Concert is postponed until further notice. Chama Cha Watanzania Oslo
deeply regrets inconveniences caused!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Live Concert by Ray C, Oslo Norway
Concert is postponed until further notice. Chama Cha Watanzania Oslo
deeply regrets inconveniences caused!
Jaji Mkuu Mpya wa Tanzania, Brigedia Jenerali Agostino Ramadhani
Rais Jakaya Kikwete jana amemwapisha Jaji Agostino Ramadhani kuwa Jaji Mkuu wa Tanzania, baada ya Jaji Mkuu Barnabas Samatta kustaafu rasmi. Jaji Ramadhan amewahi kuwa Jai katika mahakama ya Afrika Mashariki ambako alikuwa yeye na Waziri Mkuu wa zamani wa Tanzania, Jaji Joseph Warioba. Sambamba na kuwa mwanasheria na mwanajeshi, Jaji Ramadhan pia ni mpiga kinanda maarufu katika kwaya ya Kanisa la Anglikana jijini Dar es Salaam.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
More scandals at Bank of Tanzania
-New evidence of dubious payment on behalf of Meremeta Gold company -Successor company TANGOLD benefited from another cash remittance.
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
THE Bank of Tanzania (BoT) made questionable payments of over $118m (approx. 150bn/-) to a foreign bank to liquidate a loan issued to the now defunct Meremeta Gold Mine Company Limited, THISDAY can now reveal.
According to our investigations, the central bank made the suspect payments through the New York-based HSB Bank, after the gold mine company went bust.
Impeccable government sources have revealed that BoT also paid an additional $13.34m (approx. 17bn/-) to another bank account under the name of TANGOLD, at the National Bank of Commerce Limited Corporate Branch in Dar es Salaam.
It is understood that BoT transferred a total of $118,396,460.36 to Nedbank Limited through HSB Bank based in New York, being payment to liquidate a loan issued by Nedbank to Meremeta Gold Mine Co. Ltd after the company had gone bankrupt.
On the other hand, another payment to the tune of $13,340,168.37 was made to the TANGOLD bank account at the NBC Corporate Branch, our sources say.
Government insiders also say that beforehand, BoT officials purchased a controversial 155bn/- Treasury bond and later exchanged the amount for US dollar currency, which was used to effect the suspect payments to Meremeta and TANGOLD.
Before being liquidated, Meremeta Gold was a joint venture owned on a 50-50 basis by the Tanzanian government and a private company called Trinnex (Pty) Limited.
The company went bankrupt following what was officially described as ’’poor performance.’’ Its assets and liabilities - including the Buhemba Gold Mine in Mara Region - were then transferred to TANGOLD, a new company wholly owned by the government.
It remains unclear why the government through the central bank - decided to clear the loan on behalf of Meremeta Gold Mine Co. Ltd after it became bankrupt, instead of Nedbank Ltd filing its claim directly to the liquidator.
The BoT governor, Dr Daudi Ballali, has recently faced a storm of criticism over various allegations pointing to massive misappropriation of funds at the central bank. The allegations have prompted calls from opposition members of parliament for the embattled governor to either resign or be sacked.
The Deputy Opposition leader in parliament, Dr Wilbrod Slaa (Karatu´s CHADEMA), made a call in the National Assembly for Ballali to step down as BoT governor in order to pave the way for a full investigation into the allegations.
Basically, the allegations have centred on the reported mysterious disappearance’ of foreign exchange funds from the BoT´s external commercial debt account, in excess of $200m (approx. 250bn/-).
There have also been queries on the ever-ballooning costs of construction of the BoT Twin Towers headquarters in Dar es Salaam, said to have now reached a staggering $340m (approx. 425bn/-), which is more than four times costly compared to similar buildings in London, New York and Tokyo.
Much reference has been made to a mysterious, widely circulated email document that, amongst other things, accuses Ballali of personally facilitating the alleged funds misappropriations at the central bank.
However, according to our impeccable sources, the latest revelations of payments made through BoT to clear the Meremeta loan and boost the TANGOLD account are not mentioned in the much-hyped email document.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Ugandans and Kenyans support East African Community, Tanzanians are skeptical
By Elizabeth Agiro
UGANDANS and Kenyans overwhelmingly support the formation of the East African Community (EAC), while Tanzanians are more skeptical.
Only 10% of
Tanzania´s reluctance might be related to the fact that it is already part of another regional grouping, the Southern Africa Development Co-operation, which might bring about divided loyalties. Tanzanians might also fear being flooded by goods from
On the admission of
Three quarters of
Awareness about the East African Community among the three countries is high. About 90% of residents in
The East African Social Political Economic and Cultural Barometer is conducted by the Steadman Group every week. The latest survey, conducted between June 26 and July 3, wanted to establish the support for the East African Community in the three capitals.
The EAC political federation is currently being fast-tracked. A federal president and parliament are expected in 2013.
Analysts argue that such a federation would promote political stability and eliminate tribalism in the region.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Jagland scolds UNE boss
Thorbjørn Jagland, president of Norway's Parliament, in turn doesn't think Sjeggestad should contact the politicians directly.____________________________________
Terje Sjeggestad, director of the Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), doesn't take kindly to politicians criticizing the board's decisions, and he's let them know it.PHOTO: CORNELIUS POPPE / SCANPIX.
________________________________________________
The president of Norway's Parliament, Thorbjørn Jagland, has rebuked the head of the country's Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), after the UNE boss himself scolded a few politicians for meddling in his affairs.
The quarreling hit the headlines earlier this week, after UNE director Terje Sjeggestad sent a letter to the head of the Liberal Party (Venstre), complaining that party deputy Olaf Thommessen was undermining UNE's work by vigorously criticizing it in the media.
UNE has been under pressure lately after it refused to retreat from its decision that a large group of Afghan refugees did not qualify for asylum in Norway, and should be sent back to Afghanistan.
Public sympathy for the Aghans' plight prompted several politicians from a variety of parties to react, and criticize the work of Sjeggestad's immigration appeals board.
It's since emerged that Thommessen isn't the only politician to spark complaints from Sjeggestad. Both Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa from the Center Party (Sp) and Ågot Valle from the Socialist Left (SV) have said that Sjeggestad has also scolded them after they criticized his work.
"Sjeggestad is a bureaucrat with a lot of power," Ingvild Vaggen Malvik of SV told newspaper Aftenposten. "But when he tries to gag a politician, then he's exceeding the limits of his power."
It appears the president of Norway's parliament agrees. Jagland, a former prime minister from the Labour Party, told Aftenposten Friday that it's "unacceptable" for a top bureaucrat to take direct contact with members of parliament as Sjeggestad has done.
Jagland worried that Sjeggestad may be endangering UNE's independent role as an evaluator of immigration decisions. He added that no one can rob a member of Parliament of his or her right to express an opinion.
Sjeggestad seemed to brush off Jagland's criticism, saying he had kept the cabinet ministers in charge of immigration affairs oriented.
He stressed that the Parliament itself established the immigration appeals board (Utlendingsnemnda) and "we must stay within the framework that the Parliament set for our operations."
Sjeggestad doesn't like it when individual politicians try to influence UNE's work or challenge its decisions, and he's determined to let them know it.
Erna Solberg, head of the Conservatives and a former cabinet minister in charge of immigration issues, supported Sjeggestad. "It's entirely suitable that UNE reports back to politicians who don't recognize the laws and rules that they themselves were part of passing," Solberg said.
Thomas Spence
Aftenposten English Web Desk
Nina Berglund/NTB
Precautions against forced marriages
Every year a number of young people with immigrant backgrounds are forced into marriages when they are on holidays or visiting relatives abroad. The UDI’s team specialized in combating forced marriages works in helping young people who can be in danger of being given away in marriages against their will.
