A Drunkard Journalist

When a Drunkard Journalist is Out for Exclusive Stories

Pressure of getting exclusive stories for the local village daily newspaper called Semayote Times mounts to the point of affecting two drunkard journalists. Madiaba and Ondiek are veteran journalists whose effort to curb the shortage of exclusive stories leads them into the local alcohol clubs.

HIS collar unbuttoned, a veteran journalist Madiaba, took drunkard poses, one leg outstretched, on the left hand with notebook and pen ready for any exclusive story for their paper semayote Times the next day.

He had one of his legs hanging down. In the other he held false face. He and his friend who is also a veteran journalist Ondiek were alone with the owner of unlicensed local distil chang’aa club who had come up to them, interested.

She asked, “Well, Madiaba, how goes inside? Fell less thirsty after wetting your throat?”

Madiaba muttered, “Mh! The more I wet it, the drier it gets inside and nothing looks like a story for semayote Times on the next day!”

Both Madiaba and Ondiek are known drunkards whose absence in the chang’aa club changes the climate.

At once on their arrival, they could make a word thriller while singing songs to praise their profession, this lead many to buy them alcohol fearing to be falsely written in the semayote Times.

Of all local brews they used to take, chang’aa is the most expensive one, and that is what the veteran journalist Madiaba and his friend Ondiek are organized daily for amusement without cash, just selling words to get a little sip, half a glass and sometimes full, till they get tired.

Madiaba was smiling at the idea of this entire brandy drunk at the expense of another person. He was smiling with the happy ugly face of distorted face of the greedy norm. Ondiek his friend kept pulling him by the sleeve.

“Come on, Madiaba. This isn’t the kind of night to go home without anything to warm you up. What are you afraid of? Isn’t your wife going to warm your bed for you? Or do you think that young news editor of semayote Times will reprimand us for having no stories?”

Madiaba answered, “The other night I couldn’t find the door, I had to be fished out of the trench in front of the house! Could there be other journalists this would have been a story!”

He was still laughing at this drunkard’s remembering. He was unconsciously going towards thatched roofed house owned by gongo distillers to suit the customers, where a light of glowing splint was shining in the window; he was going, pulled by Ondiek and pushed by the wind, unable to resist these two combined forces.

The small room was full of smoke and noise. The more people came in, the more one had to shout in order to overcome the noises of voices and rattling of dominoes on the rocky tables.

The veteran journalist-Ondiek kept pouring and winking to the chang’aa keeper, a big, black faced woman, who laughed as though at that thought of some fine joke, and Madiaba kept absorbing chang’aa wagging his head, giving open to a roar of laughter and looking at his comrade with stupid and unhappy expression.

Although the editor of semayote Times was now fed up with the monotonous of exclusive stories drawn within the local alcoholic club everyday, to them what mattered was admiration they get from other drunkard on top of that rare profession in that village.

All customers were going away. Every time that one of them would open the door to leave a breeze to blow into the café, making tobacco smoke swirl around.

“Game!” the Owner’s declared.

“Well men I am going to bed, I will leave you the lamp and bottles, and there are two hundred shillings worthy in it. Lock the doors when you go, ok Ondiek? And then slip the key under the mat the way you did it the other night,” Ondiek answered, “Don’t worry, it will be all right.”

The owner of the club shook hands with her two customers and slowly went away. For several minutes his heavy step echoed through the little house. The loud creaking announced that he had got into bed.

Ondiek would take the bottle and fill Madiaba’s glass. But suddenly the clock over the local bar struck twelve.

Ondiek got up like an officer whose watch is over. “Come on, Madiaba, we have got to get out.”

As soon as they were in a village street, Ondiek said, “Well so long, and see you tomorrow night! We tomorrow we will give a shit to the semayote Times editor,” And he disappeared in the darkness.

Madiaba took a few steps and staggered, stretched out his hand and met a wall which supported him and began to stumble along. Having lost his driving force, he once begins to sway on his unsteady drunkard’s legs.

He went instructively towards his home, just as birds go to their nest.

Finally recognized his door and began to feel about for the keyhole and tried to put the key in it. Not finding the hole, he began to swear. Then he began to beat the door with his fists, calling for his wife to come and help him.

“Selina! Oh, Selina!”

As he leaned against the door for support, it gave way and opened, and Madiaba losing his support, fell inside, rolling on his face into the middle of his room, and he felt something heavy pass over him and escape in the night.

He was no longer moving, confused by fear, bewildering, fearing the devil, ghosts, all the mysterious beings in the darkness, and he waited a long time without daring to move. But when we found out that nothing else was moving a little reason returned to him, the reason of a drunkard.

Gently he sat up. Again waited a long time, and at last, growing bolder, he called, “Selina!”

His wife did not answer.

Then suddenly, a doubt crossed his darkened mind and unspecific doubt.

“Who was it, Selina? Tell me who it was. I won’t hurt you Selina!” he waited.

No voice was raised in the darkness.

He was now reasoning with himself out loud.

“I’m drunk, alright! I’m drunk! And she filled me up, the dog, she did it, to stop my going home. I’m drunk! It is not my fault, it is of my editor who needs exclusive story,” He sang.

After he waited again, he went on with slow and stubborn logic of drunkard, “He’s been keeping me at that loafer chang’aa place every night, so as to stop me from taking news. It’s some trick. Oh! You damned carrion.”

And, lifting the chair, which he was holding in his strong drunkard grip, he swung it down before him with an exasperated anger. A cry burst the bed, an agonizing, piercing cry. He began to thrash around like a thresher in barn. And soon nothing more moved.

The chair was broken to pieces, but he still held one leg and beat away with it, panting.

At last he stopped to ask, “Well, are you ready to tell me who he was, this must be the next story very interesting for our paper?”

Selina did not answer.

When the day came a neighbors, seeing the door open, entered.

He saw Madiaba sleeping on the floor, between the broken pieces of a chair, and on the bed a pulp of flesh and blood.

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Rubbish Funeral

The Freelance Clergy in a Rubbish Funeral

By Nyasigo Kornel

OTHIAGO died a terrible death. He was a millionaire with a dubious and mysterious way of life. It was strongly rumoured that he was the engine behind the chain of unlawful deeds that left the whole village paralysed.

The previous night, a burglar had been disturbed as he was attempting a break-in. “Thief! Help!” The owner of the house had screamed.

People had rushed to help, but the thief knew how to run. He would have doubtless won gold Olympics. Then, as he was about to pass by Othaigo’s house, he noticed the gates were open. He went in.

Five seconds later, the angry mob had arrived. They had pounded on the doors and windows of Othaigo’s house demanding that he produces the thief.

“Thief! What a thief?” Othaigo was mesmerised.

“The one you are hiding in your house!” the mob shouted.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he told the mob.

“People, this guy is wasting our time. Grab him! Someone screamed amidst the mob. Instantly, several pairs of hands scrambled for Othaigo from all direction blows and kicks rained on him till he died.

“He is dead! Ooh! I’m happy, so happy!” one guy whispered to me.

“What? Someone is dead and you are happy? Are sure you are normal?” I asked him.

“Normal? I am beyond normal. I am happy! Othaigo is gone forever! What a relief! God answered our prayers,” he rejoiced.

“Darling Othaigo, truly you are gone!” The reptile like woman wept bitterly and threw herself to the ground.

As most investigative journalists do to get exclusive stories for their papers, this time, Madiba did not take alcohol, except that his approach left his fellow veteran journalist with fear.

Madiaba took a walk amid the crowd with his camera hidden within the pastor’s gown, only camera’s lens records the events.

“My name is Pastor Madiaba, I believe that preaching at the funeral ceremony is not for the benefit of the deceased, but rather, for those of us who are left behind. I therefore hope that you will allow me to preach at this funeral.” There were murmurs of approval to the request of Pastor John Sango.

They knew that he was once a journalist to the Semayote Times. May be his boss had soiled his position due to his drunkard attitude, and he might have received Lord as his savoir and he has later become a born again Christian, now he is a spiritual freelancer, they were suspicious.

“Thank you and God bless you all. Let everyone close his eyes and pray.” The cheating preacher, Madiaba closed his eyes tightly, raised his hands and faced up the sky.

“Faaatheeeeerr in Heaven,” the preacher suddenly screamed. For such a thin man, he had strong voice. Everyone trembled. He prayed for nearly half an hour and then started preaching.

His message was hot. I, straight away, decided to become a born again Christian.

Half an hour later Ondiek, Madiba and the relatives of the deceased man were at the graveyard. After the cemetery preliminaries, the floor was again left to the acting like evangelist.

“Amazing grace how sweet the sound!” Someone started the World’s most popular hymn.

“That saved a wretch like me…!” The whole congregation joined in. After the hymn, Madiaba took over again. The message was even hotter than the first. Madiaba jumped into the air, pointed into this direction, screaming and gesturing. White foam escaping from the corner of his mouth. And then, abruptly, he paused and slowly surveyed the whole congregation. No one moved, no one coughed.

“Let us read the word of God,” Madiaba said. He opened a large, brown, tattered Bible, flipped through a bunch of pages and found the section he was looking for.

“Death of sinner displeases Lord!” he screamed. “He who says there is no God is a fool! All sinners are fools! If you are adulterer, then you are a fool and your death will displease the Lord! And the death of a fool angers the Lord! If you are a thief, a sorcerer, a fornicator, a drunkard then you are a fool and your death will anger the Lord!” he screamed.

“Preached it brother!” Ondiek screamed. “Tell them!” another person screamed.

“Ohhh Hallelujah!” his friend Ondiek interjected while taking exclusive notes for the Semayote Times.

‘God bless you brothers,” the preacher echoed. Then he suddenly screamed at the crowd: “Othaigo was bad news! He was a thief! A criminal! A sinner! Othaigo was therefore a fool! As a fool, his death angered the Lord.” Abruptly, he bent down, scooped some loose soil near the mouth of the grave, walked to the open grave and stopped.

“Dust to dust,” Madiaba said as he released some of the soil into the open grave. He paused for a second, moved an inch closer and then peered into the gaping hole.

“Rubbish to rubbish,” Madiaba declared and carelessly threw the remainder of the soil into the grave.

All hell broke loose. An elderly female mourner suddenly rose to her feet, took three long strides to where the evangelist was standing and slapped him hard across the face.

