ARBITUAL MEMORY

It is really an arbitual memory when remembering people who at the moment are no longer living with us in the world. The photo above reminds me of my last days when I paid a visit to the late Bob Makani, the founder of the strong opposition party "Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo" (CHADEMA) before his death two weeks later, this was in mid of June 2012. I joined a campany with a journalist with Nipashe tabloid newspaper Mr. Mkate up to his residence at Mbezi Beach near White Sands Hotel. Mr. Mkate had an appointment with the late Makani on that day to discuss with him various matters pertaining to the development of the political artmoshere and tensions in the country. But with him, the interview was all about to collect his views on his party's campaigns his part had launched with the slogan titled "Vua gamba, Vaa gwanda". The party's campaign slogan had a significance of fighting corruption and hence forcing the perpetrators to resign and gets ready in the struggle for people's better life, a slogan which the CHADEMA party members occassionally uses in their struggle while moving in upcountry partyy's campagn meetings on their move to create new membership in its operations known as operation sangara.

This is the front view of the State House in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The building which serves as a presidential residence was constructed by British colonialists way back in 1930s and despite of its long existence it looks so attractive to onlookers.

TANESCO puts down initiatives to curb electricity deficit

TANESCO Headquarter building at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam

FEARS that had amounted among electricity users of the looming power rationing scheme in the country has been dashed off as the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) Ltd in collaboration with the government is underway to embark on the electricity generation plan to end power woes in the country. The move is to ensure that, the government’s promise of an effective power supply in the country is maintained and remains sustainable throughout this year and even beyond. The move by the Tanesco is to curb with the insufficient electricity power supply currently affecting the nation that is resulted from the low water levels found at the two major hydro-electricity power generating stations of Kidatu and Mtera respectively. The recent published report by Tanesco in the media is quoted as saying that, the generation plan aims at keeping intact the electricity supply between July-December despite of the current low water levels experienced at its main hydro power generating stations. The report is quoted as saying that, the continued low water levels at the generating hydropower stations is mainly due to the fact that, the long rains which started in mid March this year have stopped. However, the report has dismissed claims recently speculated by one media that the nation will soon be plunged into a total darkness due to a looming power crisis, but insisted that the strategies put forward aims to embark on a generation plan in a move to save the nation from the situation likely to occur between July and December 2012.  In view of the prevailing situation, the report has necessitated the need of the government to continue with the plan up to next year when another rainy season of the year sets in, and it added that it is a sustainable program aimed to envisage no power rationing schedules anymore in the country. According to the report, an average of 720 megawatts will be generated under the plan in order to cater for the country’s need, and incase the need arises more than the required megawatts other generating plant machines with the capacity of generating 100 megawatts will be operated to suffice the needy. The program under generation plan to the national grid involves all electricity sources found in the country with a view to curb with the current shortage of the electricity power supply to the needy people for industrial and production development. To facilitate the plan through, the hydro power has been evaluated with highly technical knowledge and expertise so as to ensure that the available water at the stations generates enough electricity which would be used up to another rainy seasons, reads part of the report. The report further indicate that, other sources to be used in this generation plan up to the end of this year, is the use of natural gas and oil plant machines. The two sources would be used as the initial source while those using water would be used to increase electricity so as to cater for the electricity need at the national grid.  Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals Eliakim Maswi has said that, the government will continue to utilize water, natural gas, and oil to generate enough electricity for the need of entire nation. Eliakim told a press conference early this week in Dar es Salaam that, the three elements will remain the chief mode of electricity generation in the country as the government does not have any other means whatsoever despite of the continued problems facing the power sector. However, he noted that, while the government is waiting for the Sh.408 billion loan to be made available to the ailing power utility firm in the country from a consortium of banks, the government has been availing the electricity company with financial support in form of a subsidy totaling Sh.222.4 billion and a recent Sh.25 billion to ensure enough fuel is available for generation of electricity.

