SAKATA LA FEDHA ZILIZOFICHWA SWITZERLAND NA MAFISADI WA TANZANIA

 Imeingizwa hapa leo hii 29/10/2012.

Zitto amlipua Dk Hoseah wa Takukuru

Daniel Mjema, Rombo na Exuper Kachenje, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

MBUNGE wa Kigoma Kaskazini, Zitto Kabwe amemlipua Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa nchini (Takukuru), Dk Edward Hoseah, akidai kuwa bosi huyo ameandikia barua Uswisi, akieleza kwamba Tanzania haina masilahi na mabilioni ya fedha yaliyofichwa katika benki za nchini hiyo.

Zitto amedai pia kwamba, atawasilisha hoja binafsi katika kikao cha Bunge kinachoanza keshokutwa Jumanne, akiiomba Benki ya Dunia (WB), kutumia kikosi chake kinachojulikana kama Asset Recovery Unit (ARU), ili kuwabaini Watanzania walioficha fedha hizo na namna gani zitarejeshwa nchini.

Hata hivyo, alipotafutwa na Mwananchi Jumapili jana jioni, huku akionyesha kushangazwa na madai hayo ya Zitto  Dk Hoseah amekanusha akisema kuwa tuhuma hizo hazina ukweli wowote.

“Nashangaa, kwanza nipo hospitali naumwa, wala sijawahi kuandika barua  anayodai Zitto,”alisema Dk Hoseah.
Mkurugenzi huyo wa Takukuru alisisitiza:  “Anavyosema Kabwe, labda muulizeni vizuri. Huo ni uongo, mimi sijawahi kuandika barua hiyo na sifanyi biashara hiyo. Tambua kuwa hilo siyo kweli, sisi tunafanya kazi kwa mujibu wa sheria. Kama kweli mwambieni huyo Zitto aonyeshe hiyo barua.”

Hata hivyo alivyotakiwa kueleza kuhusu afya yake na mahali alipolazwa, Dk Hoseah alisita na kusema:
“Wewe jua hivyo tu kwamba ninaumwa, nimepumzika. Siyo India, nipo nyumbani.”

Zitto Kabwe alitoa tuhuma hizo dhidi ya Dk Hoseah jana (27/10/2012) eneo la Kibaoni, Kata ya Nanjara Reha, wilayani Rombo mkoani Kilimanjaro katika mkutano wa hadhara, ambapo alimtaka Dk Hoseah ajitokeze hadharani na kuwaeleza Watanzania sababu za kuandika barua hiyo.
“Juzi tumeambiwa, Dk Hoseah ameandika barua kwenda Uswisi kuwaambia ya kwamba, Tanzania hatuna interest (masilahi) na hizo fedha zilizofichwa huko nje kwa sababu ni fedha binafsi…;  Huyu ndiye mkurugenzi wa kupambana na rushwa nchini,” alisema Zitto.

Aliongeza: “Tunamtaka Dk Hoseah atuonyeshe barua aliyoiandika kwenye mamlaka za kule Uswisi na atuambie ni kwa nini ameandika barua kama hii kwa sababu, tunataka fedha hizi zijulikane ni za akina nani na zirejeshwe nchini.”

Zitto ambaye pia ni Naibu Kiongozi wa Kambi rasmi ya Upinzani Bungeni na Naibu Katibu Mkuu Chadema, alisema kuwa Watanzania walioficha zaidi ya  TSh.340 bilioni hawazidi 50 hivyo ni lazima wajulikane na fedha hizo zitaifishwe.
“Wamezificha fedha hizi nje wakati sheria za nchi zinakataza,” alisema na kufafanua kuwa sheria ziko wazi kuwa hakuna Mtanzania anayeruhusiwa kuwa na mali nje ya nchi bila kuwa na kibali cha Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT), hivyo fedha hizo ziko huko kinyume cha sheria.

 “Wenzetu wa Senegal wamefanya hivyo, India pia wamefanya hivyo….; Ujerumani na Marekani wao wameamua kuwatoza kodi watu wenye fedha za aina hiyo, lakini sisi tunataka kujua hizi fedha zimetokana na nini kwa sababu zipo ambazo zimetokana na wizi na ufisadi,” alisema.

Alidai kuwa sehemu ya fedha hizo imetokana na wizi katika Akaunti ya Madeni ya Nje (EPA) ya BoT, ufisadi katika Kampuni ya Uchimbaji Madini ya Meremeta iliyokuwa ikimilikiwa na Jeshi la Wananchi wa Tanzania (JWTZ) na uchimbaji wa gesi katika baadhi ya mikoa nchini.