“Wuod ng’a inyalo luongo ni yugi? (Whose son are you calling rubbish)” Slap! Slap! Two more slaps landed on the preacher’s face. From where the woman has raised, a small squadron of women in heavy makeup similar to that of the woman who was singing: “Darling Othaigo,” jumped to the feet and joined the bereaved mother.

“You are rubbish! You are rubbish!” they screamed and seriously slapped the veteran journalist.

The journalist who acted like an evangelist stumbled backwards, lost his balance and then tumbled into the open grave. There was loud “Thud!” as evangelist landed on top of the coffin.

“You are rubbish! You are rubbish!” The offended mourners screamed and with their hands started shoving some soil into the grave, apparently with the intention of burying the offending evangelist alive.

By the time the rest of the congregation reacted, the evangelist had taken quite a good shower of graveyard soil, now his camera laid bare on the coffin.

“He is a journalist,” someone spotted him, “Yes he works with Semayote Times” another screamed.

The entire drama had taken exactly nine seconds. The mourners were quickly overpowered by the crowd and dragged out of the cemetery. The evangelist was pulled out of the grave and the grave was hastily filled.

It was an interesting funeral.

The sun was nearly setting as people walked out of the cemetery and rushed to the bus stage where they boarded a minibus to go home.

In the newsroom, Ondiek wrote a story without sharing information with his friend Madiaba, and as usual they left to take local alcohol in the expense of other people.

The next day, just to realise that his friend wrote the drama that happened in the grave yard without his concert he promised to change the style for the next news.

0715 551455
emmakornel@yahoo.com

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Lack of Respect for the Teaching Profession

Why lack of respect for the teaching profession

TALK to any young school leaver and teachers, the suggestion of considering a career in teaching is rejected as if it were the greatest insult or dumbest suggestion ever. In recent times though, a startling revelation has been the drastic decline in respect of the teaching profession.

Forget the notion that teaching was once described as a noble profession, a notion that is now under dispute among many.

Khadija Suma, head teacher of St.George Primary school once advised the new entrants in the profession to leave it as soon as they start enjoying. Her reason to this being that the fulfillment of the job is addictive and like all addictions it is very difficult to get out of it.

How is this very true?

Khadija says that there is pleasures of teaching little kids, their company, their interaction, their spontaneity, their innocence, is like fresh air in the suffocating environment of teaching that one finds oneself in, these days.

In an exclusive interview with David Otieno, a teacher student at the University of Dar es salaam, he says that teaching is a very noble profession.

Otieno says, “Indeed it is, but it is a very hard working one if you do it professionally. It has become even harder, because of the fact because if you resign and go, which most probably you would, they would have to hire a new teacher and it would be far more costly. It is ironic, but it is true.”

“Consider a senior teacher who have put years of service get less pay than the newly hired, in private schools,” he says.

Susana Lyimo, a teacher with one of private primary school in Mbagala while expressing her opinion about teaching says, “There is no charm in this profession any more, of-course anyone can be a teacher, because mostly schools don’t pay well and if they do, they suck your blood by loads of work.”

Lyimo says, “School owner hires the ones who are not qualified so that they can pay them less. The owners of the school only want to earn more profit.

“They are least bothered to improve the standard of education. If that school is in a so called ‘posh locality’, then fees will be high, but not the pay of the teachers,” says Lyimo.

Lyimo reveals another trick they have up their sleeve is that they advertise a vacancy offering good salary, when they take your interview they will offer almost half of what was advertised. According to them the advertisement was simply to attract applications.

Mwalimu Juma Kilasi, graduate in Bachelor of Science with education in the University of Dar es Salaam says, “I have been in this profession, but just don’t like it, it is a good job for married women.”

According to Kilasi women can spend half the day working in the school and look after the home and the family in the rest of the time. Working in school helps in getting rid of family tensions.

Teaching, teachers and education is the lifeblood of society.

Not a single individual can ever say they achieved what they have achieved without education playing a role in their life at one point or another.

If this is true, why do so many young people get nauseous at the suggestion of considering a career in teaching?

A few possible answers were given by stakeholders in the profession.

Huzaima Mikidadi a teacher of Mbagala Primary school argues that in a society that is as materialistic as Tanzania, a teaching profession does not pay enough to ‘make ends meet’

She says, “A lack of adequate resources for teaching is making teaching an unbearable occupation.”

“There are no titles of MD or CEO in teaching, thus however higher rank you are, you still smoke the same chalk dusts,” says Huzaima.

John Mulilu, a secondary school inspector in Dar es Salaam says that what makes people away from the professional is that many children lack discipline.

“Many parents neglect to discipline their children, some parents abuse teachers, and learners disrespect and often insult teachers, this make some teachers articulate and demonstrate a disinterest in the profession,” says Mulilu.

Mulilu adds that directionless children make life intolerable for teachers and other learners at school, thus embarrasses the professional climate.

At the University of Dar es Salaam, Didas Ombasa says that he would not dare being a teacher because teaching is a thankless profession.

Dr. Wiston Masawe, researcher and education consultant with EDUPEAK says that it is not that there is anything wrong with these professions, but without sufficient academically gifted people taking up teaching, it will become more and more difficult for the future generation to pursue these glamorous careers, as there would be no gifted teachers to prepare them for that.

What then is going wrong? Masawe answers that salaries of teachers have not kept track with the expanded lifestyle demands of the modern era.

“Compare a graduate teacher’s salary with their peers in the new fancied professions and the results are astonishing,” remarked Masawe.

He adds that more should be done to reward quality teachers because the link between reward and performance is inextricable.

According to Dr. Masawe the profession is losing its better professionals daily to the lure of better remuneration.

Again, he says, “The fact that remains undisputed though, is that teachers and the teaching profession is the fundamental architectural foundation on which society can build for the future.”

Young Mlingwa Masanja, unlike others, needs to become a teacher, but he is still in Green Valley High School.

He says, “We need teachers and the government to take on a national duty to be positive role models for young Tanzanians; encourage, motivate and even provide financial support to less fortunate scholars.”

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Karugendo Usitetee Vijimungu vya Akili

Karugendo Usitetee Vijimungu vya Akili

Na Nyasigo Kornel

Mwanafalsa maarufu sana Fransis Bacon aliwahi kukusanya manung’uniko dhidi ya wasomi katika maandiko yake ya ‘distempers of learning’ yaani magonjwa ya elimu na vijimungu vya akili ‘idols of mind’ yakilaumu wasomi kwa magonjwa waliyoambukiza watu ya kupotosha elimu na maarifa.

Mahali popote pale ambapo binadamu mwenye akili timamu anaishi na siyo mfu, hapakosi mapambano ya hoja. Lakini pamoja na hayo yote, hakuna kipindi ambacho Tanzania katika uhai wake inahitaji uchambuzi wa kina kama kipindi hiki cha mpito wa kifikra.

Mwandishi maarufu sana wa vitabu vya falsafa wa Tanzania Dk. Adolf Mihanjo anasema katika kitabu chake cha ‘Falsafa na Ufunuo Wa Maarifa’ kuwa kuzuia changamoto kutoka kwenye fikara huru kunatufanya tushindwe kugundua ukiini wa mijengeko ya fikara katika nchi mbalimbali za Ulaya na hivyo kuzipokea katika mazingira ya ushabiki wa tumbo na njaa bila fikara sahihi za Kitanzania.

Nimesoma kwa makini sana changamoto alizotoa Padri Privatus Karugendo katika makala yake kwenye RAI toleo NA 693 ya Januari 18 – Januari 24, 2007 yenye kichwa cha habari “REDET ni jukwaa huru”, aliondika kukanusha makala niliyoandika kwenye RAI toleo NA 692 ya Januari 11 – Januari 17, 2007 yenye kichwa cha habari “Wasomi Msitumike Kupotosha Umma”.

Padri Karugendo ameandika makala hii kwa ushabiki-binafsi wa kutaka kutakasa maovu ya REDET kwa kutumia sanaa ya mpangilio wa maneno kuliko uzito wa maudhui wa utetezi wake, kama Padri utakaso wa aina hii ni kukufuru.

Inavyoonekana ni kuwa Padri Privatus Karugendo hakubaliani kuwa wasomi wanaweza kutumika kupotosha umma wa watu.

Na pengine hisia zake katika kuibua dhana hiyo ilikuja pale aliposhiriki kongamano za REDET na kuwaona maprofesa na madaktari waliowasikivu wa hoja na kuongea kwa kujenga hoja.

Hilo ni suala jema kwa wasomi kujenga hoja katika mujukwaa yao wenyewe na wasomi au watu walio na uwezo huo.

Jukwaa huru ya REDET alioiona Padri Karugendo ni kivuli tu ambayo Padri Karugendo haoni kabisa watu halisi waliopo na pengine niseme alikuwa na papara zaidi kukimbia kujibu hoja hii.

Ni nafasi yangu kumweleza huyu ndugu yangu kuwa rushwa za kisomi (Intellectual corruption) ni tatizo kubwa sana duniani kwa sasa, na ni moja ya rushwa mbaya sana kwa maana inawafanya wasomi kutumia nafasi zao za kuaminika katika jamii kupenyeza sumu za tafiti ambazo nyingi lengo lake ni wao na wafadhili wao kunufaika.

Hii ni rushwa mbaya kuliko rushwa ya wanasiasa ambao wao uchukua pesa tu na kutumia kwa shughuli zao na miradi yao.

Ukisoma katika gazeti la The Guardian la tarehe Agosti 7, 2003 Rais Mstaafu wa Awamu ya tatu Benjamin Mkapa anakemea wasomi na watafiti wanaotumia pesa za wafadhili kutoa matokeo ya tafiti ambazo zinahujumu na kupumbaza akili za watu.

Mkapa ananukuliwa akisema kuwa hakuna rushwa mbaya kama rushwa ya kisomi (Intellectual corruption).

Nanukuu alichokisema Rais Mkapa, “Tuna wasomi na watafiti walionunuliwa na wafadhili, ambao wako tayari kupindisha matokeo ya tafiti zao kuridhisha matakwa ya yule aliyewadhili, inawezekana kuwa mfadhili akawa serikali, mashirika au mtu binafsi kwa matakwa yake.”

Hiyo ni kauli wa aliyekuwa Rais wa nchi Benjamin Mkapa, anayeijua nchi hii kwa mapana kuliko Padri Karugendo, aliyeiongoza nchi hii kwa miaka 10, anakiri kuwa kuna rushwa ya kisomi na anasema kuwa ni mbaya.

