By Kizito Makoye, Dar es Salaam
Despite Tanzanian’s global fame for embracing multiculturalism and hospitality to foreigners, the government’s move this week to have dual citizenship tabled in the parliament has been received with mixed reactions amongst the people.
Proponents of dual citizenship who spoke with The Express this week said there are many more high net worth former Tanzanians outside the country, then within the country, who can add great value to the country if allowed to hold dual citizenship.
“A lot of the former Tanzanians who have renounced their citizenship are multi- millionaires outside the country and if allowed or approached by the government to come back to Tanzania, and hold dual citizenship, will add economic value to the country.” independent sources told this reporter.
An independent Political Scientist Luaga Kizoka, who spoke with this reporter yesterday, said dual citizenship could be beneficial in a mixed society like Tanzania , but he added that prior to tabling the bill, thorough research needs to be conducted to establish how majority Tanzanians are going to benefit.
Mr. Kizoka was also cautious about the timing: exactly why this issue is becoming over- blown now.
Tanzania is ranked high among countries endowed with natural resources in Africa , has over the recent years opened its doors to foreign investors, causing an influx that pro-nationalists have equated to ‘a second scramble’ for its resources.
A random survey conducted by The Express in Dar es Salaam, not surprisingly , revealed that many Tanzanians are not in favour of the move to pass this law, on the grounds that only a handful of citizens would benefit, notably those originating from other countries.
This diversity of views comes in the wake of the remarks made by the Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Khamis Kagasheki, in Dodoma recently, when responding to a question from a Member of Parliament, from Wete Mwadini Abbas Jecha.
The minister is on the record as saying that many Tanzanians have consequently lost their citizenship because of the absence of this law.
The bill is likely to undergo thorough scrutiny due to its sensitivity, because as the minister told the house, the question of citizenship is a union matter, and already consultations between the Mainland and Isles are underway.
Speaking with The Express over the phone yesterday, a lecturer with the Institute of Journalism and Mass communication, Ayub Rioba, said it is completely ludicrous to talk about the issue of double nationality today as the world is increasingly becoming a village where people can work anywhere.
In his vehement criticism, Issa Shivji, a renowned lawyer and retired lecturer from the University of Dar es Salaam, said it has never been the right time for dual citizenship in this country. He said it is likely to erode the patriotic spirit instilled by our founding leaders.
Multiple nationality, is a status in which a person is concurrently recognised as a citizen under the laws of more than one state. Dual citizenship, a cornerstone of immigration policies in the US and the United Kingdom, is the most common type of multiple citizenship.
According to documented resources, multiple citizenships exists because different countries use different, and not necessarily mutually exclusive, criteria to bestow citizenship. Thus, a person becomes a citizen of multiple countries because countries, not persons, decide who is and who is not a citizen.
A Tanzanian who once lived in the United States for nine years in the 1960s, studying at Harvard University and then working in the US, said proponents of dual citizenship are likely to use it for business purposes.
“Let people decide whether they want to be the citizens of this country or not,” he said.
Commenting about the matter, Public Relations Officer of the University of Dar es Salaam, Isdory Jackson, said he is convinced that it is not the right time for Tanzanians to have multiple citizenship because we do not have a system which could track down the number of citizens and non-citizens in the country.
The immigration in Tanzania is currently governed by the Immigration Act of 1995.
Mungiki in Dar
By The Express Reporter
A Dar es Salaam commuter bus, bound for Kariakoo from Mbagala, pulls over at Mtoni Mtongani in Dar es Salaam. Immediately, it is mobbed by howling touts. After some five or so passengers embark, the bus starts off; the conductor throws to one of the touts a hundred shillings.
On the surface, it may seem a routine pay, but the hidden truth is that the conductor and his driver are cowering hostages of a daylight highway robbery. If they don’t give money, they risk having a tire punctured - in style of course - or being jabbed with bisibisi, the screw driver.
