'Ndoa ya Mkeka' Majaribuni

Ndoa ya Mkeka.Haya ni mambo ya pwani zaidi kuliko 'bara'.Kule kwetu Ifakara hakuna vitu kama hivyo,lakini maeneo kama Tanga,Dar,Bagamoyo,nk ndoa za mkeka 'zinakula sahani moja' kwa umaarufu kama ndoa 'za kawaida'.Actually,ilikuwa almanusra 'nipigwe ndoa ya mkeka' wakati nilipoishi Tanga kwa takriban miaka 15 ilopita.Unajua tena mambo ya ujana...ukiyaangalia wakati huu wa utu uzima inabaki kichekesho.Anyway,kwa kifupi ndoa ya mkeka ni mithili ya fumanizi kati ya wanaovunja amri ya sita pasipo minajili ya kuwa wanandoa,na 'katika kuwapa one-stop fundisho na ufumbuzi' wanafungishwa ndoa ya chap-chap.It's like "si mnapenda kuvunja amri ya sita kisirisiri?Okay,sasa tunawahalalishia mtende manyotenda for the rest of your lives"...lol!Tatizo ni kwamba ni nadra kwa ndoa za mkeka kudumu kwa vile huwa ni'za kulazimisha'.Yani hazina tofauti na stori kama binti 'anayejiachia' na kupata ujauzito ili aolewe na mpenziwe.It rarely works!

Well,makala hii inazungumzia 'ndoa ya mkeka ya kisiasa' kati ya chama cha wahafidhina (Conservatives) na kile cha Waliberali (Liberal Democrats) ambao kwa pamoja wameunda serikali ya mseto hapa Uingereza. 

Uamuzi wa kiongozi wa Conservatives kuunda serikali ya mseto na Liberal Democrats umepokelewa kwa hisia tofauti huku watu wengi wakitabiri kuwa mseto huo hauna maisha marefu.Kikubwa kinachopelekea utabiri huo ni itikadi za vyama husika sambamba na tofauti zao katika sera zao.Japo tumeambiwa kuwa moja ya sababu zilizopelekea kufanikiwa kwa mseto huo ni kwa kila chama "kukubali matokeo" kwa aidha kuelegeza au kuachana kabisa na baadhi ya misimamo yao,hiyo haimaanishi kuwa misimamo hiyo imepotea 'vichwani' mwa wafuasi wa vyama hivyo.

Wakati wahafidhina wanafahamika kwa mrengo wao wa kulia na kati-kulia (right wing or centre-right politics) waliberali ni maarufu zaidi kwa mrengo wa kushoto na kidogo kati-kushoto (left wing or centre-left politics).Pengine hili sio rahisi sana kueleweka kama tukichukulia siasa zetu huko nyumbani kama mfano,kwani nadhani tunaweza kukubaliana kwamba nafasi ya mrengo katika siasa zetu huko Afrika ni ndogo sana.Yayumkinika kabisa kusema kuwa fedha za kukiwezesha chama au mgombea kununua kura ni muhimu zaidi kwenye siasa zetu kuliko mrengo wa chama au mgombea husika.Na hili ni tatizo kwa vile chama (au mgombea) kisicho na mrengo (au msimamo) ni sawa na bendera inayoweza kuelekea upande wowote ule kulingana na mvumo wa upepo.

Wenye hofu kuhusu 'ndoa ya mkeka' kati ya wahafidhina na waliberali wana sababu za msingi kwa vile mseto kati ya siasa za mrengo wa kulia na zile za mrengo wa kushoto hauko mbali sana na jitihada za kuchanganya maji na mafuta.Wakati chama cha Conservatives kinafahamika zaidi kwa siasa zake za kuwakumbatia matajiri huku zikiwakalia kooni 'walalahoi' kwa kudi kubwa (tayari kuna taarifa za 'kiama' cha kodi) waliberali wanafahamika zaidi kwa siasa za kuwa karibu na jamii huku vitu kama haki za binadamu,uvumulivu na ushirikiano vikiwa na umuhimu mkubwa.

