Best student explains secret behind her success

The best student who excelled in national form four examinations announced yesterday by the National Examination Council (NECTA), Nyakoho Marungu who is a female has expressed his happiness as he explained his secret after becoming the best student with a distinction pass mark of 5.1 points. In an exclusive interview with the reporters who visited her parents’ home in Kitunda on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam city, Marungu who was in jovial mood said that, she used to spend more time to concentrate in studying class notes and other texts at night during prep time and extended up to 12:00 midnight. 

A 16 year old lady Nyakoho Marungu, who emerged the best student for National Form Four Examination results for 2014.

Marungu who was studying at Baobab Secondary School in Coast region noted that, her success has also been contributed by the good environment in which the school has developed for students. In addition to that, she also noted that the school is well equipped with modern laboratory equipment that made her to concentrate more on science subjects. “I used more time for studying because I knew the success could only be attained after concentrating on reading”, she s aid adding that, she is not surprised to become the best student at a national level because she had planned that ever before. However, she said that, she had expected to acquire the highest position at the national level and this was her ambition which she had planned as her vision ever since she started form one in 2011.

Percentage rate for rural population density reduces

The percentage gap between urban and rural dwellers in the country is steadily decreasing as experts are comparatively attributing the trend to highly growing rural urban migration, up surging of new towns, technological inventions and local governments’ decentralization. Statistics by National Statistics Bureau (NSB) shows that, there has been a gradual decrease between 2000 and 2006 from 80 percent to 75 percent, and between 2007 and 2012 when the last national census was held, the percentage rate has decreased from 75 to 70 percent respectively. The NBS’ Coordinator of the Population and Housing Census Ireius Ruyobya said in an exclusive interview in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday this week that, the decreasing percentage rate has been caused due to migration of people from rural to urban centres. He said that this situation has been attracted by quick urban development settlements which have been expanding tremendously in most parts in the country. He said that, there are basic factors which have largely contributed to such a rapid change and one of them is the increased global technological advancements which have been spreading at a much faster pace. Other reasons he noted includes the expansion of most district and town councils in the country in terms of size an aspect that such councils have annexed parts of rural reserve areas and develop them in townships as part of their development strategies. Elaborating more on this he noted that, most villagers have been developed into urban areas due to their proximity a situation which has prompted the annexed portion of land to be utilized for the economic development activities. Another factor he pointed out is the recent division of the regional boundaries that resulted into the formation of new regional administrations such as Simiyu, Geita, Manyara and Katavi which came into being before the 2012 Population and Housing Census (PHC) took place. “The formation of these new regions has drastically affected the geographical boundaries as many district and town councils have also been formed, thus the increase of urban development settlements is picking up at a high speed”, he said. The officer further noted that, despite the incoming changes, agriculture is still to remain the main economic activity of the many rural dwellers. Speaking over the matter, economists have noted that, “in recent years urban development has been picking up at a high speed in most developing countries largely due to the increased technological advancements”. The Executive Director of REPOA Professor Samwel Wangwe said in a telephone interview on Thursday this week that, the trend is inevitable in developing countries due to the fact that, many reserve settlement areas have been developed into urban centres. He said that there is no way Tanzania can get out of the situation, and that the government should put much emphasis on the production of food crops in rural areas so as to get enough food to feed the increased population in urban areas. Professor Haji Semboja an economist and senior lecturer of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) said that, the increased urbanization does not affect government’s planning systems on its annual budget allocations and yet still the majority are in rural areas engaged in agricultural activities. Prof. Semboja further noted that, the challenge left for the government is to control the increased groups of jobless youths who ultimately are formed to cause violence like those which calls themselves ‘Panya Road’ as the case in Das res Salaam city. He said adding that, other things which the government has to look after is to create a conducive environment that would ensure effective infrastructure in rural areas in order to discourage those who flock in urban centres who after having  experienced hard life resort to enter into bad companies A renowned economist Professor Ibrahim Lipumba said that, the migration from rural to urban is quite inevitable especially at this time when information technology has advanced. However, he has cautioned the government calling for creation of more job opportunities to cater for the increased higher unemployment rate. He said the influx of people in urban centres has affected the infrastructures which are available in towns or cities, as most of them had been designed to accommodate a certain number of people. However, Prof Lipumba has appealed to the government to concentrate on agricultural food crop productivity and maintain firm road infrastructures so as to minimize high inflation rates to enable the availability of basic needs for the people in towns and cities. With just recently done 2012 Population and Housing Census (PHC), there is a high population densities in towns and cities in the country with Dar es Salaam city being the leading is having about 4.5 million people which is about 10 percent of the total population in the country. Statistics by NBS shows that, other cities such as Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya follows with slightly higher population densities due to large influx of people from rural in search of jobs to cater for their daily needs. According to statistics, Mwanza city has a total population of 703,000 people in its two districts of Ilemela and Nyamagana respectively. Arusha has 416,000 while in Mbeya are 385,000.  Tanzania is among the few African countries which take migration data since it conducted the first census in 1948. However, since 1967 most of the migration data collected was by place of birth and residence which capture mostly lifetime migrants and current migrants.  “The volume of people involved in migration has been increasing with time because most people would like to improve their means of livelihood”, says a city based private economist Samson Mbelwa. According to him, there are so many economic resources being developed in urban center ranging from small scale businesses that could make the majority survive rather than in rural areas whereby people engage in agricultural activities whose earnings are periodical and unpredicted. As a government executive agency, NBS provides efficient statistical services, giving increased value for money for the benefit of the Government and the public in general. It carries out its activities in a business like manner using financial management and business-planning techniques.