When they swooped down in Dar in the 90s commuters hailed touts as helpers. Those were the days when most buses were unmarked. Now, in a nasty twist of events that show the phenomenon of touting is spinning out of control, they have taken commuter buses to ransom. The Express can reveal today that touts in the city have turned into Mungiki-style extortionists, demanding money from buses with threats and violence.
Investigations in major routes in the city have shown that bus conductors and drivers are quite helpless before the touts. On average, a bus conductor dishes out five hundred shillings per trip, or about five thousand shillings per day to touts, insiders have told this paper.
The survey has been done in the Mbagala-City centre route on Kilwa Road, Kimara-City centre route on Morogoro Road and Gongolamboto City Centre route on Pugu Road, and the Mandela Expressway.
Investigations have revealed that the touts are organized and well-entrenched in every station, which they turn into exclusive zones, keeping out other touts. As a bus pulls over, they take to shouting, and the most aggressive, or the toughest makes away with a hundred bob thrown by the conductor. A reporter who spoke to them under cover found out that a tout makes an average of 3000 to 4000 shillings from the extortion, a cool tax-free 120,000 shillings per month.
Further survey has revealed that the touts have now been joined by Dar’s most dreaded and daring underworld group – the drug addicts. Popularly known as mwana, a slang for pal, they need not shout. A mwana just ask for money and is given it, by the driver or the conductor.
By Joachim Nyambo, Mbeya
Efforts by the government at providing education on widows’ rights have not borne fruit, due to a large part of the community not recognizing widows’ rights.
So said one woman member of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Mbeya branch, Rahab Nsile, talking to reporters about the struggles of the government and various organizations in fighting for widows’ rights.
Ms Rahab said that due to lack of comprehension, Tanzanian communities still continue oppression of widows through male relatives taking over family property immediately after the death of the husband.
However, Rahab, who also is a widow, said that the fundamental problem is the male domination system which has been built up, making the community believe that a woman cannot inherit property or run family projects.
She also named corruption in various legal organs another pitfall confronting widows where they are prevented from obtaining their basic rights, as the other party is ready to bribe, or the workers in the legal department demand bribes from the widows.
Organs blamed as being corrupt are the judiciary, department of social welfare and the department of community development, which ought to be fighting for the rights of the downtrodden.
Due to such challenges, Rahab said she and her ten colleagues of the YWCA have decided to form a support group together with the widows for tackling these difficulties.
COURTS OF JUSTICE
By Anthony Ishengoma,
Dar es Salaam
Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhan has sworn in three magistrates from Kisutu Magistrates Court, two of them to be deputy registrars of the court of appeal and one to be the chief magistrate in charge of Kisutu Magistrates Court.
The Honorable Sivangirwa Mwangezi was sworn in as senior deputy registrar of the Court of Appeal while the Honorable Pellagia Khaday was sworn in to be deputy registrar of the Court of Appeal, while the Honorable Addy Lyamuya was sworn in to be the chief in-charge magistrate of Kisutu Magistrates Court, replacing Mwangezi. Khaday had also been a resident magistrate there.
Speaking with The Express, the newly sworn-in chief magistrate, Addy Lyamuya, said that Kisutu is experiencing a lot of problems which it needs team work to deal with.
She said that current problems of congestion of cases is due to a number of factors, among which are lack of enough court rooms to run the cases and congested case files which need not less than ten days to look for the fact that has led the court to postpone the hearings.
Honorable Lyamuya also argued that the public should increase their support, especially the witnesses who have been delaying their attendance in court should do away with such behaviour which also contributes to holding up the court hearings of cases.
Government warns pilgrims to beware fake contracts
By Florence Mugarula,
Dar es Salaam
The Minister for Communication and Infrastructure, Shukuru Kawambwa, has asked Muslim pilgrims to be patient, after some of them posing questions on compensation over long waiting-times for the Medina-Mecca journey, following the poor performance of ATCL last year.
Speaking in the Parliament this week, the minister said that Air Tanzania Company limited has already paid a sum of US dollars 200 to each pilgrim as compensation for the booked hotels and guest houses which actually were not used because of the transport problems.
