DAYLIGHT
ROBBERY
By Express Reporter
Dar es Salaam witnessed a horrific event on Wednesday two weeks ago
when a young bureau de change operator, Zoher Bhaloo (Babilo), was gunned down
with four bullets to his legs and one to his neck at the Sea Cliff Village in
Masaki. According to eye witnesses, the vehicle that took the injured man to the
Aga Khan Hospital, where he later died, arrived about half an hour after the
incident took place, since no body was willing to rush the young man to
hospital.
“The guy was shaking and was down on his stomach but there was no one willing to
rush him to hospital. Some nurses arrived from the Aga Khan health centre at the
Sea Cliff Village and tried to stabilize him whilst awaiting the vehicle,” an
eye witness said.
Unarmed KK security guards could do nothing as the bandits went on a shooting
spree and disappeared in a Toyota Mark II balloon.
“It was around 12:03 pm when the bandits approached the bureau operator who was
carrying a parcel that contained money,” recounts the eye witness. “They asked
for the money and the man resisted.” The eye witness said that a tussle
developed between the two and three other thugs appeared and started firing.
Four bullets hit the businessman and he landed on the floor before one of the
thugs, who had got hold of the parcel, fired the last and fatal shot in the
neck.”
“I have never seen anything like that before – it was like I was in a movie.
This is the worst experience of my life,” added a petty trader outside the Sea
Cliff Village. According to eye witnesses, the bandits were carrying guns and
were very well dressed. ‘Had you seen the bandits, who looked very civilized and
polished, one could not imagine that they could commit such a crime,” said one
eye witness.
An investigation by The Express conducted at the scene of the crime, reveal that
KK Security guards who were arrested to assist the police with the
investigations, have all been released after a fortnight of intense
interrogation.
Speaking to The Express, Dar es salaam Regional Police Commander (RPC), Alfred
Tibaigana confirmed that the incident happened two weeks ago. Investigations are
continuing but no further details were made available.
Meanwhile, another in-cident happened just before the Golden Tulip Hotel near
the residence of the Canadian High Commission, on the weekend following the Sea
Cliff Village shooting.
According to sources, around midnight, two armed bandits stopped a Toyota
Corolla and robbed the driver of belongings including a chain and about Tsh.
five million that he had won at the Sea Cliff casino. The incident happened at
the two speed bumps that have been recently constructed to control the traffic
on the main road.
There have been more than a dozen such cases on the road, according to
information obtained by The Express, most of which remain unreported to the
police. This also poses a risk to the residence of the Canadian High
Commissioner. The two bumps of terror along Toure Drive are surrounded by heavy
bushes on one side that offer a hideout for criminals.
Varsity don
strives for State House
By Fatima Grace Bapumia
Former Dean of Faculty of Law at the University of Dar es Salaam for
two trienniums, Dr. Sengondo Edwin Adrian Mvungi, now officially on a sabbatical
leave, yesterday picked the forms for presidency on NCCR ticket.
Dr. Mvungi was elected Dean of the Faculty of Law in July 1998. His leadership
which ended July 2003, has managed to bring the faculty into the spotlight of
academic excellence and public service. Unlike other senior academic members
such as Dr. Asha Rose Migiro, Dr. Masumbuko Lamwai and Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe,
who moved on to become parliamentarians in the past, Dr. Mvungi has remained
faithful to his profession, so far.
The Express was unable to trace Dr. Mvungi to establish whether the don will opt
to resign from the university or will take a leave without pay, if he gets
elected as President.
The current Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr. Ibrahim Hamis Juma told The Express
he has nothing to say about anything concerning Dr. Mvungi’s personal life. “He
is officially on sabbatical leave but what he does with his personal life is not
my concern. Go ask him,” he said, adding that Dr. Mvungi’s mobile phone has been
stolen, when asked for Dr. Mvungi’s contact.
I am not Caesar says Bilal
By Fatima Grace Bapumia
After over a decade of efforts to create a stable political pattern in Zanzibar,
it is about time the ruling party should stop taking things for granted; this is
according to Dr. Gharib Bilal, presidential aspirant from CCM.
“In multiparty politics, the trick is to have a contestant that can sell, one
who is ‘electable’. We should not take things for granted, if there is a need
for change, we should,” said Bilal in an exclusive interview with The Express
this week, claiming that he had the dynamic vision needed for the development of
Zanzibar.
Bilal wants to make Zanzibar more open to the world economy. “We are part of the
EAC and SADC but we don’t really know their opportunities. We don’t even know
our role as a member of EAC and SADC,” he said.
Speaking of the challenges by Civic United Front (CUF), Bilal, who in the past
held the post as Chief Minister for Zanzibar, said CUF has many followers
especially in Pemba, making it a party to look out for. But in his view, CUF
resembles a militant party.
