Vigogo wawatisha

mashahidi kashfa BoT

Lengo ni kumwokoa mhusika mkuu

Benki Kuu ya Tanzania, Dar es Salaam
______________________

WAKUU wa Serikali na vigogo ndani ya Chama Cha Mapinduzi wanahaha kutokana na kashfa nzito ya wizi wa mabilioni Benki Kuu (BoT), na sasa wanafanya kila liwezekanalo ili kuwakinga baadhi ya watuhumiwa wa moja kwa moja wasianikwe hadharani, Raia Mwema imeambiwa.

Hali hiyo inatokana na ukweli kwamba kama yote yatakuwa yamesemwa na kuwekwa hadharani, kuhusu nani wamehusika, basi sura za vigogo kadhaa serikalini na ndani ya CCM zitakosa pa kujificha.

“Sasa kuna shinikizo kwamba watakaokwenda kuhojiwa na tume ya Rais wasitaje baadhi ya majina yaliyohusika katika kashfa hii, majina ambayo yanajitokeza mara kwa mara katika kushiriki wizi huu mkubwa ndani ya BoT,” mmoja wa wanachama wakongwe wa CCM ameiambia Raia Mwema.

Lakini kwa mujibu wa ofisa huyo, suala hilo limeleta mgawanyiko mkubwa ndani ya chama chenyewe, huku baadhi wakisema wahusika wawajibike kwa madhambi yao kama yatadhihirika mbele ya vyombo vya sheria ili chama kisije kuathirika.

“ Hilo ni suala ambalo linaendelea ndani ya CCM sasa, tena mpaka hata katika ngazi za juu kabisa za Kamati Kuu, ambako kuna wanaotaka mtu aliyehusika awajibike na wengine ambao wanataka mambo haya yazimwe,” anaongeza ofisa huyo.

Raia Mwema imefahamishwa pia kwamba baadhi ya watu, watuhumiwa na wasio watuhumiwa katika wizi huo, wamekuwa wakitafadhalishwa wasitaje jina la kigogo mmoja ndani ya CCM ambaye kwa kupitia kampuni ya kughushi, alishiriki kikamilifu kuchota mabilioni ya fedha ambazo sasa inaaminika ziliingia katika kampeni za uchaguzi wa mwaka 2005.

“Hata kabla ya baadhi yao kuitwa mbele ya Kamati aliyoiunda Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuchunguza wizi huo wa BoT, wamekuwa wakipelekewa ujumbe mahsusi kwamba watakapokuwa mbele ya Kamati, wasitaje jina la kigogo huyo.

“Wameelezwa wataje majina ya wafanyabiashara wawili wenye asili ya Asia ili ionekane kwamba hawa ndio pekee waliochota fedha hizo. Na wanaambiwa kwamba wafanyabiashara hao kwa sasa wako tayari kuchukua mzigo huo badala ya kigogo huyo.

“Mmoja kati ya wafanyabiashara hao wanaotajwa kuchukua mzigo wa kigogo huyo ni Jeetu Patel, mwenye kumiliki kampuni tisa ambazo zimetajwa wazi katika wizi huo na ambaye tangu suala hili litangazwe na Serikali yuko nje ya nchi,” anasema ofisa huyo akiongeza kwamba mwingine ni mfanyabiashara wa Dar es Salaam ambaye yuko karibu na CCM na ambaye mara kadha amejitosa kutaka kuwa mgombea ubunge.

Vyanzo mbalimbali vya habari vinaeleza kwamba wingu kubwa limetanda kuhusiana na utendaji wa Kamati ya Rais Kikwete inayoongozwa na Mwanasheria Mkuu Johnson Mwanyika na kufanya baadhi ya watu wajiulize iwapo kweli ukweli wa kashafa hiyo utakuja kufahamika katika mazingira ambayo dola inashiriki kutaka kuficha ukweli kuhusu wahusika wakuu.

Baadhi ya wachunguzi wa masuala nyeti kama haya wameiambia Raia Mwema kwamba hakuna cho chote ambacho Serikali na CCM wanaweza kukiokoa kwa kuweka shinikizo ili baadhi ya wahusika wasitajwe katika uchunguzi.

“Wanachofanya ni kuahirisha tu tatizo. Kesi kubwa katika suala hili si wingi wa fedha hizi na wala si nani alihusika, bali tatizo ni kwamba hawa watu walighushi nyaraka. Kwa vyovyote vile kughushi nyaraka ni kosa zito na upelelezi ukifanyika sawasawa, hatimaye hao ambao wanataka kusafishwa sasa watajikuta wakitajwa na kusutwa na nyaraka.

“Kama kweli kuna utashi serikalini, kama ambavyo Rais Kikwete alijaribu kuonyesha wakati wa kutangazwa kwa hatua dhidi ya wizi ndani ya BoT, basi hakuna namna ila kuliacha suala hili liishe bila Serikali wala CCM kuingilia ili hatimaye wahusika wapatikane,” anasema mtoa habari wetu.

Raia Mwema imeambiwa pia kwamba jitihada hizo zinazoendelea zimeigusa pia familia ya aliyekuwa gavana Dk. Daudi Ballali ambayo imepelekewa ujumbe kuwaomba wamwambie Dk. Ballali anyamaze.

“Wamekwenda mara mbili na mara zote wamefikisha ujumbe kwamba wanataka wawasiliane na ndugu yao (Dk. Ballali) Marekani ili afunge mdomo wake. Nimeambiwa kwamba familia imechanganyikiwa.

“Wao kama wanafamilia hoja sasa ni kaka yao apone, lakini mara wanapelekewa ujumbe kwamba dola haitaki azungumzie kokote suala hilo la BoT. Hawaelewi maana ya yote haya ni nini. Na tukumbuke kwamba hawa ni Watanzania tu wa kawaida, ujumbe kama huo lazima utawachanganya,” anasema mtoa habari huyo.

Bado Dk. Ballali hajaweza kusema lolote, lakini taarifa za waliokuwa karibu naye zinasema kwa jinsi anavyohisi amechafuliwa, wakati ukifika atasema ili asafishe jina lake.

“Huko aliko anasononeka. Haohao ndio waliokuwa wakimshinikiza alipe yale mabilioni. Na hata alipojaribu kubisha ili taratibu za malipo zifuatwe aliambiwa alipe. Sasa wamekwisha kumtumia hata hawazungumzii afya yake ambayo si nzuri. Wanataka ikiwezekana anyamaze moja kwa moja,” anasema mmoja wa watu wa karibu na Dk. Ballali ambaye, kutokana na sababu zinazoeleweka, ameomba asitajwe.

Kwa sasa Dk. Ballali anaelezwa kuwa nchini Marekani na bado ana nia ya kurudi Tanzania pamoja na kuwa siku hasa haijulikani hasa kwa kuwa Serikali ya Marekani imetangaza kumfutia viza yake.

Ubalozi wa Marekani nchini, wiki hii umetoa taarifa ukijivua kuwajibika kumrejesha nchini Dk. Ballali kwa maelezo kwamba jukumu hilo kwa sasa ni la Serikali ya Tanzania.

Lakini baada ya viongozi wote wa juu wa CCM kukanusha hadharani kuhusika kwa chama hicho tawala, Spika wa Bunge, Samuel Sitta, amesema kwamba CCM haihusiki moja kwa moja katika sakata la BoT pamoja na kwamba upo uwezekano wa watu binafsi ndani ya CCM kuhusika.

Kutoka Dodoma inaelezwa kwamba Wabunge wameitaka serikali kuwasilisha bungeni ripoti kamili ya ukaguzi wa BoT, hiyo ikiwa baada ya Waziri wa Fedha, Zakia Meghji kuwasilisha bungeni taarifa ya kuelezea hatua za serikali kuhusu ukaguzi huo.

Hata hivyo Spika Sitta amewaeleza wabunge kwamba ofisi yake imekua na mawasiliano na serikali kuhusu suala hilo.

Wakati hayo yakiendelea, gazeti la The Citizen la Jumamosi, Januari 26, 2008 liliandika kuhusika kwa watu wazito ndani ya serikali na likieleza majina ya kampuni za Excellent Services Limited na Clyton Marketing Limited bila kutaja majina ya wakurugenzi wake.

