NO CHANCE OF BRITISH OBAMA

US President-elect Barack Obama would never have become the British Prime Minister because of "institutional racism" in the Labour Party, the head of Britain's equality watchdog has claimed. Skip related content

Trevor Phillips (pictured above), chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, told The Times: "If Barack Obama had lived here I would be very surprised if even somebody as brilliant as him would have been able to break through the institutional stranglehold that there is on power within the Labour Party."

He said the Conservative Party had made more progress when it came to its selection procedures than Labour.

He said: "The parties and unions and think-tanks are all very happy to sign up to the general idea of advancing the cause of minorities but in practice they would like somebody else to do the business. It's institutional racism."

He added that he opposed all-black shortlists but said "positive action" was needed by all parties.

His views were supported by Adam Afriyie, Conservative MP for Windsor, who said he did not believe he would see a black PM in his lifetime.

But Sadiq Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, disagreed and predicted a black or Asian Labour PM would be elected in his lifetime.

A Labour Party statement in response to Mr Phillips said it continually reviewed its procedures to ensure its elected positions reflected British society.

A spokesman for the party said it has a "proud record of promoting ethnic minority candidates".

SOURCE: Yahoo! News

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SERIKALI YAIOKOA TENA TRL....

SERIKALI kwa mara nyingine imeingilia kati na kuamua kulipa mishahara ya wafanyakazi wa Kampuni ya Reli Tanzania (TRL), baada ya mwekezaji wake kushindwa kulipa mishahara ya mwezi uliopita.

Waziri Mkuu, Mizengo Pinda, alitangaza uamuzi huo bungeni jana, alipokuwa akijibu swali la papo kwa hapo la Mbunge wa Viti Maalumu, Halima Mamuya (CCM), aliyetaka kujua mpango wa serikali katika kuhakikisha mwekezaji huyo anaiendesha kampuni hiyo kwa ufanisi na kama alikuwa akijua kuwa hadi jana wafanyakazi wa kampuni hiyo walikuwa hawajalipwa mishahara yao ya mwezi uliopita.

“Serikali imelichukua tena tatizo hilo na tunalifanyia kazi. Ninaahidi kuanzia sasa wafanyakazi hawa hawatakosa tena mishahara, tutajaribu kuona kama hiyo nyongeza tutaweza kuilipa,” alisema Pinda.

Agosti, mwaka huu, tatizo la wafanyakazi kukosa mishahara lilipotokea kwa mara ya kwanza, Waziri Mkuu ndiye aliyekuwa mtu wa kwanza kuokoa jahazi na hadi jana na juzi alikuwa akihaha kuhakikisha wafanyakazi hao wanalipwa mishahara yao ya Oktoba.

“Hadi juzi nilikuwa nahangaikia suala hili, ahadi ya serikali ilimalizika Agosti na tulitarajia uongozi wa TRL ungeendelea kulipa viwango vipya vya mishahara kuanzia Oktoba kama tulivyokubaliana, lakini kwa bahati mbaya wameshindwa na tunalazimika tena kulipia mishahara ya wafanyakazi hao hadi Novemba,” alisema Pinda.

Hii ni mara ya tatu kwa serikali kulazimika kuiokoa kampuni hiyo, baada ya uongozi wake kushindwa kulipa mishahara ya wafanyakazi.

Miezi mitano tangu mwekezaji alipolichukua shirika hilo wakati huo likiitwa Shirika la Reli Tanzania (TRC), serikali iliingia mfukoni na kutoa fedha za walipa kodi zaidi ya sh bilioni tatu kuikopesha TRL kwa ajili ya kulipa mishahara ya wafanyakazi.

Septemba, mwaka huu, TRL ilikwama tena kulipia viwango vipya vya mishahara na serikali iliamua kulipa mishahara ya mwezi huo kwa ahadi kwamba kuanzia Oktoba mwekezaji angeweza kuendelea kulipa wafanyakazi wake bila matatizo.

Kampuni hiyo imeshindwa tena kulipa mishahara ya mwezi uliopita. Serikali kwa mara ya tatu sasa inajikuta ikilazimika kuingia tena mfukoni kuokoa jahazi.

