How touts disturbs passengers at Ubungo Up-country bus terminal

AS the issue of the removal of touts from the main Ubungo bound upcountry bus terminal is raging on, stakeholders of transport industry have asked the government to take drastic measures which would forcefully remove them from the terminal. Their presence at the terminal has created a negative impact to many passengers, and neither the government nor the Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) has found a permanent solution. However, critics from the transport industry have blamed the government for their failure to remove them ever since, though it (government) seems to have turned a blind eye for taking no action against them. “Touts causes disturbances at the terminal, and their scramble for passengers in most cases leads to the loss of their luggage”, says Thomas Kibuyi a business man from Mwanza who for the first time had been confronted by touts at the terminal on his way back to Mwanza last year. Narrating a sad story, he says that, on the fateful day, he had planned for an abrupt journey and woke up very early in the morning aboard a daladala bus from his home Temeke which was destined at Ubungo. Upon reaching a place at 05:15 that morning when it was still dark, he disembarked and immediately was surrounded by more than four people each one touting for the destination they could imagine he was going. At first, he seemed unconcerned with their sympathizing offer as he was hurriedly walking towards the terminal to book for a bus ticket whichever he could get going to Mwanza.


Since he didn’t have a ticket, he bargained by one of them who pretended to be working as a booking clerk with a famous Zuberi Bus which is mostly liked by passengers, and which he had desired to travel with and agreed to make a fair discount for him. As they were moving towards the main gate, another tout emerged from the other direction and told him the bus was full. He became surprised without knowing it was a kind of trick inspired to let him accept to board another bus. After accepting the offer, he came to realize that, he was deceived when he had boarded the bus and paid a higher fare rate of about Tshs. 45,000/- instead of 32,000/- for a two by three seater, the fare that’s normally charged by a famous Zuberi bus. Such tricks are commonly practiced by quite a substantial number of touts at the bus terminal. And without the awareness of passengers, most of them are conned and sometimes robbed of their money. Investigations shows that, this is due to the fact that most of them do not bother to report at the booking offices directly to face the transport agents to enquire legal information, and instead are easily lured by touts who are after money. In view of this, they are hurriedly lured and become more easily convinced by touts to accept any bus they could be told was ready, the bus that they specifically know was not of their choice. Investigations by this paper can reveal that, touts are normally promised by transport agents for the payment of Tshs. 2,000/- per each passenger they manage to convince their mind into accepting to board their buses. So in order for touts to assure their successful secret planned mission, they have to use quire tricks to tell passengers that the bus they need was already full, and some of them could even go as far as showing the wrong passenger sheet papers which they walk along with them into making their treachery possible.

Other victims who suffered the pangs at the Ubungo bus terminal

Mwajuma Omary is a resident of Tanga who also has suffered the same fate when she was traveling to Mbeya one day. Narrating the story, she said that, “she has ever lost his luggage when touts surrounded and snatched her a bag as though pretending to help her. Accompanied by her two young daughters and the little one she carried on her back, the touts who approached her tended to escort her at the booking office. To her dismay one of them who had carried her luggage lost out of her sight and suddenly vanished to unknown destination with her bag. She cried in agony after a long search for the man, and without help as everybody he saw was busy and nobody cared to help her trace the whereabouts of the man when she pleaded for help from passersby and eventually her luggage got lost for ever. When she reported the matter to the police post station located within the terminal compound, to a great dismay no policeman who dared to pay attention to her claims, and instead they seemed to be busy with other things, she lamented for her luggage which has never been recovered up to now. Jumanne Hamisi, a student of Tumaini University of Iringa campus suffered a severe fate a year ago when he called at the terminal, the sad story he recalls and that he hasn’t yet found the mouth with which to narrate. He says that, on the fateful day he was issued with a ticket by touts whom he believed to be working as booking clerks when he met them on his way towards the main gate as he approached the terminal, and only to find that it was a faked ticket on the following day when he reported at the terminal to board a bus. Mr. Hamisi, now a third year student studying law at the University had to board Skyline bus according to the ticket he had, and after ascertaining that the ticket was not for the bus company, he demanded for the original and a real copy issued by the transport agent. Hamisi who by then became furious and fiercely disappointed was asked by bus conductors to substantiate from where he got the ticket and who had issued it to him among the clerks who that morning were paraded at the booking office for identification. He however, couldn’t see the man among the present clerks shown at the office. Puzzled by this realization, he was also shown a legal sheet of all passengers who had booked for the bus the previous day. When he realized his name was not there he was shocked and became surprised as panic reigned within himself wondering how. He immediately knew he had been conned. He then remained silent pondering the next move as there was no evidence that could further support his argument. There are so many annoying things like theft being practiced by touts at the bus terminal that cause detrimental effects to passengers. Such malpractices when brought before the law-enforcers are not given special attention as they deserves.

