Daily News Shamelessly Distance Itself from Its own Reader Opinion Poll

Who's more hopeless?The Daily News which,upon realising their online opinion poll (on whether Dr Willbroad Slaa would emerge a winner in the coming election) was going contrary to their expectations,decided to withdraw it,or Raia Mwema which quoted the results of the removed polls?YOU DECIDE.

Leave Daily News out of that hopeless adventurism, please

EDITOR, 23rd September 2010 @ 01:55,

A vividly pro-Willibrod Slaa weekly tabloid has used our name in a shameful attempt to prop up the Chadema presidential candidate’s campaign, suggesting that he was being backed by three quarters of local internet surfers.

In its lead story on Tuesday, the September 22-28 edition of the tabloid deliberately misused an online poll involving a mere 161 visitors to purport that the whole nation was behind Slaa. While noting the tabloid editors’ virtual confession that they cannot be believed without quoting the Daily News, we abhor the unprofessional decision to use our name to lend credence to their wildly hopeless adventure.

The editors of the tabloid know that the figures they used are quoted out of context and are absolutely unrealistic. That is why they confess in the fabricated report that very few Tanzanians have access to the internet and that the purported poll results do not reflect

what will come out of the October 31 ballot.

So why would they venture out with old poll results today? Vicious anti-establishment fervor at best and malicious conspiracy to settle old scores at worst. That is typical activist journalism practiced by a section of the media, which has openly identified with the opposition and plays down any positive achievement of President Kikwete’s government while orchestrating purported failures, mostly made up ones.

The attempt to enlist the support of the Daily News was apparently meant to save another tabloid blushes after carrying an equally wild fabrication to the effect that Synovate had censored results of a poll showing Slaa leading president Kikwete by four points in popularity. The pollster has publicly derided the tabloid and lodged a complaint with the Media Council.

It is high time that section of the media learnt its lessons and returned to professional practice. We think there is nothing particularly wrong in covering presidential aspirants favourably, but the reports must at least be true. And the truth is that DrWillibrod Slaa will not be the fifth president of Tanzania.

The Chadema candidate has a lot of issues to settle, beginning at family level, from which he will need to practice leadership upwards. He will, indeed, garner some votes in October, just like Augustine Mrema in 1995, but that will be it, and the media behind the former priest can quote us on that.

SOURCE; Daily News

WHY DID THEY REMOVE THE POLLS IN FIRST PLACE?AND WHY NOT RUN A FRESH ONE?WELL,JUST LIKE SYNOVATE AND REDET,THEY CERTAINLY KNOW WHAT THE POLL RESULTS WOULD BE,AND THAT MAKES THEM VERY,VERY SCARED.


WHY ON EARTH WOULD A STATE-OWNED PAPER ASSUME A ROLE OF A CLAIRVOYANT BY DECLARING OPENLY THAT DR SLAA WILL NOT BE THE 5th PRESIDENT OF TANZANIA?


THE ONLY VIABLE WAY TO SHAME AND PUNISH THE DAILY NEWS IS TO VOTE DR SLAA COME OCTOBER 31.YOU COULD ONLY SPECULATE HOW THE DAILY NEWS EDITOR AND HIS STAFF WOULD REACT TO DR SLAA'S VICTORY.APOLOGISE?HIDE THEIR FACES?ONLY TIME CAN TELL!


GO DR SLAA GO!

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Uhuru wa Habari Tanzania: Tatizo ni Dola,Uoga au Kujikomba?

Wakati wa kuelekea kampeni za uchaguzi mkuu wa hapa Uingereza kulijitokeza tetesi za wasiwasi kuhusu afya ya aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu Gordon Brown.Katika kilichotafsiriwa kama kukata mzizi wa fitina,mtangazaji maarufu wa Shirika la Utangazaji la Uingereza (BBC),Andrew Marr,alimuuliza Brown katika mahojiano naye kuhusu tetesi hizo.Katika tetesi hizo ilidaiwa kuwa Brown alikuwa akitumia dawa za kutuliza mara kwa mara.