TLP member announces interest to vie for Presidency

As several members of the ruling party CCM have shown personal interest with some already announced their intentions to vie for the presidency post in the coming general election, an ordinary member of Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) has also joined the race with much vigor to enter the State House. Macmillan Lyimo, (aged 52) officially announced his intention yesterday at a press conference which he had convened in Dar es Salaam and outlined four major reasons which have made him to arrive at such a decision to acquire such a top most position in the country. Lyimo becomes the first member from the opposition camp in the country to publicly announce his intention and interest to vie for the top most position in the country. He noted that, he has seen the need to safeguard the national peace and unity which he says has started to deteriorate, to foresee the future of the new generation in the country, to protect the rights of the poor people in the country and to protect the country’s natural resources from being depleted Lyimo who holds a Masters Degree of Business Administration from the Open University of Tanzania confidently told journalists that, his decision is to support the political efforts which have so far been contributed by the incumbent party’s chairman who is also a Member of Parliament of Vunjo constituency Augustine Mrema. He noted that, Mrema’s ambitions whose inspirations of the multi-partism democracy started in 1995 when the first multiparty democratic election was held, he contested for the presidency position when he was a Chairman of the NCCR-Mageuzi party. However, he said that Mrema’s inspirations ought to be emulated as a strong leader with political tolerance and who has ever held bigger political positions in the government including the Minister for Home Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister before he defected from the ruling party in 1992. 

Macmillan Lyimo in his private office.

About the political situation in the country, he noted that is not stable, he attributed those who have predicted ahead and concluded that, if the situation persists, the future of Tanzanians will be at a risk point. “A nation is strongly built by enthusiastic citizens and could be destroyed by greedy politicians from the ruling party”, he said adding that three major things needs to be rectified and taken care of in order to save Tanzanians from entering into endless political chaos. He mentioned them as the issue of the new constitution and the referendum polls slated for end of April this year, that enough preparations should be made to allow smooth participation by citizens. Others he said are a tag of war on religious confliction and elaborated that if this is not controlled, the country would soon turn a war torn zone just like what is happening in other countries such as Somalia, DRC and many others in the world whereby there are endless civil wars. He noted that, there have been abusive words which have created a great enmity between Christianity and Muslims which of recent the public has also noticed in addition to that, the burning of churches, pouring of acid chemicals to some religious leaders and many other related offensive issues as related to religious beliefs. Another thing he noted is associated with the general election which he said should be closely monitored to create a wave of trust among voters and their political parties.

Media outlets asked to educate people on statistics reports

Media outlets in the country have been asked to educate the society on issues related with statistics due to some people who are not aware of the importance of such reports as they are used for illustrations. The Executive Director of the Africa Statistical Solutions (ASSO) Zakayo Msokwa said on Friday last week in a one day seminar which was organized by journalists in collaboration with the institution. He said that if the society was made aware of the available national statistical records, will help them k now exactly the national planning targets, however, he added that, it is important to know them for the national economy. “The statistics will help to make decisions and without them various national matters goes astray for lack of improper records”, he said. He said that some other government plans are not fulfilled properly due to lack of improperly arranged records and that if the statistics are known for every matter things would be good. He also noted that if the statistics are properly kept, normally are helpful to arrange for the future development plans. He added that, the statistics are used for the country’s economic growth in every country which is largely depending on their statistics. 

Photojournalists at work in a public function. Media practitioners have been called upopn to educate people on the use of statistics.

Msolwa has also requested staticians to issue their reports on time so that they could be used to develop the country’s development plans for the statistics prepared in developing countries are not always successful like those of UK and other developed nations. He also affirmed that, Tanzania is running short of professional staticians and the few available are not enough to cater for the need, in view of this ASSOS has resolved to engage in the issues related with the statistical education to journalists in order to let them report them to the society. He said if a country would be running in short of statistics is difficult to spearhead development, and this is why these are needed quickly to help even business people in doing their activities so as to know how the market is going on. He also added that, regional statistics even those of district level which are issued in monthly as well as yearly will help nt6he country’s development just like other countries for in Africa most countries are not perfect with their own statistics records. “It is better for all statistics to be collected on monthly basis so as to know how development plans are going on, and if the exercise will not be effective, then there is a likelihood of getting imperfect reports. He further noted that, even in other countries statistics are always above their planning development set ups and incase an official mess up and cause a loss to the nation, then he or she is liable to be made accountable and if possible forced to resign from their post. He clarified that, statistics are not depending on the position one holds in the office, but what is required is that, the government plans its budget according to the number of the population in a particular area for the country’s need.

PCCB alerts the general public

The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) has cautioned the general public to be aware of a person who is said to lure people’s mind and ultimately steal million of money from them  by false pretence by using ‘Escrow scandal’. In their statement which they issued on Friday last week in Dar es Salaam, PCCB’s Public Relations Officer Doreen Kapwani said that, one person identified himself by one name “Mbogo” has been sending a short messages (SMS)  to people most of whom public servants and inform  them that are under investigations by PCCB on allegations of their direct involvement of money transfer from Escrow Account. The statement is quoted as saying that, the person who seems to be an impersonator  is using mobile phone numbers that belongs to Airtel Company which has been registered under the name of Godfrey Peter. Doreen further says that Mbogo has been luring people’s mind so as to let them give him money pretending that he would dismiss the impending investigation currently being undertaken by the PCCB against the offenders, a factor which is not true. In view of this scenario, the statement says that, the PCCB is hereby taking this opportunity to inform the general public not to be lured with impersonation of this kind, as PCCB being an investigating organ works under strict imposed laws and regulations set by following the procedures set for public servant office.  According to Doreeen, all communication are done within the PCCB offices and that all interviews are conducted by an officer accredited by te PCCB and that people have the right to ask for his/her identity for proof. PCCB has cordially thanked those who gave them this information and have promised to work closely in order to stop such kind of behaviors which if left without being tackled would cause damage to the people and nation at large.