Said Michael - Mgomo wa madaktari

Penseli ya Nathan Mpangala - sakata la wabunge kutaka kuongezwa posho



na Chris Katembo

Serikali kutengeneza hati mpya za kusafiria

NAIBU Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi, Balozi Khamisi Kagasheki, amesema serikali imeanza mchakato wa kutengeneza hati mpya za kusafiria ambazo haziwezi kughushiwa.

Kauli hiyo aliitoa bungeni jana alipokuwa akijibu swali la Mbunge wa Magu, Festus Limbu (CCM), aliyetaka kujua mkakati uliopo serikalini katika kuzuia vijana wanaosafiri nje ya nchi kwa kutumia hati za kughushi.

Balozi Kagasheki alisema licha ya kuwepo kwa baadhi ya vijana wanaotumia hati za kusafiria za kughushi lakini wapo wanaosafiri bila hata hati hizo.

Alidai kuwa vijana wengi wanazamia na kwenda nje ya nchi kwa malengo ya kusaka maisha bora na pindi wanapobainika hurejeshwa nchini.

Alisema kutokana na hali hiyo, serikali ipo katika mchakato wa kuhakikisha inatengeneza hati ambazo haziwezi kughushiwa ikiwamo kuanza kutengeneza vitambulisho vya kitaifa.

Alifafanua kuwa baada kumalizika kutengeneza vitambulisho vya kitaifa, itasaidia kubaini kuwapo kwa watu ambao si Watanzania na kuwarejesha makwao.

Kutoka gazeti la Tanzania Daima

Dal/Mogreina/Jessheim (Akershus)

Jeff Mwangi killed in a car accident.

We are sad to announce the sudden death of a Kenyan in Norway. Jeff Mwangi Kwirikia (Stella Mwangi's father) was killed by a hit and run car along Riksvei 50 between Dal and Jessheim at around 14:09 (CET), Tuesday. 

The vehicle involved in the accident is said to be a dark brown, blue or black car possibly a Partner or Berlingo. The car was last observed driving northwards from Dal towards Råholt on Trondheimsveien. 

Signs on the car are said to include, but not limited to, a damaged windscreen caused by the impact of the accident.

Please contact the Police at 99487751 if you have any information that can lead to the location of the car or the driver who was involved in this tragic accident. 

na Said Michael - kuhusu Spika wa Bunge; Bi. Anna Makinda

Tanzania

Shame on Prime Minister Pinda na Bunge´s Speaker Makinda

Mr. Mazengo Pinda; the Prime Minister of Tanzania

By Sylivester Ernest

The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. State House has vehemently refuted media reports that President Jakaya Kikwete has okayed the increase of sitting allowances for Members of Parliament. The statement by the President’s Directorate of Communication said yesterday that there was no time the Head of State agreed to the application by the office of the Speaker to raise the stipend but that “he only gave direction on how to go about the issue.”

“The President agrees that there is a need for a review of MPs’ allowances but he has asked the legislators to be wise when looking at it,” reads part of the statement.The statement also says President Kikwete has asked the lawmakers to use the ongoing Bunge sessions in Dodoma to discuss the issue.

But speaking in the Parliament yesterday, the Speaker, Ms Anne Makinda, told MPs that the new allowances began during the last session after the President endorsed them.

“The new allowances are not starting now… we started issuing them after the President gave his consent indicating that MPs would be paid the perks if he attends the meetings,” clarified Ms Makinda. The statement comes amid a warning from a cross-section of political analysts who said yesterday that the increase if implemented could lead to countrywide civil unrest.

They said the timing of the decision was imperfect as it could exacerbate work boycotts by other civil servants and would come at a time when doctors are already striking, thus paralyzing the country’s stability.

Apart from blaming the country’s greed and lack of priority, they said the reported move by the government to allow an increase of the lawmakers’ perks showed great level of disregard for the public outcry which has been evident since the intention to increase the stipend was announced.

Media reports had it yesterday that Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda told MPs on Monday that President Jakaya Kikwete had blessed the increase in sitting allowances for the Members of Parliament from Sh70, 000 to Sh200,000 per day.

The PM reportedly confirmed the increase following a heated debate among legislators who had wanted the raise against the resistors.

