Vituko vya Uchaguzi: Mbunge aamkia watoto

MBUNGE wa Sikonge, Said Nkumba (CCM) juzi jioni alimuacha hoi Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda, pale alipowapa salamu ya shikamoo watoto ili pamoja na wazazi wao wamchague tena kuendelea kuwa mbunge wa jimbo hilo katika uchaguzi mkuu ujao.

Tukio hilo lilitokea wakati Waziri Mkuu alipokuwa akiwahutubia wananchi wa Sikonge katika mfululizo wa ziara yake ya kuutembelea Mkoa wa Tabora.Kabla ya Waziri Mkuu kuanza kutoa hotuba yake, Nkumba alipewa nafasi ya kuwasalimia wapiga kura wake, ndipo alipoitumia nafasi hiyo kutangaza nia ya kugombea tena ubunge katika uchaguzi mkuu utakaofanyika baadaye mwaka huu.
“Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu, wakati ulipokuwa ukiahirisha kikao cha Bunge kilichopita ulisema sasa ni wakati muafaka kwetu kurudi kwa wapiga kura wetu ili kuwapa shikamoo.

“Leo ni siku ya bahati kwani watu wengi wamejitokeza katika mkutano wako huu na mimi naomba kuitumia nafasi hii kutoa shikamoo. “Kwa heshima na taadhima shikamoooni watoto wote mliopo hapa kuanzia mnaonyonya, watoto wa halaiki, watoto mliopo shuleni na shikamooni vijana na wazee wote mliopo hapa,” alisema Nkumba.

“Napenda sasa kutumia nafasi hii kutangaza nia kwamba nitagombea tena ubunge katika Jimbo la Sikonge na naomba wote mniunge mkono,” alisema Nkumba.
Tukio hilo lilimfanya Waziri Mkuu aliyekuwa amekaa jukwaani na viongozi wengine wa kitaifa, mkoa na wilaya, kuvunjika mbavu kwa kicheko.

CHANZO: Habari Leo

Technorati Tags: TANZANIA,KULIKONI,THE ROAD TO 2010,POLITICS IN TANZANIA

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Rangers 1 Celtic 0

Technorati Tags: CELTIC,RANGERS,GLASGOW,SCOTTISH FOOTBALL,MAURICE EDU,SPL,HENRIK LARRSON

Rangers have extended their Scottish Premier League (SPL) lead to 10 points after beating their Glasgow arch-rivals Celtic, thanks to a Maurice Edu’s goal seconds from the end of the Old Firm derby.

Well,I still like football though it’s not as much as I used to be back in the days.Although I have never been to a football stadium for ages,but I could describe myself as a Celtic fan if you were to ask me which team I support in Scotland.That has got nothing to do with me being a Catholic but rather it’s largely due to Henrik Larsson,a former Celtic star who was at his peak when I first arrived in Scotland nearly a decade ago.

So am I hurt by today’s results?Not at all.Actually,I’m somehow happy that a scorer of the Rangers’ goal is a Black person.Nothing to do with race but what would you expect in a nation where football colours could inflame a fight.Yes,Edu is an African-American who emerged victorious today after scoring the goal that could as well help Rangers retain their SPL title.

I have always wished I could attend an Old Firm derby but a few people I know in Glasgow have always warned me about potential of violence when the two big guns in Scottish football meet.

Just like like back home where victory for Simba against Yanga,or vice versa,is more important than qualifying for regional competitions,so is to Celtic and Rangers.The two teams’ records in European competitions have generally been dismal.I’m of the opinion that local football success should also translate into performing well in international tournaments.Both Celtic and Rangers are said to be in to difficult financial position,and qualifying for the Champions League would really make a huge difference.But for Rangers fans today,all that matters is their victory against their arch enemies.

Well,although I wish Celtic could have emerge victorious today,I’m a bit consoled by the fact a Black person-Edu-is entered in the Scottish footbal history books.

Big up,Edu!

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Baada ya Rostam,Pinda sasa amsifia Sitta

na Mwandishi Wetu, Urambo

WAZIRI Mkuu Mizengo Pinda, amemmwagia sifa kemkem Spika wa Bunge, Samuel Sitta akisema amejenga Bunge lenye sifa na umakini.

