Showing posts with label TANZANIAN ECONOMY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TANZANIAN ECONOMY. Show all posts

4 Jul 2010

Kwanza naomba samahani kwa kupotea kwa zaidi ya wiki sasa.Afya iliyumba kidogo.Napenda kutumia fursa hii kuwashukuru wote walionitumia meseji za kunitakia afya njema.Bwana Amesikiliza sala na dua zenu.

Jana,katika pitapita zangu mtandaoni nilikutana na habari kwamba Katibu Mkuu wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki,Juma Mwapachu,amewashukia wasomi wa vyuo vikuu kwa kuwapotosha wananchi kuhusiana na serikali kujiunga na soko la pamoja la Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki lililofunguliwa majuzi.

Kwa mujibu wa habari hiyo,Balozi Mwapachu alitoa kauli hiyo kufuatia ya baadhi ya wasomi kudai kuwa soko hilo linaweza kuwaathiri watanzania katika ushindani wa ajira.Akizungumza jana kwenye ufunguzi wa maonyesho ya 34 ya biashara ya kimataifa yanayoendelea jijini Dar es Salaam, Balozi Mwapachu alisema wasomi hao ambao wamesomea uchumi, wameshindwa kusema ukweli kuhusiana na kujiunga na soko hilo, na kusababisha wananchi kuingia uoga.

Alisema wasomi walipaswa kuwa mstari wa mbele kuwaelimisha wananchi kuhusu jumuiya hiyo na faida zake badala ya kuwapotosha wananchi kuhusu suala hilo na kusababisha baadhi ya nchi wanachama wa jumuiya hiyo kuhofia.

Alisema kabla ya kufungua milango hiyo aliweza kuzunguka katika kila nchi kwa ajili ya kuzungumza na wadau mbalimbali kuhusu suala hilo, lakini wananchi wamekuwa waoga na kusababisha kutoa maoni mbalimbali ya kupotosha.

"Niwashaangaa sana wasomi tena wamesomea uchumi, lakini wamekuwa wa mbele kuwapotosha wananchi kuhusu soko la pamoja la jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki, hii imesababisha wanachi washindwe kujiamini na kufikiri kuwa wanaweza kukosa ajira,"alisema Mwapachu.

Alisema watanzania wengi wanawaogopa wakenya kwa madai kuwa wanaweza kushindwa kuingia kwenye ushindani wa soko la ajira.

Nadhani kwa mtu mwenye uelewa mkubwa kama Balozi Mwapachu kutoa kauli hizo ni jambo la kusikitisha sana na ni uthibitisho mwingine wa namna maslahi binafsi na ya kisiasa yanavyowekwa mbele ya maslahi ya taifa,sambamba na kupuuza ushauri wa kitaalam.

Yayumkinika kuamini kuwa kwa wadhifa wake kama Katibu Mkuu wa Jumuiya hiyo,ni lazima Mwapachu aipigie debe ili iendelee kuwepo kwani kinyume chake ni kuwa hatakuwa na ajira.Hata hivyo,laiti Mwapachu angeangalia mantiki ya hoja za wasomi (ambazo kwa hakika ziko shared na hata "wasio wasomi") badala ya kuwashambulia kama kundi la kijamii (yaani kujadili hoja badala ya kumjadili mtoa hoja)angeweza kabisa kufahamu kwanini wanaonyesha wasiwasi wao.

Hivi kama kabla ya ujio wa soko la pamoja la Jumuiya hiyo tayari wageni (licha ya hao wanaotoka Kenya na nchi nyingine za Jumuiya) tayari soko la ajira na bidhaa limetawaliwa kwa kiasi kikubwa na wageni,kwanini basi tusihofu kuwa "kuhalalisha" huko kutapelekea hali kuwa mbaya zaidi kwa Watanzania?

Na wakati Mwapachu anatoa porojo zake kuhusu mafanikio ya soko la pamoja,mbona hatuambii yeye na viongozi wenzie wa Kitanzania wameshafanya jitihada zipi kuhamasisha Watanzania kumudu ushindani uliopo na ujao?Siafikiani na mawazo potofu ya Mwapachu kuwa tatizo la Watanzania ni uoga.Na hata kama tatizo lingekuwa ni uoga basi bado hoja ingekuwa iwapo uoga huo ni halali au potofu kwani uoga kama uoga sio dhambi au kosa kama unajengwa kutokana na mantiki.Tatizo la msingi linalowakabili Watanzania kukabiliana na changamoto za mfumuko wa nguvu za nje katika soko la ndani la ajira na bidhaa ni complex sana,na makala hii fupi haiwezi kujadili yote bali itaangalia kwa ufupi.