What transport stakeholders say about Ubungo Bus terminal

Stakeholders through Tanzania Bus Owners Association have ever asked for the government’s intervention as the owners of the yard in order to curb with the escalating habits, but their efforts have since ended up in vain. Commenting on the issue, TABOA’s Chairperson Mr. Mohammed Abdullah has critically blamed the government for maintaining silence on the issue of touts who have become a threat to the passengers at the Ubungo Bus terminal. “We are strongly objecting the presence of touts at the bus terminal, and in view of this, we are therefore requesting the government to take legal stern measures which would help evict them out of the yard”, he said last week in an exclusive interview. The Chairperson insisted that, “since the yard belongs to the government, and they as TABOA have hired the area, therefore, the responsibility of removing the troublesome touts in the area is entirely upon the government”. He refuted the allegations of the existing registered association which stands for touts as legal members as earlier claimed by them, the truth about the matter is that, there is no such an association whatsoever as recognized by legal authority to be tout’s association. However, he has also blamed passengers, who he said are sometimes at fault in one way or another.


According to him, passengers embraces touts for help, and consequently are easily tempted and absorbed by their words when approaching the terminal. In view of this, he has therefore appealed to the passengers to make sure that, they report at the respective booking offices directly to enquire for information and get legal tickets whenever they arrange for the journey and should not depend on touts to get tickets.
Passengers should not be worried about the booking offices which are indicated by numbers according to their respective routes to where they applies. In this way, he says is the only way to avoid confusion that sometimes occurs to new passengers at the terminal. About theft, the TABOA boss has blamed the police force at the terminal who tend not to take a kin interest on the matter and instead tend to keep quite and never help those passengers who have fallen victims whenever reports of theft reach them. He has therefore called on appropriate police safety. The Ubungo Bus Terminal which became operational since 2001 has a vastness of over 100,000 square meters and is capable of accommodating about 600 buses at a time. The terminal has a total of 53 booking offices and over 100 transport companies in the yard. Other facilities which are found in the yard includes, petrol stations, hotels, bars, shops, lavatories and bathing rooms. All these are projects hired to individual groups by the government through the Dar es Salaam City Council (DCC) The statistics made available by the TABOA shows that, about 8 to 10 million people travels by buses countrywide. This is about 20-25 percent of the country’s total population.