The sunken MV Skagit leaves a family in a solitude state

Husein Ally Hamad (62) a resident of Tandika Kwa Maguruwe in Temeke district, Dar es Salaam region is in a grief stricken situation, and probably the most sufferer of the recent tragic marine accident of MV Skagit which occurred last week at Chumbe Islet 30 Km off the coast of Dar es Salaam city.  Hamad who lost three of his most beloved sons and some other close relatives find it difficult to narrate a miserable story about the misfortune which has befallen him and his family in general. However, he is a father of eight children and a native of Pemba Island who does his businesses in the mainland Tanzania to earn his living. It is not only the aftermaths of the MV Skagit which has made him to be lonely as a such, but he still feels the pangs of a yet another marine disaster which occurred in September 2011 near  Nungwi Islet north of Zanzibar Island. The Nungwi accident lost his daughter and a junior brother when the sunken MV Spice Islander capsized and claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in an accident described to be the worst ever happened along the eastern coast of Africa. It is a great sorrow indeed for him though he doesn’t have a need to thing about it so much to find out what could be the basic solution to the problem in order to ease his temper, but has preferred to remain sullen with nothing to do except to leave the matter upon the lord God.  He said in an exclusive interview on last Sunday morning when met at the Dar es Salaam port getting prepared to get a ticket aboard a ferry boat belonging to Azam Marine on his way to Zanzibar to attend the state funeral ceremony which was led by Zanzibar President Dr. Mohammed Shein for the people who perished in last week’s MV Skagit. “I am actually feeling painful as I remember my lost two sons, relatives and a daughter including some other family members who perished in the previous untold marine disasters”. He said while lamenting politely amid tears flowing down his chicks. In another development, relatives of the bereaved families who perished in the MV Skagit disaster have called on quick investigations that would establish the cause of accident that led to the tragic deaths of their innocent relatives. Speaking in an interview, a cross section of a grief stricken relatives said that, the government must be open and transparent when giving out the report about the accident which they say has paralyzed the mindset of many of them as they are still feeling the pangs of yet another marine disaster that claimed the lives of their relatives in September last year. Following the sunken MV Skagit disaster, the Zanzibar President Dr. Mohammed Shein has formed a probing commission of 10 people to carry out investigations to establish the authentic course of the accident and a report to be issued to the general public.

MV Skagit as it gets prepared to leave the Dar es Salaam port for Zanzibar during its operations.

statement issued early this week by the Permanent Secretary of the Zanzibar State House, Dr. Abdulhamid Yahya said that, the President has appointed Judge Abdulhakim Ameir Issa to lead a 10 people delegation consisting of marine experts who are highly specialized in rescuing activities on marine vessels. Judge Abdulhakim and others led the commission of enquiry on the investigations of the last year’s MV Spice Islander which sunk along Nungwi peninsular north of Zanzibar on its voyage to Pemba Island from Zanzibar and killed 1,529 people and scores of others were reported missing. Following the Chumbe marine disaster, the Zanzibar Minister for Infrastructure and Communications Hamad Masoud Hamad stepped down early this week, a move that has been described to have shown political maturity. An investigative piece of information can reveal through various web sources of information among the  www.seattletimes.nwsource.com that, the MV Skagit was built in 1989 at Halter Marine in New Orleans, Louisiana and was operating in Seattle in Washington in USA. It was stopped from operating in 2009 due to its old age and time expiry of its existence. The former Washington ferry served on the Seattle-Vashon Island route since its construction in 1989 before it was discarded and declared unsafe to sail by the US government four years ago. However, despite of its bad state, it was sold to greedy businessmen and transported to Tanzania. Before its purchase, the Washington State Ferries (WSF) the original owner, in the USA tried to sell the vessel and that one of its sister company, MV Kalama for $900,000 since 2009 but found no potential buyers for both obsolete vessels.  However, the two ferries were finally sold for a combined price of just $400,000 to Seagull Services Ltd based in Zanzibar and transported to operate in Tanzania in 2011. They arrived in Zanzibar in 2011 and were given full registration by Zanzibar Marine Authority (ZMA) with the numbers 100144. On arrival of the MV Skagit, its buyer altered its original design of the vessel and added yet another deck to accommodate more passengers and cargo contrary to the regulations which does not match with the capacity originally designed for it as the boats were to carry passengers only.  A senior marine official who spoke on strict condition of anonymity told this paper at Dar es Salaam port on Sunday last week that, inadequate safety measures, careless inspection on marine vessels, and lack of seriousness among government officials both in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar are to blame for the recent disaster. However, he noted that, bearing the facts and the circumstances surrounding the registration of the MV Skagit which was sold to Seagull Company should never have been allowed to set sail in Dar es Salaam port for it had its lifespan expired to navigate in sea waters. Cornered by this writer for comments over the allegations, an official from the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) noted that, the registration rules and procedures for ZMA are not the same as those governed in the mainland. SUMATRA’s Public Affairs Manager, David Mziray explained that, his organization in the mainland does not give a registration to a marine vessel which has been constructed with a lifespan of less than 20 years. He said adding that, for the case of MV Skagit, it had issued a certificate of standards which was to expire in mid August this year. However, he declined to say anything further claiming that the details about the MV Skagit, are made available to Zanzibar Marine Authority and that SUMATRA on the mainland had accepted it to operate and docked at Dar port because of its registration which was made in Zanzibar. Meanwhile, a Dar es Salaam based human right activist who preferred anonymity has called on the government to look at the levels of the accountability by its SUMATRA of the mainland Tanzania and that one of Zanzibar, noting that, the two authorities should give authentic facts as they are closer to the registration of the voyaging boats along the Indian Ocean waters. However, he said during the interview with this blog when contacted for comments early this week in Dar es Salaam and insisted that, the matter is more entirely handled by the Zanzibar Marine Authority who registered the ship to operate between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.

