The problem of electricity in this country has become a tired story. In fact wananchi are tired of complaining to such an extent that they are left without a choice but to count their losses as the powers that be continue failing to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Reports that a number of firms have closed shop due to the critical shortage of electricity that saw Tanesco engaging in unrealistically long load-shedding timetables is unfortunate though expected. It is no longer news that the power problem is crippling the economy and might be blamed for the current economic meltdown.
The Director of Policies and Research with the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), Hussein Kamote, addressing a news conference last week, revealed that at least six major firms had shut down due to power shortage. He warned that in the absence of an urgent solution, more industries will close down.
This came at a time when Tanesco received 100mw gas turbine units that will be installed at the Ubungo Power Station in Dar es Salaam to boost power output. Though this seemingly is a step towards the right direction in as far as solving the problem is concerned, more serious measures need to be taken to address the situation. The turbines that were bought are not capable of ending the problem hence more steps are needed.
The problem with the powers that be is that they are good at promising the public that the problem will be solved but nothing, that is being done, shows any indication that their promises will be fulfilled. The problems and losses caused by the shortage of electricity are not only well known but are fast becoming part and parcel of wananchi's lives.
Many people through out this country are small scale businesspeople and in most cases rely on electricity for their businesses. It goes without saying that their families are facing a difficult time as they cannot put something on the table. They are simply running at a loss.
The country is fast approaching a stage where the economy will be on its knees, that is if the current situation is not addressed. The power shortage has in fact become an embarrassment to the nation after last week's blunder that occurred at the National Stadium during the Kagame Cup finals when ambulance lights were used as a source of light to facilitate the presentation of medals and the trophy to players.
It's a shame that the situation has come to such levels and the time of bickering is long gone. The time to act is now and those who can't provide the much needed answers should step aside and let fresh brains run the sector. The minister concerned and his team should make sure urgent measures are taken before the economy collapses.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Of the 'skin shedding campaign' and Aziz Way
One man's meat is another man's poison is a statement that rightly applies to the historic events that took place last week within the country's ruling party. In as much as some people cry at a funeral of a notorious armed robber some will be celebrating his demise and attending the funeral to make sure that their terroriser is gone for good.
In other words, the resignation of one of the most prominent politicians in the country was met with mixed feelings. Many people from his constituency could not stomach it, with some of them failing to control their emotions. Some fainted while others were sobbing in disbelief.
But, not far from there, another section of wananchi welcomed it as not only historic, but a step towards cleansing a party that was fast becoming tainted by individuals mentioned in dubious deals. Though many were shocked and caught by surprise as this was not expected, they welcomed it and were happy that the way had been opened for others to follow.
The winds of change that recently swept across the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi's top echelon seems to be bearing fruits and with the look of things a dim light is beginning to show at the end of a long and dark tunnel. This undoubtedly brings with it hope that sanity will at last be restored in the party that is said to have lost touch with the people who voted them into power.
The resignation of Rostam Aziz, last week, though unexpected, throws a lifeline in the new party leadership’s drive to reinvigorate the part and rid it of all questionable elements. Though it is tantamount to a drop in an ocean as more party heavyweights are still to fall by the wayside, many people will agree with me that it’s a move towards the right direction.
The party, early this year, made a bold decision by replacing old brooms with seemingly new ones, in a bid to sweep clean the party that was slowly moving towards political abyss that could have seen the party losing its relevance and subsequently dying a natural death. The move, hailed by many, should be used as a springboard for the revival of the party. The new leadership is still expected to live up to expectations if ever they will entertain any thoughts of reviving the party that is facing its strongest ever opposition in history.
And, I hope that everyone still remembers that when the new secretary-general, Mr Wilson Mukama, assumed office, he promised fireworks, vowing to leave no stone unturned when it comes to tackling corruption. His efforts seem to have began bearing fruits and all eyes are on them now as the general public is waiting for more political gurus to follow the Aziz way. Now that the first step has been taken, the new leadership should confront the remaining questionable figures and advise them to follow suit or they expel them altogether.
After all, Mukama warned the party members, when he assumed office, implicated in corruption scandals to either quit or be prepared to face the music. But, though this is a good stance as corruption is fast becoming one of the causes of the party's downfall, many questions remain unanswered. One of them being the kind of music the secretary-general promised that the party hasn't played before. They should not wait for these people to resign on their own as their presence continues tainting the party. With the reaction of the other accused people, then it will take a lot of bulldozers to remove them from their positions.
Though simple as it might look, the problem has roots too deep to uproot. The crisis the party is facing can never be solved by a mere threat and requires action. The first mistake the party did was to allow corrupt individuals to manipulate the party structures to their advantage, to become powerful people who will become very difficult to get rid of.
The new broom that has been commission, without adequate support from senior party members, might find the going too tough and the dirty too heavy to sweep. They will obviously make a lot of noise when they are still new in office but mark my word, if they are not strong enough, their noise will quickly turn into silence, relegating them to being toothless bulldogs. Yes, the door has been opened but a final push is needed for them to sweep the party clean.
