From: Yona Fares Maro Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM
It does not need an advanced economic literacy to understand, that no nation can ever claim economic progress where there is no reliable supply of energy, especially in this age. More than ninety percent of Tanzanians for that matter have been in the darkness since the beginning of time, and little has been done to correct the chronic power rationing problem, while our leaders are taking advantage of the situation by continuing to line their pockets at the tax payer’s expense.
Our leaders are asserting nation’s economic progressive leap, yet has nothing to show for, more than the continued life in the darkness and despair. They are testing people’s will and resolve, as Richmond, and Dowans masterminds , who have plunged the nation into the darkness leading utopian lifestyles, and may never face justice for their criminal offenses , and the parliament sees the matter as a hot potato it does want to touch
The common man, the poor and the powerless who can’t afford expensive generators, and do not reside in the affluent parts of the city where power is never off, have been left to dance the tune of power rationing year after year. What a shame for a nation blessed with many rivers, abundant fossil ,and renewable sources of energy sufficient to power the entire nation for centuries, yet letting its people in despair, and constantly in the darkness? If tiny island of Seychelles, and even Lebanon, can sustain themselves in terms of energy, why not Tanzania?
More than 90 percent of Tanzania’s population has no access to electricity, yet our politicians want us to believe that peak demand for electricity is about 800 megawatts. Yes, they are talking IPTL which is going to be a temporary fix, what about fifty years from today? What plans do they have in place to harness renewable sources of energy after most non-renewable sources are depleted? The very people we entrust with our future, regularly assert to the nation’s positive economic progress with massive data, I wonder what progress they refer to. Is it a forward progression, or nation’s descent into the darker ages?
It will be very dangerous and extremely expensive to pipe gas from Kilwa -Songo Songo – to Dar es slaam, Ubungo power plant; a tiny facility surrounded by a huge population. Such undertaking can be done in Kilwa (at the source where space is unlimited ) and simply transport electricity to wherever it is needed within the country, instead of exposing the population into danger, and burdening the nation with such a huge cost at the expense of a few, well connected who won the piping tender before the project was invented.
Research centers, communication facilities, Factories and other businesses need constant and reliable energy supply to meet their production quotas, to retain the labor force; pay workers, and be able to compete in the domestic and international markets. The current environment of two to four hours a day, couple of days a month of electricity cannot foster economic progress, and something needs to be done, not today or tomorrow, but yesterday. The country needs reliable electricity, full stop.
Tanzania is not lacking resources or other financial ability to provide energy to her people, because billions spent on expensive Land-Cruisers, the amounts spent on unwanted, and outdated radars, the money stolen by EPA, Richmond, and Dowans fraudsters would be sufficient to bring to and end, the decades old power problem. The problem is simply the management; irresponsible, less visionary leadership thinking of today and not the future. This is the root cause of the misery the country is in today. They are people drunk with power, considering themselves as masters rather than servants
I have never comprehended what the minister of energy does in office; neither do I understand what TANESCO is for, because its leadership is still the same year after year of massive embezzlement and embarrassment to the country. Commissions that have cost tax payers billions of shillings have been formed, and their findings have never been implemented as the individuals implicated with fraud are still free, yet the petty criminals are paraded daily in the judicial system, what a joke and an insult to the tax payer?
There is no need for another commission or task force; many commissions have been formed and their reports shelved. TANESCO simply need disburdenment, the ministry of energy officials who have shown gross incompetence, and abuse of public trust, those implicated in various energy scams brought to books. Nonetheless, all commissions’ reports related to energy implemented, as the culprits are a big threat to the national security and economic progress.
Our leaders must forgo their hefty sitting, training, and travel allowances. In other parts of the world, people pay to attend meetings, yet in our country our leaders must be paid to attend trainings and meetings which is very bizarre considering the fact that our economy is a donor dependant one. Our responsibilities requires extensive travel globally meeting clients, working on lucrative deals, but have never been paid one dollar more than the cost of travel food and accommodation; our remuneration is based on the base salary and performance based incentives (bonuses). In our country, the leaders are paid more than forty million shillings to attend a meeting abroad. Where is sanity?
If a trillion dollar company cannot pay its employees to attend trainings, or meetings, why would a small government agency that floats on taxes pay its employees to attend, seminars, meetings and trainings? What special are they bringing to the table that can justify such hefty remunerations? No wonder we are in the darkness. These kinds of wastage must be stopped and the funds channeled to the appropriate areas where they are needed to boost economic progress. These funds must be put into renewable energy research and development
Economic and Strategic security of a nation lays on self energy independence and sustainability. We must therefore realize this, and prosecute Dowans, and Richmond architectures who are toying with national security. Tanzanian parliament, vested with powers to uphold and protect the constitution, must fight for the people who are held hostage by a few persons who are making life miserable for the majority. It must unequivocally, and aggressively deliberate on bills calling for prosecution of the economic criminals who have plunged the nation into the darkness.
Mr. Sitta, and other parliamentarians, Mo- Ibrahim, celebrations are over. You must come back to reality, and remember that, your positions are not a favor to the country, they are mandates vested upon you by the citizens to alleviate them of suffering. Your positions are meant to bring economic, political and social equality. Let’s stop being a nation that celebrates rich and powerful rascals and criminals, while condemning to death petty thieves, harassing and punishing young men whose crime is to sell bottles of water in Kariakoo to feed their children. Remember you took an oath to serve all Tanzanians impartially.
Do not compromise your beliefs and morals for the political winds that are only seasonal, let your consciousness rule supreme. The parliament must be sacrificial, act swiftly and fast to turn on the lights for all Tanzanians, otherwise we are sad to say, that the nation will continue to remain in the darkness with her economic future in limbo.
Unabated continuation of grand corruption with life in the darkness, will boil and push the nation to a point of no return, When people will be inclined to take power into their own hands, to turn on the lights; and that will be too little too late to salvage the situation. Political winds can be deceiving; our politicians must read the signs on the wall, telling them clearly, that the nation is rapidly descending into the dark ages, as the voices of the tax payers financing their lucrative positions shouting TURN ON THE LIGHTS
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Yona Fares Maro
I.T. Specialist and Digital Security Consultant
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Subject: A NATION IN THE DARKNESS WITH ECONOMIC FUTURE IN LIMBO