Kikwete urge transport stakeholders to adopt international standards

PRESIDENT Dr. Jakaya Kikwete has called on air transport stakeholders in the country to maintain their performances into international standard level so that Tanzania should be recognized world widely. The President made the call recently in Dar es Salaam in an occasion for which he was the guest of honour during the inauguration of the new hangar building for Precision Air Company which he has praised the various development initiatives it has shown towards strengthening air transport sector in the country. In his speech, the president reiterated the need for quality standards that should continue to be maintained at international level because local standards are no longer existing and recognized at the global market, and added that this it will bring fame to the country and the company as well. Describing the construction of such a state-of-the- art facility, the President noted that, it is of its kind in the country and thanked the management of the Precision Air Company for such an impressive development and noted that its presence will bring fame in the country. However, he thanked the company for having worked in partnership with a French based ATR company which in the foregoing days will be collaborating together in aircraft repair within the workshop. On seeing such a development, the president remarked that he would advise the ministry of transport to think of the construction of the aircraft engineering training centers, giving an example of the Soroti Pilot School in Uganda which served the purpose during the former East African Community (EAC). However, he noted that, the current EAC leaders have discussed various ways on how to revive its operations in order to produce more air craft engineers to serve within the East Africa regional bloc.

The President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete

He added that it’s high time for the government to recognize the role which is being played by the aviation industry in creating job opportunities and tourism promotion for the development of the country. On his part, the Chair person of the Board of the Precision Air, Michael Shirima has called upon the government to review the existing aviation laws which according to him do not give freedom to would be investors in the country. “Tanzania is unfortunately marked as an expensive destination by airline thus reducing the potential to create our own hub in Dar es Salaam” he said adding that, the situation must be reversed in order to pave ways for smoother investments” he said. He is on the view of the fact that the government should quickly eliminate the unnecessary regulations that choke business and render the activities ineffective for the development of the people in the country. However, he noted that, there is a need to liberalize all services totally because the challenges that the stakeholders faces are rather conducive and rather expensive to easily afford. Shirima has also urged the government to invest in the Precision Air Company by buying its shares in order to increase their capital investment to enhance its growth and make it possible to operate sooner to international routes. He noted this and gave an example of the Kenya Airways which he noted that the Kenya government has bought its shares up to 26 percent. About the just inaugural hangar he noted that, it will reduce the costs whereby the Precision Air used to spend when sending its planes outside the country, therefore, it will reduce unnecessary spending on foreign exchange. Apart from providing such services, the hangar will serve as a training ground for internship graduate students pursuing aircraft engineering courses at various higher learning institutions in the country.  According to Shirima, air transport is a vital engine for the developments in any country, and therefore the few aviation professionals in Tanzania must be sought to contribute ideas on the way to rid off the stumbling blocks in building a strong progressive and sustainable air transport industry which Tanzania is capable of achieving.

SUMATRA still works on transport stakeholders’ proposal

THE Surface and Marine Transport Agency (SUMATRA) is still working on the recent application by the transport stakeholders which they had sent two months ago requesting for the approval of an increase of the upcountry bus fare so that owners would be able to curb with the daily operational coast, an official from the agency has said. SUMATRA’s Corporate Affairs Manager David Mziray said in an exclusive interview last week in Dar es Salaam that, “a special committee consisting of economic experts has been selected by his organization to work on various opinions raised by stakeholders in order to reach a consensus  “We are still collecting views from the economic experts and other key transport stakeholders in the country. You see this issue is not an easy task as it touches the economy of the people and in view of this it really needs mote time to be considered thoroughly” he said. However he noted that, SUMATRA is not yet in a position to officially announce until all the experts have been contacted and their views looked at critically to evaluate their authenticity before giving out its final decision. He added that, as for now the time frame is shorter to make a quick decision. He added that, SUMATRA is still scrutinizing the magnitude of the problem and weigh stakeholders’ views over the matter prior to the official announcement.