The party should have made these changes long back by banning all tainted leaders from vying for parliamentary and other government and party seats to avoid embarrassments such as these. Waiting for the MPs to step down and if they all step down, then there is no guarantee that the party will retain the seats.
It is no secret that the same people have used their financial acumen to penetrate the structures of the party to such an extent that getting rid of them seems mission impossible. With the look of things, the Aziz way will be the only solution to this situation.
If the restructuring exercise had begun before last year's elections, then the party could have managed to get rid of corrupt individuals by now. I know this might have a backlash on the party where divisions are likely to emerge but, it is for the betterment of the party as in the long run it would emerge more powerful than before.
The party gains nothing by harbouring controversial and corrupt individuals, who in most cases taint its image. Let me give free advice to Mukama and his team that the battle has just began and they should brace for a long and gruesome battle as these corrupt individuals are no push overs. They have stood their ground and managed to stay not only in the party but as leaders in various portfolios in government so this will be more of a David and Goliath battle.
The problem here is that when rotten tomatoes are placed in the same basket with fresh ones, they tend to spoil the good ones. And, this scenario does not only depict rotten tomatoes that were put in the same tin with good ones but those that have been in the basked for a long time, making it difficult to distinguish the rotten ones from those that are still good. This is the puzzle Mukama is facing to such an extent that the influence of the rotten ones has spread like veld fire within the party. It will be difficult to know which floor to sweep and which to mop.
An example has been set and all those who know that their hands are dirty should follow suit. We all know that power is sweet and once one tastes it, it will be difficult to relinquish it and this will make the whole cleansing exercise difficult.
It will remain to be seen whether CCM ‘itaweza kujivua gamba bila kujidhuru’. Only time will tell. God bless us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
In other words, the resignation of one of the most prominent politicians in the country was met with mixed feelings. Many people from his constituency could not stomach it, with some of them failing to control their emotions. Some fainted while others were sobbing in disbelief.
But, not far from there, another section of wananchi welcomed it as not only historic, but a step towards cleansing a party that was fast becoming tainted by individuals mentioned in dubious deals. Though many were shocked and caught by surprise as this was not expected, they welcomed it and were happy that the way had been opened for others to follow.
The winds of change that recently swept across the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi's top echelon seems to be bearing fruits and with the look of things a dim light is beginning to show at the end of a long and dark tunnel. This undoubtedly brings with it hope that sanity will at last be restored in the party that is said to have lost touch with the people who voted them into power.
The resignation of Rostam Aziz, last week, though unexpected, throws a lifeline in the new party leadership’s drive to reinvigorate the part and rid it of all questionable elements. Though it is tantamount to a drop in an ocean as more party heavyweights are still to fall by the wayside, many people will agree with me that it’s a move towards the right direction.
The party, early this year, made a bold decision by replacing old brooms with seemingly new ones, in a bid to sweep clean the party that was slowly moving towards political abyss that could have seen the party losing its relevance and subsequently dying a natural death. The move, hailed by many, should be used as a springboard for the revival of the party. The new leadership is still expected to live up to expectations if ever they will entertain any thoughts of reviving the party that is facing its strongest ever opposition in history.
And, I hope that everyone still remembers that when the new secretary-general, Mr Wilson Mukama, assumed office, he promised fireworks, vowing to leave no stone unturned when it comes to tackling corruption. His efforts seem to have began bearing fruits and all eyes are on them now as the general public is waiting for more political gurus to follow the Aziz way. Now that the first step has been taken, the new leadership should confront the remaining questionable figures and advise them to follow suit or they expel them altogether.
After all, Mukama warned the party members, when he assumed office, implicated in corruption scandals to either quit or be prepared to face the music. But, though this is a good stance as corruption is fast becoming one of the causes of the party's downfall, many questions remain unanswered. One of them being the kind of music the secretary-general promised that the party hasn't played before. They should not wait for these people to resign on their own as their presence continues tainting the party. With the reaction of the other accused people, then it will take a lot of bulldozers to remove them from their positions.
Though simple as it might look, the problem has roots too deep to uproot. The crisis the party is facing can never be solved by a mere threat and requires action. The first mistake the party did was to allow corrupt individuals to manipulate the party structures to their advantage, to become powerful people who will become very difficult to get rid of.
The new broom that has been commission, without adequate support from senior party members, might find the going too tough and the dirty too heavy to sweep. They will obviously make a lot of noise when they are still new in office but mark my word, if they are not strong enough, their noise will quickly turn into silence, relegating them to being toothless bulldogs. Yes, the door has been opened but a final push is needed for them to sweep the party clean.
The party should have made these changes long back by banning all tainted leaders from vying for parliamentary and other government and party seats to avoid embarrassments such as these. Waiting for the MPs to step down and if they all step down, then there is no guarantee that the party will retain the seats.
It is no secret that the same people have used their financial acumen to penetrate the structures of the party to such an extent that getting rid of them seems mission impossible. With the look of things, the Aziz way will be the only solution to this situation.
If the restructuring exercise had begun before last year's elections, then the party could have managed to get rid of corrupt individuals by now. I know this might have a backlash on the party where divisions are likely to emerge but, it is for the betterment of the party as in the long run it would emerge more powerful than before.