Mbunge huyo alienda mbali akisema: “Tunataka kiongozi yeyote wa kisiasa wa Tanzania anayejijua kwamba ana mali nje ya nchi ajitangaze mapema na aseme amezipataje hizo mali, kwa sababu njia pekee ya kupambana na ufisadi ni uwazi.”

 Agosti 15 mwaka huu, kambi rasmi ya upinzani bungeni, iliitaka Serikali kuwataja kwa majina viongozi na wafanyabiashara wakubwa walioficha TSh.315.5 bilioni nchini Uswisi  (Switzerland)

Akiwasilisha hotuba ya kambi hiyo, Waziri Kivuli wa Fedha, Kabwe Zitto alisema endapo Serikali itashindwa kuwataja watu hao, kambi hiyo itawataja kwa majina katika Bunge linaloanza wiki ijayo.

Zitto alisema mmoja wa viongozi wa juu wa Tanzania (hakumtaja), baadhi ya mawaziri wa Serikali za awamu zilizopita na wafanyabiashara wazito ni miongoni mwa wamiliki wa fedha hizo.

Alisema taarifa ya Benki Kuu ya Uswisi ya Juni mwaka huu, inaonyesha kuwa fedha hizo TSh.315.5 bilioni zimetoroshwa na kufichwa kwenye benki mbalimbali nchini humo.

Alidai kuwa fedha hizo zinatokana na biashara zilizofanywa na watendaji wa Serikali na wafanyabiashara kadhaa kwenye sekta za nishati na madini.

Sehemu kubwa ya fedha zililipwa na kampuni za utafutaji mafuta na gesi katika pwani ya Mkoa wa Mtwara zilizopewa mikataba kati ya mwaka 2004 na 2006.

Baada ya Zitto kumaliza kuwasilisha hotuba yake, Mbunge wa Simanjiro Christopher Ole-Sendeka (CCM) aliomba mwongozo wa Spika kuhusu suala hilo.

Sendeka alisema Zitto alisema miongoni mwa walioficha fedha hizo ni kiongozi wa juu kabisa wa Tanzania, lakini akashangaa Serikali kutohoji juu ya kauli hiyo.

Naibu Spika, Job Ndugai alisema kuwa angetoa mwongozo huo baada ya kuipitia hotuba hiyo ya kambi Rasmi ya Upinzani Bungeni na kuona kama ina matatizo.

 Hata hivyo, uchunguzi zaidi wa gazeti hili baadaye ulibaini kuwa fedha hizo zilikuwa na uhusiano na ufisadi kupitia Meremera, unaohusisha Dola za Marekani 132 milioni wastani wa Sh211.2 bilioni.

COMMUNTER TRAIN IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA MAKING HISTORY

 POSTED HERE ON 28/10/2012.

Tanzania: Dar Commuter Train Starts On Monday

by Ludovick Kazok, allafrica.com
October 27th 2012.

AT last the long awaited Dar es Salaam city commuter train which is geared to address the traffic jam problems will start operating on Monday 29/10/2012. 

Deputy Minister for Transport, Dr Charles Tizeba, told a news conference in the city that the city train would be starting at 5 a.m. and break at 11a.m and resume again at 3pm to 8pm.

"The soft launch ceremony of the city commuter train will be graced by the Minister for Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, as we are still waiting for official launch by the Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda," he said.

He said the Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) will be charging 400/- for adults while the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) will be charging 500/- for adults and that both parts will be charging children and students 100/-.

"After a long discussion with different transport stakeholders, we have reached to the conclusion on such train fair with directives from Sumatra (Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority)," said the deputy minister.

Dr Tizeba noted that the train would be starting at Ubungo Maziwa area in Kinondoni municipality to the main railway station in the city centre, saying other route will be starting at Tazara main station to Mwakanga and Kurasini areas.

He pointed out that the stopage stations from Dar es Salaam to Mwakanga area in Pugu will be eight including Kwa Fundi Umeme, Kwa Limboa, Lumo Kigilagila, Sigara, Kitunda road, Kipunguni B, Majohe, Magnus and Mwakanga.

Dr Tizeba said another route from Dar es Salaam to Kurasini will have six stations including Kwa Fundi Umeme, Yombo, Chimwaga, Maputo, Mtoni Relini and Kwa Aziz Ali Relini. Other stations are Kamata, Buguruni, Buguruni kwa Mnyamani, Tabata Matumbi, Tabata Mwananchi, Mabibo and Ubungo Maziwa.

