in Arusha
By Cosmas Pahalah
Two organs of the East African Community seem to be disagreeing on recent proposals to have suspects of Kenya’s post election violence tried in Arusha.
While the proposal was unanimously passed by members of the East African Legislative Assembly during their last week’s sessions, the other organ, the East African Law Society is opposing the idea.
The parliamentarians advised that the four Kenyan suspects, among them top ministers, who are facing charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague should have their cases transferred to Tanzania and be tried at the Arusha-based, East African Court of Justice.
The East African Court of Justice has neither the capacity nor expertise and the EACJ does not have jurisdiction as per the community treaty to entertain international criminal matters," the EALS President, Dr Wilbert Kapinga pointed out in an official statement.
Uhuru Kenyatta
"This follows the East African Legislative Assembly resolution that the East African Community Council of Ministers should immediately embark on the process of requesting the transfer of proceedings for the accused four suspects in the respect to the 2007 Kenyan post election violence from the International Criminal Court and instituting them in the East African Court of Justice."
"It is on the basis that the acts complained of are contraventions of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community at its …. Session held in Nairobi, Kenya on the 26th April, 2012, the East Africa Law Society has petitioned The Chairperson of the East African Community Heads of States Summit, The Hon. Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly, The Chairperson of the East African Community Council of Ministers, and the Secretary General of the East African Community urging caution on the implementation of the said resolution."
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already named a three-judge bench to hear Kenya's two post-election violence cases at The Hague.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II in January this year confirmed charges against Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and Journalist Joshua Sang.
In the statement dated 30th April, 2012, the East Africa Law Society reminded the East African Community organs that the East African Court of Justice has neither the capacity, expertise nor jurisdiction to entertain international criminal matters; and neither does the Rome statute provide an avenue for States or Intergovernmental Organizations to request for relocation of cases (after the confirmation of charges).
The East Africa Law Society also called into question the practicability of the Resolution in the face of the latest draft East African Community Protocol on extending the jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice in which all the East African Community partner states have agreed to exclude any reference to Human Rights Jurisdiction for the court; and yet International Criminal jurisdiction is inextricably intertwined with human rights.
If the partner states however, are adamant that they want to relocate the cases to the East African Court of Justice, the East Africa Law Society insisted that they must ensure a total review and restructuring of the Court to grant it the envisaged Criminal Jurisdiction, capacitate it to effectively undertake the investigative and prosecutorial functions inherent in Criminal Matters, and ensure that the process of appointment of judges is transparent, participatory and competitive.
Arumeru MP commits himself to advance sports
By Cosmas Pahalah
Mr. Joshua Nasari
He urged the leadership of Arumeru District Football Association to organise regular meets starting from the grass root level.
The coordinator of the tournament Mr. Amiri Kiungai listed the participating teams as follows: Patandi, Chaki A, African soka, Sokoni, Vipaji, Chaki B, Makisoro, Videsi, Solenyi and Makumira.
He said the winner will get a goat that cost about 200,000/= and other prices to be dished out are best team award, best referee, best player and best goal-keeper awards.
He thanked the member of parliament for his contribution and urged other politicians to follow suit in order to persuade other youth to take part in the game.
Kiungai also thanked other stakeholders who made monetary and other contributions towards the organisation of the competition in which at least sh 542,000/= was raised.
| Former Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye (left) compares notes with CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) member Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru (middle) in a seminar for the party’s NEC members in Dodoma yesterday. Looking on is CCM trustee Peter Kisumo.. PHOTO | FIDELIS FELIX By The Citizen Reporters Dodoma. The rewrite of Tanzania’s Constitution – Katiba - was among the top agendas that preoccupied the one-day meeting of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) National Executive Committee (NEC) here yesterday. Sources privy to the meeting, which was chaired by national party chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete, said that delegates discussed the need for CCM members to get prepared for changes that were likely to come with the new supreme law whose processing began early this month. Ruling party insiders said CCM members across the country were urged to get prepared "psychologically" for the forthcoming fresh Constitution, which was likely to bring in clauses that might be unpalatable to those who staunchly stuck to long-held traditions of managing the country. The centre of discussions was the looming possibility of the new Katiba allowing an independent presidential candidate, an idea that has frequently been agitated for by sections of the population – mainly activists and certain politicians. The sources said the governing party has formed a committee to coordinate the collection of views from CCM members, which would be presented to the Joseph Warioba commission that has been charged with collecting suggestions from the breadth and length of country, to be considered by experts who will rewrite the Constitution. The introduction of an independent presidential candidate has been opposed by CCM for fear that its visibly powerful members who fail to be picked during preferential polls could opt to stand as independent candidates and win elections. According to sources, the