“CUF composes of people who were former followers of ZNP, ZPPP and even A.S.P
(pre-union parties in Zanzibar). There are people who view CCM as a reflection
of A.S.P, a party that toppled the coalition government of the ZPPP and ZNP in
Zanzibar during the revolution.”
In response to the current President of Zanzibar Amani Abeid Karume’s remarks
that Bilal is over-ambitious, Bilal said he does not want to be seen as a great
leader despite having ambitious plans for improvements in Zanzibar. “Everybody
has an ambition and mine is to make a positive change in the world we are living
in. I am not Caesar.”
He still holds strong views regarding Amani’s government and its “failure to
create good governance”. “Good governance is not just about creation of a
ministry. Since the ministry was established in 2000 there have been no new
ethical codes put in place, we have not seen people being any more responsible,
even the laws are the same. Amani’s government has done nothing new since we
(Salmin’s government) initiated the reforms,” he said.
Dismissing President Amani’s statement that four years is too short a time for
making great changes, Bilal said: “It takes no time to create a code of ethics.
Is four years not enough to make a list of things a ministry can or can not do?”
Lecturer sees
flaws in the police
By Merline Mhamaka, Morogoro
A lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Department of
Political Science and Administration has proposed changes in the way the police
carries out its duties.
Dr. Mohamed Bakari presented a paper on how the police should reform in order to
go hand in hand with the new multiparty democratic system during a seminar for
the police officers held in Morogoro Municipality.
Following the changes that took place in the political and economic landscape in
1992, the police should also change in accordance with the new system; enabling
political parties to conduct their businesses without breaking the law, argued
Dr. Bakari.
Legislation is still a hurdle Dr. Bakari said, and took the example that a
district commissioner or a regional commissioner can put a person in detention
without legal reasons.
You will find a RC or DC detaining a person for unclear reasons. Sometimes they
have been doing that for political reasons. This is a legislation that needs
amendment during this period of multiparty democratic politics, said Dr. Bakari.
Bad maths
result blamed on teachers
By Sebastian Gabunga, Mwanza
The reason for students failing in mathematics in primary and
secondary schools has been blamed on the attitude of the teachers towards the
subject.
Ilemela District Commissioner (DC) Jared Ghachocha said, when opening a five day
seminar for teachers who teach mathematics in the Lake Zone, that teachers
discourage students by claiming that it is a difficult subject.
He said some teachers enter the classrooms without any preparation, which does
not make the teaching any easier.
The DC demanded that teachers make serious preparations and give their students
an opportunity to be creative, think, discuss and work for the right answers.
Teachers should give their students enough exercise to make them masters of the
subject.
Giving birth
still a hazard for pregnant women
By Angela Mazula
Maternal and infant deaths remain a serious problem for the country.
Speaking with The Express recently Minister for Health, Anna Abdallah, said that
statistics on maternal and infant deaths have not changed since 1999. It is
estimated that 529 women die in every 100,000 births in Tanzania, most deaths
caused by delays in reaching hospitals.
She added that this is because of the poor road network, especially in rural
areas. Malaria, complications in deliveries, bleeding, HIV/AIDS are other
factors.
“According to the Reproductive and Child Health Strategy of 2005, the proportion
of birth attended by skilled personnel has dropped from 44 per cent in 1990’s to
36 per cent in 1999,” she said.
However, the Minister added that there have been some improvements in infant
mortality rate in the past 10 years.
Despite the improvements, more efforts are needed. Most children die of
communicable diseases including malaria, diarrhoea, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS.
back to headlines
RC urges
broader healthcare
By Heckton Chuwa, Moshi
Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Hida Ngoye urged for a broader
health service in the country. She said this during her visit to the Acquire
Project stand at an exhibition commemorating World Health Day, last week.
Ngoye, who was accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Health, Dr. Hussein
Mwinyi, gave special praises to the Acquire Project, which sponsored the
exhibitions.
Northern Zone Project Assistant of the Acquire Project Lilian Shoo, said the
main mission of the institution is to improve the maternity health services,
especially the comprehensive post abortion care.
She said during the exhibitions many women were provided with services whereby
others were subject to referral services to different institutions as directed
by staff.
According to Shoo, the Project provides services in Kilimanjaro, Arusha,
Manyara, Iringa, Rukwa, Dodoma, Kigoma, Tabora, Mwanza and Shinyanga regions.
Rhinos on the
increase
By Sebastian Gabunga, Mugumu
The treatment of rhinos being extinct in Serengeti National Park has
been called off after these animals increased from three in 1995 to 14 at
present.
Head of Moro Project Centre in the Park, Wilbart Mbise said the rhinos, favoured
by tourists, were killed by poachers for their valuable tusks that sold well on
the international market. In 1995, there were only one male and two females.
In response, the government established a special patrol unit to save the
animals from extinction.
“These animals are hunted like gold, that is why they were killed and remained
only three in 1995, but we are thankful that they have increased in numbers,” he
said.