He said about 2,000 ticket vending stations have been earmarked for the city commuter train and that tickets will also be available at the stations, saying there will be no purchasing a ticket inside the trains.

"Passengers will have to queue in order to get in the train as the first come first served procedures will be used." The deputy minister has directed those conducting business within the prohibited 60 metres from the railways to vacate the area immediately and that the government will not hesitate to take them to court.

SIR SERETSE KHAMA AND RUTH WILLIAMS OF BOTSWANA

Sir Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams

Married in 1948

Seretse Khama was born in 1921, and is the son of the Chief of the Bangwato Tribe and ruler of the Bechuanaland (a protectorate by Great Britain) later known as Botswana. When his father died in 1925, Seretse’s uncle, assumed the role as Seretse’s guardian and Acting Chief. His uncle sent Seretse to England so he could continue his education. It was while he was in London, when studying for his bar examinations, that he met Ruth Williams. They shared their enthusiasm for jazz and eventually romance ensued and they were married a year later, in 1948. The interracial marriage sparked a furor among both the apartheid government of South Africa and the tribal elders. Seretse was at first banned from the chieftainship and the territory for breaking tribal custom, but was later re-affirmed and eventually became Chief. Because of the apartheid system in South Africa, the country could not afford to have an interracial couple ruling just across their border, so pressure was put on to have Seretse removed from his chieftainship. In 1951, the British government launched a parliamentary enquiry. They somehow proved that Seretse was unfit to be chief, and exiled Seretse and his wife Ruth from Bechuanaland. In 1956, Ruth and Seretse were allowed to return to Bechuanaland as private citizens, after he had renounced the tribal throne. In 1961, Khama founded the Nationalist Bechuanaland Democratic Party and became Prime Minister of Bechuanaland. In 1966, Botswana gained its independence and Seretse Khama became the country’s first President. Ruth (Lady Khama) was a very influential and politically active first lady during her husband’s tenure as president, from 1966 until his death in 1980. In 1966, Queen Elizabeth appointed Khama Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Interesting Fact: Botswana was among the world’s poorest countries but during Seretse Khama’s tenure as president, Botswana had the fastest growing economy in the world. Khama instituted strong measures against corruption and reinvested money into infrastructure, health and education. In 2009, Seretse and Ruth’s fist son, Ian, won a landslide victory and became the fourth President of Botswana. Their younger son, Tshekedi , was elected as a parliamentarian.

THE DANGERS OF "U P U P U" IN TANZANIA

Posted here on  26/10/2012.

This Article appeared in the Features Page 11  of  "THE GUARDIAN, TANZANIA  dated 29/10/2003 and headlined:

 RESEARCHERS ATTRACTED TO THE BEAUTY OF UPUPU (a Swahili word for a plant whose fruits itch on contact)" 

This is Part II of a series of two articles about SALI FOREST RESERVE situated in  ULANGA DISTRICT, MOROGORO REGION.  

We had no choice but to spend the night at Isyanga Primary School.  However, as the work of pitching  tents  was eliminated, we  were left with fetching water and cooking our evening meal.  We bought firewood  from the villagers, before fixing our NGO mosquito nets and having a deep, exhauted but relaxed sleep.  We were able to get water from the school's well nearby.  

We did this despite  the fact that the villagers and teachers told us there were no mosquitoes at Isyanga village at the moment.  However, our health and safety instructions ere very strict about using mosquito nets.  Besides,  mosquito nets not only prevented mosquitoes from biting us, there were also spiders, caterpillars, ants and like which could catch one unawares while unprotected and asleep at night.  

Early the next morning on 12 August, 2003 after an early breakfast and cleaning the class we hastily broke the camp and left the school compound as the school timetable for the day began.  We had no intention of abusing the Personal Secretary's hospitality.  However, we were able to sing the National Anthem with the school pupils before departure on foot to Sali Mission, seven kilometres away uphill.  

One of us, an Englishman, who had also been to Zimbabwe and Zambia  was amazed that the three national anthem tunes resembled.  I added the Republic of South Africa's tune in the list.  Remember the Frontline States before 1994, South Africa's liberation and its eventual independence. 

We embarked on our departure on foot with our rucksacks containing food, coking utensils and scientific paraphenalia.

