Category Archives: Tanzania

Russia & Tanzania: Russian firm has suspended its uranium mining project in Tanzania following Japan nuclear crisis

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Information emerging from the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam, that Russian state-owned nuclear energy firm JSC Atomredumentzoloto [ARMZ} is shelving its plan to acquire the USD 1.16 billion Mkuju River Uranium assets in Southern Tanzania, due to the recent Japanese nuclear plant crisis.

The move comes only a month after the Russian firm had obtained a takeover approval from the Tanzanian government, under the fair Competition Act it had enacted in 2003, as the law regulating the prospecting and mining of uranium in the country.

The Tanzanian government had said it would start higher grade uranium mining early 2012 at Mkuju River following the completion of the feasibility study and the approval of the environmental impact assessment for the area.

The capital cost for the project estimate at USD 298 million in which USD 140 million will be used for the processing plant and USD 158 million for the project infrastructure.

Mr Artem Gorbachev, the Chief Press Officer of ARMZ Uranium Holding Company was last week quoted by the local and regional newspapers as saying his firm is suspending its agreement with Mantra Resources over recent crisis in Japan nuclear plant.

He said the ARMZ consider that the condition preceding into the scheme’s implementation agreement {SLA} dated December 15, 2010 between ARMZ and Mantra in relating to a material adverse change is not capable of satisfaction. “JSC Atomredumentzoloto has notified Mantra Resources Ltd that it believes that the series of incidents at the nuclear power plants in Pukushima, Japan are likely to have a material adverse effect on the business.”

The incident in Japan is likely to have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations assets or liabilities, financial position of prospects d Mantra Resources. But that ARMZ intend to continue discussions in an effort to explore how the transaction may proceed.

Tanzania’s Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources William Ngeleje was quoted by the EASTAFRICAN WEEKLY as having said in Dar Es Salaam that Tanzanian government will continue to go ahead with the mining of uranium starting next year.

The project has the capacity to generate pre-tax cash margins of approximately USD 115 million per uranium at an average uranium price of USD 60 per pound over the life of the mine.

The Minister said that all the necessary processes required with respect to Special Mining Project license are also complete.

“The project has been advised that all the process by the Tanzania legislation for the issue of environmental impact assessment {EIA} certificate are well advanced,” said the Minister, adding that the government said the publication of the Uranium Regulations has been completed and that these have been included in the country’s proposed new mining regulations.

Prof Iddi Mkilaha, the director general the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission {TAEC}, however, countered this by telling the local media that the regulatory authority has not issued any uranium mining license for Mantra Resources to start its work on the mining site.

Prof Mkilaha said there are still lots of regulations that need to be followed and TEAC will not issue any license in the near future for foreign or local firms unless proper procedures have been followed.

“There has been increasing regulatory concern all over the world to protect the safety of workers, public and the environment, prior to mining,” he added.

There are more that 108.9 million tones of mineral resource estimated at Mkuju River capable of producing an average annual production of 3.7 million pounds Triuranium actoxide {U3O8} over the minimum of 12 years the mine life.

Mkuju River Uranium Project was targeted to produce approximately 3.7 million pounds of uranium a year using the Res-in-Pulp metallurgical process.

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TANZANIA: OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT KIKWETE

Sent by Judy Miriga

From: Fatima Husenali

Dear President Kikwete

I know you are fine. No doubt. But you must be under pressure. You deserve it. You ask me why and I will say because you’ve been in the corridors of power for a long time and I’m not impressed at all. I have been to Bagamoyo, sir, where you once served as An MP, but there’s nothing to show for it. Does Bagamoyo even have an airport? I think not.

Other people might not be impressed with you, but they wouldn’t dare say that, because you are president. Tanzania has no future with what’s happening now.

Dear Mr. Kikwete, Tanzania is 50, that means, the British left 50 years ago and said, ‘Oya, take care of yourself and don’t mess up.’ What is happening, sir? We are messing up: culturally, politically and economically, which is very annoying. Are you not ashamed, sir? I know you are, but you won’t say that, because you travel all the time and you see how other leaders set their countries right. Please don’t even give me any excuse like, ‘I just became president yesterday.’

I won’t take it, sir. Check your track record. You could have done something. I will not put all the blame on you only. We are also part of the problem, because we tolerate people like you and praise you so much that it gets into your head. I’m from an Angry Generation; a betrayed generation. Your generation failed us and each day they want to come back and rule.

I don’t hate you, but can I ask you a question? Where are your children? Are they in any Tanzanian university? If No Why? Because they should be taken care of properly. I’m happy you think so much of your children and love them so much. Our parents do, too. So, what to do? I envy your children, because their father is a selfish man. Sir, do you care about other children? Be honest. Last June, sir, I was in Hong Kong. Guess what, sir? I met Robert Mugabe’s daughters at City University in the beautiful city of Hong Kong. So, what happens to the universities in Zimbabwe, sir? You may not be Mugabe, but sir, there’s really no difference. He’s older, yes, but you are still an African. I will tell you one thing, which makes me angry: my father is a member of CCM, your party. He forbids his kids to study abroad, so I was sent to the University of Dsm , thinking I would even meet my vice chancellor’s kids there.

No, sir, I didn’t. They have been sent abroad, where the lecturers are not aged, where the lecturers are computer literates and won’t ask their kids to check their mail for them; where there are no power outages, or riots, because some vice chancellor wants to demolish everything and increase the tuition fee all by himself. Sir, these are your boys. They are like you. You tolerate them and we tolerate people like you, so we end up in the same bin. We are scared of talking to you. Sir, I want to be an Anthropology professor, but I can’t.

Maybe, I can, but I will have to go abroad to do so. But how is it not possible for me to become one in UDSM and a good one in demand all over the world? I’m not speaking for every student, sir. I speak for the Angry Generation, to which I belong. We are not a fraternity, we are not a cult; we are like the children with telepathic instincts in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.

Now take this from me: I’m a happy man. I have an international passport, pages of it haS visas to different countries.

I can run away to any country, unless you will have it confiscated. But if you do so the international community will question you, because I’m a man who has worked for himself in this demoralizing country, which you rule now. I know you know where the Indian Prime Minister lives in south Delhi, sir? I’m not joking, sir, I live close to that area too. Each time I return to India, which I call my home now, I remember what Tanzania has done to my generation.

I’m begging for my generation. We are intelligent people and when the West starts celebrating us, you take our pictures with the faces of people raised by another culture. Isn’t that ridiculous, sir? Sir, last time I was in Delhi, a group of Tanzanians were watching TV where the House of Parliament discussed the prices of tomatoes, onions, potatoes and even SALT! These Tanzanians were laughing, while the Parliamentarians were brawling in there, trying to make sure things don’t go wrong.

Dear Kikwete, you look like a good man. And a good man has to do good things.

I feel terrible that I have to say these things to you, but the good thing is that you will not be hurt. It’s not personal. Thank you and I don’t hope to hear from you.

East Africa: Top EAC official to brainstorm in Arusha on the regional integration agendas

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo

TOP officials of the East African Community will be meeting in the coming weeks to set the bloc’s agenda for the next two decades, and review the growing investment interests in the region.

The meeting is slated for March 17-18 will take place at the Arusha International Conference Centre {AICC}.This will be the second meeting of its kind where the scholars and researchers, civil society, business community and development partners will meet to explore Vision 2020 for the East African Community.

The symposium is now an annual event in the EAC bloc’s calendar. And the outgoing Secretary General of the EAC Ambassador Juma V Mwapachu told the newsmen earlier this week that the officials will be drawn from the experiences of other economic blocs to set the agenda.

“The symposium is expected to articulate the broad features, set scenarios, propose benchmarks and a critical path towards deepening East African integration,” It will also propose follow up measures to cause wide awareness and participation in EAC integration and development,” Mwapachu said.

The Secretary General’s five years terms come to an end next month, and the five member states of the EAC, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will have to make an appointment for the next chief executive of the community.

The Arusha meeting comes in the background of growing interest in EAC integration from investors, governments and development partners.

European countries previously expressed misgiving at the rapid pace of EAC’s integration, but have now started establishing diplomatic ties with Arusha. The European Commission, Turkey, the Netherlands and Denmark have posted representatives while others have started negotiating. These latest development are turning the northern Tanzanian City into a diplomatic zone.

Soren Pind, the Danish Minister for International Cooperation, was quoted recently as saying,” These countries share a common trading interest and have shown strong political will to move the integration agenda forward.”

Within ten years, the EAC has launched both the Customs Union and the Common Market and is in the process of setting the stage for the roll-out the Monetary Union, ultimately, political federation in 2015, It took the EU close to 40 years to established a Customs Union, which the EAC did in five years.

Meanwhile Kenya has come up with a new plan to push through the reforms needed in EAC integration.

The plan, contain in a Rapid Result Initiative launched recently consists of five key points that could market the country as EAC’s most attractive investment destination.

Kenya has also launched a fresh program to enhance awareness among its citizens of the opportunities that come with integration. The first phase of the implementation which began on February 24, will be conducted over 100 days. Officials from the Ministry of East African Community Affairs will visit 24 counties our of the 47 countrywide selected randomly across the country to familiarize local people with the integration process

“ We have come to realize that most Kenyans know little about the EAC, its benefits and the business opportunities they can exploit in the region. This strategy will help us create awareness”. said the Permanent Secretary the EAC Ministry Affairs David Nalo.