Rais Mkapa anasema kuwa ni hatari sana kama hizi tafiti zikitumika katika vyombo vya habari na waandishi wasio wadadisi kwa maana mara tu tafiti hizo zinapotumika huingia katika akili za watu na kuwa sehemu ya mitazamo yao.

Hoja ya Padri Karugendo kuwa REDET inafanya utafiti, ina madakatari na maprofesa wapole wanaosikiliza hoja, haiondoi ukweli kuwa REDET inatumiwa na serikali kueneza propaganda na kumjengea Rais Jakaya Kikwete jina kila mara inapohitajika kufanya hivyo.

Padri Karugendo akiendelea kuona mambo katika mtazamo wa macho na sio mtazamo wa kifikara, atakuwa anajenga hoja kwa kuona vivuli vya mambo bila kuingia katika undani na hivyo ataanza kujengea watu vijimungu vya fikara (idols of mind).

Utetezi wa REDET aliohutumia Padri Karugendo inaonyesha kabisa kuwa anauhusiano wa moja kwa moja na REDET, na akifikiri kuwa REDET ikinialika katika makongamano yake kutanijengea uoga wa kujenga hoja yangu.

Hii ni kasumba mbaya ya kufikiri kuwa ujenzi wa hoja ipo kwa tabaka la watu fulani, elimu na kabila. Na kama ndivyo ndugu yetu Karugendo anavyoishi basi anawaweka miungu wengi mbele ya fikara zake na sio muda mrefu atajikuta akiwa mtumwa wao.

Sipendi kurudia nilichokiandika katika makala yangu iliyojibiwa na Padri Karugendo kwa kuhofia kujaza kurasa nyingi.

Inavyoonekana ni kuwa Padri Karugendo haamini kuwa wasomi na vile tu kuwa maprofesa basi wanasiasa hawawezi kujipenyeza na kuwatumia wanavyotaka.

Padri Karugendo alitegemea kuwa katika warsa aliohudhuria pale chuo kikuu alipoona mjadala huru ilimtosha kuiona REDET katika uhalisia wake.

Nataka nimpe Karugendo dondoo kidogo jinsi asasi nyingi za kisomi zilivyokwishatumika katika nchi mbalimbali duniani kueneza propaganda za kisiasa kwa wananchi.

Kabla ya yote ni vema nimweleze Karugendo kuwa kuna asasi za aina nyingi na chache kati yake ni kama zifuatazo; kuna asasi zisizo za kiserikali (NGO — Non-Governmental Organization), Asasi za kiserikali (GONGO — Governmental NGO), Asasi inayofanya kazi za Kiserikali na isiyo ya Kiserikali (QUANGO — Quasi NGO), Asasi zenye uhusiano na Serikali (GRINGO — NGO with a symbiotic relationship with a government), Asasi za vyama (PANGO — Party-affiliated NGO hizi zipo sana Latin Amerika), Asasi za wafadhili (DONGO — Donor-organized NGO), Asasi za wafanyabiashara (BINGO — Business NGO) na Asasi za kijamii (CSO — Civil Society Organization).

China imekuwa ikitumia sana QUANGOs au GRINGOs ambayo imekuwa ikianzishwa na wadau na mara nyingi wasomi na watu maarufu sana wanaojifanya kuwa watetezi wa wanajamii kumbe kwa chinichini wanatumiwa na serikali kupenyeza kwenye akili za watu mambo ambayo wanajua kabisa watu hawawezi kuzikubali bila kwanza kutumia QUANGOs au GRINGOs katika kueneza propaganda.

Asasi kama hizi kwa China zilianza kipindi kile cha kueneza propaganda za kikomunisti na sera juu ya Taiwan inayotaka kutambuliwa kama taifa huru dhidi ya China.

Kwa Amerika ya Kusini Wasomi wengi walianzisha Asasi za kueneza sera ya vyama vya siasa (PANGO — Party-affiliated NGO) ingawa hawajionyeshi waziwazi na pengine vyama hivi uwapatia watu hata misaada katika mahitaji yao na kisha kukubalika katika vichwa vya jamii hiyo mara moja hutumia nafasi ile ya kuaminika kueneza propaganda.

Na kwa mfano huu REDET ni kama GRINGO na QUANGO kwani hujifanya kuwa huru ili iaminike huku ikitumika chinichini kueneza propaganda za serikali. Na kama huo ndio Jukwaa Huru alioona Karugendo basi inabidi avae miwani yenye lensi.

Gazeti la The Washington Post la Machi 9, 2006 limeandika juu ya viongozi wa chama cha Demokratiki cha Marekani wakiituhumu serikali ya Rais Bush kwa kutumia Asasi nyingi kupita kiasi kueneza propaganda za chama chake huku zikiwa zimejificha kama asasi za kisomi na watu maarufu nchini.
Gazeti la The Economist la Januari 29, 2000 lililochapishwa likiwa na maandishi makubwa “The Sins of NGOs (Dhambi Kubwa Zinavyofanywa na Asasi)” na kwa chini yake iliandikwa kwa maandishi madogo ikiuliza “Are these Governments' puppets? (Je asasi hizi ni vibaraka wa serikali?) ilinukuliwa ikitoa lawama kwa asasi za wasomi wa Ulaya wanaotumia wasomi wa nchi za Kiafrika kufanikisha mambo ambayo pengine hayamstahili hata mwafrika ila mara nyingi inakuwa ni sehemu za sera za nchi za nje.
Kwa mifano hiyo michache itampa Padri Karugendo picha ya ndani ya baadhi ya mambo yanayofanywa na asasi nyingi hapa Tanzania na nje.
Nasema sio kila asasi inatumika, sio kweli, nimeona asasi kama Haki Elimu na mengine mengi ikifanya kazi yake vizuri na unaweza ukanona dhamira ya uzalendo ndani yake.
Lakini asasi hii ya hawa wasomi wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es salaam (UDSM) imeanza kuleta wasiwasi juu ya kazi tafiti zake za kisiasa na hasa zile zinazoonyesha kumjenga Rais jina kila mara.
Padri Karugendo ungetegemea mshauri wa Rais kama alivyo Prof. Mukandala angeweza kutumia Asasi ambayo yeye ndiye kiongozi wake kutoa takwimu halisi hata kama zingeonyesha kuwa watu wamemchoka huyo Rais?
Unategemea kuwa REDET ingeweza kuikosoa Serikali ambayo tayari kiongozi wake anaishauri (advisory input), kwani kwa kuiokosa serikali Rais angeweza kumuuliza kuwa kwa nini yeye kama mshauri asingemshauri hilo alilolisema kabla ya kuiibua kwenye majukwaa ambayo Karugendo anayaita huru.
Karugendo anazungumzia mtindo wa kura ya maoni kwamba unatumika hata kule Amerika, lazima ajue kuwa hata kule Amerika asasi zinazoendesha hizi kura ya maoni nyingi ni za vyama, utakuta moja inatoa ripoti kutetea chama cha Republican au kutetea Democratic.
Lazima ijulikane kuwa kura za maoni ya Amerika ni za gharama ndogo kwani wengi hupiga kura hizo kupitia kwenye mitandao ya tovuti na blogu (Online poll) ambazo ni nyingi na hazina gharama ukilinganisha na tafiti za chuo kikuu ambazo lazima ziandaliwe dodoso, wachague kikundi (sample) na hivyo kuna hatari za kuchagua eneo ambalo lina mtazamo mmoja wa kisiasa.

Kwa mfano ukitumia Pemba kutoa maoni juu ya Rais Abeid Karume na Rais Jakaya Kikwete ni wazi kuwa Rais Kikwete ataonekana kuwa watu wengi kutokana na siasa za Zanzibar.
Na ili kuhalalisha matokeo ya kura hizo za maoni zilizochukuliwa katika mikoa mitatu tu au minne ni kuyatangaza kuwa ni maoni ya Watanzania imekuwa mwanya ya kuwepo kwa propaganda.
Karugendo lazima ajue kuwa online poll za Amerika ni nyingi sana kiasi kwamba wananchi wa Amerika wamekuwa wakitilia mashaka kwa maana watu wengi wana blogu zao na tovuti zao.
Hatukatai na vilevile ni makosa kusema kuwa REDET haijafanya lolote la maana, lakini kutumia muda mwingi kulimbikiza umaarufu wa mtu mmoja kwenye vichwa vya wananchi.
Niliandika kuwa REDET wameanzisha chuo huko Zanzibar iitwayo Democracy Training College (DTC) ikiwa na lengo la kuwafundisha vijana wa Zanzibar juu ya ‘Political Tolerance (Uvumilivu wa Kisiasa)’.

Nilisema namna nzuri ya kutatua mgogoro Zanzibar upo kwa viongozi wenyewe, kwa maana duniani sasa hivi siasa inayotumika hata kwa majirani zetu nchini Kenya wameshajua kuwa ni kuunda serikali ya mseto (coalition government) au vyama vya mseto (Alliance parties), lakini leo hii Karume anasema kuwa aliye na hiyo hoja aipeleke Zanzibar, aamini kama hicho kinawezekana.

Kwa maana nyingine huo msemiati wa serikali ya mseto haipo katika kamusi ya Rais karume na hivyo kuwatenga Wapemba kwake ni suala sawa tu.

Ndio maana nasema suala la amani Zanzibar ni suala ya mfumo mbovu wa kisiasa na sio elimu ya Uraia.

Kwani Karugendo anataka tuamini kuwa Tanzania Bara iliyo na amani, watu wake wana elimu kubwa ya uraia na uvumilivu wa kisiasa kuliko watu wa kisiwa cha Zanzibari iliyo na mgawanyiko wa kisiasa?

Mbona REDET inamkwepa mtu muhimu (Rais karume) ambaye akipata elimu hii basi Wapemba na Waunguja watakuwa na mfumo linganifu wa kisiasa.

Karugendo anatetea na anataka tuamini kuwa kwa kuwapa vijana wa Zanzibar elimu ya uvumilivu wa kisiasa hata kama kukiwepo na mfumo dume wa kisiasa visiwani kuwa hiyo italeta amani.

Hizi ni fikra ni potofu, ni za kukwepa majukumu, na ni sawa na hadithi za panya za nani amfunge paka kengele shingoni.