We arrived safely and sound at Sali Mission at around 1.00pm.  The Sali Mission graciously provided lunch for us at a small fee.  The religious cook who served us lunch, Father Frateli even allowed us to pocket the delicious roasted marron groundnuts to munch on transit to our next temporary camp where we spent the night that day.  The village leadership advised us to spend the night at the Mbezi River Wterfalls, which was only two kilometres away uphill.

The Mbezi River Waterfall is an eye opener as one of this country's  most beautiful places.  The clear cool waters fall 40 metres down 90 degrees from up above forming a spectacular site and sound.  The falls form a permanent stream from the sharp angle.  The beauty of the Mbezi waterfalls emanates not only as it forms  the 90 degrees fall of the water, but its romantic musical sound  as well as the convergence of two rivers nearby.  At night  the face of the waterfall is very cold, prompting us to opt to use as our camp site about 30 metres away from it.  

When I saw the falls for the first time, my heart leapt with the sudden joy of seeing something extremely beautiful, and immediately after followed the pain of realising the truth that rarely were Tanzanians able to see sights like this.  

Despite the beauty of the waterfalls, it as recorded fatalities among foreigners and villagers alike.  A number of persons drowned on the deeply unknown depth of the pool where the waterfall drops on.  Such facts did not stop us from fantasizing that the waterfall area was ideal for lovers and honeymooners alike.  It was so romantic that it would make one forget there is an end to this life.

Early on 13 August, 2003, we were able to secure a guide; who happened to be a member of the Village Council and Ten House Cell leader Mr. Aaron Uteki;  to take us to our intended destination of the Sali Natural Forest  Reserve.  We had to pass through the Mission  Compound that morning to collect  some of our luggage left there from the previous day and head for the Natural Forest Reserve.  The way there was accomplished easily enough despite its been uphill because we prudently paid local villages to clear the way beforehand.  Despite this being done, "UPUPU" did not leave us alone.  We had to scratch ourselves all the way to the base campsite inside the Sali Natural Forest Reserve.  I was surprised that despite being covered in leather boots and corduroy  trousers,  I was itching all over.  That was when I learned that the itching agent in "upupu" was carried on the air; and therefore not necessarily that one need touch it physically. 

Meanwhile, our lorry driver Francis Mhaiki collected his lorry at Isyanga village and drive it all the way up to Sali Mission.  He did this after scouting the road and personally certifying  that the road was passable enough for his heavy duty vehicle.  The invisible and inadvertent thing about the lorry was that it was literally covered with Upupu.  Mind you,  no motor car has ever travelled that way larger than the mission pickup.  So the lorry sort of "cleared" up all the upupu which was blocking the road two and a half to three metres high.   The saying that beauty is dangerous proved correct to us in this trip.  I wish you could see the attractively brownish/maroon beckoning colour of the   upupu fruits hanging in clusters of five or six from its climbing vine plants.  

One of the foreign research assistants, ignorant of its vicious properties actually picked up a cluster!!.  I am sure she will never live to forget its reaction to her pale European skin.  

We prepared our base camp and pitched tents as soon as was possible after arrival.  Our guide Mr. Uteki and the Forest Officer Mr. Nkawamba helped us to choose the best site for base camp.  They are experts at the job.  The two days we spent there was heavenly.  They chose a place between two streams.  These streams were fast flowing from the steep mountain side to the reaches below.  They were making similar, but not quite identical  musical sounds  like the waterfalls.  They reminded me anew of the spectacular beauty of Tanzania.  The musical sound soothed out tired bodies after our return from the Sali Natural Forest Reserve excursion.  

On our last day at the base camp on 14 August, 2003, we climed the Kongo hill to the top.  This had two aims.  First was to see Beacon No. One (1) of the Natural Forest Reserve and secondly, to have a wider view of the Sali Ntural Forest Reserve.  

We managed to use three hours of strenuous climbing to reach the top of the hill.  All its 1,359 metres above sea level, and climbed down using half that time.  We even managed to use the path used by Germans long time ago when they erected to and half metres wide cross on top of the same hill where Beacon No. 1 is situated.  The Sali Natural Forest Reserve has 14 Beacons.

The German Missionaries  built the Sali Mission from 1911 and history bears to this record.  

On top of the Kongo hill we could clearly see Ruaha Village which was 14 kilometres away, Isyanga village  (where we spent our first night) which was about ten kilometres and we also saw Sali village three kilometres away.  Further away, we would see the main road to Malinyi and further still was spread the Selous Game Reserve.  

