said one businessman.
Taking one example, at Mlimba Station wagons are stranded up to nine days before
they are authorised to proceed to respective destinations.
The businessmen claimed that TAZARA officials have forced them to give bribes
and that the locomotive shunting officer in charge is refusing to take wagons
belonging to owners who refused to pay for the bribe.
There is also the problem of lack of security on board with many food stuffs
being stolen from the wagons when left unattended during long hours of transit.
Cooking oil and maize flour are particularly sought after by thieves. And if the
cargo is not stolen there is always the risk of the cargo being destroyed with
many wagons leaking, complained the businessmen.
TAZARA Public Relations Manager, Mwase Lungu remains optimistic hoping the
corporation might conceivably regain strength.
In an exclusive interview with The Express on Tuesday, he expressed his
determination “against all odds” to make the organisation a viable.
He denied that the organisation is currently in shambles due to rampant
corruption among its officials, saying that “we no longer deal with individual
customers and there is no way that an official can ask for a bribe from a major
customer.”
“We deal with major customers, yet our rates are very competitive, we give them
reduced rates and credit facilities,” he said adding that “we create what we
call customer relationship and as a public institution we are very transparent.”
He said the situation is stable since TAZARA managed to solve the problems
related to fuel shortage and salary payments.
Lungu said that the authority is currently operating at the capacity of 700,000
tonnes per annum, although he added that the rail has the capacity of 1.3
million tonnes per annum.
The Express has learnt that TAZARA is in severe financial problems, making it
difficult for the company to run a satisfactory service on a daily basis. More
importantly, it raises questions for the company’s future existence.
One of the major problems is that in the last ten years the volume of traffic
has fallen from 1.2 million tonnes a year to about half of that.
As a result, customers have been suffering but the problems have also affected
the internal services. For example, the telephone lines of TAZARA Head Quarters
are apparently out of order. It is not clear whether they are disconnected due
to outstanding bills or ceased temporarily.
The Express Reporter paid a visit to TAZARA Managing Director on Tuesday (also
reachable by mobile phone).
Unlike Tanzania Railways Cooperation (TRC) Headquarters which often looks busy,
the scenario was different at TAZARA, whose headquarters looked rather deserted.
The government has admitted that TAZARA is in serious crisis and remedial action
is needed to salvage the link to landlocked Zambia.
TAZARA railway has been suffering from massive vandalism of its systems
especially its telecommunications network, in this regard the copper wire. It
has been alleged that vandalism is being done by its own employees because of
frustration due to underpayment but this is something the authorities refute.
In its bid to replace the worn out railway system, TAZARA has received 10,000
metric tonnes of rails from the Government of the Republic of China, worth US$
6.3 million. TAZARA Director of Infrastructure Costain Daka confirmed that the
consignment has arrived at the Dar es Salaam Port and that the rails would
reduce accidents occurring on the Tanzanian railway side. He admitted that worn
out rails has been the major cause of most accidents that frequently occur along
the line. The rails will be distributed to Mlimba and Makambako because of bad
terrain.
TAZARA covers a distance of 1,860 km from Dar es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi in
Zambia. The railway was constructed between 1970 and 1975 by the Peoples
Republic of China costing approximately US$ 500 million.
Fragile, handle with care
By Express Reporter
The Parastatal Sector Reform Commission (PSRC) yesterday received
technical and financial bids for the purchase of 49 per cent shares in the
country’s most profitable bank, National Microfinance Bank (NMB).
The three bidders are: Exim Bank, NICO, Rabobank Nederland and TCCIA; Akiba
Commercial Bank and Standard Chartered; Stanbic Bank.
According to a PSRC statement made available to The Express yesterday technical
bids demonstrate the bidders’ proposed approach to managing NMB and their
qualification for the important task.
The statement said that the financial bids would contain the price offered by
the respective bidders.
“The technical bids will be opened today (yesterday) whereas the financial bids
of the bidders who will pass the technical evaluation stage will be opened
later,” reads the statement in part.
NMB is the only Tanzania’s bank with a country wide network of 108 branches. It
is also the only bank in Tanzania that aims to maximise its outreach thoughout
the country and to serve people who have not been served well in the past.