Wakati Liberal Democrats walikuwa na sera ya msamaha (amnesty) kwa wahamiaji 'haramu' (illegal immigrants) huku wakisisitiza kuwa hatua kali dhidi ya wahamiaji hao si ufumbuzi kwa vile 'zinazidi kuwaficha msituni',chama cha Conservative kiliweka bayana msimamo wake wa kupunguza idadi ya wahamiaji kwa kuweka ukomo (cap) katika idadi ya wanaoingia/kuhamia Uingereza,sambamba na sheria kali za uhamiaji.Na katika hatua inayoweza kuwagharimu Liberal Democrats,chama hicho kimekubali kuachana na sera yake ya msamaha kwa 'wahamiaji haramu' na badala yake kimeafiki hatua ya Conservatives kuweka ukomo kwenye idadi ya wahamiaji wanaoingia nchini hapa.

Kuna tofauti ya kimtizamo kuhusu umoja na ushirikiano wa Ulaya.Wahafidhina wanasifika kwa upinzani wao dhidi ya suala hilo huku waliberali wakipendelea kuona ushirikiano huo ukisambaa zaidi ikiwa ni pamoja na wazo la Uingereza kutumia sarafu ya Euro badala ya Pound Sterling.Katika kufanikisha 'ndoa' yao,Liberal Democrats wamekubali kusitisha mipango yao kuhusu kukuza ushiriakiano wa Ulaya,jambo linaloweza kuwaudhi waumini wa siasa za chama hicho.

Lakini tayari kuna dalili za mpasuko kwenye 'ndoa hiyo ya mkeka' baada ya taarifa kwenye baadhi ya magazeti ya hapa kwamba 'Waziri' mpya wa fedha ((Kansela) George Osborne (wa Conservatives) amepinga vikali wazo kwamba 'Waziri' wa biashara (Business Secretary) Vince Cable (wa chama cha Liberal Democrats) ndiye atakayekuwa na dhamana ya kufanya mabadiiko kwenye mfumo wa mabenki (kwa minajili ya kudhibiti na kuzuwia uwezekano wa mtikisiko wa kifedha/kiuchumi kutokana na 'uzembe' wa mabenki katika utekelezaji wa sheria za fedha).Badala yake,hazina chini ya Osborne ndio itakayoshikilia dhamana ya utekelezaji wa sera ya mabenki na sekta ya fedha kwa ujumla.

Taarifa zaidi zinaeleza kuwa kuna hofu kuwa chama cha Liberal Democrats kitakimbiwa na idadi kubwa tu ya wafuasi wake kufuatia uamuzi wake wa kushirikiana na Conservatives.Hali hiyo sio tofauti sana kwa upande wa wahafidhina kwani kuna idadi kubwa tu miongoni mwao wanaoona 'ndoa hiyo ya mkeka' kuwa jambo lisilofaa.Pengine tatizo kubwa kwa vyama vyote viwili ni wale walio 'mwisho wa upande' wa mrengo wa vyama hivyo,yaani wenye mrengo wa kulia kabisa kwa upande wa Conservatives na wa mrengo wa kushoto kabisa kwa upande wa waliberali.Hawa ni watu wanaoongozwa na imani na itikadi,na haiwaingii akilini kuona mambo hayo ya msingi yakiwekwa rehani kwa minajili tu ya kuunda serikali.

Lakini kuna wanaoona kuwa 'ndoa hii ya mkeka' kati ya David Cameron na Nick Clegg inaweza kudumu kwa vile kimsingi viongozi hao wawili wana mambo kadhaa yanayoshabihiana.Wote walisoma shule 'za bei mbaya',wanatoka familia zenye uwezo mkubwa kifedha na,kimsingi, wanaishi katika tabaka tawala.Kwa minajili hii,baadhi ya wachambuzi wanatabiri kuwa mfanano wa haiba za Cameron na Clegg,na sio tofauti katika itikadi zao,utafanikisha kudumu kwa serikali hiyo ya 'ajabu' kati chama chenye siasa za mrengo wa kulia (conservatives) na kile cha mrengo wa kushoto (Liberal Democrats).

