Category Archives: Tanzania

Two arrested for covering Malawi, Tanzania oil talks

Forwarded by From: Charles Banda

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Journos arrested for covering Malawi, Tanzania oil talks

By Nyasa Times Reporter August 23, 2012

Police on Thursday arrested two freelance journalists who went to cover the ongoing diplomatic border talks between Malawi and Tanzania at the Mzuzu Hotel accusing them of publishing false news.

The dispute stems from colonial-era border lines around Lake Malawi, Africa’s third-largest.
The main task of this meeting of experts is for the two sides to exchange documents and hopefully reach a consensus that will end the age old border row.
[ . . . ]
http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/08/23/journos-arrested-for-covering-malawi-tanzania-oil-talks/

Powerful Tanzania is threatening the tiny neighboring Malai with military action over the disputed oil and gas exploration in Lake Nyasa which is shared by the two nations

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo

Reports emerging from both Dar E Salaam and Lilongwe says Malawi which is currently locked up in serious dispute with the neighboring Tanzania over the oil and gas exploration in Lake Nyansa has now withdrawn aero planes that were making aerial mapping of Lake Nyasa which is also known as lake Malawi, after Tanzania warned the exercise was in a violation of its territorial waters.

Tension has been building up in recent weeks over Malawian oil exploration in the lake, which is shared by the two countries as well as ferries and tourist boats ”intruding into Tanzanian waters.”

Malawi claims the entire lake as its own, but Tanzania insists the border between the two countries runs through the middle of the lake.

The matter has remained unresolved since the two neighboring nations gained political independence in early 1950s.

Local but impeccable sources from KASUMBU IN Kyela district – a bust dusty town which is located on the border has revealed in a telephone interview that the planes are no longer flying in the area.

‘Life here continues to be normal; all the talks about tension with Malawi emanates from Dar Es Salaam”, said one villager who is a resident in Lusungo who requested for his anonymity.

However, villagers’ of the Malawi side of the border are reported to have fled and abandoned their homes, fearing that war could break out at any time.

MeanwhileTanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Benard Membe recently told hushed parliamentary session in the Central Tanzanian City of Dodoma that Malawi must cease oil and gas exploration on the disputed lake. All diplomatic channels could be exhausted in order to resolve the simmering border conflict, he said.

However, the former Tanzania’s Prime Minister Edward Lowassa who is now the chairman of his country’s Parliamentary committee on defense, security and foreign affairs was last week quoted by he local media as saying that Tanzania was ready to go to war if need be.

“We know the cost of war, because of our experience in Uganda. We urge the government, a the Foreign Affairs Minister said in parliament, that let’s exhaust all the diplomatic channels, but we are ready to defend our sovereignty at any cost”, said Lowassa.

Lowassa as speaking to newsmen after a briefing by senior Tanzania People Defense Forces officers who told his committee that the army is prepared for a military confrontation, should diplomacy fail.

“We are satisfied with progress being made by the government o the diplomatic front, but military preparations must also be made to make sure all options are available when it comes to making the final decision,’ the former Prime Minister said

Earlier Malawi had vowed to continue with oil and gas exploration in the lake, defiantly dismissing the demand by Tanzania to halt prospecting.

“We categorically put it to them that, said far as we are concerned, the entire lake belongs to Malawi,” Patrick Kalambe the Principal Secretary in Malawi’ Ministry 0f Foreign Affairs said I a recent statement. He said the saw no reason to stop the oil exploration project,”

A week ago Minister Membe said “exploration activities I the northeast part of the lake should be shelved to pave the way for dialogue to resolve the crisis.”

Malawi’s oil exploration affects villages in Kyela district that depend on fishing and farming along the eastern shore.

Lake Nyasa is the home to a variety or ornament fish, which are exported to Europe.

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Tanzania to launch exploration of oil in Lake Tanganyika

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TANZANIA TO START OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION IN LAKE TANGANYIKA AND ALSO TO BUILD A MULTIMILLION DOLLARS BUSINESS CENTER AROUND KILIMANJARO AIRPORT

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Information emerging out of Dr Es Salaam says Tanzania now envisages three multimillion dollars ambitious development program which include the launching of oil exploration in Lake Tanganyika.

Dar seeks to join other East African Community partners nations like Kenya and Uganda, which of late have join the ranks of oil producing African nations.

Tanzania also plans to construct a city around its Kilimanjaro International Airport {KIA} to tap into tourism and business opportunities.

The government, says the report, has secured at least USD300 million to develop a state of the art commercial hub at Dar Es Salaam Port.

It has revealed that an Australian firm Beach Energy Limited has commenced 2D seismic acquisition over its Lake Tanganyika South concession in Tanzania.

The acquisition is being undertaken by Fugro Oceanseismica, and is expected to take approximately two months to acquire and seven months to process and interpret.

“Currently Beach Petroleum [Tanzania limited} has spent approximately USD 11million on its exploration efforts in Tanzania and by the end of 2012 it will be close to USD 18 million,” says Danny Burns, the company’s manager international and new ventures.

The ferry MV Mwongozo was upgraded into a seismic acquisition vessel with the necessary equipment with the on board to check the quality of the 2D seismic data after it is acquired.
Beach Energy through its contractor Fugro Oceansismica Oceansis mica SPA, has a lease agreemen with the owners of the ferry, MSCI, and has already spent more than USD one million refurbishing the vessel.

Burns was also quoted in the local media a saying that Lake Tanganyika is frontier oil and gas exploration area where little data had been collected before Beach Energy commenced exploring in 2010.

It has also been reported that Tanzania has secured at least UYSD 300 million {Tshs471.6 billion} to develop a sate of the art commercial hub at Dar E Salaam port.

The project is funded by Mara Group, a 15 year old Pan-African multi-sector business conglomerate with operations covering Information Technology, Business Process Outsourcing real estate development asset management infrastructure hospitality packaging and media. The group has a presence in 18 African countries and employs more than 4,000 people in its establishment.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mara Group Mr Ashish Thakkar was quote last week as having said that the project will include the largest retail mall in East Africa, two internationally branded hotels, a modern convention center and a medical tourism hospital.\ The CEO said the facilities will include a modern business park, residential compound, police station and 500 residential units for the policemen.

The project consists of internationally branded hotels one five star and the other three star, and a huge convention centre,” he said adding that there will also be office blocks and service apartments.

According to the CEO Tanzania has a huge gap in the market for high quality integrated mixed use real estate developments?

The project located in Dar es Salaam will offer Tanzanians a modern environment to “live work and play”,and change the face of the City.

The contract for the construction project was signed by the Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Mbarak Abduwakil, Inspector General of police Said Ally Mwema and the directors of Mara Group Thakkar and Prashant Manek in Oystrabay suburb.

On the envisaged plan to construct a city around its Kilimanjaro International Airport,Tanzania ants to tap into tourism and business opportunities.

Kilimanjaro Airport Development Company {KADCO} is developing a five-year master plan to transform KIA into a modern tourist and duty-free shopping city.

The chairman of the KADCO board of directors Hassan Kibelloh said experts from the company are working on the plan, which will be ready in a few weeks to create a city that can compete with UAE’s Dubai.

He added that apart from the 41-year old air terminal, the KIA area, which lies at the meeting point of the Northern Zone regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara, is a wide stretch of unoccupied land.

“The location is to become a ‘city” at the center of Moshi and Arusha, where prospective investors will establish massive shopping centers, high class tourist hotels, duty free ports,

Export Processing Zones, educational institutions, custom bounded warehouses, curio shops, golf courses and large game ranch,” he said.

“We are now inviting potential investors to establish major ventures in the locality, all roads and international air routes will be leading to Kia, said the board acting managing director Bakari Mrusuri I a recent interview

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Danger facing Tanzania economy: Invasion of State Cooperations

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From: Baraza La Taifa

Danger facing Tanzania economy:Invasion of State Cooperations

Dar es Salaam.

The faceless financiers and money lenders are paving their way to buy the water companies, the electricity companies, the roads, forests and the public utilities of the next target country, just as they e doing in so many places. Is that not the final outcome?

Tanzania may have weathered the storm of the 2008 financial and economic crisis but the country will take a beating in the event of another crisis, the International Monetary Fund has warned.This gloomy picture can be put down to the fact that the general health of the economy has been compromised by mounting public debt, high commodity prices, declining gross reserves and a high budgetary deficit triggered by power problems that rocked the economy from 2006 to 2011.The national debt stock rose from $8.47 billion (Sh13.55 trillion) in July 2009 to $12.56 billion (Sh20.1 trillion) this May, while the annual headline inflation has risen from five per cent in May 2009 to 18.2 per cent this May.