Kenya’s export of professional services to other East African states is expected to increase by large margins, under the Common Market, which came into force in July last year, the World Bank notes.

Sharper market intelligence and improved networking should help Kenya ride on the wave of increased demand for professional services in the 127-million-people economy and a combined GDP of USD 73 billion that is also tipped to attract foreign investors.

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Tanzania: Explosions at the Tanzanian Military ammunition depot caused big loses to airlines

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.

DETAILS of information emerging from the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam say several international airlines may be headed for more than millions in suspension related losses as series of explosions two weeks ago triggered flight cancellation following the closure of Julius Nyerere International Airport.

The government is reported to have already launched investigations into the series of explosions at the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces {UPDF} ammunition depot sin Dar Es Salaam that forced international airlines to cancel all flights to Tanzania.

The Supreme Security Council the country’s top military security organ under the Commander-In-Chief was reported last week to have held an emergency security meeting in the capital and deliberated on the issue.

Tanzania has also tightened security along its borders with the neighboring countries on the land and on its Indian Ocean coastline.

The 22 ammunition depots in the army Gondo La Mboto military camp caused the death of at least 30 people, with many more left injured.

Planes belonging to Swissair, Egypt Airlines, South African Airways, Precision Air Services, and Fly540 were among those grounded at the international airport pending further information from the military as City’s sky was lit up by flying debris and missiles.

All the incoming flights were being diverted, either to Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha, or to Zanzibar airport, during the night hours as explosion rocked the city near the international airport.

Debris showered parts of the city up to 15 kilometers from the Gongo La Mboto military bases, which is located in the outskirt of Dar Es Salaam. It was the second such military accident in recent times, after another explosion at Mbagala Military base in 2009 in which 20 people including four military officers lost their lives.

A Turkey Airlines and Precision Air flights were last week diverted to Nairobi whereas a KLM was sent to Kilimanjaro Airport in Arusha. A plane belonging to Comair flight, a subsidiary of the British Airways flying in from South Africa was forced to return to South Africa, Ethiopia Airline and Qatar Airlines cancelled all the flights to Tanzania pending safety assurances from the Tanzanian government.

The TPDF’s Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen Abdulrahaman Shimba was quoted as saying that that the army had yet to establish the root cause of the explosions, adding that the authorities have started investigations into the cause of the explosion and the extent of it caused o the army and to the public.

The ammunition depot explosions, started on Wednesday evening in a series of blasts which leveled homes and destroyed many properties.

The Prime Minister Mizengo Pindo went on the air and said that several homes and a school were leveled. He added that at least 4,000 people have been rendered homeless and were still sheltering at the Uhuru National Stadium.

Army ammunition depots explosion have occurred in the past in the United Kingdom, Russia, Brazil, Nigeria and Pakistan.

According to military experts, the causes of such accidents include design faults, poor storage control, movement of ammunition, equipment failures, in-service deterioration, errors in building and errors in drill.

In 2002 an accident at ammunition depot at the Ekeja military base caused series of explosions, sending fireballs into the sky over Nigeria’s commercial capital. Lagos. The blast rocked the outskirts of the northern port city and shattering windows in buildings several kilometers away and caused a lot of panic.

In 2009 at least eight people were killed in an explosion at the arsenal 31 ammunition depot on the outskirt of Ulyanovost, 900 km south of Moscow, Russian.

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Tanzania: Russians and Chinese in Big Scramble for uranium and coal mining business in nation

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Reports emerging from the Tanzanian commercial City of Dar Es Salaam says that a Chinese firm, Sichuan Hongda Corporation is planning t invest USD 3 million in the Mchuchuma coal and Liganga Iron Ore production in Southern Tanzania.

This will be the first major mining investment by the firm in Tanzania, after it was selected out of 48 international and local companies that bid to develop the two projects.

Other reports emerging from the same source says, the Russian state-owned nuclear holding company, Rosatom has taken over the uranium assets of the Tanzanian based Mantra Resources Ltd for USD 1.15 billion.

Rosatom through its SC Atomredmetzoto ARMZ Uranium Holding Co} subsidiary, will buy the Australian Perth-based company for a USD 8 a share 5.5 per cent premium to its last trading price before the shares were halted prior to the take over announcement on Monday this week.

The coal mining project, in which the Chinese company is involved, will provide the base for industrial and activities and a source for both local industrial uses, as well as for export. It is also expected that the project will influence of infrastructure in the Southern regions of the country.

The chairman of the board of the National Development Corporation {NDC} Chrisant Mzindakaya was quoted widely by the local media houses as saying last week tat Mchuchuma coal project, which is expected to produce 600 megawatts of electricity will supplement the hydropower sources which are currently in use in Tanzania.

“The project will also necessitate the strengthening and building of new power transmissions lines,” said Mzindakaya.

Tanzania is notorious for chronic power rationing largely due to overdependence on hydropower sources.

At the same time the in the of Heavy Industry in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing Alley Mwakibolwa was also quoted by the media as saying that the Mchuchuma mining area has an estimated 540million metric tones of coal deposits, which is enough to produce electricity for over 100 years. “Once the Mchuchuma project is complete, the power rationing in the country would be something of the past having been resolved permanently.”

Mwakibolwa added the 600 megawatts of power expected will attract investment in other sectors as well.

The Mchuchuma project covers an area of about 141 square kilometers while the Liganga Steel Complex covers 178 square kilometers.

In February last year the NDC shortlisted 25 international and local firms for the Mchuchuma Coal and Liganga Iron Ore concessions. Nine firms were picked from these.

They are BHP Billiton Worldwide Exploration Ltd of South Africa, China Huadian Engineering Company Ltd of the Peoples Republic of China, Nava Bharat {Singapore} Pte Ltd of Singapore, and Rio Tinto Minerals Development Ltd of the United Kingdom.

The other firms were, Sarda Energy and Minerals Ltd of India, Sichuan Hongda Company Ltd of China, STX Corporation of Korea,, Trancoal Energy Ltd/Tata International of Tanzania and the AES Corporation of the United States.

The government of Tanzania also prequalified five firms for the Liganga Iron Ore concessions in which Sarda Energy and Minerals Ltd, Sichuan Hongda Company, STX Corporation, Trancoal Energy Ltd / Tata International Ltd and AES Corporation were shortlisted.

Trancoal’s submission was made alongside Tata International Ltd of India as a joint venture. The Liganga iron ore deposits are located less than 100 kilometers from Trancoal’s Ngaka coal project.

In the Russian’s deal, the agreement will see ARMZ Uranium Holding, a company authorized the State Corporation of Nuclear Energy to supply Russian nuclear industry with raw materials, take over 100 per cent of Mantra Resources Ltd.

Mantra’s core assets are the world-class Mkuju River project in Tanzania, Which is nearing the completion of definitive feasibility study.

The transaction contemplates the fulfilling number of standard requirements, including, specifically, transaction approval by a general shareholder of Mantra Resources Ltd, relevant state authorities and court approval.

The transaction will have to wait the approval from the Australian Foreign Investment Committee and the Tanzanian government cabinet.

Vadim Zhivoc, the Director General of the ARMZ was quoted by the influential weekly the EASTAFRICAN this week as saying that the transaction with Mantra Resources Ltd is a part of ARMZ Uranium Holding strategy on diversifying uranium base of Rosatom a state corporation.

Zhivoc said the agreement allows ARMZ Uranium Holding to extend its portfolio of assets with low uranium production costs as well as to consolidate the leading position of the Rosatom State Corporation among the world natural uranium producers.

“The transaction is realized within the concept of development of uranium. One as for the global platform of ARMZ Uranium Holding’s growth.” he said.

According to Zhivoc, the acquisition proposal provides all Mantra shareholders with the opportunity to realize a cash consideration at a premium valuation.

Buying Mantra will give Rosatom the Mkuju River project in Tanzania and add to the controlling stake in Uranium One that it agreed to buy in June.

Jean Nottier,the CEO of Uranium One said that the Mkuju River in Tanzania ranks among the best uranium development projects in the world.

The Mkuju River Uranium project has the estimated resources of 101.4 million pounds of uranium oxide concentrate about 77 per cent of global mined output last year

Mantra Resources has started definitive feasibility study for the project.The offered price Mantra equates to USD 10.26 per pound {.O.45.kg} concentrate in Mkuju River.

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Kenya: Museveni is suspected to be the influential force behind EAC political woes

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisaumu City.

As the scramble for the most lucrative position in the East African Community intensified, two outspoken Kenyan MPs have come out full blast against their government ambition to see its man at the helm of the EAC hot seat in Arusha.

The two legislators want their country to give up its quest for the position f the Secretary General of the EAC in favor if either Rwanda or Burundi,

Dr Bonny Khalwale {Ikolomani} and Duncan Mungatana {Garsen} told newsmen in Nairobi this week that Kenya’s quest for the position was threatening the unity of the East African Community.

According to the EAC Treaty, this position is supposed to be rotational. And now that the current holder Ambassador Dr Juma V. Mwapachu is expected to retire from his five year tenure of office, Dr Mwapachu is a Tanzanian and his position is supposed to be filled on a rotational basis.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have filled this position ever since the community was reborn in 1999.