Testing for couples is a preventive strategy against HIV infections

Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) is a major initiative adopted with the aim of providing the opportunity for people to know their HIV status with quality support to help them cope with a positive or a negative test result. Knowing one is HIV negative can serve as a strong motivating factor to remain negative, particularly for those who may otherwise assume it’s too late to adopt safer sexual practices. Knowing one is HIV positive also provides an opportunity to protect sexual partners and to plan for the future from an informed position - deciding on marriage and on child bearing, and preparing children and family for the progression of disease and death. For people who test positive, while VCT services can link them to options for treatment if and where they exist, and to care and support, just as important, it allows for adoption of preventive measures. For some, self-protection is a stronger motivator for safer sex than the need to protect others. The responsibility to avoid spreading the virus is itself the critical motivator. Both contribute to HIV prevention. Today, there are many HIV positive people who are living healthy and positive lives. They serve as strong and effective HIV/AIDS advocates and also provide valuable support and motivation for others who are infected with HIV and affected by the epidemic. Agnes, aged 27 is residing at Mtoni-Kijichi suburb in Temeke district, Dar es Salaam region. She is married and the mother of two children. She found herself pregnant again and went to her local health center for antenatal services. Agnes did not want to take any chances with this pregnancy. Having received health education at the clinic, she decided to take an HIV test and found to her dismay that she was sero-positive. When her husband learned her results, she convinced him to be tested as well, partly because he had become ill several months earlier and was worried. He too learned he was HIV positive. The couple found great comfort in the supportive follow-up and counseling for HIV/AIDS and infant feeding that they received at the clinic. Agnes delivered a healthy baby boy a few weeks later. After assessing the infant feeding options presented by the counselor, the couple decided to breastfeed exclusively for six months. This child is currently growing well. Because of their positive experience, the two couples now encourages other couples to be counseled and tested. Good counseling and testing depends on counselors who are properly trained for the exercise and have gained enough experience. Counselors protects confidentiality of a client’ information after testing and provide effective counseling services. Counselors should establish relationships with key service agencies to make sure the referrals they give their clients reflects to their needs, priorities, culture, age, sexual orientation and language. Knowledge is power and knowing what is going on with your health and body is a responsibility that somebody owes to himself or herself and those who cares about it.
Why is HIV/AIDS testing is important especially to couples? The only way to tell if one is safe and free from HIV infections, the viruses that cause AIDS is to be tested. Through getting tested can be one of the most empowering things one can do for his/her own health care. A patient normally receive a face –to-face counseling before they undergo the normal body test. This is known as Pre-Test Counseling and is aimed at ensuring that one make a well informed decision about whether to have the HIV/AIDS test or not. It then encourages one to explore the possible impact that having the test may have on one’s life, and through this test people become aware of their health status and thereby reduces long stress within themselves. Tanzania face a mature, generalized HIV epidemic among the 2.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Statistics by Tanzania Commission for Aids (TACAIDS) shows a tremendous rate of 70.5 percent of the people infected by the scourge are grouped between 25-40 years old. According to the above, the highest population at higher risk includes people in prostitution, miners, police officers, military personnel, prisoners, and those involved in transport sector, mostly drivers and their close aides. Like other countries in East Africa, the epidemic in Tanzania has remained stable in recent years but there has been a recent increase in HIV prevalence among older age group with the HIV prevalence rate among women aged between 30 to 34 reaching 13 percent. The government through its various HIV fighting organs such as the civil society groups, is highly encouraging its people to come forward to be tested for HIV. The government believes that if many gets tested, even though we may not get sick, this would help to lessen the amount of stigmatization associated with the HIV test. The greatest challenge facing the health sector is inadequate human resources to deliver health services to the Tanzanian population. Since the 1990s, the structural adjustment policies and HIV/AIDS has greatly reduced the health sector work force. A second challenge is poverty, important because the cost of drugs and health services has constituted a financial barrier to the access of these important things.

TABOA blames middlemen for fare hikes

IN an unprecedented move, Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) has refuted claims that, it has increased upcountry bus fare rates and instead it has critically thrown a blame to middlemen for hiking passenger tickets at Ubungo upcountry bus stand. They have said that, middlemen have the habit of buying tickets, hoarded them and later on sells them at higher rates for their own benefits. The move comes amid reports that, the current fare hikes at the bus terminal is highly instigated by the TABOA and traveling agents an aspect that the association says is far away concerned with such allegations. TABOA’s chairperson Mr. Mohammed Abdullah said in an interview recently that, they are anxiously waiting for their proposal they had sent to the government requesting for a fare increase but have not yet been answered. He noted that, “although the government has been keeping quite with their request, it must understand that, the issue of fare increase must be there otherwise this is one way of killing transport sector if the government looks at the matter on the negative side”. However, he has expressed dismay over the government’s silence to work on their request quickly although he insists that it should be given special attention as it deserves. In early January this year, the Minister for Transport Mr. Omary Nundu, announced that, the government could not see the logic of allowing upcountry bus owners to increase fares since bus owners are embracing touts who helps them to get passengers, thus increasing bus fares. According to the Minister, as the government is struggling to remove touts from the terminal, bus owners are protecting them because they entirely rely upon them to hunt for passengers. In so doing, the Minister has accused them for increasing operational costs.

The Chairperson of the Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) Mr. Mohammed Abdullah in his office which is located near at a junction of Nyerere Road and Kilwa Road in Dar es Salaam.