The party gains nothing by harbouring controversial and corrupt individuals, who in most cases taint its image. Let me give free advice to Mukama and his team that the battle has just began and they should brace for a long and gruesome battle as these corrupt individuals are no push overs. They have stood their ground and managed to stay not only in the party but as leaders in various portfolios in government so this will be more of a David and Goliath battle.
The problem here is that when rotten tomatoes are placed in the same basket with fresh ones, they tend to spoil the good ones. And, this scenario does not only depict rotten tomatoes that were put in the same tin with good ones but those that have been in the basked for a long time, making it difficult to distinguish the rotten ones from those that are still good. This is the puzzle Mukama is facing to such an extent that the influence of the rotten ones has spread like veld fire within the party. It will be difficult to know which floor to sweep and which to mop.
An example has been set and all those who know that their hands are dirty should follow suit. We all know that power is sweet and once one tastes it, it will be difficult to relinquish it and this will make the whole cleansing exercise difficult.
It will remain to be seen whether CCM ‘itaweza kujivua gamba bila kujidhuru’. Only time will tell. God bless us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
Upping university students' allowances: A sign of desperation and misdirected efforts
Two men went bear hunting. While one stayed in the cabin, the other went out looking for a bear.
He soon found a huge bear, shot at it but only wounded it. The enraged bear charged toward him, he dropped his rifle and started running for the cabin as fast as he could.
He ran pretty fast but the bear was just a little faster and gained on him with every step.
Just as he reached the open cabin door, he tripped and fell flat. Too close behind to stop, the bear tripped over him and went rolling into the cabin.
The man jumped up, closed the cabin door and yelled to his friend inside, "You skin this one while I go and get another one!"
Hunting was at one time in the history of humanity an important survival tactic. People had to hunt animals for meat and clothing. Those who had the best hunting skills were respected in the society and could be likened to today’s rich people. Their families never lacked meat and food hence were an envy of many.
I know some societies these days, especially in some parts of Africa, are still surviving on hunting. Others still do it to supplement their food, though the practice is widely banned by governments as a way of protecting wild animals. Yes, they need protection because their existence is under threat and with the improvement in technology, then these animals are in danger as they can no longer escape the hands of their hunters.
I have had the experience of hunting myself. When we were growing up, I know most of the people belonging to the older generation, have at one point or another been involved in hunting. They either did it for genuine reasons or for fun. Most of us have stories to tell when it comes to hunting but we will reserve them for another day.
Hunting has seem many African societies coming up with many phrases, idioms and other parts of speech meant to advise people on various aspects. They were drawn much into hunting to such an extent that so many folk tales and other parts of their speech such as wise words and phrases were drawn out of their experiences.
One such adage is a common African saying,“kupedzera miseve mumakunguo idzo hanga dzichiuya.” This statement can loosely be translated as wasting arrows shooting crows while guinea fowl are approaching. The statement highlights misdirected efforts where hunters will waste their arrows on crows, of which, even if they shoot and kill will not eat.
This is exactly what our government is doing right now. They are wasting the very few arrows they have on crows while the family is hungry back home. It will be better to use the arrows wisely and target those animals that will bring food on the table.
In case you don’t get me dear reader, the happenings in this country for the past few weeks have been interesting to say the least. Last week, the government increased food allowances for university students.
In as much as other hunters will applaud you for your skills in shooting down crows, despite the fact that your arrows are few, the fact remains that it is a misdirected effort and will never change the fortunes of your family.
This is the same with our government, they were hailed for raising those allowances and received a lot of praises especially from the students themselves, but the fact remains that it was a misdirected effort and a mere waste of resources. It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to tell us that there are more pressing issues in this country than raising students’ allowances. It goes without saying that the allowances were more than enough even before they were raised.
It is a fact that we have so many people in this country surviving on less than a dollar which is equivalent to 1600/- a day. It is no secret that food is not that expensive in this country and in most cases it becomes expensive in up market restaurants and hotels.
But, the problem with our students is that they do not know why they are at university. The primary reason they are enrolled is for them to acquire the much needed education and skills for a better tomorrow.
We all know that food in most university canteens is cheap and even if it is not, there are many decent food outlets where the food can be sold at reasonable prices. The problem with our students is that they want to put themselves in a class they don’t belong and want to live in luxury. This then makes it difficult for them to budget the money as they live to impress other people and would want to be considered rich.
It’s a shame that the government has been duped into believing that the money is not enough. Most of those students come from poor families and they know how it is to survive on limited resources, but once they are at university, they forget where they come from and they pretend they can’t survive on 5000/- a day, an amount that is more than what they use at home.
The government should deal with other pertinent issues such as the crisis bedeviling the Energy Ministry rather than wasting resources. It goes without saying that the ministry is in shambles now. The problem of electricity is there for everyone to see and experience. I can't even mention the losses wananchi and the corporate world have suffered due to the power problem. The cluelessness of the ministry and Tanesco's top echelon on finding a permanent solution to this problem that is fast bringing our economy to it's knees is there for everyone to see.