Pinda ambaye majuzi alimmwagia sifa Mbunge wa Igunga, Rostam Azziz (CCM) akiwataka wananchi wake wampime kwa kazi yake ni si kwa maneno ya bungeni, alisema Sitta amekuwa anaongoza Bunge kwa nia nzuri, na kwamba wanaolalamikia kazi yake ni wapotoshaji.

Alikuwa akihutubia wananchi katika Uwanja wa Jamhuri mjini hapa juzi, akasema Sitta ambaye ni Mbunge wa Urambo, amelifanya Bunge lisifiwe hata nje ya nchi.

Katika kusisitiza hili, Pinda alisema: “Hata watu wa nje wanalisifu Bunge letu…wanasema naam, hili ndilo Bunge…Bunge likicharuka kuhusu ufisadi wanasema hata si bure, nani asiyejua ufisadi? Ufisadi si rushwa? Bunge linachofanya ni watu wawe waadilifu.”

Aliwataka Watanzania waungane katika vita dhidi ya rushwa, kwani imesemwa tangu zamani kwamba rushwa ni adui wa haki.

Kwa takribani miaka miwili, Sitta amekuwa na uhusiano mbaya na baadhi ya vigogo wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), wengi wakiwa wabunge wenzake, kuhusu anavyoliendesha Bunge.

Miongoni mwa walioathirika kwa “kazi nzuri ya Sitta” ni Rostam ambaye pamoja na rafiki yake Edward Lowassa (Monduli – CCM) walihusishwa kinamna na kashfa ya Richmond, ambayo ilisababisha Lowassa kujiuzulu wadhifa wake wa Waziri Mkuu.

Kutokana na msimamo wa Sitta na athari za Kamati ya Mwakyembe, CCM iligawanyika makundi mawili, moja upande wa Sitta jingine likiwa upande wa Lowassa na Rostam.

Uhasama wa makundi hayo uliongezeka na kujikita katika vikao vingine vikuu vya maamuzi vya CCM, kiasi kwamba mwaka jana, wajumbe wa Halmashauri Kuu ya CCM (NEC) walimbana Sitta katika moja ya vikao vyao, wakapendekeza avuliwe uanachama na afukuzwe ubunge, kwa maelezo kuwa anatumia vibaya nafasi yake kwa kuiaibisha CCM.

Sitta aliponea chupuchupu baada ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuunda Kamati ya Mwinyi, ambayo kwa muda sasa imekuwa ikihaha kuwapatanisha mahasimu hao; na sasa imefanikiwa kupunguza uhasama wa wazi miongoni mwao.

Katika kikao cha 18 cha Bunge kilichomalizika siku chache zilizopita, Sitta aliwashangaza wananchi alipofunga mjadala wa Richmond, huku akitarajiwa atumie fursa hiyo kuibana serikali itekeleze maagizo 23 ya Bunge kuhusu watu waliojihusisha na kashfa hiyo.

Sitta pamoja na wabunge waliokuwa wamejipambanua kuwa ni wapiganaji vita dhidi ya ufisadi wamelazimika kunywea, licha ya kutambua kuwa maazimio muhimu yaliyomtaka Rais Kikwete kuwajibisha waliokumbwa na kashfa hiyo hayakutekelezwa.

Katika kikao cha NEC kilichoisha hivi karibuni, Sitta aligoma kusuluhishwa na Lowassa na kundi lake, akidai kwamba hana ugomvi binafsi, bali anapambana na ufisadi. Kamati ya Mwinyi imeongezewa muda ili iwapatanishe mahasimu hao.

Mara baada ya kikao cha NEC, Pinda alianza ziara ya wiki sita mkoani Tabora; na alipofika Igunga, alitoa kauli ya kumtetea na kumsafisha Rostam kwa kauli ambayo baadhi ya wachambuzi walidai inalidhalilisha Bunge, kwani ilionekana kana kwamba “maneno ya bungeni” si maneno ya maana kwa wananchi kuyatumia kumpima mbunge wao.

Aliwataka wananchi wa Igunga wampime Rostam kwa kazi zake jimboni, si kwa “maneno ya bungeni;” Bunge lile lile linaloongozwa na Sitta.

Jana Waziri Mkuu alitembelea Wilaya ya Sikonge. Ziara yake mkoani Tabora inatarajiwa kuhitimishwa leo.

