Bomb blast victims are up in arms over their compensation payments

The Mbagala bomb victims have raised concerns over the delays caused by the government for the payments of their compensation of the loss of properties incurred during bomb explosion saying that, this is an indication for the denial of their rights.  They opened up their grievances in a three hour meeting which was convened on Saturday last week  by the committee representing the victims at Mbagala Kuu suburb on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, the meeting was also attended by journalists. The meeting had one agenda to look way forward for their fate after having seen nothing is being done to them by the government to execute their prompt payments in order to clear their worries despite several promises that it would do. Making the revelation yesterday, Chairperson of the Bomb Blast Victims’ group, Steven Gimonge said that some of the victims affected by the bomb explosion have not been given special attention by the government since the incident occurred in April 2009 five years ago. He noted that, about 1,361 victims have lost trust with the government which promised to be working on the reviewed mode of compensating them, as nothing has yet come out to encourage them since they lodged a claim to President Jakaya Kikwete almost one and a half years ago. He claimed that, their issue seems to have been repudiated by the authorities concerned at the State House which currently is handling the matter and noted that is not given special attention at all by the authorities concerned. He further noted that, this is an aspect that most victims have started to lose hope and started pointing an accusing finger at the government for the delays experienced in compensating the victims.  He outlined some of the diseases which had infected the victims such as cancer and many others saying that, most of them have failed to meet the costs of the treatment. “Not even a single person was taken to the hospital either for check up or treatment after the explosion although the government understands well the impacts of the bomb blasts,” he said. On their dues, Giimonge substantiated the miserable payments settled by cheques that do not exceed Sh. 2,000/- which of course is not enough to cover their treatment costs. They are also suspicious for such payment cheques might have been forged. Among the victims interviewed expressed their disappointment saying that are experiencing hard time to make their life through for having nothing to sustain their life with as they are have been infected by diseases which needs money for treatment. 

Distraught people are looking at a house which had just been destroyed after a piece of a bomb hit it in Gongo La Mbotto. The incident took place in February 2011 three years after the same had happened in at a military camp in Mbagala. 

An example of the original cheque No. 452163 issued on 28^th August 2012 by the Bank of Tanzania stating the sum of 1,950 paid to one victim Said Omary Mbonde, that the Guardian came across is a typical example. The owner has never gone to the bank to withdraw money for he feels shy to do so. He said during an exclusive interview that, how could he go for withdrawal and yet the money written is like his transport of going and return back to his residence. “This is a shame indeed” he asserted. Juma Seif Ngongo, an ex-employee of the former National Shipping Agency Company (NASACO) lamented to this writer and said that, he used his money paid by the company to build a four roomed house when he retired in 2000 only that had been destroyed during bomb blasts. To his great dismay, was surprised to be given a fraction of Sh. 350,000/- for repair on his damaged house. Worse still he suffered eye defects which the government has not yet considered him for any single payment. Another ex-service man of the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF) Seargent Staff Salim Hassan Selemani who used his terminal benefits after having been in service for over 35 years to build a house, and when the explosions occurred was among the victims, to his dismay was paid a total of Sh. 464,300/- for damages caused by bomb in his house. Early this week, the Secretary to President Kikwete Prosper Mbena said that, the State House received the names of the victims but the same were yet to reach the President. Mbena was quoted exclusively by this paper and noted that, they were still verifying the names to satisfy themselves as to who deserves what as the names are too many.  “After the evaluation, it is when the names will be taken to the President,” he added. “The State House has received the victims’ names but they have not been forwarded to the President. We shall forward them when the procedures are completed … I have told them (victims) to be calm and wait a bit