As far as the matter stands, it would be expected that Rwanda or Burundi would be the next in line. However, Kenya has been reported in the recent past as saying that it has really never occupied the seat substantively and now wants the chance to do so.

The two Kenyan MPs accused two unnamed top government officials of allegedly pushing President Mwai Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odingato back Kenya’s quest for the seat, which is scheduled to fall vacant in April this year.

The two legislators said that some senior government official in Nairobi recently travelled to Uganda with the intention to lobby and convince President Museeni to help Kenya realize its quest for the seat.

“It is sad that the government has gone so desperately to lobbying for the support of the Ugandan leader to help Kenya illegal quest for the seat,” said Dr Khalwale.

On his part Mungatana who is also the Secretary General of the Martha Karua led Narc-Kenya party which had pulled out of the PNU amalgamation of parties expressed the fears that the future of the united community was under a serious threat following Kenyans “selfish” interests in the seat.

“We have to leave it for Rwanda or Burundi, because Kenya as a senior member of the EAC that its chance and now it is time for others.”

At the same time Rwanda and Burundi insist that it is their turn to produce a candidate for the post which falls vacant in April. However, Kenya insists it has not served the full five year term in the past.

The position is currently held by Ambassador Mwapachu a Tanzanian, while his predecessor Nuwe Amanya Mushega was from Uganda. Bu before Mushega, Kenya’s Francis Muthaura had served as the executive secretary at the secretariat of the Commission for the East African Co-operation from 1996 to 2001.

Muthaura who is now the Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Kenyan Cabinet becomes the first Secretary General after the EAC Treaty came into force in 1999 and the new set of the EAC established in July 2000.

Rwanda and Burundi are the latest entrants into the EAC and are the only two countries that have not produced a secretary general.

Mungatana cautioned that the open campaign for Museveni’s re-election in Uganda by a number of senior Kenyan politicians was a breach of the international relations and could jeopardize Kenya’s business relationship with Uganda if Museveni lost the election.

The most intriguing question that emerges is; Why the position of the Secretary General of EAC, which would not ordinarily be an issue that would raise heads because Arusha’s marginal influence in the regional political capital, is now a political hot-button issue?

Political pundits and observers are now beginning to connect the dots to the succession politics at the national and regional level as we near 2017 when four of the five current presidents will be retiring from power, and the incumbent post-Kibaki head of state will be seeking re-election.

At a regional level, President Museveni is said to be the influential force behind Kenya’s desire to get its own national picked to take over Dr Mwapachu’s job. President Museveni once publicly declared that he wants to be the first president of an EAC political federation, which is mooted around 2017or thereabouts.

According to observers, consolidating Museveni’s then three decade rule into a regional – or even pan-Africa –elder statesman status would be an enticing retirement package.

This according to an article published by the EASTAFRICAN weekly especially if it would also coincide with a time when Uganda would have been pumping oil out if its Lake Albert basin for at least five years, meaning that he could back his desire to be a regional hegemony with growing petrodollars treasure.

Museveni profile in Arusha would transform its political profile, where it would start exerting some influence in member’s capitals.

The reports says in parts that if Kenya succeeds in getting one of its own to succeed Mwapachu in Arusha, it would serve Museveni’s ambitions better by providing a predictable ally who would spearhead the most difficult transformation of the EAC into a Monetary Union with a single currency and a political federation with a popularly elected leader.

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EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY MINISTERS SIGN THE PROTOCOL ON FOREIGN POLICY COORDINATION THROUGH DIPLOMACY AND CONSULAR MATTERS

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

News emerging from the northern Tanzanian City of Arusha says the East African Community member states have signed the Protocol of Foreign Policy Coordination that  provides for the coordination in diplomacy and consular matters.

The signing of the protocol took place at a ceremony held at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge  which is located in the outskirts of Arusha, and was witnessed by Presidents Yoweri  Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Pierre  Nkuruzinza, during their 12th summit held in Arusha  a week ago.

This Protocol is to be ratified by EAC member states by June next year {2011}. It was signed by Prof. George Saitoti {Kenya}, Benard Membe {Tanzania}, Sam Kutesa {Uganda}, Monique Mukoruliza {Rwanda} and Augustin Sanze of Burundi.

Membe told newsmen that the protocol now binds the EAC partner states to collaborate in multilateral diplomacy. “If, say Kenya has no diplomatic mission in Norway, but Tanzania has, then Tanzanian envoy accredited to that country will play diplomacy role for both partner states”, said Membe.

The blueprint also provides for EAC member states to collaborate in economic and social activities as well as capacity building.

Deputy Secretary General in charge of political federation, Ms. Beatrice Kiraso was quoted widely by the EASTAFRICAN weekly last week as saying the common foreign policy will safeguard the common values for EAC fundamental interests and independence of the region.

“It is also intended to strengthen the security of the community and its partner states in all ways”, Ms. Kiraso explained.

The EAC Secretary General, Ambassador Juma V Mwapachu, said the protocol is legally binding against all partner states to act collectively and operate together on issues of foreign policy.

“EAC partner states will be acting collectively against the regional terrorism, and piracy, which is eroding the economic performance and policy, raising the cost of doing business in the region”, Mwapachu said.

Chapter 23 of the Treaty establishing the EAC provides for co-operation on political matters and the partner states committed themselves to establish common foreign  and security policy.

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EAC & EC: THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY IS READY TO RESUME AND CONCLUDE EPAS TALKS WITH EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging fro the Northern Tanzanian city of Arusha says the East African Community announced last week that it was ready to resume negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreement {EPAs} with European Commission and conclude the deal within one year.

The latest development comes in the wake of the failure by the EAC countries to organize a joint EAC-EC-EPA Ministerial meeting to reach an agreement by the end of September.

The EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment {SCTIF}, further adopted a draft road map for the negotiation, according to a statement from the EAC secretariat {details of the road map were, however, not released}.

Trade Ministers from the five member countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi converged in Arusha two weeks ago where they signed the report of the Sectoral Council to raise the funds within the scope of time given.

The Council further directed the EAC Secretariat to convene an experts meeting in January 2011 to prepare a budget ahead of the comprehensive EPA negotiations.

Following the June impasse, the Council again directed the secretariats ensure that it develops the draft into the full a comprehensive negotiations road map to be shared with the EC. The road map should clearly indicate the member countries priorities respectively.

Experts say. a duration of one year compares with the previous four months thru November. It is enough time to enable member countries to meet their dues in readiness for the signing.

Kenya’s Permanent Secretary to the East African Community Affairs Ministry David Nalo was last week quoted by the EASTAFRICA as saying “his decision now opens anew era of serious engagement. It is estimated that this will require about one year from now.”

It is a race to raise required funds, the secretariat says it had mobilized usd.3.4 million from the Swedish international Development Agency to facilitate the comprehensive negotiations for a period ending June 2012, with first disbursement to be made by this month.

He SIDA funding has four main inputs, namely, capacity building for defining ,Trade negotiations, Meeting and Sessions,Technical and sensitization and public awareness on EPA

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Tanzania: Miaka 49 ya Uhuru Tanganyika.

Miaka 11 bila Sanduku la Agano.

Na Douglas Majwala.

Mnamo 9-12-2010 taifa lilifikia kilele cha maadhimisho ya miaka 49 ya uhuru ambao wengi wanautafsiri kuwa ni wa bendera tu kwa maana licha ya nchi hii kuonekana paradiso lakini bado raia wake zaidi ya 75% hawawezi kumudu milo 2 kwa siku hata kwa mboga ya kauzu wasiojaza hata kiganja na kupelekea kuupa umaarufu ule usemi kuwa “usicheze mbali unga robo” huku wengine wakihoji kwa ukali ni lini ndani ya kipindi cha miaka 49 watanzania waliwahi kuambiwa “haya sasa legezeni mkanda mle mnywe msaze maana kesho itajiju”.

Ni aibu ya millennia kwa taifa lililojaliwa wasomi na viongozi waelewa mpaka wengine tunadiriki kuwafungulia milango watokomee ugahibuni kwa njia ya brain drain ingawa wao wanasema hailipi kutumika Tanzania kama inavyolipa ukitumika nje ya mipaka yake, kupoteza dira ya maisha. Taifa limeshindwa kuelewa kiundani kabisa sababu za kitaalamu zinazopelekea lishindwe kutumia rasilimali ya wasomi wengi iliyonao kujiletea maendeleo ukilinganisha na wasomi waliokuwa hawazidi 7 tu hivi wakati nchi inapandisha bendera yake kuashiria kupatikana uhuru pale uwanja wa taifa siku ile ya 09-12-1961 ambao licha ya idadi yao ndogo iliyovunja rekodi Afrika, walitumika na kuweza kuliweka taifa katika mustakabali unaoeleweka ambao ndiyo uliweka misingi ya kuliwezesha kupumua pasina mpira wa oxygen mpaka pale alipoondoka Musa [Baba wa taifa] na sanduku la agano. Je, ingekuwa siku ile ya uhuru ndiyo taifa lingekuwa na idadi ya wasomi iliyo nao leo hii nafikiri hata Marekani wasingetufikia ki-maendeleo.