Mr Rakesh Rajan, the managing Director of Twaweza, a non-governmental organisation, which aims to facilitate large-scale, citizen-driven change in Tanzania and greater East Africa at large said apart from that there was no sense in increasing the perks “now” and that the government was showing a sense of carelessness to the general public.

“This is purely disrespect to the society…people are crying of life difficulties, doctors demanding better pay…yet you go on to increase your allowances. The government is losing its touch to priorities,” Mr Rajan said.

A St Augustine University of Tanzania International Relations lecturer, Prof Mwesiga Baregu, wondered the courage of the MPs vis-à-vis the public opinion claiming they should have understood what the public was against it. “I have been disappointed…and so is the public,” he said.

A political analyst who lives in Dar es Salaam Mr Emmanuel Chonza said the nation was now facing critical systemic problems (political, economic and social) due to a fragile leadership team available.

“The society is stranded because it does not trust politicians anymore. Everyday things are handled in a weird manner by those leading us. However, Musoma Rural legislator Mr Nimrod Mkono said there was a problem in the country other than the issue of allowances.

Mr Mkono said that the big number of legislators was also a problem which needed “a second look.”

Mr Mkono, who is also a renowned advocate, said a poor country like Tanzania does not need more than 300 legislators at the expense of tax payers money, adding that it’s the issue of the Parliament size should also be observed in the coming constitution.

Chief executive director of Sikika, a nongovernmental organization that advocates for quality health services for all Tanzanians Irenei Kiria said allocation for allowances for the National Assembly rose from Sh25 billion in 2010/11 to Sh34 billion in this financial year and that this was unfair to the public.

Mr Kiria said that if the government intends to reduce expenditures, it had to reduce allowances in all sectors the National Assembly included.

Secretary General of the Opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) Dr Wilbroad Slaa said yesterday that President Jakaya Kikwete has to give a statement on what influenced him to approve the amount. He said Chadema would continue to oppose and challenge the government decisions on the increase of MPs allowances because it was unfair and unpatriotic.

“Today the doctors are striking to demand good working environment, medicine for patients, medical devices and a night allowances but the government insists that it has no money…this same government is approving MPs allowances of Sh330,000 it is unbelievable,” said Dr. Slaa.

JK abariki posho mpya za Wabunge: Kila mmoja kulipwa sh 330,000 kwa siku. 

Gazeti la Mwananchi la, Jumanne, Januari 31, 2012 limeandika habari zenye kichwa cha habari – JK abariki posho mpya za Wabunge: Kila mmoja kulipwa sh 330,000 kwa siku. 

Habari hizi siyo za kweli na Kurugenzi ya Mawasiliano ya Rais inataka kutoa ufafanuzi ufuatao: 

Maelekezo ya Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Mheshimiwa Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete kuhusu suala hili yako wazi kabisa na hakuna mahali ambako Rais Kikwete amebariki posho hizi. 

Maelekezo ya Mheshimiwa Rais kuhusu suala hili ni kama ifuatavyo:

Kwanza, Mheshimiwa Rais Kikwete anakubali haja ya kuangalia upya posho kwa Wabunge lakini amewataka wabunge kutumia hekima na busara katika kulitafakari suala hili. 

Pili, Mheshimiwa Rais Kikwete amewataka Wabunge kutumia Kikao cha sasa cha Bunge kulizungumza upya suala hilo.

Imetolewa na:

Kurugenzi ya Mawasiliano ya Rais,
Ikulu.
Dar es Salaam.
31 Januari, 2012

Kenya doctor fights mental health stigma in 'traumatized continent'

·         Top psychiatrist Frank Njenga has changed how many Kenyans think about mental health issues

·         Njenga helped build the first private in-patient psychiatric hospital in Kenya

·         He's also created a television talk show in an effort to build better understanding

Open letter to President Kikwete on his tepid response to striking doctors

President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mr. President,

The failure of your government to resolve the current doctors’ strike in the country is an absolute affront to the dignity of all Tanzanians at home and abroad, sick and health, rich and poor; educated, uneducated and ill-educated! This strike was unnecessary and indeed unwarranted. It came as a sign of the failure of the people entrusted to lead the health sector in the country. It could have been prevented only if the leadership at the ministry and your government had taken seriously the concerns and demands of our health professionals which are well known to your government.

