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KITAIFA
Rais John Magufuli ameiagiza Wizara ya Nishati na Wakala wa Umeme Vijijini (Rea) kuondoa changamoto za kawaunganishia nishati hiyo wananchi.

Pia, amewaagiza wakuu wa taasisi mbalimbali za umma kufanya kazi kwa ushirikiano ili kuepuka gharama wanazoisababishia Serikali na kuchelewesha maendeleo kwa wananchi.

Hayo ameyasema leo Jumatatu Aprili 3, 2018 wakati akizindua kituo cha kufua umeme cha Kinyerezi II 240MV CCPP jijini Dar es Salaam.

Rais Magufuli amesema kumekuwa na malalamiko kutoka kwa wananchi kuhusu gharama za kuunganishiwa umeme hivyo hatua za haraka zinahitajika kuchukuliwa.

"Wizara ya Nishati na Rea hakikisheni mnaongeza kasi ya kuunganishiwa umeme, yapo malalamiko machache machache ya wafanyakazi kuomba rushwa, yashughulikiwe hayo," amesema Rais Magufuli

Kuhusu malalamiko ya taasisi kucheleweshewa baadhi ya huduma amesema hilo linamkera na hataki kulisikia tena.

Amesema taasisi za Serikali zinatakiwa kufanya kazi kwa karibu hasa tunapotekeleza miradi mikubwa ya Taifa, tusicheleweshane.

"Mawaziri, wakurugenzi, wenyeviti wa bodi msiache kuwasiliana ninyi kwa ninyi, kama unaona unakwamishwa na taasisi nyingine, mambo kama haya nikisikia huwa yananiudhi, lugha ya mitaani yananiboa kweli kweli. Shirikianeni kwani mnawacheleweshea wananchi maendeleo," amesema Rais Magufuli.

Amesema kuwa umeme wa uhakika unachagiza kutekeleza Tanzania ya Viwanda kwani kwa sasa mahitaji ya nchi ni megawati karibu 1,40O lakini uzalishaji umefikia megawati 1515.3,"Bado tunahitaji umeme wa kutosha na tuongeze uzalishaji."
Najua na watu wangu wa nguvu ambao wapo mbali na Tanzania au nje ya Dar es Salaam kwa muda mrefu, lakini hilo haliwekuwa tatizo la kukufanya ukakosa kujua habari za Dar es Salaam, mtu wangu wa