He said Tanzania is a free country which is ruled by laws, adding that in this problem it is better for every person to be patient and rely on the law’s procedure, since it is the only way for any person to get his- her demands in Tanzania.
He further warned all Tanzanians including pilgrims to be very careful in signing contracts, since some companies are not able to provide good services, and that some are pocket companies, and therefore conmanship can take place at any time.
Furthermore, the minister said that at the moment the government has not yet received any allegations from Islamic pilgrims that ATCL has not paid them, and he promised to find an appropriate solution if there were any problem.
Last year, a number of Islamic pilgrims failed to get to Medina and Mecca due to the problems of transport, a situation that forced them to camp at Dar es Salaam International Airport for some days.
Dar es Salaam resident stabbed to death
By The Express Reporter, Dar es Salaam
POLICE in Dar es Salaam are holding one man, Bakari Hamad (20), on murder charges.
Ilala Regional Police Commander Faustine Shilogile said Bakari Hamad stabbed to death one Joshua Stephen (25), both residents of Buguruni Malapa.
Shilogile said the incident occurred in the city on Sunday during a fight over a woman. He said the body of the deceased is preserved at the Ilala hospital mortuary.
Meanwhile, Police in Dar es Salaam are holding three suspects for illegal possession of 30 pellets of cocaine and 40 rolls of marijuana.
Temeke Regional Police Commander Emmanuel Kandihabi, said that the suspects were arrested after a police manhunt mounted at Mbagala Nzasa in Temeke district. The RPC named the arrested suspects as Shaban John (30), Fredric Magai (19) and Said Bakari (20).
In other events, three people died and five were seriously injured when the truck they were travelling in veered off the road and overturned. The accident occurred on Sunday morning, involving a heavy vehicle T 460 APX (a Mitsubishi Fuso), whose driver was identified as Rajab Dilunga (44). The truck overturned at Maseyu along the Dar es Salaam-Morogoro highway. The deceased are Twahiri Yahaya (41) and Monica Anthony (30). Both were residents of Dar es Salaam.
The name of one dead victim, a man, is yet to be known. The deceased was aged between 35 and 40 years. The casualties include Khalfan Mohamed (22), a resident of Mkuranga,; Lucas Daniel (45), a resident of Kiberege in Kilombero district and the driver of the truck.
The other two casualties have not yet been identified because they are still in a critical condition. They were rushed to Muhimbili National Hospital for intensive medical care.
Morogoro Regional Police Commander Thobias Andengenye confirmed that most of the passengers were business people who were bringing commodities to Morogoro from Dar es Salaam.
Media stakeholders to discuss gender issues in media houses
By Apolinari Tairo
THE Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Tanzania chapter has organized a two-day working meeting for journalists and other media workers to work out strategies that will help to develop HIV/AIDS gender policies in work places.
The two-day meeting to be held in Dar es Salaam will bring together key media practitioners, including editors, reporters and marketing executives, to deliberate on establishing policies on HIV/AIDS within work places, the media houses.
According to the meeting coordinator Ms. Gladness Munuo, the Southern Africa Media Action Plan (MAP) project has been established to coordinate and formulate programmes aimed to develop HIV/AIDS and gender policies in media houses.She said the MAP project aimed to ensure that 80 percent of newsrooms in Southern Africa have HIV/AIDS and gender policies by the end of this year.
Gender links and MISA are responsible for the policy arm of MAP that has four other components: training, ethics, research and monitoring and information resources for the media, Ms Munuo said.
The percentage of the population infected with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania ranges from less than three percent across most of the country to more than 44 percent in various groups.
Population-based surveys carried out over the past five years showed a prevalence of 7 percent in the sexually active adult population from the age of 15 to 49 years.
Policies, training and access to information can help to improve the quantity and the quality of coverage through collaborative efforts of a number of organizations.
MAP offers support to media houses that wish to develop HIV/AIDS and gender policies and integrate these into workplace as well as editorial practices.