Mr. Nkawamba  informed us that Ulanga District alone has eight Natural Forest Reserves.  The first one in size is the Sali Natural Forest Reserve which spread before us in all its natural splendour at the time.  Next to it is Mzelezi Natural Forest Reserve, Nambinga Natural Forest Reserve, and Nawange Natural Forest Reserve.  Others are Muhulu Natural Forest Reserve, Mahenge Scarp Natural Forest Reserve, Myowe Natural Forest Reserve and Iligamea Natural Forest Reserve.  

All the eight natural forest reserves are within the Eastern Arc Mountains whose formation is estimated to be 600 million year ago.  The Eastern Arc Mountain Range starts at the Taita Hills in Kenya curving south to Pare Mountains,  Usambara Mountains, Uluguru Mountains and Udzungwa Mountains.

We spent the two days at the base camp transacting the natural vegetation, counting mammalian species, sweeping amphibians, trapping rats and butterflies.  

The Eastern Arc Mountains are world famous and renowned for their biodiversity.  They are among very few mountains in the wold which contain  thousands of micro organisms, insects, plants, trees, birds and animals.  Quite a number  are endemic to them, like the famous thumb-sized toads.

I was lucky to have been availed this rare opportunity to see and inform the general public about them.  The opportunity just happened by fluke after the University of Dar es Salaam put up an advertisement on the notice board requiring students to apply for the Volunteer Research Assistant jobs.  The job the advertisement said was offered by Frontier-Tanzania,  a United Kingdom Environmental NGO dealing with scientific research in collaboration with the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).  

I did not know then, that Frontier-Tanzania needed only one Volunteer from the UDSM.  I was lucky to attend their interview held in Dar es Salaam and getting appointed, out of three of my fellow UDSM students.   My Environmental Law studies at postgraduate level at UDSM and my unconditionally extrovert outlook on life must have won the day!  

When we started out as per our contracts on 6 July, 2003l, we were 16 Research Assistants; myself,  14 Volunteers from the United Kingdom and one Volunteer from Germany.

Frontier-Tanzania works in the field in four phases a year with a similar number of research assistants.  That means in any given year, there are 60 Europeans volunteering  and thereby coming to Tanzania to study, learn  and tour all the country's natural resources with an equivalent of four (4) Tanzanian students accompanying them in each phase.  One can imagine how many foreign  researchers or NGO who come to Tanzania to do their own things, enjoy our natural resources while we perish in our abject poverty.  

By now,   an average reader would understand my sadness at lost opportunities  for Tanzanians to visit, tour, educate and  learn  about their own richly endowed natural resources.  

On 15 August, 2003,  we broke camp early in the morning  and headed back to Simba Camp, Itete Village, Mtimbira Ward, Ulanga District, to continue with out research inside the depleted Natural Forests of the Kilombero Valley, and the Teak Forest, the property of a UK investor.    For the time being,  the Teak Plantations surrounding Simba Camp are those of Mafinji and Nakafulu Forests.

For a retake or critical view of the said excursion to the Natural Forests in this Research Tour, kindly read more in this blog on the heading titled:

.

Posted here by Author Zainab Mrisho  Mwatawala on 26/10/2012, at Misufini Hamlet, Mafiga Ward, Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania, East Africa. 

JULIUS KAMBARAGE NYERERE OF TANZANIA: AN E N I G M A

 POSTED HERE ON  21  OCTOBER,   2012.

Julius Nyerere, the Man and the Myth by SARWED  DAWALO

Julius Nyerere, the man and the myth

The Citizen on Sunday, [14/10/2012] "Tanzania"

Issue No. 416

Summary: 

He was a brilliant and charismatic orator. Every time he spoke, his adversaries trembled in indignation. And when he took a swipe at his detractors, it was devastating. Being anglophile, he had incredible mastery of both Swahili and English.  Many believe that Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a complex phenomenon, so much so that it has proved pretty difficult to compile an accurate account on the man. In his heyday, this intellectual son of Africa was revered by many a Tanzanian and equally loathed by those who thought his iron fist style of rule was outright dictatorial. Some called him a “benevolent dictator”. Truth be told.


Tanzanians often misrepresent Nyerere’s personality, his ubuntu and his philosophical mission. They often take him for granted. They have developed a form of laziness (or is it fear?) to discuss Nyerere objectively. In fact, it requires loads of courage to simply mention the obvious. If you aspire to scale the social or political ladder, for example, prudence requires that you avoid mentioning Nyerere’s failures even if those facts are public knowledge. Sadly, this has almost become a national character. Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Once upon a time, there was a politician who led Tanganyika’s freedom struggle. He luckily gained the trust of his people as their leader and tried to formulate what he thought was best for his country. He experimented with his ideas on his docile citizens for two and a half decades. 