Hata hivyo, vyombo vya habari ikiwa ni pamoja na gazeti la serikali la Kiswahili la Habari Leo lilitaja wakurugenzi wa kampuni hizo na kuainisha jinsi zilivyosajiliwa na kupanda kwa mtaji wake.

Kwa mujibu wa habari hizo ambazo zimethibitishwa na Msajili wa Makampuni (BRELA), wakurugenzi wa Excellent Services yenye makao yake Sokoine Drive, Namba 11649, waliomo ni pamoja na Emmily Samanya, Peter Sabas, Levis Msiko, Elisifa Ngowi na Massimo Faneli, ilipoanzishwa 2004 kwa mtaji wa Sh 500,000/- kabla ya mtaji kuoanda hadi kufikia milioni 50 mwaka 2005.

Kumbukumbu za BRELA na magazeti zimewataja wakurugenzi wa Clyton Marketing Limited, iliyosajiliwa Juni 6, 2005 kuwa ni pamoja na Edwin Mtoi na Elisifa Ngowi. Anuani ya kampuni hiyo ni Plot Namba 707, Mkwepu Dar es Salaam.

“Mmoja kati ya wakurugenzi katika makampuni hayo mawili (anamtaja jina) anatajwa kuwa mkurugenzi mwandamizi na mwenye nguvu katika Idara ya Usalama wa Taifa na amekuwa humo kwa muda mrefu akiwa karibu sana na Mkurugenzi Mkuu aliyestaafu, Cornel Apson,” anaeleza ofisa mwandamizi serikalini na kuendelea:

“...(anamtaja jina) amekua katika kitengo kinachofanya kazi ya kupambana na uhalifu ikiwamo ugaidi, rushwa, biashara ya fedha haramu na uhalifu mwingine wa kimataifa, jukumu linalomsogeza karibu zaidi na kamati iliyoundwa na Rais kuchunguza sakata la BoT.”

Wakati hayo yakiendelea, kamati hiyo imekwisha kuanza kuwahoji kwa kina wamiliki wa makampuni 22 yanayotajwa katika sakata la BoT huku ikielezwa kwamba nyaraka zote za makampuni hayo zimechukuliwa kutoka BRELA.

Kwa mujibu wa habari hizo nyaraka hizo hasa baada ya kupatikana kwa makampuni yaliyodaiwa kutosajiliwa zimechukuliwa na kamati iliyoundwa na Rais na hakuna mwenye nafasi ya kusoma majalada hayo kwa sasa.

Makampuni ambayo nyaraka zake zilikosekana ni pamoja na G&T International Limited, ambayo imefahamika kumilikiwa na Octavio Timoth na Beredy Malegesi, ambaye anaelezwa kuwa shahidi muhimu katika sakata hilo na huenda “akazibwa mdomo,” kwa mujibu wa vyanzo vya habari ndani ya serikali.

Kampuni nyingine ambayo nyaraka zake zimeonekana ni Changanyikeni Residential Complex Limited inayomilikiwa na Jose Vander Merwe, Samson Mapunda na Charles Mabina ikiwa na makao yake, Sinza, Kumekucha, Dar es Salaam.

Sakata la BoT, linaiweka CCM katika mtego mkubwa kutokana na kuhusishwa kwake moja kwa moja na matumizi ya fedha hizo katika Uchaguzi Mkuu wa mwaka 2005, lakini viongozi wake wamekanusha madai hayo.

Sasa inafahamika kwamba sehemu kubwa ya fedha ikiwamo zile zilizotokana na kampuni iliyoghushi nyaraka ya Kagoda Agricultural Limited (KAL) iliyochota Sh bilioni 40/- ziliingia katika uchaguzi huo kupitia wana CCM maarufu waliokua katika harakati za kampeni ya Jakaya Kikwete.

Fedha hizo na nyingine ziligawiwa kwa baadhi ya wabunge kwa viwango vilivyotofautiana, na nyingine zilipotea ama kuibwa kutokana na kutokuwapo utaratibu rasmi wa udhibiti na uhakiki wa fedha kitaalamu.

Kwa ujumla sakata zima limemuelemea Dk Ballali ambaye pamoja na kuhusika kwake, ana siri nzito inayoweza kuibua kashfa ya aina yake katika historia ya siasa za Tanzania kama si ya kimataifa.

Pamoja na maelezo kwamba Dk. Ballali alifanya malipo yenye utata kutokana na wakuu wake wa kisiasa kushinikiza, sakata hiyi nzima iliwahusisha watendaji wa BoT na wana CCM maarufu, bado hakuna kati yao anayetajwa wala kuitwa na kamati ya uchunguzi.

Kutoka Raia Mwema wiki hii.

Africa Cup of Nations 2008

Kundi D

Angola 0

Tunisia 0

Mashabiki wa Angola

Kiungo wa Angola, Nsimba Baptista akijaribu kumzuia mchezaji wa Tunisia.
_____________________

Angola (Palancas Negras/The Black Antelopes) imeingia robo fainali kwa mara ya kwanza, baada ya kutoka sare na Tunisia (The Eagles of Carthage). Tunisia na Angola zinaingia robo fainali kila moja ikiwa na pointi 5. Timu zilikuwa hivi:

Tunisia: Kasraoui, Haggui, Ben Fredj, Zouaghi, Jaidi (Felhi 74), Nafti, Zaiem (Ben Dhifallah 67), Mnari, Mikari, Jemaa (Chikhaoui 80), Chermiti. Marizevu: Abdi, Ben Saada, El Bekri, Ghezal, Mathlouthi, Meriah, Nefzi, Santos, Traoui.

Waliopewa kadi za njano: Jaidi, Jemaa.

Angola: Lama, Airosa (Loco 69), Kali, Yamba Asha, Marques, Macanga, Maurito (Mateus 59), Gilberto, Ze Kalanga (Mendonca 84), Flavio, Manucho. Marizevu: Dede, Delgado, Edson, Figueiredo, Jamba, Love, Machado, Mario, Nuno.

Refarii: Codja Coffi (Benin).

Afrika Kusini 1

Senegal 1

Sibusiso Zuma (Afrika Kusini) katika pilikapilika na wachezaji wa Senegal

Papa Diop (jezi nyeupe, Senegal) akishuti mpira huku amezongwa na mchezaji wa Afrika Kusini

_______________________________

Afrika Kusini (Bafana Bafana) imetoka suluhu na Senegal (Les Lions de la Teranga/Lions of Teranga). Kwa matokeo hayo, timu zote mbili zimetolewa kwenye fainali za mwaka huu.

Senegal: Coundoul, Diatta, Diawara, Ibrahima Faye, Abdoulaye Faye, Sall, Diop (Gueye 52), Ba, Kamara (Sougou 82), Niang (Papa Waigo 59), Camara. Marizevu: Guirane, N'Doye, Beye, Diouf, Mendy, Ndiaye, Sarr, Sonko, Sylva.

Waliopewa kadi za njano: Sall, Ba, Gueye.

Mfungaji wa goli: Camara dakika ya 37.

Afrika Kusini: Josephs, Masilela, Mokoena, Morris, Moon (Davids 80), Modise, Tshabalala, Moriri (Chabangu 71),Van Heerden, Dikgacoi, Zuma (Fanteni 90). Marizevu: Evans, Fernandez, Fransman, Khune, Mhlongo, Mphela, Nhlapo, Pienaar, Walaza.

Aliyepewa kadi ya njano: Tshabalala.

Mfungaji goli: Van Heerden dakika ya 14.

Refarii: Alex Kotey (Ghana).

Robo fainali

Jumapili tarehe 3 Februari: Ghana vs. Nigeria, mjini Accra

Jumapili tarehe 3 Februari: Guinea vs. Ivory Coast, mjini Sekondi

Jumatatu tarehe 4 Februari: Angola vs. Misri, mjini Kumasi

Jumatatu tarehe 4 Februari: Kameruni vs. Tunisia, mjini Tamale.