The training ethics and information arms of MAP will buttress the policy support provided by MISA Southern Africa.
Veto on performing magic ceremonies
By Amiry Ismailly,
Singida
The Association of Researchers into Chronic Malaria, AIDS and Traditional Medical Service Environment in Singida region has stopped traditional doctors from divining for the patients they treat, as these witchcraft practices contribute to killings and the breakdown of peace within communities.
The association’s secretary, Dr Mika Likapakapa, said the decision was reached after it was discovered that a lot of killings had taken place, due to superstitious beliefs after divinations by the traditional doctors.
“From now on, the Association of Researchers of Chronic Malaria, AIDS and Traditional Medical Service Environment in Singida region will not tolerate the few members who provide divining services and contribute to hatred and confrontations among communities, which eventually result in murders,” emphasized Libapatapa.
Dr Litapatapa made these remarks when talking to traditional doctors and midwives at Iglansoni village, in Singida Rural district at a one-day training course about confronting the killings of albinos in the region, held at the village office.
The leader of the traditional doctors emphasized that any traditional doctor who violates this directive, legal steps will be taken against him.
He named some of the steps that can be taken as invalidation of his permit, being charged in court, and if he/she is found guilty, they will be forced to pay Tsh 300,000 fine or serve three years in jail.
The one-day training course was organized by the association mentioned above and attended by 40 traditional doctors and midwives at Iglansoni village.
Outreach Africa supports centre
By Amiry Ismailly
Singida
Parents and guardians in Singida region have been reminded of their duties of caring for their children and supplying their needs, rather than adopting a culture of depending on assistance provided by donors.
The call was made by Singida Regional Commissioner Parseko Kone, when opening a community centre for street children in the town of Singida.
The parents and the guardians, he emphasized, should understand that the services offered at the centre are only an assistance, therefore the families still have the responsibility of making sure that the children are supplied with at least essential needs.
According to Kone, the children’s basic rights includes the right to protection, the right to life, the right to be instructed, the right of being incorporated and the right of not being discriminated against.
The RC warned that children have the right of protection since it should be understood that they cannot protect themselves, and it is the duty of individuals, family members and the community in general to protect children from evil things which can cause physical, mental and psychological damage.
Welcoming the RC to open the centre earlier, Vice-President of Outreach Africa Mike Kitwaka said to the public that the centre is expected to cost Tsh 100 million and its construction up to now has already cost Tsh 75,000,000.
The aim of the centre, Kitwaka said, is to provide midday and evening meals, pencils, school uniforms, medical treatment, and exercise books, in collaboration with the Sisters of Singida Catholic diocese, Singida municipality, Outreach International and friends and families.
He said the provision of services aims at the children being educated, for there are many youngsters with great talent in the streets, and if they are empowered they can be leaders or intellectuals of the future.
The construction of the Children’s and Community Centre in Singida started September last year, and is expected to be completed this month.
Fashion is always with us
By By Carolina,
Dar es Salaam.
Today and for 50 some years past it’s been considered immoral in many of our African societies to wear skimpy clothes…By skimpy I mean short skirts cropped tops. I need not add that before colonization most of the African women in the different societies in Africa, wore pretty much only the bare essentials - them being very short look-alike skirts with a bra look-alike or nothing for the chest depending on the weather. I will not infuse too much debate but one thing that I’d like to pose as food for thought is the hilarity in berating a woman as trying to be ‘mzungu’ when they put on mini-skirts and such when in fact it is the ‘mzungu’s’ ( mean no harm to any mzungu) who brought the whole culture of what we wear in the first place.