The UDI’s specialized team cooperates with schools, the Child welfare emergency response service and the police in helping young people who are worried that they will be forced into marriages. Young people in Norway, both boys and girls, with backgrounds from different countries can be in danger of being forced into marriages. Experience shows that girls between the ages of 15 and 18 can be more vulnerable. The danger of being forced into marriages increases considerably if the girl has previously been in conflict with her family or if she has found a boyfriend.
- We have several examples where young people have been on holidays only to be forced into marriages, says Terje Bjøranger who leads the specialized team at the UDI .
Bjøranger says that, young people who are worried that they will be forced into marriages whiles they are on holiday abroad can contact their teachers, the local Child welfare emergency or the police.
- The UDI is in contact with schools who are concerned for the welfare of their pupils. Concerned relatives and teachers have been in contact with the UDI's specialized team. So far this year, the UDI has had 75 concrete enquiries concerning honour related violent episodes, including forced marriages. Fortunately there has been a greater public awareness about the problem, says Bjøranger.
He emphasises how important it is for the public authorities to let the young people know that it is more difficult to help them when they are living abroad.
- Young people who are worried before they travel on holidays ought to contact the Child welfare agency or the police before they travel with their families. They can then inform the authorities of when they are to travel back to Norway and then make an agreement on assistance. If they are not in Norway at the appointed date, the authorities can then take action. It is advisable, if possible, that the young people bring extra money, a copy of their passports and identity papers, says Bjøranger. The police and the Child welfare agency should also have a copy of their travel documents, if the young people choose to travel
The Norwegian authorities can help the young people if they travel on holidays with their families or when they are in Norway. The authorities could be able to help by offering assistance to make the young people feel safer. Bjøranger repeats that it is much easier to assist young people in difficult situations when they are in Norway than when they are abroad.
Young people who are concerned can contact their local Child welfare agency or the police. In addition they can also call the emergency telephone for forced marriages, 22 70 55 87, or the police's contact number 02800. If necessary the police emergency number, 112 can be also called.
From UDI website: (UDI = Norwegian Immigration Directorate)
Before military choppers deal landed in court: Ikulu was warned, asked to intervene
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete’s State House was sometime this year asked to intervene in the controversial military helicopters deal before the matter finally landed in the High Court this week, THISDAY can now reveal.
It has been established that State House was formally informed about the intricacies of the deal and warned that the Ministry of Defence and National Service had bought civilian helicopters that were unsuitable for military operations.
In a letter addressed to State House Chief Secretary Philemon Luhanjo, dated April 3 this year, proprietors of the Dar es Salaam-based Khaisa Enterprises Limited company endeavoured to explain how the defence ministry had allegedly breached its contract with the firm for the supply of the choppers.
’’We know that the breach of contract was the result of (a decision by) the Ministry of Defence to purchase four civilian helicopters, known as Agusta Bell 412EP, from a different company,’’ said the company’s executive chairman Mouhidin A.S in the letter to Luhanjo.
Agusta Bell 412EP_____________________
He added: ’’You may wish to know that the plan to buy such civilian helicopters was waived earlier, as this type was not recommended for military use and it’s not a multi-purpose helicopter - it is only for commercial operations.’’
According to Mouhidin, it was quite a surprise to everybody when the already rejected Agusta Bell aircraft were eventually purchased by the defence ministry for use by the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces (TPDF).
In his letter to State House, the Khaisa Enterprises top executive also pressed for compensation from the government, on grounds that the defence ministry’s own correspondence to the company clearly stated that the government would be responsible for the costs incurred in the deal.
It could not be immediately ascertained if the company had received any response from State House before finally deciding to open litigation proceedings against the government this week.
Khaisa Enterprises Limited is suing the Ministry of Defence and National Service, with its permanent secretary as principal officer and therefore first respondent, for a total of 10 million euros (approx. 16.8bn/-) in compensation.
In civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, the company accuses the defence ministry of ’’unlawfully dishonouring’’ a 2002 agreement between the two parties over the supply of the choppers.
The attorney general has also been named as second respondent in the plaint, by virtue of his position as the government’s chief legal advisor.
According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).
Eurocopter´s version AS - 532 Cougar Mk II of the Netherland Air Force.
_______________________________________________
The 16.8bn/- being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn, if the aborted deal had actually gone through.
Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 130m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.
In the suit, the city-based company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for delegations of senior TPDF officers to inspect the COUGAR helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.
Investigations by THISDAY have previously established that the defence ministry purchased the controversial Agusta Bell civilian choppers through Merlin International Limited, another Dar es Salaam-based company owned by businessmen Shailesh Vithlani and Tanil Somaiya.
Apart from being reportedly unsuitable for military operations, the Agusta Bell aircraft are also said to have been overpriced by close to $20m (approx. 26bn/-).
Merlin International is the same company linked to the government’s purchase of a similarly controversial, $41m (approx. 52bn/-) military radar system, which is currently at the centre of a local and international corruption investigation.
The company was also behind the sale of a $40m (50.7bn/-) Gulfstream presidential jet to the third phase government of former president Benjamin Mkapa, the supply of over 600 IVECO military trucks to TPDF at a price exceeding 90bn/-, and other big defence contracts involving the government.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Compulsory military service for women?
Compulsory military service for women may be introduced already in the next parliamentary period, says Defence Minister Anne-Grete Stroem-Erichsen to NRK.
In her opinion, the present system for national service is outdated, and she is working to make system gender neutral.
The proposed new law covering general conscription for both men and women will be presented to Parliament (Storting) next spring.
If the law is passed, today's 15-year-old girls may be called up for national service at the age of 18.
NRK = Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
Defence ministry sued
-More specific details emerge as saga of the overpriced military helicopters lands in High Court corridors
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
THE Ministry of Defence and National Service is now being officially sued for almost 17bn/- for a breach of contract in connection with the supply of military helicopters to the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces (TPDF).
Proprietors of the Dar es Salaam-based Khaisa Enterprises Limited company yesterday formally submitted their civil suit against the defence ministry, seeking compensation amounting to 10 million euros (approx. 16.8bn/-) for ’’unlawfully dishonouring’’ an agreement between the two parties over the supply of the choppers.
In the civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, the attorney general has also been named as respondent alongside the defence ministry, by virtue of his position as the government’s chief legal advisor.
According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court yesterday, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).
The 16.8bn/- being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn, if the deal had indeed gone through.
Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 130m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.
In the suit, the city-based company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for a delegation of senior TPDF officers to inspect the helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.
Attached to the plaint filed yesterday was a photocopy of the passports of the TPDF officers who were flown to France in 1998, to view the aircraft at the Eurocopters plant in Paris. This team was led by Brigadier General Reginald Chonjo, the then TPDF in-charge of planning and development.
Other members of the delegation were Brig. Gen. Philemon Kirigiti (TPDF chief of logistics and engineering; Lieutenant Colonel Mbaga (an aviator and radar expert); Captain Ben Ntanga (an army pilot and helicopters expert); and Major Mbaraka Issa Komba (army aircraft technician).
A second delegation of senior army men, led by Major General Makitosi who was then the TPDF Air Wing commanding officer, is said to have also been flown to Paris by Khaisa Enterprises in 2001, and subsequently recommended the COUGAR choppers for purchase by the defence ministry.
It is further asserted that government officials were also given fully-paid trips to the United States, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, all as part of the process of picking the right helicopters for the Tanzanian military.
Khaisa Enterprises also claims that after a thorough investigation and the physical visits to the Paris-based factory by the TPDF delegation, it was agreed that a draft contract for the supply of the multi-role COUGAR choppers be prepared along with the supply of 1,200 rockets.