Foreign gross reserves have only slightly increased from $2.92 billion in July 2009 to $3.7 billion last month.But both Finance minister William Mgimwa and Central Bank Governor Benno Ndulu said yesterday that the government was aware of the challenges and was taking steps to contain the situation. Prof Ndulu said more efforts were going into increasing agricultural and industrial production so as to boost exports which, in turn, will increase the flow of foreign currency. Tanzania’s current gross reserve is greater than the one recorded in 2009 but it is largely affected by huge expenditure as a result of a population rise.“We must continue to make extra efforts to increase the inflow of foreign currency,” Prof Ndulu said, “and the best way to do this is by improving agriculture and industrial production.” Tanzania’s budget shortfall has risen to Sh1139.1 billion this year, compared to Sh234 billion in the year 2009.

The economic growth rate fell from 6.7 per cent in 2009 to 6.4 per cent in 2011 and it is expected to record 6.8 per cent in 2012.But Prof Ndulu said the government is working at reducing the shortfall to 5.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, down from the 6.9 per cent recorded last year.Dr Mgimwa told Parliament yesterday that the government has already finalised negotiations with big foreign companies with an interest in investing in rice production in the country’s main agricultural zones to boost food production. This will in turn reduce food prices and curb inflation.“The price of cereals has been high partly due to the high cost of production and transport,” Dr Mgimwa said. “But these issues are being addressed.” High inflationHigh oil prices on the world market are also to blame for high inflation but plans to increase the use of natural gas in industrial and power production will reduce dependence on oil.

The government plans to spend more than $1 billion to construct a gas pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam in the 2012/13 financial year.In its fourth review of the Tanzania’s economy under the Policy Support Instrument, the IMF says, though, that the government has met most of the economic targets that are under the multilateral institution’s watch except for international reserves.Mr Naoyuki Shinohara, deputy managing director of the IMF, said in the review: “The budget for 2012/13 is appropriately targeted at further reducing the deficit, which is essential for rebuilding fiscal buffers and strengthening debt sustainability. Although the growth outlook remains positive, the volatile global economy poses risks to revenue collection.” To help overcome negative effects on the economy that might arise because of lack of adequate international reserves, the IMF has approved $224.9 million as a precautionary arrangement under the Standby Credit Facility (SCF) to Tanzania.Mr Shinohara added: “The credit facility provides a comfortable buffer against external shocks.

The authorities intend to treat the SCF as precautionary and will only draw the Fund resources should external demand deteriorate or access to international financial markets become more limited.” Rectify the situationExperts who spoke to The Citizen yesterday said the IMF’s caution on the vulnerability of the economy was valid and urged the government to stop business as usual to rectify the situation.Dr Donath Olomi of the University of Dar es Salaam Business School said the government’s borrowing from banks which have high interest rates has contributed a great deal to the growth of the national debt.“Had the government concentrated on borrowing from big banks like the African Development Bank and the World Bank, which have lower interest rates and a long term return period,” Dr Olomi said, “the national debt would have not risen to what it is today.” He said, however, that Tanzania’s economy may not be affected too much by shock in the global economy due to its low level of integration with international financial markets.

Prof Humphrey Moshi of the department of economics at the University of Dar es Salaam said the national debt is too high and this may threaten investor confidence in the country for fear of a tax increase. “High debt may send the wrong signals to investors as they will feel that the government may at any time raise tax rates so as to improve revenue collection,” said Prof Moshi. He urged the government to look for market opportunities in emerging economies like China, Brazil and India instead of depending largely on the European market. “What we are supposed to do is to first identify what emerging economies have to offers us,” he added, “instead of exporting without knowing the exact market demands.” The government has also been advised to look for means to bring down inflation at a faster rate. According to Prof Moshi, the government must demonstrate a true desire to improve infrastructure in the country and concentrate on irrigation farming if it wants to improve the economy.

Should the government manage to control inflation and reduce the public debt, it will be able to overcome fiscal deficit and improve the gross reserve. This year, the government has set aside Sh2.7 trillion, equivalent to 21 per cent of the budget, to service the national debt.

Kindly (Asap) have a concious, fruitful environmental freindly day.

Patrick Kamotho.
Fahamu Pan -African Fellow[FPAF]
Interim Co-ordinator East Africa Alliance of Inhabitants.
“When injustice becomes law, resistance become duty” .Ernesto Che Guavara.

This is a network of Human / Environmental Campaigners Rights Activists (HECRAs) based in East Africa.
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Blogu ya Habari na Picha www.patahabari.blogspot.com

How to improve Tanzanian Health system

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From: Lutgard Kagaruki

Throw all Fisadis and thieves in Segerea, Ukonga etc, etc, freeze their assets and collect all money in local and foreign accounts; use the money to improve the health sector hand in hand with human resource development! LKK

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From: Juma Mzuri
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 9:40 AM
Subject: How to improve Tanzanian Health system

The fact that there’s a lot of problems with the system of Health Care Delivery is not debatable.

The debate, however, would be on the singular most important change that needs to be effected within the system, given the limited resources available, which can bring about improvement.

A statement like ‘completely overhauling the system’ ,with all due respects, would be a vague response.

I’d like to know what Wanabidii think would be the way forward to improve our system of Health delivery and in the process protect the vulnerable service users.

My thoughts include; empowering agencies to increase the level of regulation of practicing Doctors; setting up a consumer protection outfit to protect the public from ‘mercenary’ and ‘quack’ clinics etc.

My declaration of Interest:

I am a Medical Practitioner . I have worked in Africa and the UK (where i currently practice), but i am also familiar with how the Health sector works in other developed and developing countries. I am exploring realistic interventions that can be offered at an individual, possibly advocacy level to achieve the greatest impact. I am not interested in setting up yet another hospital to exploit the vulnerable.

Your suggestions are welcome.

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Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com
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One Billion Dollar Question: How Can Tanzania Stop Losing So Much Tax Revenue

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From: Yona Maro

This report analyses Tanzania’s tax policies and how much revenue the country is losing from tax evasion, capital flight and tax incentives. It shows that, every year, a vast amount of potential tax revenue that could be used to reduce poverty is failing to end up in the government treasury; much is simply leaving the country.

Increasing the revenues available to the government is especially critical during the current global financial crisis when countries are even more vulnerable to shocks. The issue of fair taxes is also vital in light of future income from Tanzania’s recently-discovered oil and gas. Although the government is taking some steps to improve tax collections, Tanzania needs a more radical approach to raising sufficient tax revenues. It is hoped that this report, which makes several recommendations to the government, will help in this process.

Tanzania collected TShs 4.5 trillion ($2.8 billion) in taxes in 2009/10.Of these, around 30 per cent came each from Value Added Tax (VAT) and income tax while excise duties accounted for around 18 per cent and import duties for around 9 per cent. Tax collections amount to only around 15 per cent of GDP in Tanzania, lower than 19 per cent in neighbouring Kenya and around 30 per cent in developed countries.

http://www.policyforum-tz.org/files/ONEBILLIONDOLLARQUESTION.pdf

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Tanzania & Iran: LETTER TO PRESIDENT JAKAYA KIKWETE ON RE-FLAGGING IRAN TANKERS

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From: Salim Himidi

Thank U for allowing us to see views from a self-respecting, autonomous, patriotic perspective, in these times of abdications and self-denials, faced with blatant imperialist arrogances and double standards, dictated by Israel’s expansionist war mongers!

-Bwanatosha-

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From: kerezesia_mukalugaisa @ . . .
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:27:37 +0000

On this one all Tanzanians who cherish the country’s independence must stand together with President Kikwete in politely telling the US Senator that the decision by the Zanzibar authorities to reflag Iranian tankers is a legitimate commercial act undertaken by the Zanzibar authorities who have autonomy in taking action that serves the economic interests of the people of Zanzibar.

He should tell them that Tanzania does not share the USA’s view that the Islamic Republic of Iran promotes international terrorism nor is Tanzania obliged to follow the USA and EU line that Iran is bent on seeking to have nuclear weapons, much as all countries in the world including the USA, EU countries, Israel, Pakistan, India, etc ought to be encouraged to abandon the nuclear weapons stockpiles that they, unlike iran, already have.

Iran is entitled to engage in nuclear research for whatever purpose.

Tanzania receives technical assistance from the USA in the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS, but this should never be used as means to exert illegitimate influence on Tanzania’s independent foreign policy actions. USA mining interests in Tanzania are extensive and should the USA illegally impose sanctions on Tanzania and withdraw aid , Tanzania will be left free to act in manner that may benefit its people and it should not be held accountable for unpleasant outcomes viz a viz USA mining companies’ interests.

On this one all Tanzanians, irrespective of our own internal political quarrels must unite and tell Uncle Sam to “just grin and bare it” where the issue of the reflaging of Iranian oil tankers is concerned.