I am curious therefore as to what has spiraled the fear in us so huge that we no longer face our sexuality head on but with serious fear and query. It’s obvious our western counterparts have almost parted altogether with that fear as they are embracing their sexuality quite, would you say, openly, or in any case more candidly. The belief that our old systems prior to Christianity and or other foreign infusions were flawed in every way is self defeating. In that it cuts off any development of our own and carries ideas and cultures of others. In the past rape and sexual abuse in many African societies was almost non-existent, that’s to say it was less than it is today. Am not going to spring loose facts, go and research yourself, there are too many sources for it to be a lie… The question to ask ourselves is who are we, where did we emanate from, what were our values; for in a way we are robbed of it, for all of us alive are either direct or indirect victims of colonization. To develop further is to think without barriers either emanating from the belief that a deity will curse and destroy you, or that your heritage is flawed i.e. not good enough
It’s interesting because all I’ve written above was not really what I wanted to touch on with this article, my main inspiration this week comes from the single women above 40 in our societies. I first of all would like to congratulate them for standing firm for many of them are independent strong women. The un happy truth however is that as much as these women are revered, many at times for their independent streak, they are equally if not more shunned for the same. Why? ... Well that’s what I am curious to find out, the flow of life cannot ensure that every woman is married by the time she is 40. For apart from the fact that in many societies here men are less numerous than women… don’t laugh it’s serious…. you also may want to bear in mind that finding a life partner isn’t an easy feat but in any case for these ladies the opportunities for such occurrences are even more difficult. This fueled by the taboo that an ‘older woman’ cannot express her sexuality by, for instance, going out for a date or in any case having fun.
I think that’s enough food for thought, the blog is ketronique.blogspot.com be sure to pass by when you have spare time I invite comments and or suggestions there you’ll also find old articles from this column.
Reaction to Sudan proposals
By Anthony Ishengoma,
Dar es Salaam
Minister for Foreign Affairs Bernard Membe has hit out at a request by Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Lui Moleno Okampo to issue a warrant of arrest against President Omar Al Bashir of Sudan.
He said that the problem with the issue is all about the timing with which the warrant has been proposed, because of the dangers which could be expected as a result of such an action, or what he called the possible spillover effects when the president in power is arrested.
There is not yet any alternative ready to replace President Bashir, so an immediate arrest of the president might worsen the situation in Sudan, if one bears in mind what has happened in Iraq as an example the world has experienced.
He said that the arrest would create a vacuum in leadership, a possibility that could leave Sudan subject to increasing violence, and he posed fears that it would be difficult to control Sudan.
He remains doubtful of the aim, questioning whether the aim of the arrest is to bring about peace in Sudan or to punish Bashir, and his recommendations rely on peaceful negotiations for the better future of Sudan.
He highlighted some of the factors which qualify the move as being untimely, such as the ongoing Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Southern Sudan, border conflicts affecting neighbouring Chad, and the existing militia leadership of Sudan.
Speaking to journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Membe remained clear about the government stand not to support any kind of violence against human rights.
°°The existing state of affairs in Darfur region is the major reason for the move, but plans have been made, and AU forces are expected to stage a campaign on September 1, so the move to arrest Bashir will abort the mission for resolution which is underway,” he said.°°
In addition, Sudanese Ambassador to Tanzania Abdelbagi Kabeir has described the move as a Western invasion of Sudan, and related it to the experience in Iraq.
He said that Sudan is not a signatory to the Treaty of Rome, hence the move against the president of Sudan is not accepted by the people of Sudan, and the court has no recognition there since Sudan has her own legal system.
Schools for scandal?
By Osoro Nyawangah,
Magu
The great hopes that sustained the people of Magu district in Mwanza region as they constructed many secondary schools may turn rather sour, the institutions encountered the problem of 116 female secondary school students becoming pregnant last year.
According to research conducted by The Express reporter and confirmed by the district council of Magu, out of 23 government secondary schools, only two,, Sukuma and Nkunguru secondary schools, have not encountered this problem.
The research further revealed that Form 1 held the record, with 48 students who got pregnant last year, followed by 33 students of Form II; 27 students of Form III and 8 students of Form IV.
Acting Executive Director of Magu District Council Mabeere Masaga told The Express that the problem of female students in day secondary schools owned by the government continues to accelerate, and threatens academic efficiency in these institutions.
