Stars/Brazil match: A case of being so near yet so far

Simbarashe Msasanuri


Many soccer loving hearts were left bleeding last week following two high profile matches (against Brazil and Rwanda) our lovely Taifa Stars were involved in. The Rwanda match saw our boys biting the dust, a move that sent us out of the CHAN competitions with a thud. This was heartbreaking as we fell 1-0, something many soccer fans could not stomach as we had set our eyes on the finals of the competition.
Hardly 24 hours after that game, another high profile game was penciled at our giant stadium that saw us tumbling again. But, dear reader, it is not the result that was of concern to most fans, but the blunders made by those organizing the match.
It was a case of being so far yet so near for many fans, as their favourite soccer stars such as Kaka, Maicon and Robinho were playing on our soil, but we were forced to eat a humble pie, with our tails in between our legs, closed our doors and glued ourselves to our small television sets, to watch the best team playing, a stone’s throw away from our homes because of prohibitive entry fees charged by the organizers.
You saw it for yourself, the stadium was half empty and this adds insult to an injury because had the stadium been filled to capacity, and tickets running out, then most of us would not be living with this disappointment for the rest of our lives. To tell the truth, this is a lifetime opportunity and to have the number one ranked team in the world not only visiting your country but playing a match with your team is a rare opportunity in the sense that without a major tournament like the World Cup near by, it will be very difficult to bring such a team to this country.
The result of the match doesn’t matter much because we were not expecting a miracle, everyone knows Brazil are the kings when it comes to this game and hosting them was to our advantage, but unfortunately the ordinary man on the street did not benefit from this match. They failed to get the chance to see their favourite players, face to face and resorted to what they are used to- that is watching them play on television.
Still on soccer, as we speak, history has been and is still being made down south as the first ever World Cup to be hosted on African soil began last Friday. Just like a solar eclipse, this is a lifetime opportunity such that once it’s over, we do not know when such a tournament will be held on African soil again.
Maybe we will all be dead when that happens and won’t be there to witness it. I am not a pessimistic here and neither am I judgmental but the truth remains that when the tournament finally comes back, most of the people in this generation, will have rested in their small houses without windows.
But, why worry about the future. Let me reiterate what we said, sometime back, in this column that when such tournaments are held, besides the great benefits that comes with hosting such an event, the waves of the tournaments are so strong that they easily sweep across the whole globe.
As we speak, relationships and families are beginning to be strained as many soccer loving or addicts, usually husbands, prefer to watch their favourite teams rather than paying attention to their partners. It is that time again where husbands turn into strangers not only to their wives but to the whole family as they usually don’t tolerate any disturbances when their favourite teams are playing. To avoid such disturbances, some people prefer to watch the matches in clubs far away from their families where they will be sharing views with other drunken viewers.
What is interesting is that, not only family relations are strained but even work relations are soiled when it comes to this. Just imagine that Brazil is playing against Ivory Coast and it happens that you are at work. You desperately need to watch this game but the time the match starts, you will be required to attend an important meeting or to fulfill some of your duties, your manager is keeping a keen eye not only on you but on every employee so that no one will escape.
Five minutes before the game, the manager leaves your office after heaping a lot of work on you and goes to his office where there is a television set and watches the match while you work. He keeps on making constant calls to make sure that you are there and at half time, he comes physically to check the progress. Such is life.
To avoid this, some workers pretend to be ill so that they don’t report for work on that day. This will help them escape the grip of their bosses. I am not saying people don’t fall sick during this time but there are a few genuine cases where people become really sick. The problem with this is that managers can’t reprimand someone because he or she became sick on the day a big match was supposed to be staged. Even the requirement that people bring medical cards or receipts from doctors, showing that they had been checked or are ill don’t work.
It is common knowledge that it is difficult for a doctor to tell someone that he is not sick while that person is telling him otherwise. The doctor in most cases relies on what the patient is telling him for diagnosis, so even if the guy is lying to cover up for failing to report for duty, then no one will tell.
So many fake medical reports have been submitted at workplaces and nothing will stop many people to do it this winter when the WC is being played next door.
In this list are school children. Most of them, especially boys are soccer addicts to such an extent that they will play every trick in the book to watch all the matches. The good news is that most schools will be closing for holidays anytime this week, others have already closed, so the hide and seek game between students and teachers has been spared.
Though everything is now all set, with the tournament having started, we still have another problem that I feel will spoil many people’s parties, the problem of unannounced power cuts. Let me not be a prophet of doom, but believe you me, many people will definitely miss games pitting their favourite teams due to power cuts.
Though soccer drives people crazy, with some doing every trick in the book to watch it, the sport commonly known as the beautiful game has a magic bullet effect that unite people. Let’s therefore, cherish it being hosted on African soil, hoping and dreaming that one day, Bongoland will host this event. Or, if we fail to host it, then one day this country can win it. What a dream I have. God bless you
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz

Stop the blame game and end schoolgirl pregnancies madness

Simbarashe Msasanuri
Bongoblast


As the historic FIFA 2010 World Cup continues, many hearts have been left broken after some teams were defeated and some humiliated. Though many African teams were beaten during their first games last week, and judging from their performance, I feel it will be an uphill task for the trophy to remain in Africa.