TABOA on the other hand expressed dismay over the government’s decision which has the intention of rejecting their proposal for raising fares on that ground. However, on the other hand have blamed the government for the presence of touts as it was their responsibility to chase them. TABOA ‘s efforts to chase touts out of the Ubungo bus terminal has not bore fruits as they usually sabotage operations of the buses, and sometimes sells forged tickets to passengers. Sometimes it has been difficult to control this because of the threats posed by them. Outlining some of the basic losses caused by touts at the terminal, TABOA’s boss says that, touts brings confusions between them and the passengers, he has however called on the transport authorities and police to intervene in by resolving such disturbances caused. Meanwhile, the Dar es Salaam based Police special zone commander Suleiman Kova was earlier quoted by the local media as saying that, “changes could not come overnight even removing touts from Ubungo terminal will be done gradually.” He said adding that, with the touts is not only the police force’s responsibility, but is a concern of everyone and all other stakeholders must participate. According to Surface Marine Transport Agency (SUMATRA) Public Affairs Manager Mr. David Mziray, the issue of removing touts is in the hands of council militias as the Ubungo yard belongs to the Dar es Salaam City Council.

Testing for HIV is an economical prevention strategy against AIDS, says a researcher

AS Researchers all over the world are working towards an effective HIV vaccine in a constrained global economy, cost effective preventive strategies such as Couples Voluntary Counseling and Testing (CVCT) must take a larger role in efforts to decrease the rates of HIV/AIDS in societies. The majority of new HIV infections which are acquired from a spouse and couples are the largest HIV risk group in Africa, Tanzania included, says Susan Allen, a researcher and a Professor of pathology and laboratory medicine. According to her, by using CVCT, it’s clear to identify those people who do not share the same HIV status as their spouse or partner are in a better place to move forward effectively and efficiently once a vaccine does become available. Professor Susan who has worked to combat AIDS in Africa for 25 years now says that, “CVCT is an economical sustainable and proven model for reducing the rate of HIV/AIDS infections”. Her research works reveals that, CVCT is very low in most parts of African communities and in view of this, her statistics proves that, out of more than 30 million Africans tested for HIV, less than one percent has been tested with their spouses. Statistics by her research shows that, an estimated 23 million Africans whom are HIV positive, only 3 million patients are receiving anti-retroviral treatment, therefore to ascertain its impact, however, she concludes that CVCT being part of broader HIV/AIDS strategy, must be emphasized broadly and effectively. Tanzania has established many Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) centres where HIV/AIDS counseling is provided. The tests are free and confidential. This means that a counselor cannot tell anyone about the results of an infected person without his/her permission. The on-going counseling and testing campaigns in the country helps one to live positively with HIV and provides one with support and guidance in regard to any problem that one may face. However, this kind of counseling that happens after one has received test results, its aim is to manage the impact that HIV has on one’s life. Other factors are to explore the advantages and disadvantages of telling other people about their status, the infected people have to seek for both emotional as well as psychological support, eating a health diet as well as leaving how to control the amount of stress in their life and plan for the future. According to a Dar es Salaam based Dr. Wilfred Machibya, voluntary testing can work particularly now that anti-retroviral therapy are becoming affordable in almost every HIV designated clinics in the country. It’s just a matter of joining the required dose. The US based Agency for International Development (USAID) supports both HIV negative and positive people to create personalized plans to reduce their risky behavior through its long standing VCT programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania included. The US government spends approximately USD 2.2 billion on bilateral foreign assistance budget on anti-retroviral treatment. Testing one patient for 10 years costs about USD 7,000, in comparison, providing couples with voluntary counseling and testing would prevent new HIV infections at a cost of about USD 300 each. In Sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 1 in 10 people may not know their HIV status and therefore, there is a need of addressing a complex issue related to HIV counseling and testing with couples who currently constitute the largest risk group in Africa for HIV transmission. Statistics by UNAIDS in Tanzania shows that, adults who are at the age of 30 to 39 are more vulnerable to HIV infections than the other age group. The report identifies that the risky sexual acts still prevail among men and women. The data shows that, HIV prevalence is the highest for women aged between 30 and 34 this is 10.4 percent, while prevalence for men of the same age is only 7.4 percent. Up to mid 2010, it was estimated that 1.5 million people including adults and children were living with HIV. The report came amid the results of the nationwide campaigns on the voluntary testing carried out in 2008 through various VCT centers such as those of Angaza which are sponsored by Africa Medical Research Foundation (AMREF). Statistics by the organization shows that, over three million people have been tested at their VCT sponsored centres in the country. The organization is highly encouraging Tanzanian citizens to get tested in order to know their HIV status. While it’s about 4 years for the UN Millennium Development Goals to be accomplished, Tanzania still has a long way to go on the issue of tackling HIV/AIDS disease. Shortages of human resources and inadequate capacity for capabilities were accounted for major challenges.