TANZANIA has started to build its own helicopters in a project that will see the first batch of such choppers taking into the sky sometimes in 2018.
Already, the prototype model, a two-seater aircraft is in its final stages of completion at the Mechanical and Engineering Department of the Arusha Technical College, which runs a fully-fledged factory producing various forms of machinery, including a prototype motor vehicle and a number of industrial engines.
But it is the Tanzanian-made new helicopter that seems to be turning heads here; “We are complementing President Magufuli’s industrialisation policy in pioneering the first locally made helicopters that will be available to ordinary residents at affordable prices,” explained the man behind the ATC chopper project, Engineer Abdi Mjema.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ms Maimuna Tarishi, who also toured the project over the weekend seemed surprised at the development and wanted to know when exactly the chopper will hit the skies.
“We are contacting the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) for the permission to fly the chopper for trials,” said Engineer Mjema.
He assured the PS that the future of the ‘affordable,’ chopper -- to ease the country’s transport woes -- is approaching. “The Tanzania-made helicopters will fly before 2020 -- and specifically 2018, which is two years from now,” he added.
The idea was hatched two months ago by two engineers at the Arusha Technical College; Engineer Adisai Msongole, now serving as the ATC Bursar, and Engineer Abdi Mjema. The chassis as well as airframe for the pioneer chopper is ready -- complete with a mounted flat engine.
“We had initially intended the two-seater helicopter to be used for surveillance, rescue and agricultural purposes. However, as the project takes shape, we may increase the airframes to carry more people for serious transportation,” said the engineer.
The helicopter is currently 50 per cent complete and features the popular gasolinepowered VW flat engine on board. The motors, manufactured by Volkswagen in Germany, are the same used to make the ‘Robinson’ helicopters in the United States. “Once we get the aviation authority approval, we shall complete the most sensitive part of the helicopter -- mounting the main rotor.
This should be ready in threeweek’s time,” said Eng Mjema, adding that Arusha will set history as the first region to fly the first-ever Tanzanian manufactured helicopter in July 2016. With a non-pressurised cabin, the Prototype ATC helicopter has a flying ceiling of 400 feet for starters, taking into consideration that Arusha is already at a higher altitude.
But the flying height is set to increase with more complete and accomplished models. Most commercial choppers can fly up to 8,000 feet above sea level. On how many choppers the college can manufacture in a year once the project gets a nod from higher authorities, Eng Mjema said that depended on demand.
“But with serious work we can roll out up to 20 such helicopters in a year,” boasted the engineer.
The Rector of Arusha Technical College, Dr Richard Masika, had previously stated that, ATC was moving from being an ordinary college of technical, engineering and technological training towards becoming a fully-fledged factory, which will deal in vehicle and heavy machinery repair and manufacturing.
Next August ATC will be completing the first phase of Kikuletwa Hydropower Station Project and training centre setup, through which the college is going to churn electricity and hold training at the site based in Kilimanjaro Region.
DEPUTY Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Employment and the Disabled), Dr Abdallah Possi, has said more efforts are needed to maintain equality between people living with albinism (PLWAs) and surrounding societies.
Dr Possi made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the ongoing Regional forum for Action on Albinism in Africa, saying violence against people with albinism has declined compared to past years.
“We as Tanzanians are supposed to join hands in addressing attacks and discrimination against people with albinism in the society. The important thing is to educate the society to recognise people with albinism and what they are supposed to be in our community,” Dr Possi said.
Dr Possi pointed out that the government will benefit through forum if some strategies and policies has been improved in order to avoid discrimination of albinism to the society.
For her part, the Founder National Director of the Albinism Society of South Africa, Ms Grace Mazopuko, said people living with albinism in Africa should unite to forge a common voice to tackle attacks and discrimination they faced.
“It is important we (people with albinism) in Africa unite and speak with one voice that will help to avoid discrimination and attacks faced by the group around the continent,” Ms Mazopuko observed.
She said to achieve this, the government should be involved in the implementation of strategies and policy that will help people with albinism to be considerable as other people in the society. Ms Mazipuko noted that people with albinism in South Africa, especially women and girls, were supported by the government to start their own business and attend classes.
According to her, albinism believes that ‘’one day, they will not be considered as money and instead be treated as other human being in their communities.’’
Advocacy and Human rights Officer from Under-the-Same Sun, Ms Perpetual Senkoro, said that the forum would come up with strategies and recommendations that will address attacks and discrimination faced by people with albinism.
“We are discussing how to implement strategies and guidelines that will address the attacks and other acts of discrimination faced by people with albinism in our societies,’’ Ms Senkoro pledged. The three-day forum will help to raise awareness in the society since we will formulate policies for strict implementation,” she said.
TANZANIA is among five African economies whose manufacturing sector are key success stories in Africa after outpacing other countries, which started from similar baselines in 2000, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
ICAEW attributes the growth to various reasons, which vary from country to country, including improved infrastructure, a transparent regime to foreign investment, a more business-friendly approach to regulation; and skills investment.