I came closer to selling my TV set after two painful defeats last week. When the hosts South Africa were walloped 3-0, it was clear to me that we still have a long way as a continent in as far as soccer is concerned. But, the match between Cameroon and Japan left me frustrated because I believed the coach was at fault.

I might not be a soccer player, neither am I a coach but as a fan, I feel the Cameroonian coach should have taken the game seriously and selected his best team. What continued to boggle my mind is that, he opted for less experienced players, while resting most of his best players, some of whom he introduced as substitutes,but the harm had already been done. I feel, he underestimated Japan and for that, he paid dearly.

Now Cameroon, face a daunting task as they will have to win against the inform Netherlands and Belgium. Lets just wait and see, maybe a miracle will happen. I know most of you dear readers are supporting African teams during the world cup and I urge you to continue doing so until the cup remains on this continent.

While many soccer players continue to score goals during the WC many men in this country have also been condemned for being experts in scoring offsides. They continue scoring despite the referees having blown their whistles to signal an offside. I am talking about the problem bedevilling our country of which if drastic measures are not taken, then this social anomaly will thrive, in the end tarnishing our image.

The problem of school girls being impregnated and being forced out of schools with their hopes for pursuing their educational dreams virtually shattered, has been with us for a long time now. In fact, it has reached fever pitch and if drastic measures are not taken, then the bulk of our women will remain uneducated as their education is cut short as circumstances force them to prematurely taste the forbidden fruit.

To them it becomes forbidden because they are still too young and have plenty of time in future to enjoy it. While in the Bible, it was the snake that swayed the woman, who in turn went on to persuade her husband to eat it, it seems in this day and age, the tables have turned. It's now men who go around hunting small girls, they easily manipulate and persuade into tasting something they are not ready to.

For the past week the debate on the problem seems to have reached boiling point as the nation is trying to find a solution to this hideous issue. This even went as far as statehouse where besides the President adding his voice on the problem, a delegation of students visited him to discuss this among many other issues.

The children asked the President why students who fall pregnant were not allowed back in school. Yes this might seem as part of the solution as the educational dream of these young girls will be revived, but this leaves an indelible mark on the lives of these girls who are forced to live with the stigma and discrimination.

While the nation is still playing the blame game, blaming each other over the problem, many sectors of the society have been pointed out and these include the girls themselves as they are said to be responsible for falling pregnant , while others blame it on the government, some point fingers on men while others think that the families are not doing enough to protect these young ones.. In fact, the list is endless.

A certain preacher, addressing a congregation on parenthood, argued that the primary reason for teen pregnancies and deviance is because parents don't tell their children the truth. He was of the opinion that in most societies, many if not all parents find it very difficult to discuss matters concerning sex with their children and in the end they lie to them.

He gave an example of a mother who tells her daughter that the child should not let let men touch her body, but when the daughter asks the reason the mother is saying so, she usually lies to her and say, if a man touches your body you become pregnant.

When a man confronts the kid and tries to touch her, she will scream, at him and once the man convinces her that touching does not make her pregnant and that her mother lied to her, then it will be very easy for the girl to believe what the man will be telling her. I don't know whether its true or not dear reader but it is up to you to decide, but I know for sure that many parents lie to their children and in the end they get the information from wrong sources and by the time the parents realises it, then it will be too late.

To tell the truth, the problem of pregnancies in school is not fueled by one aspect, but a combination of causes, that should be looked at before it's too late. Yes for a long time, poverty has been blamed as the number one cause and is said to be driving these girls into sex for survival but for how long shalkl we continue hiding behind our fingers, while our children's future continue being bleak.

The other reason again is the society, I think once a society fails to respect children's rights, whereby they use children as tools for amassing wealth, by forcing their young daughters to marry men older than their fathers, then a girl child will lose self respect and will always think that they were created to be married. This is dangerous in the sense that these girls will not hesitate to engage in sex since the society would have made them to believe that they are mere sex tools.

I believe that beside all those other factors contributing to these pregnancies, society is to blame to a larger extent though the government, parents, teachers and the girls themselves are equally to blame. A holistic approach is, therefore, needed to deal with this problem once and for all.

The only solution is for us to unite and stop this madness. Let's get back to the drawing board and deal with problems affecting family units in this country as they play the most important part in shaping characters of these young ones.
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If all people could respect, educate, mold and protect the children and make sure that they value themselves then the problem will be resolved. I remember the saying that, acha tuwe ndege kwasababu mayai haana supu, this is loosely translated as let the eggs hatch for they don't have soup. In other words, this is a message directed to all men to leave these young girls until they mature because trying to catch them when they are too young is counter productive.