"Jambo ambalo kila mtu amekuwa akiongelea katika kijiji cha Westminster...Watu wengi katika nchi hii wamekuwa wakitumia dawa walizoelekezwa kununua na daktari (prescription drugs)...Je wewe ni mmoja wao?",aliuliza Marr."Hapana.Nadhani uulizaji swali wa aina hii umekuwa ukiingia sana kwenye ulingo wa siasa za Uingereza",alijibu Brown.Jitihada za mwanahabari huyo kutaka kudadisi zaidi zilizimwa na Brown aliyesema ameshajibu swali hilo.

Nimekumbuka tukio hilo kufuatia kuanguka kwa mara nyingine kwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete na namna vyombo vingi vya habari vilivyokwepa kuripoti tukio hilo kwa uwazi.Hata video iliyomwonyesha Kikwete akianguka iliondolewa mtandaoni kwa haraka,kwa sababu wanazojua waliyoiondoa.Na hata video yenyewe ya tukio hilo ilionyesha "kiduchu" tu kuanguka kwa JK kisha ikaelekezwa kwenye umati wa watu hapo Jangwani.Inaelezwa pia kuwa baadhi ya vituo vya runinga huko nyumbani havikuonyesha tukio hilo katika taarifa zao za habari.

Kichekesho ni kwamba kabla hajakumbwa na dhahma ya kuanguka,JK alijigamba kuwa serikali yake imeboresha uhuru wa habari.Sasa uhuru wa habari ambao tukio la kusikitisha na kuhudhunisha linalomkumba Rais wetu linabanwa ni uhuru kweli au hadithi tu?Na hapa simpingi JK kuwa amejitahidi kudumisha uhuru wa habari bali tatizo langu lipo kwa wanahabari wenyewe.

Je,kulikuwa na maagizo kwamba,kwa mfano,clip ya kuanguka kwa JK iodolewe mtandaoni?Kama jibu ni ndiyo,basi uhuru wa habari anaozungumzia JK una walakini.Lakini kama jibu ni hapana basi wanahabari walioamua kuminya habari hiyo wana maswali ya kuwajibu wasomaji wao na Watanzania kwa ujumla.

Natambua kuwa pamoja na majigambo ya JK uhuru wa habari unaodumishwa zaidi ni ule wa "habari za kawaida" na sio zinazogusa masuala ya watawala.Baadhi yetu ni wahanga wa matumizi hayohayo ya uhuru wa habari na uhuru wa kujieleza.Ukizungumzia mafisadi walio ndani ya CCM,baadhi ya "wenye nchi" wanakurupuka kudai ni utovu wa nidhamu dhidi ya serikali.Yaani kukemea maovu inakuwa nongwa!?

Tukio la kuanguka kwa JK lilikuwa haki ya kila Mtanzania kufahamishwa na wanahabari.Ikumbukwe kuwa ni Watanzania haohao ndio waliompigia kura kiongozi huyo kuwa Rais wao,na mkutano wake wa Jumamosi ulikuwa na madhumuni ya kuwaomba ridhaa ya kuwaongoza tena.Jakaya Kikwete alikuwa hapo kama mgombea wa CCM,na japo hatuwezi kutenganisha urais wake na ugombea wake huko CCM,ukweli unabaki kuwa katika harakati hizi za kampeni anapaswa kuchukuliwa kama wagombea wengine wa vyama vilivyosimamisha wagombea wao.

Japo mkono mrefu wa dola uko makini zaidi katika udhibiti wa habari "zisizopendeza",yayumkinika kusema kwamba baadhi ya wanahabari na vyombo vya habari hawawezi kukwepa lawama.Nachoshindwa kuelewa kwanini  mara nyingi "habari zisizopendeza machoni mwa watawala" zinaminywa ni kama hali hiyo inasababishwa na uoga tu wa wanahabari au/na vyombo vya habari au ni lile tatizo sugu la kujikomba kwa watawala?

Kama sababu ni uoga,basi hayo ni mapungufu ya wazi kwa mwanahabari au chombo cha habari husika.Hata hivyo,inawezekana uoga huo kuwa ni matokeo ya mfumo wa siasa za chama kimoja ambapo ilikuwa mithili ya kosa la jinai "kumsema vibaya" kiongozi (yaani kusema au kuandika kitu kisichompendeza kiongozi).Tuliaminishwa kuwa viongozi wetu ni kama miungu-watu,hawawezi kukosea,kila wanalofanya ni jema na siku zote wako sahihi.Uoga huu unapaswa kuepukwa kwa vile tupo katika  mfumo mpya wa siasa za uwingi zisizo na nafasi ya "zidumu fikra sahihi za A au B".