“These economies have substantially outstripped other African economies starting from similar baselines in 2000,” ICAEW said in its latest edition of Economic Insight: Africa, the quarterly economic forecast for the economies of the sub-Saharan Africa region prepared directly for finance professionals whose work focuses on Africa.
It said Ethiopia and Congo were among key success stories where the output of the manufacturing sector has grown by close to 10 per cent per annum or more since 2000.
Tanzania, Rwanda and Angola have seen growth of eight per cent or so per annum and Malawi and Zambia have achieved manufacturing growth of around six per cent, it said noting these economies were effectively, exploiting ‘catch-up’ more effectively than other economies.
“Growth in manufacturing has been particularly encouraging in Ethiopia, Republic of Congo and Tanzania, as have productivity improvements in agricultural sectors in Rwanda, Botswana and Ghana.”
“The reasons behind this more rapid rate of manufacturing growth are multi-faceted and likely to vary across countries. Possible reasons for a faster switch to higher value-added industries in some economies than others are likely to include an improved infrastructure, an openness to foreign investment, a more businessfriendly approach to regulation, and skills investment.”
The report said Africa’s economic performance over the past 15 years somewhat obscures a disappointing productivity performance.
Excluding extractive economies, average productivity growth in sub-Saharan Africa averaged just 1.7 per cent, which is 1 percentage point (pp) slower than in ASEAN, despite much greater scope for economic ‘catch-up’, and a substantial increase in capital investment across most economies.
“Yet, there are areas where much has been achieved in increasing output per worker. Growth in manufacturing has been particularly encouraging in Ethiopia, Republic of Congo and Tanzania, as have productivity improvements in agricultural sectors in Rwanda, Botswana and Ghana.”
Increased manufacturing sector output in Tanzania has pushed out export portfolio improving balance of payment significantly.
The exports continued to surge in 2015 while imports maintained a steady decline buoyed by rising local manufacturing output that is improving the balance of trade. Exports to India, Japan, East African Community and SADC regions recorded a significant increase while imports recorded a decline thanks to efforts to promote the manufacturing sector and increased motivation by Tanzanians to use local products.
The Minister for Industry, Trade and Investments, Charles Mwijage, told Parliament last Friday that exports to EAC increased in 2015 to reach 1.06 billion US dollars up from 598.1 million US dollars in 2014.
Tanzania’s increased exports in the region included vegetable, tea, fruits and various food items, as well as sisal sacks, plastic bags, cotton and coal, the minister said in his presentation of budget estimates for his ministry for the 2016/2017 financial year.
Meanwhile, HILDA MHAGAMA reports that as Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) switched off counterfeit mobile phones yesterday, the government has incurred annual loss of more than six billion/- because of fake goods.
Presenting the research findings on the state of counterfeit goods in Tanzania, Compol Associates Limited Managing Director, Ms Ellis De Bruijn, said they conducted in depth case study on two different manufacturers and found that they have suffered loss of market share to counterfeiters.
“Measures taken by the government do not appear to be curtailing the increase of counterfeits in the economy resulting to loss between five to ten per cent in tax revenues,” she noted in her presentations during the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) stakeholders’ meeting.
She said the effects of the counterfeit trade on the government of Tanzania lead to a loss of tax revenue, employment and a loss of foreign direct investment.
Ms Bruijin pointed out that if the companies would not have suffered from the counterfeiting of their brand they would have been able to invest further and develop their business by building bigger factories and create direct employment.
Expounding further, she noted that due to the related health and safety risks connected to counterfeit products, there has been a growing disappointment amongst Tanzanians as the government did not do more to curb the illicit trade.
According to CTI, counterfeiting in Tanzania has grown by at least 32 per cent as an educated estimate in 2008 would put counterfeit products at 18 per cent of Tanzania’s merchandise trade.
On the recommendations she said consumer education through a nationwide awareness campaign explaining the difference between a counterfeit and a substandard product should be prepared as through the research they have found that many consumers cannot differentiate the two.
She said the campaign should also focus on effects counterfeit trade has on consumers which creates false economy and the Tanzanian economy as a whole. An economist from Mzumbe University, Professor Honest Ngowi, commented that counterfeit products were a big and growing challenge in the country in which about 50 per cent of goods in the market were likely to be counterfeits.
Prof Ngowi said counterfeit goods posed a major setback in the country’s economy, including less investments and related benefits, which led to loss of faith in the investment climate. “The effects are many and closely related as some genuine dealers are becoming uncompetitive and enterprises may reduce or stop production, sales volume,” he said.
The economist further said in fighting counterfeit products, the Fair Competition Commission (FCC) still has a small workforce and they have no regional offices. He said FCC only has eight staff instead of 50 who cannot contain the problem which seems to increase each day.
Prof Ngowi said brand owners must be more involved and should cooperate in fighting counterfeits by investigating where their products are counterfeited. On long-term recommendations regarding the situation in the country, he said the fight against the counterfeit trade should remain within the criminal law.
The laws and fines were not sufficiently punitive; courts should be able to impose sanctions with strong deterrent measures. “Continuous efforts should be directed within the East African Community (EAC) towards the inception of an APEX Law for the Community,” he said.
As of March, this year, TCRA statistics showed that there were approximately 39.5 million mobile phone subscribers, with 13 per cent owning counterfeit phones.
By Mpembuzi24.com