Kwa hiyo hapa hoja ni mmoja tu kuwa ni jinsi gani kiongozi ana uwezo wa kujipanga na idadi ya rasilimali aliyonayo kujipatia maendeleo kama Mwl. alivyoweza kuipa nchi maendeleo [elimu bure, afya bure, ajira bure, miradi ya maendeleo nk bila kukusanya kodi] akiwa na wasomi 6 tu akiwemo yeye wa 7, akaweza hata kuwapanga vizuri wazungu waliokuwepo kuziba mianya ya wasomi wazalendo waliokosekana. Wazungu waliokuwepo katika utumishi wa umma walipangwa vilivyo kulitumikia taifa, ambapo leo hii tunao katika sura ya magabacholi ambao wanalihujumu tu taifa kutokana na kwamba hakuna Nyerere wa kuwapanga vizuri.

Pamoja na idadi kubwa ya wasomi, siasa safi, uongozi bora, watu na ardhi kubwa yenye rutuba bado taifa limeshindwa kusimamia siyo tu rasilimali asilia iliyonazo bali hata miradi mingi ya maendeleo iliyoanzishiwa na mzungu. Hali hii inafanya nguzo hizo nne za maendeleo zilizoasisiwa na Mwl Nyerere leo zitumike kinyume na maana yake [watu duni, siasa za maji taka, uongozi wa kifisadi na ardhi isiyomilikiwa na raia bali na wawekezaji wasioitumia kwa manufaa ya taifa] ndiyo maana taifa limefika kikomo cha maisha kama tunavyoshuhudia hivi leo.

Warasimu wa kisiasa wameliingiza taifa katika mchezo haramu wa karata tatu pale walipopambana mithili ya simba mwenye njaa kali aliyejeruhiwa na aliyekosa mawindo sasa akijitahidi kulipiza kisasi, pale ambapo waliandaa mazingira ya mauti ya ujamaa wa Mwl kwa njia ya kubadili mfumo toka mmoja kwenda mwingine kwa kigezo cha mabadiliko ya dunia nzima ambapo ujamaa wa Mwl tunaoulilia leo ulianza kushuhudia ujenzi wa kaburi lake na uchongeshaji wa jeneza lake siku baada ya siku huku ubeberu wa mitaji ya kimataifa ukikaa mkao wa kula na kukaa eda katika tanga la ujamaa wa Mwl kusubiri mirathi ya mashirika ya umma yaliyofilisiwa kutangazwa na msimamizi wa mirathi hizo yaani tume za kurekebisha mashirika ya umma. Nasema ujamaa wa Mwl kwa sababu ujamaa wa Fidel Casto na ule wa Mao Tsetung [haijalishi ameishakufa] bado vimebaki kuwa mfupa ulioshinda ubeberu.

Hapa ndipo wenye mamlaka wakaanza kumili hisa katika makampuni wakisajili hisa hizo kwa jina la Paulo kumbe kwa ukweli wanaitwa Sauli tena wanafanana na Sauli mpaka na roho zao huku kanisa nalo likishindwa kukemea kwa vitendo mweleko ambao taifa limechukuwa. Kanisa limekuwa kama limebariki hali hii kwa sababu kanisa halisi ambalo limebeba kusudi la MUNGU ndani yake ni kama kanisa la nyakati za biblia ambapo lilikuwa kimbilio la wenye mahitaji kama akina Batimayo ambao walijipanga kila jumapili langoni mwa hekalu [kanisa] kusubiri neema na wakaja wakapokea mpaka na neema ya uponyaji pia, leo kanisa limekuwa ndiyo mkimbizi kwa watu hata mafisadi badala ya watu ndiyo waone kuwa kanisa ni kimbilio lao [hali imekuwa kinyume].

Tunapoadhimisha miaka 49 ya uhuru ndani ya njaa kali, uchi mkali, magonjwa sugu na milipuko mipya, siasa viza, ufisadi uliotamalaki, chuki, majigambo, uhasama, fitina, husuda, vita vya koo, vita vya wafugaji na wakulima, ukame, giza totoro ndani ya mito isiyokauka, maji kwa vibaba [mgawo] ndani ya mito iliyotapakaa kila mahali, mpasuko wa vyama vya siasa kutokana na siasa za mchafuko wa bahari, undugunaizesheni wa kupindukia nk, kanisa nalo linaadhimisha sambamba miaka 49 ya utumishi wake ndani ya uhuru huo wa taifa [japo kanisa lilianza kabla ya uhuru] ambalo kanisa likishirikiana na dini zingine zimezalisha makuhani wake toka ndani yao [miongoni mwa waumini wao] kwenda kuliongoza taifa.

Viongozi wamebatizwa kanisani na nyumba zingine za ibada za imani nyingine pia, wana vyeo makanisani na nyumba zingine za ibada mbadala na wamekulia ukristo na imani zingine pia kwa maongozi ya kanisa na dini zingine lakini wameshindwa kuubwaga mathalan kwa wakristo “U-Sauli na kutwaa U-Paulo”, kwa maneno mengine ni kuwa taifa linaanzia kanisani/misikitini. Makanisa na misikiti ndiyo hutengeza taifa na uongozi wake pia, lakini utashangaa makasisi wakipiga domo madhabahuni nyakati za sikukuu za kidini wakipamba vichwa vya vyombo vya habari kwa kuisema serikali kwa jazba wakati wanasahu kuwa wao ndiyo wamewaandaa toka makanisani/misikitini mumo humo!!??

Mbona mahala pengi tumeona makasisi wakilikomboa taifa e.g. Zimbabwe ambapo Askofu Pius Ncube alimtafsiria Mugabe maneno “Mene mene tekeli na peresi” na mwisho wa siku tukaona Zim ikibadilika kwa kuikubali serikali ya mseto, bado pia historia haitamsahau Mchg. Canaan Banana ambaye pamoja na ma-comrade wenzake waliiletea Zim uhuru, dunia pia haitamsahau Askofu Mkuu Desmond Tutu wa Afrika Kusini alivyoendesha mapambano ya kudai ukombozi kutoka ubaguzi wa rangi akitumia silaha ya biblia na kola ya uaskofu, pia Askofu Mkuu Okulu na Muge wa Eldoret waliofanyika mwiba mchungu kwa serikali babe ya Rais Mstaafu wa Jamhuri ya Kenya Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi.

Inashindikana nini Tanzania? Ni uongo mkubwa kutenganisha siasa na kanisa/msikiti, hizi taasisi mbili [kanisa/msikiti na serikali] zinaushirika wa toka enzi na enzi, hata Israel bila kanisa hakuna serikali [wanajeshi wake huenda vitani kwa imani ya kiroho zaidi ya silaha kali walizonazo na ndiyo maana wana jeshi linaloogopewa duniani mithili ya sisimizi na siafu wanavyoogopwa na tembo], Upalestina huwezitenganisha dini na serikali, Uingereza malkia ndiyo mkuu wa ngazi ya juu kabisa wa kanisa la Anglikana na pia ndiye mkuu wa ufalme, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Irak, Pakistan nk hali ni hiyo hiyo.

Sanduku la agano alilokabidhiwa Mwl Nyerere wakati wa uhuru liko wapi? Alimpa nani wakati anaenda St.Thomas London ambako alirudi akiwa ndani ya galadi? Miaka 11 bila Mwl na bila sanduku la agano imebadili kabisa sura na mwelekeo wa taifa mpaka watanzania leo wakiona jambo linaenda mrama basi utawasikia wakisema “ kama Mwl angekuwepo hili lisingekuwa hivi badala yake lingekuwa vile”, na sasa watanzania wamekuna vichwa kwa muda mrefu na hatimaye wakapata mafunuo kuwa mustakabali wa taifa umeshindikana kutokana na kutoweka kwa sanduku la agano na sasa wameanza kulitafuta kwa jasho hata la damu maana pasina sanduku hilo lazima maadui kama njaa kali, uchi mkali, magonjwa sugu na milipuko mipya, siasa viza, ufisadi uliotamalaki, chuki, majigambo, uhasama, fitina, husuda, vita vya koo, vita vya wafugaji na wakulima, ukame, giza totoro ndani ya mito isiyokauka, maji kwa vibaba [mgawo] ndani ya mito iliyotapakaa kila mahali, mpasuko wa vyama vya siasa kutokana na siasa za mchafuko wa bahari, undugunization wa kupindukia, demokrasia tete, uchumi dororo, pato hafifu la taifa, gharama za maisha kupaa, viwango vya maisha kushuka mpaka chini ya mstari wa umasikini, mparaganyiko wa utumishi wa umma unaoleta migomo na mitafaruku ya kazi, mikataba ya uwekezaji wa mitaji ya kimataifa iliyoliweka taifa njia panda na kulivua nguo bungeni na kwenye foramu za wanaharakati nk wataishambulia nchi yao!! Tusubiri miujiza ya kubadili jina kama ilivyokuwa kwa Abraham kwenda Ibrahim na Sarai kwenda Sara ndipo maisha yao yakabarikiwa na kupata Zawadi ya Isaka au hata Sauli kwenda Paulo ndipo agano jipya kwenye biblia likajipatia nyaraka nyingi kupitia mkono wa wokovu wa Paulo?