According to the plaint, the then Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Robert Mboma, had personally contacted the aircraft manufacturers, Eurocopter in France, asking for ’’adjustment of specifications, quantity to be supplied, facilities to be fitted in the helicopters, plus arrangements for a financing package.’’
The draft contract and a copy of Gen. Mboma’s letter to the defence manufacturers, dated June 12, 1998, are also attached with the plaint.
It is stated that Khaisa Enterprises had already secured financing of up to $142m (approx. 179bn/-) from a US-based firm called Financial Services Company in order to facilitate the transaction.
The financier is said to have contacted the defence ministry and the then Minister for Finance, Basil Mramba, seeking reassurances from the Tanzanian government so as to proceed with the financing of the deal.
But according to the plaint filed by Khaisa Enterprises, as negotiations were proceeding ’’smoothly’’ with the government over the choppers supply deal and after incurring huge consultancy costs, it then emerged that a different company had manoeuvred its way into the lucrative deal.
The plaintiffs assert that at this point it was established that ’’another company completely alien in the process has penetrated, and in fact has (ingratiated) itself to the defendants (defence ministry and AG), with a view to supply the helicopters without prior notice...’’
They further assert that after wrestling Khaisa Enterprises out of the deal, officials not specifically named in the plaint then went ahead and bought four helicopters of a make ’’which had already been rejected by the defendants (defence ministry), on the basis that the same were of inferior quality and were civilian helicopters, while defendants required helicopters for military use.’’
According to the plaint, the defence ministry’s decision to abruptly buy different choppers from a different agent was a breach of contract and caused severe losses to Khaisa Enterprises.
Furthermore, the document filed at the High Court states that it has been discovered that the defence ministry ’’purchased helicopters at a higher cost of $9.263m each, contrary to the ones proposed by the plaintiff (Khaisa Enterprises Ltd) which were relatively cheaper at $4.7m each, thus making the nation suffer a loss of $4.563m for each helicopter purchased.’’
The suit against the government was filed by M&N Law Associates (Advocates), on behalf of Khaisa Enterprises Ltd.
Investigations by THISDAY have previously established that the defence ministry bought four Agusta Bell helicopters model 412 EP - soft-skin, civilian helicopters that are not suitable for military operations, but are mostly used for commercial flights.
It has also been confirmed that another city-based company, Merlin International Limited which is owned by businessmen Shailesh Vithlani and Tanil Somaiya, was the agent used to supply the Agusta Bell helicopters at vastly inflated prices.
IVECO military truck
_____________________
Merlin International is the same company linked to the supply of the controversial $41m (approx. 52bn/-) military radar system, the sale of a $40m (50.7bn/-) Gulfstream presidential jet to the government, the supply of over 600 IVECO military trucks for over 90bn/-, and other suspect military deals.
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
THE Ministry of Defence and National Service is now being officially sued for almost 17bn/- for a breach of contract in connection with the supply of military helicopters to the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces (TPDF).
Proprietors of the Dar es Salaam-based Khaisa Enterprises Limited company yesterday formally submitted their civil suit against the defence ministry, seeking compensation amounting to 10 million euros (approx. 16.8bn/-) for ’’unlawfully dishonouring’’ an agreement between the two parties over the supply of the choppers.
In the civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, the attorney general has also been named as respondent alongside the defence ministry, by virtue of his position as the government’s chief legal advisor.
According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court yesterday, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).
The 16.8bn/- being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn, if the deal had indeed gone through.
Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 130m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.
In the suit, the city-based company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for a delegation of senior TPDF officers to inspect the helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.
Attached to the plaint filed yesterday was a photocopy of the passports of the TPDF officers who were flown to France in 1998, to view the aircraft at the Eurocopters plant in Paris. This team was led by Brigadier General Reginald Chonjo, the then TPDF in-charge of planning and development.
Other members of the delegation were Brig. Gen. Philemon Kirigiti (TPDF chief of logistics and engineering; Lieutenant Colonel Mbaga (an aviator and radar expert); Captain Ben Ntanga (an army pilot and helicopters expert); and Major Mbaraka Issa Komba (army aircraft technician).
A second delegation of senior army men, led by Major General Makitosi who was then the TPDF Air Wing commanding officer, is said to have also been flown to Paris by Khaisa Enterprises in 2001, and subsequently recommended the COUGAR choppers for purchase by the defence ministry.
It is further asserted that government officials were also given fully-paid trips to the United States, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, all as part of the process of picking the right helicopters for the Tanzanian military.
Khaisa Enterprises also claims that after a thorough investigation and the physical visits to the Paris-based factory by the TPDF delegation, it was agreed that a draft contract for the supply of the multi-role COUGAR choppers be prepared along with the supply of 1,200 rockets.
According to the plaint, the then Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Robert Mboma, had personally contacted the aircraft manufacturers, Eurocopter in France, asking for ’’adjustment of specifications, quantity to be supplied, facilities to be fitted in the helicopters, plus arrangements for a financing package.’’
The draft contract and a copy of Gen. Mboma’s letter to the defence manufacturers, dated June 12, 1998, are also attached with the plaint.
It is stated that Khaisa Enterprises had already secured financing of up to $142m (approx. 179bn/-) from a US-based firm called Financial Services Company in order to facilitate the transaction.
The financier is said to have contacted the defence ministry and the then Minister for Finance, Basil Mramba, seeking reassurances from the Tanzanian government so as to proceed with the financing of the deal.
But according to the plaint filed by Khaisa Enterprises, as negotiations were proceeding ’’smoothly’’ with the government over the choppers supply deal and after incurring huge consultancy costs, it then emerged that a different company had manoeuvred its way into the lucrative deal.
The plaintiffs assert that at this point it was established that ’’another company completely alien in the process has penetrated, and in fact has (ingratiated) itself to the defendants (defence ministry and AG), with a view to supply the helicopters without prior notice...’’
They further assert that after wrestling Khaisa Enterprises out of the deal, officials not specifically named in the plaint then went ahead and bought four helicopters of a make ’’which had already been rejected by the defendants (defence ministry), on the basis that the same were of inferior quality and were civilian helicopters, while defendants required helicopters for military use.’’
According to the plaint, the defence ministry’s decision to abruptly buy different choppers from a different agent was a breach of contract and caused severe losses to Khaisa Enterprises.
Furthermore, the document filed at the High Court states that it has been discovered that the defence ministry ’’purchased helicopters at a higher cost of $9.263m each, contrary to the ones proposed by the plaintiff (Khaisa Enterprises Ltd) which were relatively cheaper at $4.7m each, thus making the nation suffer a loss of $4.563m for each helicopter purchased.’’
The suit against the government was filed by M&N Law Associates (Advocates), on behalf of Khaisa Enterprises Ltd.
Investigations by THISDAY have previously established that the defence ministry bought four Agusta Bell helicopters model 412 EP - soft-skin, civilian helicopters that are not suitable for military operations, but are mostly used for commercial flights.
It has also been confirmed that another city-based company, Merlin International Limited which is owned by businessmen Shailesh Vithlani and Tanil Somaiya, was the agent used to supply the Agusta Bell helicopters at vastly inflated prices.
IVECO military truck_____________________
Thursday, July 05, 2007
New revelations on military helicopters deal: Deliberately overpriced by close to $20m
-Govt duped into buying same model earlier rejected by former army chief. Name of Merlin International crops up yet again.
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam.
IT has now been revealed that the Ministry of Defence and National Service paid a vastly inflated price for the same helicopters it had earlier officially rejected as being unfit for military use.