The drama by the ministry's officials, unearthed last week, of trying to bribe their way into passing a faulty budget shows how clueless and desperate these people are. The only sensible solution is to give way, but our forefathers were right when they said sikio lakufa hali sikii dawa.
Few people cannot continue holding the nation at ransom. We are tired of it and the powers that be should make sure that new brooms are introduced that is if the Aziz Way fails to knock sense on these people. The ministry and its power utility have arrived at a cross roads and the only root to take is the Aziz Way, failure to which the President should put his house in order by replacing these old brooms.
As long as the government continues misdirecting its efforts, concentrating on less important things then wananchi will continue to suffer. There is also need to put their priorities right. The government should hunt wisely lest the hunter becomes the hunted.
And finally a story is told of an African village which was troubled by a man-eating lion. So its leaders sent a message to the great white hunter, to come and kill the beast. For several nights the hunter lay in wait for the lion, but it never showed up. Finally, he told the tribal chief to kill a cow and give him its hide. Draping the skin over his shoulders, he went to the pasture to wait for the lion. In the middle of the night, the villagers woke to the sound of blood-curdling shrieks coming from the pasture. As they carefully approached, they saw the hunter lying there, groaning in pain. There was no sign of the lion. "What happened, bwana? Where is the lion? asked the chief. "Forget the damn lion !" he howled. "Which of you Idiots let the bull loose?"
God bless you
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/0657651300
He soon found a huge bear, shot at it but only wounded it. The enraged bear charged toward him, he dropped his rifle and started running for the cabin as fast as he could.
He ran pretty fast but the bear was just a little faster and gained on him with every step.
Just as he reached the open cabin door, he tripped and fell flat. Too close behind to stop, the bear tripped over him and went rolling into the cabin.
The man jumped up, closed the cabin door and yelled to his friend inside, "You skin this one while I go and get another one!"
Hunting was at one time in the history of humanity an important survival tactic. People had to hunt animals for meat and clothing. Those who had the best hunting skills were respected in the society and could be likened to today’s rich people. Their families never lacked meat and food hence were an envy of many.
I know some societies these days, especially in some parts of Africa, are still surviving on hunting. Others still do it to supplement their food, though the practice is widely banned by governments as a way of protecting wild animals. Yes, they need protection because their existence is under threat and with the improvement in technology, then these animals are in danger as they can no longer escape the hands of their hunters.
I have had the experience of hunting myself. When we were growing up, I know most of the people belonging to the older generation, have at one point or another been involved in hunting. They either did it for genuine reasons or for fun. Most of us have stories to tell when it comes to hunting but we will reserve them for another day.
Hunting has seem many African societies coming up with many phrases, idioms and other parts of speech meant to advise people on various aspects. They were drawn much into hunting to such an extent that so many folk tales and other parts of their speech such as wise words and phrases were drawn out of their experiences.
One such adage is a common African saying,“kupedzera miseve mumakunguo idzo hanga dzichiuya.” This statement can loosely be translated as wasting arrows shooting crows while guinea fowl are approaching. The statement highlights misdirected efforts where hunters will waste their arrows on crows, of which, even if they shoot and kill will not eat.
This is exactly what our government is doing right now. They are wasting the very few arrows they have on crows while the family is hungry back home. It will be better to use the arrows wisely and target those animals that will bring food on the table.
In case you don’t get me dear reader, the happenings in this country for the past few weeks have been interesting to say the least. Last week, the government increased food allowances for university students.
In as much as other hunters will applaud you for your skills in shooting down crows, despite the fact that your arrows are few, the fact remains that it is a misdirected effort and will never change the fortunes of your family.
This is the same with our government, they were hailed for raising those allowances and received a lot of praises especially from the students themselves, but the fact remains that it was a misdirected effort and a mere waste of resources. It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to tell us that there are more pressing issues in this country than raising students’ allowances. It goes without saying that the allowances were more than enough even before they were raised.
It is a fact that we have so many people in this country surviving on less than a dollar which is equivalent to 1600/- a day. It is no secret that food is not that expensive in this country and in most cases it becomes expensive in up market restaurants and hotels.
But, the problem with our students is that they do not know why they are at university. The primary reason they are enrolled is for them to acquire the much needed education and skills for a better tomorrow.
We all know that food in most university canteens is cheap and even if it is not, there are many decent food outlets where the food can be sold at reasonable prices. The problem with our students is that they want to put themselves in a class they don’t belong and want to live in luxury. This then makes it difficult for them to budget the money as they live to impress other people and would want to be considered rich.
It’s a shame that the government has been duped into believing that the money is not enough. Most of those students come from poor families and they know how it is to survive on limited resources, but once they are at university, they forget where they come from and they pretend they can’t survive on 5000/- a day, an amount that is more than what they use at home.
The government should deal with other pertinent issues such as the crisis bedeviling the Energy Ministry rather than wasting resources. It goes without saying that the ministry is in shambles now. The problem of electricity is there for everyone to see and experience. I can't even mention the losses wananchi and the corporate world have suffered due to the power problem. The cluelessness of the ministry and Tanesco's top echelon on finding a permanent solution to this problem that is fast bringing our economy to it's knees is there for everyone to see.