Juzi wafanyakazi wa TRL walitangaza kuanza mgomo baridi, huku wakisubiri hatua zinazochukuliwa na mwekezaji kuikoa kampuni hiyo. Mbali na sula la TRL, Waziri Pinda pia alizungumzia suala la kuvuja kwa mitihani aliposema serikali inaliangalia kwa umakini Baraza la Mitihani la Taifa (NECTA) kwani ndipo penye tatizo.

Serikali inajitahidi kuangalia namna bora ya kulisimamia kwani ni aibu kwa taifa kukaa na kuulizana maswali juu ya uvujaji wa mitihani. Amewataka wazazi na wanafunzi wanaotafuta mitihani kuacha kuendekeza tabia hiyo ya aibu.

“Natoa rai kwa wazazi kuwa tusikubali na tuwe wa kwanza kutoa taarifa tunapoona watoto wana mitihani ya kununua,” alisema Pinda.

Jibu hilo la Waziri Pinda lilitokana na swali la Mbunge wa Viti Maalum, Magdalena Sakaya (CUF), aliyetaka kujua mpango wa serikali katika kukabiliana na tatizo la kuvuja kwa mitihani na uchapishaji wa vyeti feki vinavyosambazwa mashuleni na kusababisha kushuka kwa kiwango cha elimu nchini.

Akizungumzia hali ya kiuendeshaji ya Kampuni ya Ndege Tanzania (ATCL), Pinda alikiri kwamba kwa sasa kampuni hiyo iko taabani, hali iliyosababisha serikali ilazimike kufanya mazungumzo na shirika moja nchini China, lengo likiwa ni kuinusuru ATCL katika hali hiyo mbaya.

Akijibu swali la Mbunge wa Vunjo, Aloyce Kimaro, aliyeitaka serikali ichukue jukumu la kununua vitabu vya kiada kwa shule za msingi na sekondari na kuvisambaza badala ya jukumu la sasa la kutumia wakandarasi, Waziri Pinda alisema utaratibu wa sasa ni kwamba serikali inatoa fedha kwa halmashauri, nazo zinatumia wakandarasi ambao wengine si waaminifu.

“Wakandarasi mara nyingine hununua vitabu vya mitaani vinavyokuwa katika kiwango cha chini, hivyo tumekubaliana na wizara tutafute utaratibu mzuri wa upatikanaji wa vitabu,” alisema.

CHANZO: Tanzania Daima

KUMWOKOA MWEKEZAJI KILA ANAPOKWAMA SIO UFUMBUZI,BALI UAHIRISHAJI WA UFUMBUZI,WA TATIZO.NI MUHIMU KUJIULIZA HUYU MWEKEZAJI ATAENDELEA KUOKOLEWA HADI LINI,AND WHAT'D HAPPEN IF HATOOKOLEWA!

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A FAMILY MAKING HISTORY

These pics are so lovely that no wonder we keep on hearing bull***t LIKE THIS.

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SERIKALI YAJIKUTA KATIKA MTEGO WA KULIADHIBU GAZETI LAKE

Na Daniel Mjema, Dodoma

SERIKALI imekiri kuwa gazeti lake la Habari Leo liliandika habari ya uchochezi na kuliahidi Bunge kuwa italichukulia hatua zinazostahili gazeti hilo.

Hatua hiyo ya serikali inafuatia agizo la Bunge kwamba ilichukulie hatua kali gazeti hilo kwa kuchapisha habari za uchochezi dhidi ya wabunge wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), serikali na Rais Jakaya Kikwete.

Kauli hiyo ilitolewa na Waziri wa Habari, Utamaduni na Michezo baada Mbunge wa Simanjiro, Christopher Ole Sendeka, kulalamika kuhusina na kitendo cha gazeti hilo la serikali kuchapisha habari hiyo.

Awali mbunge huyo aliomba mwongozo wa Spika jana kuhusiana na habari hiyo akisema kuwa ni nzito na ya uchochezi kuliko iliyoandikwa na gazeti la MwanaHALISI lililofungiwa miezi mitatu hivi karibuni na waziri huyo.