The statement further said that “the competitive and transparent bidding process
will result in the selection of the bidder who is best capable of managing the
bank in the best interest of NMB’s present and future customers and of its
shareholders”
The statement also said that in the second stage of privatisations of NMB the
government would sell a 21 per cent shareholding to citizens of Tanzania, or
corporate bodies whose beneficial ownership is held by the citizens of Tanzania
or by companies whose share capital is wholly owned by citizens of Tanzania.
Some analysts who spoke to The Express gave NMB a price tag of over US$ 50
million. “The calculation is simple- the bank makes over US$ 10-15 million a
year and if you discount using the net present value method, the amount should
not be less than US$ 50 million,” said an analyst who declined to be mentioned.
“This is a jack pot project for the investor and the competition is pretty
stiff.”
The PSRC statement added that the government would retain 30 per cent of the
shareholding in NMB for possible sale to the public at a later stage.
The statement said the investors’ technical proposals will be evaluated starting
today by representatives of the government who would apply the bid criteria in a
fair and transparent manner.
It added that financial bids of only those bidders whose technical proposals
were judged to have achieved the minimum qualifying score would be opened in mid
March and that PSRC will recommend as the preferred bidder the one whose
technical and financial bids, taken together, will have achieved the best score.
It has been learnt that 70 per cent of the final score will be based on the
technical bid with the remaining 30 per cent on the financial bid and hence the
highest bidder may not necessarily automatically qualify.
MP’s attend US
legislature programme
By Express Reporter
Ten Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday left the country for the
United States to attend a two week programme on the roles of the legislature as
an oversight body.
A statement from the US embassy made available on Tuesday said the programme is
intended to facilitate personal and professional contacts between people of the
United States and Tanzania.
The Cultural Attaché with the US Embassy, David Colvin said the programme will
give the MPs an example of how other countries structure their political system
and how the relationship between legislative and executive branches works.
“In the US we have a system of checks and balances, and we want the MPs to see
how that works, especially with respect to the congress,” he explained.
The group leader Dr. William Shija said that the main focus is to see what
colleagues do and strengthen the function of committees back in Tanzania.
“We are looking for ways to improve our function of Parliament and how to use
the system of checks and balances,” he explained.
Dr. Shija said upon their return they would prepare a report to the Speaker of
the National Assembly and explain the issues they think should also be applied
in Tanzania.
The project is part of the Voluntary Visitor Programme run by the US Department
of State.
Muggers
disturb residents
By Danny Eliah, Dodoma
Residents of Chang’ombe area in Dodoma Municipality have requested
the police in Dodoma Region to patrol the area, especially at night after a
number of violent incidents have been reported.
It is particularly cases of theft, rape and robbery that are worrying the
residents.
Previously, the police did patrol the area and order was maintained. But as soon
as the patrols stopped, the antisocial behaviour remerged. Many women are
victims of the violence.
Speaking to The Express on condition of anonymity, residents said the state of
affairs is annoying as they hear people crying for help after being ambushed by
muggers. The criminal activities start soon after sunset and reach their peak
just before midnight.
The worst affected areas include Daladala Stand area, through Majaribio area to
the milling machine at Isajiro and in various narrow dark passages.
“We request the police in Dodoma Region, to return to their former patrols as we
live in troubles and fear for our safety; especially our daughters when they
return from working in town, for these are the great victims of the muggers,”
the residents insisted.
Investigation by The Express showed that there are muggers lurking in corners,
where they conduct their businesses confidently, without being afraid of
anybody.
CCM youth
training starts today
Lessons
on how to confront opposition on agenda
By Kim Aidan, Morogoro
CCM in Morogoro Region has selected 550 members of their youth wing
for training on how to control opposition parties in the run-up to the general
elections. The training will start today.
During the training, the CCM youths will be taught strategies of confronting
opposition parties and how to control corruptive activities during the election
period.
Other topics which will be given prominence are security and ethics, national
service building and the importance of educating the community to register for
elections in the Voters Permanent Register.
Youth League Regional Chairman, Yusuph Kimwaga said various leaders from
district to regional level will contribute in the training.
The camp is expected to be officially opened by the Minister for Defence and
National Service Professor Philimon Sarungi today.
The aim of establishing the camp, Kimwaga said, is to put in place strategies of
regaining all the seats which were taken by the opposition in Morogoro Region.
CCM is hoping that all the seats in the region will go to the present national
ruling party.
Kimwaga said the participating youths come from Kilombero, Ulanga, Kilosa,
Mvomero, Morogoro Rural and Morogoro Urban districts.