If we can get it into our thick heads that what we are doing to someone's child can be done on ours tomorrow then this part of the world will become a better place for our children. Together we can end this problem. God bless you

bongoblast@thisday.co.tz

Of anger madness and mob justice ruling the roost

Simbarashe Msasanuri
Bongoblast

WHEN I listened to one of Bongo Star Search 2009 finalists, Peter Msechu's song ‘Hasira Hasara’, I couldn't help but green with envy. For a moment, I regretted having failed to cast as many votes as possible for him to clinch the first spot, though something kept on reminding me that this guy is pregnant with talent.

I remember, his creativity and his stage performances and management, he always had something new to offer, and to me, he was more of a surprise package than a mere competitor. Though he was competing for honours at the annual event, Peter used this opportunity to launch his career by erecting a firm foundation that can easily catapult him to dizzy heights in the music circles.

I know Bongoland's music industry is rich and has a lot of talent to such an extent that invading it and leaving an indelible mark is only a preserve of those with raw talent, and I believe Msechu fits in that category.

His song, Hasira Hasara, despite wreaking havoc within the musical charts, gaining a lot of air play on different radio and television stations, it has a rich message. In this song, the singer warns the society that anger in most cases result in losses.

True to his message hasira ni hasara, because many people end up regretting after an uncontrollable bout of anger and having acted unreasonably due to what they term anger. I am still to get to that extent but I doubt if these people will be ignorant of what they will be doing. So many people, including children have died after being attacked by someone who after coming back to his or her senses, blames it on anger. I think these people will be looking for an escape goat, and end up blaming it on anger while in the actual sense they would have done it consciously.

Our media are awash with child abuse cases and in some instances, some children are killed in the process, but what is disturbing is that anger is always blamed for it. The story of a mother who used a razor blade to punish her son, she was accused of stealing 1 000/-, always boggles my mind. After the grievous bodily harm to the child, the mother even tried to conceal it and failed to take the child to hospital for treatment. After the cat was out of the bag, she blamed it all on anger.

I always wonder as to what kind of anger is that, that make people lose their senses and do something they always regret. Just like Msechu pointed out in his song, anger will always bring with it some losses and many people are forced to count their losses, that is if they are not jailed for their hideous acts.

With the rate of which children are abused not only in this country but the world over, it remains true that they are fast becoming an endangered species. They need protection because those who are supposed to look after and protect them have turned to be predators.

This is so despite the presence of measures taken to safeguard children's rights. Even the clamouring of activists, seeking to enforce and advocate children's rights cannot deter parents and guardians who think that children are their properties and they have the right to treat them in any manner they dim necessary.

Many people are not aware that the days when they used to say kuku kula mayai mwenyewe are over. Children have rights that should be respected. And, even anger should never be allowed to deprive these innocent children of these rights.

Still on children's rights, this week, Tanzania joins the world in marking the World Day against Child Labour to be held on 12 June 2010. This day aims to promote awareness and action to tackle child labour through out the world. I hope as a country we will be in a position to eradicate the cancer because I think this problem exists in this part of the world.

I have often came across children, of school going age, working in some dukas mostly in high density suburbs at a time they are supposed to be at school. Some people are also guilty in that they go to rural areas, get small girls who would have completed their grade seven and failed to proceed with their studies, and have them work as house maids.

This is child labour and should be looked into. In fact, it is against children's rights and most of these people do it oblivious of the law. It is everyone's duty, dear reader, to safeguard these innocent souls and above all let's contain our anger knowing very well that hasira ni hasara. Let's spare these children our frustrations. We know that the global economic crisis is biting but offloading your anger and frustrations on innocent children doesn't change your situation.

There is another growing trend in this country that whenever a thief is caught, wananchi rush in to mete instant justice. This has seen many people getting lynched and in some cases these people will be innocent. Yes the person may have done wrong, but, is killing him or her the solution?

We have had many cases of people being killed like that and upon trying to dig out the root cause of this, some people I talked to pointed out that, thieves especially bandits should be lynched to deter other would be thieves. They also argued that these people are ruthless when they invade people's houses and in most cases they don't hesitate to kill, and that is the reason, wananchi are retaliating that way.

Whenever a problem arises, wananchi are quick to take the law into their own hands and they become both police officers and courts. In other words, they arrest the person and sentence him to death buy stoning, beating or setting the poor guy ablaze.

It wasn't surprising therefore, when a group of nearly 300 villagers invaded Hedaru Police Station in Same District in an attempt to seize suspects and mete mob justice.

The incidents of angry mobs invading and burning police posts are on the increase and they present a time bomb of which if not curbed will cultivate a culture that will end up tarnishing the country's image.