Habari hiyo iliyochapwa Jumatano wiki hii katika toleo namba 636 ilikuwa na kichwa cha habari likichosema ‘Kundi la wabunge wa CCM lasuka zengwe la EPA” na kuelezea njama za wabunge hao wa CCM kumpinga Rais kuhusu hatua zake dhiti ya watuhumiwa wa EPA.

Ole Sendeka alisema habari hiyo ni ya uchochezi mkubwa, hasa inapodai kuwa zipo njama za wabunge wa CCM za kumpinga Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuhusu uamuzi wake katika sakata la kashfa ya fedha za EPA.

Mbunge huyo alisema gazeti hilo limejenga hoja kuonyesha kwamba wabunge hao wa CCM wamekuwa wakitumiwa na watu waliopo nje ya Bunge kupinga maamuzi ya Rais baada ya kuagiza kuwa watuhumiwa wafikishwe kortini.

Ole Sendeka alisema habari hiyo ni nzito na ya uchochezi kuliko ile ya gazeti la MwanaHALISI, kwa sababu inawagombanisha wabunge hao na Serikali pamoja na Rais na kutaka mwongozo wa Spika ni hatua gani zitachukuliwa.

Baada ya maelezo hayo, Spika Samwel Sitta aliungana na Mbunge huyo na kusema kuwa hata yeye alishtuka sana aliposoma habari hizo na kuongeza kuwa huo ni mchezo mchafu ambao serikali inapaswa kuuchukulia hatua kali.

“Hata mimi nilishtuka sana niliposoma habari hiyo, kwa kweli ni mchezo mchafu sana, ingekuwa imeandikwa na gazeti hovyo hovyo hivi tusingeshangaa sana, lakini hili ni gazeti la Serikali,” alisema Sitta.

Sitta ambaye alionekana kukerwa na habari hiyo aliongeza kusema kuwa: “Linapokuwa limechapisha gazeti la Serikali, hili ni jambo zito sana, hivyo naagiza wahusika waliotajwa na gazeti hilo waandike malalamiko rasmi kwa waziri husika”.

Spika alisema pamoja na wahusika ambao ni wabunge wa CCM, kuwasilisha malalamiko hayo na kupeleka kwa waziri nakala za gazeti hilo, Bunge litafuatilia kujua hatua zilizochukuliwa dhidi ya chimbo hicho cha habari cha serikali.

Mara baada ya maelezo hayo , Waziri wa Habari, Utamaduni na Michezo, George Mkuchika, ambaye ndiye aliyelifungia gazeti la MwanaHALSI alisimama na kukiri kuwa gazeti hilo la serikali kuandika habari hizo za uchochezi.

Hata hivyo, alisema kuwa wizara yake imekwishachukua hatua kwa kuwaandikia wahusika kuwataka wajieleze kuhusu ukweli wa habari hiyo na baada ya kupokea maelezo hayo serikali itachukua hatua zinazostahili.

Pamoja na maelezo hayo, Spika alimweleza waziri huyo kuwa ni vyema taarifa ya jinsi serikali ilivyolishughulikia suala hilo iwasilishwe katika ofisi ya Spika ili naye aishirikishe Kamati ya Bunge ya Maadili.

Mwezi mmoja uliopita serikali ililiufnugia kwa miezi mitatu gazeti la MwanaHALISI kwa maelezo kwamba limeandika habari ya uchochezi iliyokuwa na kichwa kisemacho: ‘Njama za kungoa Kitwete zafichuka’, ambayo ilieleza kwamba ndani ya CCM kuna watu wanataka kumzuia Rais Kikwete asigombee urais tena kipindi cha pili.

Waziri husika alisema serikali imechukua hatua kwa sababu gazeti hili imeandika habari yenye lengo la kumchonganisha Rais na mtoto wake aliyedaiwa kutumiwa na kundi la baadhi ya vigogo wa CCM wanaotaka kumwengua ili asigombee kipindi cha pili.