14 June 2016
THE 2016/17 national budget on 8 June was the first for President Dr John Magufuli’s administration and may be the most important austerity budget more than ever before tabled in the National Assembly of Tanzania.
During the pre-budget consultations, lawmakers, economists, civic groups and other stakeholders, including the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), shared great ideas about the 2016/17 budget.
The unalloyed truth is that Dr Magufuli’s administration just couldn’t adopt all the ideas at once. That’s exactly why the national budget is the most crucial economic policy instrument for any government to make compromises and reach an accord on spending priorities.
A 2015 debt sustainability analysis report by the IMF said that “Tanzania’s Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) external debt as a share of GDP has steadily increased in recent years”. The report also said that the country’s “primary fiscal deficit has been a major contributor to public debt accumulation”.
In his 2016/17 budget address, Finance Minister Dr Philip Mpango told the National Assembly in Dodoma that the national debt stock stood at US$ 20.94 billion as of March 2016 compared to US$ 19.69 billion as of June 2015, representing an increase of 6.34 per cent.
“Out of this amount, public debt was US$ 17.93 billion and private external debt was US$ 3.01 billion,” he said, adding that “The public debt increased by 6.01 per cent compared to US$ 16.92 billion in June 2015.”
You read that right, an increase of 6.34 per cent in the national debt stock and 6.01 per cent in the stock of public debt. The increase in debt stock, Dr. Mpango explained, is chiefly attributed to new borrowings to finance various, big-ticket development projects; for instance, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System, the expansion of the Julius Nyerere International Airport and of the Ruvu Water Treatment Plant, the Strategic Cities Project, as well as, the construction of the 240-MW Kinyerezi II Gas-Fired Power Plant, the Mtwara–Dar es Salaam Natural Gas Pipeline, the Arusha – Holili/Taveta – Voi Road and the Nyerere Bridge, among others. Dr Magufuli administration needs to achieve a balanced budget, of course, within its mandate, in order to start paying down this debt.
A key question is, in this year’s budget, how many steps closer is the government towards the achievement? Dr. Mpango has requested Parliament to approve Tshs 8 trillion (approximately US$ 3.6 billion) to service public debt for the 2016/17 financial year. The budget process started some time ago when the government scanned the functions of each ministry, department and agency.
This exercise, also known as Public Expenditure Review (PER), aimed to search for efficiencies and to discover programs that could be reformed or discontinued. In a Tshs 29.5-trillion budget, there are many programs.
In a bid to cut costs and restrict wastage of public funds, President Dr Magufuli challenged each ministry, department and agency to examine their activities and to find more appropriate ways to deliver “best value for money” (BVM). But, why would Dr Magufuli’s administration put a lot of efforts into evaluating the efficacy of Government programs?
The reason is not far to seek: it is the unequaled way of finding improvements in public sector performance on a tight budget. During the pre-budget consultations and in surveys carried out by some media houses at the street level, people from all walks of life expressed their aspirations, hopes and dreams for Tanzania.
The dominant message that came through is that change is necessary and Dr Magufuli administration needs to get its finances in good shape. What did this really mean? It meant President Dr Magufuli and his cabinet of ministers needed to reconsider what Government does and how it does it.
This perspective encompasses all facets of Government administration, including but not limited to rebates, concessions, tax incentives and exemptions, as well as fees and levies. Indeed, it will be remembered that, as soon as he took office, the President directed that all tax exemptions provided by the Government be examined. Consequently, in the 2016/17 budget unveiled this month, we have seen the bold proposals to remove tax exemptions.
These exemptions cost East African countries about US$ 2.8 billion annually, with Tanzania hitherto unswervingly granting the most in the region, says a 2012 report by Tax Justice Network-Africa and ActionAid.
Although some tax incentives and exemptions help minimize poverty and have been fruitfully implemented in the developing world e.g. Mauritius and Malaysia, latest studies on the Africa continent show that the costs of these incentives and exemptions far outweigh the benefits.
Dr Magufuli’s administration, thus, needed to consider whether they have been effective in attracting foreign direct investments (FDIs) amidst a rising demand for Tanzania’s natural resources and growing concerns around the ‘resource curse’ that is widely acknowledged to bedevil most resourcerich African countries. Let’s face it, hard choices cannot be suspended ad infinitum.
After careful thought and consideration, the government has proposed the removal of tax exemption on disposal of Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE)- listed shares, all fee-based financial services (except interest paid on loans) and tourism services. The Tanzania Investment Act, 1997 will also be reviewed with an eye to scrapping VAT exemptions on big investors.
This is intended to widen the tax base and increase Government revenue. The government has also proposed to amend current tax legislation to require religious institutions and such other like institutions to pay taxes and apply for refunds which would be reimbursed upon verification.
Here, it needs to be underscored that much as the Magufuli administration seeks to safeguard religious-liberty rights, it is also concerned that religious institutions operate within their chosen sphere and not participate in prohibited activities.
Other hard choices includes extending the application of 10 per cent excise duty on mobile money charges and imposing withholding tax on investment income i.e. dividends, interest and rent of approved retirement funds.
A further proposal involves the review of rates of fees and levies charged by ministries, regions and independent departments “in order to rationalize them with the current economic development”.
This is intended to help cover the cost of providing services. Without this, the government would need to cut some billions of shillings from essential public services in our schools, universities, hospitals and other public amenities. All public spending, along with tax incentives and exemptions, has to be scrutinized if Tanzania is to move forward.
The strong call to action in the 2016/17 budget by Dr Mpango, has been heard and, for the country’s poor, the status quo is not working for them. Also, as indicated above, concern is rife that Tanzania is heading towards a debt trap. The Magufuli administration must make tough choices to balance its budget. Obviously, the US$ 20.94 billion debt did not accumulate overnight.
It’s been years of increasing public spending. The country’s deficit and stock of debt grew from several decisions taken by past governments. Calls have been made for the Magufuli administration to focus more, in this day and age, on its core functions. It simply can’t afford to be all things to all people.
Interestingly, President Dr Magufuli, while speaking with members of the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) in December 2015, promised to work closely with the private sector, saying his administration strongly believes in private sector partnerships as being critical to unlocking the economy, creating additional jobs and helping lessen the debt burden.
Against this backdrop – and reflecting the East African Community (EAC) bloc’s theme of “Industrial Growth for Job Creation” – the 2016/17 budget has increased its development spending by 40 per cent, mainly on industrial and infrastructure projects.
This represents a critical step on the road to solving the challenges facing the people of Tanzania so as to bring new hope for a better life and to transforming the economy into real middle income status.
To achieve these goals, the government intends to develop industries that will foster job creation, enhance agricultural productivity in order to increase incomes, carry out reforms aimed at restoring discipline and accountability and doing away with the “business-as-usual” mentality, and strengthen the integrity and management of public expenditure and national resources.
In the long run the administration will be able to minimize taxes and create winning conditions for the country. That seems to be the plan. This year’s budget has also embodied the electoral promises of President Dr Magufuli. These promises have committed his administration to a conservative fiscal approach and, as stated earlier, restricting wastage of public funds.
These are hard, but necessary choices that have had to be made for the long-term benefit of all Tanzanians; although, of course, this will depend on availability of funds to implement the budget. l Paul Kibuuka is the managing partner of Kibuuka Law Chambers.
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If charted well, the approach could see a drop in the national debt; the money that would be spent on debt servicing would be spent on reducing taxes, spurring economic development, and providing needed public goods and services.
In putting forward the 2016/17 budget, the Magufuli administration has set aggressive timeliness for its implementation. The budget is being put to test as Parliament debates the proposals made. It is important for the administration to trail the path it has set in making the hard choices which it views are vital to Tanzania’s prosperity.  
This necessitates political courage and a strong promise to put far-reaching national interests above everything. Compromise and cooperation is needed to get Tanzania on a more responsible and viable pathway. It would be heartening, therefore, if Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the ruling party CCM and the opposition demonstrate such courage and commitment.
Without comprehensive reforms and sacrifices, our children and future generations will be left with large government debts, greater taxes, poorer living standards and a weakened regional and international role for the United Republic of Tanzania.
As noted above, the 2016/17 budget promises to bring a new hope for a better life and to transform the Tanzanian economy into middle income status, but if we remain united, work extremely hard, and appreciate the value of time as a special resource that we cannot store or save for later use.

MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) decried rampant tax evasion in the country, proposing the use of police force to collect revenue. “Collecting tax is not a joke...we must coerce people to pay tax,” Professor Norman Sigalla (Makete- CCM) said while debating the 2016/17 national budget here.
The MP told the National Assembly that there was a huge amount of uncollected taxes from shops and restaurants due to indiscriminate sale of products and services without receipts.
The legislator proposed the deployment of police officers to compel traders and customers to issue and demand receipts, respectively. Prof Sigalla faulted the envisaged transfers of 50m/- to every village as ineffective.
“There is no economy of transferring free money to the people,” he said, saying the over 5bn/- that Makete is entitled to under the programme is sufficient to establish the more beneficial community development bank or address the issue of water.
Ms Mary Chatanda (Korogwe Urban-CCM) attributed the tax evasion to lack of culture to demand receipt among majority people, proposing the introduction of receipt demanding culture at primary school level.
“We have a serious problem of not demanding receipts for the purchases we make,” decried the legislator, saying many petrol stations were not effectively using the Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) to evade taxes.
Mr Musa Azan (Ilala-CCM) accused mining companies in the country of rampant tax evasion through miss-invoicing and transfer pricing, advising TRA and Tanzania Mineral Audit Agency to work closely against the tax dodging in the mining sector.
He supported the introduction of the 10 per cent excise duty on charges or fees payable by people to telecommunication service providers, describing the mobile phone companies as money minters, which must pay the due taxes.
The MP belittled the public outcry over the proposed tax, saying: “It is high time Tanzanians change our mindset and embrace payment of tax as our moral obligation.” He, however, was among MPs who spoke bitterly against the proposed tax on lawmakers’ gratuity.
Finance and Planning Minister Dr Philip Mpango, proposed when presenting the 2016/17 national budget estimates here last Wednesday, the removal of income tax exemption on final gratuity to MPs to promote equity and fairness in taxation.
Mr Hussein Bashe (Nzega Urban-CCM) opposed the proposed tax on gratuity unless it was imposed fairly on all politicians. “Why single out only MPs? For fairness sake, let us all -- the president, ministers, regional commissioners, district commissioners, speaker and you deputy speaker-- pay it,” he said.
He denounced the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) on tourism, saying the move will cripple the country’s competitiveness and ultimately kill the sector. Ms Jacqueline Ngonyani (Special Seats-CCM) warned Dr Mpango against the proposed tax on gratuity, describing the issue as highly sensitive to all MPs.
However, Mr Bashe faulted the proposed tax increase on second-hand clothes, saying the move will harm the ordinary people because the country doesn’t have textile industries to produce clothes to meet the country demand.
The MPs also decried the small budget for the National Audit Office, proposing increased allocation to enable the office play its watchdog role effectively.