Tanzania yapokea toka Ghana

uenyekiti mpya Umoja wa Afrika

Na Dennis Msacky, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

RAIS wa Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete jana jioni alichaguliwa kuwa Mwenyekiti mpya wa Umoja wa Afrika (AU).

Rais Kikwete anampokea Rais John Kufour wa Ghana ambaye amemaliza muda na atashika uongozi huo kwa mwaka mmoja.

Mara baada ya kuchaguliwa, Rais Kikwete alisema atatumia uwezo wake wote kuhakikisha kuwa hali ya amani inarejea katika nchi za Kenya, Somalia, Sudani (Darfur), Burundi na Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo.

Akisema changamoto yake ya kwanza ni kuona hali ya amani inarejea nchini Kenya.

Alisema kuwa mgogoro unaoendelea nchini Kenya utaigawa vipande vipande nchi hiyo iliyokuwa tajiri katika ukanda wa Afrika Mashariki.

Alisema mauaji yanayoendelea Kenya hayakubaliki na kutaka Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Afrika liimarishwe na kuwa na nguvu katika kukabiliana na mgogoro wa Kenya na mingine.

Hata hivyo, Mwenyekiti huyo mpya wa AU alisema hayo yatawezekana tu iwapo kutakuwa na mshikamano wa pamoja baina ya viongozi hao na kutumia busara na hekima za viongozi waliomtangulia kushika wadhifa huo wa juu barani Afrika.

Alisema ni aibu kusikia kila mara taarifa za migogoro katika Afrika na kutaka bara hilo liwe la usalama, amani na utulivu.

"Mimi ni mtu wa matumaini siku zote na naamini hakuna kisichowezekana, kazi kubwa iko mbele yetu, tujipange, tujizatiti, katika kujenga mshikamano wetu," alisema.

Alisema utengamano wa kisiasa ukirejea barani Afrika lazima maendeleo nayo yatakuja kwa kasi kwa sababu Afrika ni tajiri wa rasilimali lakini maskini sana hali ambayo ni changamoto kwa Afrika.

Kuhusu uchumi, alisema ni vizuri mazungumzo ya maendeleo ya kiuchumi ya Doha yakafufuliwa kwani muda mwingi umepotezwa na Waafrika kutumia muda wao mwingi kujadili siasa na migogoro inayowasumbua.

Alisema baada ya kujadili uchumi, basi mkutano ujao wa viongozi wa Afrika uelekeze nguvu zake katika kujadili miundombinu kwani ni muhimu katika kuwaunganisha Waafrika.

Aliahidi pia kuendeleza mapambano dhidi ya Ukimwi na malaria katika Afrika akisema kuwa hivyo ni vikwazo vikuu katika ukuaji wa uchumi wa bara hilo.

Marehemu Mugabe Were, alikuwa Mbunge wa Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Embakassy, Nairobi, alipigwa risasi na kuuawa na polisi. Hatima ya Kenya haijulikani. Rais Mwai Kibaki badala ya kukaa na kuzungumza na mpinzani wake, Raila Odinga na msuluhishi wa Umoja wa Mataifa, Katibu Mkuu wa zamani, Kofi Annan, huyooo...kenda Addis Ababa kwenye mkutano mkuu wa mwaka wa Umoja wa Afrika...

Rais kuhudhuria kikao

cha Umoja wa Afrika

RAIS Jakaya Kikwete aliondoka nchini jana mchana kwenda mjini Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, kuhudhuria kikao cha 10 cha wakuu wa nchi za Umoja wa Afrika (AU), kinachoanza leo na kumalizika Jumamosi wiki hii.

Ajenda kuu ya kikao cha mwaka huu ni “Maendeleo ya Viwanda katika Afrika”, mada inayolenga kuchochea mawazo mapya miongoni mwa mataifa wanachama wa AU kuhusu maendeleo ya Afrika yanavyoweza kusukumwa mbele kwa kutumia uzalishaji wa viwandani.

Taarifa ya Ikulu kwa vyombo vya habari iliyotolewa jana imesema kikao hicho pia kitamchagua mwenyekiti mpya wa AU. Kwa kawaida Mwenyekiti wa umoja huo hupatikana kwa njia ya mzunguko wa kikanda.

Kwa mujibu wa utaratibu, mwenyekiti huyo mpya anatakiwa kutoka nchi za mashariki mwa Afrika. Eneo lenye nchi 14 za Burundi, Comoro, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania na Uganda.

Mbali na kumchagua mwenyekiti wa AU ambaye huwa ni mkuu wa nchi mojawapo wanachama wa umoja huo, nafasi inayoachwa wazi na Alpha Omar Konare wa Mali anayemaliza muda wake, kikao hicho pia kitamchagua Makamu Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Afrika.

Miongoni mwa ripoti zitakazowasilishwa na kujadiliwa kwenye kikao hicho ni pamoja na ile ya Kamati ya Mawaziri iliyopewa jukumu la kutoa mapendekezo kuhusu kuundwa kwa Serikali ya Umoja wa Afrika.

Ujumbe wa Rais kwa kwenye kikao hicho unamshirikisha Mama Salma Kikwete na Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa, Bernard Membe.

Wengine ni Waziri wa Viwanda na Biashara, Basil Mramba na Waziri wa Biashara, Viwanda, Masoko na Utalii wa Serikali ya Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar, Samia Suluhu Hassan. Rais na ujumbe wake utarejea Dar es Salaam Jumatatu ijayo.

Chanzo: Gazeti la Mtanzania, Alhamisi 31.01.2008

Inside the mind of Bill Gates

Walter Isaacson
New York

He is the most famous businessman in the world, dominating the computer revolution. Yet we know little about him as a person. Here’s an intimate look at one of the giants of our age.

WHEN bill Gates was 11, he was at war with his mother Mary. She would call him to dinner and he would not respond. What are you doing?’’ she once demanded.

’’I’m thinking,’’ he shouted back.

’’You’re thinking?’’

’’Yes, thinking,’’ he said fiercely.

’’Have you ever tried thinking?’’

His parents decided he needed counseling. After a year, the psychologist reached his conclusion.

’’You’re going to lose,’’ he told Mary. ’’You had better just adjust to it.’’

Mary was outgoing and strong-willed, her husband recalls, ’’but she came around to accepting that it was futile trying to compete with Bill.’’

A lot of computer companies struggle to compete with William Henry Gates III. In the 23 years since he left Harvard University to start what would later be known as Microsoft Corporation, Gates 42, has amassed a fortune worth more than $20bn. But the world´s richest person is more than that. He is the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford of our age.

His success stems from his awesome, at times frightening, blend of brilliance, competitiveness and intensity.

At his desk, he works on two computers, one with four frames that sequence data from the Internet, the other handling hundreds of e-mail messages.

’’I don’t think theirs is anything unique about human intelligence,’’ Gate said over dinner one night at an Indian restaurant. ’’The neurons in the brains that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a binary fashion,’’ he explains. ’’We can some day replicate that on a machine.’’

Asked if there isn’t something special, perhaps even divine, about the human soul, his face becomes expressionless, his squeaky voice turns toneless. Folding his arms, he vigorously rocks back and forth. Finally, as if from an automaton, comes the answer: ’’I don’t have any evidence on that.’’ Rock, rock, rock. ’’I don’t have any evidence on that.’’ ’’As a baby, he used to rock in his cradle,’’ recalls Gates’ father Bill senior, a man as big and huggable as his son is small and tightly coiled. A retired lawyer, he still lives in the Seattle house where Bill III the boy he calls ’’Trey’’ --- lived.

The name comes from the card tern for three. Gates’ mother and grandmother loved cards, and they would organize bridge games and trivia contests after the big family dinner held every Sunday. During summer holidays at a cabin, there were nightly campfires and competitive games. ’’The play was quite serious,’’ill senior recalls. ’’Winning mattered.

When Trey was preparing for senior school,’’ we became concerned about him,’’ his father says. ’’He was so small and shy, in need of protection, his interests were so different from the typical 11-year-olds.’’

They decided to send him to the small private Lakeside School. There, with funds from a jumble sale, the Mothers’ Club had bought a clunky teletype computer terminal.