Pale Wapemba wanapotaka uchaguzi huru na uhesabuji wa kura usioghubikwa na wizi, na kutaka kujiona wao ni wamoja, basi suluhisho waliyoiona REDET ni kuwaanzishia shule ya mafunzo ya Kidemokrasia Democracy Training College (DTC ikiwa na lengo la kuwafundisha vijana wa Zanzibar juu ya ‘Political Tolerance (Uvumilivu wa Kisiasa)’.

Sijui kama ndugu yangu Karugendo naye ana wasiwasi kuwa kwa mbinu hizi za kilaghai REDET kama wameanzisha chuo cha uvumilivu wa kisiasa (political tolerance) sio muda mrefu itaanzisha chuo cha Uvumilivu wa Rushwa (Corruption tolerance).

Na ndio maana naamini kauli za James Reeves aliyoiandika katika kitabu chake cha “The Confusion of the Scholars (Mkanganyiko kwa Wasomi) kuwa baada ya siasa kuonekana inalipa kuliko tafiti na uhadhiri wasomi wetu wameamua kujibwaga katika siasa bila kuangalia, kurekebisha, kutetea na kujali hata athari za mfumo hiyo mibovu wanayoihunga.

Lakini kinyume chake wasomi wetu wamekuwa wakitumia mapungufu ya kijamii kujineemesha, kama vile demokrasia, haki za binadamu, haki za wanawake na mgawanyiko wa kisiasa kuhujumu fikra za waafrika na mwelekeo mzima wa maisha ya mwafrika, na hao ndio Padri Karugendo anawatetea.

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Miaka 48 ya Mijadala Isiyoisha

Miaka 48 ya mijadala ya EAC isiyoisha



Na Nyasigo Kornel



NI MIAKA arobaini na nane mjadala umekuwa ukiendelea sio tu kwa wananchi bali hata kwa viongozi waandamizi wa Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki (EAC).



Aliyekuwa Waziri wa Biashara wa Kenya J.G. Kiano katika mwaka wa 1959 akitoa sababu tatu alizokuwa akiamini kabisa kuwa ingehatarisha shirikisho hilo.



Ilipofika 1963 Kano hakuona haja ya kuwepo kwa jumuiya hiyo kwani Kenya ilikuwa bado ipo mikononi mwa walowezi na hivyo alikuwa na wasiwasi kuwa walowezi hawa wangeweza kusambaza nguvu zao za kikoloni hadi Tanzania na Uganda hata kuzorotesha juhudi za kupigania uhuru kwa nchi hizo.



Hivyo katika tamko la mwaka huo 1963 mambo yalikuwa bado magumu sana hata kufikia hatua viongozi wakachagua maeneo ya kuyafanyia kazi kwa pamoja kama mipango ya kiuchumi, kutumia nguvu kazi kutoka katika nchi wanachama na sio kuwaleta kutoka nje ya nchi, kuanzisha benki la pamoja (central Bank), ulinzi na kuwepo na mwakilishi mmoja wa wa kidlomasia kwa nchi zote.



Hapa ni wazi kuwa viongozi waliondaa utaratibu huu walifikiri kuwa haya ndiyo maeneo sahihi na kwalo wangepunguza matumizi makubwa ya pesa na wangetumia pesa kidogo kukuza nguvu kazi kwa matumizi ya nchi wanachama.



Viongozi wa kipindi hiki walifikiri kuwa uchumi wa Tanzania, Kenya na Uganda ungekuwa kama wangetumia soko la watu wapatao milioni 25 katika nchi hizi kwa kipindi hicho nah ii ingeweza kuvutia wawekezaji wa nje na kuongeza tija katika mitaji ya wananchi wan chi hizi.



Ilifikiriwa kuwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki ingeweza kuanza mwaka 1963 na hivyo kamati maalum ilipewa majukumu ya kuandaa mwelekeo wa katiba ya Jumuiya na ripoti yao iliwekwa wazi mbele ya mkutano uliofanyika mwezi Agosti ya mwaka huo 1963.

Aliyeanza kuguna na kutoa dukuduku la Jumuiya hiyo ni aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu wa Uganda wa kipindi hicho ni Dr. Milton Obote mnamo Octoba 1963, siku chache tu baada ya katiba kuwa imeandaliwa.



Obote alisema kuwa kuna mambo ya msingi ambayo Uganda lazima yaweke sawa kabla na baada ya kujiunga na jumuiya hiyo ya Afrika Mashariki na kwa hali hiyo alipinga kuanzishwa kwa jumuiya hiyo katika mwaka 1963.

Mjadala haukuishia hapo, mwaka 1964 Tanzania pia ikawa imeona mwanya katika mchakato wa Jumuiya hiyo, na ndipo Waziri wa Mambo ya nje wa Tanzania Oscar Kambona naye alipoelezea mashaka yake juu ya shirikisho waliokuwa wameamua kujiunga kwa shingo upande.



Oscar Kambona alisema kuwa Tanzania ilipopata Uhuru mwaka 1961 waliona kuwa kuna haja la kuwa na soko la pamoja, sio kwa sababu Tanzania iliamini kuwa kuna usawa katika soko la pamoja lakini tuliamua kujiunga ili kutoa nafasi ya kuwepo kwa shirikisho hilo.



Baadaye baada ya kuchunguza kwa makini Kambona alitoa tamko kuwa hakukuwepo na haja ya kupuuza hasara ambazo Tanzania ingepata katika soko hilo la pamoja.



Na ilipofika mwezi machi 17 1964 Waziri wa Mipango na Maendeleo wa Tanganyika Nsilo Swai, katika kikao cha siri sana cha mipango ya uchumi kilichofanyika kule Entebbe-Uganda alisema kuwa nchi yake (Tanganyika) ilikuwa ikiporomoka kiuchumi na hivyo alitaka mwafaka ufikiwe haraka juu ya mjadala wa kuweka urari sawa wenye uwiano katika biashara na viwanda kwa nchi ya Uganda na Kenya dhidi ya Tanzania.



Nsilo Swai alisema kuwa njia sahihi ya kuleta uwiano sawa ni pamoja na kutumia njia ya kutoza ushuru mkubwa kwa bidhaa ya Kenya na Uganda zilizokuwa zikimiminika kuja Tanzania huku Tanzania ikiwa haina cha kuuza katika hilo soko la pamoja.



Ilipofika 1965 Mwalimu Julius Nyerere aliyekuwa Rais wa Tanzania alitoa hotuba iliyoleta iliyoshtua shirikisho hilo pale aliipoimbia Mkutano mkuu wa Sheria kuwa Tanzania inatambua usumbufu ambao sheria hiyo mpya ya ushuru ungeleta kwa nchi ya Kenya na Uganda na akasema kuwa amejitahidi kujizuia kuleta huo usumbufu lakini maji yamemfikia shingoni.



Mwalimu Nyerere alisema, "Ingawa tatizo hili lilikuwa wazi kwetu toka tulipopata uhuru lakini hatukuchukua hatua mpaka ilipofikia mwaka 1964, tulifikiri kuwa hili suala lingeweza kushughulikiwa katika mikakati ya jumuiya hii. Kwa muda mrefu tuliweza kuikubali hasara na upotevu wote kama gharama ya thamani ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.





Lakini Ukimya huu haitoa njia mbadala bali na kuangalia namna ya kurekebisha urari wa kibiashara katika soko la pamoja. Kama mwafaka huu hautafikiwa leo basi tutajua tutakavyofanya kurekebisha mfumo huu wenyewe nje ya shirikisho."



Hii ilikuwa na maana kuwa Tanzania ilikuwa inakwenda kutoza ushuru kwa njia zake yenyewe bidhaa za Kenya na Uganda zinazoingia ndani ya nchi, na hii ingekuwa ni ukiukwaji wa maazimio ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.



Mvutano huu ulifanya kuitishwa kwa mkutano wa wakuu wa nchi huko Nairobi Kenya Aprili 10 1964, ambapo Mawaziri wawili wa Tanzania Nsilo Swai na Oscar Kambona wa walikwenda kutetea hoja ya Tanzania juu ya kurekebisha sheria za ushuru ili kuweka urari sawa wa kibiashara, na hivyo kuwezesha Tanzania kuendele katika Umoja huo.



Ni katika mkutano huu ndipo hawa Mawaziri na wawakilishi walipotoa tamko kuwa Tanzania haikuwa na nia ya kujiondoa katika Shrikisho hilo bali kuangalia njia muafaka wa kutatua tatizo la urari wa kibiashara.



Katika mkutano huu wajumbe Tanzania walipopewa uhakika kuwa kamati ya dharura itaundwa kushughulikia matatizo ya biashara yaliyopo katika soko la pamoja katika nchi hizi tatu.
Kutokufurahi kwa wajumbe wa Kenya katika mkutano huo haukuwa wazi mpaka baadaye kidogo katika baadhi ya taarifa zao zilizoletwa kwa ajili ya hiyo jumuiya, itakumbukwa kuwa Kenya ni nchi iliyokuwa ikifaidika sana na Jumuiya hii na sasa siri ya mafanikio yao ilikuwa imewekwa wazi.



Hasira na masikitiko hayo yalionekana waziwazi usoni kwa aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu wa wakati huo wa Kenya Jomo Kenyatta na pia mwenyekiti wa Mkutano mkuu wa viongozi wa nchi wanachama.



Kenyatta alifungua mkutano akisema, "Mkutano umeitishwa ili kujadili uamuzi wa Serikali ya Tanganyika kutaka kujiondoa katika soko la pamoja la Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki."



Aliendelea kusema, "Hapa kwetu Kenya tumesikitishwa na uamuzi huo. Ingawa katika urari wa biashara Kenya ndio inayofaidika zaidi, lakini hatujutii kwa sababu kufaidika kwetu sio kwa kutumia mgongo wan chi nyingine bali ni kwa sababu ya bidii yetu, na tunasikitika kuwa hatutafanikiwa zaidi iwapo Tanzania itajiondoa katika soko la pamoja ingawaje hata wao wanayo mengi wanayofaidika nayo kutoka katika shirikisho."



Jomo Kenyatta aliendelea kuweka msimamo wake akisema kuwa kama ni vigumu kuwepo na soko la pamoja basi mpango huo wa soko hilo lingehairishwa mpaka mwaka uliofuatia kwani alijitetea kuwa hata wao walikuwa wamepata uhuru muda mchache tu na walikuwa na matatizo mengi hasa ya ajira kwa watu wao.



Mwalimu Julius Nyerere aliyekuwepo katika huu mjadala alikuwa akimsikiliza sana Jomo Kenyatta aliinuka na kuanza kwa kukosoa kauli ya Jomo Kenyatta.