Pamoja na yote hayo,siasa ni mchezo usiotabirika.Siku chache zilizopita ingekuwa jambo lisilofikirika kwa wahafidhana na waliberali kushirikiana katika uongozi wa serikali,lakini leo hii 'habari ndio hiyo'.Basi kwa minajili hiyohiyo,haitokuwa ajabu kwa 'ndoa hii ya mkeka' kudumu muda mrefu kuliko inavyotarajiwa.

Muda utatanabaisha (time will tell).

Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Brown Announces He Will Resign

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has made a brief statement that he will stand down as Labour leader,and urged his party to start a process of electing his replacement.That means if the Conservative-Liberal Democrats power discussions on a possibility of  sharing deal bear no fruits,and the Liberal Democrats then agrees with Labour to form a a coalition government,the next PM might not be Gordon Brown,or David Cameron,for that matter.

Read More

BNP: "Tutatoa £ 50,000 kwa Wasio Weupe Kuhama Uingereza".

British National Party (BNP),chama cha kibaguzi cha hapa Uingereza,kimetangaza kwamba kitatoa paundi 50,000 kwa kila atakayeafiki kuhama Uingereza.Akiongea katika kipindi cha 'Today' cha kituo cha redio cha BBC4,mwenyekiti wa chama hicho,Nick Griffin (pichani) alisema kuwa mpango huo ni mahsusi kwa Waingereza wasio Weupe (non-White British) na wahamiaji wengine wasio weupe (non-White migrants).

Griffin alieleza kuwa kwa mujibu wa sera ya uhamiaji ya chama chake 'milango ya Uingereza itafungwa' kwa wageni isipokuwa tu kwa wale wenye ujuzi au taaluma maalum."Aidha unazungumzia fundi bomba wa ki-Polish au mkimbizi kutoka Afghanistan,milango ya Uingereza itafungwa kwa sababu nchi hii imejaa",aliongeza kiongozi huyo mbaguzi wa rangi.

Kiongozi huyo wa BNP alitanabaisha kuwa "Idadi ya watakaozuiwa kuingia nchi hii itakuwa yoyote na kutoka popote.Milango itafunguliwa tu pale itapokidhi mahitaji wa Waingereza na Uingereza".Akitolea mfano wa utekelezaji wa sera hiyo,Griffin alisema laiti Uingereza ikiwa na mahitaji ya wataalam wa nyukia basi chama hicho kitaruhusu,kwa mfano,mwanafikizia kutoka Japan.

Alipoulizwa kama sera hiyo itaambatana na kuvunja mikataba ya kimataifa,mbaguzi huyo alijibu: "Kabisa.Mikataba ya kimataifa haikidhi mahitaji ya Uingereza na watu wake.U-kimataifa (internationalism) ni miradi ya tabaka la wanasiasa".

Kuhusu kuwataka wasio weupe kuondoka Uingereza,Griffin alisema:"Tunasema tutatoa posho ya kuhama makazi (resettlement grants) na hili ni suala la hiari .Tunazungumzia takriban pauni 50,000 kwa kwa mtu".Alipoulizwa ni watu wangapi wanaotarajiwa kuhama Uingereza kwa mujibu wa sera hiyo alisema: "180,000 kwa mwaka,kama wataondoka katika nchi hii iliyojaa kupindukia".

Imetafsiriwa kutoka Yahoo! News

Read More

Uchaguzi Mkuu Uingereza na Darasa Kwetu

Tarehe 6 ya mwezi ujao,Waingereza watapiga kura katika Uchaguzi Mkuu.Kura za maoni zinaonyesha kuwa hakuna chama kitakachopata ushindi wa kutosha kuunda serikali peke yake (hung parliament).Vyovyote itakavyokuwa,kuna mambo kadhaa mbayo Watanzania wanaweza kujifunza katika uchaguzi huu hasa kwa vile nasi tutakuwa na uchaguzi hapo Oktoba mwaka huu. 

