Sugar crisis worries law makers

SUGAR crisis is expected to be a top agenda as the National Assembly resumes its sessions today after a weekend recess where members of parliament are expected to continue with debate on the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments budget estimates that were presented on Friday. It is expected the question and answer session will begin in the morning as usual before the Members of Parliament continue with the debate on the ministry before the Minister, Charles Mwijage, winds up the debate to seek the approval of the lawmakers for the 2016/2017 budget estimates of his ministry which has laid a detailed implementation plan of ambitious national goal. 

Minister for Industry, Trade and Investments  Mr. Charles Mwijage

Sugar crisis has hit the country as President John Magufuli vowed to take to task all sugar hoarders regardless of their power and status in the society. Already several businessmen have been arrested for hoarding tonnes of sugar for the sake of hiking the product’s price. Mr Mwijage is seeking for an allocation of 81.87bn/- for the 2016/2017 to implement its activities whose priority include promotion of industries in line with the second Five Year Development Plan (FYDP II) (2016/17 – 2020/21) focusing on the theme “Nurturing an Industrial Economy.” The minister said the government will start with implementation of 18 projects that are set to enable the country to realize industrial economy in the near future. He said the projects that have been given priority included the Liganga and Mchuchuma coal projects in Njombe Region.

DART warns drivers

THE Dar es Salaam Rapid Bus Transit (DART) Agency has warned drivers to make sure that they adhere to traffic laws and regulations to bring efficiency in running the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and avoid accidents. The stern warning comes at a time when the project is about to start in an interim period. Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the Agency’s Acting Chief Executive, Eng Ronald Lwakatare, said up to last Friday, there were 14 recorded accidents involving law breakers passing on the project’s trunk roads. “These accidents happened during this time when drivers are practicing ready for the commencement of the project,” he said. He noted that despite the ban on the use of the project’s roads, some drivers still use them during this practising period and cause operational challenges. Among the 14 accidents, nine of them were caused by motorcycles popularly known as bodaboda, four were caused by cars and one was caused by a pedestrian.

 He stressed a need for drivers to leave BRT roads for the buses and stick to roads designated for them. He also said since the BRT terminals are not meant for bodaboda riders, they should stop using them for taking and offloading their customers. Also, when crossing zebra areas, he said, bodaboda riders should first switch off their motorcycles. “The law prohibits a motorcycle rider to share zebra crossing with pedestrians while his engine is switched on,” he said. He said preparation for the project was going on well with drivers practising and technicians installing state-of- the-art fare charging machines. It is anticipated that by 2025, Dar es Salaam will have 11.5 million citizens and this, according to experts, calls for serious infrastructure improvement. Ongoing phase one works of the BRT project envisions reducing traffic jams and congestion at Dar es Salaam City. The first phase project includes construction of 20.9-kilometre special trunk road from Kimara terminal to Kivukoni area, Msimbazi road from Fire to Kariakoo-Gerezani area and a part of Kawawa Road from Magomeni to Morocco junction.

Paramilitary force to check poaching in game parks

THE Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has endorsed the request by Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) to operate from the current civilian system to paramilitary in the quest for a lasting solution to poaching. Speaking at the climax of a training for soldiers and game reserve rangers, the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Major General Gaudence Milanzi, said the request for change from civilian to paramilitary was valid because of the prevailing problem of poaching. Maj Gen Milanzi officiated the passing- out ceremony held at Mlele camp in Katavi Game Reserve, located in Katavi Region, where a total of 101 soldiers and 26 rangers completed the training that was conducted for three and six months respectively. “Currently, our game reserves are facing a huge challenge of poaching especially elephants and rhinos because of blatant disregard of ethics by guards and rangers,’’ he said, adding: “We will forward your request to other authorities so as to prepare a proper legal framework that will be presented in Parliament in order to have a law which will specify how you will discharge your duties.’’ However, the PS asked the soldiers and TANAPA management to prepare a proper transition mechanism so as when the law will be ready, they can be able to accommodate appropriate changes that will be specified in the respective legislation. 

After the new changes, you will be required to observe discipline as it has always been in other members of the uniformed forces, including accountability and avoiding trade unions. “In any contravention of the military code of ethics you will be tried in the court marshal and given punishment accordingly as per the procedures and regulations applied in the defence forces,’’ added Maj Gen Milanzi. Earlier, when submitting the request, TANAPA Director General Allan Kijazi said after a thorough assessment by experts in the authority, it was concluded that because of the current various challenges, it is high time that it operates as a paramilitary to look for a comprehensive solution to the challenges. “Our soldiers are given pure military training, complete with serious training on weapon handling that will help them to weed out poachers in our various national parks,’’ he added, insisting: “It should be understood that currently poachers especially those killing our elephants have been using sophisticated weapons and technology and they have been changing their tactics to have their mission accomplished.’’ Mr Kijazi insisted that the aim of the military training was to increase capacity building to soldiers to make them stronger to conduct regular patrols even in dangerous areas of the game reserves. Earlier, Katavi Regional Commissioner (RC), Major General (Rtd) Raphael Mahunga, warned groups of pastoralists that were taking animals in the game reserve to stop it immediately. “We made an assessment in my region and found out that there was 800,000 livestock that invaded Katavi National Park, but we made a special operation to kick out animals in that area,’’ said the RC. Mr Mahunga said the region would use the soldiers who completed their training to make regular operations that would ensure that no animals were being taken in the game reserves. The military training is the third to be provided to TANAPA staff. The authority is manning 16 different game reserves countrywide.

SOURCE: DAILY NEWS