We can not afford to have the Union government quarrel with the Zanzibar government over this matter so soon after the oil/gas hot potatoes!

-Mwl. Lwaitama –

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Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2012 20:37:51 +0300
From: denis.matanda@ . . .

On 30 Jun 2012 14:29, “Abdalah Hamis” wrote:

Dear President Kikwete,

I am writing to express my deep dismay that Tanzania has permitted the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), to reflag at least 6 and as many as 10 of its vessels under the Tanzanian ship registry, allowing them to remain under NITC ownership and continuing to transport Iran’s crude oil exports. This action by your government has the effect of assisting the Iranian regime in evading U.S. and EU sanctions and generating additional revenues for its nuclear enrichment and weapons research programs and its support for international terrorism.

It is profoundly disappointing to me to learn that your government has acted in contravention of the broad international coalition that is working together to use peaceful means, including economic sanctions, to change the threatening behavior of the Iranian regime. The decision to accept the re-flagging of NITC vessels casts a shadow over Tanzania’s international reputation.

I respectfully request that Tanzania cancel the re-flagging of the NITC vessels. Given the close and cooperative relationship that our two governments now enjoy, it would be unfortunate if this action were permitted to stand.

It would be preferable that Tanzania take this action of its own accord. However, your government should take note of President Obama’s Executive Order 13608, signed May 1, 2012, which provides for the imposition of sanctions on any entity worldwide, including foreign governments, that assists Iran in evading U.S. sanctions. In my view, eflagging Iranian oil tankers falls within the scope of sanctionable activity under that Executive Order. In addition, if Tanzania were to allow Iranian vessels to remain under Tanzanian registry, we in the Congress would have no choice but to consider whether to continue the range of bi-lateral U.S. programs with Tanzania.

Sincerely,

Howard Berman
Cracking Democrat, House Foreign Affairs Committee

Group files ethics complaint against Board of Regents member Raster over Tanzania project

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forwarded by Yona Maro

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/0aaff6bf8b3a4b8ab39c5a4c2a6a4a0a/IA–Regent-Ethics-Complaint

DAVID PITT Associated Press June 19, 2012 – 2:02 pm EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa — A watchdog group filed an ethics complaint Tuesday against Iowa Board of Regents member Bruce Rastetter, accusing him of abusing his position on the board overseeing public universities while pursuing a partnership between Iowa State University and his agribusiness corporation, AgriSol Energy.

Rastetter participated in discussions the university had about working with AgriSol to develop a huge commercial farming operation in Tanzania, a project critics have called a land grab.

“This looks pretty bad,” said Ross Grooters, a Citizens for Community Improvement member from Pleasant Hill, in a statement. “Rastetter needs to go.”

About 30 members of the Des Moines-based group delivered the complaint to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on Tuesday.

Rastetter’s spokesman, Joe Murphy, said in a statement that an ethics review is welcome and he will cooperate fully.

“We are hopeful that this review will address any questions surrounding Bruce’s commitment to public service here in Iowa and abroad,” he said. “As we have stated before, there is no conflict of interest. Bruce has long been an advocate for education and agriculture and has a strong tradition of providing support and gifts to the Regent institutions.”

Gov. Terry Branstad appointed Rastetter, an agribusiness executive who donated $160,000 to the governor’s 2010 campaign, to the board in February 2011. Rastetter had been working on behalf of AgriSol with ISU since 2009 on a plan to develop 800,000 acres of Tanzanian farmland for crop production.

Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht responded to a request for comment on the allegations by email.

“We are fully confident in the judgment of Regent Rastetter on his decision regarding when to recuse himself,” he wrote.

Critics opposed the Tanzania project because the land had for decades housed 160,000 refugees from Burundi who were being relocated by the Tanzanian government. Investors, who stood to earn millions if the project was successful, argued it would help residents by improving food production and farming techniques. They added they had no role in the relocation.

Officials with ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which received a $1.75 million gift from Rastetter in 2007, were to implement an AgriSol-funded program providing a range of services and training to help farmers in the area.

Rastetter waited until June 17, 2011 — six weeks after his term started and four months after his appointment — to disclose the conflict, doing so only after the project received publicity. He waited until Sept. 13 before recusing himself from discussions related to ISU’s involvement. That was the same day the university abandoned plans to seek a multimillion-dollar federal grant with AgriSol.

CCI, in its complaint, claims Rastetter falsified financial disclosure statements to the state’s ethics board by omitting information about his wealth and job responsibilities with AgriSol and other companies he manages.

The group says he violated the state’s executive branch ethics law and a separate section of the state code that makes it illegal to falsify disclosure statements.

It also says he violated the regents’ conflict of interest policy, which says “Regents and institutional officials must endeavor to remain free from the influence of, or appearance of, any conflicting interest in acting on behalf of the Board or a Regent institution. Such interest may include, but are not limited to, employment, ownership of, or service on, the board of directors of an organization that has or may have relationships with the Board or a Regent institution.”

CCI said it wants Rastetter to resign from the board or, if he refuses, Branstad to remove him.

Ethics board Executive Director Megan Tooker said a decision will be made first about whether the complaint contains sufficient legal grounds to launch an investigation.

If so, the board orders an investigation.More serious violations may lead to a contested hearing, which is similar to a trial with witnesses, testimony and evidence. If the board eventually determines a violation occurred, it can issue fines.

It cannot remove an executive branch appointee from office. It can only recommend the appointing authority — in this case the governor — remove the violator.

Other media outlets around the state covered our action yesterday as well, including:

Des Moines Register

Radio Iowa

Ames Patch

Iowa State Daily

Ames Tribune

AgriSol Timeline

Bruce Rastetter is no stranger to Iowa CCI members. We started fighting his Heartland Pork factory farms in the late 90’s. Since then he has continued to make his big money mark across Iowa, starting and selling ethanol plants under his Hawkeye Renewables, and most recently with his AgriSol effort. His political power has grown too, through hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to candidates, and millions spent in shadowy political attack groups like the American Future Fund and Team Iowa PAC.

Yesterday we filed a conflict of interest complaint against Rastetter. (Read some of the press coverage of the event here) Now we have compiled a timeline of Rastetter’s involvement in the AgriSol affair and his attempts to use ISU to further the project.

2007: Rastetter donates $1.7 million to ISU

2008: Rastetter begins talks with Tanzanian government

2009: Collaboration between ISU and AgriSol begins

2010: Rastetter is the single biggest donor to the Branstad campaign, giving more than $164,000.

2011:

February 25: Branstad appoints Rastetter to Board of Regents

May 1: Rastetter’s term begins: he should have recused himself from discussions of an ISU partnership with AgriSol at this point.

May 18: Rastetter finances a $13,000 trip for ISU officials to Tanzania

June 14: Des Moines Register publishes AgriSol expose

June 17: Rastetter discloses his financial interest in AgriSol to the public

July: Rastetter elected President Pro Tem of Board of Regents

September 13: Rastetter finally recuses himself from discussions of partnering with ISU – four months after he becomes a Regent.

September 26: Dan Rather reports on AgriSol

2012:

February: ISU cuts all ties to Tanzania project

April 24: Rastetter files a false financial disclosure report with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board

June 19: Iowa CCI members file a conflict of interest complaint against Rastetter with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

Source : http://iowacci.org/in-the-news/rastetter-ethics-complaint-filed/ and http://iowacci.org/uncategorized/agrisol-timeline/

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Egyptian entrepreneur to establish new multi-billion sugar mill in Tanzania

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

An Egyptian entrepreneur plans to inject at least Tshs 396 billion {USD 200 million} into a sugar plantation and processing factory at a location near the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam.

Egyptian African Company for Investment and Development revealed it plans to acquire a plantation of between 10,000 acres and 20,000 acres in Rufiji, some 100 kilometers from Dar Es Salaam.

The company’s chairman Mostafa EL Ahwal said last week that the company expects to produce the first consignment of white sugar in the year 2014. The plantation in Rufiji, under Agro Forest Plantation Limited, will produce 500 tones to 750 tones of sugar per day translating into at least 120,000 tones of sugar per annum. This output is expected to help reduce the country’s reliance on sugar imports and bring prices down.

Tanzania is however, currently experiencing sugar glut with the sugar Board of Tanzania saying it has 460,000 tones of sugar, local demand is 380,000 metric tones per year.

Despite the increase in supply prices are still high at between Tshs 2,000 {USD 1.27} and Tshs 2,500 {USD 1.59} per kilogramme. The high prices have been attributed to factors such as transport and importation costs. Unreliable power supply and rising fuel costs, both major inputs in the manufacture of sugar, have also contributed to the high costs.

The increased production should also see Tanzania export more sugar as none of the East African Community member countries Is currently self sufficient in sugar production while the demand for the product continues to rise.