"Mwenyekiti umesema wakati wa ufunguzi wa kikao hiki kuwa Tanganyika imefikiwa uamuzi wa kujiondoa katika soko la pamoja la Jumuiya Afrika Mashariki. Naomba nikukosoe kwa kauli yako hiyo. Tanzania ilileta mswada wake ili baadhi ya miundo iliyopo katika biashara na viwanda iweze kurekebishwa. Na hii ni suala rahisi sana na wala haitaji akili kubwa sana, na haihusiani na kujiondoa katika jumuiya."



Mwalimu Nyerere alisema kuwa hakuna mtu wa kulaumiwa au kumsifiwa kwa matatizo na mafanikio yua soko la pamoja kwa maana matatizo mengine tumeyarithi kwa muundo wa uchumi wa kikoloni.



Mwalimu Nyerere alisema, "Watu wote walosoma uchumi wa pamoja wanasema kuwa hakuna Jumuiya ya Afrika mashariki bila soko la pamoja kwani tayari jumuiya imeshapata viwanda, miundombinu na miradi."

Itakumbukwa kuwa Kenya ilikuwa imefika mbali katika biashara na viwanda kwani walipopata uhuru kutoka kwa wale wazungu walowezi tayari sehemu kubwa ya miundo mbinu za kiuchumio iliitanguliza nchi hiyo mbele ya nchi zote za Afrika ya Mashariki, na hivyo hili soko la pamoja lilishabikiwa na Kenya kwa ajili ya maslahi yake.

Kenya na Uganda ilikuwa inauza vitu vyao vingi huku Tanganyika kuliko ilivyouza Tanganyika ikiuza kwao.



Njia sahihi kwa Tanganyika ilikuwa ni kuwa kulinda soko lake kwa kiwango fulani kwa kutoza ushuru kwa bidhaa kutoka nchi wanachama nah ii ingeiumiza Kenya ambayo tayari Tanzania ni soko lake.

Katika mwisho wa mkutano huo aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu wa Uganda Dr. Apollo Milton Obote alisema kuwa hata Uganda walifikiri kuwa Tanganyika ilikuwa ikitaka kujiengua kutoka katika soko hilo la pamoja, na hivyo akasisitiza tamko la Mwalimu Nyerere lishughulikiwe haraka sana.

Ni katika Mei 15 1965 ndipo Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki ilipopata pigo nyingine ambayo iliikuwa ya silaha kutoka nchini China iliyokuwa imesheheneshwa kwenye magari ya mzigo kutoka Tanzania kuelekea nchini Uganda.



Mashehena haya yalikamatwa mjini Kisii Kenya karibu na mpaka wa Tanzania, Kenya na Uganda.



Mashehena haya yalipochunguzwa ilikutikana imebeba tani 75 ya silaha kutoka nchini China nail ikiwa na watu 45 waliokuwa wkiisindikiza msafara huo wa mashehena yenye silaha ambapo walikuwepo maaskari waliovaa nguo za jeshi la wananchi la Uganda na dereva aliyekuwa raia.



Ilipofika Mei 21 ya mwaka huo 1965 Serikali ya Uganda na Tanzania walitishia kuondoka katika soko la pamoja la Afrika Mashariki hadi pale serikali ya Kenya itakapoachilia yale mashehena yenye silaha. Suala hili lilimalizwa kiurafiki.

Makubaliano yale yaliyofanyika Nairobi ya kuandaa kamati ya dharura kama njia nzuri itayoleta urari katika biashara ilipokuwa tayari ilizaa Makubaliano ya Kampala mwaka 1964 (The Kampala Agreement 1964) ambapo viongozi 3 wa nchi zote za umoja huo walikuwepo.



Katika Makubaliano ya Kampala, ripoti ilitoa mapendekezo ya namna nzuri ya kuleta urari sawa wa biashara katika nchi hizi tatu.



Kwanza kabisa ili kuongeza urari sawa walitoa pendekezo kuwa makampuni yale ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki yanayofanya kazi katika nchi zaidi ya mbili yaongeze uzalishaji kwa kiwango kikubwa katika nchi yenye upungufu katika urari wa biashara.



Walitoa pendekezo lingine kuwa viwanda vilivyorundikana Kenya visambaze matawi yake kwa nchi ya Tanzania na Uganda na vilevile viwanda vipya vitavyojengwa viweze kujengwa Uganda na Tanzania.



Vilevile ilipendekezwa kuwa kuwepo na mfumo utakaoruhusu nchi inayozalisha sana kusafirisha kwa nchi wanachama biashara zake kwa viwango vinavyowiana ili nchi yenye upungufu iweze kuzalisha ziada na kwa faida.

Na zaidi ilipendekezwa kuwa mgawanyo wa viwanda iwe sawa kwa nchi zote wanachama.

Na kwa wakati huu maamuzi ya haraka ilichukuliwa ili kukinusuru umoja na ndipo waziri wa Biashara alipotangaza kuwa viwanda baadhi ya viwanda vilivyotakiwa kufanya kazi katika nchi hizi zote na hasa Tanzania na Uganda ili kuongeza uzalishaji kama vile Kiwanda cha tumbaku, kiwanda cha viatu cha bata, Kampuni ya bia ya Afrika Mashariki na British Standard Portland Cement (Bamburi).



Haya yote yalikuwa ni katika kutafuta urari wa kibiashara ili nchi zote wanachama waweze kufaidika na soko la pamoja nah ii ingepunguza kupwaya kwa Tanzania na Uganda katika biashara zake kwa asilimia 25 na kufanya Tanzania na Uganda kutofautiana kwa asilimia moja.

Ni wakati huu ilipokubalika kuwa tuwe na sarafu na noti ya aina moja kwa nchi zote za umoja huo.



Makubaliano ya haya ya Kampala yalitoa ubainisho wa bidhaa za Afrika Mashariki (East Africa Commodity) zilizokuwa zikitengenezwa na viwanda vilivyomilikiwa na shirikisho na bidhaa za ndani ya nchi (national Commodity) na hivyo kuleta mfumo wa kuhamisha kodi (Transfer tax in the EAC).



Hii ndio mara ya kwanza makubaliano haya yalipofanya mkakati wa makusudi kuleta urari wa biashara katika jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.

Kwa bahati mbaya, Kenya haikukubaliana na mfumo huu na hawakutoa sababu ya kuikataa na hivyo makubaliano haya yakafia kwenye maandishi ya wino.



Tanzania na Uganda walichukulia hatua ya Kenya kukataa kama ni msumari wa mwisho katika jeneza la lililokuwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.



Hatimaye Jumuiya hii ilianzishwa mwaka 1967 ilisambaratika mwaka 1977, pamoja na sababu nyingi za utofauti wa kisiasa kati ya viongozi wanachama akiwemo Rais wa Tanzania Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere na Idd Amin Dada aliyekuwa Rais wa Uganda.



Hata hivyo baada ya kusambaratika viongozi waliona umuhimu wa kuanzisha tena Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki na mnamo Julai 2000 ambapo mkataba mpya wa Uhuru wa Biashara ulisahiniwa mjini Arusha Tanzania.



Kenya ambayo ni nchi tajiri kwa hawa wanachama atalipia kodi kwa bidhaa zake zinazoingia Tanzania na Uganda kwa kiwango kinachopungua hadi kufikia mwaka 2010 ambapo ushuru wa pamoja itakapotozwa kwa nchi wanachama.



Katika Afrika mkataba wa shirikisho mpya inategemewa kuwepo na pesa ya aina moja itakayojulikana kama Shilingi ya Afrika ya Mashariki hadi kufikia mwaka 2009.
Moja ya mipango mingine iliyopo ni kuwa na soko la pamoja, visa na umoja wa kisiasa ambapo kutakuwepo na Rais wa Shirikisho na Bunge la pamoja hadi kufikia 2010.



0715 551 455



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WASOMI

Wasomi msitumike kupotosha umma

Na Nyasigo Kornel

Ukitaka kuona genge wasomi waliokosa dira kwa mwenendo na uchungu wa demokrasia katika nchi hii basi nenda katika Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam (UDSM) utapata kikundi kimoja cha hao wasomi wakiwa wameanzisha asasi iitwayo REDET, asasi ambayo imekuwa ikitumika kuhujumu fikira za wananchi kwa kutoa takwimu zenye maoni zinazoonyesha kuwa hii ni asasi ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete.

Watu wanategemea Chuo kikuu kiweze kuwa chachu ya kuelemisha jamii, kufanya tafiti zinazosaidia katika kuboresha na kutoa changamoto kwa raia, lakini kinachofanywa na REDET ni tofauti kabisa.

Mwaka jana katika mchakato wa uchaguzi mkuu uliofanyika mwaka 2005, REDET ilikuja na tafiti zilizokuwa na lengo la kumjengea jina Rais Jakaya Kikwete, wakati huo alikuwa mmoja wa wagombea katika kinyanganyiro hicho cha kumtafuta Rais wa nchi.

Katika tafiti hizo REDET ilikuwa ikiweka idadi kubwa ikiwa inaonyesha kuwa Kikwete ndio chaguo la watu na wagombea wengine walikuwa wakipendwa kidogo tu na watanzania.

Kama kwamba hiyo haikutosha, na hata baada ya Rais Kikwete kupata Urais tulitegemea wangeendelea na tafiti zenye maana katika kuamsha hari ya siasa nchini, lakini wanaonekana kuwa bado ni kikundi cha kueneza propaganda tu za kupumbaza watanzania.

Mwezi mmoja tu uliopita aliyekuwa Mkurugenzi wa REDET Prof. Rweikaza Mukandala alifanikiwa kuwa Makamu mkuu wa chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam jambo ambalo wengi waliliona kama mkono wa Rais wa nchi katika kumshukuru kwa kulitumia REDET kumpa Rais mwonekano mzuri mbele ya jamii.

Rais Kikwete alipomaliza siku 100 ofisini, REDET iliyokuwa ikiongozwa na Prof. Rweikiza Mukandala ilikuja na takwimu kuwa umaarufu wa Rais umefikia asilimia 84 na kwamba bado wananchi wana matumaini naye makubwa na hasa pale serikali yake iliposaka wezi na majambazi kwa nguvu zote.

Watu walisema kuwa hizi ni nguvu za soda, na sasa wananchi walisubiri kuona kama masula ya msingi katika mstakabali wa kitaifa zinapewa kipaumbele kama suala la rushwa.