Kubwa zaidi ni namna wagombea wanavyohangaika kuwabembeleza wapiga kura.Unajua kuna kijitabia cha baadhi ya wanasiasa huko nyumbani ambao sijui ni ulevi wa madaraka au dharau kwa wapiga kura,hawajihangaishi hata kidogo kuwaonyesha wapiga kura kuwa ajira zao zinategemea ridhaa za wapiga kura hao.Pengine ni jeuri ya uwezo wao wa kununua kura katika jina la takrima au kudumisha chama.

Yani hapa ukiangalia kwenye runinga namna Waziri Mkuu wa sasa,Gordon Brown,anavyopelekeshwa na wapiga kura kwa maswali mazito kana kwamba utawala wake ulikuwa mbovu kupindukia,unapata picha kuwa kwa hawa wenzetu GOOD IS NOT ENOUGH,THEY WANT EVEN BETTER (Ubora tu hautoshi,wanataka ubora zaidi).Na si kwamba Brown na Labour yake hawajafanya mambo ya maana kwa Waingereza bali watu hawa hawapendi 'kuangushwa' kwa aina yoyote ile.

Na jingine linalovutia katika kampeni hizi ni namna wapiga kura wanavyozipa manifesto za vyama umuhimu mkubwa na pengine mwelekeo wa nani watampigia kura.Kwetu,manifesto ni sawa na waraka unaokumbukwa wakati wa chaguzi na 'kinga' ya kujitetea pale mambo yanapokwenda mrama.Wengi tunafahamu namna akina Makamba wanavyotumia manifesto ya CCM kujibu shutuma mbalimbali zinazoelekezwa kwa chama hicho tawala.Hilo sio kosa bali tatizo ni kwamba utetezi huo mara nyingi hauendani na hali halisi.Kwa mfano haitoshi kusema manifesto ya CCM inatamka bayana kuhusu 'chuki' yake dhidi ya rushwa huku in practice hadi leo hatufahamu Kagoda ni mdudu gani.Matendo hukidhi haja maridhawa kuliko maneno,so Waswahili say.

Manifesto ya CCM kwenye uchaguzi wa mwaka 2005 iliweka bayana dhamira yake ya kupata ufumbuzi wa suala la mahakama ya kadhi lakini hadi leo suala hilo linapigwa danadana.Utafiti wangu wa shahada ya uzamili kuhusu harakati za vikundi vya waislam nchini Tanzania (unaoelekea ukingoni) ambao umegusia kwa undani suala hilo unaashiria kuwa 'kupuuzia' kero (grievances) kama hiyo ya mahakama ya kadhi na suala la OIC yana potential ya kusababisha matatizo huko mbeleni.Tatizo haliwezi kutatuliwa kwa kuliepuka bali kulikabili.We have to solve difficulties before they become problems (tunapaswa kutatua ugumu kabla haujawa tatizo).

Ni matumaini ya wapiga kura wa Tanzania kuwa watatumia haki zao za kidemokrasia kwa busara zaidi kuchagua wagombea wanaoweza kuwatumikia kwa dhati.Zama za ushabiki wa vyama zimepitwa na wakati hasa kwa vile kitakachowakomboa Watanzania kutoka kwenye lindi la umaskini na ufisadi sio ushabiki bali ufanisi wa chama.