Kujikomba ni tatizo sugu si kwa baadhi ya Watanzania tu bali hata baadhi ya Waafrika kwa ujumla.Kwa mbali,kujikomba ni matokeo ya mfumo wa ujima na hatimaye ujamaa ambapo mhusika hujibidiisha "kufanya jambo zuri" hata kama hajaombwa.Kwa bahati mbaya,"jambo hilo zuri" linaweza kuwa lisilo na manufaa kwa jamii.Kwahiyo,mwanahabari aliyebania tukio la kuanguka kwa JK anaweza kuwa alifanya hivyo akiamini kuwa "ni vibaya kumwonyesha Rais akianguka hadharani".Lakini imani hiyo potofu ilimaanisha baadhi ya Watanzania kukoseshwa haki ya kuona kilichomsibu mgombea wa CCM ambaye pia ni Rais wao.

Simnyooshei mtu kidole bali hii ni changamoto tu kwa wanahabari na vyombo vya habari.

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CRIMINAL PATRONAGE: CCM NA MAFISADI

Labda CCM imekaa madarakani kwa muda mrefu mno hadi imefikia hatua ya kusahau wajibu wake. Pengine ni matokeo ya mafisadi kushika hatamu ndani ya chama hicho, au pengine ni CCM imesharidhika kwamba Watanzania wamezowea kunyanyaswa, kupuuzwa na kuchezewa kama watoto wadogo pasipo kuchukua hatua yoyote.

Najiuliza hivyo baada ya kusoma habari kwamba chama hicho tawala “kimechimba mkwara mzito” kwa baadhi ya viongozi na wanachama wake wanaodiriki kunyooshea vidole ufisadi na mafisadi.Ungetegemea CCM ingekuwa mstari wa mbele kuhamasisha mapambano dhidi ya ufisadi na mafisadi kwa vile so far ndio kikwazo kikubwa katika utekelezaji wa kauli-mbiu Maisha Bora kwa Kila Mtanzania. Lakini kwa vile mafisadi ni watu muhimu sana kwa chama hicho, jaribio lolote la kuwakemea ni sawa na kusigina katiba ya CCM.

Kana kwamba kushindwa ku-meet matarajio ya wapigakura (waliokipa dhamana chama hicho mwaka 2005 kututawala tena) sio jambo linaloinyima CCM usingizi, chama hicho kimeanza kuonyesha dalili za udikteta tukirejea kauli zake nzito za hivi karibuni. Siku chache zilizopita, kiongozi mkongwe na miongoni mwa waasisi wa CCM,Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru,aliwakemea viongozi wa Kanisa katika lugha inayoweza kutafsiriwa kuwa ni ya kidikteta,alipoonyesha dhahiri kukerwa na kitendo cha viongozi wa dini kutumia uhuru wao wa kikatiba kutoa maoni yao kuhusu hatma ya taifa letu.Na sasa tunaambiwa kwamba chama hicho kimeamua kuwafunga midomo wabunge wake wanaojaribu kuwakemea mafisadi, sambamba na kunyamazisha kelele dhidi ya tuhuma zinazomwandama Benjamin Mkapa, Rais wa Awamu ya Tatu.

CCM imefikia hatua ya kulitukana Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano na kulifananisha na kikundi cha vichekesho cha Ze Komedi.Jaribu ku-imagine kauli kama hiyo ingetoka kwa mtu kama Dkt Wilbroad Slaa au Zitto Kabwe! Ni dhahiri watu kama George Mkuchika, anayechanganya majukumu yake ya u-Katibu Mwenezi wa CCM na u-Waziri wa Habari, au Yusuph Makamba wangekurupuka na vitisho kuwa “wapinzani wanaikosea heshima Katiba ya Jamhuri.” Kulilinganisha Bunge na Ze Komedi kwa vile tu limejikongoja kuruhusu sauti zisizopendeza masikioni mwa mafisadi na watetezi wao ni kitendo kinachoashiria utovu wa nidhamu wa hali ya juu.

Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano ni taasisi nyeti na inayopaswa kuenziwa na kuheshimiwa na kila Mtanzania including hao wanaoifananisha na kikundi cha vichekesho. Kama unadhani kauli ya “Bunge ni mithili ya Ze Komedi” haina uzito, tafakari upya. Mtu anapokufananisha na mchekeshaji (comedian) anafikisha ujumbe kwamba hupaswi kuchukuliwa seriously. Kauli na matendo yake pia yanapaswa kuchukuliwa kama mambo yasiyopaswa kupewa umuhimu au kutekelezwa kwa vile ni ya “kusukuma muda” tu. Japo vichekesho vingi huwa na ujumbe uliofichika katika maneno au matendo ya kuchekesha, mara nyingi kauli au matendo hayo hayapaswi kuchuliwa seriously.

Kwa CCM kulifananisha Bunge na Ze Komedi inatueleza kwamba taasisi hiyo yenye jukumu la kutunga sheria za nchi haistahili kuchukuliwa serious katika kauli, maamuzi na matendo yake. Lakini hilo si geni kwa vile hata maamuzi ya baadhi ya kamati za Bunge, kama ile ya Mwakyembe, yameendelea kupuuzwa katika kile kinachothibitisha kuwa CCM imekuwa ikiliona Bunge kama genge la wachekeshaji,with exception of wabunge kama Kingunge,Serukamba,Mkuchika ,Lowassa,Rostam,Karamagi,Chenge na “wateule wengine wachache” wenye umuhimu wa kipekee kwa chama hicho.

La kusikitisha ni kwamba bado mamilioni ya Watanzania wenye akili zao timamu wataipigia kura CCM hapo mwakani irejee madarakani kuendeleza nyodo kama hizi.Na hicho ndicho kinawapa jeuri watu kama Mkuchika kusema lolote pasi hofu ya kukigharimu chama hicho ushindi hapo mwakani.CCM inajivunia knowledge yake kuhusu Watanzania kwamba ni kama wamezowea kupuuzwa (wao na baadhi ya wawakilishi wao wachache wanaopiga kelele Bungeni kutetea maslahi ya walalahoi),kunyanyaswa,kuburuzwa na kudanganywa kama watoto wadogo.

La kusikitisha zaidi ni namna uongozi wa juu (with exception of Makamba na Mkuchika wanaofahamika bayana wanaoelemea upande gani kati ya watetezi na wapinzani wa ufisadi) walivyo kimya japo kila siku wanasikika majukwaani wakiahidi Maisha Bora kwa Kila Mtanzania. Taarifa za vyombo vya habari kuhusu yaliyojiri kwenye vikao vya juu vya chama hicho zinatuthibitishia bayana kuwa uongozi wa juu wa CCM hauna dhamira ya dhati ya kukomesha ufisadi kwa vile badala ya kuwakemea wanaowakwaza wapambanaji dhidi ya ufisadi wanadaiwa kuleta ngonjera za “kujadili mambo ndani ya chama.”Yaani wanataka kutuambia hawajui kuwa ndani ya chama kuna watu kama Lowassa, Rostam, Chenge na wengineo ambao kwa namna yoyote hawako tayari kuruhusu mjadala huru dhidi ya ufisadi kwa vile wao ni watuhumiwa?

Ungetarajia busara za watu kama Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi ziwafumbue macho CCM kwamba kuzuia demokrasia katika kujadili mambo yanayowakera na kuwaumiza Watanzania kutapelekea kifo cha mende kwa chama hicho. Lakini pengine wanafahamu nguvu za mafisadi ndani ya chama hicho, na hivyo kuhofia kuwaudhi katika kipindi hiki ambacho CCM inawahitaji mafisadi more than ever ili iendelee kututawala.Wanatupuuza kwa vile wanajua hatuna jeuri ya kuwaadhibu kwa madhambi yao.

They could be right, though! However, they fooled us in 2005.They possibly will fool us again in 2010, but let them rest assured that they will never fool us forever. They are simply buying time to finish digging their own graves.

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DR SLAA: I'LL GO PUBLIC IF BUNGE BLOCKS DISCUSSION ON ISSUES OF NATIONAL INTEREST

Slaa up in arms on 'silencing' in House
By Faraja Jube Dodoma

Karatu MP Willibrod Slaa has threatened to "go public" with what he said were issues of national interest the Parliament blocked him from tabling in the august House on Monday.

Some MPs heckled the firebrand opposition leader as he stood up in parliament on Monday to give a speech on the Prime Minister's Office 2009/10 Budget.