CHANZO: Tanzania Daima

Technorati Tags: SAUMUEL SITTA,MIZENGO PINDA,UFISADI,KULIKONI

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Utashi Unahitajika Ili Tuushinde Ufisadi

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Taasisi ya Kuzuia Rushwa TAKUKURU Dr. Edward Hosea akimkaribisha Rais Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete kufungua mkutano mkuu wa Mwaka wa taasisi hiyo.Picha kwa hisani ya MJENGWA

Hivi karibuni,uongozi wa kampuni ya magari ya Toyota ya Japan ulifanya jambo moja la kiungwana kwa kuwaomba radhi wateja wake kutokana na hitilafu za kiufundi katika modeli moja ya magari yake.Japo sakata hilo bado ni bichi hasa kwa vile inaelekea hitilafu hiyo bado haijapatiwa ufumbuzi,na tayari kuna habari za kushuka kwa hisa za kampuni hiyo katika masoko mbalimbali ya mitaji duniani,ni dhahiri hatua ya kuomba radhi imeonyesha kwamba kwa namna flani kampuni hiyo inatambua wajibu wake na inawajali wateja wake.

Majuzi,Rais Jakaya Kikwete alimwaga sifa kwa Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa (TAKUKURU) huku akijigamba kwamba serikali ya awamu ya nne imekuwa mstari wa mbele katika mapambano dhidi ya rushwa.Binafsi sidhani kama kauli hiyo ya JK inaendana na hali halisi ya utendaji na ufanisi wa TAKUKURU.

Kimsingi,tatizo haliko kwenye taasisi hiyo pekee bali kwenye medani nzima ya utawala bora.Angalia,kwa mfano,kauli za Waziri mwenye dhamana ya Utawala Bora,Mheshimiwa Sophia Simba,wakati wa sakata lililowahusisha wafanyabiashara wawili mashuhuri Bwana Reginald Mengi na Bwana Rostam Aziz.Badala ya kuhamasisha wananchi wanaojitokeza kuwaumbua hadharani mafisadi,Waziri Simba aliamua kuelemea upande mmoja ambapo bila aibu alimkemea Bwana Mengi huku akimlinda Bwana Rostam.

TAKUKURU hiyohiyo inayopongezwa na JK haijafanikiwa kujisafisha na tuhuma za namna ilivyouhadaa umma kuhusu suala la utapeli wa kampuni ya Richmond.Kamati ya Bunge iliyoundwa kuchunguza sakata hilo ilipendekeza Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TAKUKURU Dr Edward Hosea,uamuzi ambao uko mikononi wa aliyemteua Hosea,yaani JK mwenyewe.Kwa hali ilivyo,na ukitilia maanani pongezi alozotoa JK kuhusu ufanisi katika mapambano dhidi ya ufisadi,ni dhahiri kuwa Rais hana mpango wa kumwajibisha Dr Hosea.

Nimesema tatizo liko kwenye utawala bora kwa vile hata chama tulichokipa dhamana ya kutuongoza-CCM-kimeendelea kufanya dhihaka linapokuja suala la utawala bora.Hivi inaingia akilini kweli kusikia kuwa Mbunge wa Bariadi,Bwana Andrea Chenge,bado ni mwenyekiti wa kamati ya maadili ya chama hicho tawala licha ya kuhusishwa kwake na tuhuma za ufisadi wa ununuzi wa rada!?Tusisahau kuwa pamoja na mageuzi ya kisiasa ya miaka ya tisini,bado chama tawala kimeendelea kuwa na nguvu pengine zaidi ya serikali,hoja kubwa ikiwa serikali hiyo imeundwa kutokana na ushindi wa chama husika.Kinachopuuzwa ni ukweli kuwa chama hicho hakikuomba ridhaa ya wanachama wake pekee bali Watanzania kwa ujumla.