The entry of the Egyptian firm is the latest in a string of investments from the North African nation in Tanzania. Egypt Air recently resumed flights to Tanzania. The local project co–coordinator for Agro-Forest Plantation Ltd, Kiondo Mahanya, said that the focus of sugar production would include the smallholder farmers.

Tanzania may witness unprecedented levels of investment in the future because the regime in Egypt considers Africa a priority,” said the Egyptian ambassador to Tanzania HOSSAM Moharam.

Ends

P.I.C. Newsletter 24 May 2012

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from: pal-tz
front_page.doc 87K
Palestine Information Centre (Tanzania)

NEWSLETTER
(English)
24 May 2012

PA welcomes South Africa settlements decision

[image] President Mahmoud Abbas poses for a photo with members of the new cabinet after they were sworn in May 16, 2012.

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The new Palestinian Authority cabinet on Tuesday welcomed South Africa’s decision to label products originating in illegal Israeli settlements, and called for protection against settlers.

South Africa plans to ban labeling products of Israeli settlements as “made in Israel,” officials said over the weekend.

In Ramallah, the PA cabinet said it welcomed South Africa’s decision as “a sign indicating the illegitimacy of settlements and their products.”

The cabinet “calls upon the rest of world states to take such measures in order to isolate the occupation and its settlement policies as well as compel Israel to abide by international law,” a statement said.

Ministers said the West Bank and East Jerusalem were witnessing “an escalation in incitement and settler violence against our people with a clear protection from the occupation military.”

“The last of which was the thousands of settler march in East Jerusalem which included slogans inciting to kill, hate and supports violence,” the cabinet statement said.

On Sunday, an Israeli human rights group released footage of settlers firing on a Nablus village, and called on Israel’s military to investigate the assailants, as well as the army’s role.

The settlers were shown entering Asira al-Qibliya and throwing rocks at properties in the village, which borders Yitzhar settlement, before the arrival of Israeli forces.

In the ensuing clashes one person was shot in the neck and another was hurt by a rock.

Mother of 4 jailed sons: Christians suffer for homeland

[image] Alexandra Halabi holds a picture of her sons, who are imprisoned in Israel.

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — “Since 2004, the whole family did not gather, not even once. Someone is always missing,” recounted Alexandra Halabi, a Christian mother of four sons imprisoned by Israeli forces.

When Alexandra’s eldest son Raed was detained in July 2004, she did not know it was only the beginning of a struggle that would scatter her family.

Alexandra told Ma’an that Raed, 28, was given a two-year suspended sentence and released in 2005, but toward the end of his probation he was handed to Israel by a collaborator and ordered to serve two years plus two months in jail.

He had two jobs, working for the Global Movement for Children and in a hotel, and had no time for political activism, she added.

Nael, 25, was detained four months after Raed and has spent four-and-a-half years in prison. He was studying sociology at Birzeit University but was detained again in April 2011.

He is due to be released on June 5 but an Israeli officer has already threatened Alexandra that he will be detained again, she says. He went on hunger strike in solidarity with Khader Adnan and Hana Shalabi, and was twice punished with solitary confinement and denied family visits. He also joined the mass prisoner hunger strike which ended on May 14 following a deal with Israeli authorities.

Nasser, 22, was studying hotel management at Bethlehem University before he was detained in 2009 and spent two years in prison.

Nasser was detained again in March and a week later Rami, 26, was imprisoned. He was studying accounting at Al-Quds Open University. Alexandra says she is most worried about Rami because it’s his first experience in an Israeli prison.

They are all accused of involvement in Kutab Tulabi, an activist group in Birzeit University affiliated to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

She said her sons’ continued imprisonment contradicts recent claims by Israel’s ambassador in the US, Michael Oren, that it ensures “complete equality of all its citizens irrespective of religion.”

“He’s a liar,” Alexandra said.

She says Israeli prison guards and soldiers discriminate against Christians, but inside prison Muslim and Christian detainees are like brothers “They are true friends.”

Nael shared a cell with three Hamas members, and when they left the cell to pray they would insist he joined them and pretended to pray. They were concerned that prison guards might attack Nael if he was left alone, Alexandra explained.

Chris Bandak, a Christian prisoner who was released in October 2011 in Hamas’ prisoner swap deal with Israel, also said Israeli jailers targeted Christian detainees.

Prison guards treat Christian detainees “with more cruelty as they consider us to be against the Christian habits which they think have nothing to do with the homeland,” he told Ma’an.

“All prisoners used to celebrate all holidays with me, I felt everyone to be so engaged in making the feast better in jail,” Bandak added.

Alexandra said the soldiers who search her before visiting her sons in prison or in court were more aggressive with her than with veiled women. “The Palestinian cause is for all the Palestinian people, whether Muslims or Christians,” she stressed.

Other women visiting relatives in prison were often surprised when they saw Alexandra and her daughter wearing crosses and said it was unusual to find Christians in jail. She tells them “Religion is for God and the country is for everyone. If I’m Christian, don’t I have a homeland?”

These days, Nael and Nasser are held in Ashkelon prison while Raed and Rami are held in Ofer detention center, and Alexandra says she is more relaxed since her sons have a brother with them.

She must obtain a different permit to visit each one, and it’s hardest to get permission to see Nael, she says. “(Israel’s) excuse was always that there’s no family relationship.”

She said she felt one of the Israeli soldiers who arrested Nael was ashamed to be detaining a Christian and asked “Why are you carrying the Palestinian cause on your shoulders?”

Alexandra added “The officer told me ‘You are from Jerusalem not the West Bank’ but I responded that I have a Palestinian ID and he said he knew.”

All Alexandra’s sons have Israeli ID cards, but she has a Palestinian ID. Her permits state that she is visiting non-Palestinians, and this makes it harder for Alexandra to get permission to visit her sons.

Alexandra’s nephew Khaled Halabi is also in prison in Israel. She said an Israeli officer told Khaled’s father in court “we want to teach Christians a lesson by the sentence of your son.” Khaled was sentenced to 28 years.

“What (the world’s Christians) should know is that Jesus Christ made the first sacrifice, on the cross. He was tortured and crucified. Therefore, we as Christians should put Christ in front of our eyes, how he suffered for the homeland, for religion and for everything, we also have a country, religion and entity (to suffer for).”

Contact us: P.O Box 20307, 612 UN Road – Upanga West, Dar es Salaam Tel: 2152813 2150643 Fax: 2153257 Email: pict.tz@gmail.com, picd.tz@hotmail.com, picdtz@yahoo.com

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Tanzania: Chinese business influence in East Africa may soon come to an end following accusations of having sold obsolete aircraft to Air Tanzania Corporation Limited

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The recent upsurge in the sweeping waves of the Chinese businessmen in the East African market may soon come to an abrupt end following allegations and claims that a Chinese firm had sold obsolete aircraft to the Tanzania national carrier.

One of the plane crushed within weeks after the delivery to the Air Tanzania Corporation Limited {ATCL}.

Of late the Chinese construction companies are on the lead clinching nearly all the major roads construction contracts in Kenya, also been accused in certain quarters of doing shoddy works.

The Chinese firms win the tenders after corrupting their way through the top government officials.

They have since replaced the traditional construction companies from Western European countries,which used to handle major road construction projects in the region.

In the latest development,. China Sonagol International Holdings limited, the Chinese government investment firm has been plunged into fresh controversy following recent startling revelation that it procured obsolete aircraft for the Tanzania national flag carrier.

On of the three aircraft purchased by China sonangol, a Dash 8-300 series operated by ATCL crushed in April this year at Kigoma Airport in Western Tanzania injuring85 passengers and four crew members.The aircraft is now a write off.

This information has come to the surface following a detailed report by the Controller and Audit General released last week says that China Sonangol ltd as the lead investor in ATCL, with 49 per cent stake in 2007 leased two second hand aircraft contrary to the memorandum of understanding entered with the Government of Tanzania that same year,after the breakup of the partnership with the South African Airways in September 2006.

The planes were bombardier Dash 8-Q300 and an Airbus A320-214 that was all of ten years old in January 2009,the Airbus A320 underwent a check D, also known as a heavy maintenance visit, which is done after every four to five years.

Subsequently in July 2010, the aircraft was returned to the lessor, a Lebanese firm, Wallis Trading Company. The government on paper incurred a loss of USD 39 million on the lease of the Airbus, which according to the report did not fly, but the report further shows that the debt accumulated from the transactions with the two Lebanese firm rose to Tshs 322 {USD 200 million}, enough to purchase three brand new Airbuses of the same series.According to Airbus aircraft 2012 average prices,the purchase order price of a brand new Airbus 320 series is USD 88.3 million.