The drama by the ministry's officials, unearthed last week, of trying to bribe their way into passing a faulty budget shows how clueless and desperate these people are. The only sensible solution is to give way, but our forefathers were right when they said sikio lakufa hali sikii dawa.
Few people cannot continue holding the nation at ransom. We are tired of it and the powers that be should make sure that new brooms are introduced that is if the Aziz Way fails to knock sense on these people. The ministry and its power utility have arrived at a cross roads and the only root to take is the Aziz Way, failure to which the President should put his house in order by replacing these old brooms.
As long as the government continues misdirecting its efforts, concentrating on less important things then wananchi will continue to suffer. There is also need to put their priorities right. The government should hunt wisely lest the hunter becomes the hunted.
And finally a story is told of an African village which was troubled by a man-eating lion. So its leaders sent a message to the great white hunter, to come and kill the beast. For several nights the hunter lay in wait for the lion, but it never showed up. Finally, he told the tribal chief to kill a cow and give him its hide. Draping the skin over his shoulders, he went to the pasture to wait for the lion. In the middle of the night, the villagers woke to the sound of blood-curdling shrieks coming from the pasture. As they carefully approached, they saw the hunter lying there, groaning in pain. There was no sign of the lion. "What happened, bwana? Where is the lion? asked the chief. "Forget the damn lion !" he howled. "Which of you Idiots let the bull loose?"
God bless you
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/0657651300
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
City fathers where are you?
When it rains in Dar es Salaam, roads turn into rivers. The poor drainage system in the city makes it difficult for motorists and pedestrians to move from one place to another. The city fathers continue sitting on their laurels while the problem continues unabated. This is also blamed for traffic jams that occur every time rains fall. For how long will wananchi continue to suffer? ??????
Monday, June 6, 2011
Tarime disturbances: A lethal, ticking political time bomb in need of defusion
Tanzania is known for being a peaceful country in the sense that while other countries continue being devastated and their towns reduced to heaps of rubble due to civil wars, no political rivalry has ever turned nasty. But, with the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi facing a litmus test in form of it's fiercest opposition so far, a lot of care has to be taken to preserve our peace.
Yes, the winds of change that swept across the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi's top echelon, early this year, seems to have been the dim light showing at the end of a long and dark tunnel, bringing with it hope that sanity will at last be restored in the party that is said to have lost touch with the people who voted them into power.
The recent incident in Tarime, where a member of parliament was humiliated when his motorcade was attacked by stones damaging several vehicles, seems to be the much needed evidence to show how the party is fast losing its grip. The MP, Nyambari Nyang'wine and the district council chairman, Amos Sagara, had their bodyguards seriously injured. The leaders had visited the area with the aim of consoling families of five people who had been killed by the police after they invaded the North Mara Goldmine.
The two leaders' crime seems to have been their regalia. The group of people who had blocked the road ordered them to remove their party uniforms. But, they did not have the chance to argue their way out as stones started raining, forcing them to seek refuge in their cars before fleeing.
This shows the extent the situation has deteriorated to. Tarime has been, for eons, notorious for clan clashes and cattle rustling. And, for the past week or so, the area has been hitting newspaper headlines for the wrong reasons again. It all started when, in utter stupidity and misdirected arrogance, more than 1000 villagers invaded the gold mine with the aim of taking away pieces of rock containing gold. Their misguided efforts were thwarted by the police and mine security guards who beat them up and ended up killing five people.
This led to the stoning of the MP and other officials before another drama unfolded once again when the relatives refused to bury their dead. As I have mentioned before, there is need to preserve our peace here.
The villagers knew that they were embarking on a mission impossible and they are now blaming the police for killing their fellow villagers while they think that what they did was right. First of all, it is common knowledge that a gold mine, all over the world, is a high security area and is closely guarded as it risks being attacked by bandits and thieves.
Under such circumstances, the villagers had turned thieves as they had invaded private property and had no right to take those gold stones. Yes, we know that we are being exploited by large mining companies as they benefit while villagers surrounding the area are wallowing in poverty, but invading the mine was an ill advised step. For sure, they can't blame the police for killing people who wanted to steal, in large numbers.
We are a law abiding country and these citizens should have followed the rule of law. There was no justification what so ever. If they have complains, they should channel them through the relevant channels. We are sick and tired of wananchi taking the law into their own hands. The fact that they invaded the mine in their thousands does not make it right. It does not make them different from two or three bandits who invade a mine because their aim is the same.
The problem, with us wananchi is that we don't mind being used. Now there are plans to sue the government over the disturbances. It is a shame that the government is the one to blame every time things go wrong. The problem with us is that we don't mind getting used as political tools to spearhead certain political agendas.
What is happening in Tarime, is tantamount to a man who invades his neighbour's house and tries to take away the wife by force and when the neighbour, in bid to protect his interests, beats the lights out of him, he quickly runs to the police and sues the guy for assault. This is the irony of the whole saga.