Learning computer language from a manual with his friend Paul Allen, Trey produced two programmes: One that converted a number in one mathematical base to a different base, and another that played noughts and crosses. Later he devised a computer version of RISK, a board game in which the goal is world domination.

Trey and Paul were soon spending evenings at a local company with a new computer. The boy’s job was to find viruses that would crash it. They got so into it,’’ his father recalls, ’’that he would sneak out after we went to bed and spend most of the night there.’’

The combination of counseling and computers helped transform the boy. At 14, he didn’t go to Maths lessons because he knew the work and had read ahead. He came in the top ten in a national aptitude exam.

’’His confidence and sense of humour increased,’’ his father says. ’’And he made peace with his mother.’’ By the age of 15 he was writing a programme for timetabling school lessons. It had a secret function to place him in classes with the right girls.

Still, the boy didn’t have a lot of confidence is social settings, says his father. ’’I remember him fretting for two weeks before asking a girl out, then getting turned down.’’

At Harvard, Gates met Steve Ballmer. ’’Bill would play poker until six in the morning,’’ Ballmer recalls, ’’then at breakfast discuss applied Mathematics.’’ They studied the same course and Ballmer nurtured Gates’ social side, getting him to join one of the college clubs and later visiting Studio 53 in New York.

In 1980 Gates lured Ballmer, then attending business school at Stanford University, to Microsoft. ’’I always knew I would have close business associates like Ballmer and several of the other top people at Microsoft, and that we’d stick together and grow together no matter what happened,’’ Gates says.

During the early 1980s, Gates led a bachelor lifestyle. He, Ballmer and other friends would eat at fashionable restaurants and go to films. When friends got married there were stag nights involving strippers and skinny-dipping.

Later, after Microsoft became successful, gates built a four-house family compound and there replicated his childhood summer activities for friends and colleagues.

The3 ’Macrogames’ were no ordinary picnics: In one digital version of charades, for example, teams competed to send numerical messages using smoke signals, and the winners devised their own four-bit binary code.

He also loved fast cars. When Microsoft was based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he raced a Porsche 911 in the desert; one night Paul Allen had to bail him out of jail. The weekend he moved Microsoft to Seattle, he got three speeding tickets two from the same policeman.

Gates met Melinda French, the woman he married in 1994, at a Microsoft press even in Manhattan. A computer science and business graduate, she was working for the company at the time. Now 33, --- at the time of writing in February 1998 -- she is no longer at Microsoft and is active in charity work. Like Gates, she is clever and independent. Like his mother, she is friendly and sociable. Their daughter Jennifer was born in 1996. Gates pulls a snapshot out of his desk showing him proudly cradling her. ’’I used to think I wouldn’t be all that interested in the baby until she could talk,’’ he says. ’’But I’m totally into it now. She’s just started to have a personality.’’

Gates’s intellectual sidekick is Nathan Myhrvold, 38. Pacing round a room, they talk for hours about future technologies such as voice recognition, then topic ranging from quantum physics to genetic engineering. ’’Bill is not threatened by smart people,’’ he says, ’’only stupid ones.’’

Microsoft had long recruited an IQ and ’intellectual bandwidth’ they’re called ’Bill clones’ than some one with experience. The interview process tests not what applicants know but how well they process tricky questions; to work out how may times on average you would have to flip the pages of the Manhattan phone book to find a specific name, how would you approach the problem?

About other people, Gates shows little curiosity. Warren Buffett, the investor whom Gates demoted to the second richest American, seems an unlikely person to be among his closest friends. A jovial, outgoing 67-year-old grandfather, Buffet only recently learned how to use a computer. But as multibillionaires go, both are unpretentious and they enjoy taking holidays together.

Gates is ambivalent about his celebrity status. His office is modest, sparsely decorated and filled with standard furniture. The phone almost never rings. Nor do phones ring much elsewhere on the Microsoft campus, a cluster of 35 low-rise buildings, lawns and courtyards that resemble a college environment.

Gate mainly uses three methods to run his company. Day and night, he bats out e-mail messages, often chuckling as he dispatches them. Every month or so, he meets up with top management group.

And most important 70 per cent of his schedule, by his calculations he holds two or three small meetings a day with teams working on company products. Young team members in the standard winter uniform of khaki trousers and flannel shirt lead the discussion, as Gates flips ahead through a sheaf of paper and within minutes has the gist of the material.

He stars rocking, peppering them with questions about the politics of their potential partners, details of the technology, their competition and strategy.

Answers are crisp; no one seems to be showing off, but neither do any hesitate to speak up. To a man, they mimic his mannerism and rock when they think. Gates listens intently. And he does not hide his cut-throat instincts.

While his mother may have come to terms with his competitive intensity, much of the computer world has not. There are websites dedicated to reviling him, lawyers focused on foiling him and former associates who sputter at the mention of his name.

Company such as Netscape, Oracle and Sun Microsystems publicly make thwarting his ’’plan for world domination’’ into a holy crusade.

The criticism is that he had tried to use, unfairly and perhaps illegally, Microsoft’s near monopoly in desktop operating systems. (An interim court ruling last December ordered Microsoft to stop requiring purchasers of its software, such as Window 95, to install its Internet browser at the same time.)

’’Who grew this market?’’ Gates says. ’’We did. Who survived companies like IBM, ten times our size?’’ His rival, he says, are ’’every bit as competitive as I’ am.’’

Nevertheless, Gates is enjoying the challenge. Games are fun. Working with smart people is super fun. Others may see him as ruthless, cold or brutal; but for him the competition is sport, a blood sport perhaps, but one played with relish.

A former Microsoft executive admires Gates’ vision but describes him as Darwinian. ’’He does not look for win-win situations, but for ways to make others lose. Success is defined as flattening the competition, not creating excellence. In Bill’s eyes,’’ he says, ’’He’s is still a kid who’s afraid he´ll go out of business if he lets anyone compete.’’

Indeed gates’ language is boyish rather than belligerent. The right stuff is ’really net’ and ’super cool.’ Bad strategies are ’crummy,’ ’really dumb’ and ’random to the max.’

Gates hopes to run Microsoft for another ten years, then promises to focus as intensely on giving his money away. He says he plans to distribute 95 per cent of his wealth. ’’He will spend time thinking about the impact of his philanthropy can have,’’ Buffet says. ’’He is too imaginative to do conventional gifts.’’

Gates likes repeating the line used by Intel chief executive Andrew Grove as a book title: ’’Only the paranoid survive.’’

As Ballmer says, ’’He still feels he must run scared.’’ Gates puts another spin on it, ’’I still feel this is super fun.’’


About Walter Isaacson

The article was first published on TIME magazine under the name "In Search of the Real Bill Gates"

Africa Cup of Nations 2008

Kundi C

Kameruni 3

Sudan 0

Eto´o aweka historia

Kameruni (The Indomitable Lions) imeingia kwenye robo fainali baada ya kuifunga Sudan (Sokoor Al-Jediane/Desert Hawks) kwa magoli 3 - 0. Kwenye mechi hii, mchezaji Samuel Eto´o ameweka historia kwenye fainali za mataifa ya Afrika, kufunga goli la 15 kwenye mechi zote alizocheza kwenye fainali za mataifa ya Afrika. Alifunga goli hilo la kihistoria kwa penalti kwenye dakika ya 27. Rekodi ya zamani ilikuwa inashikiliwa na Laurent Pokou wa Ivory Coast (miaka ya 1970) ya magoli 14. Timu zilikuwa hivi:

Kameruni: Kameni, Song, Atouba (Tchato 46), M'Bami, Geremi, Eto'o, Emana (Tomou 57), Epalle (Essola 76), Song Billong, Job, Bikey. Marizevu: Angbwa, Binya, Hamidou, Idrissou, Makoun, Mbarga, Mbia, N'Guemo, Nkong.

Aliyepewa kadi ya njano: Bikey.

Magoli ya Kameruni: Eto'o 28 pen, Ali Elkhidir 34 (Msufani alijifunga), Eto'o 90.