Hatua ya waziri huyo kulifungia gazeti hilo kilipingwa na wadau mbali mbali wa habari na kufuatiwa na maandamano ya amani ya wahiri wa vyombo vya habari nchini hadi katika ofizi za wizara hiyo wakiwa wameziba midomo na gundi ya karatasi au plasta.

CHANZO: Mwananchi

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HUFFPOST: OBAMA'S MOTORCADE INTERRUPTED BY PASSING CAR

Barack Obama's motorcade had an unexpected occurrence while ferrying the president-elect to a security briefing at Chicago FBI headquarters Thursday morning.

As the motorcade pulled onto Van Buren, towards the Loop, a couple in a tan sedan tried to drive around the heavily-armed line of vehicles, wrote pool reporter P.J. Hufstutter of the Los Angeles Times:

The SUV cut the car off immediately, and the security team aimed their weapons at the car. The driver and passenger in the sedan stopped, and looked stunned -- until the male driver appeared to understand what was happening (your pool reporter could see him mouth "Obama"). The motorcade continued on. The sedan remained stopped, near the side of the road. [...] Some of the drivers here in Chicago do not seem to understand that a) the Chicago police car at the end of the president-elect's motorcade is serious about having traffic pull over when the officers flash their lights and hit their sirens, and b) it's not a great idea to jump ahead of traffic by trying to cut around the black SUV filled with five heavily-armed secret service CAT members.

SOURCE: Huffington Post

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NOT FIT FOR UGANDA,WELCOME IN TANZANIA

THROWN out by the Ugandan government on grounds of corruption, a South African firm has landed a multi-billion-shilling deal in Tanzania to produce Smartcard driving licences. 

The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has embraced Face Technologies of South Africa to undertake the project, despite the fact that quotations of the firm have raised eyebrows among local information technology experts. 

According to informed sources, the company is charging $21.53 (approximately 25,200/-) per Smartcard driving licence but local experts claim that the amount is more than double the real cost. 

Reports from Uganda said the firm, established six years ago, was ordered to pack its bags from Kampala because it had inflated the cost for a similar project in the country. 

Media reports quoting Uganda’s internal affairs ministry said that Face Technologies quoted $97m while the ministry’s own evaluation had put the cost at $56m. 

In addition, Uganda’s Inspector-General of Government reported that the tender submitted in 2006 by the South African company was tainted with corruption. 

The company has since resorted to court for remedy, but Kampala has reportedly ignored the case. 

Meanwhile, TRA Commissioner General Harry Kitillya, has affirmed to THISDAY that the Smartcard driving licences tender, awarded to Face Technologies in 2006, is on track and that the authority and the Tanzania Police Force would soon introduce the licences to local motorists. 

Kitillya said yesterday that preparations for the licences had reached a final stage but he declined to mention the date for the kick-off of the exercise. 

He dismissed allegations that the project had stalled because the government intended to integrate it with the national identity card project. 

’’We talked to [Dickson] Mwaimu regarding integration of the project into the national identity card project but he was of the opinion that we proceed,’’ Kitillya said. 

Mwaimu is chief executive officer of the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency. 

The South African company is also said to be vying for the national identity cards project. 

A number of local and international companies submitted bids for the computerised drivers licence system tender which was based on a build, operate and transfer arrangement in 2006. 

Those companies included Contec Global Limited, Global Enterprises Technologies, Techno Brain Limited, Electronics Corporation of India Limited & AKS Smart Card System Limited, Shivacom Limited, Quality Group Limited, Simba Technology (T) Limited, Afsat Communication (T) Limited & G Fischer Consulting (Pyt) Limited, 3i Infotech Limited and Starten Limited & LR Group Limited. 

The South African company’s Managing Director, Serfies Sorfontein, and Tshepo Boikanyo, General Manager of its holding company Arivia, did not respond to several mails sent by THISDAY over the past fortnight. 

On its website, however, the company has posted its TRA car registration computerisation system and Smartcard driving licences as projects that have been completed successfully. 

’’Face Technologies has become arivia.kom’s human face of information technology in Africa. The subsidiary is active in 11 African countries and gained major new public sector contracts on the continent in the past two years,’’ said the announcement. 