The other problem I think should have been nipped in the bud a long time is the issue of wananchi taking the law into their own hands. We have seen this happening in many circumstances in different places. Thieves know for sure that they risk losing their lives if they are caught because wananchi don't hesitate to slaughter them and even burn them alive as part of mob justice.
Even if these mines are stealing from us, it's no justification to take the law into our own hands and invade them. Tanzania is a democratic country and we recently elected the leaders we want into various positions, so there is no need for us to make the government our enemy, instead we are our own enemy as we failed to vote the people we wanted into the positions.
I remember stressing this point in this column just before the elections that the ball was in our court and it was up to us to elect the leaders we want. Now that we stayed at home, while others were voting, then we now resort to beating up the leaders other people chose. I repeat again, there is no justification what so ever for the events in Tarime.
Yes, life is fast becoming difficult by day in this country and our currency continue to plummet against major currencies, with prices of basic commodities, fuel and other goods skyrocketing, but is it a problem solely affecting Tanzania? In Uganda, Kenya and Burundi just but to mention a few the crisis is being felt. The whole region is facing the same problem and no one should blame the government alone for this crisis. Everyone should shoulder the blame and map the way forward.
We are a peaceful country and in order for us to maintain this peace, laws of the land should be respected. Political parties should not capitalise on the situation and convince wananchi that they are the solution to their problems as this is far fetched.
The Tarime disturbances are undoubtedly politically motivated and some political parties are jumping at every opportunity available to enhance their popularity. In fact it is a planned and staged event that should not be allowed to continue. As a country, we have peace and reputation to maintain, and with the current economic hardships, it is easy for such events to, not only recur but also spread like veld fire to other parts of the country. God help and bless us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
0657651300
Yes, the winds of change that swept across the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi's top echelon, early this year, seems to have been the dim light showing at the end of a long and dark tunnel, bringing with it hope that sanity will at last be restored in the party that is said to have lost touch with the people who voted them into power.
The recent incident in Tarime, where a member of parliament was humiliated when his motorcade was attacked by stones damaging several vehicles, seems to be the much needed evidence to show how the party is fast losing its grip. The MP, Nyambari Nyang'wine and the district council chairman, Amos Sagara, had their bodyguards seriously injured. The leaders had visited the area with the aim of consoling families of five people who had been killed by the police after they invaded the North Mara Goldmine.
The two leaders' crime seems to have been their regalia. The group of people who had blocked the road ordered them to remove their party uniforms. But, they did not have the chance to argue their way out as stones started raining, forcing them to seek refuge in their cars before fleeing.
This shows the extent the situation has deteriorated to. Tarime has been, for eons, notorious for clan clashes and cattle rustling. And, for the past week or so, the area has been hitting newspaper headlines for the wrong reasons again. It all started when, in utter stupidity and misdirected arrogance, more than 1000 villagers invaded the gold mine with the aim of taking away pieces of rock containing gold. Their misguided efforts were thwarted by the police and mine security guards who beat them up and ended up killing five people.
This led to the stoning of the MP and other officials before another drama unfolded once again when the relatives refused to bury their dead. As I have mentioned before, there is need to preserve our peace here.
The villagers knew that they were embarking on a mission impossible and they are now blaming the police for killing their fellow villagers while they think that what they did was right. First of all, it is common knowledge that a gold mine, all over the world, is a high security area and is closely guarded as it risks being attacked by bandits and thieves.
Under such circumstances, the villagers had turned thieves as they had invaded private property and had no right to take those gold stones. Yes, we know that we are being exploited by large mining companies as they benefit while villagers surrounding the area are wallowing in poverty, but invading the mine was an ill advised step. For sure, they can't blame the police for killing people who wanted to steal, in large numbers.
We are a law abiding country and these citizens should have followed the rule of law. There was no justification what so ever. If they have complains, they should channel them through the relevant channels. We are sick and tired of wananchi taking the law into their own hands. The fact that they invaded the mine in their thousands does not make it right. It does not make them different from two or three bandits who invade a mine because their aim is the same.
The problem, with us wananchi is that we don't mind being used. Now there are plans to sue the government over the disturbances. It is a shame that the government is the one to blame every time things go wrong. The problem with us is that we don't mind getting used as political tools to spearhead certain political agendas.
What is happening in Tarime, is tantamount to a man who invades his neighbour's house and tries to take away the wife by force and when the neighbour, in bid to protect his interests, beats the lights out of him, he quickly runs to the police and sues the guy for assault. This is the irony of the whole saga.
The other problem I think should have been nipped in the bud a long time is the issue of wananchi taking the law into their own hands. We have seen this happening in many circumstances in different places. Thieves know for sure that they risk losing their lives if they are caught because wananchi don't hesitate to slaughter them and even burn them alive as part of mob justice.
Even if these mines are stealing from us, it's no justification to take the law into our own hands and invade them. Tanzania is a democratic country and we recently elected the leaders we want into various positions, so there is no need for us to make the government our enemy, instead we are our own enemy as we failed to vote the people we wanted into the positions.
I remember stressing this point in this column just before the elections that the ball was in our court and it was up to us to elect the leaders we want. Now that we stayed at home, while others were voting, then we now resort to beating up the leaders other people chose. I repeat again, there is no justification what so ever for the events in Tarime.