Kwa upande wa biashara,kuna tatizo sugu la urasimu ambalo kwa kiasi kikubwa linachangiwa na ufisadi.Urasimu kuanzia kwenye utaratibu wa kuandikisha biashara hadi kwenye masuala ya kodi.Sijawahi kufanya biashara lakini nina marafiki kadhaa wanaojaribu kumudu maisha yao kwa kujihusisha na biashara.Kwa kifupi,ajira ya Mtanzania kwa kutegemea biashara ni suala gumu sana.Katika mazingira ya kawaida sio rahisi kwa biashara kudumu kwa angalau miezi kadhaa kama mhusika hatokuwa tayari kutoa chochote kitu kwa wahusika.Yayumkinika kusema kuwa ili biashara halali ishamiri vema ni lazima ikaribishe illegality ya namna flani,yaani uharamu wa biashara ili kuwa halali.

Na wakati Watanzania wengi tu wangependa kujishughulisha na biashara zao kihalali ili wamudu maisha yao,wanakumbana na ushindani kutoka kwa wenzao "wanaobebwa" na vigogo.Hivi mfanyabiashara anayelipa mlolongo wa kodi huku anauza bidhaa za ndani atamudu vipi kupambana na mfanyabiashara anayeagiza vitu kutoka nje (huku vingine vikiwa feki) lakini anavilipia kodi pungufu au halipi kodi kabisa?Ni dhahiri biashara ya huyo "anayebebwa" itashamiri zaidi kuliko ya huyo mnyonge anayejikongoja peke yake.

Lakini pia kuna suala la utamaduni wa kuthamini baidhaa za nje kuliko za ndani.Baadhi ya wachambuzi wanaeleza kuwa miongoni mwa madhara ya utandawazi ni kuibuka kwa mapambano kati ya vitu vya nje dhidi ya vya ndani au vya asili.Hapa simaanishi kuwa kila element ya utandawazi ni mbaya.Sasa kama serikali yetu inaagiza kila kitu kutoka nje kwa ajili ya matumizi yake huku ikiwaacha mafundi seremala wetu "wakidodewa" na samani zao,na hiyo ni kabla ya ufunguzi wa soko hilo,sasa kwanini wasomi wasihofu kuwa soko hilo linaweza kuwa habari mbaya zaidi kwa Watanzania wengi?

Tukija kwenye ajira,hali ndio mbaya zaidi.Wakati Watanzania wamekuwa mahiri zaidi kupeleka watoto wao Kenya na Uganda,wenzetu hao wamekuwa wakileta nguvu kazi yao ya ziada kuchukua nafasi mbalimbali za kazi.Na kama ilivyo kwenye suala la bidhaa,waajiri wetu nao wanaelekea kuwa na ugonjwa uleule wa kuthamini zaidi wageni kuliko wazawa.Mwapachu alipaswa kutueleza ni Watanzania wangapi wana ajira nchini Kenya,Uganda au Rwanda kulinganisha na raia wa nchi hizo waliokamata ajira hapo nyumbani kabla ya ujio wa soko la pamoja.Najua hawezi kusema hilo sio kwa vile hana takwimu (na inawezekana kabisa akawa hana) bali anafahamu kuwa kwa kweka hilo bayana atalazimika kuungana na hofu walionayo wasomi na Watanzania wengine.

Kilichoua Jumuiya ya awali ya Afrika Mashariki ni kuweka siasa mbele ya maslahi ya nchi.sambamba na kupuuza ushauri wa wataalamu.Na akina Mwapachu ambao walikuwa watu wazima muda huo wanataka kurejea makosa hayohayo.Wanajifanya vipofu wa ukweli kwamba ni vigumu kuwa na ushirikiano wa maana palipo na viwango tofauti vya maendeleo kati ya nchi husika.Tunafahamu vema uchumi wa Kenya,Uganda na Rwanda unavyofanya vema zaidi ya uchumi wetu.Sasa kama tunafahamu hilo kwanini basi tusihofu kuwa soko hili jipya linaweza kufanya hali kuwa mbaya zaidi?Au Mwapachu na wenzake wanadhani kuwa ukigusana na tajiri nawe unapata utajiri?They are completely wrong.Mahusiano ya mwenye uwezo wa kiuchumi na mwenye uwezo duni mara nyingi huishia kumnufaisha zaidi mwenye uwezo kwani nguvu ya uchumi inapelekea kuwa na nguvu kwenye maeneo mengine pia.

Akina Mwapachu wanapaswa kufuatilia kwa karibu mambo yanayoyumbisha jumuiya ya Ulaya ambapo nchi kama Uingereza zimeendelea kuwa na msimamo wa kujihusisha kwa kiasi flani tu na sio kwa asilimia 100 kwa vile wanatambua kuwa kuna nchi zenye uchumi duni zinazotarajia ushirikiano huo uwanufaishe wao zaidi at the expense of wale wanaojimudu.