Unlike most African dictators of his era, he was not retired via a coup. Ultimately, with a little help (read push) from sanctions set by the Bretton Woods institutions, he finally stepped down from power in 1985. Who was Nyerere? Was he just the son of a nondescript chief in some far flung locale, who opted to lead a simple and ordinary life? A devout Christian who liked to don a Muslim cap? A graduate teacher who quit his profession to lead a political party? An altruistic President who thought of nothing except his people and the liberation of Africa? A communist (sic) who regularly attended church service and even partook in the Holy Communion? A unifier who left behind a fragile union government? A pan-African who opposed a continental government? Who exactly was this Nyerere? He was, to a large extent, a happily married man endowed with several children. It is on record that none took undue advantage of Dad’s presidency nor bothered fellow Tanzanians. 


The first family led a simple, moderate and quiet life. Considering his absolute powers, Mwalimu was never tempted to create a dynasty, even though he might have got a way with even if he did. Truly, nepotism was unacceptable to Nyerere. On this, hats off to him. Don’t you dare raise an accusing finger against Nyerere for abolishing chiefdoms, the local government system, trade unions, co-operatives, or competitive politics! Don’t even think of the times he nationalised private property, schools, hospitals and virtually everything else. How about the dogmatic approach to his villagisation programme? Or the times when he arbitrarily enforced repressive laws, detained opponents and outlawed strikes and demos. 

That was the order of the day then. He had his way and got away with it. In public, Nyerere tried his level best to unify Tanzania, a large country with a relatively small population. National unity is the number one legacy he will be remembered for. This is epitomised by his unwavering stance on the Tanganyika-Zanzibar Union, which was hastily put together on 26/4/1964 following a coup by a ragtag army to oust the Sultan in Zanzibar. Five decades later, thanks to sensitive declassified files in the US, analysts have questioned the reasons behind the making of the Union. Nyerere’s good intentions notwithstanding, the Union was actually an Anglo-American move to pre-empt a communist takeover in the Islands. Nyerere was blackmailed into playing ball after having been rescued from an army mutiny a couple of months earlier. 

As expected, the British sent in the gunboats. Over the years, Nyerere persistently argued that the Union was the result of brotherly relations between the two states and this was just the first step towards achieving a united Africa. Cynics argue that in pre-and-post uhuru(independence) Tanganyika, institutions and services such as the central railway line used to run regular schedules and were maintained regularly. Roads were also well maintained by the Public Works Department - PWD (Punda Wengi Duniani?). In cities like Dar-es-Salaam, most roads in Magomeni, Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke were tarmacked. By 1975, all the railway and road networks had collapsed. The entire infrastructure collapsed in Nyerere’s very hands. The central administration was also crumbling and discipline reached an appalling level. By the early eighties, the 400-plus parastatals, were running bankrupt from massive thievery. Evidently, the experiment was failing. To his chagrin, this string of failures resulted in an outcry from the citizenry that the colonial times seemed better. Nyerere was enraged. In the wake of the 1967 Arusha Declaration, haphazard nationalisation of private property ensued. We stooped so low as taking over small village shops. But Nyerere pressed on. 


In the seventies, the Ujamaa experiment was enjoying a good level of buoyancy, backed by the Scandinavian governments and China. Huge grants catered for free education and free health care. The euphoria was short lived. Just when Nyerere seemed to be basking in success and having a good laugh at the expense of the Americans and the British, the East African Community broke up in 1977. The Kagera War to liberate Uganda from Idi Amin Dada was the proverbial “last straw” as far as the national economy was concerned. This extravagant expedition forced Tanzania to live beyond its means. Analysts now question Nyerere’s haste to opt for war. The big question is: Would Nyerere have declared war on Amin had exiled former President Milton Obote, his close ally and friend, not been planning a comeback? In the aftermath, Obote briefly regained his presidency before another coup sent him into exile again. 


Tanzania is still recovering from that excursion. With a withering economy on the one hand and a dead socialist policy on the other, Nyerere had now reached the end of the road. The World Bank happily pounced on him while the IMF was sharpening its claws. Food shortages became the norm. In his last attempts to win public understanding, he let loose his Premier, the late Edward Moringe Sokoine, who went on to grab private property and jailed the unfortunate rich. Kangaroo courts were established across the country. In a classic case, a man was jailed for owning a TV set. Another went in for having a bottle of antibiotics. Worse things happened around the country, in some cases resulting in the loss of life! 