According to latest THISDAY findings, the ministry paid more than $9m (approx. 11bn/-) for each of the four Agusta Bell choppers, which was almost double the actual unit price of around $4.7m (approx. 6bn/-), going by prevailing market prices.
This means that defence ministry officials squandered a total of $18.25m (about 22bn/-) in overpaying for the helicopters under dubious circumstances.
Government sources familiar with the deal have now informed THISDAY that the Agusta Bell helicopter model 412 EP bought by the ministry a couple of years ago are soft-skin, civilian aircraft and not standard military choppers.
Agusta Bell helicopter model 412 EP.
_________________________
’’The helicopter model and specifications bought for the army is similar to the one currently being used by the police force,’’ a government aviation expert said.
The Minister for Defence and National Service, Prof. Juma Kapuya, was not immediately available for comment yesterday to respond to the latest findings with regard to the controversial defence contracts.
It is understood that the then Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Robert Mboma, had earlier rejected the Agusta Bell helicopters on grounds that they were designed for commercial flights and not military operations.
General Mboma, a former commanding officer of the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces (TPDF) Air Wing, is said to have preferred the French-made Cougar AS 532 helicopters, which are described as being more appropriate for military use.
French-made Cougar AS 532
_______________________
According to our sources, it was on General Mboma’s recommendation that TPDF in 1998 entered into an agreement with a Dar es Salaam-based firm for the supply of the Cougar helicopters, manufactured by the Eurocopter company in France.
’’However, unexpected delays cropped up and the tender was finally wrestled away from the local company that had initially won the contract,’’ said one of our sources.
At this point, it has now been disclosed that another city-based firm - Merlin International Limited - somehow manoeuvred its way into the contract for the supply of the helicopters to TPDF.
But in a surprise move, after succeeding in elbowing out the company that had won the tender in the first place, Merlin is understood to have later supplied to the government the same Agusta Bell civilian choppers that had previously been rejected by the army.
The then Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB) and Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have been separately investigating the radar deal in the wake of revelations that $12m (approx. 15bn/-) worth of illegal kickbacks were paid to several top officials to approve the controversial deal.
The money, said to have been secretly paid by the UK arms manufacturer company BAE Systems into a Swiss bank account, has allegedly been linked to Vithlani and other members of his local network.
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam.
IT has now been revealed that the Ministry of Defence and National Service paid a vastly inflated price for the same helicopters it had earlier officially rejected as being unfit for military use.
According to latest THISDAY findings, the ministry paid more than $9m (approx. 11bn/-) for each of the four Agusta Bell choppers, which was almost double the actual unit price of around $4.7m (approx. 6bn/-), going by prevailing market prices.
This means that defence ministry officials squandered a total of $18.25m (about 22bn/-) in overpaying for the helicopters under dubious circumstances.
Government sources familiar with the deal have now informed THISDAY that the Agusta Bell helicopter model 412 EP bought by the ministry a couple of years ago are soft-skin, civilian aircraft and not standard military choppers.
Agusta Bell helicopter model 412 EP._________________________
’’The helicopter model and specifications bought for the army is similar to the one currently being used by the police force,’’ a government aviation expert said.
The Minister for Defence and National Service, Prof. Juma Kapuya, was not immediately available for comment yesterday to respond to the latest findings with regard to the controversial defence contracts.
It is understood that the then Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Robert Mboma, had earlier rejected the Agusta Bell helicopters on grounds that they were designed for commercial flights and not military operations.
General Mboma, a former commanding officer of the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces (TPDF) Air Wing, is said to have preferred the French-made Cougar AS 532 helicopters, which are described as being more appropriate for military use.
French-made Cougar AS 532_______________________
According to our sources, it was on General Mboma’s recommendation that TPDF in 1998 entered into an agreement with a Dar es Salaam-based firm for the supply of the Cougar helicopters, manufactured by the Eurocopter company in France.
’’However, unexpected delays cropped up and the tender was finally wrestled away from the local company that had initially won the contract,’’ said one of our sources.
At this point, it has now been disclosed that another city-based firm - Merlin International Limited - somehow manoeuvred its way into the contract for the supply of the helicopters to TPDF.
But in a surprise move, after succeeding in elbowing out the company that had won the tender in the first place, Merlin is understood to have later supplied to the government the same Agusta Bell civilian choppers that had previously been rejected by the army.
Merlin International Limited is the same company linked to the supply of the controversial $41m (approx. 52bn/-) military radar system, the sale of a $40m (50.7bn/-) Gulfstream presidential jet to the government, and the supply of over 600 IVECO military trucks for over 90bn/-.
Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV
___________________
The company’s majority shareholder, businessman Shailesh Vithlani, is reported to have worked closely with a network of influential local partners, including high-ranking government officials both current and retired, to secure the lucrative defence contracts.___________________
The then Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB) and Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have been separately investigating the radar deal in the wake of revelations that $12m (approx. 15bn/-) worth of illegal kickbacks were paid to several top officials to approve the controversial deal.
The money, said to have been secretly paid by the UK arms manufacturer company BAE Systems into a Swiss bank account, has allegedly been linked to Vithlani and other members of his local network.
Buying sex can yield jail term
Norway's center-left government has gone along with calls to criminalize the purchase of sexual services. "Norway shall not be a free zone for pimps and human traffickers," said Justice Minister Knut Storberget on Wednesday.
Storberget unveiled a new proposed law prohibiting the purchase of sex, punishable with up to six months in jail.
Prostitution has been legal in Norway, but government officials have grown increasingly worried about the scores of foreign prostitutes on local streets in recent years. They believe most are victims of human traffickers who have forced the women into prostitution and seize the vast majority of their earnings.
The new proposed law forbidding the purchase of sex is aimed at prostitutes' customers and alleged white slavery operations.
"This is also a wake-up call to Norwegian men who help keep human trafficking going," Storberget said.
He was personally against a law forbidding the purchase of sex, but was overruled by his own Labour Party at the last party congress. Since Labour's government partners, the Center and Socialist Left parties, already had supported such a law, Storberget had little choice but to go along.
The proposed law will now go to hearing and appears to have majority support in Parliament. If enacted, it will take effect from January 1st, with a six-month jail term for convicted offenders.
Floodwaters cause traffic problems
The extensive flooding over large areas of South Eastern Norway has created major traffic problems, after many roads and bridges have been closed by the floodwaters. Many farmers have lost their crops.
The water levels continued to rise in several places during the night, but were expected to peak Thursday or Friday in rivers and lakes in the counties of Telemark, Buskerud, Oppland, Oslo and Akershus.
The water levels continued to rise in several places during the night, but were expected to peak Thursday or Friday in rivers and lakes in the counties of Telemark, Buskerud, Oppland, Oslo and Akershus.
The flooding has in some areas been described as the worst in 50 years.
A large number of county and state highways are closed, and guards have been posted at several bridges.
In the city of Kongsberg the main bridges across the river have been closed, virtually dividing the city in two.
For the inhabitants of the municipality of Rollag, boats are now the only means of transport, NRK reports.
The flooding has also destroyed large tracts of farmland, carrying the top soil into the rivers and out to sea.
Many farmers have lost most of their crops, worth NOK millions.
Source: Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation(NRK)
| 05.07.2007 07:55 | |
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
BOT FUNDS MISAPPROPRIATION SCANDAL: Govt task force targets media, whistleblowers
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
OFFICIAL investigations of an anonymous email document detailing alleged fraud at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) now appear to be focussed on identifying the whistleblowers and newspapers that leaked the information to the public, government officials said yesterday.
The officials, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the probe, revealed that a lot of resources in the enquiry are targeting the media and authors of the document, rather than getting to the bottom of the actual allegations listed therein.
It is understood that a task force comprising members from the country’s security and intelligence system has been formed to look into the matter of the controversial email, the contents of which have been the subject of much parliamentary debate over the past couple of weeks.