Mr. President,

While our people are dying and our healthy system shaken and the dignity of our people abused you haven’t said a word. You haven’t given any direction to the country. You left the country to go abroad – to a meeting that could have been attended by the VP au Prime Minister- and you wouldn’t come home to give the country your leadership at this time of national crisis. It is as if you do not care what is happening here. I refuse to accept that, I want to believe whatever you were doing abroad was somewhat very important compared to you coming home to help resolve this issue.

I will not be surprised however, that when you finally come home you deliver another “mbayuwayu” speech against the doctors and those who support them.  Like the attempt by the Prime Minister the other day you might even give us more statistics of illusion to make us believe that the doctors in Tanzania fair way better compared to any doctor in the Southern Hemisphere, the just don’t know it yet!

Mr. President, threats and the use of force against the doctors will not change the nature of their demands nor will change the nature of the outcome of this strike. Only wisdom and negotiations can bring this strike to a halt, negotiations that are based on mutual respect, candor and truth.  But this can only be done by a leadership that understand and appreciate the years that our doctors have tried to work through the system. The strike did not happen out of thin air; there are has been attempts over the years by the doctors to have their grievances heard and addressed but over and over the standard response has been given; “we are poor so we can’t”, “we will work hard to improve the welfare of the health workers”. Years come, years go the only real improvement occur in the welfare of our corrupt political elite!

Mr. President, you cannot wish the doctors’ demands to disappear like a Houdini act! The doctors and the demands will not go away just at the snap of your fingers! The problems will not disappear simply because your government doesn’t like them (the demands). It doesn’t matter if Dr. Ulimbuko is arrested or neutralized; the legitimacy of the doctors’ demands still remains. Your government needs to address them promptly, patiently and precisely.

Mr. President, in one of the worst miscalculations of your administration the people are not turning against the doctors! The Wananchi are getting angrier with the government not with the doctors. I’ll tell you why. 


First, they don’t believe that the government doesn’t have money to improve doctors pay especially in the light of allowance increase by the MPs. Your government cannot make a rational argument that it doesn’t have money to improve doctors’ welfare (financial or otherwise). Wherever your government found the money to increase MPs allowances the same place it can find the money to improve the doctor’s allowances. As long as the MPs allowances -which were defended by your Prime Minister – still stand unchanged, the doctors’ demands will also be supported! 


Secondly, this strike was one of the stupidest strikes ever, it was not necessary and indeed it could have been avoided before it started only if the people the Ministry had the moral courage to lead!

Unfortunately, in the cacophony of the trappings of power the Minister, Chief Secretary and the Chief Medical Officer ignored all the signs of trouble. Abusing their powers they trio dismissed the demands by the striking doctors and harshly fired the interns. They proved that the trio is not capable of leading such a sensitive ministry. They have to resign or be fired and as long as they remain in office our people will continue to support the doctors against such a mediocre and incompetent bunch.

Mr. President, the choice is ultimately yours. You can force the doctors to go back to work by using security apparatus of the state; you can jail some of them and indeed you can even import substitute doctors from wherever you find them. The facts on the ground will remain the same – our healthcare system is broken, unsustainable and need extensive reform.

Yes, you can ignore the problem, you can belittle the doctors and indeed you can even dismiss all doctors. Indeed, you can force them to come back to work and they might come back to work but the damage to the reputation of your leadership has been done (some might say once again). I beseech you to consider taking a prompt intervention by talking with the doctors – not talking to the doctors! Only negotiations as I said should bring to a halt this strike. Without negotiations which end with a comprehensive deal our nation should prepare itself for a longer strike or another strike in the near future.

Mr. President, once again your nation is waiting to see your leadership.

Mwanakijiji,

www.fikrapevu.com

Mambo ya Gado

Kipanya

YoungAfricaLive Youth Mobile Community Launched In Kenya

YoungAfricaLive (YAL) has finally been launched by Praekelt Foundation and Safaricom. Kenya is the second country in East Africa after Tanzania but third after South Africa also which used to enjoy the mobile community services live. YAL Tanzania was launched on 1 December 2011.

The YoungAfricaLive (YAL) portal gives the youth a platform to speak their minds, through a medium that is accessible, and encourage conversations on topics that impacts their lives positively. The portal is available to users in Kenya through through SafaricomLIVE portal on www.safaricom.com/wap or through http://www.yal.co.ke.