The Controller and Audit General Lodvick Utpouah says thwqt the government involvement in business decision making at ATCL is a serious problem.

Uto says that the parties involved in the acquisition of two Dash 8-400 series aircraft that are currently being operated by ATCL were the government and China Sonangol and the airline’s board of directors and management were not part of the negotiations.”They were only informed of the decision to procure the two aircraft and asked to advance USD 500,000 as commitment,” he says. Mr Uto has now recommends that the government officials who participated in the controversial Airbus A3200-214 leasing deal be taken to court and prosecuted for forcing ATCL I the first place ATCL exists as a private company wide section three of its article of association,” he writes, add9inbg that its governance,organizational structure and business processes are therefore to be viewed from a private prospective rather than than that of a public company.

He CAG’s report also notes that ATCL has for the past year been operating without a board of directors to oversee its operations and activities.When the previous board of directors tenure expired in March 2010,another board was not instituted until August 2010 when the government extended the tenure of the old board to March 31 2011,that has no board of directors in place ,”said the report.

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Tanzanian President fired eight ministers implicated in corruption deals with Chinese business people who have invaded the East African region

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kitwete has set the record of an African head of state that has bravely parted the company with eight ministers in his concerted effort to help his government get rid of corruption and graft.

The latest emergence of rampant corruption in the Eastern African region is being attributed to the arrival of Chinese business people scrambling for influence and businesses, mainly in the construction industry.

The Chinese construction firms have taken over the construction of road network, building of bridges, expansion of ports and other economic infrastructure.

These Chinese big business people are said to be too generous in parting with colossal amount of money in “kick-backs” unlike the former traditional firms from Western European countries, which for many years dominated the construction industry in the region.

The Tanzanian head of state two weeks ago fired six ministers and their two deputies over corruption allegations and other accountability shortcomings, in a case that puts the Kenyan and Ugandan executives on the spot in their handling of cabinet members mentioned in shady dealings.

Kikwete relieved the eight ministers of their ministerial positions following nearly two weeks of pressure by members of Tanzanian Parliament and the public who wanted them dropped in order to repair the damaged image of the government.

The action came after four different reports, one by the Auditor and Controller General, and the others by parliamentary oversight committees exposed corruption an embezzlement of hundreds of millions of shillings in public funds in the respective ministries.

The sacked ministers include Mustafa Mkulo {Finance}.William Ngeleja {Energy}, Ezekiel Miage {Tourism and Natural Resources}.Cyril Chami {Trade and Industry}, Omar Nundu {Transport} and his Deputy Athumani Mkatakamba, the Health Minister Hadji Mponda and his deputy Dr Lucy Nkya.

It has since emerged that some of the fired officials are very close political allies of the president.

The sacking on May 4, 2012 was the second time in as many in as many years government minister implicated in scandals were forced out or resigned voluntarily to save the image of the government and safeguard the political interests of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CCM}.

In February 2008, the then Prime Minister Edward Lowasa stepped aside from office after parliamentary select committee investigating a USD 172 million emergency power generation contract between Tanzania Electric Supply Company {TANESCO} and an American registered firm accused him of influencing the award.

Resigning with him were two ministers who held the Energy and Minerals docket-Nazir Karamagiand Dr Ebrahim Msabaha.

In the recent reshuffle the ministers suspected of corruption and influence peddling. Some of them came under heavy censure for presiding over corrupt public institutions, including failing to take disciplinary action against those found to have misappropriated money meant for schools, health centers, roads and other public projects.

The former Finance Mister Mustafa Mkulo was blamed for rising national debt, deterioration of the local currency and spiraling inflation, which led to a sharp rise in the cost of living.

The sacked minister was also accused of diverting money in the budget without Parliament’s approval, MPs debating in Dodoma during the month of April session claimed the Finance Minister had interfered with the day to day management of boards of directors for the parastatals and agencies under his ministerial docket.

The fired Energy and Mineral Resources Minister William Ngeleja paid the price for the crippling power crisis in the country as well as failure to steer the ministry into delivering satisfactory national benefits from mineral resource, mainly gold.

The dismissed minster for Tourism and Natural Resources Ezekiel Maige found himself under a storm related issuance of wildlife and hunting block licenses. He was also forced to come out and explain how he had acquired his enormous wealth within the shortest time he had been minister.

The sacked Trade and Industry Minister Cyril Chami was blamed for being indecisive on alleged scandals in connection with the pre-shipment inspection of Tanzania destined vehicles- a task undertaken by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards{TBS} and which reportedly saw the agency lose colossal amount of money to the tune of Tshs 13 billion in suspect payments.

The sacked Transport Minister Omar Nundu and his deputy Athumani Mkatakamba, were dropped from the cabinet apparently due to irregularities in the expansion of the Dar Es Salaam Port. The two officials were also reported to have differed publicly on which companies to support to undertake the port project, with the minister publicly revealing in a press conference that his deputy was sponsored for foreign trips by a Chinese company interested in the construction tender of the project.

Not surprisingly, the top two top officials of the Ministry of Health an Social Welfare,Dr Hadji Mponda and his deputy Dr.Lucy Nkya, lost their slots as the result of a recent stormy doctors strike that shook the East African nation.

President Kikwete was quoted as having said,”it is a good practice for Ministers to take political responsibility, however, this time around directors in departments, chief executive officers in parastatals and the likes who caused the problems must also go. There are people who have a tendency of plotting against their ministers.”

Some political analysts and independent commentators say the the Tanzania case should be the roll model and should be adopted to make the East African region compliant to tenets of democracy, good governance and war on corruption.

They say, however, that Kenya and Uganda as senior members of the East African Community are worst affected and suffer deplorable levels of public accountability. Case in point is the going controversy involving the National Hospital Insurance Funds {NHIF} scandal with the Minister for Medical Services Prof Pete Anyang’ Nyong’o strongly resisting calls for him to step aside over what appears a monumental insurance cover rip-off under his watch.

Former Education Minister Prof. Sam K.Ongeri vehemently resisted a call for his suspension an deployed political tactics in resisting any disciplinary action an switched the blames to others after his ministry’s top official having squandered and vandalized millions of money donated by the British government for free primary education I the country.

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MAJOR CABINET RESHUFFLE IS LOOMING IN TANZANIA FOLLOWING HEATED DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT OVER THE ALLEGATIONS OF GRAFT IMPLICATING MINISTERS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging out of the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam says that major cabinet reshuffle is looming after five ministers in the current Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CCM} led government were recently implicated in fraud and mismanagement of government resources.

President Jakaya Kikwete who is also the national chairman of the CCM is reported to have called for urgent and terse meeting of the central committee of the ruling CCM to discuss how to salvage the government tainted image and reputation.

Opposition MPs as well as legislators from the ruling party were reported to have spoken out harshly and angrily over the alleged conduct of the ministers at the just concluded April parliamentary session which has been meeting in the political capital of Dodoma in Central Tanzania.

A no confidence motion by opposition MP Zitto Kabwe against the Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, who is the leader of government business in parliament, was disallowed over legal technicalities.

Newspapers have reported that Pinda has already briefed the President Kikwete on the allegations of corruption, fraud and mismanagement of national resources leveled by fellow legislators from the ruling CCM against the Finance Minister Mustafa Mkulo, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ezekiel Maige, Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja, Minister for Transport Omar Nundu and Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government Authorities George Mkuchika.

Nundu is aid to have sought to shift the blame to his deputy Dr Athuman Mfutakamba, sparking a furore in parliament.

Sources in the ruling party CCM legislators move to directly and openly implicate the ministers, the party’s top brass is concerned over losing ground to the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo m[CHADEMA}, its principal rival. The same source added that the ministers have been asked to write to the president offering to step down from their posts.

An MP from the ruling CCM representing Ludewa constituency in the Southern Highlands Deo Filikunjomba said sacking the ministers would not change the endemic culture of corruption in the county, adding “People are facing problems because of the rising inflation and the rampant corruption. These problems will not be solved by the ministers leaving their posts.”

The Opposition Chadema MP for Kigoma North Zitto Kabwe said that legislators had lost faith and confidence in President Kikwete government, while Hai MP and leader of the Official Opposition in the National Assembly Freeman Mbowe said Tanzanians were tired of the government not listening to them.

At the center of the debate were startling revelation contained in the 2009 / 2010 the Controller and Auditor general’s report, which alleges that the ministers have been involved in trading government properties.

.However, observers and analysis’ and a commentator Dr Azaveli Lwaitama was quoted by the a Nairobi publication the EASTAFRICAN, weekly as saying that he couldn’t see the president taking any action like firing or reshuffling his ministers.

“Taking such action would set a precedent, and the president is aware of that fact,”said Lwaitama. However, he added that individual ministers may be reprimanded with some unfortunate ones having their cases referred to the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau.