Since its establishment in 2002, the company claims it has won several tenders which included a drivers’ licence system for Namibia, traffic information systems for Malawi and Zambia, motor vehicle registration system for Tanzania and a national social security fund system and police identification systems for Uganda. 

In its court plea to Uganda’s Commercial Court, Face Technologies is seeking a $23m payment as compensation and damages for the alleged breach of contract. 

According to the suit documents, the firm claims it spent a lot of funds before the project was suspended in February 2006 by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) on orders of the Inspector General of Government (IGG).The firm claims it had started rolling out the project after carrying out a feasibility study . 

The project was suspended following a complaint from one of the bidders, Contec Global, which accused UBOS of flouting the laws in awarding the deal to Face Technologies.

SOURCE: This Day

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GEN NKUNDA WARNS OF OVERTHROWING KABILA

CLICK HERE to listen  to the audio,and HERE for analysis.

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PINDA ALITOLEA MACHO BARAZA LA MITIHANI

Na John Daniel, Dodoma 

SERIKALI imeeleza kukasirishwa na gumzo la uvujaji wa mitihani na tatizo la vyeti visivyo halali na kuahidi kumulika upya kwa ukali zaidi Baraza la Mitihani la Taifa (NECTA) na kuhakikisha tatizo hilo linakwisha. 

Akijibu maswali ya papo kwa hapo bungeni jana, Waziri Mkuu, Bw. Mizengo Pinda, alisema ni aibu kwa Taifa kuzungumza kuvuja kwa mitihani mara kwa mara na kwamba analazimika kulizungumzia suala hilo kwa kuwa ni tatizo lililopo, lakini ni wakati muafaka wa kulikomesha. 

Katika swali lake kwa Waziri Mkuu, Mbunge wa Viti Maalumu, Bibi Magdalena Sakaya (CUF), aliitaka Serikali kutoa tamko kutokana na tatizo hilo, ambalo lililikumba Taifa hivi karibuni na kusababisha wanafunzi wa kidato cha nne kuahiroisha kufanya mtihani wa Hisabati. 

Pia Mbunge huyo aliitaka Serikali kutoa tamko akiihituhumu NECTA kwamba ndiye mhusika mkuu wa kuchapisha na kuuza vyeti bandia mitaani, jambo linalochangia kushusha kiwango cha elimu nchini. 

"Kwanza ni aibu sana kwa Taifa mitihani inavuja ni aibu kwa wazazi kununua mtihani mtaani, rai yangu kwa wazazi na Watanzania wote, tukatae tatizo hili, tumekubaliana na Waziri wa Elimu chombo chetu hiki NECTA lazima kiangaliwe kwa ukali zaidi,” alisema Bw. Pinda. 

Alisema licha ya mtihani wa Hisabati ulioandaliwa kwa ajili ya kidato cha nne mwaka huu kuvuja, lakini mitihani mingine haikuvuja na badala yake baaadhi ya watu waliibuka na kuuza makaratasi mitaani na kuvutia hisia za watu kwamba ndiyo mitihani halisi. 

CHANZO: Majira

KUKASIRISHWA PEKEE NA KUINGALIA NECTA KWA UKALI ZAIDI PASIPO KUWAWAJIBISHA WAHUSIKA ITASAIDIAJE KUTATUA TATIZO HILI?

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THE NIGHT NEWS IN A NIGHTDRESS

For more,CLICK HERE.

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CRAIG: "WE'RE READY FOR A BLACK BOND"

The Quantum of Solace star, who received his fair share of criticism when he was named the first 'blonde Bond', believes the role of the secret agent could be played by actors of any race. Skip related content

And Craig insists Obama's win indicates that audiences are ready for different ethnicities to be represented in the public eye.

He says, "After Barack Obama's victory I think we might have reached the moment for a coloured 007.

"I think the role could easily be played by a black actor, because the character created by Ian Fleming in the '50s has undergone a great deal of evolution and continues to be updated.

"I've always been a fan of Obama. The political ideas that have emerged from his speeches seem to me to be genuine."

SOURCE: Yahoo! News

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