Thank you
Ma'am
By Express Team
The United States First Lady, Laura Bush arrived in Dar es Salaam yesterday for
a two day visit. On today’s programme is a trip to Zanzibar.
At the Dar es Salaam International Airport Terminal One, she was welcomed by
Tanzania’s First Lady, Mama Anna Mkapa, who was accompanied by Dr. Asha-Rose
Migiro, the Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children’s Affairs.
As her first step in the country, Mrs. Bush paid a visit to PASADA, the Pastoral
Activities and Services to People with AIDS, Dar es Salaam Archidiocese, before
proceeding to the Equal Opportunities for All .
The US First Lady with her entourage will today leave for Zanzibar where she is
expected to engage in a number of activities, including calling at Al Rahma
Madrasa Pre-School at Kidini village.
Mrs. Bush will then continue to Kiembesamaki Teachers’ Centre, where she is
scheduled to donate books before going on to visit the Zanzibar State House and
the Mnazi Mmoja, Stone Town Border. She will depart for Dar es Salaam this
evening.
This visit by the US First Lady to Africa is timely, following the pledges of
the USA concerning helping the people of Africa win the war against poverty,
violence against women and HIV/AIDS.
The United States has already taken decisive action in helping Africa fight
against HIV/AIDS, such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief,
initiated by President Bush in January 2003.
This is the largest commitment ever made by a single nation towards an
international health initiative, contributing US$ 15 billion over five years, to
the 15 most highly affected countries by HIV/AIDS of which 12 are in fact
African.
In Tanzania, PASADA have been beneficiaries of a number of donations from
the United States, in terms of fighting HIV/AIDS through the provision of
counselling, medical care and awareness raising.
In an interview with The Express prior to the arrival of Mrs. Bush yesterday,
the Executive Director of PASADA, Mary Ash said the organisation feels honoured
to receive the US First Lady, bearing in mind that the American government has
been among the biggest donors which have shown great support to the
organisation.
She said it is important that the contribution PASADA gives towards helping the
victims of HIV/AIDS is being witnessed by the American government.
PASADA targets over 110,000 HIV positive individuals by offering basic clinic,
home and social support.
The organization, which is also receiving assistance from Catholic Relief
Services, is determined to provide medical care to those already infected,
ensure that the 12 diocesan dispensaries can provide voluntary counselling and
testing, and to provide care services to AIDS victims.
The project is also committed to teaching community members to take care of
their own HIV/AIDS victims, and to openly discuss both the consequences of the
pandemic and ways to fight it.
Currently, over 1,000 individuals each month receive voluntary counselling and
HIV testing, at the PASADA centre and at six satellite/dispensary centres. All
services provided by PASADA are available without cost or discrimination of any
sort.
PASADA's Community Education Programme provides AIDS awareness and education
seminars to all areas of Dar es Salaam; it also works to raise the number of
community-based counsellors who are able to provide local, neighbourhood
education.
The organization is determined to increase its ability to care for the
terminally ill and significantly reduce the pain and suffering of individuals,
by allowing them to die with dignity, through giving training to medical
professionals who will treat these patients.
PASADA is a Non-Governmental Organisation project which aims to provide caring,
compassionate aid to HIV/AIDS victims in Dar es Salaam. It has become a
reference point for other HIV/AIDS programmes in Tanzania.
Familiar rhetoric from Lipumba of CUF
By Kizito Makoye
As the countdown to the general elections continues, the opposition party CUF
has strongly attacked the CCM government for allegedly ‘deceiving’ policies,
forcing many Tanzanians to live in abject poverty even 44 years after
independence.
CUF National Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, said on the Kuelekea Oktoba show
on Clouds FM over the weekend that the leadership of the government has been
indecisive, and has completely failed to deliver its various promises. He said
poverty in the country has increased and that CCM is using the wrong criteria to
measure the standard of living.
“The criteria used is not even recognized internationally, they assume that
somebody living in Dar es Salaam, who earn Tsh. 500 a day and spends Tsh. 330,
is not poor,” he said.