Ni dhahiri kwamba kunakosekana utashi na udhati wa kupambana na ufisadi.Na kikwazo kikubwa kimeendelea kuwa kuweka mbele maslahi binafsi na ya chama badala ya maslahi ya umma/taifa.Pengine,na kwa hakika,badala ya kutetea mapungufu,ni muhimu kwa CCM na serikali yake kuiga mfano wa kampuni ya Toyota.Imetuangusha sana sio tu kwa kulegea katika mapambano dhidi ya ufisadi bali pia kwa ushiriki wake kwa kuwalinda watuhumiwa wa ufisadi.Laiti chama hicho kingekuwa na dhamira na utashi wa kukabiliana na ufisadi basi ni dhahiri Kamati ya Mwinyi inayoshughulikia mpasuko ndani ya chama hicho (wengine wanadai hakuna mpasuko) ingekuwa na kazi nyepesi tu ya kupendekeza wahusika wafikishwe kwenye vyombo vya sheria ili wasafishwe au waadhibiwe huko.Ikumbukwe kuwa tuhuma zinazowakabili watuhumiwa hao hazijaiathiri CCM pekee bali Watanzania wote kwa ujumla.

Nimalizie kwa kukumbushia usemi wa Kiingereza kwamba To err is human but to rectify is greatness,yaani (kwa tafsiri isiyo rasmi) kukosea ni ubinadamu lakini kujirekebisha ni uungwana.

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SPIKA SITTA,ACHA KUROPOKA

Angalia "mchemsho" huu  wa Spika wa Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano Samuel SITTA.Anarusha tuhuma nzito dhidi ya wanaharakati wanaokusudia kuandamana kupinga "mahitimisho ya mjadala wa Richmond bungeni" ilhali katika habari husika ameshindwa kuthibitisha tuhuma hizo.Kibaya zaidi,yeye mwenyewe aliporushiwa tuhuma kama hizo aligeuka mbongo.Hebu soma kwanza habari husika (hasa maneno ya rangi nyekundu)

Salim Said

SPIKA wa Bunge Samuel Sitta amewashukia wana-mtandao wa asasi za kiraia zinazotetea usawa wa jinsia, haki za binadamu na maendeleo ya ukombozi wa Wanawake, akisema wanatia mashaka na kwamba wanaendeshwa na utashi binafsi wa wajanja wachache, huku wenyewe wakisema maandamano yapo palepale.

Wanaharakati hao, walitangaza maandamano makubwa ya amani yatakayoendeshwa nchi nzima kupinga kuvungwavungwa kwa hoja za mikataba ya Richmond, TICTS, TRL, taarifa ya uchafuzi wa mazingira kwa kemikali za sumu katika mgodi wa North Mara na ukiukwaji wa haki za binadamu, Loliondo.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi jana Spika Samuel Sitta alipingana vikali na madai ya wanaharakati hao, kuhusu Bunge na kueleza kwamba mtu yeyote akitaka kupima uwezo na uzuri wa bunge katika maamuzi na kusimamia serikali aangalie rekodi ya kazi za bunge kuanzi mwaka 2005 hadi sasa.

'Mimi sikubaliani na wanaharakati hawa hata kidogo. Maandamano ni haki yao na waandamane, lakini hawawezi kupima kazi za bunge kwa kuangalia kipindi cha mitafaruku ," alisema Spika Sitta.

Spika Sitta alisema kuimarisha Bunge si kazi ya lele mama, bali ni mapambano yanayohitaji ujasiri wa hali ya juu.

"Mimi naamini kwamba bunge letu limeimarika katika kuisimamia serikali ukilinganisha na lilikotoka, wanaharakati wanapaswa kujua pia kuimarisha bunge ni mapambano," alisema Spika.

Kuhusu suala la bunge la mfumo shirikishi wa demokrasia, Spika Sitta alisema hilo ni kinyume na katiba, lakini aliwataka wanaharakati hao wajaribu kujenga hoja.

"Mimi naona mfumo wa demokrasia ya uwakilishi bungeni ni mzuri tu, kwa sababu unapatikana kupitia uchaguzi ambayo ni ridhaa ya wananchi, lakini mfumo shirikishi utapatikana wapi.

"Huwezi kushirikisha mashirika au taasisi hizo katika bunge, kwanza zinamwakilisha nani, kwanza haziwawakilishi wanawake ni utashi tu wa baadhi ya wajanja," alihoji Spika Sitta.

Alisema mitandao hiyo inatia mashaka kwa wahisani kwani baadhi ya taasisi zinakula fedha bila ya kupeleka mrejesho kwa wahusika.