Tanzania inaingia miaka 50 ya uhuru [golden-jubilee] 09-12-2011 bila kupishana sana umri na Korea Kusini, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia na Thailand lkn nchi hizo zimewezakuja na Marshal Plan isiyo ya miujiza mikubwa sana kama ya Eliya, bali ambayo hata Tanzania pia inaweza ikaifanya lakini wao wameweza kujenga Tiger Economies huku sisi tukishindwa hata kuota ndoto za Mini-Tiger Economy badala yake wenzetu wa United Arab Emirates wameweza kuota ndoto hizo za Mini-Tiger. Mataifa hayo ya mashariki ya mbali yote yalikuwa kambi moja ya South-South na Tanzania, lakini leo Tanzania imejikuta imebaki pale ikijishika tama huku hawa wenzake wamejipatia sifa za kutowafanya waitwe tena nchi za South-South, labda tuwaite nchi za dunia ya pili. Zab. 58.

majwalaoriko@yahoo.co.uk

0782299399.

Tanzania: 50 member new Tanzanian cabinet is expected to bring major changes in governance

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.

President Jakaya Kikwete has formed a new cabinet of 50 members. The challenges it faces will be to implement the promises made by the ruling CCM party during the election campaign.

The President has also created a new cabinet portfolio to boost foreign direct investment inflows to the East Africa’s largest economy. The 50 members, including deputy ministers, has 24 new faces, whereas the previous cabinet had 47 members.

News emerging from Dar Es Salaam says soon after the successful conclusion of the country’s general election on October 19, President Kikwete has taken a bold step of appointing two new members to his cabinet who were vocal in criticizing some members of the ruling CCM on matters of corruption.

Observers were quick in maintaining that the appointment has set the stage for a clean-up of the ruling party before the next general election, which is now scheduled for October in 2015.

The head of state has also named the highly respected former powerful National Assembly Speaker, Samuel Sita, as the new Minister for the East African Community Affairs, perhaps having in mind the the task of speeding up negotiations for the political federation of East Africa.

Overall, the Tanzanian President, who introduced 24 new faces to his cabinet, has performed a careful balancing demands of his the millions of CCM supporters who want more action on poverty reduction.

BUT Kikwete will be under pressure from the main opposition, CHADEMA party, and other small political parties, and Tanzanians in general, to press through constitution changes to provide for peaceful and fair polls in the country.

Furthermore, Kikwete named the outspoken veteran lawyer and former journalist, Harrison Mwakyemba, who chaired the Richmond Scandal investigations, the deputy minister for public works, to deal with the road construction. This is an area marked by grand corruption.

The Ministry will be headed by another hardworking MP John Magufuli.

Kikwete has also retained Benard Membe as Foreign Affairs Minister, a move that has angered a section of his ruling CCM party, who say he is grooming Membe to be his future successor in 2015.

President has also named several new cabinet members, including former Nairobi-based UN top diplomat and UN Habitat Chief, Anna Tibaijuka, as the new Lands Minister. Also in the cabinet is Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa, an academician who was brought home from a powerful position in a South African university to serve in the cabinet.

He takes over as the Minister for Communications, Science and Technology.

The general Secretary of the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania {Tucta}, Nicholas Mgaya, was last week quoted by the EASTAFRICAN weekly as saying that the new ministers will have to deal with the long standing woes of workers on high taxation.

Mgaya said the new cabinet should find ways of broadening the collection of taxes from other sources in order to cushion workers most of whom pay from their meager salaries.

“We are sure that there are many business people who are dodging taxes. The new cabinet should strengthen means of collecting taxes from this group.”

Energy and Mineral Minister, William Ngeleja, also kept his job, as did the Minister for Defense and National Service, Hussein Mwinyi.

Tanzania civil servants have been gratified by the President’s move to replace Labour Minister Juma Kapuya, who came in for widespread criticism over his handling of the civil servants strike just before the general election.

The Minister has been replaced by Madame Gaudensia Kabaka, who formerly was the deputy Minister for Education.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

USA, Tx: Kenyans Bursted

from Judy Miriga

What is going in Texas? One of the most stupid things wananchi do is to fail to use common sense. They go to the same place at the same time, some using same address thereby raising suspicion. Last time several wananchi in Iowa were raided one morning, some 25 of them – – but we didn’t seem to learn a lesson.

The moment the county clerk asked that question, they should have known that they were walking on a time bomb. They then stupidly hop into the same car after saying that they didn’t know each other. Kwani marriage ceremony is a sacrament which has to be eaten at the same time?

MrMeezy wrote:
Texas has long been known as marriage fraud central for Tanzanians with Houston being its epicenter. Sad to see Kenyans now engaging in the same gig. Weren’t Kenyans and Tanzanians also caught hapo hapo in a conspiracy to steal expensive microchips from kina Texas Instruments na kadhalika to the tune of several million dollars several years ago? Most of them were caught and are now rotting in filthy federal jails with hakataa some with decades long prison sentences. Crime is never worth it I tell you.

County Clerk Laverne Soefje said she noticed a trend of Harris County residents with spouses from African countries filing for marriage licenses in her office.

Soefje said that once three such couples came to the office to request a marriage license at the same time. It raised her suspicions, she said.

“ I asked them if they knew each other because they were standing next to each other at the counter, and they said no,” Soefje said. “But when they left the office, they all got in the same car and drove off.”

Soefje said she talked to other county clerks from the Brazos Valley who said they noticed the same trend. She said it was then that she decided to ask the Texas Rangers to investigate.

While Soefje said she was unaware of the federal indictments when contacted by The Eagle on Tuesday, she said the Rangers’ investigator has kept in touch and said authorities discovered one man who married 18 times.

“ It caught my attention, because I couldn’t imagine all of them coming to Milam County when they were from Houston,” Soefje said. “You don’t travel such a large distance to come to a county out of the way.”

4 Kenyans busted in Houston
Twenty-two Brazos Valley residents indicted for marriage fraud

By BRETT NAUMAN
Eagle Staff Writer

The names of 36 Texans indicted by a Houston grand jury Tuesday are listed first in the following chart. The people whom they married have not been arrested.

• Salena Allen, 30, of Midland, married Anthony Anazonwu of Nigeria.
• Ruthie Denise Bailey, 30, of Bryan, married Juma A. Mohamed of Jordan.
• Vicki Bisch, 39, of Bryan, married Demba Sidibe of Mali.
• Brandy Coleman, 23, of Cypress, married Ifeanyi Ubesie of Nigeria.
• Jeri Davis, 21, of Bryan, married Charles Maina of Kenya.
• Latira Davis, 30, of Bryan, married Haji Rajab of Tanzania.
• Vernon Felix, 48, of Houston, married Gladys Iheonunekwu of Nigeria.
• Crystal Franklin, 20, of Houston, married Amaniel Bubelwa of Tanzania.
• Shellia Franklin, 40, of Houston, married Mohamed Sillah of Sierra Leone.
• Terrance Franklin, 23, of Houston, married Ann Laimaru of Kenya.
• Veronica Franklin, 20, of College Station, married Mohammedsameh Abujuba of Jordan.
• Almesha Gooden, 24, of Bryan, married Stewart Basil of Tanzania.
• Carolyn Hedge, 37, of Bryan, married Mamadou Diallo of Guinea.
• Christopher Hedge, 37, of Somerville, married Rose Tweve of Tanzania.
• Joe E. Hedge, 30, of Bryan, married Noreen Munabi of Uganda.
• John T. Hedge Jr., 30, of Bryan, married Grace Munthali of Tanzania.
• John Thomas Hedge Sr., 51, of Bryan, married Agnes Mutagurwa of Tanzania.
• Lenora Hedge, 34, of Bryan, married Akinyemi Osinubi of Nigeria.
• Christopher McMurray, 22, of Bryan,married Sheila Mbwana of Tanzania.
• LaTonya McMurray, 22, of Bryan, married Joseph Kiige of Kenya.
• Kelvin Bernard Mike, 21, of Houston, married Elizabeth Osoro of Kenya.
• Chantella Murphy, 33, of Houston, married Marwan Almajali of Jordan.
• Clarace Nutall, 40, of Bryan, married Anne Bassong of Cameroon.
• Floyd Oscar, 30, of Houston, married Jacqueline Coker of Sierra Leone.
• Victor Parker, 31, of Bryan, married Ndong Avomo of Gabon.
• Charlene Robinson, 23, of Bryan, married Makan Kante of Mali.
• Sherrita Ann Royster, 24, of Bryan, married Ferdinand Namulundu of Kenya.
• Katherine Shields, 35, of Houston, married Christopher Honliasso of Nigeria.
• Lacreta Shields, 22, of Houston, married Assane Mbengue of Senegal.
• Larrica Shields, 23, of Houston, married John Ibe of Nigeria.
• Tamara Taylor, 24, of Houston, married Souleymane Diop of Senegal.
• Hazara Vaughns, 29, of Houston, married Khalil Haddad of Israel.
• Tikisha Walker, 25, of Wharton, married Abdul Khaliq of Pakistan.
• Deandre Warren, 27, of Bryan, married Pamela Wells of Tanzania.
• Tametria Williams, 21, of College Station, married Yacine Khelifi of Algeria.
• Anthony Young, 23, of Bryan, married Irene Nafuna of Tanzania.