TMF awards final grantees for rural coverage

In a move to develop investigative reporting on rural issues in the country, Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) has contracted its final batch of institutional grantees after a competitive grants selection process through which 16 media houses out of 71 which applied have qualified for financial and capacity building support. These are Alkemist Media (Dar es Salaam), CG FM Radio (Tabora), Daraja Development (Njombe), Jamhuri media Ltd (Dar es Salaam), kahama FM stereo Radio (Kahama), Kigoma Press Club (Kigoma), Radio Kitulo FM (Makete), Local Media Entertainment (Dar es Salaam), Mbeya Highlands FM (Mbeya) and Pesa Time Mpakasi.com (Blog). Others are Radio Habari njema FM (Manyara), Standard Radio Voices Ltd (Singida), 94.8 Sunrise FM Radio (Arusha), Super Brains Media Ltd (Dar es Salaam), Upendo FM Radio (Dar es Salaam) and Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (Zanzibar). Speaking to journalists on Saturday last week in Dar es Salaam, TMF Director Ernest Sungura said that, a total of Sh. 1.7 billion will be disbursed in different rates to winning media houses by his organisation any time from now. He noted that, the maximum rate of amount to be paid stands at Sh. 185 million, while the minimum is Sh. 50 million. These will to enable them conduct training as well as carrying out  investigative reporting news focusing on rural issues up to end of April 2015. He clarified that, the fund is from the previous transaction of $ 10.6 which was last donated by four European countries namely, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Denmark and Ireland between June 2012 and May 2015. 

Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) Director Ernest Sungura 

The selected media houses brings the total number of media institutions which have so far received support from the Fund since  its inception in 2008 to more than 100 when the donors contributed a total of $ 7.1 million from June 2008 and May 2012. The TMF Director warned them against misappropriation of the funds to be given to them as the Fund organization has employed internal and external auditors to verify and ascertain proper accounting transaction records of their use. This was after the selected media houses accomplished all the formalities and basic procedures for their signing contracts to which have been directed to abide by the rules that governed their contracts. Speaking in an interview with this paper, the Managing Director of the Jamhuri Media Ltd, publishers of a weekly investigative Jamhuri tabloid, Deodatus Balile said that, it is high time for the media industry in Tanzania to focus more on rural coverage. Balile whose media company is among the beneficiaries has thanked the TMF organization for their continued support they do to upgrade media fraternity in the country. A representative of Radio FM Upendo based in Dar es Salaam, Paul Mhamba said that, electronic media should concentrate more on rural coverage where the majority Tanzanians live as the media is a watch dog of the most issues of the marginalized groups. Mhamba who works as a Marketing Manager for the station is proud as this is the third time his company which owns a radio station and a newspaper to have emerged a winning media house to become a beneficiary of TMF Fund that enables them to carry out investigative rural news coverage.

Education stakeholders blaspheme Kikwete’s plans

As the government is working on formalities to scrap off school fees in all public secondary schools in the country, stakeholders on education sector have revealed that, the move might hit a snag owing to a number of problems which remains unsolved for lack of money. The government’s plan was announced three weeks ago by President Jakaya Kikwete and the move sets ground for Tanzanians to receive free education both in primary and secondary schools in the country. The President acknowledged that a major hurdle for most families is financial constraints. The education stakeholders were contacted with a view to see if the move is applied what could likely be the consequences in terms of schools’ development. Some interviewed stakeholders who reacted over the matter said in Dar es Salaam mid this week said that, due to high running operational costs incurring public schools in the country, even with the current chargeable fees are not enough to cater for the entire needs. The Second Headmaster (Academic) of the Benjamin Mkapa’s Secondary school in Dar es Salaam, Luande Joel said that, the government has failed even to subsidize the amount of money it promised, how the situation could be suppose it scraps off the available paid fees, he queried. He said due to shortage of money, most schools do depend on other sources notably from student’s contributions to cater for other costs of school operational needs. He mentioned such needs as costs for medicines, examinations and laboratory tools for practical. Other expenses he noted are money to buy text books, students’ desks, payments of security guards, money for maintaining school compounds, health and environment care (fumigation) and a reserve for emergency purposes that includes entertainments.  However, he noted that with all these the money paid is not enough and for some instances they have to depend on government’s subsidies which it keeps on promising and has never remitted its money to schools. In view of this, however, he termed the President’s call as being politically motivated and which is not fruitful bearing the fact that, even teachers are not paid, so where would it get money to run schools if fees are removed. He analyzed the figures that revealed that, in his school they spend about Sh. 20 million per year for both mock and national examinations (academic) alone for forms four and six respectively, these he said are used for allowances and costs for stationeries. To cater for other expense that includes salary payments for security guards, medicines, environmental care and other aforementioned needs the school spends about Sh. 25 million in total per year. However, he analyzed that the total fee paid by all 1,800 students is approximately Sh. 36 million per year. The Executive Director of Twaweza organization, Rakesh Rajani noted that, reducing the cost of secondary schooling for the poor is a noble goal. But the President only spoke of removing official school fees, which constitute only a fraction of the actual cost of schooling.  However, he noted that a  typical parent has to pay a large number of official and informal contributions such as books, desks, examinations, construction, security, uniforms, events, and many others that could easily add up to more than Sh. 300,000 per year.  So abolishing the Sh. 20,000 (day student) or Sh. 70,000 (Boarding student) fee will only be a small relief. In contrast, parents would benefit more if the contributions were regulated better and their use was made more transparent.  Other expenses parents have to incur for their children are in boarding schools parents have to buy bedsheets, mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, utensils, buckets and water where the supply is inadequate, hoes and the prices are dependent on the location's market prices. 

Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete

At a ward secondary schools, some of which are very far, parents would opt to hire a room that would be rented on a monthly or term period. As such the parent would buy a bed and cooking gear, firewood or charcoal and pay the electricity bills. These schools are relatively far away from where students live, therefore parents would have to pay for transport daily bus or bodaboda and contribute food for lunch in kind or  money at a rate fixed by the school.  The Principal Fund Allocation officer of the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA), Anne Mlimuka said, ‘there are a number of effective strategic plans needed to make successful the President’s plan’. She noted that, as the move tend to relieve parents of the great burdens entitled to them bearing the fact that there are many contributions assigned for their children once selected to join secondary schools, the government should clearly know where it would get other sources of money to subsidize. However, she has warned that, politicians should not hijack the idea and drive a motion as a political agenda, added that , but rather should help facilitate the implementation with more seriousness to avoid cheating. She also noted that, the idea is good as it is the obligation of every country in the world to educate its people. She gave an example in mid 1970s during the time of her schooling in secondary school the government used to provide freely necessities such as accommodation, food and transport fare of going and returning back from school during vacations to selected students. “It is just a matter of setting an effective budget plan for the country has enough money to plan for its development” she said adding that, all forms of corruption should be tackled to curb the spread of flow of government fund which is diverted into wrong uses. However, she cited countries like German, Scandinavian countries and other countries in Europe which she said are providing free education to their citizens, and queried why not Tanzania. On her part the Associate Dean and Senior lecturer at a School of Education of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dr. Aneth Komba said that, the move by the government has a great potential in it. She said that, the biggest challenge over the matter to be faced by the government is how it could refund the money waived to keep going the schools which to a certain extent have become more dependent on the money paid as fees to run the entire operation for their development Meanwhile, in line with the government’s move,  the ministry of Education and Vocational Training is currently working to review the exorbitant fee structures being charged by private schools in order to make them more affordable to the majority of Tanzanians. The Ministry’s spokesperson Ntambi Bunyanzu said recently that, a consulting firm has been selected through tendering to evaluate the indicative best fee structure for the running schools in the country judging from the kind of education and the facilities being provided by the said schools in the country.  The ministry has also tasked the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) to carry the same exercise for the higher learning institutions in the country. The initiative being undertaken by the government is to relieve local scholars of the great burden of the amount of money which they currently pay as school fees and which ironically only few parents in the community manage to afford.

Combat corruption through transparency, CEOs told

Lack of transparency and accountability coupled by poor strategies among the executives has been cited to be the major cause of corruption which continues to compromise the integrity of leadership in both public and private sector developments in the country. The plea was made on Friday last week in Dar es Salaam by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the President’s Delivery Bureau (PDB) Omari Issa at a dinner meeting organized by CEO Roundtable for which he was the main speaker. Issa whose bureau prepares national statistics detailed for the Big Results Now (BRN) told fellow CEOs of various organizations who gathered for a normal monthly meeting to discuss a topic on ‘ethical leadership and combating corruption through transparency and accountability’. He said corruption is continually impending economic growth and development in the country and at the same time has been lowering the confidence of investors who wish to come and invest in the country. He directed fellow top leaders to work in collaboration so as to form a joint concerted effort for the eradication of the vice with transparency in order to ensure accountability for more output. However, he noted that, corruption is being practiced because people are not serious with the determination to end the vice and this is primarily due to poor governance, a factor that few untrustworthy leaders continue to practice. According to him, the government has put much seriousness over the matter in such a way that, it has introduced seminars and has taken various recommendations to work on the matter with national organs such as the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) and the  Police force.