Sudan: Elmuiz Abdalla, Bakhit (Tahir Osman 54), El Tayeb, Ali Elkhidir, Yousif Hado, Kuku, Lado, Karar, El Bashir, Kamal Tambal (Hassan 77), Agab Sido (Babiker 62).
Marizevu: Bader Eldin Abdalla, Ahmed, Ali Idris Farah, El Basha Adam, El Hadi Salem, Eldin Ahmed Gibril, Hameed Amari,

Aliyepewa kadi ya njano: Yousif Hado.

Samuel Eto´o baada ya kufunga goli la kihistoria.

Yousef Alaeldin (Sudan, jezi nyeupe) akimtoka mchezaji wa Kameruni


Kipindi cha pili, Sudan walijitahidi kuwazuia Wakameruni.

Misri 1

Zambia 1

Kwenye mechi nyingine kwenye kundi hili, Misri (The Pharaohs) walitoka sare na Zambia (Chipolopolo). Kameruni na Misri zinaingia robo fainali kwenye kundi hili. Timu zilikuwa hivi:

Misri: El Hadari, Mohamed, Hany Said, Moawad, Gomaa, Fathi, Abd Rabou, Shawky, Hassan (Aboutrika 60), Moteab (Ibrahim Said 77), Zaki (Zidan 60).
Marizevu: Abdel Monssef, Sobhy, El Saeed, Fathallah, El Mohamady, Gamal, Mostafa, Shaaban, Fadl.

Alyefunga goli: Zaki dakika ya 15.

Zambia: Mweene, Musonda, Himonde, Mwanza (Kampamba 30), Hachilensa, Chansa (Kalaba 77), Bakala, Felix Katongo, Christopher Katongo, Jacob Mulenga (Phiri 65), Chamanga.
Marizevu: Poto, Kakonje, Chinyama, Nketani, Kasonde, Clifford Mulenga, Njovu, Mayuka, Sunzu.

Waliopewa kadi za njano: Felix Katongo, Chansa.

Aliyefunga goli: Christopher Katongo 88.

Refarii: Koman Coulibaly (Mali).

Amr Zaki (Misri) akifunga goli dakika ya 17 ya mchezo.


Felix Katongo (Zambia) aliwapa shida sana mabeki wa Misri kama inavyoonyesha hapa.


Chris Katongo (nduguye Felix Katongo) naye alikuwa tishio kwa mabeki wa Misri.

Mechi zilichezwa Jumatano, 30 Januari 2008

Today`s Kiswahili poetry

not as rich as it used to be

2008-01-29 09:19:56

By Luumba Rashid

Kiswahili poetry has changed significantly from one point of time to thenext due to different factors. Unlike the past, it is said that today`s Kiswahili poetry is losing its ground. Our columnist Gerald Kitabu talkedto Salehe Sharif, a local poet on the state of Kiswahili poetry in thecountry.

Q: Being one of the poets, what can you say about the current status ofKiswahili poetry?

A: Well, frankly speaking there is a very big difference between the poetry we used to know in the old days and that of today. First of all the famous poets such as Shaban Robert, Jinamizi, Adam Shaffi, Amri Sudi Andanenga, Abdallah Shamte (Mtumwa wa Mungu) and Said Salimu Mwachaka hada rich vocabulary of Kiswahili words and they mastered the language well.

They had a high level of understanding and analyzing the words and the language itself. The choice of words used in their poetry from time to time was enough charm to attract a reader to keep on reading Kiswahili poetry now and then.

They language they used appealed to the emotions of he readers. But nowadays the words and phrases are used haphazardly. They have lost that passion, those ingredients which produced the flavour.

However, I must confess that there are still many poets today who are good but they lack publicity, something which would have helped them to make their mark in field of Kiswahili poetry.

The former poets had written a number of books which gave them popularity. Their books were sold and used in primary and secondary schools. This helped to promote their work.

Q: In the past Kiswahili poetry was compulsory in schools but with the influence of English language and mushrooming of international schools today, it is not the case. What is your opinion?

A: Let me say that Kiswahili is an attractive language, unique with its own tints which cannot be found in other languages. However, the cherished language has been kicked out by other foreign languages in our communities.

After accepting foreign languages to be taught in our schools as the medium of instruction especially in international schools, it is now clear that Kiswahili poetry is losing ground.

I would prefer Kiswahili as a medium of instruction in our schools to English or French. It is the indigenous language which people can understand easily.

Why do Tanzanians feel very proud of speaking English? As I am talking now, our Kiswahili has no direction. It is like a lost sheep.

I don`t believe that foreign countries like England, France and USA love Kiswahili the same way we love their language. Nowadays, school children and parents walk shoulders high because they speak English.

After all understanding English doesn`t mean that one is educated; it is just a language like ours. The only important thing is to go back to the roots, teach our children Kiswahili right from nursery school; otherwise we are jeopardizing our culture and the future generation.

Q: How did you develop interest in poetry?

A: I love poetry very much. At first I was moved by works of the famous poets like Abdallah Shamte also known as Mtumwa wa Mungu from Mombasa, In Kenya.

Abdallah Shamte was a real icon poet using Mvita dialect to deliver his message. I loved his parlance especially its coastal tints.

Let me say that, Kiswahili has many dialects which are used along the coastal regions such as Mrima, Kingovi, Kihamu and Kitang´ata.

These communities living along the East African coast range from Mombasa,Tanga to Zanzibar. However, being a Swahili speaker myself, I strongly disagree with people who say there is Bantu Kiswahili.

It is not true because Kiswahili speaking people have their own vernacular languages such as Sukuma, Nyamwezi, Chaga, Makonde, Zaramo, Fipa, Ngoni etc if there is such culturally rich languages, where does Bantu kiswhaili come from?.

I can tell you that almost half of Kiswahili words have their roots in Arabic. Words like ``abrud tafadhali, sarawili,`` these words were perceived as hebu, rudi, tafadhali and suruali by a Swahili speaker respectively.

Q: You have said that you are a sound creator, what do you mean?

A: I mean creating sounds using my own poetry. I do this before recording in the studio. I usually identify the tone of the music whether charanga, zuku, ragga or rumba. Then I work with a music producer to process it using my own melody.

If I don`t want to sing for myself, I usually invite any singer who can master very well my poetry and sounds to do it for me.

Thereafter, the music is mixed up before it can be heard, or aired in radio stations and televisions in form of audio.

Q:How do you benefit from poetry?

A: As I am speaking to you today, I have not benefited much other than respect from people and other musicians who consult me for their music.

When you look at many famous songs that I have composed so far, I have not registered any benefits.

The problem is that I used to compose poems for other people like the new generation musicians but when these people release their albums, my contribution is ignored and sometimes I am never paid.

I am now working on my own songs under a certain recording studio. I think through this way I will be able to benefit.

Q. Any problems encountered in the course of your poetry?

A: As I said earlier, when I compose the poems and it happens that I give them to someone to sing, that person would say he is the one who composed the poems and the music. My name and my efforts would never be appreciated.

For example the Bongo Flava or the new generation music, these artistes would completely ignore my contributions although, I am the one helping them to make their music sound better in terms of the verses and the in general.

They don`t appreciate the fact that most of the poems they use in their music are composed by other people like me but they will never mention those who helped them.

Q: So do you want to tell us that poetry doesn`t pay?

A: Poetry doesn`t pay much. We are just enriching other people. I can tell you that my former teachers who taught me poetry and who were very rich in poetry have all abandoned it.

They are Twaha Kamari and Alimu Bajala, who are all residents of Msambweni in Tanga region. They are now engaged into other income generating activities after realizing that there is no profit in poetry.

At first they were discouraged by few people who were using their work to enrich themselves while the composers remained poor. For example they used to write their poems in some newspapers but the return was very little and sometimes they were never paid at all.

Q: Why is it that some artistes for the new generation music can`t composetheir own music?

A: Most of them don`t understand the uses of Kiswahili words and phrases. You will find that words and phrase are placed or mixed haphazardly or simply jumbled up, which means it is very difficult to get the intended meaning.