party’s committee to coordinate the collection of views on the constitutional review would be headed by Mr Abdulrahman Kinana. The sources said the committee would also look at the structure of the Union that comprises Mainland Tanzania (Tanganyika) and Zanzibar Isles. All these issues were to be discussed by ruling party’s NEC members last night when the meeting resumed after a late afternoon lunch break. "The issues raised are likely to take centre stage in our discussions," said one NEC member who preferred to remain anonymous since he was not the party’s official spokesperson. On April 6, President Kikwete formed a 32-member constitutional review commission charged with spearheading the process. The team is led by highly respected, vastly experienced legal professionals – Justices Joseph Warioba as chair, deputised by retired chief justice, Mr Augustino Ramadhani. The team over which the two will superintend will collect views on the outlook of the envisaged new Constitution, as a preamble to seeking the final decision by wananchi through a referendum. Besides holders of the chiefs, 30 other members – divided equally between the two partners of the Union – President Kikwete also appointed two people to head the commission’s secretariat - Mr Assa Ahmad Rashid (secretary) and Mr Casmir Sumba as his deputy. Their substantive posts are, respectively, permanent secretary in the Zanzibar ministry of Justice, and chief (Union government) parliamentary draughtsman. On the list (the Mainland) are prominent constitutional law experts – Prof Palamagamba Kabudi who is the dean of the University of Dar es Salaam School of Law and Dr Sengondo Mvungi who is the Vice Chancellor of Bagamoyo University. Others include Professor Mwesiga Baregu, a political science professor at St. Augustine University and veteran politician and Chairman of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, Mr Joseph Butiku. The most prominent nominee from Zanzibar is Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, a former secretary general of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and lately a member of the Nyerere Foundation. Meanwhile, CCM Publicity and Ideology secretary Nape Nnauye yesterday denied reports that the acting chairman of the party’s youth wing, Mr Benno Malisa, has been removed from the Central Committee. The word doing the rounds here over the past two days had it that Mr Malisa got the sack after he questioned President Kikwete’s appointments of district commissioners announced by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda on Wednesday last week. "These reports are not true," said Mr Nnauye, who was flanked by Mr Malisa himself. Meanwhile, the CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) has appointed 32 CCM district secretaries in changes that are said to aim at strengthening the party. CCM Publicity and Ideology secretary Nape Nnauye mentioned the secretaries in a press statement as Grayson Mwenge, Abdallah Hassan, Ernest Makunga, Mgeni Haji, Innocent Nanzabar, Nicholous Malema and Mercy Moleli. Others are Michael Bundala, Elisante Kimaro, Zacharia Mwansasu, Eliud Semauye, Habas Mwijuki, Loth Ole Nesele, Charles Sangura, Donald Magessa, Fredrick Sabuni, Janeth Mashele, Daniel Porokwa, Zongo Lobe Zongo, Mwanamvua Kilio and Joyce Mmasi. |
Cosmas Pahalah,
Opposition MP Zitto Kabwe has criticised the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) for failing to publish monthly economic reports on time.He said that was an indication of irresponsibility and inefficiency. "It also infringes on the right of the people to access information," he cautioned.
"It goes against President Jakaya Kikwete’s pronouncements in international that his government is committed to disseminating information. It can also be an attempt to hide crucial data to give the impression that the
economy is doing well while it isn’t."
He hinted that he had heard of a report of foreign currency reserves having declined to the equivalent of one month of imports, down from about four months of imports a few years ago.
The Kigoma North lawmaker on a Chadema ticket noted in a statement yesterday that there was no sound reason for BoT’s failure to publish the reports monthly for the last six months.
The last monthly economic report released covers November 2011. The bank also did not publish a quarterly economic bulletin.
Mr Kabwe said it was the BoT’s duty to keep information up-to-date in monthly and quarterly reports. "These documents provide information on all important issues relating to the economy such as inflation, revenue and expenditure, international trade trend and debts of the United Republic and Zanzibar."
He urged Prof Ndulu to ensure that monthly reviews were published at the right time. He said by the end of the week starting from yesterday, the central bank website should contain information of December, January, February, March and April.
However, BoT governor Benno Ndulu responded to accusations, saying various reasons including a change in the mode of publishing them delayed the process.
"The Monetary Policy Committee used to meet monthly, however, since January it has been meeting once in two months. The change has led to delays in publishing the reports," Prof Ndulu told The Citizen yesterday by phone.
He said BoT would stop issuing such documents monthly and instead they would be made available once in two months. "But the reports will contain details of the two months."
He allayed fears that the bank was running out of foreign exchange reserves, saying it had $3.6 billion, which could cover four months of imports.
He promised that the bank would release reports of up to February in the coming few days. "We never hide any information. We have an open door policy. It is the change of some procedures that that has delayed the publication of the reports."
Financial gurus and economists have warned that BoT delays to publish the reports would have negative implications to the economy as most organisations and foreign investors depended on them to make their decisions.
"Unavailability of up-to-date data on the central bank website raises questions of its credibility and ability to deliver," said a Mzumbe University economics lecturer, Dr Honest Ngowi. "The delays have direct, negative impacts on researchers who are doing studies in macroeconomic reviews because without data from the central bank they won’t be able to update information."