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Tanzania: WIN An Invitation To The African Development Bank Annual Meetings 2012; LAST REMINDER

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From: News Release – African Press Organization

PRESS RELEASE

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 23, 2012/ — APO will offer transport, accommodation and perdiem for one African journalist to attend the 2012 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group held in Arusha, Tanzania, from 28 May to 1 June 2012.

The winner will have the opportunity to interview experts, senior officers of the African Development Bank and meet the AfDB Head of Communications.

Only African professional journalists are eligible.

The deadline for entry is midnight on 1 May 2012.

Winner will be announced on 9 May 2012.

APPLY to win the invitation: http://www.apo-opa.org/en/application?vc=WIN

More information about the 2012 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group: http://bit.ly/IlMKih

SOURCE

African Press Organization (APO)

Tanzania: Nyerrere’s son is among the political heavyweights in the contest for EALA regional parliament seats

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The son of the Tanzania’s founding president Julius Kambarage Nyerere are among the political heavyweight whose names have been submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CC for possible nomination to the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA}.

The nomination will take place in the political capital of Dodoma this after noon when Parliament resumed it sittings

The Clerk to the National Assembly Dr Thomas Kashilila confirmed last night that the CCM has proposed 24 names of candidates approved to contest the EALA eight seats positions apportioned to it, while the opposition parties represented in parliament have been allocated one seat bringing to nine ,the total number of equal East African Community partner states representation in the prestigious regional legislative body.

CCM ideology and publicity secretary Nap[e Nnanye confirmed that among CCM candidates are Makongoro Nyerere, the son of Tanzania founding president the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere who is the current CCM branch chairman in his North Mara region home turf.

Makongoro Nyerere’s entry into regional politics is expected by observers o rekindle Nyerere’s long cherished dream of a united and prosperous East Africa.

The election to the EALA has also aroused political interest because for the first time, it has attracted the sons of prominent former and sitting high profile ruling party CCM leaders.

Others names floated by the CCM for nomination included those of Abdallah Ali Mwinyi, sons of former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi, William John Malecela, son of the former Prime Minister and long serving Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs John Malecela, and Dr Said Gharib Bilal, who is related to the incumbent Vice President Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal.

Other CCM aspirants are Ruth Blasio Msafiri,Shy-Rose Bhanji, Siraju Juma Kaboyonga,Angela Juma Kazigha, and Adam Omar Kmbisa. The list also includes Happyness Lukiko, Norah Petero Mukumi, Simon Sales Berege,Mrisho Gambo, Handley Mpoki Matwega, Nussa Elias Mnyeti, Safia Ali Rjiali and Maryam Ussi Yahya.

Others listed in the same CCM lists of recommended aspirants includes Rukia Seif Msellem, Sabah Saleh Ali, Haji Mwita Haji, Ahmada Hamad Khatib,Abdul-Aziz Abdul Aziz and Bennard Simon Murunya, while the opposition CHADEMA has submitted one name of its nominated Antony Ecalit Komu.

Political pundits commented that “ It would be worrying if the ordinary candidates would outshone the sons of the political heavyweights in this race’ But international trade lawyer Edward Lekaita was quoted as saying that MPs should not look at big names, but instead pick EALA MPs based on merit.

“The election is not about CHADEMA or CCM candidates, but I is about getting serious country representatives o the ambitions of the EAC integration process,”

Meanwhile Kenya’s nomination of representatives to the EALA is will be a clear departure from the past when they were hand-picked by political parties.

Candidates seeking nomination to the Arusha based regional parliament will now be scrutinized by the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee before being vote for by MPs with the Clerk of the National Assembly acting as a returning officer.

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Tanzania’s Forgotten Flood Victims

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From: Yona Maro

While the Tanzanian government helps previous home-owners affected by the floods, many who lost everything face neglect.

—
Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

Msimbazi valley, Tanzania:

On December 21, Tanzania experienced its most severe flooding in 50 years.

Over 40 died in the floods, which washed away many families’ livelihoods and homes making thousands homeless. According to the Tanzanian Meteorological Agency, the floods were the worst the country has seen since independence in 1961.

The Msimbazi valley, already an area known to be at risk of flooding, was particularly badly affected.

Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete suggested that the degree of destruction caused by the flood was down to the fact that people were living on unsuitable flood-prone land. Indeed, the area had been declared dangerous to build on since 1979, but to little effect.

Subsequently, victims from this area have been told they will not be allowed to move back and 580 households are to receive land in Mabwe Pande on which to build new homes.
The forgotten victims

The Tanzanian press has focused on these victims as they struggle to piece back their lives and adapt to their new homes. But one group is being ignored.

Mabwe Pande plots of land are only being given to former landlords and homeowners, but those renting rooms destroyed by the floods have received scant help from the government.

Many of these victims were housed in the Benjamin Mkapa Secondary School, but when school reopened they were asked to leave. They say that they were not offered anywhere else to stay and so they moved onto the pavement just outside the school.

It seems the government has assumed that because they were renting rooms in the flood-affected area, they can rent rooms elsewhere. But many of their livelihoods were also washed away and now they can no longer afford to rent. Since the start of January, Think Africa Press has met over 50 people who have been living on the street. Walking past, it is hard to miss the pile of mattresses and a stove that mark the home of dozens of adults and children.
What else to do?

Patrick John, who had been renting a room before the floods, explained to Think Africa Press, now “I don’t have anything.” He could no longer afford to rent a room because he lost all his belongings and money in the flood.

Musa Wazira, another victim of the flood, claimed that since school reopened, the group were not allowed to use any of its facilities. Instead, they have to pay to use a nearby public toilet.

Prior to the floods, Wazira had been renting a single room for his family in Msimbazi valley for 25,000 Tanzanian shillings (about $16) a month. Since then, he lost his job as a fruit and vegetable seller because of rotten stock. His wife earns TSh 2,000 ($1.25) a day as a food vendor, which they use to buy supplies, but they cannot save enough money to rent a room somewhere else.

Other family members did not have the space to offer them a room. Visibly depressed and with no alternative in sight, Wazira asked “What else to do?”

Mwanaharusi is living on the street with her five children. When the floods destroyed her rented room, she asked her husband, who she claimed had a drink problem and beat her, to leave. She says that without a husband it is harder, but that he used to steal her money to buy alcohol. He once appeared at the pavement camp and hit her. Mwanaharusi hopes to find work, but that would mean her sixteen-year-old daughter dropping out of school to look after her youngest child, who is just a few months old.

Ilham, a ten year old girl, said, “I don’t have comfort or pleasure here. But I don’t know what else we can do.”
Out of sight, out of mind

Patrick John claimed that Think Africa Press was the first press organisation to visit the group in two weeks. The government had provided some help, which they said they were grateful for, and some mattresses and school supplies were donated, but that now attention has faded from their plight.

But Wazira, insisted: “People know. People know we are here, we are suffering. But they can’t do anything, and the government doesn’t want to do anything.”

Aside from religious leaders donating food, those still on the streets have been met with polite indifference by many of the locals. One local, Micky, said that while he felt bad for them, he believed many were lazy and simply did not want to get jobs.

The political wrangling over Mabwe Pande plots has dominated Tanzanian news; some families are still waiting to receive their plots of land, and others are struggling to cope with long commutes and temporary houses. However, they are continuing to receive considerable help: tents, water, food, toilets, and electricity – much provided by international donors – and can dream of a better life. The Tanzanian Red Cross has already spent about TSh 200million ($125 million) helping those at Mabwe Pande.

These facilities are far beyond those that the families camped outside Benjamin Mkapa Secondary School can hope for. The sense of frustration and depression was tangible. Those who spoke to Think Africa Press knew that they would not be offered any plots by the government and that further outside help is unlikely.

By Sarah Collier

Tanzania MPs are seeking the authority of the House Speaker to probe financial scam at the power supplying firm

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Reports emerging from Dar Es Salaam says Tanzanian MPs are up in arms and seeking the mandate of the House Speaker to allow the House Committee on Energy and Minerals the authority to launch a full scale investigations into the alleged fraud and bribery involving the purchase of fuel for an independent power generating firm.

Sources alleged that millions of dollars paid to purchase fuel for the Independent Power Tanzania Limited {IPTL plant, which is located in Dar E Salaam could have been swindled,

Legislator Zito Kabwe the chairman of the Public Corporation Accounts Committee was quoted by the local media as saying that legislators want the committee to probe several oil supplying firms and government officials over the deal that forensic expert say could see the government losing more than USD 54 million for fuel that was never supplied to the plant.

According to Kabwe, there was allegations of fraud and corruption among officials of the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

The legislator said that there were also doubts regarding whether the tender procedure was followed according to the Public Procurement Act of 2004

The government in November2010 used the emergency tender system to allow two oil-supplying firms, Oryx Oil and Total, to import fuel for the generation of the IPTL plant, which is located on the outskirt of Dar Es Salaam.