Mwezi uliopita vyombo vya Habari vimekuwa vikiiandama serikali ya awamu ya nne kwa kushindwa kushughulikia suala la umeme na kulifumbia macho suala la rushwa kwa viongozi ambao hata hawajamaliza mwaka tangu wapewe madarakani, wengine watoto wao wakiwa wameshirikishwa katika tuhuma za Richmond.

Ili kumsafishia jina Rais ambaye sasa umaarufu wake ule umeingia doa baada ya kutoa ahadi katika kila kona ya Tanzania zikiwa na mwonekano duni kutimia huku wakisingizia ukame na umeme, tayari REDET na wasomi wake walikusanya waandishi wa vyombo vya Habari mbalimbali tayari kwa kusafisha tena Rais Jina la Rais Kikwete kwa wananchi wake.

Kama haitoshi mwezi jana Rais Kikwete alipokuwa akiadhimisha mwaka mmoja tangu apewe madaraka, REDET hawakuwa na jipya bali na Makamu mwenyekiti wa REDET Dr. Laurian Ndumbaro kutoa ripoti yao kuwa umaarufu wa Rais umepungua kutoka asilimia 84 hadi asilimia 67.

Ili kuongeza chumvi zaidi ripoti ile ya hawa wasomi inamkwepesha Rais kwenye Serikali yake kana kwamba yeye na serikali ni vitu viwili tofauti, ikisema kuwa wananchi waliotoa maoni walionekana wakiridhika na kuwa na imani kwa Rais Kikwete kama mtu binafsi, huku walio wengi hawakuonyesha kuridhika na utendaji kazi wa taasisi za serikali.

Kwani wasomi hawa wanataka kutuambia kuwa Rais na serikali yake ni vitu viwili tofauti au wasomi hawa wanataka tuamini kuwa Rais anafanya kazi vizuri huku akiwasamehe watendaji kazi wabovu aliowateua yeye tuliyempatia kura zetu, sasa hapo nani ni mbovu?

Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania alichaguliwa ili aunde serikali inayoaminika kama alivyo yeye na wakikosea Mawaziri wake au taasisi zake alizoteua wakurugenzi wake basi ni kuwa serikali yake imeshindwa.

Hii ndiyo matokeo ya tafiti za REDET kama yalivyotolewa na Dr. Ndumbaro ikisema kuwa wananchi wanaamini serikali za mitaa kwa asilimia 42.2, Bunge (39.2), TACAIDS (35.4), Baraza la Mawaziri (33.8), Polisi (26.2), mahakama (23.8) na TRA (18.2).

Takwimu zingine ni kama PCB (18.1), Bodi ya mikopo (17.2), TANESCO (16.3) na TIC(10.5).

Takwimu hizi ziliendelea zaidi kwa kumlinganisha Rais Kikwete na Rais wa Zanzibar Amani Abeid Karume kuwa Kikwete anakubalika kwa asilimia 67 nali Karume 47.8 tu.

Matokeo haya wanasema yalipatika baada ya kufanya utafiti kwa kuhoji watu huko Zanzibar na Tanzania Bara.

Hata pale Rais Kikwete mwenyewe alipogundua kuwa hana washauri, na hata wale aliowaweka kumshauri walikuwa wakitetemeka wanapofika kwake na kuchekacheka huku wakisifia kila jambo ndipo alipotamka kuwa hataki sifa za kinafiki ambazo Watanzania wengi wana utajiri wa sifa hata pale unapoharaibu.

Rais aliona nchi inaelekea pabaya huku washauri wake wakiwa hawana jipya wala hawamwamshi, na kila mara wakiimba nyimbo za sifa.

Lakini vilevile kwa mtazamo wangu hizi ni hadithi za sungura baada ya kushindwa kufikia tunda alilolitegemea na kusema ‘sizitaki mbichi hizi’ kama Rais alivyoiweka.

Je wasomi wa taaluma ya siasa ‘Political Science’ ni waimba kwaya wa Rais Kikwete au wapiga tarumbeta katika harusi za kitanzania wakati bwana na bibi harusi wakienda kuoana, sio kwa sababu wapiga tarumbeta wanapenda kutumia nguvu nyingi kupuliza, bali kwa sababu wanalipwa.

Je wasomi hawa wa siasa na asasi yao hii ya kutoa mafunzo ya demokrasia wanataka tuamini kuwa hata matatizo makubwa ya mgawanyiko wa kisiasa ambapo tumeona Wapemba wakitengwa na Serikali ya Zanzibar hata katika ajira, miundo mbinu na shughuli za kijamii, je wasomi wamechukua hatua endelevu au hatua pozeo tu?

Je wasomi wa kikundi hiki kilichojificha nyuma ya REDET wanajua kuwa kuna hila nyingi za siasa za kinafiki zinazofanyika Pemba na hata kudidimiza baadhi ya wasomi wa Pemba nali tukishuhudia fundi meli kutoka Pemba akipewa kazi ya kuakata tiketi za meli.



Moja ya mwandishi katika gazeti la kiingereza humu nchini ambaye makala yake yanagusa sana na kuibua uchokozi mzee Hilal Sued katika safu yake iitwayo Beyond the Boarder ya Gazeti la The African no. 2788.

Mzee Sued anasema utapeli umeongezeka ndani ya nchi ikitumia jina la Demokrasia, anajiuliza kuwa unaweza ukaamini kuwa wasomi wa chuo kikuu na asasi yao ya REDET wameanzisha chuo huko Zanzibar iitwayo Democracy Training College (DTC) ikiwa na lengo la kuwafundisha vijana wa Zanzibar juu ya ‘Political Tolerance (Uvumilivu wa Kisiasa)’.

Hii ina maana kwamba hawa wasomi wanataka watu wakae kimya bila kuulizauliza mambo hata utawala na sheria mbovu zinapopitishwa dhidi na hata pale demokrasia yao inapobakwa katika jina la demokrasia.

Tanzania inahitaji vyuo vingi vya demokrasia vinavyofundisha utawala bora, kuzuia rushwa na ufisadi na sio kufundisha vijana kunyamaza hata pale wanapohujumiwa, hawa ndio wasomi wetu.

Utakaaje kimya katika hali ya rushwa iliyokithiri, Chuo kama DTC ni vya kitapeli na hujuma mkubwa kwa Mtanzania na vizazi vyake na hizi hujuma vinaanzia Chuo Kikuu cha Dar Es Salaam chini wa wasomi maprofesa na madaktari wa falsafa ya Siasa.

Ni Demokraisia gani inayotafitiwa na kufundishwa na REDET? Au tulijue moja kuwa hii ni asasi ya serikali ya awamu ya nne? Mtapumbaza watanzania mpaka lini na hii ni sehemu ya Chuo Kikuu chenye heshima na hadhi ya Kitaifa.

Wiki iliyopita siku ya jumamosi ya hii Januari katika mahafali ya kwanza ya chuo hicho kinachoendeshwa kupitia mpango wa REDET, Prof. Mukandala alisikika akivitaka vyama vya siasa na watendaji wa chuo hicho kupendekeza mada zitakazosaidia vijana kujenga demokrasia Zanzibar na Tanzania kwa ujumla.

Katika mahafali hayo jumla ya vijana 50 kutoka wilaya zote za Unguja na Pemba walihitimu mafunzo hayo ya ‘political tolerance’.

Mafunzo haya yalifadhiliwa na Norway, yalendeshwa na Idara ya siasa na Utawala wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam kupitia Mpango wa Elimu ya Demokrasia (REDET).

Dhana ya mpasuko wa kisiasa Zanzibar sio suala la elimu ya uraia, hapa tusiwadanganye Wapemba wala watu wa Unguja, sio suala la elimu.

Matatizo ya Zanzibar yanajulikana kabisa wala haiitaji tafiti nyingi wakati tunaiona CCM ikikalia kiti na haitaki kamwe chama tofauti na CCM ikiongoza kisiwa hicho.

Ni tamaa za kisiasa ndizo zinazoleta mpasuko na sio historia ya Zanzibar kama inavyosambazwa katika propaganda za nchi hii.

Suala la mpasuko wa kisiasa Zanzibar limejificha kwenye uchu wa madaraka kwa wana Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) huku wahifahidhina wa Karume na Rais Karume mwenyewe wakitumia blanketi la Muungano kuhujumu demokraisia katika kisiwa cha Zanzibar.

Wizi wa kura wakati wa uchaguzi, kauli mbaya katika majukwaa ya kisiasa, majigambo katika vyombo vya Habari na matumizi makubwa ya nguvu za kijeshi wakati wa uchaguzi hayakufanywa na vijana, yalifanywa na Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar ikipewa ushirikiano wa karibu kabisa na serikali ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania.

Vijana hawakuhusika kutuma jeshi kuleta vurugu Pemba na Darajani huku Unguja, vijana hawakupanga wizi wa kura, vijana hawapati nafasi ya kupanda kwenye majukwaa ya siasa na kutoa propaganda za kuleta uchochezi.

Kama ni kuanzisha chuo hiki, waliostahili kujiandikisha kusoma katika chuo hicho kinachoendeshwa na REDET ni Rais Abeid Amani Karume, Waziri Kiongozi wa Zanzibar Sham Vuai Nahodha na wengine kama akina Shamhuna na wafahidhina katika serikali ya Karume.

Maana ni hawa ndio chanzo cha vurugu za siasa Zanzibar, wasomi wa REDET wasiogope kukwepa ukweli kwa kukimbilia kufundisha vijana uvumilivu wakati nchi yao haiandaliwi mazingira mazuri ya mfumo endelevu wa kidemokrasia.

Chuo hicho kitatumia pesa nyingi bila kuleta faida yoyote ya maana, na hadi sasa tangu chuo hicho kuanzishwa ndio imetoa wahitimu 50, je hadi baada ya miaka mitano vijana waliohitimu hapo watakuwa wameleta mabadiliko ya kisiasa wakati masuala ya msingi hayajarekebishwa?

Karume anasema hayuko tayari kwa serikali ya mseto na hilo anasema kuwa ni ndoto, na akarudia kutamka kuwa mwenye hoja ya serikali ya mseto Zanzibar atoe.