They are still young yet they don`t want to learn more about this language which is rich of words. For example you may listen to a particular music but what you get from it has totally different meaning and it doesn`t educate or entertain.

A good song is the one that uses Kiswahili similes or metaphorical languages. Short of that it might be very dangerous to children who quickly grasp things but cannot sort out what is good and what is bad.

Q; Can you tell us some of your best compositions?

A:There are Many! They include Kibuyu, Jogoo, Sauti ya Mahaba which scooped the best Song Award during Kilimanjaro Music Award in 2007, Mapenzi ya Kisirani and One Love.

I have also composed other songs like Zee la Nyeti, Poleni and Kisu. I have played a very important role as a music consultant but without much benefit. In most cases I was doing this under humanitarian grounds.

Q: Has Kiswahili poetry been affected by globalization?

A: Frankly speaking, western culture interference has spoiled our poetry much. Most musicians sing poems without using similes which is number one rule.

There is no mastery of the language. When you compose a song using metaphorical language, it gives a listener time to analyze the meaning of the poems and the music.

Similes help, among other things, to hide the real meaning so that children cannot be able to grasp the intended meaning immediately when the song is sung.

Unlike the past, nowadays the songs go naked without such similes, hence polluting the children instead of building them.

Q; Future plans?

A: So far, I have composed about six hundred poems. My target is to compose a total of one thousand poems which I will publish into a book so as to restore the lost glory.

Q: Any advice?

A: I would like to advice the National Arts Council of Tanzania to establish poetry inspection council to oversee the misuse of words mainly by the new generation and Taarab musicians.

One of the tasks should be to check the quality of music and proper use ofKiswahili words and phrases before being taken to the studio for recording.

Some of the words as they are used by these musicians end up spoiling the youth and children in our society. If this situation is given a blind eye as it is today, Kiswahili will end up in a total mess.

SOURCE: Guardian (Tanzania)

More on Kiswahili: The Use of an African Language as a Language of Instruction at University Level: The Example of Kiswahili Department at the Univeversity of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

More on Kiswahili: Kiswahili as a National and International Language

More on Kiswahili: http://sw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_ya_Kiswahili

More on Kiswahili: http://semakiswahili.blogspot.com/

More on Kiswahili: http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/aakkl/documents/kiswahili.pdf

More on Kiswahili: http://www.google.com/intl/sw/

More on Kiswahili: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kiswahili/

More on Kiswahili: http://www.kiswahili.net/

More on Kiswahili: Kiswahili katika utamaduni wa Kimarekani

More on Kiswahili: http://www.mwambao.com/mashairi.htm

More on Kiswahili: http://www.kiswahili.gskool.com/

Tunataka viongozi wa kesho

wajifunze nini kutokana

na somo hili?

JINA MRADI
Ben Mkapa - Mgodi wa Makaa ya Mawe Kiwira
Juma Kapuya - Mgodi wa dhahabu Maisha bora baada ya kustaafu.
N. Karamagi - Kampuni ya kushughulikia makontena bandarini (TICTS)


JINA MRADI
Julius Nyerere - Hakuna mradi aliomiliki
Joseph Warioba - Hakuna mradi aliomiliki Maisha magumu baada ya kustaafu.

Timothy Apiyo - (aliwahi kuwa Katibu Mkuu ofisi ya Rais) hakuna mradi anaomiliki


Ni jambo lililo wazi kwamba kama somo lililoko hapo juu litawaingia akilini vijana wetu wanaotarajiwa kuwa viongozi wa nchi hii kesho, watakachoelewa ni kwamba mara waingiapo madarakani cha kwanza kufanya ni kugawana watakachokikuta ndipo waanze kuwafikiria wengine, (Self centered philosophy) na kwamba uaminifu mwisho wa siku hataulipa! Na watajifunza hili kwa mifano hai ya watu waliokuwa waaminifu wakati wa utendaji wao, maisha yao yalikuwaje baada ya kustaafu? Kuna wakati hatuongei lakini matendo yetu yanasema zaidi ya maneno, nina uhakika kwa haya tunayofanya leo tukiwa madarakani tunawafundisha vijana wetu kitu kimoja tu; KUCHOTA na kuondoka. Jambo ambalo kwa hakika sio jema.

Unategemea nini vijana wetu wanaoingia makazini leo, iwe ni serikalini au kwenye mashirika ya Umma kama watajifunza kuwa mfano wa mzee Timothy Apiyo, aliyewahi kuwa Katibu Mkuu Ofisi ya Rais kwa miaka mingi lakini mwisho wa siku amekuwa akiishi maisha ya kimasikini kutokana na uaminifu wake kazini. Vijana wetu watajifunza nini watakapoiangalia familia ya Hayati Baba wa Taifa letu, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere aliyekaa madarakani kwa miaka ishirini na minne lakini hakujilimbikizia mali yoyote na hata nyumba Butiama akajengewa kama msaada na Jeshi la Wananchi kwa sababu hakutaka kuwa fisadi na leo hii familia yake inaishi maisha kama ya Mtanzania mwingine yeyote? Wakati kama mzee huyo angekuwa fisadi, kwa muda mrefu aliokaa madarakani sisi leo hii tusingekuta kitu!

Wapo wapi viongozi wa mfano wake? Wapo wapi viongozi wa mfano wa mzee Rashidi Mfaume Kawawa aliyekaa madarakani kwa muda mrefu akiwa Makamu wa Rais na Waziri Mkuu? Wapo wapi viongozi wanaoingia madarakani kwa nia ya kuwatumikia wananchi? Watu wa aina hii huwa hawakosi, najua wapo lakini wamemezwa na kuvunjwa moyo! Hebu fikiria ni wafanyakazi wangapi serikalini leo ambao watakuwa tayari kusimamia maslahi ya nchi hata wanapoingizwa kwenye majaribu ya rushwa, pale watakapokumbuka kwamba Dk. Daudi Ballali na timu yake walichota zaidi ya shilingi bilioni 133? Inahitaji moyo na wenye moyo huo ndio watakaoijenga nchi hii.

Ndugu zangu, Kazi yetu kubwa Watanzania ni kupambana na ufisadi kwa gharama yoyote na bila woga kwa faida yetu, watoto, wajukuu na watoto wa wajukuu zetu.

Jipu limepasuka, siwezi kuwa adui kwa kusema ukweli.

Kutoka: Global Publishers

Africa Cup of Nations 2008

Kundi B

Mali mdebwedo kwa

Ivory Coast, yafungwa 3 - 0

Ivory Coast (Les Éléphants/The Elephants) wameingia robo fainali wakiwa na pointi 9 baada ya kuwafunga Mali (Les Aigles/The Eagles) kwa magoli 3 - 0. Didier Drogba alifungua mlango baada ya kufunga goli la kwanza kwenye dakika ya 10. Alipokea pasi safiii toka kwa Yaya Toure. Goli la pili la Ivory Coast lilifungwa na Marc Zoro. Goli la tatu lilifungwa na Sanogo. Ivory Coast inacheza na Guinea, siku ya Jumapili, tarehe 3.2.2008.

Shabiki wa Ivory Coast


Mashabiki wa Benin

Mchezaji wa Ivory Coast akimbabaisha mchezaji wa Mali.


Frederic Kanoute (kulia wa Mali) akizidiwa na mchezaji wa Ivory Coast.

Timu zilikuwa kama ifuatavyo:

Ivory Coast: Barry, Eboue, Zokora, Fae, Zoro, Romaric, Tiene, Toure Yaya, Keita (Bakari Kone 59), Arouna Kone, Drogba (Sanogo 75). Marezevu: Tiassa Kone, Loboue, Gohouri, Boka, Meite, Toure, Dindane, Gervinho, Kalou, Djakpa.

Magoli ya Ivory Coast yalifungwa na: Drogba 10, Zoro 54, Sanogo 86

Mali: Mahamadou Sidibe, Adama Coulibaly (Diallo 47), Kante, Tamboura, Sammy Traore, Drissa Diakite, Keita, Djibril Sidibe, Toure (Dissa 60), Kanoute (Mohamed Sissoko 46), Dramane Traore. Marezevu: Soumalia Diakite, Oumar Sissoko, Moussa Coulibaly, Dembele, Amadou Sidibe, Kone, Diamoutene, Mamady Sidibe.