Read More

Wafadhili Wetu Wanapambana na Ufisadi,Sie Wafadhiliwa Tuko Usingizini

 Habari zilizotawala vyombo vya habari vya hapa Uingereza ni kufikishwa mahakamani kwa wabunge watatu wa chama tawala (Labour) na mbunge wa bunge la mabwanyenye kutoka chama cha Conservatives.Kwa pamoja wabunge hao wanatuhumiwa kufuja fedha .Wabunge hao, Elliot Morley, David Chaytor na Jim Devine wa Labour na Lord Hanningfield wa Conservatives wanashtakiwa kwa ubadhirifu wa jumla ya takriban pauni 60,000 za mafao ya wabunge.Wakati hayo yakitokea hapa katika nchi ambayo ni wafadhili wetu wakubwa,hadi muda huu sie tumeendelea kuwekwa kizani kuhusu mdudu aitwaye Kagoda,huku mtuhumiwa wa ufisadi wa rada na wale wa ujambazi wa Richmond wakiendelea "kupeta". Ni dhahiri kwamba watawala wetu hawako serious na mapambano dhidi ya uhalifu wa vigogo.Hebu angalia mfano mwepesi wa ishu ya mtangazaji wa TBC,Jerry Muro.Japo blogu hii si mahakama ya kuamua kama mtangazaji huyo hana hatia au,kasi ya vyombo vya dola katika kushughulikia 'tuhuma' dhidi yake zilikuwa kubwa sana tofauti na namna vyombo vya dola vinavyojiumauma hadi leo kuhusu majambazi wa kampuni ya Kagoda waliokwiba shilingi bilioni 40 katika utapeli wa EPA.Watawala wetu wameendelea kuweka pamba masikioni na kupuuza kilio cha umma kuhusu haja ya angalau kutajiwa wamiliki wa kampuni hiyo ya kijambazi.

Ndio maana blogu hii imeendelea kuiona sheria mpya ya kudhibiti rushwa katika chaguzi kuwa ni mwendelezo wa ahadi lukuki za kunoresha ustawi wa taifa letu lakini ahadi hizo zimeendelea kuwa viinimacho visivyotekelezeka.Sheria hii inaweza kupelekea waheshimiwa wawili watatu kutiwa nguvuni (kama TAKUKURU watashikiwa silaha kuwezesha hilo), vichwa vya habari vitasomeka kwa herufi kubwa kwamba sheria imeanza kufanya kazi.Lakini kana kwamba wana ugonjwa wa kusahau historia,baadhi ya wanahabari wetu watazembea kurejea matukio ya nyuma ambapo kesi kama za akini Profesa Mahalu,na hizi za karibuni za Mramba na Yona zinaendelea kusuasua mahakamani pasipo dalili za haki kutendeka-kwa watuhumiwa na walipakodi wa Tanzania.

Watakaonaswa baada ya sheria hiyo 'kuanza kutumika' watakuwa mithili ya 'muzi wa kafara',na 'changa la macho' kuonyesha umma kuwa sheria inafanya kazi lakini mwisho wa siku itaishia kuwa 'flani kafikishwa mahakamani',and that's it.Suala sio kumfikisha mtuhumiwa mahakamani bali haki itendeke,na sio itendeke tu bali ionekane imetendeka.

Yayumkinika kusema kuwa kesi za EPA zinazoendelea kwa mwendo wa kinyonga hazikidhi haja ya umma hasa kwa vile japo wote ni watuhumiwa lakini wale wa Kagoda waliiba fedha nyingi zaidi.Cha kushangaza ni kwamba hadi leo wameendelea kuhifadhiwa.Sasa tukisema ufisadi ni sera ya CCM tutaambiwa tumekosa nidhamu?

Tukio la kufikishwa mahakamani kwa wabunge hawa wa Uingereza kunapaswa kutufumbua macho kwa vile kama nchi inayotufadhili iko hailei wabadhirifu iweje sie tunaotegemea misaada tunakuwa na 'sintofahamu' katika kuwachukulia hatua mafisadi?Hivi kuna sababu za msingi kwanini hadi leo Mzee wa Vijisenti Andrew Chenge hajafikishwa mahakamani kuhusu vijibilioni vyake huko visiwani Jersey?Basi hata kama wanamwonea aibu,yaani CCM wanashindwa hata kuona haya kwa mtuhumiwa huyo kuwa mwenyekiti wa kamati yake ya maadili?Au ufisadi ni sehemu ya maadili katika chama hicho?