Lakini huyu huyu ndiye aliyeifikisha Zanzibar kwenye vurugu hadi wapemba wakakimbilia shimoni huko Mombasa, kwani wapemba ni vichaa ambao hata kama haki ikitendeka katika uchaguzi wanaandamana au wanaleta vurugu, hata hivyo sijasikia REDET ikimwomba huyo Rais Karume kuhudhuria katika chuo hicho cha demokrasia, maana nadhani anakihitaji kuliko hawa vijana 50 waliohitimu.

Henry Kissinger aliyekuwa katibu wa nchi ya marekani aliwahi kuambiwa na wananchi wake pale alipotakiwa ashtakiwe kwa mauaji ya watu Vietnam, lakini watu wa chinichini katika serikali ndio waliokuwa wamekamatwa na kuhukumiwa hata ikafikia hatua akasema mwenyewe kuwa ‘sheria ni kama utando wa buibui ina nguvu nyingi kiasi cha kumnasa mtu mdhaifu na nguvu kidogo ya kumnasa mwenye nguvu (Law is like a web, it is too strong the hold the weak and too weak to hold the strong)’.

Ni suala la aibu sana msomi anapotumika katika harakati za kutekeleza mkakati wa kurubuni nchi.

Ni wazi kabisa kuwa msomi maarufu huyu Prof. Mukandala alisoma pamoja na Rais Jakaya Kikwete, ni rafiki yake na pia ni mshauri wake katika mambo ya siasa, hii ilikuwa ni nafasi nzuri kumsaidia Rais kwa mipanga endelevu za kujenga mfumo madhubuti wa kidemokrasia katika Tanzania na sio kusimika mfumo pozeo wa kutaka kurubuni vijana ambao ni wahusika wadogo wanaoingia katika fujo pale ambapo wanaona mambo yakifanyika ovyoovyo.

Kwa namna hii itafikia hatua hatuwaamini wasomi walio wengi na hasa wale wanaotumika katika kuendeleza propaganda za mojawapo ya chama au kutumika kupumbaza watanzania na vizazi vyao.

Asasi zitatumia pesa nyingi kufundisha vijana utawala bora na mambo mengi lakini suala linabaki palepale kuwa wakubwa wanaotoa mionozo ya kisiasa wasipotumia utawala bora na vijana hawatavumilia utawala mbovu na kuvumilia ni kujitia vitanzi katika kuendeleza demokrasia nchini.

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Kilimo

Kilimo: Mdau muhimu wa matumbo anayesahaulika

Na Nyasigo Kornel

Aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu wa India Hayati Mahatma Gandhi aliwahi kusema kuwa kuna watu katika dunia hii walio na njaa ya chakula kiasi kwamba hawawezi kuuona uhalisia wa Mungu wao katika maisha yao isipokuwa katika maumbo ya chakula tu (There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread).

Kauli hii ilileta changamoto kubwa hadi ombaomba wakaondolewa kwenye mahekalu ya wahindhu katika mji wa Calcuta, mji huo unaongoza kwa ombaomba wengi duniani waliokuwa wakilala tu bila kufanya kazi na kusali kwenye mahekali ya wahindhu.

Lakini hata pale walipopelekwa kulima vijijini, hali zao hazikuweza kubadilika kwa maana mbinu za kilimo na masoko hazikuwawezesha kuzalisha haraka hivyo wengi wao walirudi kuombaomba mijini.

India washukuru mapinduzi yaliyofanyika kuiweka Asia kuwa kijani dhidi ya ujangwa (Green Revolution) iliyotokea Asia miaka 40 iliyopita vinginevyo wangekuwa pabaya katika sekta ya kilimo kama ilivyo Tanzania iliyosahau wakulima ambao ni wadau muhimu wa maendeleo na kuwakumbuka wakati wa uchaguzi tu.

Wakati wa kikao cha Bunge lililopita, Mbunge wa viti maalumu, Mhonga Ruhwanya (CHADEMA), alitaka kujua kama serikali haioni umuhimu wa kutoa mafunzo ya kilimo cha kisasa kwa njia mbalimbali kama redio, televisheni na magazeti pamoja na kutoa semina ya kilimo kwa wakulima kwa kutumia wataalamu wa kilimo.

Akijibu swali hilo, Naibu Waziri wa Kilimo Chakula na Ushirika Christopher Chiza, alisema mbinu ambazo zimekuwa zikitumiwa na Wizara yake ni pamoja na kutengeneza gazeti la kisasa, vipeperushi, mabango na vijitabu vyenye ujumbe mbalimbali za kilimo bora na kuzisambaza kwa wakulima.

Mtu makini hawezi kukubaliana na Naibu Waziri wa Kilimo Chakula na Ushirika Christopher Chiza, kwa msingi kuwa Serikali imekuwa ikijiweka mbali sana na wakulima kiasi kwamba mawasiliano hufanyika kwa vyombo vya Habari kama vipeperushi, vijitabu na mabango.

Tofauti na wanavyowatendea wakulima, ukienda kuandika Habari zao za semina utawaona viongozi wako tayari kukaa pamoja wakila na kunywa na mashirika yenye uwezo wa kuandaa semina zenye pesa, kwenye mahoteli kama MovenPick, Kilimanjaro, New Afrikan na mengine ya Bagamoyo.

Lakini hawako tayari kukutana na mkulima ispokuwa kwa njia ya vyombo vya Habari, kwani wakulima hawawezi kuwapatia posho za siku za vikao vyao.

Wakulima watapata wapi pesa za kuwalipa kila siku za semina? Je wakulima wataweza kufanya vikao vyao na kuvutia viongozi wetu kama wafanyavyo umoja wa wenye viwanda, mabenki, Asasi kubwa za nje na mashirika mengine yenye pesa.

Wakulima watawasiliana nao kwa njia ya magazeti, vipeperushi, mabango na vijitabu! Wasomi wa mjini wanaomiliki shirikisho mbalimbali na mashirika yenye pesa watakaa nao meza moja na kujadili juu ya matatizo yao na kisha ufikia muafaka na makubaliano ya mambo yanaathiri kazi zao na kweli wanasikilizwa.

Leo hii nina uhakika mkulima hatapenda kusoma vitabu bali atapenda kufanya kilimo cha vitendo, unampelekea mkulima bango, leo hii bango moja utakuwa umeandika nini cha kumwelekeza mtu juu ya kilimo cha kisasa na kufanya mapinduzi ya kilimo!

Waziri wa Kilimo na Chakula aliwahi kutamka kuwa Tanzania ina upungufu wa maofisa ugani 8,200 na waliopo ni 3,800 ambao hawatoshelezi.

Mwaka juzi vijana zaidi ya 60 waliomaliza Chuo cha Kilimo cha Sokoine wakiwa na shahada zinazoendana na taaluma ya kilimo waliajiriwa kuwa maafisa mikopo na National Microfinance Bank na wakasambazwa wilayani na mikoani.

Huku nchi ikikosa uelekeo katika kilimo cha kisasa hawa vijana hawatumiki vilivyo hata kama wangeamua kwenda kufanya kazi katika taaluma hiyo ya kilimo.

Mwandishi wa kitabu cha ‘Afrika Inakwenda Kombo’ Prof. Dumnont hakukosea aliposema kuwa baada tu ya mwafrika kupata elimu aliiona shughuli ya kilimo kama laana kubwa ya kuepukana nayo kwa namna yoyote.

Mwandishi huyo anasema kuwa hata sasa ni rahisi msomi wa kiafrika kumpelekea baba na mama yake sanduku nzima ya vitenge na suti lakini sio pembejeo za kilimo.

Katika moja ya safari ya kufanya tathmini ya kilimo na shirika la nje ya nchi ya Micro Agriculture Neighbours- MAN kama mwandishi tulifika katika ofisi ya Afisa Ugani Wilayani zaidi ya mara saba kwa siku tatu, hakupatikana, tukadhani kuwa yuko mashambani ambapo ingelikuwa ni vizuri.

Lakini moja wa makarani wa Wilaya aliamua kuongea akisema, “wale hawana kazi, atakuwepo tu kwake au niwalekeze dukani kwake mnaweza kumkuta.”

Na wale wazungu wageni walishangaa kusikia Afisa hana kazi za kutosha ofisini na hivyo anafanya biashara zake!

Sikuweza kumlaumu huyu Afisa kwa maana hata wakubwa wake hawajali wakulima.

Katika msafara huo uliojumuhisha baadhi ya viongozi wa Wilaya, nilishangaa kuona kuwa maafisa ugani kutoka Kenya ndio walikuwa wakiwaeleza wananchi namna ya kubebesha matunda ili kupata mazao bora kwa muda mfupi (artificial grafting).

Micro Agriculture Neighbours walifanikiwa kuwapatia wakulima wa pale mpakani mbegu za bure za mazao ya muda mfupi zinazoweza kuhimili ukame na kutoa mazao mengi.

Kwa ripoti niliyotumiwa wiki iliyopita kwa njia ya barua pepe na watu wa Micro Agriculture Neighbours ni kuwa wanakijiji wamekuwa waking’ang’ania zile mbegu na hata kuziiba mashambani wakati wa usiku.

Na waliporudi katika vile vijiji walipokelewa na kikundi kubwa sana cha wakulima waliohitaji kugawiwa zile mbegu na kupota elimu ya kubebesha mazao.

Hii ni kielelezo kuwa Maafisa ugani wa kwetu hawana mbinu mpya inayoweza kumvutia mkulima na ndio maana wakulima wetu hawawatumii huku vijijini.

Wengi wa maafisa ugani wetu wamekuwa wakifundisha mbinu za kilimo cha mistari ambapo uzoefu unaonyesha kuwa wakulima wamekuwa wakiikejeli kwa maana haitibu matatizo yao ya kilimo katika nchi za kitropiki.