Sogesca secondary school which is in Kiloleli ward, he said, is leading in pregnancies as last year alone 20 students were impregnated.
This school leads in pregnancies, he said, because it is near a fishing centre, and the girls become involved in haphazard sex because they are seduced by fishermen who give them money, and he added that another reason is lack of life skills education in those schools.
He named other secondary schools affected by a large number of students becoming pregnant and their numbers in brackets as including Mkula (12), Kabita (11), Magu (10), Malili (8) and Lutale (8), adding that collective efforts by the teachers and parents are required in fighting the epidemic.
Masaga, who is also the district education officer of Magu, said that lack of hostels in these schools is another problem which should be dealt with, since it leads to many students living in rented houses and living away from their homes.
“The girl students are very attractive to members of the community because they are believed to be free of AIDS,” Masaga observed.
Corruption in business - Kikwete
By Fred Okumu, Dar es Salaam
President Kikwete has said the business sector in Tanzania is not spared and is also choked with corruption.
The president said this during a ceremony organized by the Confederation of Trade Industries for the Annual Presidential Awards to Best Performers in the Manufacturing Sector for 2008 at the Movenpik Hotel in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
President Kikwete said: “ No business can blossom in an environment where there is no good governance or rule of law. The laws and canons of business and free competition should take their course, but the laws of the country should be respected in business practice.”
“There is a saying that corruption is the enemy of justice. But corruption is also the enemy of busioness. The business community should refrain from corrupt practices.”
The ceremony was attended by amongst others CTI Chairman Reginald Mengi, ministers, diplomats, CTI members and invited businesspeople.
The president noted that people always complained of public servants taking graft, yet the British say that ‘it takes two to tango.’ “ Sometimes in seeking favours in the competitive business environment, some businessmen have been using graft as a catalyst,” said President Kikwete.
He added: “ I believe that if business people come to a concensus, both petty and grand corruption can be wiped out. I call upon you to refrain from giving graft, be it from your own initiative or if asked by public servants; the difference shall be obvious. Those who have a tendency to ask for bribes in public sectors will henceforth be easily detected and it will be easy to take them to task.”
The president challenged businessmen to take stock of themselves. “ You too have been complained about over graft in your activities. There are allegations of corruption in employment and in contracts. Those concerned in such cases ask and reeive bribes. If the victim is a girl, then she is asked for sex before being employed,” he noted with concern.
Reiterating the government’s vow to check graft, the President asserted: “ We in the government shall continue the fight against graft tirelessly. Let us continue to help each other and cooperate duly.”
Fuss and bother over new district capital
By Osoro Nyawangah,
Rorya
Inhabitants of the new district of Rorya in Mara region are rising up against the government, asking it to identify and locate their headquarters so that they can begin developing it.
Rorya people are engaged in a great tug-of-war in various directions regarding where their district capital should be constructed, which has forced the government to delay announcing it, but now they are calling on the authorities to make a wise decision, to enable construction work to start.
One-time chairman of Tarime district council, Kembo Migire, said the government is being asked to hurry and decide on one out of three areas that are causing the tug-of-war, instead of continuing to keep mum.
The choice is between: 1) Shirati town, having all the necessary infrastructure; 2) Randa village since it is in the middle of the new district and 3) Itegi village.
The government has evaluated these areas and is now in a position to decide, it is thought.
Mzee John Makaya, local resident, complained that the authorities maintain their silence even though they clearly know that the people of Rorya find it irksome to travel to Tarime municipality for the needed social services.
Another local, Chacha Nyakega, told The Express that M Ps of other districts are touting for development of infrastructure for their districts during these budget sessions, but Rorya district has been forgotten as if not part of Tanzania.
The public declaration separating Rorya from the mother Tarime district was made about 22 months ago, but construction of the headquarters for the new district has not started yet.
Investigations conducted by The Express reporter have discovered that the people of Nyanduga division and their leaders have asked for the capital to be constructed at Utegi, headquarters of the division, but Nyancha division residents want it to be at Shirati because it has all the facilities required.