The government was spending approximately Tshs 15 billion {USD 10 million} every month from November 2010 to February 2011 for the purchase of fuel meant for IPTL operations.

January Makamba, chairman of the Energy and Minerals Committee of Parliament who is an MP fro the ruling CCM party, said the committee is still waiting to hear from the Speaker. He said the committee would not be able to start investigations without the authorization of the House Speaker.

“There have been complaints concerning the tender, leading to suspicions of corruption among officials at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral, but we cant start investigation right now; as a procedure, we need to have permission fro the Speaker,” he added.

The government estimates that at least USD 54 million meant for the purchase of heavy fuel oil for IPTL may have been stolen.

The private firm’s multimillion-dollar 100MW power supplying contact with the Tanzania Electricity Supply Company, Tanesco, has dogged by controversy throughout.

A new audit report details wasteful procedures and overvaluation of supplies of heavy fuel from a local oil firm.

The Energy and Mineral Minister William Ngeleja said in parliament last that the government spent Tshs 46 billion {USD 28.7 million}to purchase oil for IPTL plant from November 2010 to February 2011.

The power crisis currently facing the country has compelled Tanesco to pay Tshs 19.2 billion {USD 12 million} to IPTL every month for production o 60mw instead of the initial production of 100mw.

In 1995,Tanesco signed agreement with IPTL, a joint venture between a Malaysian firm, Mechmar Corporation, and a local investor, VIP Engineering and Marketing Company Ltd for the purchase of 100mw of power from diesel generators for 20 years.

VIP Engineering owns 30 per cent equity while Mechmar Corporation of Malaysia owns 70 per cent.

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Health / Africa / Merck To Intensify Support in the Fight Against Schistosomiasis in Tanzania

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From: News Release – African Press Organization

· Good results in Zanzibar thanks to drug donation from the German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company

· Five compact laboratories for detecting counterfeit medicines presented

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, February 27, 2012/ — The German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company Merck (http://www.merckgroup.com) plans to intensify its efforts to combat the tropical disease schistosomiasis in Tanzania. Dr. Karl-Ludwig Kley, Chairman of the Merck Executive Board, announced the plans on Tuesday during a press conference in Dar es Salaam also attended by Dr. Hadji Hussein Mponda, Tanzania’s Minister for Health and Social Welfare. At this event, five mobile compact laboratories for detecting inferior and counterfeit medicines were presented to the Tanzanian Health Minister. The Global Pharma Health Fund (GPHF), a charitable initiative funded by Merck, donated these so-called Minilabs for deployment in Tanzania.

Logo: http://www.apo-mail.org/merck_logo.JPG

“We have committed to continuing our efforts in Africa, in cooperation with WHO, until schistosomiasis is eliminated,” Kley said. “To date, we have provided WHO annually with up to 25 million tablets containing the active ingredient praziquantel, free of charge. In the medium term, we will increase that number tenfold to 250 million per year. Tanzania will also benefit from this. Together with WHO and further partners, we will clarify how this assistance can be most effectively realized in Tanzania.” According to WHO, the therapy is considered the most effective treatment in the fight against the parasitic worm disease.

Dr. Hadji Hussein Mponda, Tanzania’s Minister for Health and Social Welfare, welcomed the commitment of the German company: “After malaria, schistosomiasis is considered the most prevalent tropical disease in Africa. The worm disease is also widespread among children in all regions of Tanzania. We are therefore grateful for every sustained initiative that supports us in fighting schistosomiasis. Merck’s commitment not only helps children who are ill – it also relieves our public health care system. Patients who go without treatment often suffer serious health consequences that cause unnecessary suffering and high costs.”

The Merck Praziquantel Donation Program, in partnership with WHO, started in 2007 and it currently covers 11 countries in Africa. During the past three years, the donation program has been successfully implemented in the main islands of Zanzibar where 1.1 million praziquantel tablets have been used to treat more than 447,000 children. Over the coming months another 4.1 million donated tablets will be distributed, further extending treatment for women and children in the islands.

During an excursion to a school in Pemba on February 28, Kley will see first-hand the progress being made in the fight against schistosomiasis in Zanzibar. He will be accompanied by Dr. Sira Mamboya, Deputy Health Minister of Zanzibar, and he will learn how the distribution of praziquantel tablets to children is organized, carried out and documented.

Aside from the tenfold increase in the donation of tablets, Merck has announced an expansion of research into tropical diseases. Merck will develop a new formulation for praziquantel, for instance, which can be given to small children as well. Until now, praziquantel tablets have only been suitable for children aged five years and older

Merck also supports an awareness program for African schools. Posters and age-appropriate brochures are now being used as educational materials for schoolchildren. In a picture story, children learn about the symptoms of the illness and about how they can protect themselves from the worm disease.

It is estimated that more than 200 million people are infected and that around 200,000 die from schistosomiasis each year. The chronic, parasitic disease is transmitted by trematodes. It is particularly widespread in tropical and subtropical regions where poor people have no access to clean water and adequate sanitary facilities. People become infected with the disease by worm larvae mainly in freshwater, for example while swimming, fishing or washing their clothes. The miniscule larvae penetrate human skin, enter the blood vessels and attack internal organs.

Praziquantel is the only active ingredient with which all forms of schistosomiasis can be treated. It is therefore on the WHO list of essential drugs. The tablets, which carry the brand name Cesol® 600, are currently produced at a Merck site in Mexico.

The Merck Praziquantel Donation Program was launched in 2007 in partnership with WHO. Merck provides the tablets to WHO and pays the cost of the logistics required to transport them to Africa. WHO manages, monitors and documents the distribution of the medicine. To date, a total of about 80 million tablets have been distributed and around 19 million children have been treated.

The sharp increase of the number of tablets to 250 million will enable the treatment of around 100 million children per year. The financial commitment for the expanded Merck Praziquantel Donation Program amounts to roughly $ 23 million (about 37 billion Tanzanian shillings) annually.

Five mobile compact labs to detect counterfeit medicines

To help improve health care in Tanzania, five so-called Minialbs, with which inferior and counterfeit medicines can be detected, were presented to the Tanzanian Health Minister Mponda. The Global Pharma Health Fund donated the labs for deployment in Tanzania.

“Counterfeit medicines are a serious threat to health care. With the Minilabs, we are directly protecting people from what can be a deadly risk,” said Kley. “In addition, we are helping to improve the structures for drug monitoring and ensuring that scarce resources are not wasted on worthless, and even hazardous, medicines.” Health Minister Mponda expressed his thanks for the donation and said, “The mobile compact laboratories are globally unique for their ability to detect counterfeits quickly, cost-efficiently and reliably. With them, we can relieve bottlenecks in quality control for medicines, especially in rural areas.”

The International Police Organization Interpol estimates that up to 30% of all medicines in Africa are either counterfeit or of inferior quality. The Global Pharma Health Fund provides help in this context. The Minilab developed by GPHF consists of two portable and tropic-resistant suitcases that contain the means to detect inferior or ineffective medicines. It offers quick, simple and low-cost test methods to check medicines for external abnormalities, identity and content, and identifies 57 active pharmaceutical ingredients, particularly those in medicines commonly used against infectious diseases. The test methods include those for common antibiotics, anthelmintics, virustatics, anti-malarial medicines, tuberculostatics, and other medicines.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Merck.

More information on the fight against schistosomiasis can be found on the Merck website:
http://www.merckgroup.com/en/responsibility/society/global_responsibility_projects/praziquantel.html
More information about the Minilab is available at:
http://www.merckgroup.com/en/responsibility/society/global_responsibility_projects/fighting_counterfeit_medicines.html
http://www.gphf.org/web/en/start/index.htm

Media contact:
Phyllis Carter
Tel. +49 6151 72-7144
media.relations@merckgroup.com

Background Information

Praziquantel

To date, the active ingredient praziquantel represents the most effective weapon in the treatment of the infectious disease schistosomiasis. Praziquantel is well tolerated and the most effective therapy to date for schistosomiasis. It is therefore on the WHO list of essential drugs. Co-developed more than 30 years ago by Merck KGaA and Bayer, this active ingredient was the main component of a drug first introduced to the general public by both companies under the brand name Biltricide in 1980.

At that time, this drug was celebrated by the media as the world’s greatest advance in recent years in the field of tropical medicine and as a major contribution by the research-based German pharmaceutical industry to finding a solution to pressing health issues in developing countries. Until then, there was no effective drug for schistosomiasis on the market yet.