While YoungAfricaLive Tanzania is available free to Vodacom subscribers throughhttp://m.vodacom.co.tz, there is no mention whether it will be available to Kenyans for free. 

Mambo ya Gado

Mzungu Kichaa – Ndugu na Jirani (wimbo mpya)

Mzungu Kichaa’s 4th video Ndugu na Jirani is released Saturday 28.01.2012. Caravan Records held a screening in Dar es Salaam on Friday, 27.01.2012 and East African television premiered the video on their popular show Friday Night Live.

The video was produced by Louise Kamin and shot by the Danish/Tanzanian cinematographer Talib Rasmussen for Caravan Records. The video was shot in a derelict building belonging to the Egyptian embassy along Kenyatta Drive which has now been torn down. It features some of the musicians who perform with Mzungu Kichaa and the legandary Tanzanian boxer Sheni who met with Mohammad Ali during the “rumble in the jungle” fight in Congo in 1974.

The song is about the process of saying goodbye to a loved one and metaphorically could be interpreted as saying goodbye to life. Mzungu Kichaa sings: 'We have struggled in this world together and now the time has come to say goodbye. It will make me happy if you smile rather than cry. Who knows if we'll meet in the heavens? We must respect and help each other here on earth, for we might never return again'. 

Twalumba kabotu / Twalumba kabotu mama... baba

Ndugu zangu, nawashukuru sana / Tumepambana katika ulimwengu / Muda umefika wa kuachana / Tuagane kwa furaha sitaki lawama / Ninakokwenda nayo nikuzuri / Majani yanaota na maji yanakwenda / Nitafurahi ukicheka kuliko kusononeka / Kilatukiachana tutaonana tena

Ninaenda zangu, nina kimbia / Ukiniomba kubaki nita anza kulia

Ndugu na jirani, rafiki na mtu flaani / Muko na mimi moyoni / Mola tu ndyio ana jua / Ndiyo maana tusaidiane / Tuheshimiane / Kuna siku tuta achana, peponi je tutaonana? / Ulimwenguni haturudi tena / Tupendane tukiwa hai

The new African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

At night 

The 100 meter tall, 20 story African Union Conference Center (AUCC) incorporating a 2,500 capacity plenary hall, built by the Chinese government as a gift to Africa was inaugurated 28th January 2012, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The AUCC was built at a cost of USD200 million In his opening remarks, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) expressed his heartfelt gratitude to both the governments of Ethiopia and China.

“Our dream came true and we are now overlooking a modern architectural jewel symbolising the historical relations between China and our continent” said Dr Jean Ping. Highlighting the efforts made by his predecessor Professor Alpha Oumar Konare, the Chairperson further added that the new conference centre will help promote the AUC’s presence and its competitiveness in the global arena, as well as improve its working capacity.

The modern and fully equipped facility sitting on over 100,000 m2 of land donated by the Ethiopian government represents a historical milestone for the AUC and Africa as it marks the fulfilment of decades old aspirations of African leaders and member states of the African Union.

The magnificent new head quarters of the continental organisation which has been at the center of the struggle for the African integration and development is a symbol of the rise of Africa, said the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mr. Meles Zenawi in his opening remarks. He noted that over the past decades and despite rampant hopelessness throughout the continent, China-Africa cooperation has gone from strength to strength.

“The future prospects of our partnership are even brighter and it is therefore very appropriate for China to decide to build this hall”, said Mr Meles.

Mr. Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on his part congratulated Africans on “this monumental achievement” and assured his governments’ readiness to continue extending maximum support to Africa. He valued China’s involvement in Africa to USD150 billion with more than 2,000 companies working throughout the continent with growing economic and cultural ties.

Mr. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and Chairperson of the African Union stated that the new conference centre, is a reflection of the new Africa, and that it endows Africans with the right tools to showcase their human and natural resources.

The inauguration of the tallest tower in Ethiopia concluded with the presentation of gifts to seven Chinese officials who played a key role in the construction of the centre followed by the handing over of the golden key of the conference center to the Chairperson of theUnion who then handed it over the Chairperson of the AUC.

Following a group photograph and amidst cultural performances drawn from Member States of the AU, a Statue of Kwame Nkrumah was unveiled. There was also a brief ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the construction of an African Union Human Rights Memorial.