The task force is reportedly led by a top economic crimes expert from Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (TISS).
But according to a government source familiar with the task force’s terms of reference, the ongoing probe is concentrating more and more on trying to trace the origin of the widely circulating email, as well as newspapers that extensively reported the matter, instead of verifying the contents.
’’Since misappropriating funds at the BoT is a criminal act and a very serious matter, that should certainly be the main focus of any inquiry,’’ said the source.
The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bill 2007, passed by parliament in April this year, contains a number of provisions for the protection of whistleblowers as a key component in the fight against graft.
But in this case, our sources tell us that ’’it seems some people in government are more interested in why newspapers are writing these things, than going after the real criminals who actually did embezzle millions of dollars from the BoT.’’
The latest probe comes amid heightened public calls for a formal criminal investigation into the allegations of about $200m (approx. 250bn/-) being misappropriated from a key BoT foreign exchange account, and not just a ’’mere audit.’’
But according to one of our sources: ’’There are apparent attempts by some influential people in government to dismiss these allegations against the BoT as blatant lies and fabrications, sponsored by opposition parties and some sections of the media.’’
It is also feared within some government circles that delays in carrying out the planned special audit of the BoT’s external commercial debt account could give the alleged culprits enough time to cover their tracks.
’’As more time passes, it becomes legally more difficult to apprehend the culprits. They could hide their ill-gotten wealth through various money laundering activities, like transferring properties to different companies,’’ said another source, also from within the government.
The source pointed out that since the government already has certain key facts concerning the allegations, ’’it doesn’t need to wait for the special audit.’’
Financial experts have also underlined the fact that although not all the allegations against the BoT and Governor Daudi Ballali may be true, there are some ’’well-known facts and leads’’ that government law enforcement agencies can investigate.
’’Between the Bank of Tanzania, the Treasury and local banks, they know exactly where the money went...it is not easy to hide tens of millions of US dollars,’’ said one expert.
The Minister for Finance, Ms Zakia Meghji, announced in parliament last week that the process of picking an international auditor for the special audit on BoT is to be concluded before the end of the year.
The reassurance from Ms Meghji came after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) made yet another urgent call for the speeding up of Tanzanian government investigations into the latest BoT funds misappropriation scandal.
The controversial email document alleges that BoT governor Ballali personally facilitated the funds misappropriation, in collaboration with an elitist group of local businessmen.
The IMF executive board demanded that the pending probe into fishy goings-on within the BoT be conducted ’’in a timely manner’’ and ’’in line with best international standards.’’
The Chain E-mail: BOT FUNDS MISAPPROPRIATION SCANDAL
Bank of Tanzania, Twin Towers in Dar es Salaam
_______________________________
Governor of
Bank of Tanzania
Don Daudi Balali
Capo Di Tutti Capi
Of Balali Family
A demure and insignificant former official of the IMF, his close relationship with Anna Muganda brought him back to Tanzania as an Advisor to the State House in 1995. He then went on to become Governor of Bank of Tanzania and discovered that he could pillage resources without fear.
He has been involved in every major scandal and has now holds more wealth than half the Government’s recurrent budget per annum. He has various companies and houses in South Africa, Tanzania, Dubai, Mauritius, Monaco, Switzerland and Washington. Not satisfied with the already high salary of USD 12000 per month from the Bank of Tanzania, Balali under heavy influence from his wife, Anna Muganda, went on to rob Tanzania. Anna has close ties with powers that be in the Third Phase Government, and close family ties with Malegesi. Balali became a hard core white collar criminal using his office to enrich himself and his friends, the other Capos Criminals. The projects and the amounts of funds stolen by him exceed UD 800 Million for transactions valued at USD 3 Billion over the last 7 years.
Bank of Tanzania
The Bank of Tanzania Project is costing Tanzania USD 8625 per square meter when the going construction cost in Tanzania is USD 700 per square meter. In New York and Tokyo, per square meter cost for furnished building does not exceed USD 2000 including land. Even considering the cost of USD 2000 per square meter, the 40000 sq. meters BOT towers should cost USD 80 Million. This would be gold handles and high security etc included.
The Tanzania Engineers Board, Architects Board, and Contractors Boards have made statements opposing the manner and cost of the BOT Towers. Balali has managed to get approval and spend USD 345 million, which means the estimated cost per square meter is USD 8625, over four times New York prices. Despite corruption allegations in the project early on in 1998 with Skanska (a Swedish company) disqualified for paying the Governor USD 5 million bribe, the Governor went to give the project to Group 5, a subsidiary of Skanska in South Africa. Estimated loss to Tanzania is USD 265 million.
The Meremeta Gold Company
The Governor is the custodian of this ill conceived mining project. He guaranteed this project from the Government for USD 100 million in 1999. Anna Muganda was a major shareholder and partner who brought in Time Mining to manage and operate the Meremeta Mines on behalf of the Government of Tanzania. She went on to become the wife of Balali in 2004.
The Meremeta Mines was a classic example of Daudi Balali giving Guarantees to companies in which he had an interest, the company thereafter filed bankruptcy and the Bank of Tanzania paid the funds against the Guarantee. Noting the strategic importance of having its own Gold Mine, Bank of Tanzania invested heavily into this mine while the South African partners raised the money and sold their shares after utilizing the funds in the first year of operation. The Governor, after supporting the loss making operation for 7 years, sold the mining rights to Rand Gold, making the Government mine unsustainable. The loss to Government of Tanzania is USD 132 million paid to the lenders against the Guarantee from BOT with interest and penalties. The Governor made payments in October 2005 before the end of Third Phase Government. He sold the mining rights to RAND Gold for below market prices causing a further loss of USD 100 million. Total loss to Government of USD 232 million
Foreign Debt Service Account Bank of Tanzania
The Governor had his associates preparing false and fraudulent deeds of assignment for funds owed to Japanese and other international companies.
While the international companies themselves have no knowledge of the payments, nor have they assigned the Deeds to these Tanzanian companies, the Bank of Tanzania approved over USD 150 million during two years to be paid to local companies belonging to close and personal associates of Daudi Balali. While Don Andy used his influence to convince the Governor to use Jeetu Patel and his partners, Don Daudi had his own people in mind. He therefore decided to spread the risk and use the Jonson Lukaza family to present part of the fake deeds of assignments.
To avoid detection, Balali asked the claims to be submitted for between 2-4 billion and paid the money over 5 months to 28 companies in 2005 alone. The Tanzania currency loss is partly attributed to this scandal as the Capos get paid in TAS and then rush to exchange this into USD cash to carry it out of the country. Since there is only USD 15 Million currency available as cash in the Tanzanian market at any given time, the huge demand by the Capos for over USD 150 Million has forced the shilling to fall over 25% in one year. The Governor even convinced the Government to release more USD in the market in order to shore up the shilling while he know very well there is no sound economic reason that releasing USD currency can shore up the shilling. What he was really doing was releasing USD cash into the market that the Capos and himself needed to buy.
Companies involved in BOT scandal belong to Capo Crimines Jayantibhai Patel, Vimal Mehta, Bharat Patel, Mitul Patel, Jonson Lukaza, Samson Mapunda, Aggrey Marealle, and Malegesi. The names are as follows:
Noble Azania Investments Ltd.
Noble Autoparts
Bank M Ltd
Bora Apartments
Changanyikeni Residential Complex
J.I International
Executive Solutions Ltd
Kernel Ltd.