The breakthrough came when researchers at Merck and Bayer developed one out of a total of 400 different compounds that triggers the elimination of all parasites after just one single dose and also showed a very high safety profile: praziquantel. This active ingredient is effective against schistosoma, which causes schistosomiasis, and is also effective against tapeworm infections. Praziquantel differs not only in its more reliable efficacy from known schistosomiasis drugs but also in its high tolerability. The active ingredient causes neither deformations nor hereditary defects and there are no indications of carcinogenic properties.

Praziquantel is administered orally. Depending on liver and kidney functions, praziquantel’s half-life amounts to 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Depending on the parasite species and its localization, the drug is administered in different application durations and rates. Praziquantel is effective not only against distoma causing schistosomiasis and related parasites, but also against tapeworms. With some tapeworms, a single-dose treatment with a low dose (10–25 mg per kg bodyweight) is sufficient, but when inner organs or even the central nervous system are affected by pork tapeworm larvae, treatment requires one to two weeks at maximum dose levels of 50 mg per kg bodyweight.

About Merck

Merck (http://www.merckgroup.com) is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of € 9.3 billion in 2010, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 40,000 employees in 67 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck’s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to http://www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

SOURCE
Merck

Is the trade in human body parts thriving in Kenya?

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The time is ripe for the government to launch a full scale investigations with the view to establish the truth about the widely spread rumors that trade in human body parts has of late become a booming trade in some parts of Kenya.

The alarming reports, about missing persons had their dead bodies being discovered in the thickets by relatives with vital body parts missing, now gives credence that there existed cartels of unscrupulous racketeers involved in human body trades in Kenya.

Previously such incidents were simply dismissed as “ritual killings” or connected to religious fanaticism, but until recent years when the government in the neighboring Tanzania made it public that there existed in that country a cartel of people involved in human body parts, particularly of those people with albinism blood {Albinos} such reports were treated like hot-air phantom.

However, the latest reports of incidence of dead bodies being found with private parts now gives credence that the incidences of this magnitude do not involved vampire or the movies like Dracula’s, but the threat is real and increasingly becoming a real menace to the Kenyan society.

A couple of years, the Tanzanian government investigated the cases of Albinos who were being butchered for human body parts trade and prosecuted a number of culprits earning deterrent prison sentences or death sentences nobody here in Kenya or elsewhere could believes that such kid of business is thriving in this region of Africa. But Tanzania swung into action to protect the Albinos came late after close to 60 or more people with albinism blood have perished.

This followed hue and cries by the public, which forced some Albinos people in Tanzania to fled the country to seek security protection in Kenya and in other countries, Rwanda and Burundi followed suit by declaring publicly that Albinos were endangered species of human being. This action prompted Albinos in Kenya to sensitize their plight and sought for maximum security protection by the Kenyan government citing the Tanzanian incidences and saying that they safety in Kenya could not be assured.

A case in point is that of a Kenyan who had successfully lured a young Kenyan man with albinism into Tanzania with the promise of securing a lucrative job in the Tanzanian lakeside City of Mwanza only to be caught in a trap set by the Tanzanian police when the man was just about to sell the Albino man from Kitale in the Rift Valley for hundreds of thousands of shillings to a phantom pseudo witch doctor who later turned out to be a senior police officer. And the Kenya dealer earned many years of imprisonment in Tanzanian jail, and the would be the potential victim of the heinous trade returned home in Kenya and the would victim after escaping death by a whisker.

The ritual killings were previously reported to common in big Cities and towns like Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and other smaller towns like Naivasha, Kiambu, Kericho, Eldoret, Kitale, Busia, but such incidences were aliens in most parts of rural areas In Western Kenya.

However, such incidents have of late became so common I regions like Nyamira, Kisii, Rongo,Migori,Namanga,Taveta and so rampant in rural locations in areas close to Kenya-Tanzania common borders pointing t the direction that witches and witchdoctors in neighboring Tanzania who had sent their agents out to hunt Albinos are still in booming trade.

The latest reported incident is that of a tax-driver in Kisii who was hired by smartly dressed men who wanted to be driven to some places. The taxi man was later reported missing for about four days, but decomposing body was later discovered by his relatives in a thicket in Migori about 100 kilometers away is pointing finders to the direction that such trade still thrives on. The man is said to have discovered minus his private parts as well as his eyes gorged out. And his vehicle also went missing.

This particular incident cannot be simply dismissed as the case of car-jacking, but a clear case that trading in human body parts is still thriving in some parts of Kenya. The racketeers in this trade are said to be working in cohort with mortuary attendance workers working in government hospitals and in some privately owned morgues.

These racketeers are said to target the bodies of both male and female and there was unconfirmed rumor of the body of a woman which was sent for preservation in one of the privately owned morgues. The next time when her relatives, mainly women went to the mortuary to have the body washed and properly dressed for its final journey home for burial, they were shocked to see some blood oozing out from the corpse’s private part and upon checking, the relatives got a shock of their life time when they discovered that her private part was missing and only the cotton goose were filled in its place.

According to sources in Migori and Awendo towns the matter was left to rest due to Luo traditional and cultural fear of bringing ‘possible bad omen and shame to the deceased family” if it was made public nor was there any report made to the police for their investigations

The cartel of racketeers involved in this kind of bloody-money trade are said to have posted their agents in most of hospitals mortuaries in the region, and the bodies of the road accident victims, especially those which are badly mutilated in grisly road mishaps are said to be the easiest and best prey for the racketeers because they usually takes the bodies home thinking that perhaps the private parts could have been smashed in the accident or interfered with during the post-mortem exercises, which are usually performed as legal mandatory by government pathologists on the road accident victim bodies and the bodies of those who died as murder victims.

The rumors says what Is facilitating this kind of business in some case, involved relatives ho buy expensive coffins, hand them to the mortuary attendances with instructions t have the bodes of their relatives and properly dressed for the burial. And it said some unpatriotic mortuary attendances are the ones who are working in collaboration with traders in human body parts.

Indeed it is now a common belief that some families might unknowingly been taking the bodies of their dead relatives home from hospital mortuaries for burial minus private parts after such corpses had already been safely placed inside the coffins and only glass windows showing the faces of the deceased left open for the mourners for viewing.

However, when the business of selling the human parts is declining and not flourishing well, the big money not forthcoming, these racketeers resort to unorthodox sending their agents to hunt for human beings like wild antelopes resulting in grisly murder of innocent Kenyans.

And like the money earned by drugs traffickers, the colossal of money raked from the sales of the human body trade could as well be used in financing national and regional elections during the impending general elections slated to be held later this year.

The money suspected to have been earned from this kind of trade or the money earned from drug trafficking, particularly bhang could have been perfectly used during the recently concluded, but controversy ridden ODM grass root elections, which turned to be life threatening in some parts of Luo-Nyanza.

It the duty of the Provincial Administration and police authorities to investigate thee issues to their logical conclusion, and save the sanctity of lives of many Kenyans who are dying and loosing their precious lives at the whims of these money maniacs.

EndsKenya

Tanzania: IFC is to inject USD 5 million towards the nickel exploration project in Northern Tanzania

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Reports emerging from Dar Es Salaam and Arusha says Tanzania will soon start exploiting its nickel deposits in Dutwa area in Northern part of the country, with the injection of USD 5 million IN TO PROJECT BY THE International Finance Corporation {IFC}.

The money will go towards concluding a feasibility study of the project. In turn IFC- the private sector arm of the World Bank Group – will take up a 10 per cent stake in African Eagle Resources, the mineral development firm behind it.

The study is scheduled for completion by the end of this year {2012}.The IFC has already signed an equity subscription agreement with African Eagle Resources, a UK incorporated company that discovered the nickel deposits in 2008.This will culminate in the issuing of 45,509,570 ordinary shares in the company to IFC.

In a statement issued late last week, the firm said, ”For every two new shares subscribed for, IFC will receive a warrant to purchase one further share at a price per share of 150 per cent of the placing price, exercisable for four years. Accordingly, on closing of the placing, IFC will hold 22,754,755 share purchase warrant.

The agreement also gives IFC a pre-emptive right to participate in any future equity or equity linked financings in order to allow it to maintain its 10 per cent ownership in the firm.

“Africa Eagle Resources has agreed publicly to disclose any material payments to the Tanzania government, as per IFC’s requirements,“ it added in the statement.

The ongoing feasibility study, which IFC has boosted and is slated for completion this year, is set to be used by the firm to secure financing for resource exploitation. Findings of an economic model that was developed through a study commissioned by the firm projected that up to USD 10.2 billion would be raked I its 26 years lifespan.

The head of mining at IFC, Tom Butler, said that the Dutw project has the potential to become “a major African nickel producer should the current feasibility study work continue to be successful.”

In the statement released Mr Butler said the IFC would help to implement environmental and social best practices for its mining activities.

Ends

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