What surprises is that these eight suspects could have died for nothing as the girl was letter found alive. It is a pity that people think that killing a perpetrator is a solution, not knowing that a person is innocent until proven guilt.

These villagers could not even wait for the police to do their job, neither did they give the courts of law the chance to deal with the case. Instead they destroyed property including three vehicles, that had been parked for safekeeping.

This behaviour has to be nipped in the bud before it becomes a norm that thieves and everyone believed to be on the wrong side of the law is lynched without being given the chance to prove his or her innocence.

I can't agree less with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Said Mwema, who expressed concern over the growing lawlessness in the society where mobs lynch suspects and in some cases storm police posts and set them on fire.

This is counterproductive because the same posts these people raze down are vital elements of the society and I can't over emphasize their role in places they are established. This madness has to be stopped before it's too late. We should respect the sanctity of life and make Bongoland a good place to stay for everyone. God Bless you

bongoblast@thisday.co.tz

Don't misuse free mosquito nets, Sikika urges public

Simbarashe Msasanuri
Dar es Salaam

WITH the war against malaria under the government-rolled Malaria Haikubaliki campaign intensifying, following a three-day insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) distribution exercise held recently, beneficiaries have been urged to desist from misusing the nets for the betterment of their health.

The advice was voiced by Sikika, a non governmental organisation dealing with health issues, through a press release last week.

“Sikika urges recipients of these ITNs to use them and stop compromising their health by either selling them or turning them into fishing nets. We also urge all citizens to adhere to user guidelines of the nets, a move that will provide best results,” read part of the press release, adding that the general public have the right to information when such distributions are taking place and also to monitor public resources.

The organisation hailed the brains behind the national exercise that saw mothers with children under the age of five getting free mosquito nets.

“This will go a long way in saving life, that is, if the nets are properly used. It is vital that the responsible authorities, especially those involved in the Malaria Haikubaliki programme, educate the general public on proper use of nets and make follow ups to make sure that the nets are not misused,” said Sikika.

The organisation also took the opportunity to sound a warning to those responsible for the exercise to desist from using the nets for personal gains.

“Public leaders responsible for distributing ITNs under the Malaria Haikubaliki programme should make sure that the nets reach the intended targets” Sikika said, adding that the abuse and misuse of resources and programmes aimed at benefiting the public should stop and government must leave no stone unturned in taking legal action towards those involved, for the betterment of the country.

This comes amid reports that some leaders might have misused nets meant to be distributed free of charge and benefit children under the age of five years.

“Sikika condemns such behavior as it deprives the most vulnerable groups within the society of protection from the number one killer disease that claims 291 lives, mostly children, in Tanzania every day. In other words 10 people die of malaria, in this country, every hour. Malaria is preventable and treatable but continues to kill such a large number of people especially children, while the use of ITNs has been proved as one of the most effective way of reducing malaria cases in Africa,” the organisation added.

Tanzania recently intensified the war against malaria by launching the Malaria Haikubaliki campaign, under which the nets were distributed, early this year. And if successful, the country, arguably one of the leaders in the global fight against malaria, is this year set to become one of the first African countries to achieve universal access to mosquito nets and affordable treatment for all of its citizens as it struggles to fight malaria, a disease ravaging societies worldwide.

In support of this landmark effort, President Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the head of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) which brings African leaders together on the world stage to raise global awareness and support, is leading the “Malaria Haikubaliki: Tushirikiane Kuitokomeza” (Malaria is unacceptable: Working together, we can eliminate malaria) awareness campaign.

While launching the campaign in Dar es Salaam, President Kikwete declared malaria a national disaster due to the number of lives it claims per hour in this country. He revealed that the bulk of these victims constitute children.

The president mentioned three ways of fighting and winning the war against malaria. They include use of insecticide treated mosquito nets and ensuring availability of nets; to stop the replication of mosquitoes that carry malaria and lastly using effective drugs to treat those with malaria.

On nets, the president further said that while children under five were currently getting them for free, plans were in final stages to enable every household to have at least two treated nets.

“We must ensure we annihilate these mosquitoes and their breeding sites. It is possible to ensure that we become the last generation to die of malaria.

Other countries in the world have managed, it is possible for us to make it.

“This is a campaign to save our lives. It is a campaign to prevent deaths which can be avoided,”said Kikwete.

The national campaign is anchored at the community and household level by community mobilisation activities implemented by PSI-Tanzania and District Advocacy activities led by Voices 11.

Malaria is one of the main health problems in the world with 300-500 millions cases yearly and about one million deaths. It remains sad that despite having methods to control the disease, the malaria problem in Africa has increased over the years.

The vast majority of malaria deaths occur in Africa, south of the Sahara, where malaria also presents major obstacles to social and economic development. Malaria has been estimated to cost Africa more than US$12 billion every year in lost GDP, even though it could be controlled for a fraction of that sum.