Knight Frank Ltd (Real Estate company used by Lukaza, Jeetu and Malegesi to hide the stolen funds in properties)
Gimoafrica Properties Ltd. (Real Estate company used as above)
V& B Associates Ltd. B.V.Holdings
Navy Cut Tobacco Ltd. New Matallan Mining Serengeti Breweries Ltd. &
12 other companies
The Alex Stewarts Auditor Saga
Don Balali hired this firm to audit the gold exports from Tanzania
by mining companies. This company was based in Washington and before Tanzania, has never audited a single mining company. Coincidentally, most of the Alex Stewarts expatriate staff were the same individuals that were working for Time Mining, a company that operated and managed Meremeta Gold Company and then left with USD 100 million of Tanzania’s funds.
The shareholders and beneficiaries of Time Mining are Anna Muganda and other close associates of Don Balali. This type of audit agreement was the first in the history of Africa, with a company that has never done this type of auditing, and was paid a commission of 1.9 % from the total gold royalty the Government of Tanzania collected of 3.9%. This amounted to USD 1.5 Million per month, USD 18 Million per year and USD 72 million over the period of three years this company has had a contract with BOT. Sources within the company noted that the operating cost per month including the audit work done by 3 expatriates and 3 local staff in total does not exceed USD 50,000. Therefore, Don Balali was paying the auditing company closely associated with his wife 30 times its operating cost per month.
Even with a profit margin of 100%, this company should never have been paid more than USD 100,000 per month by BOT. Taking the USD 100,000 per month figure as an acceptable rate which may have been charged by any larger auditing firm, the loss to Tanzania would be USD 17 million per year and USD 68 million over the 4 year period. Information recently obtained note that the Governor intends to extend the contract for a period of 3 years and again this June 2007. The Alex Stewarts CEO and Don Andy have been have been doing the rounds, visiting several Ministers to extend this contract with BOT. Alex Stewarts now boasts of doing gold auditing in several countries in Africa.
Sent to Chama Cha Watanzania Oslo by Omari Guy Agallo Chichi: omyguyagallochichi@yahoo.co.uk
Forwarded to Tanzanet by:
From: Zainab Mwatawala
To: list@tanzanet.org; list@tanzanet-online.org
Time: Tuesday, 3 July, 2007 9:08:34 AM
Forwarded to Zainab Mwatawala by:
From: fadhili kilewo
To: Dilliwa Ebahat Shemahonge
Sent: Monday, 25 June, 2007 1:52:23 PM
Subject: Fw: GAVANA NI MWIZI ASHITAKIWE
( SKENDO YA TAIFA )
Source: Tanzanet mailinglist: list@tanzanet.org
Tanzania mailinglist: http://www.tanzanet.org
The chain goes on and on.....
Swahili is ready for its closeup
Josiah Kibira
__________
Plymouth filmmaker and Swahili speaker Josiah Kibira is about to begin production on a second film made in his native language.
He was 23 years old when he left the shores of Lake Victoria in Bukoba, Tanzania, to attend Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan., where he watched television for the first time in a dormitory. He left with a degree in business and wondered what it would take to be able to watch TV programs and movies in his own language, which is estimated to have 100 million speakers, but is not often heard onscreen.
"Why not in Swahili?" he remembers asking.
Two decades later, in 2003, he answered his own question by writing a screenplay called "Bongoland" that included dialogue in Swahili and English. Since then he has also made "Tusamehe," the story of a man in America and originally from the fictitious African country of Bongoland who learns he is HIV positive. This week, he'll be in Tanzania to produce his third movie, "Bongoland II."
The plot of the first "Bongoland" centers on Juma, an immigrant who came to the Twin Cities in search of the American Dream but left learning that the place still deemed by some as the "land of milk and honey" isn't always so sweet, especially for an undocumented worker.
Kibira named the movie "Bongoland," for the fictitious African country where Juma is from. To film the movie, he used a Canon digital camera and put together a 14-member cast, most of whom were volunteers. He used Apple's Final Cut Pro, a software widely used by independent filmmakers, to edit it on his computer at home, while also hiring an editor to help.
The final product was a 100-minute film that follows Juma -- at times with an unsteady camera -- through his crumbling love life and low-paying jobs.
Undiscouraged by denied grant applications, Kibira, who makes a living doing work for Solutia Consulting, paid for most of the film himself with some fundraising and help from individual donors. He has since sold some of the film's 600 copies on his website, www.kibirafilms.com (trailers are posted at YouTube.com).
As he prepares to make his next movie, "Bongoland II," which has a $30,000 budget, he said he doesn't plan to halt production to wait for grants to come through.
"What if they don't?" he asked. "Then that's one more year we don't have a Swahili movie."
When Kibira is in Tanzania filming "Bongoland II," he'll also have a seven-member crew and 10 student interns from the University of California at Los Angeles doing production work on the set. With a Tanzanian cast, the movie will be filmed entirely in Swahili. English subtitles will be added to the DVD for its release, which is slated for this fall.
Kibira's aim is to make one Swahili-language movie each year, he said, and sell them to U.S. universities with Swahili-language programs, as well as distribute them in Africa, where a lot of the television programs, such as "Bugs Bunny" and "Days of Our Lives," come from the United States.
"Why should we continue to see our culture through other people's art?" he asked.
"Bongoland II" centers on Juma's return to his home country.
"Will he or will he not succeed?" asks Kibira, who writes some of the film's scenes based on his own experiences. "The obvious is Juma is a big shot or life is good."
Uninterested in the obvious, Kibira plans to end the movie "with a big question mark."
Mary Hudetz • 612-673-4109
Source: Star Tribune, Minneapolis, St. Paul - Minnesota.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Better legal basis for DNA-testing and age-testing in immigration cases
With effect from 1. July 2007, two new statutories about DNA-testing and age-testing comes into effect in the Immigration Act. The regulations does not bring about any changes in the practices, but gives a better legal basis for the practices that are currently in use. Read the press release from The Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (AID) (only in Norwegian)
DNA-tests are used in conjunction with applications for residence permits for family members if there are reasons to doubt the alleged family relation.
Age-testing are used mainly in applications for asylum where the applicant claims to be an unaccompanied minor, but appears to be older than that. It may also be relevant to use age-testing in conjunction whith applications for family reunions where there is doubt whether the spouse is over the age of 18.
The new rules will not change the fact that no indivudual will have to undergo testing. If an applicant does not want to comply with the request, however, this may weaken the case.
Inakuwaje?
Mambo kangaja, huenda yakaja!
MIONGONI mwa mambo mazuri yanayonogesha lugha ni methali. Methali huifanya lugha iwe tamu na yenye haiba masikioni mwa anayesikiliza. Methali humsaidia mtu kuelewa kwa upana na wepesi maana ya kinachokusudiwa kusemwa.
Methali hutumiwa na ‘wenye lugha yao’ kuwasilisha ujumbe au maana kwa haraka na wepesi zaidi. Humfanya anayeelezwa jambo kwa njia hiyo, ubongo wake unase haraka sana maana ya analoelezwa.
Kwa mfano mtu akiambiwa “mgaa mgaa na upwa hali wali mkavu”, moja kwa moja anaelewa anatakiwa afanye nini. Methali hii hutumiwa kuwaelimisha watu wasiopenda kujihangaisha kutafuta maisha yao. Watu wanaopenda kukaa bila kujihangaisha, wakidhani maisha yao yatakuwa mazuri kwa kutegemea fadhila tu.
Gaagaa ni kwenda huku na huko. Si mtu anayetulia mahala pamoja. Ni mtu anayejituma.Upwa ni ufukwe wa bahari. Hali ni kinyume cha kula. Hivyo methali hiyo ina maana anayehagaika hatakosa kitu. Lazima atakipata au hata kama hakupata alichokinuia, atapata kingine badala pake. Ndiyo maana ya kuwa hatakula wali mkavu, kwani hata dagaa ataambulia tu kwa kuhangaika ufukweni.