Wakati tukiendelea kuaminishwa kuwa sheria hiyo ya kudhibiti rushwa kwenye chaguzi itakuwa 'kiboko' ya rushwa,toleo la wiki hii la gazeti la Raia Mwema lina habari kuwa rushwa inamwagwa katika majimbo kadhaa kama wahusika hawana akili nzuri.Sijui huko ni kumkejeli Rais Kikwete aliyetamka bayana kuwa atasaini sheria hiyo kwa mbwembwe au ni kuujulisha umma kuwa CCM na rushwa ni damu damu!Kilicho wazi ni kuwa hakuna mgombea wa CCM atakayefanikiwa kupitishwa na chama hicho pasipo kutoa rushwa.Hilo halihitaji mjadala.Na kama Rais Kikwete anaamini kuwa sheria anayoipigia jaramba itakomesha rushwa kwenye chaguzi,basi ni vema naye akatafakari upya kama kuna umuhimu wa kuendelea kuwa kiongozi wa watu wasioafikiana na mtizamo wake.

Kinachosikitisha zaidi ni namna jamii isivyoonekana kukoseshwa usingizi na namna nchi yetu inavyozidi kutafunwa na mafisadi.Angalia mwitikio wa wananchi kuhusu 'makamanda wa vijana' wa CCM.Hivi watu hawajiulizi hawa makamanda walikuwa wapi siku zote kiasi cha kukurupuka ghafla kufishana makoti na joto lote hilo kwa kifuniko cha 'ukamanda wa vijana'?Na huo ukamanda unawasaidiaje vijana husika?Kwanini makamanda hao wasielekeze nguvu zao katika kupambana na ufisadi? Kwa asiyefahamu 'siri ya ukamanda wa vijana' basi aelewe kuwa kila anayevikwa wadhifa huo ni 'mgombea mtarajiwa'.Ni namna ya kujiweka karibu na wapiga kura.

Lakini sina tatizo sana na makamanda hao bali hao wanaoaminishwa kuwa ili waendelee wanahitaji makamanda wa vijana.Mie ni muumini mkubwa wa wazo kwamba UFISADI ni kikwazo nambari wani cha maendeleo yetu,au sababu kubwa ya kwanini tumeendelea kuwa masikini wa kutupwa licha ya utajiri lukuki wa maliasili tulionao.Logic yangu ni simple.Huwezi kujaza maji kwenye ndoo yenye matobo au kujaza upepo kwenye mpira uliotoboka.Paipo kudhibiti ufisadi na mafisadi,maendeleo yataendelea kuwa ndoto inayogeuka ukweli mchungu kila kukicha.

Na tukitegemea kwamba wanufaika wa ufisadi watajumuika nasi katika kukomesha kilekile kinachowawezesha 'kutanua' na ma-vogue,mahekalu ya bei mbaya na nyumba ndogo zisizohesabika basi tutaendelea kusubiri milele,au kwa lugha nyingine,TUANDIKE TUMEUMIA.

FUNGUKA MACHO,WAKATI NI SASA!.

Read More

THE SUN DIVIDED,LITERALLY

The Sun. Not the celestial near the earth, round which the earth and other planets revolve. I am talking about the UK’s bestselling newspaper. Its popularity is partly due to its normally informal journalistic style, with its “news in brief” on page 3 depicting semi-nude models being one of its main distinguishing features. It is also known for its strong nationalistic views, anti-European Union and anti-immigration stances. The Sun could as well be described as a right-leaning paper together with The Daily Express, The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail.

On its front page last Wednesday, the newspaper declared that Gordon Brown, the incumbent British Prime Minister, and his Labour Party have already lost the next British election. In its editorial, the paper announced that it switches sides, and would support The Conservative Party in the election. However, its Scottish version, The Scottish Sun, while withdrawing its support for Labour, has distanced itself from its English by not endorsing any Scottish political party.

Apart from selling reportedly 1 million copies a day, The Sun is also famous for its supposed reputation of backing British election winners. It is argued that the paper was responsible for Neil Kinnock’s defeat and it was a driving force for Tony Blair to become the Prime Minister after successive Labour defeats.

But is The Sun really a paper that makes election winners? Some observers doubts that popular claim, especially in this age when the internet has emerged as the most powerful in almost every sphere of our lives. Remember how Obama won the last US Elections?