The slow increase is also due to the fact the rhinos give birth only once in
every two years.
“They are hunted by hook and crook, but again, they do not reproduce in large
numbers like the gazelles and hartebeest, but their reproduction rate is low,”
he said.
The protection of rhinos has been successful thanks to the assistance from a
German society (NGO) that deals with wildlife protection, called Frankfurt
Zoological Society (FZS).
FZS has assisted with motor vehicles for patrol services and other modern
defence equipments which can help spot poachers while far away.
There are two types of rhinos (white and black). In Tanzania there are black
rhinos, also found in Kenya and South Africa.
School gets
dormitory after complaints
By Merline Mhamaka,Mvomero
Girls belonging to pastoralist communities attending Mvomero Day Secondary
School often fail to complete secondary education because the school lacks a
dormitory.
Parents fear that their girls could be forced into marriage to any of boys in
the local community thus enabling the girls to live close to the school.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Omar Mahita heard the school’s headmaster,
Adam Sanga saying that many girls after starting school, later move to other
schools or stop going to school altogether.
The girls have to travel long distances of more than ten kilometres from their
villages to the school.
After receiving their problem, the ward leadership, together with Morogoro North
Constituency, Member of Parliament Suleiman Sadiq and other stakeholders,
decided to build a hostel for the girls so that the school turns into a boarding
school.
The hostel will be able to accommodate 160 students when completed.
UDSM
staff – qualifications and gender
By Angela Mazula
About 75 per cent of University of Dar es Salaam staff have attained
the academic qualifications of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) through government
assistance.
The government of Tanzania which has supported staff development at the
university, said more influence is needed to make Tanzanians feel the dire need
of promoting the educational sector.
According to the directorate of planning and development of the University, out
of the total PhD holders only nine per cent are women.
The directorate shows that the issue of gender has to be addressed in line with
the policies and regional protocols on gender.
Overall, most of the administrative staff are not fully qualified, and about 50
per cent of the total staff hold certificate qualification, only seven per cent
of all staff are second degree holders and about 16 per cent of the total number
of staff are standard VII leavers.
The directorate shows that the majority of staff are underqualified, and about
60 per cent of all staff hold certificate qualification, where about 31 per cent
hold either first degree or diploma qualifications.
Dodoma
teachers ask for new elections
By Danny Eliah, Dodoma
Representatives of the Union of Tanzania Teachers (CWT) in Dodoma Urban District
have requested the CWT District Secretary to convene a District CWT General
Conference ahead of the Regional CWT General Conference.
The meeting would include fresh elections, following the representatives’ claim
that the previous elections can not be accepted.
In there letter to the Secretary, representatives from Dodoma Secondary School
Branch, Kiwanja cha Ndege Secondary School Branch, Mazengo Secondary School
Branch, Chinangali Secondary School Branch and Kaloleni Secondary School Branch
said they opposed the election results because CWT District Council have not met
for several years or prepared the agenda for the Regional CWT General Council as
reiterated in Section 17 (b) I-V of the Constitution.
The claims also accused the voting exercise as being rigged.
The representatives have threatened to go to court if their requests will not be
heard.
Kibondo
gets new ambulances
By Damas Ayuke, Kibondo
International Disaster and Rescue Agency (IRC) have spent Tsh. 332.1 million on
purchasing ambulances for two health centres in Mabamba and Nyanzige in Kibondo
Districts, Kigoma Region.
The Agency has also reconstructed the two centres and provided education on safe
reproduction to rural mothers in the district, according to Kibondo District
Council Executive Director, Helen Macha when talking to The Express.
The two ambulances provide emergency services for intensive care patients taken
to Bugando Referral Hospital in Mwanza City.
FIDA builds youth centre
By Damas Ayuke, Kigoma
The Finish International Development Agency (FIDA) has spent Tsh. 46
million constructing a youth centre in Kigoma town.
FIDA Coordinator Simon Severua attended the inauguration of the centre as did
the Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Environment,
Arcado Ntagazwa.
Adding the youth centre has been provided with 25 computers, 18 sewing machines
and music instruments which will be used to train 218 students.
Police lead
in corruption
By Sebastian Gabunga, Kwimba
The police in Kwimba District, Mwanza Region have been accused of spearheading
corruption. The accusation comes from participants of a workshop called to
combat corruption.
In many murder cases where by witchcraft has been thought to be involved, the
participants said, the police have resolved to corrupt activities and bribery.
The police have been asking for money from relatives of people who have been
killed on suspicion of witchcraft, claiming that the relatives are paying petrol
cost.
According to participants, Mwamashimba Division is particularly badly hit with
corruption. It is also the district where murders connected to witchcraft
beliefs have been flourishing.
The Officer for the Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB) in Kwimba District,
Mechtildis Haule said, the act of the police claiming money from the public for
petrol, is outright corruption.