14 June 2016
TWO newly-appointed ministers sworn in by President John Magufuli at the State House in Dar es Salaam on Monday have outlined their top priorities, exuding confidence that they will deliver to the fullest.
They are Mr Mwigulu Nchemba, who is the new Minister for Home Affairs and Dr Charles Tizeba, who takes over at the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries.
Speaking a few minutes after he took oath of office, Mr Nchemba declared war against drug kingpins, saying he would leave no stone unturned in the fight against the big dealers.
He added that his appointment to the docket demonstrated that the Head of State had high trust in him. “I want to warn those dealing with the vice to stop it immediately because they will not be spared as we don’t want our young generation to be destroyed,’’ he stressed.
Mr Nchemba further said that although his new docket was difficult to handle due to various challenges involved, he would ensure that all forms of crimes that have been emerging are dealt with decisively.
“I know that my ministry is entrusted with the task of ensuring that our citizens are secure. I know I have the ability to maintain order in the country,’’ he vowed. The new minister takes over the new docket at a time when there has been a tug of war between the police force and members of the opposition party over the conduct of political rallies.
Mr Nchemba also takes over his new office within a few months of senseless killings that have threatened to shake the very foundations for peace and security in the country.
“I will deal with all incidents that are likely to threaten the lives of citizens,’’ Mr Nchemba further vowed. On his part, Dr Tizeba promised to ensure that the three sectors ─ Agriculture, Livestock and fisheries - were growing.
“I am a fisherman, farmer and pastoralist. Therefore, I am starting to discharge my new duties with enough experience in the three sectors,’’ he said. He added that about 75 and 80 per cent of Tanzanians depend on agriculture, promising to put more emphasis on the development of the sector.
“I understand that there are several issues to deal with in this ministry but with cooperation from my colleagues in government, I am sure that we shall be able to move forward. The early morning swearingin ceremony was also attended by Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and Chief Secretary Engineer John Kijazi.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ernest Mangu, and senior officials from the Police Force, Immigration Services Department, Prisons Department and Fire Brigade also attended. Dr Tizeba had also served as Deputy Minister for Transport under President Jakaya Kikwete’s administration.
This was President Magufuli’s first mini-cabinet reshuffle since he appointed his cabinet late last year, days after he succeeded Mr Kikwete as the country’s fifth president.