Dr Ngowi said some researchers in Tanzania were sourcing data about the country from international organisations such as the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
Apart from BoT, the Tanzania Investment Centre has been delaying in issuing investment reports
| Leased Air Tanzania plane arrives in Dar |
| MPs PETITION GOVT ON FAMILY PLANING |
| By The Cosmas Pahalah Dar es Salaam. A group of lawmakers have petitioned the government to give family planning activities the weight it deserves in the national development plan. At least 14, out of 18 MPs who form the Parliament Family Planning Club, are concerned that the government has neglected the issue in its five-year development blueprint as well as long term development vision which the country has adopted. In the petition, a copy of which has been seen by The Citizen, the MPs ask the government to set aside enough funds, for financing family planning activities, like it has done with other undertakings covered by the development plan. They have warned that the government would be neglecting family planning at its own peril as failure to finance the sub sector would have adverse effects on the nation and its people. They noted also that financing family planning adequately would enable the government to save colossal amounts of money and complement its other endeavours. In the petition signed by the group chairperson, Ms Jenista Mhagama (Peramiho-CCM), they note that according to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in every Sh1,585 (about $1) which the country invests in family planning services, it saves Sh49,135 (about $30). Other lawmakers who have signed the petition are Ms Margareth Sitta, Albert Ntabaliba, John Mnyika, Christina Lissu, Khalifa Suleiman Khalifa, Dr Mary Mwanjelwa, Juma Sururu, Haroub Shamis, Mkiwa Kimwanga, Rosweeter Kasilika, Mtutura Mtutura and Betty Machangu. The Club members who did not sign the petition are Dr Faustine Ndugulile, Shawana Hassan, Livingstone Lusinde and Pindi Chana. The MPs are concerned that as opposed to other activities in the development plan, no funding has been set aside for financing family planning activities. "This does not reflect on the good spirit contained in other government plans to address issues surrounding family planning," reads part of the petition |
| CENTRE HAILS ROLE OF WOMEN |
| By Cosmas Pahalah Dar es Salaam. The Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran has called for emphasis on the role of women in families in order to build a good society for the country’s development. The Cultural counselor of the Iranian Embassy, Mr Morteza Sabouri, said there was the possibility of having a more productive and decent generation in the future if women would raise their children properly. Speaking during a one-day seminar on women’s rights in Islam held in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, he said women have a major role in shaping the future generation as they play a great part in the family. "It is important to emphasise the need to have good families because when you destroy a family, it means you have destroyed a society too," Mr Morteza said. Attended by tens of Islamic women, the seminar was organised by the Iranian Cultural Centre in Collaboration with the Association of Muslim Women of Tanzania (Juwakita) in commemoration of the birthday of Hadrat Fatima, the daughter of the Holy prophet S.A.W. For her part, the chairperson of Juwakita, Ms Shamim Khan, said women have to monitor their children and give them timely advice. She said a woman was regarded as a role model to her children, hence, if by any chance a child went astray the first person to be blamed was the mother. "We as women have common areas of concern that need to be addressed with concerted efforts. One vital area is education, an ongoing process that many of us lack," she noted. "An educated woman will be in a better position to teach her children the lawful and the unlawful… bring them up with good values and make them reliable future citizens." However, she blamed to a larger extent the deterioration in values in children on globalisation. | |
| Mobile phone firm seeks to reduce voice, data charges | |
| Airtel Tanzania Marketing director Cheikh Sarr briefs reporters at the launch of a new service called 'SUPA 5’ that seeks to reduce communication charges. Looking on are Public Relations manager Jackson Mmbando (right) and Marketing manager Rahma Mwapachu (left).PHOTO BY COSMAS JARIBU By Cosmas Pahalah, The Citizen Reporter Dar es Salaam. Airtel Tanzania has launched a service called ‘Supa 5’ offer that seeks to reduce both voice and data charges. The new service will allow subscribers to call for half shilling 24 hours seven days a week to three preferred numbers and enjoy all night calls at quarter a shilling as well as browsing Facebook and internet services at night. Speaking at the launch of the offer Airtel Tanzania Managing Director Sam Elangalloor said the launch of Supa 5; will enable youth across the country to select three numbers to call for half a hilling all day and night. Mr Elangalloor added that customers will have night time calls at a quarter shilling to all numbers, send 10 messages for Sh30 and get 200 free SMS’s and browse Facebook for free and free night time internet. "The offer provides well-rounded and affordable solutions for those who seamlessly use voice calls, online social platforms and short texts to communicate with relatives, friends and peers. Airtel is committed to providing our customers with quality innovative product and services that will improve total customer experience on our network," said Elangalloor Airtel Marketing director Cheikh Sarr said the launch of Supa5 offer aims at empowering Tanzanian youths who have been playing a significant role in spearheading technological changes through various social media platforms including mobile services. Sarr said Supa 5 is a permanent service which is designed to meet customers’ individual needs regardless of their handsets type, the availability of a data connection and their budget wherever they are across the country. "Unlike other offers, the Supa 5 allows the customer to re-su bscribe upon the expiry of the first subscription –providing convenience and flexibility at the hands of the Tanzanian customers," said Sar |
| SPECIAL REPORT: Contract farming seen as solution to ailing cotton production |