"Mambo yote ya bunge yanajadiliwa hadharani na kila mtanzania anayetaka anasikia, lakini je mambo ya hawa wanaharakati na mitandao yao yanajadiliwa na nani," alihoji Spika Sitta.

Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Mtandao wa Concern for Development Initiatives in Africa (ForDIA), Bubelwa Kaiza alisema ujumbe wao mkubwa katika maandamano hayo, ni kwamba hoja hizo zimevungwavungwa na bunge halitambui nguvu na mamlaka liliyopewa kikatiba, badala yake linafanya kazi kwa maslahi ya vyama vya siaasa na sio wananchi.

"Wapo wanaotaka tusiandamane, lakini huo ni woga wao tu, maandamano yapo palepale nchi nzima, tuna sababu za msingi za kuandamana kwani bunge halikuwajibika katika kushughulikia hoja mbalimbali katika kikao cha 18, badala yake limezivungavunga hoja hizo kwa maslahi ya vyama vyao vya siasa.

"Sisi pamoja na wananchi hatukuridhika kuhusu hoja zile zilivyohitimishwa, hakuna pia aliyewajibishwa, kwa hiyo tunaitaka serikali iachane na mfumo wa demokrasia wakilishi na ianzishe mfumo wa demokrasia shirikishi wa bunge ili wabunge waweze kuwajibika moja kwa moja kwa wananchi," alisema Kaiza.

CHANZO: Mwananchi

Tatizo kubwa linalomkabili Spika wetu Samuel Sitta ni uropokaji,yaani kuongea bila ktafakari athari zinazoweza kusababishwa na matamshi yake.Kama kiongozi mkuu wa chombo chenye dhima ya kutunga sheria za nchi,Sitta alipaswa kutambua kuwa baadhi ya kauli na tuhuma alizotoa dhidi ya wanaharakati ni za kihuni.Na bahati yake ni kwamba wanaharakati hao hawana muda wa kumburuza mahakamani kuthibitisha kashfa alizotoa dhidi yao.

Hivi Spika Sitta anaweza kuuthibitishia umma kuwa mitandao inatia mashaka kwa vile baadhi ya taasisi zinakula pesa bila kurejesha fedha kwa wahusika?Ameyajuaje hayo?Hivi hao wanaotoa fedha zao (wanaofadhili mashirika hayo) wamekuwa wajinga kiasi gani cha kutohitaji taarifa za matumizi ya fedha wanazotoa?

Sitta ni mropokaji kwa vile yeye alipotuhumiwa kukumbatia ufisadi katika ofisi ya Bunge aliwaka kama nini akidai ni njama za mafisadi dhidi yake.Iweje leo akurupuke kuwatuhumu wanamtandao kwa vile tu wameonyesha nia ya kuandamana kupingana na ubabaishaji wa Bunge linaloongozwa na Sitta?

Sitta asijione Mungu-mtu.Kila Mtanzania ana haki kama yeye Sitta kutoa mawazo yake hadharani alimradi havunji sheria za nchi.Kama Sitta anaona Bunge analoongoza limefanya vizuri katika utendaji kazi wake,si lazima kwa kila Mtanzania kuona hivyo au kukubaliana na mtizamo wa aina hiyo.Na ni vigezo vipi anavyoweza kutuonyesha Mheshimiwa Sitta kuwa Bunge lake limewajibika ipasavyo?Huko kutuzuga kwa zaidi ya miaka miwili kuwa yeye na wenzake ni wapambanaji dhidi ya mafisadi kisha kusalimu amri kama kondoo walionyeshewa mvua?

Na hata kama Bunge analoongoza Sitta linawajibika akama anavyotaka tuamini,si ndio kazi yake?Na si kazi ya kawaida kwani kwa mshahara wa mamilioni na kiinua mgongo cha mamilioni mengine kwanini waheshimiwa hawa wasiwajibikie kwa kiwango cha juu?

Sitta anakasirika kwa vile alitangaza kuwa "mjadala umefungwa",na kwa jinsi anavyojihisi ni Mungu-mtu anaona kitendo cha wanaharakati "kuendeleza mjadala" ni kama "wanavunja amri ya Mungu".Katika habari husika hapo juu,Sitta anathibitisha ubinafsi wake kwa kurudiarudia kutumia neno "MIMI".Anaweza kuwa sahihi katika mtazamo wake binafsi,lakini jamii hailazimiki kuafikiana nae wala kushurutishwa kutenda atakayo yeye.