Hivyo methali hii inamfundisha mtu anayehangaika ufukweni kwamba hatakosa kitoweo. Anaweza asipate changu au nguru, lakini anaweza akaambulia japo chaza.
Karibu lugha zote duniani zina utaratibu wa kuwa na methali. Si Kihindi, si Kichina, si Kijerumani, Kihaya, Kinyakyusa au hata Kizaramo. Zote zina methali ambazo wakati mwingine bila mtu kusema analolikusudia, akiitamka tu, anayeambiwa anaelewa moja kwa moja anachoambiwa.
“Ukistaajabu ya Mussa, utayaona ya Firauni” ni moja ya methali lukuki za Kiswahili. Hii inatuelimisha kwamba mtu asipende kushangaa mambo, kwani dunia ni duara. Akishangaa hili, atakumbana na kubwa kuliko hilo ambalo hukulitarajia kama linawezekana. Inakuwaje?
Hali hiyo ndiyo iliyomkumba mwanasiasa mmoja mashuhuri nchini mwetu mwenye nasabu ya ‘Mtu wa Mungu’. Mwanasiasa huyu alimshangaa sana mwanasiasa mwenzake, alipokumbwa na masahaibu ya kidunia hivi karibuni.
Mwanasiasa mwenzake huyo, alikumbwa na mkasa wa ‘kuchomekewa’ na dereva wa daladala alipokuwa katika gari lake. Aligongwa. Kwa hasira mwanasiasa huyo alimfuata dereva aliyemchomekea na kubishana naye. Katika mabishano yao, mwanasiasa yule alikuwa na silaha ya moto ambayo inadaiwa ilifyatuka, na risasi kumpiga dereva ambaye alikata roho.
‘Mtu wa Mungu’ akalishabikia sana hilo. Alimshutumu mwenzake na kufikia hatua ya kumlaani! Hiyo tisa, lakini ni majuzi tu ametinga mahakamani kumfungulia mashitaka akipinga kwa nini ameachiwa kwa dhamana. Anataka arudishwe jela, akae rumande hadi kesi yake itakapomalizika.
Waswahili husema “Mungu si Athumani’ au ‘Mcheka kilema hafi hakijamkuta’. Juzi naye ‘Mtu wa Mungu’ kakumbwa na yale yale aliyomcheka na kumkebehi mwenzake. Akiwa katika gari lake la gharama kubwa, akitokea Mbagala kwenda katikati ya jiji la Darisalama, ‘Mtu wa Mungu’ alichomekewa.
Si unajua mambo ya jiji hili ambalo limezoeleka kuitwa ‘Jiji la Makamba’, ambalo sasa linapaswa kuitwa ‘Jiji la Kandoro’ katika nyakati za foleni zisizokwisha? Zinazowatoa jasho madereva na abiria wao? Mwenye daladala kakaa kwenye msururu kachoka. Kama kawaida yao, ‘katanua’.
Kufumba na kufumbua hamad, gari na ‘mheshimiwa’ mwanasiasa mwenye nasaba ya mchungaji, limeguswa kwenye kioo. Pazuri hapo! Mheshimiwa huyu kashuka, na moja kwa moja kwa dereva wa daladala. Walioshuhudia wanadai alimshusha na kuanza kumtandika makofi. Inakuwaje!
Je, kama angekuwa na ‘cha moto’ naye si angefuata nyayo za mwanaisasa mwenzake aliyemsubu na kumshutumu kujichukulia sheria mkononi? Yeye amefanya nini? Wee acha tu; mambo haya uyasikie hivi hivi. Wenye daladala wana mambo na vijambo barabarani vinavyoweza ‘kumlevya’ yeyote hata uwe jasiri kiasi gani.
Cha kuomba, mambo hayo yasikukute. Mungu apishe mbali, vinginevyo wengi tungejikuta mikononi mwa pilato kwa kuwajeruhi madereva wa daladala! Yale yale ya “usicheke kilema wakati unaendelea kuishi”.
Ni vyema basi, binadamu mwenzako anapokutwa na janga, usipende kulivalia njuga na kumwona mjinga. Utambue kuwa kuna mazingira yanayoweza kumkuta mtu yakamfanya awe nusu kichaa, akili ikashindwa kutafakari. Cha kufanya ni kumwombea Mungu ampe moyo wa subira. Usishangilie kwani Waswahili husema “mambo kangaja, huenda yakaja”.
Makala hii imechekuliwa toka kwenye gazeti la Uhuru, Jumatatu, Julai 2, 2007.
Baruapepe: hassanmwa@yahoo.com
Simu (Dar es Salaam): 0784-300715
MIONGONI mwa mambo mazuri yanayonogesha lugha ni methali. Methali huifanya lugha iwe tamu na yenye haiba masikioni mwa anayesikiliza. Methali humsaidia mtu kuelewa kwa upana na wepesi maana ya kinachokusudiwa kusemwa.
Methali hutumiwa na ‘wenye lugha yao’ kuwasilisha ujumbe au maana kwa haraka na wepesi zaidi. Humfanya anayeelezwa jambo kwa njia hiyo, ubongo wake unase haraka sana maana ya analoelezwa.
Kwa mfano mtu akiambiwa “mgaa mgaa na upwa hali wali mkavu”, moja kwa moja anaelewa anatakiwa afanye nini. Methali hii hutumiwa kuwaelimisha watu wasiopenda kujihangaisha kutafuta maisha yao. Watu wanaopenda kukaa bila kujihangaisha, wakidhani maisha yao yatakuwa mazuri kwa kutegemea fadhila tu.
Gaagaa ni kwenda huku na huko. Si mtu anayetulia mahala pamoja. Ni mtu anayejituma.Upwa ni ufukwe wa bahari. Hali ni kinyume cha kula. Hivyo methali hiyo ina maana anayehagaika hatakosa kitu. Lazima atakipata au hata kama hakupata alichokinuia, atapata kingine badala pake. Ndiyo maana ya kuwa hatakula wali mkavu, kwani hata dagaa ataambulia tu kwa kuhangaika ufukweni.
Hivyo methali hii inamfundisha mtu anayehangaika ufukweni kwamba hatakosa kitoweo. Anaweza asipate changu au nguru, lakini anaweza akaambulia japo chaza.
Karibu lugha zote duniani zina utaratibu wa kuwa na methali. Si Kihindi, si Kichina, si Kijerumani, Kihaya, Kinyakyusa au hata Kizaramo. Zote zina methali ambazo wakati mwingine bila mtu kusema analolikusudia, akiitamka tu, anayeambiwa anaelewa moja kwa moja anachoambiwa.
“Ukistaajabu ya Mussa, utayaona ya Firauni” ni moja ya methali lukuki za Kiswahili. Hii inatuelimisha kwamba mtu asipende kushangaa mambo, kwani dunia ni duara. Akishangaa hili, atakumbana na kubwa kuliko hilo ambalo hukulitarajia kama linawezekana. Inakuwaje?
Hali hiyo ndiyo iliyomkumba mwanasiasa mmoja mashuhuri nchini mwetu mwenye nasabu ya ‘Mtu wa Mungu’. Mwanasiasa huyu alimshangaa sana mwanasiasa mwenzake, alipokumbwa na masahaibu ya kidunia hivi karibuni.
Mwanasiasa mwenzake huyo, alikumbwa na mkasa wa ‘kuchomekewa’ na dereva wa daladala alipokuwa katika gari lake. Aligongwa. Kwa hasira mwanasiasa huyo alimfuata dereva aliyemchomekea na kubishana naye. Katika mabishano yao, mwanasiasa yule alikuwa na silaha ya moto ambayo inadaiwa ilifyatuka, na risasi kumpiga dereva ambaye alikata roho.