Kama ulifuatilia mkutano wa Bunge lililopita Mbunge wa CUF kwa viti maalumu Magdalena Sakaya naye alisema kuwa uzoefu unaonyesha kuwa baadhi ya maafisa ugani wamejisahau na hawatekelezi majukumu yao.
Ukiona wingi wa maji katika Ziwa Victoria, utamwonea huruma mwananchi ambaye mihogo yake iliyopandwa hatua ishirini tu kutoka katika hilo ziwa ikiwa inaungua kwa kukosa maji.
Wakati huo windmill mbili kubwa inayoweza kutengenezwa na mtanzania, tena wale wa viwanda vidogovidogo vya kuchomelea kwa kutumia gesi inaweza ikaokoa maisha ya kilimo kwa kijiji kimoja lenye eneo la hekari za mraba 400.
Na windmill za aina hii pamoja na tenki la kuhifadhia maji na mipira ya kupitisha maji katika eneo kama hili haifiki hata zaidi ya shilingi milioni 20 kama hakuna rushwa na ufisadi.
Njia hii ya kumboreshea mkulima mazingira ya kilimo na kutatua tatizo la ukame linamwezesha mkulima kulima kwa mwaka mzima bila kujali kipindi cha mvua huku akibadilisha kilimo cha mazao ya chakula na biashara.
Kiongozi mmoja wa Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) wa moja ya jimbo jipya katika mkoa Mara alilalamikiwa kwa kutumia pesa nyingi zaidi ya milioni 300 katika uchaguzi wa Ubunge 2005.
Ingawa hakuna aliyejua alikotoa zile pesa alizokuwa akigawiwa kwa watu mbalimbali ili aweze kupata kura za ubunge, lakini hoja kubwa ni kuwa hizi pesa zilitosha kuleta changamoto katika mapinduzi ya kilimo kwa wananchi wa jimbo lile na pengine angechaguliwa bila hata kutoa rushwa.
Lakini mwanasiasa kama huyu hutumia milioni 300 kutoa rushwa ili apate kura wakati kiasi hiki hiki cha pesa kingeweza kujenga mifumo ya umwagialiaji wa njia hii kama kumi katika vijiji 7 kando ya ziwa Victoria na vikaendesha kilimo cha umwagiliaji.
Na sio hivyo tu, mabilioni ya pesa hutumika kununulia vitu visivyo na thamani kwa Mtanzania nail hiyo pesa ingeweza kuleta mapinduzi makubwa kwenye kilimo.
Ndio maana Ronald Regan aliyekuwa Rais wa Marekani aliwahi kusema kuwa serikali ni sawa na mtoto mdogo, ina utumbo wenye hamu sana ambao kwa upande mmoja unahitaji kula na kwa upande mwingine hautaki kuwawajibikia wengine (Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other).
Sasa hivi Serikali ipo tayari kuonyesha kujali watu wakati wa njaa, na hata kuchangisha mashirika, watu mbalimbali na wafanyabiashara kuwagawia watu chakula, lakini serikali hiyo hiyo uanza usingizi mnene njaa inapokwisha.
Hii imefanya nchi kuwa ombaomba wa chakula na hakuna aibu kubwa kama ile wakati viongozi wetu wanapata sifa kubwa kimataifa na hata wengine kuchaguliwa kama viongozi wa kamati za kimataifa!
Katika mila za jamii nyingi za Kiafrika moja ya adha kubwa anayoipata mwanaume ni kushindwa kulisha familia yake na kuanza kuombaomba chakula kwa jirani.
Siku sio nyingi nilipata nafasi ya kuongea na Wamexico wanaomiliki shule ya sekondari ya Masonga katika kijiji kimoja kidogo cha Masonga kilichopo katika inayotegewa kuwa Wilaya mpya ya Rorya.

Hawa Wamexico wanatumia mfumo huu wa windmill kwa kuendesha kilimo cha umwagiliaji. Hata wao wanasema kuwa wametumia pesa kidogo chini ya makadiro niliyoweka pale juu maana

Eneo lile la Masonga lilikuwa limekwisha kuwa jangwa, watu walikata miti yote na ukabaki uwanja ambao uliweza kumwona mtu aliyesimama umbali mrefu sana, lakini nenda upaone leo, pamekuwa msitu tena pori kama vile hakuna shughuli za kibinadamu zilizowahi kufanyika pale.

Wanatumia njia hii ya windmill kusukuma maji hadi kwenye tenki la kutunza maji (water reservoir) na kisha kuisambaza sehemu mbalimbali kwa njia ya mifereji na mabomba ya kawaida.

Hivi leo wale wazungu wanasafirisha nje ya nchi asali, matunda kama maboga, tikiti maji, machungwa na aina nyingine ambazo hata sijawahi kuziona.

Pamoja na wananchi wale kuwa na huduma zile za kilimo cha umwagiliaji karibu, niligundua kuwa walikuwa hawalimi bali wengi walikuwa wakijihusisha na uvuvi wa samaki, hivyo wakati wazungu hawa wakipata pesa za kigeni kwenye kilimo, watu wa Masonga walikuwa wakikumbwa na njaa kila mwaka.
Leo hii pesa kidogo sana ingewezesha kilimo cha umwagiliaji kwa ziwa Victoria na Tanganyika tu, basi tungeweza kulisha nchi yetu na nchi nyingi sana za kusini mwa jangwa la Sahara.
Misri, nchi iliyojangwa inatushinda, hawana njaa, na kwa miaka 20 sasa hawajaomba misaada ya chakula kwa nchi yoyote duniani.
Katika tahariri la gazeti la Ulaya liitwalo The Private Eye linalohaririwa na Jonathan Wright limeandika juu ya mradi wa Toshka uliopo katika Aswan High Dam.
Mhariri wa The private eye amenukuliwa akisema kuwa pamoja na Misri kuwa jangwa lakini imefanikiwa kuibadilisha uso wa jangwa na kuwa kijani kama nchi za kitropiki na imefanikiwa kutosheleza soko la Ulaya kwa nyanya na viazi.
Juzi juzi Televisheni ya Al-Gezira ilinukuliwa ikitangaza kuwa mwana wa Mfalme wa Saudi Arabia Alwaleed bin Talal atahamisha kiasi kikubwa cha ndege zake kuchukua matunda ya Misri, nchi ya Jangwa na kupeleka kuuza katika masoko ya Ulaya.
Ingawa mradi wa Answan High Dam ilijengwa katika miaka ya 1960 lakini ilianza mapema sana na hata Herode aliandika miaka 2000 iliyopita kuwa Misri sio kitu kama sio zawadi ya mto Nile, na asilimia 97 ya watu wa nchi hiyo huishi katika bonde la huo mto upatao asilimia 2.5 ya ukubwa wa hiyo nchi.
Na sio hapo tu nchi hizi za Mesopotamia ambapo ukiangalia jiografia yake ni nusu jangwa au jangwa kabisa zimejitahidi katika kilimo cha umwagiliaji, kwa mfano umwagiliaji unaofanyika katika bonde la San Joaquin, Rio Grande, Indus, Nile, Murray-Darling, Jordan na Tigris-Euphrates.
Katika waraka wa Papa Yohani Paulo II iitwayo tumaini jipya (Centesimus Annus) aliwaambia wanasiasa waache dhana kuwa kila tatizo kubwa la kijamii huitaji pesa nyingi sana kutatuliwa na alisema hayo kwa sababu viongozi wengi hutumia pesa ovyoovyo wakijificha nyuma ya matatizo ya kijamii.

Leo hii hakuna anayeongelea tahadhari ya njaa, hakuna anayechukua tahadhari ya ukame, hakuna anayemwangalia mkulima wa kijijini huko.

Na hata akishalima hakuna anayejali kama amepata soko au la, wanajitihidi ndugu zetu kwa hali na mali lakini ikifika wakati wa uchaguzi baadhi ya wagombea wenye pesa humimina pesa nyingi ambazo wangeweza kukaa pamoja chini wangelipanga mikakati endelevu.

Wakulima wa mihogo leo hii wameiacha lile zao likawa kama zao la chakula na kama wakitokea wanunuzi wa lile zao hulinunua kwa bei ndogo sana. Mkulima hujipatia pesa kidogo pale anapotengeneza pombe haramu ya gongo.

Hivyo ujenzi wa viwanda vidogo vidogo vya kutengeneza pombe za moshi (small distilleries industries) kwa kutumia mihogo ya mtanzania ingeweza kumpatia soko kubwa mkulima huyu.

Indonesia hulima mihogo lakini hawaitumii kwa chakula, wanachokifanya Indonesia ni kuwauzia Warusi mihogo ile na ndio sehemu kubwa ya dry-gin tunazouziwa hapa ikiwa na majina mbalimbali ya kibiashara.

Na wanapolima mihogo wanaichanganya kwenye mashamba ya zao la mpira na hivyo umpatia pesa haraka hata mara mbili kabla hata la zao la mpira kukomaa zikipandikizwa kwa pamoja.

Hivyo kwa Indonesia zao la mihogo ni zao la biashara tena lenye pesa sana, na kwa mtanzania zao la mihogo ni zao la chakula.

Leo hii wakazi wa Wilaya ya Tarime wanaolima mihogo wanakunywa sana pombe za shilingi mia tatu za kwenye viroba kutoka katika viwanda vya Kisumu-Kenya.

Mwaka huu nilipofika Wilaya ya Liwale- Lindi wananchi wa pale wanaidharau mihogo na kuona kuwa wale wanaokula mihogo ni watu wa maisha ya chini sana na inapaswa kuliwa pale tu unapokosa unga wa mahindi na nafaka zingine.

Suala la kilimo haiishii tu kusema ukulima wa kisasa, kwa maana kama soko nzuri haipo basi wakulima watakata tamaa na wengi wa vijana watalazimika kukimbilia mijini kutafuta kazi za haraka zinazoweza kuwapa riziki haraka.

Sasa hivi zao la korosho limekuwa tena laana kwa wakazi wa kusini badala ya kuwa neema kwao kwa kukosa soko la zao hilo.

Kilimo cha katani sio mada tena ya kuongelea Tanzania wakati nchi kama Pakistani zao hili uingiza asilimia 0.1 ya pato la Tiafa hilo.

Soko linalotafutwa nje ya nchi ni ya nini? Ni la zao la Korosho au malighafi inayotokana na korosho? Au ni soko la katani au malighafi inayotokana na korosho?

Kama bado tunafikiri kuwa utauza hata asali nchi za nje kama asali na sio kama gem, basi kuna ugomvi mkubwa sana kwa viongozi watakaoiongoza nchi hii iliyolimbikiziwa matatizo ya wakulima katika miaka 10 ijayo.

Hata viwanda vya samaki tungependa kuona wakisafirisha nje ya nchi nyama ya makopo iliyo na trademark ya Tanzania na sio minofu, minofu haina trademark ya Tanzania na hivyo upunguza nukuu inayoleta urari wa kibiashara kati ya Tanzania na nchi za nje.

Sasa hivi wale wote wanaowekeza hapa utakuta viwanda vya muhimu vipo kwao huko Afrika ya Kusini au Ulaya na vile vya kudokolea mali zetu ndio ziko huku.

MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA, MUNGU IBARIKI AFRIKA

0715 551455

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