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Pinda Ambeba Rostam

WAZIRI Mkuu Mizengo Pinda amewashauri wananchi wa Jimbo la Igunga mkoani Tabora wasimkatae Mbunge wao Rostam Aziz wakati wa uchaguzi mkuu ujao kwa kusikia maneno yanayosemwa bungeni, badala yake wazingatie kile alichowafanyia.

Wakati Pinda anampigia debe Mbunge huyo jana kwenye mkutano wa hadhara katika uwanja wa Kumbukumbu ya Sokoine, baadhi ya wananchi wa jimbo hilo walimwomba Waziri Mkuu amshinikize Mbunge wao abaki jimboni humo, kwa madai kuwa haonekani.

Wananchi hao walitoa ombi hilo ili waweze kupata fursa ya kumweleza kero zao na awaeleze yanayosemwa bungeni kuhusu yeye (Rostam)...ENDELEA

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Aids: is the end in sight?

Testing everyone at risk of HIV and treating them with anti-retroviral drugs could eradicate the global epidemic within 40 years, according to the scientist at the centre of a radical new approach to fighting Aids.

An aggressive programme of prescribing anti-retroviral treatment (ART) to every person infected with HIV could stop all new infections in five years and eventually wipe out the epidemic, said Brian Williams of the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis.

Dr Williams is part of a growing body of experts who believe that anti-HIV drugs are probably the best hope of preventing and even eliminating the spread of Aids, rather than waiting for the development of an effective vaccine or relying solely on people changing their sexual lifestyle...READ MORE

SOURCE: The Independent

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THE POWERFUL, SHADOWY MOSSAD CHIEF MEIR DAGAN

The brazen assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh has thrown the spotlight on one of Israel’s most powerful but shadowy figures, Meir Dagan, the current Mossad chief, who yesterday faced calls for his resignation.

There is a piece of folklore often repeated about him: when he was appointed in 2002, Ariel Sharon, then the Prime Minister, ordered him to run the Israeli spy agency “with a knife between its teeth”. Eight years on, Mr Dagan appears to have followed his orders to the letter. The killing in Dubai of one of the top men in Hamas is only the most recent in a string of assassinations that have been traced to Mr Dagan.

His popular support in Israel has never been higher, as most Israelis approach the allegations that Mossad is behind the Dubai death with a wink and a smile. While senior officials in the Israeli Foreign Ministry fume over the diplomatic mess, caused by the implications of the Dubai assassinations, those who know Mr Dagan say that he is nonplussed by the row. “He is a determined street fighter,” said Amir Oren, a military correspondent for the Israeli daily Haaretz.

The thickset, soft-spoken Mr Dagan was twice wounded in more than 30 years of service in the Israel Defence Forces, but he avoids walking with a cane. He has served as head of Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau, and became a close confident of Mr Sharon during their years together in the IDF.

Mr Dagan’s predecessor, British-born Ephraim Halevy, was known for a more conservative approach to the Mossad, Mr Oren said. Mr Halevy focused instead on strengthening Mossad’s relationship with similar agencies in other countries.

“When Dagan took over he said the Mossad had become too risk-averse, and took its sweet time organising itself for operations,” said Mr Oren. “Dagan, meanwhile, is not trying to come across as diplomatically elegant.”

Maintaining good relations with other nations was dropped to the bottom of the list, said “B” a former Mossad agent who worked under Mr Dagan. “Mossad is facing a lot of anger right now over the use of British and European passports. I don’t know if Mossad was actually involved or how they got those passports though I can say that Dagan isn’t the kind of man to care about angering a few people to get the job done.”

“B” said that Mr Dagan had a no-nonsense approach and did not like to be questioned or second-guessed. “He is what you would call a one-man show,” he said.

Talk of Dagan’s unwillingness to share power with others surfaced early in his tenure, when the Jerusalem Post reported that more than 200 Mossad agents had quit their posts over Mr Dagan’s style. In June 2009, when his term as Mossad chief was extended by one year by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, one of his seconds in command promptly quit.

While some Israelis, including Mr Oren, have argued that Mr Dagan should resign his position over the loud public furore surrounding the Dubai assassinations - though Israel has not admitted its involvement in this, or any other mission - most are pleased with Mr Dagan’s tenure.