Some of the Daladala mini-buses operating on the outskirts of the Dar es Salaam city. Owners have long been demanding for the fare increase.

He has also reiterated his organization’s need as it would not hesitate to take any stern measures against transporters who would be found to have violated SUMATRA’s rules and regulations. Meanwhile, two weeks ago the government through the ministry of Transport has fined 25 upcountry bus operators at Ubungo bound upcountry bus terminal each with Sh. 250,000 after having been caught overcharging their passengers beyond indicative fares imposed by the government. This was after the minister for Transport Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe made a surprise visit to the area following reports that the bus operators had increased the fare contrary to what the government had laid down. The Minister found them guilty of forcing upcountry passengers were paying more than the indicative fares set in accordance with transportation regulations by the transport agency. Citing an example, Dr. Mwakyembe said unscrupulous but operators had increased fares by 80 percent from Sh. 35,000 to Sh. 60,000 per trip for passengers traveling to Mwanza contrary to set regulations. He reminded the bus operators that, despite the fact that they operated their services commercially, they were bound to follow indicative fares set by the agency.

Fish from Lake Victoria sells high in Dar markets-Survey

FISH consumers in Dar es Salaam have to search deeper into their pockets in order to buy a high protein source type of fish specie commonly known as ‘Nile Perch’ or Sangara in Swahili language which is being found in Lake Victoria, the survey can reveal. A week long survey carried out in various parts of the city markets reveals that, the price of a kilogram of Sangara fish from Lake Victoria has increased from Sh. 3,500 to Sh. 4,500 for the last two months. This is an increase of 25 percent. The expensiveness of the product has rendered consumers’ purchasing power, and in view of this, it’s common to see fried sangara fish in these markets especially during evening hours being displayed in heaps according to their sizes and sold at a different price rate in order to make them more affordable to potential buyers.  A spot check by this writer in some markets in the city such as Buguruni, Gongo La Mboto, Temeke, Tandika, Ilala and Mwananyamala reveals that, a retail price of the single piece of the fried Sangara fish is sold at between Sh. 1,000 and Sh. 2,000 respectively. Some interviewed traders in these markets say that they prefer to sell their fried fish products into pieces in order to make them easily affordable to would be buyers who most of them have low purchasing power. Alexander Susuma, a fish trader at Gongo la Mboto market attributes such an increase as due to insufficient supply of the commodity from the main source of their supply notably from Mwanza city and other towns like Musoma and Bukoba respectively.

A heap of Sangara fish type on display at Mwanza main market

Juliana Chogola a fish trader based at Ubungo in the city attributes the high price as due to high cost of transport which she noted has been exacerbated by frequent rise of the price of petroleum products in the country. Despite the increase in price, statistics on the deliveries of frozen Nile perch from Lake Zone at Kariakoo main market in Dar es Salaam shows a constant supply of the commodity that range between 50 and 60 boxes for the last two months. Statistics by the market shows that, each box weighing 40 kg of the frozen Nile perch has been sold at a whole price of Sh. 192,000 to hawkers in the city who in turn distributes their products to agents stationed in various markets in the city. Cornered by this writer for comment, the market statician, Nicholus Omolo said in an exclusive interview on Thursday this week that, frozen Nile perch are more sold than the cured Nile perch as most consumers of the fish product prefers frozen ones as they are later made fried and sold in pieces. However, he said adding that the Tilapia type of fish is more expensive than Sangara and is not easily affordable to ordinary people. Three weeks ago, Tanzania’s Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Dr. David Mathayo held a meeting with fish stakeholders in Mwanza city to discuss together with other things, the go slow strike which had been formed by traders in the region who stick to their guns when they demanded an increase of the price of a kilogram of the Sangara fish in local market. In their meeting, traders insisted that, the former price of Sh. 3,000 was low that could not make a good profit margin compared to the total cost of operations incurred including costs of transportation to respective selling agents and fish industries in the country. Failure to reach a consensus between the two parties has allowed an illegal trade of the product across the border to the neighboring country of Kenya. Instead, the fluctuating prices have forced local traders to increase the price due to the gradual scarcity of the product. Before his meeting with fish stakeholders in Mwanza, the minister had told the National Assembly that over 95 percent of the fish from Lake Victoria were being processed and sold outside the country.