Some analysts argue that in its decision to switch sides The Sun has just followed what many of the recent polls indicate about the coming British elections that the Conservatives would defeat Labour. They also claim that the newspaper is just representing opinions of most of its readers who seem to be disgruntled by the Labour Party.

However, The Sun might get it wrong this time because despite Labour’s poor performance, the Conservatives have so far not actually proved how they would be a better alternative to Labour. I first came to the UK in 2002 when Labour was already in power, so I wouldn’t pretend to know how good or bad the Conservatives were. However, their CV doesn’t look impressive from what I have heard. It is even bad news to non-Whites as the Tory still looks a Whites party despite its recent efforts to become all-inclusive. Of course, it is not as evil as the racist British National Party but there is still a sense of uncertainty among such groups as the ethnic minorities.

I still think Labour deserves another term. British voters should be sympathetic to Gordon Brown & Co in the way they have handled the credit crunch, particularly by looking beyond the UK’s borders. They should also not forget what The Tories did to this country prior to Labour getting into power.

As for The Sun’s decision to back potential election winners...well,if its US “sisters”- Fox News and The Ney York Post-couldn’t make John McCain win or Barack Obama lose the election, then even The Sun could have got it wrong come the next British elections. And didn’t the same newspaper campaign against Alec Salmond and his Scottish National Party in the previous elections, and he still managed to win?

After all, it is the British voters, not The Sun, who would be the real winners or losers regardless of the paper’s position.

Read More

PM GORDON BROWN ASEMA HATOJIUZULU,AFANYA MABADILIKO KTK CABINET YAKE

Hoja yake ya msingi ni kwamba hawezi kujiuzulu katika kipindi hiki ambacho Uingereza,kama ilivyo kwa mataifa mengi ulimwenguni,inakabiliwa na msukosuko wa uchumi.

Anadai kwamba kubwaga manyanga katika kipindi hiki kigumu itakuwa sawa na kuwasaliti Waingereza.

Pamoja na msimamo huo,leo Brown ametangaza mabadiliko (reshuffle) katika baraza lake la mawaziri ambapo baadhi ya "mastaa" wameendelea na nyadhifa zao,notably "Waziri" wa Mambo ya Nje (Foreign Secretary) David Miliband (pichani chini)na "Waziri wa Fedha" (Chancellor of the Exchequer) Alistair Darling (pichani chini)Mwanasiasa ambaye jina lake limekuwa likihusishwa na kuchukua nafasi ya Brown pindi "mapinduzi" yakifanikiwa,Alan Johnson,amehamishiwa "Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani" (Home Office) kutoka "Wizara" ya Afya."Home Office" inatajwa kuwa "kitimoto" kwa kila anayeteuliwa kuiongoza hasa kwa vile inagusa masuala nyeti kama uhamiaji na usalama wa raia (ambapo jeshi la polisi na ishu za ugaidi ni vipaumbele).

Pia katika reshuffle hiyo,Brown amemteua mfanyabiashara tajiri,Sir Allan Sugar,kuwa "enterprise tsar" (sijui tafsiri yake kwa Kiswahili inakuwaje!).

Sir Allan,anayefahamika zaidi kwa kibwagizo cha "You're Fired" katika kipindi alichokiasisi cha The Apprentice,sasa anakuwa Lord Sugar kutokana na wadhifa huo mpya unaomwingiza katika Bunge la Mamwinyi (The House of Lords).

Read More

MUSHKELI KTK HATMA YA SERIKALI YA GORDON BROWN:WAZIRI WA 3 AJIUZULU.

Upepo mbaya wa kisiasa umeendelea kuvuma katika serikali ya Waziri Mkuu Gordon Brown kufuatia Waziri wa Kazi na Pensheni,James Purnell (kulia katika picha ya kwanza juu),kutangaza kujiuzulu na kumtaka Brown "aachie ngazi".Kujiuzulu kwa waziri huyo kunafanya diadi ya mawaziri waliokwishatangaza kujiuzulu kufikia watatu baada ya Waziri wa "Mambo ya Ndani" (Home Office Secretary) Jacqui Smith (chini) na Waziri wa Jamii (Communities Secretary) Hazel Blears (picha ya mwisho chini) kutangaza hatua kama hiyo.