| A farmer sprays thiodan in his cotton farm. Contract farming could entice more farmers to improve their production PHOTO BY COSMAS PAHALAH By Cosmas Pahalah, The Citizen Reporter Dar es Salaam. Though the government has firmly emphasised that contract farming is the way forward in cotton cultivation, there is still uncertainty as some stakeholders are yet to accept the new system. The disagreement between those who are for and those against the system was evident in a meeting of cotton stakeholders held in Mwanza recently. Looking at intricacies of the system, it is evident that it is geared towards assisting the farmers. It also seeks to improve the quality and quantity of Tanzania’s cotton at the international market. One wonders then, why do some people oppose it? The problem might be that some of the stakeholders don’t want to invest. This system needs stakeholders, notably ginners, to invest extensively by assisting farmers during production. That is why during this season, ginners were asked to deposit Sh50 million each, so as to ensure availability of inputs to farmers. It is this amount of investment which has put cotton stakeholders confused. Listening to those who are opposed to the system, it is evident that though they say that they are against it, in fact they are against investing. This is because inspite of their protests they concur that contract farming is beneficial, not only to farmers, but to them as well. Ideally, contract farming is a private-sector transaction facilitating farmers and ginners in collectively investing in land, labour, credit, high-value inputs, education and technology for their mutual benefit. Here ginners form a "platform" from which rural Tanzanians may secure the means of production to transform themselves into productive cotton farmers. This investment ensures increased production of high quality cotton. While farmers will be direct beneficiaries of the increased yield, ginners, on their part, would reap their benefits from the export of the high quality cotton. And the country will also benefit as it will be famed as origin of high quality cotton. According to Tanzania Cotton Board Director General, Mr Marco Mutunga, due to negligence to assist farmers, cotton farming has taken a hit. This has led to low yields of down to 300km per acre while there is a possibility of producing up to 1,500kg per acre. Speaking during another meeting in Dar es Salaam last week, Mr Mutunga also indicated that Tanzania cotton has been getting low prices at the world market due to its inferior quality. On average, Tanzania cotton is sold at between 4 and 6 US cents discount. Lack of investment in cotton farming has contributed to inadequate research on the crop, Mr Mutunga says noting that coupled with low level of mechanisation and inadequate extension services, the crop, which had been the pride of Tanzania few years ago, has been going down at an alarming rate. On the contrary, contract farming is aimed at turning this sorry state to prosperity, according to Mr Mutunga. Some stakeholders who spoke in Mwanza were surprised that there were some people, especially those involved in cotton farming, who oppose the contract farming system, which, if used effectively, will redeem the crop which is depended on by more than 16 million people in the country. A warning has already been sounded that if something is not done to salvage the contract farming system, the crop, known as the white gold, would die as people look on. Its demise would not only affect millions of people from seven regions, but will also have a hit on the agriculture sector, in which it accounts for 25 percent. Because agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, this means that the country’s economy is also going to be affected. A cross section of ginners speaking in Mwanza stakeholders meeting recently, warned that the cotton sub sector will fall into deep waters if contract farming is halted following a wide concerted opposition by some ginners. Speaking at the Mwanza meeting, a representative of one of the major buyers of the produce, Jagan Gopinath of Olam Tanzania strongly advised that if the contract farming model for the cotton sector fails, it would be difficult for private investors to top up their stakes in the sector. It was apparent at the meeting called by the government through Tanzania Cotton Association (TCA) that ginners that have invested billions in contract farming want the concept to go on while others who find themselves short of necessary funding, felt that they were being pushed out of the business because of the heavy investments required. "The best way forward to increase productivity and quality of cotton produced in Tanzania is contract farming, which is win–win for all. It enables the stakeholders including the government to keep a watch at the whole value chain. It is the only viable way. I am telling this based on our experience in Zambia, Ghana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Ivory Cost," said Mr Jagan Gopinath. He added that it is contract farming that has revived cotton successfully in Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Added Mr Gopinath: "This is going to be the same case in Tanzania, but if we allow the non investing ginners to conduct a free for all buying without supporting farmers with inputs, we will be taking steps backwards." Sunday Mtaki, a consultant to the cotton industry, also felt that a lot of efforts invested to revive the crop will be futile if cotton farming is thrown out and the nation will have to go back to the drawing board. "Without implementation of contract farming, Tanzania’s cotton sector will be in peril. Record levels of planted acreage achieved this season will not be repeated as without organised support of ginners in securing and distributing significant levels of inputs on a credit basis, farmers may not be able to make it," said the chief executive officer of Singida-based Biosustain Ginnery, Dr Riyaz Haider. While others are hesitant, about 13 ginners and four cooperative unions have already invested in contract farming and facilitated distribution to farmers of most of the record quantities of pesticide and about 30,000 tonnes of seeds. The contract farming system, which is supervised by TCB, is coordinated by the Cotton Development Trust Fund (CDTF), a private-sector agent facilitating input procurement on behalf of farmers, ginners and the TCB. The investment and other actions of these 17 ginners and coops have supported the lion’s share of a record amount of acreage devoted to seed cotton production (estimated at nearly 1.4 million acres this season). Despite the achievement, farmers groups said there was still a shortage of inputs. Last year, these same 17 ginners and coops purchased over 80 per cent of the crop while still reporting significant under-utilisation of their ginneries. This season, they have signed production contracts with nearly 4,000 farmer business groups (FBG) comprising nearly 250,000 Tanzanian cotton farmers. In contrast, about 18 ginners who have not invested in contract farming have signed production contracts with only about 1,000 FBGs representing less than 80,000 farmers. Despite not having invested in the system, these ginners have distributed only a small fraction of seeds and pesticides in this season. Ginners supporting contract farming want the government to maintain an enabling environment for investment by maintaining the rules of contract farming as stipulated by the TCB as they feel that allowing "free rider" ginners, who have not invested in contract farming, will just kill the sector. Some non-investing ginners want free riders to buy the crop from anyone, which encourages side buying from contracted farmers and leads to lowering the balance of scale. Accordingly, if the ability of invested ginners to collect on loans extended to farmers is inhibited by government’s licensing of "free-riding" non-investing ginners, then investing ginners cannot be held accountable for their input-related obligations. Implementation of contract farming has been opposed to the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives by a group of ginners, who have failed to invest in contract farming as stipulated by the TCB.The 18 ginners that have not invested in contract farming this season purchased only about 17 per cent of last year’s crop. Several of these 18 ginners are currently on the "default list" of the International Cotton Association. Some have managed to negotiate and removed