Mwisho,ili Tanzania ijikomboe kutoka uchumi unaomilikiwa kwa zaidi ya asilimia 90 na wageni ni lazima siasa iwekwe kando,ushauri wa kitaalamu uzingatiwe,na kubwa zaidi,maslahi ya taifa yawekwe mbele ya maslahi binafsi.Vinginevyo,soko la pamoja la Afrika Mashariki litaishia kuwa soko la bidhaa na ajira kwa Wakenya,Waganda,Wanyarwanda na Warundi na sie "tukiishia kunufaika" kwa uwepo wa akina Mwapachu kama viongozi wa jumuiya ilhali uchumi wetu ukizidi kuelekea shimoni.

14 May 2010

Kuna wakati najiuliza kwanini sie masikini wa kutupwa ni hodari sana kwenye matumizi ya ovyo ovyo.Moja ya kumbukumbu za serikali ya awamu ya nne ilikuwa kuongeza mishahara ya wabunge licha ya hali yetu mbovu kabisa ya uchumi.Sambamba na hilo ni utitiri wa magari ya kifahari ambayo kimsingi si miongoni mwa vipaumbele kwa taifa masikini kama letu.

Wakati sie tunaendeleza matumizi ya kutapanya huku tukitembeza bakuli kwa wafadhili,serikali mpya ya hapa Uingereza chini ya David Cameron imetangaza kuwa mishahara ya mawaziri itapunguzwa kwa asilimia 5 na hakutakuwa na nyongeza katika mishahara hiyo (pay freeze) kwa miaka mitano.Mshahara wa sasa wa Waziri Mkuu Cameron utakuwa pungufu ukilinganisha na mishahara wanayolipwa meya wa manispaa mbalimbali 61 (kila manispaa hapa inajipangia kiwango cha mishahara ya viongozi wao kulingana na uwezo wa manispaa husika.Kukupa picha nzuri,alichofanya Cameron ni kama JK angeamua alipwe mshahara pungufu kulinganisha na meya wa manispaa ya Temeke au Kinondoni...ah,naota tu.Afanye hivyo achekwe!!!?)



Yah,unaweza kusema hizi ni mbwembwe tu za serikali mpya,au manjonjo tu,lakini ukweli ni kwamba serikali makini ni ile inayoonyesha kwa vitendo kuwa inatambua hali inayolikabili taifa.Cameron ameingia madarakani wakati Uingereza ikiwa kwenye msukosuko wa uchumi,na moja ya vipaumbele vya serikali yake ni kurekebisha uchumi mapema iwezekanavyo.

Kwa mujibu wa gazeti la The Sun la hapa,mshahara wa Waziri Mkuu Cameron umepunguzwa kwa pauni 7,500 na kubaki pauni 142,500.Mishahara ya Naibu Waziri Mkuu Nick Clegg na mawaziri wengine waandamizi itakatwa pauni 7,082 na kubaki pauni 134,565 huku mawaziri wa kawaida wakikatwa pauni 5,197 na kubaki pauni 98,740.Mishahara ya mawaziri 'wadogo' itakatwa pauni 4,707 na kubaki 89,435.Hatua hiyo ya kukata mishahara kwa asilimia 5 itaokoa pauni milioni 3.

Wakati hayo yanatokea,gazeti la Mwananchi lina habari kuwa nchi wahisani wanaochangia bajeti ya serikali yetu wameamua kuunguza mchango wao kwenye bajeti ya serikali kwa mwaka 2010/2011 kwa sababu mbalimbali, ikiwamo ni pamoja na kasi ndogo ya serikali katika kutekeleza mageuzi kwenye sekta za umma.

Taarifa ya wahisani hao iliyotolewa jijini Dar es Salaam juzi, inaeleza kuwa mwaka huo wa fedha, watatoa dola za Marekani 534 milioni sawa na Sh721bilioni, ambazo ni pungufu kwa Dola za Marekani 220 milioni sawa na Sh297 bilioni walizotoa mwaka 2009/2010.

Wahisani wa bajeti ya serikali ni Benki ya Maendeleo Afrika (ADB), Canada, Denmark, Jumuiya ya Ulaya (EU), Finland, Ujerumani, Ireland, Japan, Uholanzi, Norway, Sweden, Uswisi, Uingereza na Benki ya Dunia (WB) mwaka jana walichangia Sh1.9 trilioni katika bajeti ya serikali kupitia miradi ya maendeleo na mifuko ya kisekta.

Taarifa hiyo ilitaja maeneo ambayo serikali ilishindwa kufikia malengo kuwa ni mabadiliko ya haraka katika menejimenti ya sekta ya fedha za umma, mategemeo ya kuboreka kwa hali ya mazingira ya uwekezaji na uboreshaji wa huduma kwa kutoka sekta za umma.

Hii ni mara ya nne kwa wahisani hao kuiwekea ngumu serikali katika kuchangia bajeti yake kila inapofikia mwisho wa mwaka, kwa kushindwa kutekeleza mambo wanayofikiria wao kuwa ni muhimu zaidi katika maendeleo ya nchi.

Mwaka juzi wahisani hao waligoma kutoa fedha baada ya serikali kusuasua kuchukua hatua dhidi ya watuhumiwa wa ufisadi wakiwemo wa fedha za EPA mpaka zilipofunguliwa kesi kadhaa ambazo mpaka sasa zinanguruma mahakamani.