Yes, life is fast becoming difficult by day in this country and our currency continue to plummet against major currencies, with prices of basic commodities, fuel and other goods skyrocketing, but is it a problem solely affecting Tanzania? In Uganda, Kenya and Burundi just but to mention a few the crisis is being felt. The whole region is facing the same problem and no one should blame the government alone for this crisis. Everyone should shoulder the blame and map the way forward.
We are a peaceful country and in order for us to maintain this peace, laws of the land should be respected. Political parties should not capitalise on the situation and convince wananchi that they are the solution to their problems as this is far fetched.
The Tarime disturbances are undoubtedly politically motivated and some political parties are jumping at every opportunity available to enhance their popularity. In fact it is a planned and staged event that should not be allowed to continue. As a country, we have peace and reputation to maintain, and with the current economic hardships, it is easy for such events to, not only recur but also spread like veld fire to other parts of the country. God help and bless us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
0657651300
Of going to school becoming a nightmare and students paying the price of education
Bongoblast
MANY students and pupils will sigh a sign of relief as many schools are closing for holidays. They will have a chance to take a break from hectic schedules that are usually worsened by transport woes they endure on a daily basis.
Their relationship with kondas is not mutual. It's more like a cat and mouse relationship. The nightmare this children go through all for attaining a better education for a better life is uncalled for.
It remains a fact that most of them, especially those who use public transport to and from school, report late for school almost on a daily basis as they are denied access to these speeding coffins. The only sin these students commit, that drives these kondas to shun them is that they pay 150/- while other passengers pay 300/-.
The other problem is that when they finally get to school, in most cases they will be tired because they would have used a lot of energy in pushing and shoving their way into daladalas. These students have no choice but to bulldoze their way into the buses, failure to which they will not make it to school or will be too late to attend lessons.
In fact, going to school has fast become a nightmare and the trend seems to be escalating unabated as they are left at the mercy of touts and bus conductors who treat them as if they were second class citizens.
Dear reader you need to visit the new Posta Bus station in the city centre from around 3pm during school days to witness what I am talking about. The situation is unbearable to say the least as kondas and school children will be wrestling each other.
Boarding buses during this time is a nightmare for many people as there will be a lot of pushing and shoving at daladala doors, where students will be fighting to get into the buses while kondas and touts on the other hand will be pushing them away at the same time trying to smuggle their cash cows into the buses without students sneaking in.
It’s a shame as one will be forgiven to mistake the struggles at the doors to wrestling matches. A lot of students have their uniforms torn while others will come out of the hullabaloo with their white shirts or blouses dirty or having lost one or two buttons.
This other day, I saw the driver of one commuter bus parking the bus before disembarking to help the konda prevent 'wanafunzi' from getting into the bus. Dear reader, you need to witness this for you to come to terms with what I am saying. But, I am sure that if you are not a visitor to this country then you should be aware of what I am talking about.
I have never stopped wondering why the touts and conductors hate uniformed students that much! One wonders whether these guys are agitated by a mere sight of a uniform because it reminds them of what they failed to achieve or what? Or is it mere jealousy because if these kids pass then they will be what these guys have failed to be or is it a mere business consciousness where the touts and kondas consider carrying wanafunzi as running a loss as they pay 150/- to their destinations?
I often witnessed a lot of heated debates on daladalas as some parents register their disapproval over the inhumane treatment school children are exposed to. What pains most is that these debates and concerns quickly vanish into thin air and each and everyone turns to his or her problems without a solution being found. In fact, such debates are now more used to while up time during 'foleni' than genuine concerns in need of urgent attention.
The problem of students being ill-treated by bus crews is not new to us and has been with us for sometime, but it seems as if the pleas to address this problem are falling on deaf ears.
What surprises me is that some parents, when they see school children being ill-treated, they sit and do nothing. I know some don't care because the children in question are not theirs or their relatives; but how will you feel if it is done to your own child? How will it be like if you are to continuously buy uniforms replacing those that are continuously torn during the fiasco with touts?
Don't get me wrong, there are other conductors and touts I have seen who are different from others. These respect school children and they carry them on their buses without any hustles. I am not in a position to give examples or provide some of the names of these good kondas but I promise that next time I will. I just wished if all the kondas were like that then we were not going to have students reporting late for school.
Schools are just closing and very soon will be opening and students have a long way to go before the year ends so the government, responsible authorities and every stakeholder should come up with a permanent solution to this social misnomer. They should devise methods of curbing this problem. I have read many letters and stories in various newspapers on the problem but to my surprise the responsible authorities have remained mum on this problem. Are they waiting for all students to boycott school so that they can act? Are they waiting for a student to be pushed out of a moving daladala and die before they act?
Let everyone sitting on this issue be reminded that going to school should be enjoyable and students must be motivated to wake up everyday, bath and go to school. When going to school becomes a nightmare then there is a problem.
School authorities should not also watch and zip their mouths as if everything is okay while their students get to school late everyday. They should chip in even by providing transport to their students, a move some schools adopted. This goes a long way in helping these students get to school on time.