Malaria is Africa's leading cause of under-five mortality (20 percent) and constitutes 10 percent of the continent's overall disease burden. It accounts for 40 percent of public health expenditure, 30-50 percent of inpatient admissions, and up to 50 percent of outpatient visits in areas with high malaria transmission.

There are several reasons Africa bears an overwhelming proportion of the malaria burden. Most malaria infections in Africa south of the Sahara are caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the most severe and life-threatening form of the disease.

This region is also home to the most efficient, and therefore deadly, species of the mosquitoes which transmit the disease. Moreover, many countries in Africa lack the infrastructures and resources necessary to mount sustainable campaigns against malaria and as a result few benefited from historical efforts to eradicate malaria.

In Africa today, malaria is understood to be both a disease of poverty and a cause of poverty. Annual economic growth in countries with high malaria transmission has historically been lower than in countries without malaria.

Economists believe that malaria is responsible for a growth penalty of up to 1.3 percent per year in some African countries. When compounded over the years, this penalty leads to substantial differences in GDP between countries with and without malaria and severely restrains the economic growth of the entire region.

Malaria also has a direct impact on Africa's human resources. Not only does malaria result in lost life and lost productivity due to illness and premature death, but malaria also hampers children's schooling and social development through both absenteeism and permanent neurological and other damage associated with severe episodes of the disease.

One of the greatest challenges facing Africa in the fight against malaria is drug resistance. Resistance to chloroquine, the cheapest and most widely used antimalarial, is common throughout Africa (particularly in southern and eastern parts of the continent).

Resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), often seen as the first and least expensive alternative to chloroquine, is also increasing in east and southern Africa. As a result of these trends, many countries are having to change their treatment policies and use drugs which are more expensive, including combinations of drugs, which it is hoped will slow the development of resistance.

Preparations against El Nino floods vital to curb damages

By Simbarashe Msasanuri

THE predicted El Nino rains are here now and have started to ravage some parts of this country, destroying property, and infrastructure besides catching wananchi unawares, despite warnings that the rains were coming.

In October last year, the United Nations warned that Tanzania is among several Eastern African countries that could soon face potentially devastating floods triggered by El Nino weather patterns.

The country, already in the midst of a severe drought, will likely be hit by mudslides, crop destruction, water-borne diseases and disrupted road networks, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs cautioned then.

But, despite the warnings the rains brought misery to thousands of families in Kongwa and Kilosa districts in Dodoma and Morogoro respectively.

They were forced to seek shelter elsewhere after their homes were either swept away or flooded after heavy downpours that lasted for several hours.

In Kongwa District, Dodoma Region, heavy rains were experienced since Christmas holiday last year, resulting in floods damaging houses and infrastructure.

This resulted in the Tanzania Railway Limited cancelling all upcountry passenger train trips following severe floods caused by torrential rains in Dodoma and other regions.

Over 1,000 passengers were stranded in Dodoma before being ferried by buses to their destinations.

Meanwhile, flood victims in Kongwa have been allocated alternative areas to construct new houses.

According to the Kongwa District Commissioner, Lembris Kipuyo, the victims have been allocated land on higher grounds and that they have already started to construct houses.

Besides this, the government is said to have provided 43 tonnes of food while the Red Cross also provided the victims with mosquito nets, medicines and cooking utensils.

In Kilosa District, Morogoro Region, more than 9,338 people have been left homeless after floods hit that area.

The Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Issa Machibya, said that all those who were rendered homeless have been accommodated in 15 camps established for that purpose in the region.

The Kilosa District Executive Director, Ephraim Kalimwendo, said that the district was in need of 700 tents for the victims ahead of schools this week.

“We are in need of 700 tents but we managed to get only 76. The tents are required for shifting the victims from schools and we have planned to set up new nine camps ,” he said.

In Mtwara, rains accompanied with strong winds have destroyed properties valued at 11.9m/- in four villages, leaving 64 people homeless.

The Mtwara Rural District Executive Director, Mohamed Ngwalima, said properties destroyed were in Migomabi, Maendeleo, Chiwilo and Nitekela villages.

According to him, the rains destroyed 30 houses, forests, a classroom at Chiwilo Primary School, teachers' office and a toilet.

He added that in Nitekela Village, the rains removed roofs on six houses leaving 43 people homeless, and two people were injured by falling trees.

The floods also forced the government to suspend, for three months, the Central Railway passenger and cargo services.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Omar Chambo, last week announced the suspension to pave way for repair work to be done on the damaged railway line.

“As I speak, the railway section between Munisagara Station in Kilosa District and Gulwe in Dodoma is impassible, with several bridges destroyed. The repair work will take at least three months,” he said.

The government, according to him, had already set aside 4bn/- for repair works although the actual costs had not been established.

These are some of the damages inflicted by El Nino rains and the confirmation by the Tanzania Meteorological Agency that the current rains pounding most parts of the country are El Nino rains and that they will prolong until March, means that the country has to be on high alert to avoid disasters.