Tatizo la viongozi wetu sie ni porojo nyingi na ulaghai mwingi wa kisiasa.Majukwaani wanahubiri kama watu wenye uchungu kweli na nchi yetu,lakini matendo yao tofauti kama kiza na mwanga.Tunapenda kuishi kifahari wakati uwezo wetu ni duni kabisa.Yani kuna wakati naangalia msafara wa Waziri Mkuu hapa,kisha nikikumbuka misafara ya viongozi wetu wakuu nabaki na maswali mengi kuliko majibu.Hebu angalia video hii hapo chini inayoonyesha msafara wa Gordon Brown siku alipokwenda makazi ya Malkia Elizabeth (Buckingham Palace) kuwasilisha ombi lake la kujiuzulu.

19 Apr 2010

Tanzania leads the list of East African states that have lost billions of dollars to money laundering, tax evasion, government graft and other illegal operations, according to a report by a US-based financial watchdog group.


The report “Illicit Financial Flows from Africa: Hidden Resources for Development,” by Global Financial Integrity, states that the country has lost $8.9 billion over the past four decades through the illicit means. Kenya lost $7.3 billion while Uganda lost $6.4 billion over the same period.


The three East African countries thus lost a total of $22.6 billion, money that would be sufficient to wipe out their combined outstanding external debt while leaving several billion dollars available for fighting poverty and spurring economic growth.

The study points out that the impact of these losses is felt most acutely by the poorest Africans. The illicit outflow of money also “drains hard currency reserves, heightens inflation, reduces tax collection, cancels investment and undermines free trade,” the study says.

Tanzania is ranked 13th among the top 15 countries with cumulative illicit outflows after Angola, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Sudan. Zambia and Zimbabwe take the 14th and 15th positions respectively.

Already, Global Financial Integrity has started collecting signatures to petition the G20 Transparency at the G20 summit this June. The organisation is looking for 100,000 signatures from all over the world to forward to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the current president of the G20. “Our goal is to show him the names of 100,000 people from all over the world who support ending banking secrecy, increasing financial transparency, and finally attacking the root causes of poverty.”

The report says: “So long as illicit capital continues to haemorrhage out of poor African countries over the long term at a rapid pace, efforts to reduce poverty and boost economic growth will be thwarted as income distribution becomes ever more skewed, leading to economic and political instability.”

Tanzania’s Finance and Economy Minister Mustafa Mkulo told The EastAfrican from Dodoma that in order to reverse this situation, the country has set up a Financial Intelligence Unit within the ministry to join international community in fighting money laundering and financing of terrorism.

“This problem indeed exists. At regional level, within the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, we have seen this problem thrive for a long time and decided to jointly act against it,” he said. (See related story, “Will electronic tax registers stem the tide of pilfering?”)

The report says that the figure for Uganda likely understates the true volume of illicit outflows. It notes that civil strife in the Great Lakes region during parts of the 1970-2008 study period resulted in “incomplete and poor quality data” for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo.

In all cases, adds the study that encompassed all of Africa, actual losses due to systematic looting are likely to be far greater than the study estimates.

Researchers Dev Kar, a former senior economist at the International Monetary Fund, and Devon Cartwright-Smith, an economist at Global Financial Integrity, note that their figures do not take account of proceeds from smuggling and some of the ways in which trade and services are mis-priced by commercial swindlers.

The actual totals might be more than double the $22.6 billion listed in the report for the three East African countries if those other sorts of illicit outflows were included in the computations, a Global Financial Integrity spokeswoman told The EastAfrican.

Bribery and theft involving government official accounts for only a three per cent share of the money that moves across borders illicitly, the study says.

“Criminal proceeds generated through drug trafficking, racketeering, counterfeiting and more are about 30 to 35 per cent of the total,” the study adds. “The proceeds of commercial tax evasion, mainly through trade mis-pricing, are by far the largest component at some 60 to 65 per cent of the global total.”

Trade mis-invoicing, described in the report as “a significant problem for Kenya,” involves the overpricing of imports and the underpricing of exports on Customs documents, the study explains.

For Africa as a whole, total illicit outflows are said to have amounted to at least $854 billion across the 39 years encompassed in the study.

The top five countries with the highest outflow measured were: Nigeria ($89.5 billion) Egypt ($70.5 billion), Algeria ($25.7 billion), Morocco ($25 billion), and South Africa ($24.9 billion). Most of that money has gone into Western financial institutions, the study says.

“This massive flow of illicit money out of Africa is facilitated by a global shadow financial system comprising tax havens, secrecy jurisdictions, disguised corporations, anonymous trust accounts, fake foundations, trade mis-pricing and money laundering techniques,” Mr Kar and Mr Cartwright-Smith write. “The impact of this structure and the funds it shifts out of Africa is staggering.”