Dr Slaa had reportedly prepared a vitriolic attack on former President Benjamin Mkapa and the Government over alleged mismanagement of funds.

Before giving his speech, the Chadema leader was reminded to respect the Parliamentary Standing Orders and warned not to breach the law in his presentation.

But in an interview with The Citizen yesterday, Dr Slaa said the National Assembly Speaker, Mr Samwel Sitta, had no right to block debate on sensitive public issues.

He said: "I have written to the Speaker asking him why unnecessary restrictions are being imposed on MPs who want to discuss matters of public interest in parliament."

He threatened to go public with the same issues he was barred from presenting in parliament saying he had the right to let people know about matters that affected them.

"If they don't want us to speak in parliament, it will reach a point where the only reasonable thing to do is table the agenda to the people," said Dr Slaa.

CCM MPs accused the opposition legislator of attempting to use the platform to launch a verbal attack against Mr Mkapa.

Mr Mudhihir Mudhihir (Mchinga-CCM) defended the former president saying he had done "a lot of good things but people want to see the negative only".

"It was under his leadership that this country recorded significant increases in Government revenue," the MP said, praising Mr Mkapa's administration for containing inflation and opening a number of trade opportunities.

Another CCM legislator, Dr Chrisant Mzindakaya (Kwela), tried to have Dr Slaa blocked from presenting his speech at all.

But even when he finally gave his speech, the opposition leader was forced to skip tabling his prepared questions on controversial deals the Mkapa administration allegedly signed.

And in an apparent reference to Dr Slaa, Dr Mzindakaya lashed out at "jealousy hypocrites and good-for-nothing crusaders against corruption".

"Those who criticise Mr Mkapa are agents of the Devil and loafers who have done nothing in life, but are motivated by jealousy and hatred. They are themselves corrupt people," he said.

But Dr Slaa insisted he would not relent on the issues he was barred from talking about saying the Constitution and Parliamentary Immunities and Privileges Act guarantee MPs the freedom to challenge the Government in the parliament.

"I will not accept such moves by anyone any more. This is all compromising principles. But I will stand up for my principles and for justice. We all have the right voice our concerns," he said.

Dr Slaa, who had prepared his disputed speech as a shadow minister, said the Government was obliged to respond to all queries raised by MPs in parliament.

"Even if the issues are sensitive, this is the whole purpose of raising them so that people can know and be informed about what is going on," he said.

"But there has been a tendency to block all sensitive issues from being discussed in parliament," he added.

Before he gave his controversial speech, Mr Sitta told the opposition MP he had read the speech and warned him against making statements that breached parliamentary regulations.

The Speaker had also ordered Dr Slaa not to use abusive language against a former president or discuss issues that had been lined for debate during the session.

Earlier, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Justice, Constitutional Affairs and Governance, Mr George Lubeleje, a CCM MP, had tabled the committee's position against Dr Slaa's speech.

However, the opposition leader retorted: "Why must I have any confidence in the committee or Speaker's office if they insist on imposing on us?"

He questioned the Speaker's application of the Parliamentary Standing Orders to the contentious issues of Meremeta, Tangold, Mwananchi and Deep Green Finance companies.

Last Friday, Dr Slaa asked the Government to respond to allegations of funds mismanagement involving the four companies that have become subjects of public debate.

"I was just questioning the Government over the embezzlement of Sh155 billion in Meremeta and not about the issues pertaining to national security," he said.

Mr Sitta postponed the debate to this Monday saying the Government should be given time to prepare its response.

But Dr Slaa also questioned the Parliament barred debate on the CAG report. "Where does the Speaker obtain the directive to block the debate?"

On the PMO's 2009/10 Budget estimates, the Chadema leader queried the allocation of billions of shillings to entertainment and hospitality, which he said had nothing to do the welfare of people.

He had to put up with sporadic interventions, mainly from Mr Philip Marmo, the minister of State in the President's Office (Good Governance), who also serves as coordinator of parliamentary activities.

Mr Marmo wanted, among other things, the Speaker to reprimand Dr Slaa for his reference to the amount of funds set aside for particular votes in the Government's Budget.

However, Mr Sitta said there was nothing wrong with the MP debating the Government's budget priorities.

SOURCE: The Citizen

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