The TMA Acting Director, Philbert Tibaijuka, was quoted as saying that the normal ‘Vuli’ seasonal rains had ended but the moderate El Nino forecast conditions will continue until March.

“The Sea Surface Temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean have been anomalously warm for several months and are projected to persist through March. This means that El Nino conditions are expected to continue across the tropical Pacific during this month,” he said.

The devastating effects of these rains are evident by the trail of destructions in some parts of the country and more could have been done to minimize damages and unnecessary loss of life and destruction of property. But, the responsible stakeholders were caught napping and the results were obvious.

It is against this background that the National Audit Office blasted the Disaster Management Department in the Prime Minister's Office for failure to take adequate precautions against floods, despite professional advice.

The Assistant Auditor-General (Value for Money Audit), Gregory Teu, was quoted as saying: “We are not demanding prevention of floods, but had everybody acted responsibly in execution of his or her duties, the impact could have been reduced.”

He added that thousands of Tanzanians were being subjected to untold suffering in Morogoro and Dodoma because there are some officials who ignored professional advice.

But, with TMA predicting more rains, it is vital that the disaster management department steps up preparatory efforts meant to minimize the effects of the floods. It will go a long way in lessening casualties if the public is educated and knows of what steps to take when flooding, mudslides or even disease outbreaks hit their areas.

It is vital for the disaster management team to carry out massive educational campaigns through media and other available channels as soon as possible and equip wananchi so that when flooding comes, they are not taken by surprise, hence they won’t panic and will be in a position to save their lives and property.

The government could save a lot of tax payer’s money and resources that are used for humanitarian aid or burial expenses if preparatory steps are taken to minimize destruction of property and loss of life when the floods strike.

War against filthiness: Dar at crossroads

By Simbarashe Msasanuri
THE situation is unbearable as heaps of rotting garbage continue piling uncollected. The garbage is not only an eyesore but an inconvenience to residents and passers-by who are forced to brave a pungent smell coming out of the dump. Flies breeding at the dump are a menace in the area as they invade the nearby market and houses.

A stone's throw away from the garbage are food vendors strategically positioned along the street who despite the heavy presence of flies continue selling their wares unabated. A look at a chicken pieces vendor reveals a sad story of a reckless people who seem not to care about their health as they help the vendor to ward off swarms of flies from the meat they blindly buy as if nothing is wrong about it.

On the other side of the road is a group of women armed with small charcoal stoves and pans baking chapati and maandazi. The problem is not what they are selling but where they are operating from. They are located near a pool of stagnant rainwater making the area muddy and filthy as garbage swept from other parts of the street has been collecting there producing an unpleasant smell.

They are also not spared when it comes to the problem of flies trying to feast on their uncovered delicacies. This is not a fictitious story from one of the bongo movies but describes the situation near Mwembe Yanga Bus Stand in Temeke District.

This is also commonplace in the city of Dar es Salaam where the problem of garbage carpeting the streets and inconveniencing residents and passers-by has been with us for a longtime now. In fact, a permanent solution to the problem seems to be eluding the powers that be.

In recent years, many attempts have been made to curb the problem but all efforts have been in vain. The city council, having realized that petty traders contribute significantly to pollution in the city, employed city militia to arrest those found selling their wares at prohibited areas. This, however, seems to be failing since vendors and the militia play a hide and seek game resulting in traders maintaining a heavy presence on our streets.

Though no solution seems to be in sight for the problem of garbage in Dar es Salaam, the city fathers, last year, did not watch helplessly as the problem escalated. They came up with some measures meant to curb the problem which is also blamed for the prevalence of diseases such as cholera and malaria.

Sometime towards the end of last year, they jointly formed an auxiliary police force that is now operating in Dar es Salaam Region. The auxiliary police, headed by former police commanders, enforces city by-laws including fining those that are found throwing garbage onto the streets.

Everyone found on the wrong side of the law is fined 50,000/-. Speaking during a ceremony to inaugurate the force and allocate uniforms for the different municipalities in the region, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, William Lukuvi, warned city residents that they should comply with city by-laws or leave, adding that those who fail to comply will face the wrath of the law.

At the ceremony, Temeke Municipality auxiliary police were given grey colour, Ilala Municipality auxiliary police green while Kinondoni got maroon and the Dar es Salaam City Council police got blue.

The RC said that the exercise will nab those who litter the city by haphazardly throwing food leftovers, plastic bottles and papers on the streets.

In another move that was also aimed to curb the problem of filthiness and the spread of cholera, the then acting Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Evance Balama, gave an order banning selling of food items in open and unhygienic places. This was going to go a long way in reducing not only cases of cholera in Dar es Salaam but the problem of garbage on our streets, too.