Recruiters/Brokers

• Emma Guyton, 46, of Bryan.
• Aminata Smith, 43, of Houston.

Twenty-two Brazos Valley residents are accused of taking part in an international marriage fraud scheme based in Bryan that set up fake unions to bypass immigration laws, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

One of those defendants, a woman from Bryan, also faces a conspiracy charge for allegedly arranging and profiting from the phony marriages.

Emma Guyton, 46, of Bryan and Aminata Smith, 43, of Houston recruited more than 60 Americans to marry an estimated 210 foreign nationals from African and Middle Eastern countries, prosecutors said.

The foreign nationals, most of whom came into the country on temporary visas, paid Guyton and Smith between $1,500 and $5,000 to arrange the marriages so they could obtain U.S. citizenship and other immigration benefits, prosecutors said.

Guyton and Smith were jailed Tuesday and awaited magistration before a federal judge in Houston, prosecutors said. Each is charged with four counts of encouraging unlawful immigration and four counts of marriage fraud, in addition to the conspiracy charge.

The women face a maximum penalty of 70 years in prison and fines of more than $2 million if convicted on all counts. Thirty-six other Texans charged with marriage fraud face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Half of the 36 fraudulent marriages identified by federal prosecutors Tuesday were filed in Brazos Valley counties and took place between April 2000 and July 2003.

Prosecutors said they will continue their investigation into conspiracy that was run primarily out of the Bryan and Houston areas. The 20-month investigation, dubbed Operation Two Step, was conducted by the Houston and San Antonio offices of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday authorities had arrested half of the Texas residents indicted for marriage fraud. Arrest warrants have been issued for the defendants still free.

The U.S. citizens are accused of receiving payments of between $150 and $500 from Smith and Guyton for each marriage in which they participated, prosecutors said.

Each of the Americans indicted for marriage fraud has married six or more foreign nationals, has a criminal record or has married a foreign national from a country with suspected ties to terrorism, such as Jordan, Pakistan and Algeria, prosecutors said.

Authorities also have issued material-witness warrants for the 36 foreign nationals named in the indictments so they can be forced to testify in their spouses’ criminal cases, prosecutors said.

Once they’ve provided testimony, the foreign nationals will face an administrative immigration panel that could strip them of their citizenship and recommend deportation, said Nancy Harrier, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney’s Office in Houston.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt but rather a formal accusation of criminal conduct.

Federal immigration authorities began to investigate the scheme when a Milam County employee complained of an unusual number of suspicious marriages, prosecutors said.

County Clerk Laverne Soefje said she noticed a trend of Harris County residents with spouses from African countries filing for marriage licenses in her office.

Soefje said that once three such couples came to the office to request a marriage license at the same time. It raised her suspicions, she said.

“ I asked them if they knew each other because they were standing next to each other at the counter, and they said no,” Soefje said. “But when they left the office, they all got in the same car and drove off.”

Soefje said she talked to other county clerks from the Brazos Valley who said they noticed the same trend. She said it was then that she decided to ask the Texas Rangers to investigate.

While Soefje said she was unaware of the federal indictments when contacted by The Eagle on Tuesday, she said the Rangers’ investigator has kept in touch and said authorities discovered one man who married 18 times.

“ It caught my attention, because I couldn’t imagine all of them coming to Milam County when they were from Houston,” Soefje said. “You don’t travel such a large distance to come to a county out of the way.”

Tanzania: The volume of gold export by nation to the world market increase by 69 per cent

Business and Economic News By Leo Odera Omolo

News emerging from Dar Es Salaam says the volume of gold exports from Tanzania went up by 69.2 per cent to USD 7,480.7 million, following a rise in the export volume, as well as gold price in the world market.

According to the Bank of Tanzania {BOT} the export volume of gold increased to 34.4 tones compared with 29.8 tones recorded in the preceding year, partly on account of commencement of export by the Burwagi Gold Mine in June 2009 while the prices of gold increased to ISD 1,135 per troy ounce compared with USD 1, 35.1 per troy ounce recorded during the year ending August 2009.

During the year ending in August 2010, the dollar value of export of goods and services increased by 23.8 per cent to USD 5,379.8 million, compared with the level recorded in the corresponding period a year earlier.

“This improvement was largely due to a surge in export of gold, travel and manufactured goods,” says the BOT in its report/, largely due to increase in gold exports.

The value of exports of goods rose to USD3,396.3 million at the year ending August 2010 compared with USD 2,536.6 million recorded in the corresponding period a year largely due to increase in gold exports.

In August 2010, traditional exports stood at USD 34.5 million compared with USD 24.4 million recorded in the proceeding month.

However, the BOT reports says that on the annual basis, traditional exports dropped by 2.6 per cent to USD 473.9 million following decline in the export volumes of coffee, cotton, cashew nuts and clove.

Likewise, the reports adds, “there was a decline in the export unit prices of cotton, siosal and cloves while tobacco export increase by 36.1 to USD 194.6 million during the year ending in August 2010 owing to significant increase in price.

Non-traditional export stood at USD 285.2 million an 18 per cent increase on the July figures.

However, on annual basis non-traditional exports rose to USD 2,922.4 compared with USD 2,049/7 million recorded in similar period a year earlier, largely due to a huge increase in the export volume of gold and manufactured goods.

In the same category, the volume of manufactured goods rose by 30.5 per cent to USD 705 million.

For the year ending August 2010, Tanzania recorded a deficit of USD 49.5 million compared with last year’s USD 716.9 million. “This explained by widening of the correct account deficit by 22/3 per cent to USD 2,691 million following a decline in official current transfers, “the BOT report said.

Ends

Kenya and Tanzania tussles over sharing fishing grounds in the India Ocean

Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

FOUR months down the line after the coming into effect of the East African Common Market, cross border fishing in the Indian Ocean is still skewed against Kenyan fishermen.

Kenyan fishermen who dared to go deep southward fishing arrests and prosecution by Tanzanian police, while fishermen from the South are free to go fishing on Kenya’s coastal waters.

According to the arrangement, residents of the countries in the region are supposed to have the access to market and factors of production. But Kenyan fishermen continued to get a row deal as they are barred from fishing in Tanzania coastal waters, and yet their counterparts from the south are having a field day in their northern neighbor’s waters, even at times selling their catches to the locals.

According to the information obtained from the Ministry if Fisheries, several Kenyan fishermen have been arrested and charged by Tanzanian authorities for fishing in their territorial waters..

This latest event has heightened tension between fishermen from the two neighboring countries who have over the years been operating on the same fishing ground.

Kenyan fishermen in the South coast now want the two governments to clearly mark the boundaries to avoid constant harassment at the hands of Tanzanian authorities.

They say fishing has become nightmare for them following recent arrests by Tanzanian police patrolling the East Coast the Indian Ocean, a situation that can be avoided if there were proper boundary marking indicating the exact border lines making much easier for fishermen from Tanzania to fish in Kenya waters. This could easy the existing tension between the two Eastern African nations.

Addressing journalist at the Kenyan coastal ton of Vanga, one of the prominent fishermen in the fish landing areas has extended to inside the Kenya border, Mr Nassor Diwani said conflict will continue getting out of hand and needed to be addressed.

“We have complained about inequality to the relevant authorities, While our Tanzanian counterparts finds it easy to access the Kenyan territorial waters, the same does not apply to us and when we cannot cross south of the border.”

Similar situation persist along the Kenya-Tanzanian border on Lake Victoria where local fishermen from Kenya are not allow to cross into Tanzania side of the lake. Each time they are spotted by the police patrols, they are immediately rounded up and taken into police custody in the mainland for prosecution on charges of trespassing, and yet Tanzanian fishermen cross the border at will undisturbed.

“Over the years, the Kenyan and Tanzanian fishermen have been sharing the same fishing ground were doing that in the spirit of the East African Cooperation, these latest arrests should not happen,” said Mr Diwani.

He added that lack of security patrols on the Kenya side had also led to cases of illegal fishing methods such as the use dynamite fishing destroys marine ecosystem.

The officer-in-charge of fisheries in Vanga district Mr Ronald Deche has confirmed that for the last few weeks ten Kenyan fishermen have been arrested and charged with trespassing in Tanzania territorial waters.”Our laws are not clear on right of fishermen, making it for fishermen from Tanzania to fish in Kenya waters.

Mr Deche told the newsmen that cross border fishing laws needed to be addressed a fresh as countries in the starts formalizing policies for the East African Community. He said fishing has a great potential. In the last year, Kenyan fishermen landed more than one million kilogram of fish. This earned the fishermen more than Kshs 100 million.

As parts of the effort to reduce pressure on the Ocean resources, Mr Deche said that the EAC had embarked on fish farming commonly known as “marculture”This particular effort communities plant mangrove, about orals farming and bee-keeping as alternatives sources of income.

Ends

eac boss congatulates zanzinar leader for his elections

forwarded by: Leo Odera Omolo

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT
P.O. Box 1096
ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Tel: 255-27-2504253/8
Fax: 255-27-2504255/2504481
E-mail: eac@eachq.org

Our Ref: ADM/30
Date: 2 November 2010

H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein
President of Zanzibar
State House, ZANZIBAR

Your Excellency

On behalf of the East African Community Secretariat, and on my own behalf, I extend to your Excellency warm congratulations on your election as President of Zanzibar. Your victory demonstrates the confidence which the people of Zanzibar have in your able leadership. It is a reaffirmation of the correct path which Zanzibar has chosen to a new bright future of peace, stability and progress under the system of the Government of National Unity.