The remaining ones tout for Randa in Nyancha division, declaring that it is in the middle of the new district and is an historic area where traditional chiefs used to meet.
But unconfirmed reports tell that the government now aims at selecting a different village and area to those areas named, so as to bury the conflicts.
Down with witchcraft, up with schooling
By By Joachim Nyambo,
Mbeya
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda has asserted that superstitious beliefs are the results of ignorance caused by lack of education.
The Premier made this statement last week end during his one-day tour of Mbeya region where he said that the regions of Mbeya and Rukwa need to build many schools for educating people so that they abandon superstition. It is not an easy matter for an educated person to get involved in skinning people and killing albinos through the belief that if you obtain some of the organs of such people you will become rich easily.
Up to now, he went on to say, some people in the two regions have been losing their lives through not going to hospital, instead wasting their time going to traditional medicine people, believing they are bewitched.
The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his wife, Tunu Pinda on the tour, said schools to educate the population in conducting their lives sensibly would get rid of ridiculous ideas and behaviour.
Rivalry between JKT and Councils
By Damas Ayuke, Kigoma
Councillors of Kibondo district council in Kigoma region have opposed turning Kinembwa refugee camp into a National Service (JKT) camp, contrary to Government Circular (Ministry of Home Affairs) that the camps which are in Kagera and Kigoma regions should be under the councils for development purposes.
The action of Kigoma regional management in taking the camp and handing it over to the JKT has annoyed many councilors who take it as a violation of directives from higher authorities.
Speaking in the district council’s meeting in Kibondo municipality, the councilors said that the Minister for Home Affairs had written to the administrative secretaries of Kagera and Kigoma regions telling them to turn the refugee camps over to the councils.
District Council Chairman Simon Kanguye said that the administrative secretaries were given the Government circulars. He said the camps had valuable infrastructure for the councils’ development work.
Up to the end of June 30 this year Kanembwa Refugee Camp had a total of 1500 refugee who were expected to leave for European countries. It is a unit which contains modern facilities such as buildings for a dispensary, a technical college and a number of offices.
Dar es Salaam hit by rocketing fuel prices
By The Express Reporter
PUMP fuel prices in Dar es Salaam have gone up during the past few weeks, pushing a litre of diesel to selling at between Tshs. 2,050 and Tshs. 2,200 in some filling stations.
A section of vehicle operators interviewed by The Express this week
said the spiraling costs of petrol are continuing to affect transport in the city. ”We are running our business in despair as fuel prices continue to hit the transport sector. It is difficult to make ends meet as prices continue to bite”, said Joseph Mchiru, a mini-bus operator at Dar es Salaam central bus terminal.
He said surging fuel prices forced vehicle operators to hike fares and other charges for their passengers and other clients. A survey by The Express showed that most buses operating between Mwenge, Tegeta and Bunju outside Dar es Salaam charged Tshs. 1,000, contrary to the authorized amount of Tshs. 500 per commuter. Motorists blamed the government for high taxes imposed on each litre of diesel or petrol, despite outcries from the members of parliament looking at the waiver of Tsh. 100 from each litre of diesel.
The survey also showed that some commuter bus operators contravene traffic laws by cutting short their scheduled routes, a situation which has left commuters stranded at most stations. Senior officials in the Ministry of Energy said Tanzania has been affected by global oil prices rising steadily over the last three years, and this month it spiked to a new trading record as hostilities arise between the West and Iran - increasing the likelihood that filling petrol tanks will continue to be the priciest choice yet. Crude oil has made a jump to 147 dollars a barrel.
Daresalaamites in guesthouse crime
By Musa Mwangoka,
S’wanga
The Police Force in Rukwa region is holding two persons, residents of Dar city on suspicion of involvement in the theft of millions of shillings from one guesthouse in the town of Sumbawanga.
The suspects are claimed to have stolen Tsh 12,484,000 and US $ 600 from the Moravian Conference Guest House which is owned by the Moravian church in Rukwa region.