On unemployment, he said that the many jobless young people could easily get
absorbed in small-scale industries such as fruit-canning.
Lipumba however applauded President Mkapa’s achievements in building the
confidence of various donors and international financial institutions, leading
to Tanzania’s inclusion among the nations whose debts were written off.
Citing the recent example of the crisis at Muhimbili Hospital, in which interns
were suspended, he said doctors deserve more than what they are getting.
Interns, he said, deserve to get at least Tsh. 500,000.
“The medical profession needs respect, it is a sensitive one, in Kenya and
Zimbabwe doctors are getting attractive packages, why not Tanzania?” He added
that it is a shame paying a doctor a monthly salary equal to the daily allowance
of a parliamentarian.
Super-new NHIF clinic gives bright prospects to AIDS patients
By Timothy Kitundu
In an effort to make sure of full benefits to members of the National Health
Insurance Fund, the Ministry of Health has sent directives to ensure that the
HIV/AIDS counselling section within the newly opened NHIF clinic at Ocean Road
is fully utilised, including the service of providing ARVs to members.
Speaking during the official opening of the clinic which was held on Tuesday
this week, the Minister for Health, Anna Abdallah said that additionally, the
ministry officials must ensure that the centre is also given direct access to
drugs from the Medical Stores Department.
“I emphasise that the centre should have direct access to drugs from the MSD
instead of the present procedure, whereby the drugs have to pass through
Muhimbili National Hospital which is a long process,” she said.
The inaugurated centre, which is situated on the former Ocean Road Hospital next
to the Ocean Road Cancer Institute, will cater for NHIF members mainly from
upcountry, both brown and green card holders, prior to reporting to MNH for
referral cases.
The minister commended the NHIF Board of Directors for the well refurbished
centre, in addition she requested them to employ well trained, qualified
personnel, and that the centre should offer a 24 hour stint of fully
satisfactory service.
“I don’t want to hear complaints from members about the unavailability of drugs
because the centre should have its own account of drugs, with direct
procurements to avoid bureaucracy,” she said.
In his remarks, NHIF Board Chairman Dr. Lucian Msambichaka said that Tsh. 300
million was for rehabilitation work, and that the Fund had succeeded in
employing a manager who would run the centre the way the private sector
operators do.
“Because the funds used for rehabilitation belong to members, they should be
refunded within 15 years, hence the manager will ensure that over Tsh.2 million
are refunded every month,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the NHIF Director General Emmanuel Humba said that the main
objective in opening the centre was to reduce congestion among the centres that
cater for NHIF members in Dar es Salaam.
Disabled beggars offered land and fresh start
By Timothy Kitundu
The problem of an influx of physically-handicapped beggars into the streets of
Dar es Salaam is scheduled to come to a halt, following the formation of the
Tanzania Economic and Development Association for the Disabled (JUMAWATA), whose
focus is on empowering the disabled, according to what has been announced.
The association, which recruits members amongst people with disabilities in Dar
es Salaam, has been allocated some 910 acres of land at Sungwi Ward, Mtamba
Village in Kisarawe District, to be distributed to members for the purpose of
carrying out economic-ally viable activities.
JUMAWATA Chairman, Mshamo Mzanda, told The Express in Dar es Salaam over the
weekend that, since its official registration in 2003, the association has
enrolled a total of 274 members both active and non-active, and that 105 members
have been allocated the plots.
According to Mzanda, out the total 910 acres, 40 acres have been set aside for
livestock keeping, while 60 acres have been pinpointed for the construction of
social service structures including schools, a health centre, churches, mosques,
market places and recreational facilities.
“This week, we are going to Mtamba Village to allocate plots to some 20 members
so that they start developing them,” he said. Adding that each member is
allocated a total of 5 acres; one acre for building a house, one acre for
cultivating food crops and three acres for cash crops.
In his elaboration, Mzanda said that, in view of the fact that the government
has tried every means of removing beggars from the street, this was the only way
to make them leave the streets voluntarily as better opportunities awaited them.
He said, already well wishers and good Samaritans had come forward to support
them. A Pastor with the Korean Church has promised them 100 dairy goats.