As wananchi, we have a more important role to play. Let’s reprimand all the kondas and touts who abuse children. It is because of this that many school girls have fallen in love with kondas, drivers or touts so that they get easy access to transport. This is a shame. Our daughters are being ravaged by these touts only because someone is sitting on what he or she is supposed to and paid for.
The time to address the problem is now so that our children do not end up hating going to school or if girls don't end up being impregnated by these merciless touts. What type of future leaders are we raising? Let’s make Bongoland a better place. God bless you.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/ 0657651300
ENDS
MANY students and pupils will sigh a sign of relief as many schools are closing for holidays. They will have a chance to take a break from hectic schedules that are usually worsened by transport woes they endure on a daily basis.
Their relationship with kondas is not mutual. It's more like a cat and mouse relationship. The nightmare this children go through all for attaining a better education for a better life is uncalled for.
It remains a fact that most of them, especially those who use public transport to and from school, report late for school almost on a daily basis as they are denied access to these speeding coffins. The only sin these students commit, that drives these kondas to shun them is that they pay 150/- while other passengers pay 300/-.
The other problem is that when they finally get to school, in most cases they will be tired because they would have used a lot of energy in pushing and shoving their way into daladalas. These students have no choice but to bulldoze their way into the buses, failure to which they will not make it to school or will be too late to attend lessons.
In fact, going to school has fast become a nightmare and the trend seems to be escalating unabated as they are left at the mercy of touts and bus conductors who treat them as if they were second class citizens.
Dear reader you need to visit the new Posta Bus station in the city centre from around 3pm during school days to witness what I am talking about. The situation is unbearable to say the least as kondas and school children will be wrestling each other.
Boarding buses during this time is a nightmare for many people as there will be a lot of pushing and shoving at daladala doors, where students will be fighting to get into the buses while kondas and touts on the other hand will be pushing them away at the same time trying to smuggle their cash cows into the buses without students sneaking in.
It’s a shame as one will be forgiven to mistake the struggles at the doors to wrestling matches. A lot of students have their uniforms torn while others will come out of the hullabaloo with their white shirts or blouses dirty or having lost one or two buttons.
This other day, I saw the driver of one commuter bus parking the bus before disembarking to help the konda prevent 'wanafunzi' from getting into the bus. Dear reader, you need to witness this for you to come to terms with what I am saying. But, I am sure that if you are not a visitor to this country then you should be aware of what I am talking about.
I have never stopped wondering why the touts and conductors hate uniformed students that much! One wonders whether these guys are agitated by a mere sight of a uniform because it reminds them of what they failed to achieve or what? Or is it mere jealousy because if these kids pass then they will be what these guys have failed to be or is it a mere business consciousness where the touts and kondas consider carrying wanafunzi as running a loss as they pay 150/- to their destinations?
I often witnessed a lot of heated debates on daladalas as some parents register their disapproval over the inhumane treatment school children are exposed to. What pains most is that these debates and concerns quickly vanish into thin air and each and everyone turns to his or her problems without a solution being found. In fact, such debates are now more used to while up time during 'foleni' than genuine concerns in need of urgent attention.
The problem of students being ill-treated by bus crews is not new to us and has been with us for sometime, but it seems as if the pleas to address this problem are falling on deaf ears.
What surprises me is that some parents, when they see school children being ill-treated, they sit and do nothing. I know some don't care because the children in question are not theirs or their relatives; but how will you feel if it is done to your own child? How will it be like if you are to continuously buy uniforms replacing those that are continuously torn during the fiasco with touts?
Don't get me wrong, there are other conductors and touts I have seen who are different from others. These respect school children and they carry them on their buses without any hustles. I am not in a position to give examples or provide some of the names of these good kondas but I promise that next time I will. I just wished if all the kondas were like that then we were not going to have students reporting late for school.
Schools are just closing and very soon will be opening and students have a long way to go before the year ends so the government, responsible authorities and every stakeholder should come up with a permanent solution to this social misnomer. They should devise methods of curbing this problem. I have read many letters and stories in various newspapers on the problem but to my surprise the responsible authorities have remained mum on this problem. Are they waiting for all students to boycott school so that they can act? Are they waiting for a student to be pushed out of a moving daladala and die before they act?
Let everyone sitting on this issue be reminded that going to school should be enjoyable and students must be motivated to wake up everyday, bath and go to school. When going to school becomes a nightmare then there is a problem.
School authorities should not also watch and zip their mouths as if everything is okay while their students get to school late everyday. They should chip in even by providing transport to their students, a move some schools adopted. This goes a long way in helping these students get to school on time.
As wananchi, we have a more important role to play. Let’s reprimand all the kondas and touts who abuse children. It is because of this that many school girls have fallen in love with kondas, drivers or touts so that they get easy access to transport. This is a shame. Our daughters are being ravaged by these touts only because someone is sitting on what he or she is supposed to and paid for.
The time to address the problem is now so that our children do not end up hating going to school or if girls don't end up being impregnated by these merciless touts. What type of future leaders are we raising? Let’s make Bongoland a better place. God bless you.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/ 0657651300
ENDS
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