from the list and are now paying European buyers for them to be able to continue with the business. Inclusion on such list indicates that these ginners have defaulted on significant contracts with international cotton traders and that these ginners will not likely be able to access international cotton markets in selling the product of whatever level of seed cotton they might purchase if licensed. Here it is not only the reputation of the ginners which is in line, but also Tanzania fame as a producer of quality cotton is at stake. Furthermore, continuing inclusion of these defaulting ginners in Tanzania’s cotton sector may be detrimental to the sales efforts of Tanzania’s non-defaulting ginners among international cotton buyers. This situation calls for immediate government intervention. To abandon contract farming seem not to be good option as it will increase the risk of demise of the crop. Failure of Government to act to uphold the rules of contract farming will result in significant hardship for Tanzanian farmers. For his part, TCA Chairman Mwita Gachuma, speaking during the Mwanza Stakeholders meeting, called upon ginners that have not yet invested in contract farming to meet their related obligations immediately. He said their failure to do so would mean that they were not going to be licensed to buy cotton this season. "We hope that our colleagues will appreciate the grave situation we are in and do something to rescue cotton which supports millions of people and accounts for substantial percentage of agricultural economy in the country," he said. |
| THE HUNTER BECOMES THE HUNTED |
| ByCosmas Pahalah |
| Everybody is looking for love. When you finally meet the right person, it feels like a dream come true especially, if the search took a lifetime. Irony is, the partner in waiting could be on the look out for something totally different. It is also possible, that he/she could be with you for his own selfish agenda. Forgive my vague recollection of the biology lessons but I’m certain that a symbiotic relationship involves 2 organisms that directly benefit from each other. In parasitic relationships two organisms are in it; the hunter and the hunted. In the perilous world of dating, parasitic relationships are quite a norm; men and women hunt down each other like the soldiers of Persia. Hunter is gunned down Having been a hunter myself (I convey my sincere regrets), I know how what the poisonous arrow does to the prey and in my reformed state, would not wish for that arrow to land on anyone least of all, a close friend. Anyway, when my best friend broke news of a found love, I was excited for him because his luck buffered my hopes. But when I met Cindy (his girlfriend) I knew we had a problem. I am a woman and I know when a girl is into a guy and Cindy was evidently not into my pal. I also know that sharing wise words with a soul in love is like playing ukulele to a goat; you don’t expect a jig from the beast. When I spoke to my pal, I knew he was heading for the rocks. He was giving so much into the relationship yet the girl was taking and taking. He was always there for her but she was never there for him. He spent all his money, time and energy on her but she was ever too held up to see him. Cindy was a user! It was written all over her face. One for the money Nobody likes being used but it’s the new fad, and it is being done for so many reasons. The common reason is sex. Men are ever guilty of this offence, but women are gradually catching up. Nowadays women too are using men to get over an ex, make up for bad sex or as a rebound tool after a break-up. Most of the time, men are okay being used for sex because they get to reap benefits without being in a relationship. A friend once told me she doesn’t really like the boyfriend but she stays with him because he buys her nice things and provides for her. Once upon a time, women were the branded users but men are warming up to the idea. If you ask me, material lifespan in a relationship is much more short-lived than the emotional one. When a relationship is materialistic, ladies, you eventually age and a new hot item 20 years fresher appears on the shelf. Anyway, dating someone for the money is an age-old way to use someone. Strategic self-made unions The insulting thing about being used to cure someone’s bouts of jealousy, is that you feel twice as stupid; the user, exploits you to get back at the real deal he is interested in while you hang in there hoping to win your ticket to the aisle. You are a pawn in a game, either to make an ex jealous, to impress or compete with someone else. Many times I hear people say: "I am with X because they make me feel good about myself." As shallow as it sounds, there are men who only date the prettiest girl or woman who goes for the hottest guy, to boost their self-esteem. It’s no secret that you can get somewhere because of who you know and not necessarily what you do. We’ve all heard of "sleeping your way to the top"; relationships can be used the same way. You could use someone either to climb the corporate ladder or to improve self-image like the "strategic" Hollywood unions between aspiring actors and powerful producers. Some people even get-married to feign the "family man" image to the public. Watch out for these signs How do you know that you are being used? The easiest way to tell is when you are perpetually sorting out a financial mess, accomplishing this task or that. What are you in the relationship: a task manager? It is not fun when you and your partner are on different pages. Bottom line is that nobody wants to be used and knowing you are just a pawn in a game is damaging to one’s self esteem. It’s easy to know when you are being taken for a ride though; as a woman your intuition will be your first warning. Trust your intuition. It is the mind’s alert signal at the subconscious level. We all know that Karma is a bitch and in the end we all reap what we sow. Don’t use anyone if you don’t want to be used. Is it true democracy or is it fragmentation?BY Cosmas PahalahONE could say it is a bad omen for the newly established party; the Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC), for it’s failing to attract support for many who were reached for comments. But on Monday this week a 19th party came to existence in the Tanzania’s political scene, the ADC is more of the break away from the Civic United Front (CUF), one time second to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). This event comes about few months after another party the CCK had received a registration as 18th party in series. Sad news however is the fact that the new party appears to lack the necessary requisites for a serious party due to the fact many commentators do not expect anything new and substantial because in recent times, parties are becoming more of sources of income to individuals. A media consultant, former political editor with The Citizen, and current head for a human rights journalist’s organization, Christopher Kidanka says some politicians in Tanzania have failed to make a demarcation between political parties and interest groups; this then is the main cause of the mushrooming of political parties in this country. "It is strange to find that people are still thinking of establishing new parties since we are seeing nothing new in terms of policies and parties’ agenda except for new names which even though are very similar to those of the existing ones," he said when reached for