By Tunu Ally-Dodoma
Usually, an auctioneer’s job is to look for houses or rooms for their clients to
rent or buy, but in Dodoma it’s different.
In Dodoma Region auctioneers go to various villages to look for girls, who are
then auctioned to work as housegirls, or are transported to neighbouring regions
to make money.
This truth was revealed at a seminar which discussed girls being auctioned in
towns, organized by Dodoma Centre for Human Rights Promotion and sponsored by
the American Bar Association Africa. The seminar was held at Michese Village in
Dodoma Municipality.
Participants said that there had emerged a group of people, who call themselves
auctioneers who come to villages looking for girls to work as housegirls in
Dodoma, and even in places outside the region.
From hardship of their lives, many parents allow their girls to go to towns for
employment. But many encounter problems including getting pregnant, being
deprived of wages and so on.
Girl trafficking in Dodoma Region is great, followed by other regions such as
Iringa, Tanga and Singida, which have been found to transport a big number of
girls to towns.
There is need for Dodoma people to provide education for their children,
including constructing ward secondary schools, so that the children who pass
their Standard Seven Leaving Examinations may join secondary education instead
of running to towns.
12 more Korean volunteers trained and ready to go
By Kizito Makoye
Twelve Korean overseas volunteers, who have just completed their 10 weeks
training in Kiswahili and Tanzanian culture, are due to leave for their
scheduled working stations effectively this July.
According to the Korean International Corporation Agency Resident Representative
to Tanzania, Sungsoo Oh, the volunteers are scheduled to go to various working
stations including Bagamoyo College Arts, Azania Secondary School, Amana
Hospital, and the University of Dar es Salaam.
The government of the Republic of Korea provides various technical assistance
for the socio-economic growth of Tanzania through KOICA, which is the agency
responsible for grant-aid programs of the Korean government.
Currently there are 48 Korean volunteers working in Tanzania in different
fields, including the health sector and the computer business.
Morogoro orphans receive assistance, elderly complain of dirt and bugs
By Kim Aidan, Morogoro
Over Tsh. 2.6 million have been spent on purchasing various materials to assist
orphans in Morogoro Municipality. The money was provided by Family International
(Stand Tanzania) Project administration.
Distributing the assistance to some centres caring for the orphans in Morogoro
Municipality, the Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children
Shamin Khan, said orphans in Morogoro Region are estimated to be 2,500.
Stand Tanzania Project, which is under Joy Descruisseaux, whose headquarters is
in Dodoma, is manufacturing artificial human limbs and helping the disabled with
artificial limbs.
The Family International (Stand Tanzania), she said, decided to produce the
artificial limbs and provide them free of charge.
The centres that benefited from the assistance are Mgolole, Amani Centre,
Chakufumwa, Baptice Children’s Care, Darul Rahma Boys, Mihayo, Darul Orphanage
and Fungafunga Government Centre for Elders and Orphans.
Elderly people at Mgolole Government Elders’ Centre in Morogoro Municipality
have complained over the centre being dirty, with an accumulation of bedbugs in
the elders’ rooms.
The residents told their story to Shamim Khan, during the distribution of
material aid (clothes and food) provided by Family International (Stand
Tanzania).
They said that presently, they feel that the government has imprisoned them
making them run to towns and sleep at shops because of the discomfort they
encounter at the Centre. One old man who identified himself as John, said the
bugs existing in the Centre are no different from bugs inhabiting some remand
prisons.
The head of the Centre, Ephrosia Simba, admitted that the elders were living in
very difficult conditions, claiming the Centre was fumigated last time in 1996.
Simba said, following the complaints, she had written a letter to fumigation
experts to come and kill the bugs at the centre in March this year, but so far
there are no signs of them coming to help.
Anan links gender equality with global prosperity
By Timothy Kitundu
The United Nations (UN) has said that the equality between men and women is a
guiding principle which is central to global efforts to free people from fear
and want.
In his message on World Population Day, that was marked at national level at the
Karimjee grounds in Dar es Salaam, UN Secretary General Kofi Anan said that the
importance of the issue goes way back to the 1994 Conference on Population and
Development.