Media practitioners challenged on the use of Swahili words

A RENOWNED Professor of Swahili language and African Literature of the Open University of Tanzania, Professor Tigiti Mnyagatwa Sengo has cautioned media practitioners in the country on the use of improper Swahili words in their publications. He says that, “there has been an improper use of some of the Swahili common words by both print and electronic media organizations that distorts their real meaning especially when using them to illustrate their news stories”. He gives an example of the word “Mafisadi or Ufisadi”, as commonly used in newspapers, radios and television news productions. This is wrongly used whenever they describes few untrustworthy government officials who steals government money by signing dubious contractual projects for their own benefits. According to him, the correct word to be used in this respect should be written or pronounced as “Mafisidi or Ufisidi” for that matter, therefore, the word “Ufisadi or Mafisadi” is improperly used in this case as far as the meaning of an expression of this word is concerned.

Professor Tigiti Sengo delivering a speech facing the audience who are not in the picture during the ceremony, seated on his right is the author a retired teacher Mzee Yusufu Halimoja (76). As an expert of Swahili language, he has challenged the media in proper use of Swahili language wherever possible.

Giving the actual meaning of the word “Mafisadi” as commonly used by all media organizations, Professor Sengo who is an expert in Swahili language says that, “the word means to refer people who practices immorality, prostitution, drunkards and other related mischief”. Prof. Sengo said media practitioners should be careful when writing and avoid such a grammatical mistakes, and if left without being rectified, would distort their real meaning and the use of Swahili language as a whole. However, he said adding that, Swahili language has gained an International status as it’s currently used in various International forums which takes place in the world. In view of this, media practitioners must defend its proper use wherever appropriate. Giving further examples in an exclusive talks, Professor Sengo illustrated the word “Taaluma” as being misused and distorted also. He says this should be significantly written or pronounced as “Taalimu” “The improper use of Swahili language and its oral grammar the media has been so notoriously misusing in their mass media is a positive distortion of the language for the future generation” he said, added that, it’s high time that media should take actions to defend the Swahili language to preserve Tanzanian culture. Professor Sengo threw the challenge last week in Dar es Salaam while delivering a speech in a short ceremony which was prepared in his honour during the lunching of his profile book which has been written by a retired teacher Mzee Yusufu Halimoja (76).

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania (Academic) Professor Elifas Bisanda displays a 32 page book which describes the life of Professor Tigiti Sengo also of the University of Tanzania, when he had just inaugurated it in a special ceremony held recently at the University campus in Kinondoni.

A 32 page book that describes the life of Professor Sengo since his childhood was launched in a colorful ceremony that took place at the main campus of the Open University of Tanzania, and officiated by the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Elifas Bisanda. The ceremony was attended by some Swahili experts from various Swahili institutes in the country, Zanzibar and Kenya. Other dignitaries who attended the ceremony were some students whom Professor Sengo taught at the University of Dar es Salaam and who some are Professors and others are PhD holders Nicknamed as Shaaban Robert of today, the author has described Professor Sengo as a great man who has dedicated himself to promote Swahili language inside and outside the country and ranks the first Tanzanian who has written about 30 Swahili books. According to the available records, Professor Sengo’s most Swahili books are educational ones and are used by students from Primary and in Secondary levels, his books are used in Swahili literature both written and oral, and others to higher learning institutions. Born in 1945, Professor Sengo who is a Ph Degree holder was conferred to bear the prefix of being a full Professor in 1996 by the council of the Islamic University in Uganda and has taught in Tanzania and outside in country. He began his teaching career in higher learning institutions in 1973 at the then Dar es Salaam University College, and moved to some other Universities like Illinois (USA), Khartoum (Sudan), Helsinki (Finland), Warsaw (Poland), Stockholm (Sweden), Kenyatta (Kenya), Islamic University (Uganda), Zanzibar Government University (Zanzibar) and currently at Open University of Tanzania.