Other topics included in the training are health and safety issues. Of highest
importance is to teach how one avoids getting infected with HIV/Aids.
TZ faces aging
teachers
By Kizitto Joseph
Tanzania may soon face an acute shortage of teachers following an
increased number of old people joining teachers colleges in higher education and
institutions, Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education Pius
Ng’wandu said in Dar es Salaam.
According to recent research by the University of Dar es Salaam, nearly half of
all the teachers and auxiliary professors are expected to retire in the coming
seven years.
“Therefore there is a need of having a continuing programme of developing our
functionaries in colleges and institutions,” Ng’wandu said.
He said his ministry has set up a long term plan of building an educated society
with gender equality which will be able to bring self development through
science and technology.
FGM activists
cry for more support
By Angela Mazula
It has been revealed that about 18 per cent of women in the country
have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), following a study
conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and presented by FGM activists
in the country. Despite the government’s official stance against the practise,
many activists feel their efforts are being ignored.
Speaking in Dar as Salaam during the commemoration of the International Zero
Tolerance Day on FGM Campaign, Helen Kijo-Bisimba a coordinator of the National
Coalition Against FGM said that Tanzania is one among the African countries who
has been affected by FGM.
The study shows that about 20 of the 130 ethnic groups in Tanzania practice FGM.
However Kijo-Bisimba said FGM activists are left with a heavy burden in the
fight against FGM. In many cases the police ask them to arrest perpetrators and
take them to the police station, rather then the police doing the job
themselves. In other cases the activists are turned away altogether when they
report incidents.
And this despite the fact that Tanzanian law prohibits FGM and has set a maximum
penalty of 15 years for custodians who consent to their girls getting
circumcised.
Kijo-Bisimba explained that the aim is to strengthen networking among coalition
members and maximize government’s efforts against the practise.
Worldwide, the WHO estimates that between 100 and 140 million girls and women
have fallen victims of the practise and that annually another two million are at
risk of undergoing genital circumcision.
Bus terminal
gets facelift
By Kim Aidan, Gairo
Members of the business community from Uluguru Street in Gairo town Kilosa
District, Morogoro Region have contributed over Tsh. 700,000 towards the
refurbishment of Unguu Street Bus Terminal.
The Chairman of Unguu Street business community, Ahmed Shabiby who is also CCM
NEC member, said this when addressing the members in Gairo town.
The community hopes that the money will help to move the bus stand to the
opposite side of the highway leading to Dodoma.
Moving the bus stand to incorporate it with the Unguu Street Bus Terminal was
necessary after a number of accidents took place, with many businessmen getting
knocked over by speeding vehicles travelling to Dodoma, Shabiby said.
‘HIV problem
must be tackled from its roots’
Religious leaders
requested to teach value of married life
By Heckton Chuwa, Moshi
Religious leaders have been urged to give extra counselling to
married spouses as one of the ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The plea was made by Justin Nyamoga during a two day training workshop held in
Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region mid last week, meant to raise awareness of the
stigmatization that surrounds the disease.
“It is not easy to preach how bad the AIDS pandemic is without also tackling
reasons which lead people to get it,” he said. “If we think of AIDS only as a
sin acquired from having affairs then the fight against it will be very tough.”
He said social research has revealed that many married couples have gone against
their marriage vows claiming that they miss things that married life cannot
provide.
“Many of the married couples expect to live like in paradise after their
weddings only to find the opposite and thus decide to find the expected outside
wedlock,” he said, adding it is when they have taken this decision that they are
at risk of getting HIV infected.
He said the time has come for religious leaders to make sure they give extra
marital teaching so as to save society from the deadly disease.
Sugarcane
producers aim high
To target 1.5m tonnes in
2010
By Merline Mhamaka, Morogoro
Tanzanian sugarcane producers are aiming at increasing their
production from 289,250 tonnes in 2001 to 1,456,000 tonnes in 2010.
The figures were revealed by the Secretary of the Tanzania Sugarcane Growers
Association (TASGA), Sosthenes Magesse in a report presented at the
Confederation of Sugarcane Growers and DAI PESA project meeting held earlier
this week in Morogoro Municipality.
Magesse said TASGA aims at increasing production through fertilising the soil
which would take the present yield from 45 tonnes per hectare to 80 tonnes per
hectare by 2010.