The researchers argue that the existing global financial system, shaped by liberalisation and deregulation of financial markets, has ended up generating ever-rising illicit flows and losses in government revenues. Economic growth without credible reform could lead to more, not less, capital flight, as the increase in incomes would simply finance the increased accumulation of foreign assets.

According to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, $348 billion will be needed to cover MDG costs by 2010 and $529 billion by 2015. The United Nations report World Economic Situation and Prospects 2010 notes that a large gap still separates Africa from its MDGs.

By all accounts, official donor aid commitments will probably fall well short of the required funding of MDGs, leaving open the serious possibility that related targets will recede even further.


14 Jun 2009


Majuzi,Watanzania wametahadharishwa kuhusu athari za mdodoro wa uchumi wa dunia na madhara yake kwa nchi yetu.Kadhalika,bajeti ya mwaka ujao wa fedha imeandaliwa kwa kuzingatia tahadhari hiyo huku kukitangazwa mpango wa kuchochea uchumi (economic stimulus plan).

Hata hivyo,kama nilivyojadili HAPA,uwezekano wa bajeti na stimulus plan hiyo kufanikiwa,sambamba na umuhimu wa tahadhari iliyotolewa,utategemea zaidi hatua kali na za makusudi dhidi ya ufisadi na mafisadi.Yayumkinika kubashiri kwamba pamoja na imani kwamba mipango hiyo inalenga kulinusuru taifa,wanaufaika wakubwa wanweza kuwa mafisadi wanaojua vema namna ya kubuni mikakati ya ulaji huku wakiwa hawana hofu ya kuchukuliwa hatua yoyote kutokana na siasa za kulindana na kishkaji.

Hebu soma kwanza habari ifuatayo,kisha tujadili kidogo mwishoni.

Wingu zito fedha za EPA
• Chegeni: Zimekwenda kusikojulikana

na Mwandishi Wetu

UTATA umegubika mahali zilipo na matumizi ya fedha zilizorejeshwa na kampuni zilizoshiriki katika wizi wa fedha za Akaunti ya Malipo ya Madeni ya Nje (EPA), uliofanyika Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT).

Rais Jakaya Kikwete alipokuwa akilihutubia Bunge mjini Dodoma Agosti mwaka jana, alibainisha fedha hizo zilizorejeshwa na baadhi ya kampuni si mali ya serikali lakini zitawekwa kwenye akaunti maalumu kabla ya kupelekwa katika Benki ya Rasilimali Tanzania (TIB) kwa ajili ya kufungua dirisha dogo la kuwakopesha wakulima wakati nchi ikielekea katika mchakato wa kuanzisha Benki ya Kilimo.

Ingawa Rais Kikwete na Waziri wa Fedha na Uchumi, Mustafa Mkulo, kwa nyakati tofauti walieleza kuwapo kwa fedha hizo katika akaunti maalumu, taarifa ambazo Tanzania Daima Jumapili imezipata zinasema hadi sasa fedha hizo hazijaingia katika Benki ya TIB, licha ya kuwapo kwa taarifa kuwa fedha hizo zimetumika kununulia mbolea iliyotolewa kwa mfumo wa vocha kwa baadhi ya wakulima hapa nchini.

Chanzo kimoja cha habari kilichomo ndani ya TIB kimedai fedha hizo wamekuwa wakizisikia kupitia katika vyombo mbalimbali vya habari kutoka kwa wanasiasa, ambao wamekuwa wakijinadi kuwa fedha hizo zitatumika kunyanyua kilimo ili kuchochea ukuaji wa uchumi na kuboresha maisha ya wananchi.

Chanzo hicho kilibainisha kuwa hadi sasa dirisha la kilimo lililosemwa bado halijaanza kufanya kazi iliyotarajiwa, ingawa maneno ya watu mbalimbali yamekuwa yakibainisha kuanza kazi kwake ambako kungetarajiwa kuwasaidia wakulima kupata mikopo ya muda mrefu, baada ya kuikosa fursa hiyo kwa kipindi kirefu kutokana na kutokopeshwa na taasisi za fedha za hapa nchini.

“Haya mambo huwa tunayasoma, kuyasikia na kuyaona kwenye hivyo vyombo vyenu vya habari, lakini kwenye makaratasi hali ni tofauti, sasa sijui niseme siasa inatawala au muda bado haujafika,” kilisema chanzo hicho.

Tanzania Daima Jumapili, ilifanya juhudi za kumtafuta Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa TIB, Peter Noni, ambaye ameteuliwa hivi karibuni kushika wadhifa huo na Rais Jakaya Kikwete, lakini Ofisa Mwanadamizi wa Mambo ya Uhusiano wa benki hiyo,Catherine Magambo, alisema mkurugenzi wake hawezi kutoa ufafanuzi hivi sasa, kwa kuwa ameanza kazi siku si nyingi na ni busara akapewa wiki moja ili aweze kujipanga.