POLICE officers in the country have been reminded to perform hand salutes to political leaders, including Members of Parliament and Representatives in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives, as per provisions of the Police General Order (PGO) number 102.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery, William ole Nasha, made the reminder here yesterday when responding to a basic question by Special Seats MP, Fakharia Shomar Khamis, (CCM).
The minister responded to the question on behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs. Ms Fakharia had wanted to know the meaning of the salutation and the rank of police officers who are supposed to be saluted by their juniors.
Ole Nasha explained that the hand salute is part of salutations in the armed forces which are performed in accordance with legislation and regulations of the police force through PGO number 102. He stated that the PGO outlines political and other public officials to be saluted by police officers.
“Police officers at all ranks are supposed to salute the President and the Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania as well as the President, the First and Second Vice-President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar,” Ole Nasha explained.
He mentioned other leaders entitled to the salute as the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Chief Justice of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
Also on the list are Speaker of the Union Parliament and Speaker of Zanzibar’s House of Representatives, cabinet ministers in both the Union Government and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
Ole Nasha mentioned other leaders as the Clerks of the Union Parliament and Zanzibar’s House of Representatives respectively as well as MPs from both parliaments when they are in their constituencies or in parliament grounds.
He said the salutation also covers Regional Commissioners and Judges when in their areas of work while police officers with ranks ranging from constable to inspector are required to salute District Commissioners and magistrates at their places of work.


NEW taxes on financial service fees and mobile money transfer charges have sparked undue tension among members of the public, but mostly due to politically instigated propaganda.
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Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Philip Mpango, presenting the 2016/17 national budget here on Wednesday, proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) on fee based financial services, a move he said will widen the tax base and increase government revenue.
Dr Mpango also proposed extension of 10 per cent excise duty on charges or fees payable by people to telecommunication service providers in respect of money transfers to cover all commissions received in the provision of mobile money services.
Surprisingly, suspended Kigoma Urban Member of Parliament (MP) on ACT-Wazalendo ticket hurriedly posted on his face book page, claiming that effective July 1, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) will deduct 280/- for every 1,000/- transferred through mobile phones or withdrawn through banks’ automated teller machines (ATMs).
In his post that went viral, igniting heated debate and emotions in social media, Mr Kabwe wrote, “In each 1,000/- you will withdraw through ATM effective July 1, 2016, Tshs 280/- will be taken by TRA.
The same applies to MPESA, TIGO PESA transactions.” For the whole of Thursday and yesterday, the ‘Daily News’ Newsroom was awash with calls from worried members of the public seeking clarification over the issue.
But, far from the politically motivated post by Mr Kabwe, the proposed taxes on financial service fees are not that harsh. According to the budget speech, the VAT is proposed on the charges that banks put on the services they provide to their customers - ATM withdrawal fee, ledger fee and counter withdrawal fee, among others.
If, for instance, the banks currently charge 500/- per ATM transaction, effective July 1, 2016, the bank customers will have to part with 500/- as the bank charge and 90/- as the 18 per cent VAT tax, bringing to 590/- the total charge per ATM transaction.
And the charge, which excludes interest on bank loans, has nothing to do with the amount of money transacted. But, under the proposed 10 per cent excise duty on charges/fees of mobile money services, the tax burden falls on the telecommunication firms, which earn the service commissions.
According to the budget speech, if the telecommunication firms, for example, charge 3,500/- for transfer of 200,000/- through mobile phones, effective July 1, 2016, the companies will charge 3,500/- but part with 350/- as 10 per cent excise duty to TRA and remain with 3,150/- as their net commission for the transaction.
Yet, Mr Zitto is deceitfully implying that the government intends to subject all amount of money transacted through mobile phones and ATMs to 28 per cent tax, which is close to the 30 per cent corporate tax that companies pay on their net profits.




Dar es Salaam.Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has said.
PERFORMANCE of government leaders at various levels would be assessed based on how they implement orders of the government towards easing shortage of desks in primary and secondary schools in the country,
 Speaking after taking part in a charity walk to raise funds for school desks in Dar es Salaam, the PM  directed the government officials including education officers and head- teachers in both primary and secondary schools in the country to ensure that funds which are raised are spent on the required purpose.
He made the statements in Dar es Salaam yesterday when addressing the public, workers and the management of Bank of Tanzania (BoT) shortly after he took part in a sponsored walk organised by the bank to raise funds for purchase of desks in the country.
The charity walk is part of the bank’s activities to mark its 50 years’ Anniversary.
“The government had issued orders to regional commissions, district commissioners and directors in all the municipal councils to make sure that the crisis of desks in our secondary and primary schools comes to an end,” he said.
In another development, Mr Majaliwa ordered each council to use the available resources to manufacture school desks to ease the shortage of desks in their respective areas.
He also directed all the councils to use the timbers collected through illegal transportation in the central government districts and villages to manufacture desks in order to get rid of the shortage in their respective areas.
“The councils should use all the available resources; including using seized timber to manufacture desks instead of auctioning it. The nation faces a crisis in our schools,” he said and directed the districts to set up a long-term strategy to get rid of the crisis.
According to the premier, primary and secondary schools in the country is facing a shortage of over 3,000,000 desks with primary schools having a shortage of 2,800,000 while 200,000 desks are needed in secondary schools.
On the other hand, the premier received a total of 263.1m/- raised by BoT workers and the management to supplement the government’s effort towards the purchase of desks.
He highly commended the Bank Governor Prof Beno Ndulu and the bank’s employees for the donation, expressing the need for other institutions in the public and private sectors to develop the spirit of supporting education.
Earlier, Prof Ndulu told the premier that the bank raised a total of 273.1m/- with the bank’s management contributing 167m/- as a corporate social responsibility (CSR), the workers contributed 29.8m/- and 54m/- was raised by telecommunication companies and 22m/- by other financial institutions.
“The the bank employees voluntarily contributed the funds in order to lend their support in tackling the shortage of desks in several regions. The regions include Mtwara, Dodoma, Arusha , Zanzibar, Mwanza and Dar es Salaam,” he noted.
Prof Ndulu assured the premier that BoT will continue to support the government’s efforts in the development of quality education through various plans including the corporate social responsibility of the institution, the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Scholarship Fund and Gilman Rutihinda Memorial Fund.