comments. But without underestimating this weakness, he was quick to add that this ‘bloc’ movement of former members of the CUF has severe repercussions to its existence not only as an opposition party, but as a political party as well. He reminds that there are many tenets that identify a party as an opposition party; these have been lost since after the CUF had decided to form the Government of National Unity (GNU), with its archrival the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). "The lack of transparency in the formation of this Government had left many questions unanswered," added Kidanka. Rev. Fr Dr Joseph Matumaini a lecturer in policy communication at St Augustine University of Tanzania says the turn of events in opposition parties signifies lack of political morality in some of the leaders, he justifies that with the current number of 19 parties, 18 in the opposition might make serious people to ask questions on the seriousness of leaders of these parties if they are not just vehicles to facilitate incomes of their leaders. "I am dumbfounded when I read a newspaper to note that we have 19 parties I was flabbergasted that even sponsors might worry if at all these politicians are serious, or else they have turned their parties into sources of income," said Matumaini. Her reminds that even Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was successful in galvanizing financial support for the then Tanganyika African National Union because there was a clear focus that Tanzanians (Tanganyikans) were striving for having their own independence and this did not count whether these people supported Nyerere personally or not but his political course was not questionable anyhow. The don was critical that if at all politicians have reached a stage whereby parties are used for financial gains rather than service to the people then that is a big blow to this country. But he defended the decision that some people had chosen to move from the CUF because there might be genuine reasons that led them to call it quit from their former part party, and this has to send a message to the leadership that something has gone astray. A prominent political scientist and lecturer Prof Mwesigwa Baregu says it is a democratic right for some CUF members who have chosen to quit from their former party or even to establish a new party but the issue at hand is to look at several repercussions due to this decision as discussed here below: "The move to shift has been taken as a bloc decision which means there was a bloc discontent, these people want to foster their agenda, they want to show their solidarity, and it is most likely that this will have a severe impact to the CUF regardless of whether they will survive as a political party or not," says Baregu. Another commentator who preferred anonymity is a preacher and God’s servant who simply said, "Give God what belongs to God and Caesar what belongs to Caesar" but a few minutes later he decided to give a few comments and said that the main problems with Tanzanian politicians is the fact that people are compelled top join political parties because of the physical demands of the human body like food, water and shelter. "I am sure that it is wrong to reduce politics to the human body demands because this is unethical and could make smart people to manipulate politics and divert it to fulfill their desires by forming movements which appears as political parties but lacking coherent political agenda," he commented. A lecturer in media and politics at the Institute of Journalism and Mass Communications of the University of Dar es Salaam, Ernest Mrutu said that people must be wary of the ‘Mobutu Syndrome’ he was referring to the late Mobutu Sese Seko, former president of Zaire now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who registered more than 360 parties through his relatives and close allies with the aim of weakening the opposition. However, he reminded that for quite sometime now there were claims from the CUF of dictatorial tendencies by its leadership and this sadden move could have been a calculated to send a strong message of dissatisfaction to the disfranchised members whose voice went unheard for so long. He further warned Tanzanians to take precautions once they discover there is a ‘dirty game’ to further political interests of some people who detests tangible development of this country. "I was surprised to hear that there is propaganda that Dr Willibrod Slaa is an agent of the CCM such campaigns are bad as they can cause harm and intra-conflicts if members are not careful," he concluded. ‘Tuberculosis is not drug-resistant in Tanzania’ By, Cosmas Pahalah Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Haji Mponda, has assured Tanzanians that no known cases of Totally Drug Resistant Tuberculosis have been reported in this country. Dr Mponda was responding to a question by this reporter on findings made by doctors at the PD Hinduja National Hospital and Research Centre, in India’s largest city, Mumbai, who reported that they had confirmed four cases of Totally Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (TDR-TB) at their facility. Tanzania ranks 18th on the list of 22 high-burden tuberculosis countries in the world, as per statistics released in a medical journal on clinical infectious disease, released last year in December. According to the World Health Organization, every year 9 million people are infected by the disease, while 2 million of them die every year. Dr Mponda said the Government is working closely with researchers on TB drug-resistant cases in other countries, such as India and China. "I can assure my fellow citizens that, in Tanzania we have never found cases of drug-resistance in tuberculosis patients," he said. He said the ministry is taking a close look to ensure that the current drugs for TB treatment are effective, and nobody will die because of the disease. Of the estimated 120,191new TB cases in 2007, 56,233 were sputum smear-positive (SS+), due to improved quality of services and evaluation; Tanzania met the World Health Organization’s global target of 85 percent in 2007 for treatment success. However, the case detection rate for new SS+ TB cases remains low at 51 percent, well below WHO’s target of 70 percent. Case notification rates have fallen over the last three years. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is associated with a 60 percent increase in active TB in Tanzania. Fifty percent of notified cases were tested for HIV in 2007, and the prevalence of HIV infection among TB patients is estimated at 47 percent. Plans to expand treatment to HIV-positive TB patients will reduce the death rate, and plans to improve TB reporting systems will improve followup and reduce patient default rates. Prevalence of multi-drug resistant TB remains low, with about 1,300 cases reported in 2007. Management of MDR-TB started in 2007, although preparations began in 2006 with the renovations of laboratories and patient facilities, procurement of new diagnostic tools, and recruitment of personnel. Antibiotics to control tuberculosis have been available for more than half a century. But TB bacteria have shown a resilient capability to evolve drug-resistant va |
CORRUPTION MAJOR FACTOR FOR SUBSTANDARD GOODS
By Cosmas Pahalah
THE lust for money has been described as one of the major challenges in stopping the importation of substandard goods into Tanzania, including certain foods and medicines.