Catherine, alipotakiwa kueleza kama ana taarifa zozote za kutokuwapo kwa fedha zilizoahidiwa na rais kupelekwa katika benki hiyo, alisema anachokifahamu ni kile kilichoelezwa wakati fulani na Mkurugenzi aliyestaafu, William Mlaki, kuwa hawajapokea fedha hizo na kama kungekuwa na mabadiliko vyombo vya habari vingejua kama walivyofanya hapo awali.

“Nyinyi Tanzania Daima Jumapili, habari kama hii unayoniuliza au unayotaka mkurugenzi wangu akujibu, najuakwamba hakuna kitu ambacho kimebadilika lakini kama mnataka habari zaidi msubiri mkurugenzi mpya azoee ofisi kwa muda wa wiki, halafu ndipo uje kumuuliza maswali yako,” alisema Magambo.

Pia alibainisha kuwa hajaona mabadiliko yoyote juu ya ahadi iliyotolewa pia na Rais Kikwete ya kutoa kiasi cha sh bilioni 15 kwa ajili ya kuendeleza benki hiyo ili iweze kutoa mikopo kwa wakulima.

“Jamani maswali yenu mbona yamezidi, si nimewaambia hakuna mabadiliko na hayo maswali yenu msubirini mkuu? Mbona mnanibana kwa mambo nisiyo na uwezo wa kutoa majibu? Kwani kila ofisi ina utaratibu wake,” alisema Magambo.

Wakati fedha hizo zikionekana kugubikwa na utata, baadhi ya watu wamekuwa wakiiona hatua ya serikali kutangaza kurejeshwa kwa fedha hizo ni kiini macho au zimetumika katika matumizi mengine badala ya kupelekwa katika kilimo kama ilivyoahidiwa, kwa kuwa viwanda vingi vya mbolea kwa mwaka huuvimejikuta vikishindwa kujiendesha baada ya kuzalisha bidhaa hiyo na kukosa wanunuaji.

Dhana hiyo inachagizwa na baadhi ya wakulima ambao wamekuwa wakilalamikia kutokupata mbolea hiyo, licha ya serikali kutangaza kutenga fungula fedha kwa ajili ya kutoa ruzuku ya mbolea kwa wakulima ili kukuza kilimo na kuleta mapinduzi ya kijani.

Baadhi ya wachambuzi wa masuala ya siasa na wanasiasa mbalimbali wa hapa nchini walikuwa wakihusisha wizi huo wa fedha na mkakati maalumu wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) kuwaagiza baadhi ya makada wake na wanachama wakwapue fedha hizo kwa ajili ya matumizi ya kampeni za uchaguzimkuu wa mwaka 2005 uliokiwezesha chama hicho kuibuka na ushindi wa ‘kishindo.’

Hisia hizo zilipata nguvu baada ya kuwapo tetesi kuwa kampuni iliyochota kiasi cha sh bilioni 40 ya Kampuni ya Kagoda Agriculture Limited, inadaiwa kumilikiwa na baadhi ya vigogo wa chama hicho, jambo lililochangia ugumu wa kukamatwa kwa wamiliki wa kampuni hiyo ambayo inaaminika ndiyo iliyosuka mpango wa uchotaji wa fedha hizo.

Tuhuma hizo mara kadhaa zimekuwa zikikanushwa na viongozi waandamizi wa chama hicho, akiwamo Katibu Mkuu wake, YusufMakamba, ambaye aliweka bayana kuwa CCM haijamtuma mwanachama wake afanye wizi huo na kama kuna mwanachama amehusika na wizi huo apewe lawama hizo binafsi na si chama.

Naye Mbunge wa Busega, Dk. Raphael Chegeni, katikati ya wiki alinukuliwa na vyombo vya habari mjini Dodoma akisema kuwa fedha za EPA zinaonekana kwenda sehemu zisizoonekana kirahisi kwa wananchi, ingekuwabusara kama zingetumika katika ujenzi wa barabara ambayo ingepewa jina la EPA, ili kila
mwananchi aweze kuamini kinachosemwa na viongozi wa serikali.

Alisema mazingira ya fedha hizo tangu awali yalionyesha utata, hivyo ingekuwa busara hata matumizi yake yakafanyika bila kuwapo kwa usiri, ili kuondoa fikra potofu kuwa hakuna fedha iliyorejeshwa.

“Hizi fedha za EPA mimi nafikiri zingetumika kujengea barabara na tukaziita barabara za EPA, ili yeyote anayetaka kuzusha lake ashindwe kufanya hivyo au tumuonyeshe vithibitisho,” alisema Chegeni.

Alisema sekta ya kilimo ni pana na hata fedha zinazotumbukizwa huko ni lazima ziandaliwe mipango mizuri na mapema ili ziweze kufikia walengwa na zilete tija inayotakiwa kuliko inavyoonekana sasa ambapo serikali inasema imetoa mbolea ya ruzuku kwa wingi, lakini wakulima wanalalamika kutoipata mbolea hiyo kwa kiwango kinachohitajika.