Aliyepewa kadi ya njano: Tamboura.

Refarii: Eddy Maillet (Seychelles).

Nigeria yaingia robo fainali,

yaifunga Benin 2 - 0

Nigeria (The Super Eagles) imefanikiwa kuingia robo fainali kibahati sana, baada ya kuifunga Benin (Les Écureuils/The Squirrels) magoli mawili kwa sifuri. Nigeria wanaingia robo fainali kwa kuwa na pointi 4 na wamewatoa Mali nao pia wakiwa na pointi 4. Tofauti ya magoli ndiyo inayowafanya Nigeria kuendelea. Nigeria itacheza wapinzani wao wa jadi, Ghana kwenye robo fainali.

Shabiki wa Nigeria (The Super Eagles)


Ike Uche wa Nigeria akimtoka mchezaji wa Benin.

The Super Eagles wakishangilia kuingia robo fainali.

Timu zilikuwa kama ifuatavyo:

Nigeria: Ejide, Yobo, Nwaneri, Shittu, Taiwo, Etuhu (Eromoigbe 74), Uche, Obi, Utaka (Obinna 52), Odemwingie (Afolabi 90), Yakubu. Marezevu: Enyeama, Kanu, Martins, Olofinjana, Makinwa, Emeghara, Okonkwo, Apam, Aiyenugbu.

Aliyepewa kadi ya njano: Odemwingie.

Magoli ya Nigeria yalifungwa na: Obi 53, Yakubu 86.

Benin: Amoussou, Gaspoz, Adenon, Chrysostome, Adjamossi (Ogunbiyi 46), Boco, Ahoueya, Oketola, Sessegnon (Maiga 84), Omotoyossi, Oumar Tchomogo. Marezevu: Chitou, Koukou, Traore, Rouga, Seka, Djidonou, Seidath Tchomogo, Oladipikpo, Soglo, Ouzerou.

Aliyepewa kadi ya njano: Oketola.

Kenyan opposition MP

shot dead, clashes erupt

By Andrew Cawthorne and Jack Kimball

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Gunmen killed a Kenyan opposition politician at his home in the early hours of Tuesday and rival ethnic gangs fought in a Nairobi slum as a month-long political crisis threatened to spiral out of control.

Newly elected Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) member of parliament Melitus Were was shot twice in the head as he reached the gate of his house shortly after midnight.

"Initial investigations indicate this was a case of murder," police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said.

ODM spokesman Tony Gachoka said, without giving evidence, that Were may have been targeted by political foes. "We want no stone unturned in the investigation, but we suspect foul play."

Government officials did not immediately comment.

Hours after Were's death, rival ethnic gangs began fighting in Nairobi's Kibera slum, not far from where he was shot. A Reuters witness saw two corpses, with cuts on the head and neck, and another man badly hurt after being forcibly circumcised.

Unrest also simmered across the volatile Rift Valley, with mobs ransacking homes and burning belongings of people trying to flee Naivasha town, north of the capital.

More than 800 people have been killed since the December vote, which the opposition says was rigged.

The violence has taken on a momentum of its own, with cycles of killing between tribes who have never reconciled divisions over land, wealth and power left by British colonial rule and exacerbated by politicians in 44 years of independence.

TALKS TO START

Former U.N. head Kofi Annan is spearheading attempts to mediate between Kibaki's government and the opposition led by Raila Odinga. An Annan spokesman said negotiating teams would begin "formal dialogue" at 4 p.m. (8:00 a.m. EST) on Tuesday.

Legislator Were was shot soon after midnight as he drove up to his gate in the middle-class Woodley district of Nairobi.

His attackers fled without taking anything, police said.

A crowd gathered during the morning outside the house in a middle-class suburb on the edge of Kibera slum.

Police fired teargas into the compound to disperse mourners and supporters who had been taunting officers, a Reuters witness said. Officers briefly entered the compound before retreating down the street.

Some vowed to march in protest at the death.

"It had nothing to do with robbery, it had to do with politics," supporter Colin Omondi, 26, said, holding a picture of the late MP.

In Naivasha, about an hour's drive north of Nairobi, crowds ransacked homes and burned belongings of people fleeing the lakeside town, a Reuters witness said.

Plumes of smoke rose from different parts, as members of Kibaki's Kikuyu group hunted down Luos, Luhyas and Kalenjins thought to be opposition supporters.

Plumes of smoke rose from different parts, as members of Kibaki's Kikuyu group hunted down Luos, Luhyas and Kalenjins thought to be opposition supporters.

"What is alarming about the last few days is that there are evidently hidden hands organizing it now. Militias are appearing ... the targeting is very specific," Britain's Africa Minister Mark Malloch Brown said on a visit to Kenya.

Both sides have traded accusations of genocide in a standoff that has shocked world leaders, who had long viewed Kenya as a peacemaker, rather than a problem, on a volatile continent.

About 250,000 people have been displaced by the violence.

Official results showed Kibaki narrowly won the December 27 vote, but Odinga says victory was stolen from him by vote-rigging. International observers said the poll was flawed and diplomats are pushing for a power-sharing arrangement.

(Additional reporting by C. Bryson Hull, Joseph Sudah in Nairobi, David Lewis in Naivasha; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by George Obulutsa)

Source:

Yahoo! News, 09.18 Central European Time (CET)/ 11.18 East African Time (EAT)

Suharto's family seeks

forgiveness

The late General El Haj Mohammed Suharto of Indonesia

Indonesia must not let the death of former president Suharto derail legal attempts to retrieve state assets from his family and inner circle, a prominent local lawyer and activist said on Monday. Suharto died on Sunday, aged 86. In the weeks before his death when he lay critically ill in hospital, Indonesians vigorously debated whether to pardon him for graft and human rights abuses during his three decades in power or push ahead with legal action against his family and friends. Critics say Suharto and his family amassed as much as USD 45 billion in kickbacks or deals.

REUTERS

BANK OF TANZANIA

SCANDAL:

World Bank, UN may join

hunt for stolen BoT funds

-BUT GOVERNMENT YET TO MAKE FORMAL REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN RECOVERING BILLIONS OF SHILLINGS STASHED AWAY IN OFFSHORE BANK ACCOUNTS

LUCAS LIGANGA
Nusa Dua, Bali

AS the 133bn/- Bank of Tanzania embezzlement scandal continues to unfold, the government has yet to formally request assistance from a joint World Bank and United Nations initiative to help developing nations recover assets stolen by corrupt leaders.

Under the initiative dubbed Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR), poor nations such as Tanzania can seek assistance in retrieving assets spirited away to richer countries.

’’To the best of my knowledge, Tanzania has not yet submitted any request with regard to the asset recovery initiative,’’ the executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa, told THISDAY here yesterday.

He was speaking at the sidelines of a UN anti-corruption conference being held in Indonesia to find ways of clawing back some of the billions of dollars in assets stolen by corrupt leaders.

The StAR initiative was jointly announced on September 17 last year, by the World Bank and the UN to help developing nations knock down barriers that make assets recovery so complex.

The importance of the assets recovery initiative to Tanzania is highlighted by the BoT corruption scandal where billions of shillings have been confirmed as stolen from government coffers under the EPA account.

Investigations by THISDAY have established that about half of the money embezzled from the BoT has already been stashed away in off-shore bank accounts, with Dubai emerging as a most favoured hiding place for the loot.

According to impeccable sources, around 60bn/- of the stolen money has been either hidden in foreign bank accounts or invested abroad, while the other 60bn/- or so has been sunk into various local investments including real estate, luxury vehicles and company shares.

And according to other reliable reports reaching us, one of the EPA beneficiaries even bought a multi-storeyed hotel building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Insiders say the high-level investigation, led by Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika has already started tracing assets, and is now moving to freeze the bank accounts of all 22 companies identified in a special BoT audit report as having directly benefited from the EPA scam.

Government sources say it is still too early in the investigation for the government to request the assistance of the joint UN/WB initiative in recovering assets stolen from the central bank.