This theme was thoroughly discussed during a two-day seminar at the Glonency Hotel in Morogoro on Thursday and Friday last week, that organized by the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA).
"Our bitter experience is that the control of fake and substandard drugs is a complicated issue, due to the fact that a good number of these do not enter through official border posts, thus in fact control needs co-operation between neighbouring states," said Hiiti Sillo, TFDA director-general, during the discussion.
He recounted further that in many cases the control of unwanted drugs has been affected by a number of issues, such as the shortage of staff, and lack of vital information from sources who decide to collaborate with law-breakers.
"It is strange that people tend to go for cheap things without knowing the ultimate consequences of using them, as it is the case with using fake, substandard or expired drugs, but the effects are altogether devastating, including death itself," said Sillo.
Supporting this stance was Ms Charys Ugullum, who said that identifying the harmfulness of any drug is a scientific process which involves the use of a laboratory for examination, but in many cases people either take for granted their security whenever they use drugs or sometimes they think laboratory experiments are just time-consuming.
"While we admit that there are fake and substandard drugs in the market, we request you journalists to allow us to conduct technical examinations, as we have such laboratories as can help in verifying the samples, before these matters are reported in the media," she remarked.
She elaborated that currently the TFDA is well equipped for examining various food samples and medicines; she urged whoever wants to establish a business or import such goods to use the services of her organization in order to ensure that end users are not ill-affected by such commodities.
On the other hand, a legal counsel with the TFDA, Meshack Shashi, said that implementation of laws with regard to importation and use of drugs has been successful, for his organization has conducted arrests and some of the culprits have received punishment in the courts of law.
However he noted that some of the law-breakers get minimum sentences up to the fine of 30,000/=, for crimes that are worth millions of shillings, a fact that has caused them to go back to the same illegal conduct.
In another presentation, by Emmanuel Alphonce, who dealt with the matter of control of foods and drugs, he said that it demanded one’s having good training in order to discover what a fake medicine is and what is not.
"In some cases we have discovered that the covers of medicines do not necessarily represent what is inside, but this needs one to be knowledgeable, and at times requires laboratory experimentation in order to verify," he said.
PINDA LAUCHES TANZANIA’S NATURAL HERITAGE BOOK By Cosmas PahalahA book depicting in detail Tanzania’s natural heritage of flora and fauna, authored by a Finnish professor, has been launched by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda at an evening ceremony in Dar es Salaam at the weekend.
The book, ‘The Great Savannah’, by Professor Olli Marttila, in its 528 pages, summarises the diverse tourist attractions with details and colourful pictures and it is useful to tourists, travellers, environmentalists as well as academics and students.
"It is a masterpiece… and we Tanzanians are highly indebted to the author
of the book," Prime Minister Pinda told the audience at the launch at Serena Dar es Salaam Hotel in the presence of the Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Ezekiel Maige and the Finnish Ambassador to Tanzania, Sinikka Antila.
The Prime Minister said: "The say ‘History Never Dies’ and that is the fact
that Professor Martilla has put in record by publishing this handbook to ensure that our country’s history will be in record for ever.
"If we plunder our resources, this book will definitely be our judgement as it will always tell our future generations what Tanzania had. We must, therefore, do whatever possible to continue conserving the natural resources with their flora and fauna," he added.
The Finnish ambassador, whose country funded the printing of 9,600 copies of the ‘Great Savannah’, said: "Tanzania as well as our country has to look for balance between development, exploitation of natural resources and conservation of nature. This book will contribute to a public debate about what the development path of Tanzania should be – where do we want to go and how?"
One-third of Tanzania (approximately 315,000 sq. kilometres of the total of
945,203 sq. kilometres) is reserved for conservation and the Prime Minister said the area "is far more than in any of the wealthier nations".
The book gives a detailed description of each of the 15 National Parks, of which four are World Heritage, with key information on the country’s climate, geography and habitats and discusses way in which Tanzania protects its natural resources and identifies risks.
By Cosmas Pahalah
Police chiefs in the five-member East African Community (EAC) support the establishment of a Regional Referral Forensic Centre (RRFC), aimed at boosting the fight against crime in the region.
"We have to work together for our common future and prosperity," Fabien Ndayishimiye, the director-general of Burundi's National Police, told EAC experts in Bujumbura who were on a visit to assess the country's suitability to host the RRFC.
In a statement issued from the EAC Secretariat, Ndayishimiye said the EAC bloc is united and any crime in a partner state has an impact on the other member states.
The EAC's eight-member forensic experts’ team started its assessment tour on 8 March.