Acting Regional Police Commander of Rukwa, Mohamed Kombo, said last week that the robbery occurred on July 9th at 8.30 p.m, and the money belonged to a missionary, Albert Muizebelt (61), a citizen of the Netherlands.
According to the Acting RPC, the missionary, who is living at Kipili in Nkasi district and is also an investor, habitually stays at the guest house when he comes for business, and upon arrival on the relevant day took a room, and later went to get some food at one hotel in the town.
After eating his evening meal, he went straight to his room, where he found the door open but not broken, and his money which had been in a briefcase was not there.
Immediately, he notified the police who arrived at the place and started a serious search operation of other rooms in the guest house, managing to arrest the two persons whose names are Yusuph Mohamed (32) and Sylvester Morron (37), both Magomeni residents in the city of Dar es Salaam.
The Acting RPC further said that when the suspects were searched they were found with an amount of Tsh 12,266,000 and US $ 352 plus 102 fake keys supposed to have been used in opening the room of the European.
It has been discovered, moreover, that the two suspects habitually come to reside in that guesthouse and commit such offences, but they had not been discovered before.
According to police information, the suspects are continuing being inte rrogated, and once investigations have been completed they will be taken to court to answer charges of robbery.
By Joachim Nyambo, Mbeya
Developing countries, for example Tanzania, can make great progress if researchers make known their research findings to the target people, instead of keeping them simply as documents.
This observation was made recently by the Regional Administrative Secretary of Mbeya, Moses Chitama, when opening a meeting of researchers at Tanzania Pesticide Research Institute, on behalf of Mbeya R C John Mwakipesile, in the city of Mbeya.
Chitama said that there was a need for experts to make their research findings public so that they can be used or applied by sundry stakeholders, especially farmers, who to a large extent depend on information from research to improve their farming methods.
He went on to say that keeping the findings secret will not help stakeholders.
Much research has already been carried out but the results have not been seen, as their findings are put into documents and kept in libraries, instead of being disseminated to the people who were their subject, for application. What is the use of that?
For his part, TPRI Director General Charles Muingirwa said that the institution has been encountering problems to do with legislation about research and human and environmental health.
A participant, Bahati Mbaya, said that the researches into controlling pests do not satisfy the needs of agriculturalists in the country.
NEW LEADERS FOR THE DISABLED
By Merline Mhamaka, Morogoro
The Federation of the Disabled Association of Tanzania has eventually obtained new leaders who will lead the federation for the next five years from now.
The election was conducted at the end of last week at Janah Social hall in Morogoro municipality, after votes coming to a tie, forcing the elections to be repeated four times. They were attended by representatives of six disabled associations countrywide.
In the elections, Lupi Maswanya (CHAVITA-Deaf) obtained 51 votes against Major Mwihava from TAMH who got 19 votes, and was elected chairman.
Amos Anastas from TLB was elected by 34 votes as Vice-Chairman, outshining five other contestants, Felician Mkude from TLB was elected Secretary General by 47 votes against Hamadi Komboza from CHAWATA who got 23 votes, Ibrahim Tully from TAS was elected the Treasurer by 48 votes, outdoing Abrahim Lugome-CHAWATA and Rukia Tuwamo of TAMH.
After these results were out, then the chairman of the Election Committee Idd Maiga appointed Zitta Batamagwa from TLB who scored 23 votes to be a member of the National Executive Committee, via women’s seats.
Gwakisa Mwakabeta from CHAWATA was elected NEC member for men’s seats after scoring 39 votes, passing Mondi Isatani of CHAWATA who got 24 votes.
The elected Chairman Lupi Maswanya promised to find various modalities of pulling the members out of poverty by involving donors to bring development to SHIVYAWATA.
Reading an implementation report of SHIVYAWATA undertakings earlier, the Federation’s Executive Director Christopher Andendekisye said the contribution that comes from the government is meagre and illustrated it by saying that during the 2007/2008 fiscal year the Federation obtained Tsh 4,500,000 only.