Zanzibar, through its union with Tanganyika to create the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964 became a pioneer and inspiration of East African and indeed African continental unity. With the just concluded peaceful elections and movement towards the new dispensation, Zanzibar is again showing the way and sending a powerful message that with foresighted leadership, we can overcome any obstacles, and forge ahead in unity and development for the benefit of our people.

The East African Community is delighted by these positive developments and wishes Zanzibar great success and sustainability of the new spirit of unity, peace and progress. We appreciate your support for the cause of East African integration and development and look forward to your wise contribution in deepening EAC integration.

Accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my highest regard.

Amb. Juma V. Mwapachu

SECRETARY GENERAL

TANZANIA GOVERNMENT UNFAIR TO THE MEDIA COVERING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

By Agwanda Jowi -in Arusha Tanzania.

As the October 31 national elections draw near, Tanzania’s media is in a frenzy trying to cover the close race between the two leading presidential candidates. But government threats and draconian media laws may be getting in the way of objective coverage.

All eyes are on the contest between incumbent President Jakaya Kikwete of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), or “Party for Change,” and a surprisingly successful challenger, Dr. Wilbroad Slaa from the Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), or “Progressive Democratic Party.”

Kikwete, who won the 2005 elections with a landslide 80 percent of the vote, has seen his popularity plunge this month to 38 percent, according to Tanzanian polls. “Slaa has emerged as an unexpected presidential candidate and his message of change is resonating with voters anxious for a new direction,” political commentator Azaveli Lwaitama told Reuters. Whether the Tanzanian press feel at liberty to cover this tight race is another matter. Critical reporting on the government during this sensitive time appeared risky after Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Sethi Kamuhanda toured print media offices earlier this month, threatening to shutter any media house that “put the government in a bad light,” state television reported. More than 50 human rights and media organizations issued a joint statement last week, claiming the government has threatened the press in advance of the forthcoming elections. Since polling began, the Registrar of Newspapers, a government-run licensing agency, has been busy issuing letters to newspapers, warning against any negative coverage of the government, local journalists told CPJ. Three private weeklies, Mwanahalisi, Raia Mwena, and Tanzania Daima have all been warned by the Registrar to avoid coverage deemed “insightful” by the government or face suspension. “Such kinds of threats have been common from the Registrar of Newspapers, whom the minister [of information] uses as a means to enforce self-censorship,” the chairman of the Tanzania Editors’ Forum, Absalom Kibanda, told me. The country’s leading Kiswahili daily, Mwananchi, received two letters from the Registrar recently threatening to suspend the paper for negative government coverage, Managing Editor Theophil Makunga told me. “For quite a long time now and during this election campaign period, in particular, your newspaper has been writing negative stories about the government,” one of the Registrar’s letters claimed. “Should you continue publishing the articles, the government will not hesitate to suspend or deregister your newspaper as per the laws of the land.” The letter was signed by the Registrar’s deputy director, Raphael Hokororo. Mwananchi is considered the most balanced and professional newspaper in the country and commands the highest readership, which makes this threat particularly troubling, the former Tanzania Editors’ Forum chairperson, Sakina Datoo, told me. The Registrar’s letters to Mwananchi alleged that the paper had denigrated the government but provided no examples of material the authorities deemed offensive, Makunga said. “The Registrar has no argument at all,” he told me. “That’s why they use sweeping, generalized statements in their allegations.” Since the presidential campaigns started on August 20, Makunga said, his paper has not received a single complaint from any of the political parties participating in the race. Makunga fears the ruling party may shut down his paper using the vague allegations put forth in the Registrar’s letter. “It’s a sign of desperation on the side of the CCM. They believe if Mwananchi continues to report objectively, CCM candidates will lose votes,” he said. The paper has filed a complaint with the independent press ombudsman, the Media Council of Tanzania. But Hokororo, the Registrar’s deputy director, told me that the Mwananchi staff has exaggerated the issue. “The letter was supposed to be a private letter but they published it to get media attention. It was a warning, not a threat as they have portrayed it,” he said. Recent warnings aside, the Tanzanian government has reams of anti-press legislation it can dangle above the media’s heads to ensure self-censorship. The Newspaper Act of 1976, for instance, allows the information minister wide discretionary powers to ban newspapers. “It gives the minister powers to close down any newspaper for ‘inciting’. Since the term is not defined, it’s up to the minister to interpret it as he or she wants,” Datoo said. Investigative reporting on any area the government considers classified is a punishable offense under the National Security Act. Later laws, such as the Civil Service Act and Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act, block access to information for journalists. The media laws in Tanzania “force all media to practice public relations and avoid investigative journalism,” media analyst and Saut FM Producer Dotto Bulendu told me. Saut FM, a private station attached to St. Augustine’s University, has faced its own challenges trying to cover the elections. Bulendu told me that he and Edwin Soko, a Saut FM reporter, received anonymous threats last month via text message accusing them of negative reporting on the ruling party. “The messages threatened to kill us if we continued to work at the station,” he added. But the threats were somewhat misplaced; the Tanzanian Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) had already taken the station off the air in August. The Authority’s public relations manager, Innocent Mungy, told me Saut FM had been closed on purely technical grounds because the radio signals interfered with aircraft communications. Bulendu is skeptical of the TCRA’s findings. The station, he noted, has operated since 1997. “Why would we have signal interference problems now and not before?” he demanded. “Why just before the elections?” And he has little recourse: the 1993 Broadcasting Act empowers the TCRA to shut down any station at any time, he added. He hopes Saut FM will be back on the air this week, just days before the poll results. Over the years, press freedom monitors, including CPJ, have not identified many cases of Tanzanian authorities attacking the press, which makes the country appear to have a better media freedom record than many East African nations. But what happens in Tanzania is something more insidious: Thanks to the country’s sweeping anti-press laws, the threat of closure by authorities is enough to curtail any wayward critics. For a ruling party facing a tight presidential race, that’s a formidable advantage.

Tanzania: Chinese firm wins new contract to built wagons and locomotives for Tazara railways

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging from Dar Es Salaam says a Chinese firm has secured a USD 5 million contract to build wagons for the regional Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority {TAZARA}.

The Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company {OCECC} will secure the 50-tonnes containers open-wagons, assisted by China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corporation and Miashan Company a subsidiary of OCECC. The open wagons will be delivered in eight months time.

Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika, the managing director of Tazara was recently quoted as saying that these type of wagons are used in transporting containerized cargo and metals such as copper and manganese.

The Tazara MD said his companies urgently require various type of equipment to turn it around.” These developments will compliment Tazara’s effort to meet customer expectation in the delivery of quality transport services,” he added

The USD 5 million is part of the USD 40 million loan that the Chinese government granted Tazara, through the governments of Tanzania and Zambia, under the 14h Protocol jointly signed in December 2009..

Signing of the supply contract followed the arrival two weeks ago of technical experts from China who were in the country to assess and repair leading equipment as part of the implementation of the 14th Protocol agreement,

Other component of the protocol that are expected to follow include the supply of six new mainline locomotives, rehabilitation of three shunting locomotives and training of staff.

Conrad Simuchile, the public relations manager of Tazara, disclosed that the wagons will the cargo from the port of Dar Es Salam southward.

That way, wagons earmarked for picking up copper exports from Zambia and cement from the Southern Tanzanian region of Mbeya will not be empty while traveling back to the port of Dar Es Salaam.

To match the tonnage being transported to Dar Es Salaam, Tazara is looking for up to 200 containers per week, to Mbeya and Kapiri-Mboshi. Currently, Tazara can move up to 100 containers to Mbeya and 100 t Kapiri-Mposhi every week. It can also transport the same volume to Dar Es Salaam.

Tazara is this year targeting to move 700,000 tones of freight and 900,000 of passengers traffic.

In July this year, Tanzania,Zambia and China signed a USD39.2 MILLION {Tshs 51 billion} deal to enable Tazara to acquire six new locomotives and repair 1,200 coaches.

The grant has not been fully settled. The Chinese government is said to have offered a discount on the loan, besides cancelling unspecified outstanding debts..The railway which was christened Uhuru railway, was built by the Chinese in between 1970s and 1975 to serve the landlocked Zambia as alternative route to the rail line through Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique.

It was during the difficult time of the liberation war in both Southern Rhodesia, Mozambique and apartheid South Africa.

Ends

Tanzania & Ugandan: Panic grips Arusha following increased cases of child kidnapping by gangs

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Panic has gripped the Northern Tanzanian town of Arusha following the reported well planned child kidnapping racket by a suspect Kampala gangs of criminals.

So far about six children aged under ten years have mysteriously disappeared, but some of them have resurfaced in the Uganda capital City, Kampala where they were rescued by the police and other security apparatus.

News emerging from Dar Es Salaam says security intelligence network in both Tanzania and the neighboring Uganda have been intensified after several children were rescued from a gang of criminal in Uganda.

The syndicates of kidnapping gangs are always asking for ransom money, which ranges from USD 2,000 and USD 3,000 for ransom before the kidnapped children are released to their parents.