CUF gives up on inclusion in House opposition camp

The Civic United Front (CUF) has said it will not continue persuading Chadema leaders to form a strong opposition camp in the National Assembly by involving all opposition parties because it has done so several times without positive response. According to the CUF Mainland acting deputy secretary general John Mtatiro said last year CUF had asked Chadema to cooperate with other opposition parties, including CUF, NCCR-Mageuzi, Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) and the United Development Party (UDP) to form strong opposition camp in parliament, but Chadema had refused, allegedly only ready to cooperate with CUF. “We can’t kiss Chadema leaders’ feet. We have gone all the way to convince them to cooperate with other political parties, but our efforts have not been successful,” said Mtatiro. He said CUF was disappointed by a statement released by Chadema, saying it was intended to confuse the people into believing that the formation of a unity government in Zanzibar reached between CUF and CCM was anathema, hence they should not support CUF on the Mainland. He said Chadema was doing so intentionally to confuse the people because it believes that if CUF perished on the Tanzania Mainland it would be a relief for them.

Tanzania's most beatiful parliament house which is in Dodoma a designated capital city.

On Monday Chadema said it had no plans to team up with CUF in forming a parliamentary opposition camp, according to secretary general Dr. Wilbroad Slaa. He said since CUF had already formed a unity government with CCM in Zanzibar, working with it would not strengthen the opposition in parliament but rather weaken it. “CUF will be working to please their Zanzibar counterparts in the government of national unity. Our party national executive committee (NEC) met in the city at the weekend and agreed that the party should not include CUF in the camp because it is a partner with CCM in Zanzibar,” Slaa said.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Crackdown on foreigners in petty business starts

A major crackdown on foreigners doing small businesses across Kariakoo in downtown Dar es Salaam has started according to the Minister for Industries, Trade and Marketing minister Cyril Chami has announced. He told a news conference in the city recently that some foreigners had complied with the ultimatum given by the government last month and “cleared problems with their residence in Tanzania” but others had defied or ignored the notice. The government, Industries, Trade and Marketing deputy minister Lazaro Nyalandu, issued a 30-day grace period for foreigners engaged in small business in the areas cited to put their immigration documents in order as a way of legalising their stay.

Industries, Trade and Marketing minister, Cyril Chami.


Minister Chami explained that a government’s task force working on the matter had established that Kariakoo abounds in foreign nationals, some breaking the law by engaging in business when they should not and some living in the country illegally. “On the strength of these facts, the government plans to embark on an extensive operation against foreigners running businesses contrary to the country’s laws, rules and regulations,” The Tanzanian media have for long run reports on the suspicious movements of foreigners illegally living, employed or doing business in the country, many said to be have originated from Kenya, India, Pakistan, and the Far East and some engaged in the sale of anything from boiled peanuts to synthetic flowers. The minister appealed to the public to assist the government in the implementation of the planned crackdown “by furnishing us with vital clues and information on foreigners operating in contravention of the country’s laws and regulations”.

Police foil UDSM students demo to State House

Police in Dar es Salaam yesterday disrupted secretly organised demonstrations by University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) students to the State House in the city where they planned to meet the President over accommodation and meal allowances. Contrary to the past strategies in which the students protested ‘en masse’, this time they marched in small secret groups to camouflage themselves and make it difficult for the police to identify them. Interviewed marchers said the students are demanding an increase in accommodation and meal allowance from the current 5,000/- a day to 10,000/-. The police however foiled the plan by intensifying security at different parts of the city to cordon off the demonstrations from reaching the State House.

Police in alert to suppress students' demonstration in Dar es Salaam

The police, who were fully armed, placed roadblocks on all roads leading out of the university’s main campus. This was done quickly in a move typical of Hollywood detective cinemas, whereby all roads going to the ‘Hill’ were cordoned off and the police started stopping all vehicles to and from the university and the surrounding areas early yesterday morning. But the cute students, in a battle of intelligence, also quickly beat the police move by deciding to walk in small groups before they regrouped at the Mwenge Bus Stand, about three kilometers on the way to the city centre, where they came face to face with deployed armed policemen, doing patrols and ready to counter them. In the circumstances, many of the students started to disperse, but some of them managed to reach as far as the city centre. Their dream to meet President Kikwete yesterday was finally cut short as they failed to regroup at their planned rendevour. For the part of other road users, there was more than unusual inconvenience caused by the police road blocks which are not common in the UDSM area.