This 1983 economic crackdown was clearly the Arusha Declaration’s second coming. It was another poor performance by Nyerere in his last days in office. Several currency devaluations later, Nyerere had to go in 1985, leaving the economy in dire straits. Lots of propaganda and political spin went into making it look like Mwalimu had voluntarily left office. One of Nyerere’s lowest moments was in the late sixties, when he supported the Biafra secession attempt in Nigeria against all OAU tenets. Contributions were locally extorted and sent to Biafra. Incredibly, Nyerere was actually participating in and promoting the breaking-up of an independent African state. Later, historians came out with a revealing theory—that the Biafra fiasco was simply a Catholic conspiracy spearheaded by Nyerere, Cote d’Ivoire’s Houphouet Boigny and Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo. His esteem in Africa took a drastic plunge as close to a million people lost their lives in the Biafra War. 


This notwithstanding, Nyerere was known for his consistency on matters he believed in. He embarked on the war against tribalism by retiring all the tribal chiefs countrywide. He promoted the Swahili language as a national asset and used it to consolidate his grip on power. He castigated corruption vehemently and never stopped. He championed justice for all and sundry and spewed venom on those who advocated racial discrimination. After leaving office, he became a critic and anti-establishment proponent, much to the discomfort of those in power. The rulers then saw him as a spoilsport. The man was a brilliant and charismatic orator. He had a way with words. Every time he spoke, his adversaries trembled in indignation. And when he took a swipe at his detractors, it was devastating. Being anglophile, he had incredible mastery of both Swahili and English. He once accused British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of “prostituting British honour” and called Idi Amin Dada “that syphilitic lunatic”. 

It was hardly surprising when Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) ex-Prime Minister Ian Smith described Mwalimu as the “evil genius”. Mwalimu wrote several books and poems. But he resisted all attempts to get him to write his autobiography. Is it not amazing, however, that for a man who was mostly led by his ego, Mwalimu spent most of his life worrying how history would handle him? Politically, Mwalimu left a legacy of sycophancy and a gang of self-serving power mongers within CCM. They specialise in praise singing, ululation and incessant clapping at their meetings. Party elections have become big business, with votes openly bought and sold. And the so-called Nyerere protéges prefer to quote Nyerere only when and where it suits them and serves their interests. 


There are evident signs of a religious crisis in the offing. Muslims are now lamenting louder than when Mwalimu was in power. They claim that Mwalimu intentionally favoured Christians in college selection, Government appointments and division of other resources. Mwalimu left us this rift and it has turned into an accident waiting to happen. Now, as we commemorate 13 years of the death of a man who claimed to oppose religious favouritism, the Catholic Church is in the process of ‘canonising’ Mwalimu. What is the underlying agenda? What is the Church up to? After a quarter of a century at the helm of all things political, Mwalimu got a rude awakening. He glanced back at the trail of havoc he inflicted on his people and saw everything smouldering and the wreckage strewn all around. It was a “things fall apart” scene. 


At the end of the day, he had no real friends. His family suffered from his neglect. The masses were still poverty stricken, illiteracy was holding sway, healthcare was zilch and the Union was collapsing. Both grand and petty corruption were riding high and, to make it worse, the ruling CCM dumped his Arusha Declaration and Socialism. Because nothing that he stood for stood, Nyerere died a bitter and very angry man. Yes, there will never be another Julius Nyerere. He was, indeed, an enigma.


sdawalo@yahoo.com JKN the Enigma

MAONI YA KATIBA MPYA TOKA KWA IDRISA FAIDA, TANZANIA

Yameingizwa humu leo hii 11/10/2012.

MAONI YA KATIBA MPYA

1. Wananchi waliopo kwenye maeneo yenye rasilimali za taifa wanufaike moja kwa moja kwanza kutokana na rasilimali hizo.

2. Kutokana na ufisadi, mmomonyoko wa maadili, kukithiri kwa rushwa, ngono, utapeli na mengine mengi yanayotokana kutokuwa na hofu ya Mungu katiba iruhusu mfumo wa elimu wa kidini ili kujenga maadili ya viongozi wa baadae wenye hofu ya kudhulumu wengine.

3. Nafasi za ziongozi katika sekta za kiserikali , katiba mpya itamke wazi kuwa kuwe na uwakilishi wenye uwiano sawa kwa dini zote, (wakristo, waislam)

4. Katiba mpya isiruhusu mkataba wowote kati ya mtu mmoja na nchi/ jamii moja na nchi au mtu mmoja na mwingine kwa niaba ya kuwakilisha watanzania wote badala yake mikataba yote ipitie bungeni au chombo maalum cha kupitisha mikataba kabla ya kusainiwa kwake (chini ya wanasheria).