Wizi wa fedha za EPA ulibainika baada ya Kampuni ya ukaguzi ya kimatifa ya Ernst &Young kubaini wizi wa sh bilioni 133, ambapo baada ya uchunguzi huo, Rais Kikwete aliamua kumfukuza kazi aliyekuwa Gavana wa benki hiyo, marehemu Daudi Ballali na kuagiza mamlaka husika kufanya uchunguzi kwa maofisa wa benki hiyo ili kufikishwa mbele ya vyombo vyasheria.


CHANZO: Tanzania Daima.

Katika mazingira kama haya,itakuwa kosa kweli kuyamkinisha kwamba hiyo stimulus plan inaweza kuishia kutengeneza dili ya kuifanya EPA ionekane "cha mtoto"?

Halafu,habari hiyo hapo juu ina kitu kingine cha ziada,nacho ni kuhusu PETER NONI.Huyu jamaa anahusishwa kwa karibu na skandali la EPA.Awali wasiwasi wangu ulikuwa kwenye kuteuliwa kwake kuwa Mkurugenzi wa TIB.Kilichonifumbua macho katika habari hii ni ukweli kwamba marejesho ya fedha za EPA yalipangwa kupelekwa TIB.You see the connection?NONI anahusishwa na ishu ya EPA kwa wadhifa aliokuwa nao BoT.Sasa anapokwenda TIB ambako tunaambiwa ndiko zitakapopelekwa marejesho ya fedha za EPA ni mithili ya "kula denge" kuelekea lilipo fungu hilo.

Ndio Tanzania yetu hiyo!

7 Apr 2009


BoT now pegs growth at between 5 and 6pc
By The Citizen Reporter

Tanzania's economy will grow by between 5 to 6.1 per cent this year, according to a top BoT official.

BoT director of policy Joseph Massawe said projections by the IMF were "ill advised".

Dr Massawe said Tanzania's economy had not been much affected by the global financial crisis, adding that the effects could be more pronounced in the coming months.

Some economists have also disputed the Bretton Woods institution's forecasts, saying they are too pessimistic and give the wrong impression of the country's economic outlook.

An IMF delegation said early last week the country's economy would grow by between four and five per cent this year due to the global downturn.

But commenting on the sidelines of the annual poverty alleviation meeting in Dar es Salaam recently, local economists said the projections had missed the point since the fundamentals of the country's economy remain sound.

An economic analyst, Prof Haidari Amani of the Economic and Social Research Foundation, said the global financier�s figures were questionable because the economic crisis had no direct impact on the country's economy.

What factors have the IMF used to make their projections because Tanzania's economy depends mostly on agriculture. The four per cent growth can only be possible if agricultural production falls,"he said.

Prof Amani said there were indications that most troubled Western economies, especially the US and in West Europe, would stabilise by end of year, 'making it impossible for Tanzania to get worse.'

Last December, the Government projected a 7.1 per cent economic growth for 2009, which Finance and Economic Affairs minister Mustafa Mkulo last week revised down to 6.5 per cent.

Other economic analysts have also disputed the IMF figures saying Tanzania's economic outlook seemed strong enough to survive the recession this year.

BoT said recently banks in the country were well capitalised and although interest rates have edged up marginally, there has not been any dramatic disruptions witnessed in the country.

And on the sidelines of the Research on Poverty Alleviation (Repoa) annual meeting in Dar es Salaam, local economists said the global crisis has had a
minimal effect on the country.


SOURCE: The Citizen


WHO CARES?THEY COULD AS WELL FORECAST THE ECONOMY WILL GROW AT A RATE OF 50%....THESE "IMPRESSIVE" STATISTICS WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE WHEN THEY TRANSLATE INTO A COMMON MAN ON THE STREET IS CERTAIN OF HAVING THEIR NEXT MEAL.

6 Apr 2009


By Damas Kanyabwoya

The projection by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Tanzania�s economy will grow by four per cent this year has been challenged by local economists.

Some economists are arguing that the Bretton Woods institution's forecasts are too pessimistic and give the wrong impression of the country's economic outlook.

An IMF visiting delegation said early this week the country's economy would grow by between four and five per cent this year due to the global downturn.

But commenting on the sidelines of the annual poverty alleviation meeting in Dar es Salaam recently, local economists said the projections had missed the point since the fundamentals of the country's economy remain sound.


An economic analyst, Prof Haidery Amani of the Economic and Social Research Foundation, said the global financier's figures were questionable because the economic crisis had no direct impact on the country's economy.

What factors have the IMF used to make their projections because Tanzania's economy depends mostly on agriculture. The four per cent growth can only be possible if agricultural production falls, he said.
>
Prof Amani said there were indications that most troubled Western economies, especially the US and in West Europe, would stabilise by end of year, making it impossible for Tanzania to get worse.

Last December, the Government projected a 7.1 per cent economic growth for 2009, which Finance and Economic Affairs minister Mustafa Mkulo last week revised down to 6.5 per cent.