It is however, unfortunate that this order never saw the light of the day as city executives were said to be reluctant to implement it.

Though these were some of the steps towards the right direction in as far as the fight against filthiness is concerned, more still need to be done in order to put an end to the problem of litter. Fining people for throwing litter onto the streets alone will not help as there are no bins for them to use. This, therefore, means that there is need for concerted efforts by both the public and private sectors to fight this social anomaly.

The introduction of the auxiliary police is a noble idea and has its own merits, but it is not enough. There is need for city fathers, in collaboration with private players to provide garbage bins onto the streets of the city. This will help in making sure that citizens have no excuse for throwing litter onto the ground.

Reports that Tanzania could learn a number of lessons from its neighbours on management of plastic waste which is recycled to export end products and keep the environment clean could not have come at a better time than this where a solution to the problem of waste management is nowhere in sight.

Tonnes of plastic waste, including flip flops, flow down rivers and clog drainage systems. And, this is evident in this country as the water drainage systems have been clogged to an extent that the streets are flooded every time rains fall.

According to reports, the waste litters the vast East African coast stretching from Somalia to South Africa, creating an eyesore and major environmental problems.

A Kenyan businessperson, Julie Church, formed a company to deal with the problem of litter. Her company makes toys and gifts from plastic to sell in eco-fashion boutiques in the US. Tanzania like wise can utilize this technology and reduce the problem of litter.

Tanzania can benefit a lot by tapping this technique and curb the problem of litter on the streets. In fact there is need for concerted efforts by city fathers , private sector and wananchi to devise methods of making Dar es Salaam a clean city.

But, as long as there are no rubbish bins on the streets, garbage remains uncollected for months and wananchi's attitude remains unchanged then Dar es Salaam will continue being an eyesore. Urgent steps, therefore, need to be taken to rescue the situation and make Dar es Salaam a clean city.

Prostate cancer – A 'forgotten' disease, silent assassin

By Simbarashe Msasanuri

THE advent of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) about two decades ago, did not only send shocking waves within the medical sector but rendered scientists useless as they battled in vain to find a permanent solution to a problem that has crippled the society, threatening human extinction.

Though HIV/AIDS is the number one enemy, especially for poor countries and with much emphasis and effort directed on it, there are diseases such as cancer, malaria and cholera just but to mention a few that are claiming a considerable chunk of the world population.

There are other 'forgotten' diseases like prostrate cancer that are proving to be silent assassins as they continue to kill a lot of people worldwide. Statistics have it that one man dies after every 13 minutes in the world due to prostate cancer and according to the American Cancer Society – ACS 2008, it is projected that “one man in six men will get prostate cancer during his lifetime”. Of all men diagnosed with cancer each year, more than one fourth has prostate cancer.

All these deaths, however, can be avoidable if early tests and diagnosis are conducted especially in men over the age of 50. There are two tests that can be performed quickly and easily in a physician’s office which are the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test, and the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). After these tests, in order to really confirm that one has prostate cancer, a physician may require other tests such as ultrasound and needle biopsy.

It is against this background that prostate cancer patients in Tanzania have requested the government to reduce the costs people are charged to undergo an SPA which ranges between 25,000/- and 50,000/-.

Addressing a two-day National Conference on Prostate Cancer in the city recently, the conference coordinator, Dr Emanuel Kandusi, said the disease had affected many men at the age of 50s and above and most of them could not afford the diagnosis cost.

He called on the government to offer free check ups to all men above 50 years to have PSA to determine whether they were affected or not. He added that diagnosis results would help them get treatment and counselling on safe living in case they are affected.

“It takes eight to ten years for the disease to show signs and it needs urgent treatment that is why we are requesting the government to offer free diagnosis so that men would understand their status early,” he said.

Dr Kandusi said the conference which was being held under the umbrella of “Tanzania 50PLUS Campaign aims at creating awareness on the effects of prostate cancer and to educate them on the preventive measures.

A survivor himself, Dr Kandusi, said the first cancer cell started to develop in his prostate at the age of about 51 (1997).

“Even though I had a habit to do medical check-ups yearly, no doctor asked or suggested to me to do a prostate cancer screening,”added Dr Kandusi who is also the Campaign Coordinator of Tanzania 50 Plus Campaign.

“And, even in 2007 when I started getting warning signs such painful and burning sensation when urinating, the doctor ordered for a routine check-up just to be cleared NAD. Of course prostate cancer cannot be detected through urine routine check-ups! It wasn’t until sometime July 2008 when things went to the worse that the doctor ordered for a PSA test which gave a score 100ng/ml (normal is 0-4 ng/ml).”

The doctor says he was alarmed and did a DRE test and later needle biopsy which confirmed “I had an advanced prostate cancer. Most of 2008 was miserable for me. I couldn’t work; I lived through hand-outs from my relatives and friends.”