‘Mtu wa Mungu’ akalishabikia sana hilo. Alimshutumu mwenzake na kufikia hatua ya kumlaani! Hiyo tisa, lakini ni majuzi tu ametinga mahakamani kumfungulia mashitaka akipinga kwa nini ameachiwa kwa dhamana. Anataka arudishwe jela, akae rumande hadi kesi yake itakapomalizika.
Waswahili husema “Mungu si Athumani’ au ‘Mcheka kilema hafi hakijamkuta’. Juzi naye ‘Mtu wa Mungu’ kakumbwa na yale yale aliyomcheka na kumkebehi mwenzake. Akiwa katika gari lake la gharama kubwa, akitokea Mbagala kwenda katikati ya jiji la Darisalama, ‘Mtu wa Mungu’ alichomekewa.
Si unajua mambo ya jiji hili ambalo limezoeleka kuitwa ‘Jiji la Makamba’, ambalo sasa linapaswa kuitwa ‘Jiji la Kandoro’ katika nyakati za foleni zisizokwisha? Zinazowatoa jasho madereva na abiria wao? Mwenye daladala kakaa kwenye msururu kachoka. Kama kawaida yao, ‘katanua’.
Kufumba na kufumbua hamad, gari na ‘mheshimiwa’ mwanasiasa mwenye nasaba ya mchungaji, limeguswa kwenye kioo. Pazuri hapo! Mheshimiwa huyu kashuka, na moja kwa moja kwa dereva wa daladala. Walioshuhudia wanadai alimshusha na kuanza kumtandika makofi. Inakuwaje!
Je, kama angekuwa na ‘cha moto’ naye si angefuata nyayo za mwanaisasa mwenzake aliyemsubu na kumshutumu kujichukulia sheria mkononi? Yeye amefanya nini? Wee acha tu; mambo haya uyasikie hivi hivi. Wenye daladala wana mambo na vijambo barabarani vinavyoweza ‘kumlevya’ yeyote hata uwe jasiri kiasi gani.
Cha kuomba, mambo hayo yasikukute. Mungu apishe mbali, vinginevyo wengi tungejikuta mikononi mwa pilato kwa kuwajeruhi madereva wa daladala! Yale yale ya “usicheke kilema wakati unaendelea kuishi”.
Ni vyema basi, binadamu mwenzako anapokutwa na janga, usipende kulivalia njuga na kumwona mjinga. Utambue kuwa kuna mazingira yanayoweza kumkuta mtu yakamfanya awe nusu kichaa, akili ikashindwa kutafakari. Cha kufanya ni kumwombea Mungu ampe moyo wa subira. Usishangilie kwani Waswahili husema “mambo kangaja, huenda yakaja”.
Makala hii imechekuliwa toka kwenye gazeti la Uhuru, Jumatatu, Julai 2, 2007.
Baruapepe: hassanmwa@yahoo.com
Simu (Dar es Salaam): 0784-300715
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Huu ni Uswahili au hulka ya binadamu?
Katika siku za karibuni kumekuwa na malamiko ya chinichini kutoka kwa mwanadada Hafsa....akilalamika kupitia vyombo mbalimbali vya habari kuwa msanii Banana Zorro aliyemshirikisha kwenye wimbo wake uitwao 'Presha' anafanya vitendo vinavyomuumiza hadi kufikia wakati mwingine kutoa hata machozi.
Banana Zorro (kushoto) na Hafsa (kulia)
________________________
Kwanza kabisa inasemekana wasanii hawa kwa sasa hawaongei...ingawa wenyewe wanakataa! huku kila mmoja akimshutumu mwenzake kuwa ndiye chanzo cha yote hayo
TATIZO
Hafsa anadai Banana mara nyingi akiwa mikoani...katika matangazo ya kuwaita watu kwenye show..amekuwa akiutumia wimbo huo...na hivyo wengi huudhuria wakijua kuwa yeye Hafsa atakuwepo!
Hapa anauliza kwanini Banana asitumie nyimbo zake!!!
Kingine mwanadada huyo anachosema kinamwumiza zaidi....ni kufikia mpaka Banana kumchukua dada yake mzazi kwenda nae mikoani na kaperform wimbo wa 'Presha' huku dada yake huyo akiimba sehemu iliyotakiwa kuimbwa na Hafsa.
...."wakati mwingine nafikiri anataka kunionea kwa kuwa mimi ndio kwanza nachipukia halafu ni mtoto wa kike....analalama mwanadada huyo.
......Mimi naamini tutakuja kupata mwafaka lakini pia niweke wazi kuwa sitapenda kuonewa.
".........Wimbo huu ni haki yangu na nimeusajili COSOTA,kwa hiyo kama kuna matatizo basi napaswa kupata ufumbuzi.
BANANA
Kwa upande wa Banana yeye anasema hana ugomvi na mwanadada huyo...ila vitendo vyake vya kulalamika kwenye vyombo vya habari kunamchafulia.
............."Unajua situmii wimbo huo kama anavyosema yeye,badala yake ninapokuwa naimba na bendi yangu inatokeaga watu wanauomba basi inabidi niwaimbie."
Hata hivyo Banana anapenda Hafsa atambue kwamba mashairi aliyoyaimba kwenye wimbo huo ni haki yake.
......."unajua ngoma ikivuma sana mwisho wake ni nini!Sasa hata ile tabia ya watu kuomba niwaimbie wimbo huo imepungua.Mashabiki hawapendi mambo ya malumbano.
Kutoka Dar es Salaam Hotwire.
Banana Zorro (kushoto) na Hafsa (kulia)________________________
TATIZO
Hafsa anadai Banana mara nyingi akiwa mikoani...katika matangazo ya kuwaita watu kwenye show..amekuwa akiutumia wimbo huo...na hivyo wengi huudhuria wakijua kuwa yeye Hafsa atakuwepo!
Hapa anauliza kwanini Banana asitumie nyimbo zake!!!
Kingine mwanadada huyo anachosema kinamwumiza zaidi....ni kufikia mpaka Banana kumchukua dada yake mzazi kwenda nae mikoani na kaperform wimbo wa 'Presha' huku dada yake huyo akiimba sehemu iliyotakiwa kuimbwa na Hafsa.
...."wakati mwingine nafikiri anataka kunionea kwa kuwa mimi ndio kwanza nachipukia halafu ni mtoto wa kike....analalama mwanadada huyo.
......Mimi naamini tutakuja kupata mwafaka lakini pia niweke wazi kuwa sitapenda kuonewa.
".........Wimbo huu ni haki yangu na nimeusajili COSOTA,kwa hiyo kama kuna matatizo basi napaswa kupata ufumbuzi.
BANANA
Kwa upande wa Banana yeye anasema hana ugomvi na mwanadada huyo...ila vitendo vyake vya kulalamika kwenye vyombo vya habari kunamchafulia.
............."Unajua situmii wimbo huo kama anavyosema yeye,badala yake ninapokuwa naimba na bendi yangu inatokeaga watu wanauomba basi inabidi niwaimbie."
Hata hivyo Banana anapenda Hafsa atambue kwamba mashairi aliyoyaimba kwenye wimbo huo ni haki yake.
......."unajua ngoma ikivuma sana mwisho wake ni nini!Sasa hata ile tabia ya watu kuomba niwaimbie wimbo huo imepungua.Mashabiki hawapendi mambo ya malumbano.
Kutoka Dar es Salaam Hotwire.
Sikiliza Bongo Flava, Bongo Dance, Taarab, Zilipendwa, Nyimbo za Injili, n.k.
http://www.mahusiano.com
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