Other economic analysts have also disputed the IMF figures saying Tanzania's economic outlook seemed strong enough to survive the recession this year.
>
The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) said recently banks in the country were well capitalised and although interest rates have edged up marginally, there has not been any dramatic disruptions witnessed in the country.

And on the sidelines of the Research on Poverty Alleviation (Repoa) annual meeting in Dar es Salaam, local economists said the global crisis has had a minimal effect on the country.

They argued that the country's economy was not directly integrated with global economies, a situation which spared the country when financial giants in the developed world collapsed.
>
I don't think the country's economic growth will fall to such lower levels despite the current economic crisis. But I also don�t think the economy will grow beyond six per cent, Repoa executive director Prof Joseph Semboja said.

The Planning Commission's permanent secretary, Ambassador Charles Mutalemwa, said the IMF projections were too pessimistic.

Dr Kassim Kulindwa, a senior research fellow with the University of Dar es Salaam's Economic Research Bureau, said variations in figures were expected because multilateral bodies and local economic researchers used different economic growth indicators.

There are often differences on various economic figures between multilateral institutions and local research institutions, for example, on such issues as per capita Gross National Product. The problem is they use different databases, he said.

Debate on how much the global economic crisis has affected Tanzania is still raging on with no common position between the Government and private sector.

Some industries depending heavily on the export market have obviously been hit hard by the crisis due to falling demand.

Despite assurance by the Government, there have been signs that sectors like agriculture, mining and energy became the immediate casualties of the downturn as some big firms closely linked to these industries wound up businesses.

Big employers who have to shut down their operations have attributed this to declining business and cash flow, as their export markets shrink.

President Jakaya Kikwete recently appointed a special team to study the effects of the recession on the country.

The taskforce chaired by Bank of Tanzania (BoT) governor Benno Ndulu is expected to present its preliminary findings later this month, according to Finance and Economic Affairs minister Mkulo.

But in June last year, almost six months into the recession that started December 2007, the minister told parliament that Tanzania�s economy would grow by 7.8 per cent in 2009.

That figure was revised down to 7.1 in December last year and then 6.5 per cent last week amid the global crisis that has seen the collapse of big Western companies and tumbling world markets.

Economists fear if the recession persists, it would reduce foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the country, cause cuts in official direct assistance (ODA) and slow foreign remittances from Tanzanians living abroad.

But despite being the worst affected by the economic downturn, major western donors said they would not cut aid to developing countries, giving hope to countries like Tanzania.

However, some analysts say such promises are not dependable, therefore, the developing world should find its own strategies to survive the global crisis.

�It is time for Tanzania to shift towards mobilising its own resources for development. The country has abundant natural wealth that must be tapped to stop this donor dependence, Prof Ophelia Mascarenhas, a retired UDSM professor, said.

She said the global crisis should be a lesson to the country that dependence on donor funding was not a lasting solution.

For instance, instead of giving tax incentives to foreigners for up to 10 years why don�t we do the same thing to locals for even at least
two years? she queried.



PICS: From the web.

23 Oct 2008


By Samuel Kamndaya 

Annual inflation surged to a 10-year high point of 11.6 percent in September owing to soaring food prices, official data from the National Bureau of Statistics show. 

The inflation rate hit the double digit for the first time in a decade due to skyrocketing food prices in the Holy month of Ramadhan. 

In August this year, the inflation rate was 9.8 percent. The recent surge indicates a 1.8-point increase within a month. In February this year, inflation was 8.9 percent. 

Analysts say the Government would not be able to bring down the inflation rate to seven percent by the end of the current financial year. 

"The seven per cent goal is now unrealistic since, under the current system, Tanzania has nothing in place to control food and fuel prices, the two most dominant factors in the country's inflation basket," said Dr Honest Ngowi who lectures at Mzumbe University. 

He said since the inflationary spiral was mainly on food, fuel and other production factors, it would be very difficult for the country to control it in the short-term. 

"It could be easily contained if it was caused by excess money supply on the market. However, this is due to production factors," he said. 
He said this could worsen considering that the holiday season was just around the corner. 

Dr Semboja Haji of the University of Dar es Salaam's Economic Research Bureau (ERB) also said: "Inflation will now be fluctuating between 10 and 12 percent. It requires magic for the government to bring it back to seven per cent," he said. 

He criticised the government for having no mechanism in place to protect the country from the negative effects of economic developments outside. 

Food makes over 55 percent of Tanzania's inflation basket. But Dr Semboja suggested that the development was due to bad policies. 
"I find no reason why food prices in Tanzania should be going up while we have a capacity of producing enough to meet the local demand as well for exports," he said. 

He urged the government to have price mechanisms for sensitive products like food and fuel. 

He cited the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura), saying it should understand that local companies were colluding to increase prices even when there was nothing to force them to increase the prices. 

In that respect, the don said, there was no reason to stick to the concept of market pricing while companies were conspiring among themselves to increase prices willy-nilly.


SOURCE: The Citizen

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