“Mossad have renewed the aura that the name Mossad used to generate in the region,” Alon Ben David , an Israeli intelligence analyst, told Israeli radio, a statement that was promptly echoed by the presenter.

Mr Dagan’s popularity was first strengthened by the Mossad’s rumoured involvement in the assassination of Hezbollah security chief Imad Mughniyah in February 2008. Talk of other killings of senior Hezbollah and Hamas officials began to spread. An alleged strike by Israeli planes on Syrian targets in September 2007 was also credited to him, part of his focus on nuclear weapons programmes in the Middle East.

SOURCE: The Times

Mr Netanyahu’s insistence that Mr Dagan stay on for an additional year was said to stem from his unparalleled knowledge of Iran’s nuclear facilities. While Israel’s military leaders traditionally serve for four years, with a one-year extension, Mr Dagan’s tenure has been extended twice. His budgetary allowance is also one of the largest, said a member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee - leading to a near doubling of the Mossad’s Tel Aviv offices since 2002.

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KENYANS MARCH AGAINST CORRUPTION.WHAT ABOUT US?

Anti-corruption activists demonstrate outside President Mwai Kibaki's office in Nairobi

By Francois Ausseill (AFP)

NAIROBI — Kenyans on Wednesday marched to vent their anger at a coalition government slowly falling apart over graft allegations and its inability to further key reforms pledged two years ago.

Thousands of people displaced by the violence that broke out following the disputed December 2007 elections began marching from the Rift Valley to Nairobi on Tuesday but their 200-kilometre (120 miles) procession was aborted.

Anti-corruption activists also demonstrated outside President Mwai Kibaki's office in Nairobi."We want political accountability," shouted scores of demonstrators gathered in front of the president's office, standing next to a sign describing the institution as a "corruption-free zone".

"We welcome the recent suspension of senior civil servants and two ministers," Okiya Omtatah, who led the protesters, read out in a petition. He said the demonstrators backed neither side in the country's coalition government.

"We now call upon your excellency to use state machinery to ensure the two suspended ministers do not continue to occupy their ministerial offices," he said, referring to Prime Minister Raila Odinga's decision to sack them at the weekend, subsequently overruled by President Mwai Kibaki.

In the Rift Valley, displaced people had launched their march on Tuesday, saying they feared the death of the coalition government could spell further misery for hundreds of families still in limbo two years after the violence.

"We have a message for the president. We want him to listen to our grievances because we fear this coalition may collapse before we are resettled as promised," Peter Kariuki, who led the march, told AFP.

Armed police on Wednesday blocked the protestors on the highway however and government lorries eventually drove them back to their tents after local officials promised to relay their concerns to the government.

Up to 15,000 of the 250,000 people displaced by post-election violence still remain in camps since the 2008 unrest, which killed some 1,500 people.Kenya's unwieldy unity government has been repeatedly criticised at home and abroad for failing to tackle the root causes of the post-poll violence, bring the perpetrators to justice and eradicate corruption and impunity.

Simmering tensions between the premier and the president boiled over at the weekend when Odinga sacked the education and agriculture ministers accused of graft before Kibaki vetoed the move.

Kibaki argued Odinga did not consult him and had no authority to fire ministers, prompting the premier's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to threaten a boycott of cabinet meetings.

"ODM may not feel comfortable attending any cabinet meetings until that matter is resolved," Lands Minister James Orengo told reporters late Tuesday.

A cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday was subsequently cancelled.

Odinga's critics charged he was seeking to undermine Agriculture Minister William Ruto, who is likely to be one of Odinga's main rivals in presidential elections scheduled for 2012.

Odinga's supporters accused Kibaki and his entourage of protecting scandal-ridden officials -- including Attorney General Amos Wako -- providing further evidence that the regime was corrupt.

Odinga's adviser Miguna Miguna lashed out at Wako for censuring Odinga's move in what he said was a deliberate misinterpretation of the constitution.

"Mr Wako?s latest statement is the most embarrassing and scandalous utterance ever made by an attorney general in the Commonwealth," Miguna said.Wako has been repeatedly singled out by top UN and US officials as one of the main obstacles to reform in the country.