“At the conference, equality and women’s empowerment were considered both ends
in themselves and cornerstones of development,” he said.
The UN Chief added that equality goes hand in hand with investments in
education, economic opportunity and reproductive health, and taken together,
these are a powerful force for lifting millions out of poverty.
He said, by contrast, when discrimination prevents true equality, the
consequences are grave. “Millions of girls are ‘missing’ from populations
because parents preferred the birth of sons,” he added.
“And in some regions, alarmingly high levels of maternal mortality are claiming
the lives of too many women and depriving children of their mothers’ love and
care,” he said.
Despite these enormous challenges, he said, indeed, because of them, women all
over the world are mobilizing to secure their rights and they are registering
important successes. Global and national debates on human rights and human
development are focusing on issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
DC calls for civic education for voters
By Sebastian Gabunga, Mwanza
Non-governmental organisations which provide civic education for voters
countrywide have been requested to do so impartially.
The call was made in Mwanza City by Ilemela District Commissioner, Jared
Ghachocha when inaugurating the civic education programme for voters for the
regions of the Lake Zone, conducted by the ACORD Agency.
He directed the NGOs to persuade the public not to receive any bribes from the
contestants, and if they were forced to do so, then they should not vote for
such people.
“Bribe offering has started even before campaigns have started, so it would be a
good thing if you tell the voters to avoid taking bribes, and if it becomes
unavoidable, then they should not vote for those responsible,” Ghachocha noted.
Speaking about the civic education, the Ilemela District Commissioner said, it
ought to be provided every time elections approach and it ought to be objective
with regard to political parties.
Drama when special needs pupils’ numbers exceed resources
By Sebastian Gabunga, Mwanza
The Special Education Unit for the disabled in Sengerema Primary School in
Mwanza Region is receiving more pupils, stretching the Unit’s resources to
breaking point.
The head of the Unit, Charles Mabogo said there has been an increase of deaf
pupils and pupils with mental illnesses from 18 in 2001 to 71 in 2004.
The Unit lacks teaching materials as well as classrooms and teachers’ houses.
According to Mabogo, the Unit for Special Education has only one classroom, a
thing that causes the pupils to be jumbled up together, despite their
differences in disabilities.
Even in ordinary classes, when you have such classes it becomes difficult to
teach everyone to his or her satisfaction, what about mixed class where the
pupils need different approaches?, Mabogo queried.
Sengerema District Council looks as if it has withdrawn from servicing the
Special Education Unit, although it is under its jurisdiction, Mabogo said.
For a long time the Unit has been receiving assistance from the Liliane Fonds
Agency from the Netherlands, through the Artificial Limbs Exercise Unit which is
at the Designated Sengerema District Hospital.
Higher education – boom in demand exceeds space for scholars
By Kizito Makoye
The number of students who have joined institutions of higher learning in the
country, since the third phase government took power in 1995, has risen
considerably.
The Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Dr. Pius N’gwandu
told the Parliament last week that in 1995/96, 14,076 students had joined the
institutions of learning to pursue various disciplines, while last year a total
of 48,236 students registered in higher and technical education.
The Minister said the number of women entering higher education has also
increased; from 2,369 in 1995 to 15,782 last year.
The ministry is still implementing various projects aimed to better educational
infrastructure, including the construction of dormitories for students at the
University of Dar es Salaam with a capacity for accommodating 4,200 students.
The Minister said the construction of two lecture halls with seating capacity
for 500 students is also in the pipeline.
Dr. N’gwandu added that the government has consistently exerted itself to
motivate citizens to make use of science and technology in their professions and
daily activities.
In an interview with The Express on Tuesday, UDSM Chief Academic Officer Prof.
Mayunga Nkunya applauded the achievements, adding that the universities are
still facing a big challenge, because the number of qualified students wanting
to join universities is now greater than the places available.
“I sincerely support the budget speech on higher education, because I was also
involved in its preparation, but I think in terms of the capacity of
institutions of higher education, it is still not satisfactory when compared
with the number of eligible students.”