 

CEO Roundtable Chairman for Tanzania, Ali Mufuruki presenting an award of appreciation to the former Director of Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) .r. Emmanuel Ole Naiko to honour his contribution.

On his part, CEO Roundtable Chairman for Tanzania, Ali Mufuruki thanked the PDB and was pleased with the progress massed in this regard and is keen to ensure the on-going dialogues culminate in credible solutions in the fight against corruption. However, he is optimistic that partnership and collaborative efforts are paramount in the fight against corruption, and that his organization is keen to align with the PDB’s initiatives in tackling corruption. He further noted that, since the inception of this year, his organization has been discussing issues related with ethical leaderships as a top priority as business leaders are facing many challenges within their organizations due to primarily lack of ethical leadership. He told a press conference that, his organization is keen to implement a programme designed to promote accountability and transparency and efficiency within the public and private sectors in the country for the sustainable advancement of the country’s economy. He further noted that, the organization recognizes the importance of ethical leadership practices for empowerment. He added that, the concept is a priority agenda for the CEOrt. Founded in 2000, the CEOrt is a policy dialogue forum whose main objective is to create a platform through which captains f industry could constructively engage the government with the vision of creating a more conducive environment for businesses to prosper. The forum brings together over 100 organizations doing businesses in Tanzania. The members of the CEOrt and the companies they lead account for more than 40 percent of the tax revenue collected by the government of Tanzania

ITV and Radio one stations donates primary school desks

In a bid to cater for the basic social needs for primary schools in the country, the Independent Television (ITV) in collaboration with Radio One stations on Friday last week donated a total of 260 pupil’s desks to Tandale Primary school in Kinondoni municipality in Dar es Salaam region. The exercise is part of the celebrations to mark the 20^th year anniversary of the ITV and Radio One stations since their establishment in 1994. The desks worth Sh. 45 million were handed over to the management of the school by the Director of the ITV and Radio one station Joyce Mhavile in a colorful ceremony which was also attended by Kinondoni Municipal Director Engineer Mussa Natty. In her opening speech, the Head teacher of the school Florence Bonda said that, before the donation her school was faced with a shortage of desks an aspect that half of the total number of 1,834 pupils in her school suffered for lack of enough desks which could at least accommodate them. She also outlined other challenges currently facing the school as lack of clean water supply as well as dilapidated classrooms which requires repair to make them look so clean. However, after the donation, the school head thanked the director Joyce Mhavile and her entourage for the assistance and their kind response they showed which she noted has reduced the problem by 100 percent. 

Pupils of Tandale Primary school in Kinondoni district, Dar es Salaam region enjoying desks which had just been donated to their school by ITV and Radio One based in Dar es Salaam.
 

On his part, the Kinondoni Municipal Director, Engineer Mussa Natty said that, there are about 220 primary schools in his municipality which faces shortage of number of desks. However, he has asked the general public to emulate what the ITV and Radio One stations have done. “The challenges we are facing is due to increased population and this is exacerbating the  registration process for pupils in schools mainly due to insufficient number of desks required to accommodate them” he  said and appealed to well wishers to help the government. The ITV came across a number of pupils at the school after a roving TV crew captured some pupils in the school seated on the ground without desks while attending classes and aired the news in early this year. The head of news desk at ITV station Steven Chuwa said in an exclusive interview with the Guardian during the occasion that, the management was touched with the situation and planned to come for help and promised the management of the school a number of desks that could be enough for their pupils and which have been handed over. The ITV and Radio One stations are among the six electronic media stations which form the IPP Media group and were established in 1994. This year, the two stations mark the 20^th year anniversary celebrations. Other electronic media companies include, EATV and Radio, Capital TV and radio.