The child kidnapping racket, according to newspaper reports, are operating in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, but using agents and collaborators in both Kenya and Tanzania. The syndicate is said to have succeeded in kidnapping under the age of 10 years in Tanzania triggering the worst panic among parents in the country’s history. The revelation came in the heels of another shocking story of albinos killing, which has been rampant in all countries of the East African Community.

Over the recent past months a total of five children have been abducted in the Northern Tanzanian town of Arusha and taken to the Ugandan capital, Kampala by the blackmail syndicates.

Arusha Regional Police Commander Basilio Metei was last week quoted by the EASTAFRICAN, A Nairobi weekly publication as saying that the local police in collaboration with the Interpol had partly succeeded in arresting a couple in Kampala in connection with the kidnap of a six year old boy.

The crime, he said, is relatively a new phenomenon in Tanzania and it is forcing parents to reduce their working hour in order to stay at home with their children.

Three out of five abducted kids were traced in Kampala City after intensive negotiations and their parents paying colossal amount of money as much as USD 6.000IN RANSOM MONEY.

Police have confirmed they have details about some cases.ase where we have arrested a woman and a man said police spokesman Vincent Sakatte.

However, the Ugandan Minister for Internal Affairs Miria Kassaija who also chairs the national security committee said she was ignorant about any incident of that nature. I a m totally ignorant about it. “What I know pretty well is that we have laid a trap for the arrest of Tanzanians who comes here looking for Albinos. But the M9nistr had promised to check the facts with the intelligence and police authorities.

And from Arusha the Police boss revealed that two people a woman and a man were recently arrested as they attempt to withdraw ransom money worth USD 3,000 deposited by Khaltani parents at the Kenya Commercial; Bank {KCB} Uganda account No 2200763395.

An Interpol e-mail to Tanzania police force seen by the writer of the WEEKLY EASTAFRICAN named the woman as a Tanzanian married to a Ugandan suspect(both names withheld for legal reasons]

A boy was kidnapped on June 7 at Sanawari suburb in Arusha City. The boy was later traced and rescued good health by Interpol on August 12 said Mr Mmetei.Kelvi9n Francis another b ducted boy was also safely rescued in Kampala City in April this year after his parents paid USD 2000ransom following three weeks of negotiations with Ugandan kidnappers.

AQ six year old girl Upendo Abisento Pallangyo from Singiri village on the sloes of Mount Meru near Arusha was abducted in June and is still missing to-date. He Aunt Joyce Pallangyo said they have done everything possible to trace this child, but all in vain.”It is hard for us as a family to come to terms with the kidnappers. We are ready to pay anything to get this child back alive.”

V Saniuel, yet another child who was kidnapped in Arusha in late August, was later rescued by a good Samaritan, according to the police chief.

Narrating the ordeal Meteri said the missing girl had tried to access a local latrine, but found it locked from the inside as if it was occupied by someone. The girl had decided to go and release herself inside the nearby banana plantation farm and that is when a group of women pounced on her and grabbed and blindfolded the pupil,” the police chief said.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Tanzania: The ruling CCM is running scared of Chademain the forthcomng general election

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

News emerging from Dar Es Salaam says that the ruling CCM party is running scare of the opposition Chadema a head of this year’s general elections is allegedly resorted to sending out slanderous text messages via emails.

The CCM is being accused of employing dirty tactics ahead of the October 2010 general election.

The opposition group is led by Chama Cha Maendeleo ya Demokrasia [CHADEMA],which has accused the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CCM]of sending out messages and distributing flyers to discredit its presidential candidate Dr.Willbroad Slaa.

Launched originally as Tanganyika African National Union {TANU] in 1954 by the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere,the CCM has ruled the country ever since it attained her political independence in 1961. Nyerere voluntarily retired after ruling for twenty six years and the mantle of leadership was taken over by Ali Hassan Mwinyi a Zanzibaris who was later succeeded by a former top journalist-cum-diplomat Benjamin William Mkapa, who in turn handed over to the incumbent President Jakaya Kikwete five years ago.

All these years the CCM has always sailed through the election with very limited opposition except the near violent opposition in the twin Indian Ocean Islands of Unguja and Pemba, which are part of the United Republic of Tanzania.

This time around, however, the CCM appeared to be running scare of the strong opposition from Chadema whose popularity and influence is said to be on the upward trend.

Complaints against the ruling CCM have also resurfaced in the predominantly opposition zones where text messages via emails have been circulating dissuading the voters from voting for Chadema’s presidential candidate Dr. Willbroad Slaa on alleged claim of impropriety in his private life.

One such anonymous text messages alleged that Dr. Slaa was an agent of the Roma Catholic Church and that he had some unresolved his private life.

The police have denied having any knowledge or being aware of any such hate messages being circulated via internet. But have promised to investigate the matter. The country’s director of Criminal Investigation Department {CID] Robert Manumba was quoted by the EASTAFRICAN in its latest edition as saying that the police would act against those circulating such messages.

“In local politics in a country like Tanzania such tactics are common and often impossible to trace the authors, “said Manumba.

The communications manager of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority Innocent Mungy was also quoted in the same report as saying that the authority was in the dark over the alleged hate messages, but added that the Authority does not have the mandate to interfere in the way people communicated..

Mungy further state that it was fine to use message text to canvass for votes during the election time as was the case in other countries, but when people resort to insults or derogatory remarks this become a problem.’

The reports of intimidation of the opposition in the hotly contested constituencies including fights are surfacing with the police promising to arrest the offenders.

However, the CCM Secretary General Yusuph Makamba said last week that his party had advised its members not to circulate any message abusive of Chademan presidential candidate and that private issues should not be circulated to the party members. He said the CCM respects the work done by Dr.Slaa in the country and that insulting him was unfair

He said the CCM MP for Mponda Urban Hon Arfi had alleged that Chandema is an agent of the Roman Catholic Church and enjoys massive support from the faithful. The allegation was made after Chadema decided to fill a parliamentary candidate for the Sumbawanga Urban.

“Voters should elect candidate because of their aptitude not their tribal or regional beliefs and considerations.”

According to the registrar of political parties in Tanzania John Tendwa, voting rights makes it a crime to misled and intimidate voters.

“If you can find that who is doing it, these people should be prosecuted. But some time it is just difficult to know who is doing what. Some of it is just anonymous.

A week ago, the Registrar of Political parties threw out a petition lodged by the opposition Chadema against the incumbent President Jakaya Kikwete claiming that he had contravened the election expenses Act 2010 by making numerous promises to the electorate.

For the first time in its history of close to six decades, the CCM, which had a rough time with Civic United Front {CUF] Zanzibar and Pemba appeared to be somehow shaken a bit by the surging support of the Chadema.

Ends

TANZANIA: THE CHANGE WE WANT

From: Ally Ulanga, Sept.2010 and Feb. 2009

A thought of the day

1.I’m I working on forming a better Tanzania ? Imp not there yet, but am work in progress…What about you?

2. And to all Christians out there,” 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Are we upholding our leaders in prayers? Are we repenting, on behalf of this nation, are we seeking godly solutions, or are we in the bandwagon of complaining.

– – – – – – – – – – –

On 2/9/09, oldmoshi wrote:

I think that its time we used more time in this forum in focusing on SOLUTIONS to these myriad problems facing our nation. But we also need the POLITICAL WILL from those in-charge to implement these solutions. As we discuss the solutions to our problems-lets also find a way of making the political leaders to have the will to implement these solutions. Tanzania has very good brains and very good plans..But there has never been the political will to implement these plans.

The Very First step towards a better Tanzania is the CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW. Let CCM at least leave office having given Tanzanians a new constitution. This will form a new basis of the Social Contract for the people of Tanzania. Let the new constitution address institutional weaknesses that most of our institutions have..Let it strengthen the independence of the judiciary..the independence of parliament and institute checks and balances in the government. Let it also have devolution as part of the struncture of government. Once we have a new constitution the next step is RESPECTING the constitution. Sometimes a concstitution means nothing without it being respected. We may have even the Draft but if its not respected then we shall have done nothing.

TANZANIAN PLIGHT-Let our leaders be serious in thinking about the Tanzanian poor. If Education cant reach the rural areas-why? and can something be done as soon as possible. Why are Leaders still languishing in the country? Can something be done sooner for them? We seriously need leadership that think of the country not of themselves first. Why the National ID scandal? and how did this happen? The next step is for all of us to embrace the thinking that a Tanzania without all These is a Kenya that will be better for all of us . a Tanzania following the rule of law will be better for all of us..I think its as simple as that..BUT it starts with the common Citizen .Lets not buy the lies that some politicians tell us..Politicians must also BUILD TRUST among themselves.

I think its time TANZANIANS themselves pushed their leaders towards the direction that they want this country to go. For me a better Tanzania I believe will be a better Tanzania for all not just a section of the country. BUT the most important thing is not just talk but PRACTICE. Lets see in 2010 if we vote people based on their POLICIES and not tribe. Lets see if we come together to achieve a new constitution. Lets see if this government will fight corruption. Lets see if Citizens will be helped.


Yona Fares Maro
Master of Science in Computer Science and Information Systems (MS)
University of Michigan-Flint