When the dispute over the 2007 polls flared, an international mediation led by former UN chief Kofi Annan rushed to Kenya and eventually brokered a power-sharing deal whereby Odinga became premier and Kibaki kept his job.But distrust and gamesmanship has characterised the unity government since, causing political stalwarts to splinter one after the other ahead of the 2012 polls and public opinion to become increasingly disenchanted.

On Monday, Vice Prime Minster Musalia Mudavadi called for Annan to return to Kenya to salvage the coalition government.

SOURCE: AFP

This should serve as a lesson to Tanzanians as well.One would have expected a similar protest when CCM MPs recently concluded the 2-year plus investigation over the Richmond scandal in such a disgusting way.By keeping mum it's as if our country has legalised the on-going plunder of our economy.Without expressing our anger by protests and such actions,the mafisadis (economic saboteurs) are made to believe that they could go on stealing our natural resources and taxpayers' money and get away without facing any consequence.Apart from impoverishing our country,giving mafisadis a free pass pose a danger of encouraging some innocent law-abiding citizens into such criminal activities.

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THE LONG ARM OF THE MOSSAD

Israel's Mossad secret service, more formally known as the Institute for Espionage and Special Tasks, has a long history of carrying out clandestine operations, including several spectacular assassinations. Much remains secret but cases that are documented have involved large teams of agents using false or stolen passports to disguise their Israeli origins.

The Mossad's assassination unit has been known at different times as Caesarea and Kidon (Bayonet). Women agents have often been involved – there was reportedly one in the Dubai killing.

Israel's official silence does not mean that it cannot be heard trumpeting its success. "The intelligence [about Dubai] was reliable and accurate," ­commented the respected national security specialist Yossi Melman in the newspaper Haaretz earlier this month. "Even though Mabhouh knew Israeli intelligence had him in its sights and took stringent precautions they still managed to get him."

Information released by Dubai shows the professionalism of the suspected assassins and their methods, Melman commented today, citing a novel written by a former Mossad officer, Mishka Ben-David, the plot of which bears a close similarity to the abortive poison attack on the Hamas leader Khaled Misha'al in Jordan in 1997. That case caused huge political embarrassment when two agents using false Canadian passports fled to the Israeli embassy in Amman.

Israel's isolation in the Middle East meant an early reliance on secret operations. The Mossad's victims over the years – some avowed, others not – have included German scientists working on Egypt's rocket programme in the 1960s, Iraqis working on nuclear projects in the 1980s, and, it is assumed, Iranians who are thought to be doing the same today. Mossad agents also carried out the kidnapping of Adolf Eichmann, the fugitive SS officer and architect of Hitler's "final solution," in Argentina in 1960. Eichmann was abducted and smuggled back to Israel, where he was tried and hanged.

Other key killings include that of the PLO military chief Abu Jihad in Tunisia in 1988 and an Islamic Jihad leader in Malta in the mid-1990s. The Mossad was also held responsible for the assassination of the military chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah, Imad Mughniyeh, in Syria two years ago, but Israel has never formally avowed it. Most Mossad operations, like those of most intelligence agencies, have taken place in the shadows only to emerge in a blaze of publicity and political embarassment after the event.

So it was when Golda Meir ordered the agency to hunt down and kill the Palestinians who massacred 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972 in the name of the Black September group. Eleven Palestinians were eliminated in a Mossad operation known as Wrath of God in killings in Rome, Cyprus, Paris, Beirut, Athens, Rome and a small town in Norway where an innocent Moroccan waiter was mistaken for Ali Hassan Salameh, the alleged planner of Munich. Salameh was killed by a car bomb in Beirut in 1979.

Motives of revenge and deterrence appear to go hand in hand. "We tried not to do things just by shooting a guy in the streets, that's easy – fairly," said Dave Kimche, a former deputy head of the agency, talking of one assassination carried out by a bomb planted in a telephone. "By putting a bomb in his phone, this was a message that they can be got anywhere, at any time and therefore they have to look out for themselves 24 hours a day."

Mabhouh was apparently targeted because of his role in the kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers in 1989 at the end of the first Palestinian intifada. But some question the sense, if not the morality, of such assassinations. "Every terrorist, no matter how senior, is soon replaced, sometimes by someone even better or more professional," Melman wrote in Haaretz.

SOURCE: The Guardian

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