In announcing the initiative, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank President Robert Zoellick, and UNODC Executive Director Costa said a real international effort is needed to ensure looted assets are returned to their rightful owners.

Costa told reporters at the Bali International Convention Centre that Indonesia was the first country to ask for assets recovery assistance, a move he said is likely to show the country’s political commitment in fighting corruption.

Transparency International estimates that the former Indonesian leader, the late Suharto, embezzled between $15bn and $35bn from his country while Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines, Mobutu Sese Seko in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sani Abacha in Nigeria are alleged to have embezzled up to $5bn each.

The amount of money extorted and stolen each year from developing countries is over 10 times the approximately $100bn in foreign assistance being provided by all governments and civil organizations in the world.

’’But doors are open to countries willing to ask for StAR assistance because such initiative is one of the things that show us that a requesting country has a political commitment to fight the vice,’’ said the UNODC boss.

Addressing the opening session of the Conference of the states that are party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, Costa said the StAR initiative has progressed well into its preliminary phase, with assessment missions carried out in two countries and more requests made from other countries.

’’In asset recovery, time is of essence. Stolen assets rot quickly in idle bank accounts, rusty yachts, decaying real estate and devalued securities,’’ he said.

The UNODC chief, organizers of the five-day conference, added: ’’The sooner legitimate owners engage in asset recovery, the greater the chances of finding some of the wealth looted from central banks and national treasuries.’’

However, Costa expressed concern that the good intention of the StAR alignment could be disturbed by hidden gravitational forces.

’’We have detected some black holes that threaten to pull the StAR system out of its orbit. Middle level bureaucrats with connections, knowledge and entrenched interests are trying to block its implementation,’’ he observed.

He called for the need to neutralize these black holes in the countries’ administrations so that asset recovery could take place, inspired by politicians and put in place by technicians.

Meanwhile, the World Bank in collaboration with the UNODC and the International Police (Interpol) have invited delegates attending the conference to create StAR focal point contact in their countries to be used for responding to emergency requests for assistance.

In a letter circulated to the delegates yesterday, the three international institutions said the StAR initiative will develop capacity to respond to and file international mutual legal assistance requests, adopt and implement effective confiscation measures, enhance transparency and accountability of public financial management systems, create and strengthen national anti-corruption agencies and help monitor the recovered funds if requested by the countries.

Norway's most popular names

Norway's state statistics bureau SSB has studied names given to babies born in the country last year, and singled out the most popular ones for boys and girls.

While names ride waves of popularity, one thing remains constant: The babies themselves don't have any say in the matter. PHOTO: TOM A KOLSTAD

The statistics bureau could confirm on Monday that a recent tendency towards short names for girls and Biblical names for boys continued in 2007.

The most popular name for Norwegian girls last year was "Sara," while parents made "Mathias" the most popular name for boys.

"Sara" also ranked as the name most often given to girls in 2002, while "Mathias" (roughly pronounced "Ma-TEE-us" in Norwegian) topped the list in 2003 and in 2004.

The most popular names in 2006 were "Thea" (pronounced "Tay-ah") and "Jonas" ("Yo-nuss").

The statisticians could report that names ride waves of popularity. Many names chosen 50 years ago are almost absent today, while names from 120 years ago are back in fashion.

At the end of the 1800s, for example, fully a third of girl babies born in Norway were given short names ending with "a" or "ah." The same is true is today, and less used are long Norwegian names like "Borghild," "Ragnhild" or "Kjellaug ."

Some parents are also avoiding names that include the Norwegian letters "æ, ø" and "å," because they're not so user-friendly in today's world of e-mail and Internet. While some parents opt for ethnic names like "Ylva" and "Brage" that are deeply rooted in Viking history, others are choosing more internationally familiar names like "Alexander" and "Christopher," even with English spellings instead of the more "Aleksander" or "Kristoffer" in Scandinavia.

SSB officials also note that Swedish naming trends tend to drift over the border and arrive in Norway after a few years. That would indicate that "William, Lucas, Elias" and "Oscar" will become more popular for boys in Norway, as will "Wilma, Maja, Ella" and "Emma" for girls.

Aftenposten English Web Desk
Nina Berglund/NTB

Ali Karume ataka Serikali

ya Umoja Zanzibar

Na Ali Suleiman, Zanzibar

SERIKALI ya Umoja wa Kitaifa ndilo suluhisho pekee la kumaliza mgogoro wa kisiasa visiwani hapa kwa kuwa ushindani wa kisiasa ni mkubwa, imeelezwa.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari mwishoni mwa wiki iliyopita, Balozi wa Tanzania nchini Italia, Bw. Ali Abeid Karume, alisema bila Serikali ya aina hiyo matatizo ya kisiasa ya Zanzibar ambayo huibuka kila mara unapomalizika uchaguzi mkuu baada ya miaka mitano, itakuwa ndoto kumalizika.

"Huo ndio ukweli uliopo ambao watu wengi hawapendi kuusema ... hali ya kisiasa iliyopo katika visiwa vya Unguja ni ngumu ambapo kasi na nguvu ya chama cha CUF kubwa zaidi katika kisiwa cha Pemba ... Serikali ya Mseto ndilo suluhushi la matatizo," alisema.

Alisema utulivu wa kisiasa tangu kuanza kwa uchaguzi wa kwanza katika mfumo wa vyama vingi mwaka 1995 umekuwa katika matatizo makubwa kutokana na matokeo na nguvu zinazokaribiana kati ya CCM na CUF.

Balozi Karume alisema hali hiyo imesababisha kuwepo kwa malumbano makubwa na kusababisha uhasama mkubwa kati ya wananchi wa visiwa hivi, ambao ni ndugu kwa muda mrefu.

"Kupunguza malumbano na kujenga Taifa lenye umoja na mshikamano hatuwezi kuepuka Serikali ya umoja wa kitaifa, ambayo itatoa nafasi kwa wananchi wa vyama vyote," alisema Balozi Karume.

Alivitaka vyama vya siasa vya CCM na CUF kujaribu kupanua zaidi mazungumzo ya Muafaka yanayoendelea sasa, katika maeneo mbali mbali.

"Hakuna matatizo, chama kitatoa Rais kwa kura nyingi na chenye kura chache kitatoa Waziri Kiongozi...utaratibu huo ndilo suluhisho la matatizo ambalo litamaliza chuki na uhasama," alisema.

Hiyo ni kauli ya kwanza kutolewa na kiongozi wa ngazi za juu wa Serikali katika masuala ya Muafaka na kuwapo kwa uwezekano wa Serikali ya umoja wa kitaifa.

Uchunguzi uliofanywa na gazeti hili, umegundua kwamba wananchi wengi wa Unguja na Pemba wanataka kupatikana kwa dawa ya kudumu kumaliza malumbano ya kisiasa Unguja na Pemba.

Mazungumzo ya Muafaka kati ya vyama vya siasa vya CCM na CUF yanaendelea nchini, huku yakielezwa kuwapo mafanikio makubwa kwa mujibu wa taarifa za pande mbili husika.

Wiki iliyopita, mazungumzo ya Muafaka kati ya viongozi wa vyama vya siasa vya CCM na CUF yalifanyika chini ya makatibu wakuu, Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad na Bw. Yussuf Makamba wa CCM.

Malumbano ya kisiasa kati ya vyama vya siasa vya CCM na CUF yaliibuka mara ya kwanza mwaka 1995 mara baada ya kumalizika kwa uchaguzi mkuu wa kwanza katika mfumo wa vyama vingi, ambapo Rais mstaafu, Dkt. Salmin Amour aliibuka na kupata ushindi mwembamba dhidi ya mpinzani wake wa karibu, Maalim Seif.

Kumekuwa na juhudi za kumaliza migogoro ya kisiasa katika visiwa vya Unguja na Pemba ikiwemo Muafaka wa kwanza wa kisiasa, ambao hata hivyo haukufanikiwa licha ya kusimamiwa na Katibu Mkuu mstaafu wa Jumuiya ya Madola Chief Emeka Anyaoku.