Read More

HOUSE OF COMMONS SPEAKER QUITS OVER EXPENSES SCANDAL

...and OURS is strongly defending a proposal by our lawmakers to raise their current salary (Tshs 7 Million) to Tshs 12Million.!!!

Read More

A POLITICAL TIMEBOMB? MICHAEL MARTIN CONDEMNED AS "DEAD SPEAKER WALKING"

Michael Martin was condemned as a 'dead Speaker walking' last night after an unprecedented parliamentary mutiny against his rule. During historic scenes, five MPs directly confronted Mr Martin to tell him to resign, the first move to oust a sitting Speaker for more than 300 years...CONTINUE
SOURCE: The Daily Mail

Read More

CATASTROPHIC OWN GOAL BY RACIST BNP

The British National Party was accused of staging 'a cynical con' yesterday, after it was revealed that men featured on its keynote poster campaign are foreigners. One of the posters, which is being advertised up and down the country on a BNP truck, shows three men in hard-hats under the slogan 'British jobs for British workers'. But it has emerged they are in fact American models who posed for a photoshoot in the U.S....CONTINUE

SOURCE: The Daily Mail

Read More

LABOUR MP BLAMES "XENOPHOBIC" TORIES FOR RISE OF RIGHT-WING BNP

A senior Labour MP has prompted outrage by claiming that the Conservatives had 'prepared the ground' for a surge by the British National Party.

Former Foreign Office minister Denis MacShane said the Tories''xenophobic' attacks on the EU would be to blame if the far-Right party made ground in next month's European elections...continue

SOURCE: The Daily Mail

Read More

HUSBAND PORN PURCHASES THREATENS MINISTER'S JOB

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leading British Cabinet minister Jacqui Smith's political future is in doubt after her husband admitted to paying for adult movies with taxpayers' money.

The home secretary's husband, Richard Timney, has apologized for the "embarrassment" he caused his wife, while she has promised to repay the money spent, including the £10 ($14) charge for the two films, the British Press Association reported.

According to British media reports, Smith had not seen the videos and was "mortified" that they had "mistakenly" been paid for using her MP's expense account.

Timney, who Smith pays £40,000 ($56,000) a year to be her office manager, submitted an expense claim last June for a £67 ($95) Virgin Media bill for television services in the couple's family home in Redditch, Smith's constituency, The Guardian newspaper reported.

It reported the bill included two adult films, at a cost of £5 ($7) each, as well as two viewings of the heist movie "Ocean's 13" and one of "Surf's Up," a children's film about a penguin.

The revelations could not come at a worse time for Smith, who is already being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over her decision to claim at least £116,000 ($164,000) in second-home allowances for her family home since becoming an MP.

She has claimed the second-home allowance for her family home while living with her sister in London. Smith designated her sister's house as her "main" residence, allowing her to claim the money for her family home.

Conservative and opposition leader David Cameron described the latest news as "deeply embarrassing" for Smith.

He said Smith had "questions to answer," PA reported.

"I do not think this individual thing is the issue. I think she has got some questions to answer about the second home issue. It does seem to me pretty incredible to claim that the home where her family is, that is not her main home.

"I think this goes to a deeper problem, which is the second home allowance for MPs. The prime minister has ordered a review but he has sort of kicked it into the long grass.

"The review doesn't start until September, it is not going to report until after the next election. That is hopeless. We have got to get on with it."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended Smith.

"The home secretary is doing a great job and I do not think this issue should be allowed to detract from everything she is doing to ensure we protect the public and keep our neighborhoods safe," he said.

"She has done the right thing by taking steps to rectify the mistake that was made as soon as she became aware of it.

"This is very much a personal matter for Jacqui. She has made her apology, her husband has made clear that he has apologized."

Last week Brown ordered a review of the complex and opaque system of MPs' pay and allowances.

Read More