“In pains and agony, hopeless and despair, I had to fly to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India. After thorough check-ups my really PSA score was found to be 4517 ng/ml and an advanced adenocarcinoma (cancer) of the prostate Gleason’s Grade 8 (4+4).

“The team of doctors suggested two therapies - surgery or hormone therapy by injection. I opted for surgery. After surgery I am now under medication taking one Bicalutamide Tablet 50 gm daily. I wish my prostate cancer was discovered early. The Chinese proverb says, ‘To know the road ahead, ask those coming back’. I am the one coming back and so share my experience”.

“With this testimony I now urge my fellow men if you are approaching or you are over 50 years of age, please see your doctor for medical check-ups which should include prostate screening and urge medical doctor to suggest prostate screening to their 50 plus patients.

Opening the conference, the Assistant Director for Non Communicable Diseases in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Pascience Kibatala said the govt was aware of the problem and was doing all what it can to solve it.

“We know how the disease affects the society but it needs a lot of money to offer free diagnosis to our people. But it is our strategy to find a lasting solution as the number of affected people increases due to increased life expectancy which is above 50 years,” he said.

He said the ministry was providing financial support to NGOs dealing with prostate cancer control because they know the disease is preventable and treatable.

Diagnosis fees for some hospitals in Dar are as follows: Aga Khan – 38, 500/-, Regency – 33,600/-, TMJ- 30, 000/-, Mission Mikocheni – 25,000/- and Muhimbili National Hospital- 40, 000/-.

According to Wikipedia website, prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. The cancer cells may metastasize (spread) from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes.

“Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, or erectile dysfunction. Other symptoms can potentially develop during later stages of the disease.

“The term 'cancer' refers to a condition in which the regulation of cell growth is lost and cells grow uncontrollably. Most cells in the body are constantly dividing, maturing and then dying in a tightly controlled process.”

Prostate cancer occurs when cells within the prostate grow uncontrollably, creating small tumours. A prostate gland is found in male mammals only. It is the most common form of cancer amongst men who are over 50 years old; it causes the second highest number of deaths among men diagnosed with cancer (after lung cancer).

A recent survey demonstrates that men under the age of 40, the chance of getting prostate cancer is about one in 100,000. For men aged between 70 and 74 years old, the chance rises to 1,326 in 100,000.

The most common sites for prostate cancer to metastasize are the seminal vesicles, the lymph nodes, the lungs, and various bones around the hips and the pelvic region. Metastasis is the process by which cancer cells travel from one part of the body to another. The effects of these new tumours are what can cause death.

Warnings for prostate cancer are evident, the symptoms include weak or interrupted flow of urine, inability to urinate or difficulty in beginning to urinate, difficult holding back urine, frequent need to urinate, especially at night, and bed-wetting.

Also urine flow that is not easily stopped, painful or burning urination, burning sensation when urinating, difficulty in having an erection, painful ejaculation, blood in urine or semen, continuing pain in lower back, pelvic, or upper thighs and loss of appetite and weight.

The first step in diagnosing prostate cancer is usually a digital rectal examination. In a digital rectal examination, a doctor places a gloved, lubricated finger into the patient's rectum. The doctor feels for lumps in the prostate.

If the doctor detects a lump, additional tests may be necessary and the first test may be a blood test. The purpose of a blood test is to search for a particular chemical associated with prostate cancer. This chemical is called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA occurs naturally in the blood, but it occurs in much higher amounts if prostate cancer is present.

Looking at these symptoms many elders become shy, are reluctant to get tested, for fear of stigma as they associate such symptoms with that of sexual transmitted diseases (STD). Many turn to the hospital when the disease has advanced.

It is imperative for men over 50 years of age to undergo testing for prostate cancer at least once per year. And the reality is that the earlier the cancer is detected, the better the chances of making recovery.

It is good news , however, that prostate cancer is treatable though there is no 'one size fits all' treatment for it, so each man must learn as much as he can about various treatment options and, in conjunction with his physicians, make his own decision about what is best for him.

Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists, a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist, will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes.

The two most common forms of treatment for early prostate cancer are surgery and radiation. Surgery involves the removal of the prostate gland. In addition, a sample of the lymph nodes near the prostate is removed. This sample is then tested to see whether the cancer has spread.

Removal of the prostate also involves removal of the seminal vesicles that lie next to it. The seminal vesicles are the organs that make semen. Since they are usually removed along with the prostate, the patient usually becomes sterile as a result of the operation.

Though the campaign, 50 PLUS, was initiated by the Centre for Human Rights Promotion (CHRP) with the primary goal of reducing the sufferings and deaths caused by prostate cancer through education, awareness, dissemination of information on the disease; encourage check-up; extend support, care, treatment and capacity building, more still needs to be done.

This is a challenge to the government and other stakeholders to chip in and curb this silent assassin by encouraging and availing resources for Tanzanian men to regularly undergo prostate cancer screening.