A Member of
Parliament has said that, lack of aggressiveness is among the factors which
have made Tanzania to be slow in quick decision making process, hence failure
to keep abreast with other East African countries towards the accomplishment of
regional integration process. Nimrod Mkono (CCM) Musoma rural made the concern
on Thursday last week in Dodoma after the Head of State had just addressed the Parliament
on the Tanzania’s stand over East Africa Community integration. Mkono was
commenting on the President Jakaya Kikwete’s speech. Kikwete delivered a speech
to Tanzanians through Parliament in order to clear worries among some Tanzanians
amid rumours that the country might pull out itself from the regional bloc. Mkono
noted that, Tanzanians are too slow to make decisions on the outlined areas of
cooperation in the jurisdiction of the community, an aspect that fellow member
states such as Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have resolved to cooperate together to
accomplish the task on their sides. However, he said that Tanzania has to learn
the capitalist principles of economy in order to keep abreast with global
economy and do away with socialist ideologies which he said is still dominating
mindset of most leaders in the country. “You can’t expect someone who is
running to wait for you” he said giving specific examples of the three
member states who probably might have e
seen Tanzania is lagging behind for being not ready to make quick decision on
agreed basic fundamental issues of cooperation among members. Other MPs
received the speech in different perspectives. In an interview with , John
Shibuda (Chadema) an MP for Maswa West hailed President when contacted and
noted that, he has defended the development of the social community when he
said land will continue to be the property of Tanzanians. However, he also
hailed other things like when he said the right of indigenous employment as
well as the issue of immigration. With the latter issue the President meant
curbing illegal immigrants, these would stand as they are as per the country’s constitution
demand. “These are the fundamental rights which the Father of the Nation the
late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was fighting
for during his lifetime” he said adding that, Tanzanians should not be tampered
to disengage their mindsets as some of the EAC regional member states are
envious to have control with them. He congratulated his speech for being diplomatic
and well understood contrary to other ministers whom he didn’t mention saying
were misleading the public on Tanzania stand over the issue.
Moses Machari an
MP for Kasulu (NCCR-Mageuzi) said that, the President complained too much about
being sidelined by other fellow member East African states, but should have
taken one step forward to make negotiations on the table with partners to see
what could be done to lure their mindset. Machari who has hailed the government’s
initiatives to curb with acts of poaching and wanton felling of trees in our
national reserve forests, has advised the government to make negotiations on
the table and suggested no need to have an international mediator to intervene and
solve the matter as it is too early. He said what the three countries are doing
is not good at all bearing the fact that, Tanzania is the founding member since
the establishment of the former regional bloc in mid 1960s before it collapsed
in 1977, and later on revived in 1990s. On
his part, the Iringa town legislator (Chadema, Reverend Peter Msigwa insisted
that the government should do all it could in order to take to task all those
suspects who have been arrested on allegations leveled against them as related
with economic sabotage during the a national operation dubbed ‘Tokomeza’ which
the President has promised. Msigwa who is the shadow minister for Tourism and
Natural resources noted that, although the government has suspended the operations
indefinitely, he is optimistic that, it would take to task all those implicated
in various scandals as related with poaching and wanton felling of natural
forests. Andrew Chenge an MP for Bariadi West (CCM) stressed the need for the
government to stick into regular meetings as organized by EAC secretariat.
Chenge is on the view of the fact that, Tanzania government should not be
threatened by meetings organized by the three Presidents of fellow member
partners as the EAC has its own special meetings. Chenge once the country’s
Attorney General has also served as a Minister for East Africa Community portfolio
in 2006, stated clearly that, what governs
the EAC regional bloc is the secretarial meeting which is consisting of enough
technical experts to make control of all matters signed for the sake of the
community, and in view of this there is no doubt that Tanzania might lose its
position. However, he has hailed the President’s speech and noted that what the
President said is an overview of what is happening in the community and that
Tanzanians should not worry anything about the community as the integration
process of a regional bloc is peopled centered as in accordance with the treaty
signed. Among the hot matters that the President informed the National Assembly
on Thursday was the issue of Tanzania being sidelined following controversial meetings
which have been held secretly by three heads of member states of Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. The
President issued a government stand and assured Tanzanians that, Tanzania will never quit the East African
Community and will do everything in its power to ensure it survives and becomes
prosperous despite efforts by three fellow member states to sideline.
He told a full House: “We are in the EAC to
stay. We have come from so far. We have sacrificed too much to give up now. We
will do everything in our power to make sure the EAC survives and achieves its
ultimate goal of political federation.”
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