In Rwanda, the Inspector-General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, commended the EAC for pioneering the regional referral forensic center, adding that his country supported the initiative.
"We are seriously waiting to see establishment of a very good facility in addressing the emerging crimes," he said.
Gasana added that Rwanda had already upgraded its own forensic facility to address investigation challenges.
"The government spends huge amounts of resources to outsource forensic services and expertise from abroad but time is ripe to acquire our own services and expertise which will cut down on both the time and the resources," he said.
On his part, the Inspector-General of Police of Tanzania, Saidi Mwema, said the country had already approved and implemented police force reforms, including modernizing its forensic investigation capacity.
"We want to see the people in an integrated East Africa benefit and be proud of our professional police services," Mwema said in Dar es Salaam during a visit by the forensic experts. "All these efforts have full government backing."
The Inspector General of Police of Uganda, Lt-Gen Kale Kayihura, said there was need for East African countries to have ultra-modern forensic services, citing the 2008 terrorist bombings in Kampala as a case in point during which forensic investigations services were outsourced.
"If partner states [of the EAC] can pool together their capacities, we can achieve a lot," said Grace Akullu, the Assistant Inspector General of Uganda Police and Uganda’s Head of Criminal Investigations Department (CID), who represented Lt-Gen Kayihura.
According to Didacus Kaguta, the EAC Peace and Security Officer, who led delegation of experts, the regional forensic centre, once established, would ensure standards such as quality control, certification of forensic scientists as well as the accreditation of forensic laboratories.
"The facility is also expected to offer high-class training and research services," Kaguta said, adding that the facility would store data be shared with the partner states whenever required.
"Even the experts will be readily available from the centre to beef up the national resources during the time of need like emerging calamities such as terrorist attack investigations," Kaguta said.
The EAC and the Federal German Government jointly facilitated the assessment mission by the forensic experts.
GIZ Peace and Security Advisor Joachim Von Bonin said the German government shares a long history with the EAC and enjoys a very cordial partnership in the region's integration effort.
The report of the experts will be presented to the next meeting of the Chiefs of Police and the fifth Sectoral Council on Inter-State Security for consideration and adoption.
The EAC has already initiated the harmonization of peace and security initiatives, common policing standards, joint investigations, exchange of information and mutual legal assistance, among other series
Mr Zitto Kabwe
Cosmas Pahala
Opposition MP Zitto Kabwe has criticised the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) for failing to publish monthly economic reports on time.He said that was an indication of irresponsibility and inefficiency. "It also infringes on the right of the people to access information," he cautioned.
"It goes against President Jakaya Kikwete’s pronouncements in international that his government is committed to disseminating information. It can also be an attempt to hide crucial data to give the impression that th economy is doing well while it isn’t."
He hinted that he had heard of a report of foreign currency reserves having declined to the equivalent of one month of imports, down from about four months of imports a few years ago.
The Kigoma North lawmaker on a Chadema ticket noted in a statement yesterday that there was no sound reason for BoT’s failure to publish the reports monthly for the last six months.
The last monthly economic report released covers November 2011. The bank also did not publish a quarterly economic bulletin.
Mr Kabwe said it was the BoT’s duty to keep information up-to-date in monthly and quarterly reports. "These documents provide information on all important issues relating to the economy such as inflation, revenue and expenditure, international trade trend and debts of the United Republic and Zanzibar."
He urged Prof Ndulu to ensure that monthly reviews were published at the right time. He said by the end of the week starting from yesterday, the central bank website should contain information of December, January, February, March and April.
However, BoT governor Benno Ndulu responded to accusations, saying various reasons including a change in the mode of publishing them delayed the process.
"The Monetary Policy Committee used to meet monthly, however, since January it has been meeting once in two months. The change has led to delays in publishing the reports," Prof Ndulu told The Citizen yesterday by phone.
He said BoT would stop issuing such documents monthly and instead they would be made available once in two months. "But the reports will contain details of the two months."
He allayed fears that the bank was running out of foreign exchange reserves, saying it had $3.6 billion, which could cover four months of imports.
He promised that the bank would release reports of up to February in the coming few days. "We never hide any information. We have an open door policy. It is the change of some procedures that that has delayed the publication of the reports."
Financial gurus and economists have warned that BoT delays to publish the reports would have negative implications to the economy as most organisations and foreign investors depended on them to make their decisions.
"Unavailability of up-to-date data on the central bank website raises questions of its credibility and ability to deliver," said a Mzumbe University economics lecturer, Dr Honest Ngowi. "The delays have direct, negative impacts on researchers who are doing studies in macroeconomic reviews because without data from the central bank they won’t be able to update information."
Dr Ngowi said some researchers in Tanzania were sourcing data about the country from international organisations such as the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
Apart from BoT, the Tanzania Investment Centre has been delaying in issuing investment reports
The Member of Parliament for Arumeru East Mr. Joshua Nasari has donated sh 500,000/= towards Amiri Cup in which a winner will be given a goat as a ‘trophy’ to take home.
Nassari, who took the MP seat recently with Chadema ticket, urged youth to take sports seriously as it is a source of employment both within and outside the country.
Nassari made the call recently at the opening of the ongoing Amiri Cup tournament in Arumeru District being held at Patandi in Tengeru bringing together 10 teams in Arumeru District.
Francis Muthaura
William Ruto
Joshua Sang
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