05 June 2016

EVERYWHERE I go the cry is: “There is no money. President Magufuli’s policy has driven money away.” Slowly, people are beginning to admit that the plenty of cash that used to float around was illegal money, so to speak because if it were, it would be overflowing now.
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Why has it disappeared then? It was money embezzled from the government. It was taxes owed to the state. The good work Dr Magufuli has so far done has impressed scores and scores. Unnecessary foreign trips have been banned.
In these trips government officials who often flew abroad as if they were going on a tourist visit to the Serengeti National Park, got a lot of money by way of allowances. God knows how else they made cash on the trips or what more their gains were.
Nevertheless, financial advantages must have been many and big. Several people would have thought that after President Magufuli reduced the trips substantially, people and government officials particularly, would support the action.
Indeed, it has been the converse. Earlier this week, an MP from Zanzibar raised the question of foreign trips in the House. He praised ex-President Jakaya Kikwete for his charity of taking with him a number of Zanzibar government officials during his reign whenever he travelled abroad.
I was mightily shocked. How could a legislator, an eminent personality in the country who should be striving to devise a means to reduce government’s expenditure clamour for an overseas travel heavily loaded with civil servants most of whom are irrelevant to the trip?
The implication is loud. There are today many government officials and other eminent persons who used to be included in presidential foreign travels, but will in the fifthphase government miss the trip with a lot of pain.
Apparently, overseas trips had also both financial and material gains for the civil servants who made them. To such people a good president is one who travels a lot overseas and takes along with him or her many people just for camaraderie. Tanzania is a free market economy but going on such foreign travels is a chance to see and buy more at a price cheaper than at home.
There are no taxes on commodities bought overseas because their owners return home as V.I.Ps. Camaraderie was built! Given the history of the nation such trips mostly made as shopping sprees were the status quo in government previous to Dr Magufuli’s arrival and many are unwilling to change. What the Zanzibari legislator said merely described the extent of the government’s frugality on trips abroad.
There have been many methods through which people fleeced the government of millions in days and billions in months. It is, however, wrong to think President Magufuli will bring a lasting change while the people – at least many of them – are unwilling to change.
Significant therefore, should be people’s disinclination to demand more from the government unless they, or we ourselves for that matter, are willing to change. The change ought not be imposed, change from above, but come from within - spontaneous change.
The President has been in power for about six months today, but the change he has brought is remarkable, profound. Most financial loopholes have since then been plugged, sending the likes of Melchiel Bethuel running in circles for what they call financial drought.
“I used to get 60,000/- to 90,000/- in a day,” says Bethuel, a bodaboda boy who operates along Mandela Highway in the area of Tabata in Dar city. Today, says Bethuel, he gets only 10 – 15, 000/-. “You are lucky if you get 20,000/-,” he adds.
I wanted to know who mostly Bethuel’s customers were. He said they were workers – employees who earned monthly salaries. “They are so stingy now with their money and can only pay 4,000/- for a distance they readily paid 10,000/-, for previously,” he says.
That tells a lot at a glance. Employees earned much more than their fair share of the monthly pay and could therefore dish money left, right and centre. By plugging financial loophole, President Magufuli has caused some panic.
Bethuel does not know what to do, but hopes all will be well sooner or later. Indeed there are many people who hope things will ‘be back to normal’. What they call normal is indeed ‘dishonesty’. Moreover, what they mean is that President Magufuli’s ‘Hapa kazi tu’ policy is but a nine wonder day.
If things, so to speak, do not revert to ‘normal’ in this first term, people will have a free ride in the second term. “People are still studying him,” says a youth who wished to remain anonymous.
“In the second term, people will be stealing so easily because they will have understood how to rob his government of even bigger sums than they stole during Kikwete’s regime.
Of course President Magufuli’s supporters talk and want more change – change they can see and feel. The change they mean is a different attitude towards work. People must develop industry.
Indolence, a prevalent and favourite disposition towards work until recently by many, should be a thing of the past. On Thursday this week President Magufuli placed the foundation stone of a library for the University of Dar es Salaam.
The library will be the biggest in Africa. Quite a national feat, isn’t it? But the library will mean nothing without industry. If students are not inclined to working hard, the sheer size of the library and its status on the continent won’t bring progress to the people.
It will be a white elephant. Rumours have it that Tanzanians don’t like to read. Maybe some don’t, but that disposition must change!
At the same ceremony the President expressed furore at the discovery that one college, in the country - St Joseph – had admitted unqualified undergraduates.
“It admitted Form IV students who had scored grade IV or less, people qualified to go for a certificate course,” the President denounced.
Such a strong spirit to aspire for further education, but with a religious disinclination for reading hard, augurs ill for the planned super library. People must change for real development to come.
PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Friday commended Eva Tolage (16), for her courage to write to President Barak Obama last year demanding for accountability from world leaders including Tanzania on promises they make to citizens.
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Eva, a young campaigner from Malinzanga, Tanzania and her classmates from Mlowa School, went to Dodoma to speak with high-level members of the Tanzanian government and presented their demands in person.
Other high level dignitaries who stood up in support of #StandWithEva Campaign are; The Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, William Lukuvi, who is also the MP for Ismani constituency where Eva hails from, Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office, Union Affairs and Environment, January Makamba, Deputy Speaker of the Tanzania National Parliament, Tulia Ackson and the parliament as a whole.
The PM congratulated Eva for writing to the President of The United States of America, Barack Obama, last year requesting him and other world leader to honour promises they make to citizens.
The Stand with Eva Campaign which is now a global campaign is supported by Restless Development and ONE Campaign, where the two organizations have jointly committed to support Eva and her fellow youth from Mlowa Secondary School.
Eva and her community have been leading an effort to ask their government for clean water in their village since February. With the support of her classmates, youth-led charity Restless Development and anti-poverty group the ONE Campaign, Eva’s petition has been signed by 150,000 people from more than 80 countries around the world – demonstrating a massive show of support.
Speaking ahead of an event where they will hand in the petition to the government, Eva said: “I’m so excited to be a part of this campaign and looking forward to meeting members of parliament and other political figures.”
Eva’s schoolmates had written to the fourth phase government last year to ask for clean water and safe toilets at their school, but their request was met with silence.
Margaret Milwa, the Tanzania Country Director for Restless Development, said: “What started as a letter from Eva and her classmates has swelled into a campaign that has attracted global backing, and proves young people can and do change to their communities.
Eva’s determination to take this petition to her National Parliament is inspiring other young people to show their power and hold their leaders to account - now those leaders need to show they are listening,” said Margaret Milwa, the Tanzania Country Director for Restless Development.
The One Campaign executive director, Mwambu Wanendeya, said the Eva Campaign is a story with a profound message which speaks to people around the world who understand her desire to live in a world without poverty, adding that Eva has demonstrated that in a bid to fight poverty in our community, every voice counts, and that by adding your voice leaders are forced to take note and fiercely contribute to the fight to end poverty.
Last year, Eva wrote to US President Barack Obama, telling him that she and her classmates had big ambitions for their future, but without access to basic things like clean water, electricity and nutritious food, it was hard for them to stay in school and achieve them.
Obama endorsed her calls for action in a speech made at the UN General Assembly in September
A RESIDENT of Dodoma, Amosi Lesiwa, is to remain behind bars for 30 years for incest by male after he was found guilty of having sexual intercourse with his own daughter aged 14 years.
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This follows the decision of the Court of Appeal to dismiss the appeal the father had lodged to challenge both conviction of incest and the sentence provided against him.
During the trial, Lesiwa, the appellant, had pleaded guilty to the charge. But later on, in his first appeal before the High Court, the appellant claimed that his plea of guilty was incomplete.
“Our inevitable conclusion is that the plea of guilty was neither based on misapprehension of the ingredients of section 158 (1) of the Penal Code nor misunderstanding of the facts read out to the appellant,” Justices Engela Kileo, Katherine Oriyo and Ibrahim Juma ruled.
According to them, there was no doubt in their minds that the appellant made his unequivocal plea of guilty after understanding the essential ingredients of the offence of incest by male as disclosed in the charge sheet and narrated in the facts of the case facing him.
“We are in full agreement with (prosecution) that the plea, facts presented before the trial court and the appellant’s mitigation are all consistent with an unequivocal plea of guilty. The appeal against conviction and sentence is hereby dismissed in its entirety,” they declared.
The prosecution had submitted that the facts which were read out to the appellant and which he accepted with slight variation disclosed to him the essential ingredients of incest by male. The facts disclosed how he entered the room where his daughter was sleeping.
When his daughter woke up and began to shout, the appellant warned her with death should she make further noise. The appellant, thereafter, proceeded to undress her trousers and made sexual intercourse with his daughter.
When he finished, the appellant left for his own room. The prosecution had told the court that the appellant committed the offence on June 16, 2014 at about 1.00 am at Mkoka Village in Kongwa District, Dodoma Region.
The following morning, the victim went to her religious leader and reported what had happened to her the previous night. It was at that point in time that the matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest and subsequent arraignment of the appellant. When called to enter plea of the charge, the appellant said, “It is true from my own heart, I do not want to waste the court’s time.”
On the bases of the admitted facts, the trial magistrate accordingly convicted the appellant on his own plea of guilty. After presenting mitigation praying for lenience, the appellant was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment.
He was not satisfied by such verdict and unsuccessfully appealed to the High Court. The appellant had claimed, among others, that his plea before the trial court was imperfect, ambiguous or unfinished and should not have counted as a plea of guilty.
The High Court dismissed the appeal, ruling that only appeal against legality of sentence could be entertained and not sentence.
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