Other plans include utilising the existing resources and cooperating with
international organisations in reducing poverty in the country.
To further the production industry, the Secretary pinpointed strategies such as
the implementation of a national system for weighing the sugarcane, introducing
facilities to determine the quality of sugarcane and distribution of incomes
between companies and the sugarcane growers.
Other strategies, he said, will include starting mini agricultural irrigation
projects together with providing a sure modality of acquiring loans to conduct
sugarcane farming.
Despite the grand plans, farmers from Mtibwa interviewed by The Express said
that one of their biggest worries was sugarcane prices, particularly at
Kilombero and Mtibwa.
At Kilombero, they said, a tonne of sugarcane costs Tsh. 21,700 while at Mtibwa
a tonne is Tsh. 18,000. The farmers have requested the government to review
these prices.
The Confederation of Sugarcane Growers meeting was opened by Mvomero District
Commissioner Samwel Kamote and was closed by TASGA Chairman George Mlingwa and
incorporated sugarcane farmers from Kilombero, Rehembe and Mtibwa.
Dodoma
residents point finger at councillor
By Danny Eliah, Dodoma
A few days after she was charged in court for insulting the
opposition Mary Chihoma, Makole Ward Councillor in Dodoma Municipality, again
found herself in trouble.
Residents from her ward were publicly heard announcing that they do not
recognise her as Councillor of CCM.
The residents’ decision was reached last weekend, during the Ward General
Council meeting, held at Makole Primary School. Many residents accused the
Councillor of being cynical, indifferent and a betrayer of the people.
The public denouncement has probably shattered Chiloma’s hopes of regaining the
councillor's seat in the coming general elections. She is also accused of having
swindled over Tsh. 6,000,000 which was obtained for constructing classrooms at
Makole Primary School.
The residents asked why the School Committee Chairman and the whole committee
resigned suddenly, while they had not reported the swindled money.
One resident said that the whole committee resigned following pressure from
their councillor.
The conflict between Makole Ward residents and their councillor has been
simmering since 2003, when the Councillor decided to be a contractor for the
construction of two classrooms. However construction experts have disqualified
the classrooms as unfit for teaching premices.
Elders want
Shabiby as MP
By Kim Aidan, Kilosa
Elders from Gairo Division, in Kilosa District, Morogoro Region have
requested Ahmed Shabiby, a member of Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) National
Executive Council (NEC), to contest for a parliamentary seat in the general
elections.
Chairman of the Traditional Elders Anack Malazi (68) said, traditional elders of
the Wakaguru, Wanguu and Wasagara tribes, who are living in Kilosa District, had
agreed to request Shabiby to contest because of the great contribution he has
made to the community.
In 1999 residents of Iyogwe village were hit by famine and some lost their
lives. But without being asked, Shabiby offered assistance, distributing bags of
white flour to the hungry.
Such generosity caused the traditional elders to ask Shabiby to contest for the
Gairo Constituency seat as he possesses the qualifications the elders looked
for: care for people’s interests and responsibility for the welfare and
development of the electorate.
When Shabiby was approached for a comment, he said it was pre-mature to decide
if he will enter the race or not, claiming he will support anyone who will be
nominated to fight for and protect CCM.
Shabiby has also cautioned other leaders who are planning to contest for various
positions to stop thinking of positions but first urge people to register in the
Voters Permanent Register.
Villagers
donate to school construction
By Kim Aidan, Kilosa
A total of Tsh. 18,000, 000 has been contributed by Chakwale Village residents
in Gairo Division, Kilosa District towards the construction of a Ward Secondary
School.
The Divisional Executive Officer (DEO), Aroan Issa told reporters that already
Chakwale Village residents had completed the construction of three classrooms
and the head teacher’s house, while construction of other classrooms was still
in progress.
The Ward Secondary School is expected to be completed in early March to enable
students selected for the second phase in 2005 to be admitted.
Issa said Chakwale Village aims at constructing more than two secondary schools
in a period of one year, to eliminate the problems of students travelling long
distances and lack of space in secondary schools.
AKU launches
nursing course
By Express reporter
The Aga Khan University has invited applications for the advanced
nursing studies (ANS) programmes for 2005/2006.
A statement from the University said the programme is directed towards the
development of Tanzania’s nursing professionals.
The programme is in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of
Science Technology and Higher Education as well as the Nursing Council of
Tanzania.