5. Katiba mpya iruhusu jamii ya kitanzania kujiunga na mashirika ya ndani naya nje kwa maslahi ya jamii husika na kwa watanzania wengine kwa ujumla.

6. Kutokana na mwiingiliano na mkanganyiko wa kuutendaji kati ya serikali ya jumuhuri ya muungano wa Tanzania na serikali ya mapinduzi ya Zanzibar, katiba ijayo iruhusu uundwaji wa serikali tatu

 (i) serikali ya Tanganyika,

(ii) serikaili ya mapinduzi Zanzibar na

(iii)SERIKALI YA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA.

7. Katiba itamke rasmi kuwa ngazi za urais katika Selikali ya Muungano wa Tanzania ni wa kupokezana kwa uadilifu. Mfano Rais akitoka bara makamu wa rais atoke Zanzibar, kipindi kijacho rais ni Zanzaibar na makamu atakuwa wa kutoka  Tanzania Bara.

8. Katiba iwatambue wanandoa (mke na mume) wenye jinsia tofauti pekee.

9. Katiba mpya iruhusu na kusimamia watanzania kuhukumiana kimila, kijamii au kidini iwapo jambo wanalohukumiana halina ufafanuzi wa kina au kukosa wataalam wa undani katika mahakama za kiserikali, hivyo basi mahakimu wa mahakama hizo watumike katika kutatua masuala hayo.

10. Katiba isiruhusu mkataba wowote wenye mrengwe wa kubaguzi katika kuwaga watanzania kimikoa, kikabila wala kidini kwa kuupendelea jamii moja, dini moja au mkoa mmoja kinyume na mingine.

11. Iwapo kutauwa na mkataba wowote wenye misingi ya kibaguzi wa kiamajimbo,jamii na kidini katiba itamke wazi kuvunjwa kwa mikataba hiyo.

12. Katiba mpya iruhusu mgombea binafi katika nafasi mbalimbali isipokuwa ngazi ya urais pekee.

13. Katiba mpya iruhusu uundwaji wa mahakama kuu ya katiba ili kusimamia utekelezaji wa sheria za nchi.

14. Kutokana na Tanzania kuwa ni mwanachana wa umoja wa mataifa aliyesaini kuunga mkono haki za binadamu, sheria zote zenye kupingana na haki za binadamu zisiwekwe kwenye sheria mpya.

15. Mwenye kuthibitika kuuwa kwa maksudi sheria ya kifo iwe ni halali kwake. ( Sheria ya kifo itekelezwe ili kupunguza watu kuuana bila sababu ya msingi)

TANBIHI (ZINDUKA) Ndugu toa nakala kadri uwezavyo ili siku ya kuchangia kila mtu asome kutoka kwenye nakala yake asitokee mwananchi kudai yeye hana hoja ya kuchangia, maoni yetu baadhi ni haya.

AFANYIA MTIHANI WODINI, MOROGORO, TANZANIA

Date: Wednesday, 10 October, 2012, 19:58

MWANAFUNZI  AFANYIA MTIHANI HOSPITALINI

Mwanafunzi wa kidato cha nne katika shule ya sekondari ya Alfa Morogoro, Jesca Kiliani (17) akifanya mtihani wa taifa wa kidato cha nne akiwa wadi namba 7B katika hospitali ya Rufaa ya Mkoa wa Morogoro jana 9/10/2012, baada ya kulazwa kufuatia kufanyiwa operesheni ya uvimbe ambapo hivi sasa anaendelea na matibabu hospitalini hapo.

[Shule hii ya Alfa ndio shule pekee Manispaa ya Morogoro inayotoa elimu ya Sekondari kwa watu wa rika lolote lile.   Mtu yeyote aliyeikosa elimu hii wakati wake anaweza kujiunga na shule hii ya sekondari na kuendelea na masomo ili mradi tu anamudu kulipia ada yake ambayo ni nafuu sana kwa sababu hugawiwa kadri mlipaji anavyoweza kumudu kuilipia. 

Shule hii ipo katika eneo la Mjimwema, Kata ya Nanenane, Manispaa ya Morogoro.]

Habari kamili: http://www.mwananchi.co.tz/habari/4-habari-za-kitaifa/26505-afanya-mtihani-kidato-cha-nne-wodini