Asanteni sana Kigoma Kaskazini-Zitto Kabwe

Asanteni sana Kigoma Kaskazini

HOTUBA YA MH ZITTO KABWE (MBUNGE KIGOMA KASKAZINI) ILIYOTOLEWA LEO TAREHE 15 MACHI 2015

Zitto Kabwe .

Mwanamapinduzi na Rais wa zamani wa Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara alisema kuwa ili kuleta mabadiliko ya kimapinduzi ni lazima kuwa na hali fulani ya uendawazimu. Ila tusiufikirie uendawazimu huu wa kuokota makopo bali ule ukichaa mzuri wa kuamini katika mambo au misingi fulani na kuisimamia kwa dhati pamoja na changamoto nyingi.

Kwa kuamini kwa dhati katika mabadiliko haya na kutaka kuboresha maisha ya wanakigoma, mwaka 2005 nilikuja kwenu kuwaomba ridhaa ya kuwatumikia kama mwakilishi wenu Dodoma. Nikiwa na umri wa miaka 29 tu. Labda ulikuwa ni msukumo wa matumaini yangu makubwa yanayoambatana na ujana yaliyowashawishi, kwani mliniamini na kunipa kazi hiyo ya heshima kubwa ya kuwawakilisha.

Mwaka 2010 mliniamini tena, naamini kutokana na utekelezaji wangu mzuri wa kazi na mafanikio tuliyoyaweza kuyapata katika jimbo letu. Hivyo kwa miaka kumi tumekuwa bega kwa bega katika safari hii ya pamoja ya kujenga na kuiendeleza jimbo letu, na leo nimekuja kuwashukuru kwa fursa mliyonipa kwani safari yetu inafikia mwisho. Fursa mliyonipa ni ya kipekee kwani ilikuwa fursa si tu ya kuwatumikia ninyi bali kulitumikia Taifa langu.

Katika miaka kumi hii kuna mambo makubwa tumeyafanya pamoja na kufanikiwa; na kuna mambo ambayo hatukuweza kuyafanya. Kwa yale ambayo hatukuweza kuyafanya naomba radhi. Kwa yale ambayo tumeweza kuyafanya naomba kuwapongeza sana kwa kufanikisha. Kwani kama Mwalimu Nyerere alivyotuambia kuhusu Uhuru na Maendeleo: “Uongozi ni kuongea na kujadili na wananchi, kuwaelewesha na kuwashawishi. Uongozi ni kufanya kazi pamoja na wananchi na kuonyesha kwa vitendo mnachotaka kufikia. Uongozi ni kuwa mmoja wa wananchi na kutambua kuwa mko sawa…. Wananchi hawawezi kuendelezwa bali wanajiendeleza.” Na ndivyo tulivyofanya kwa miaka kumi, na kwa ushirikiano wenu tumeweza kufanikisha miradi mikubwa katika Jimbo letu.

Mwaka 2005 tulikuwa hatuna barabara ya lami hata moja. Leo hii, ninapoongea nanyi tuna barabara za lami zenye zaidi ya kilomita 100 kuunganisha Jimbo letu na majimbo mengine kwa pande zote za nchi kavu. Vilevile tuna mradi mkubwa wa kuunganisha vijiji vya ufukweni mwa Ziwa Tanganyika kwa barabara. Kiujumla kwa mkoa wa Kigoma tumefanikiwa kumaliza daraja la Malagarasi na hivyo kuunganisha mkoa wetu na mkoa wa Tabora kwa lami jambo ambalo lilikuwa kilio chetu cha muda mrefu sana tokea enzi na enzi. Muhimu zaidi ni kuwa barabara hizi zinatumika na wananchi, wafanyabiashara na wakulima ili kuwasiliana, kufanya biashara na kupanua masoko.

Tumefanikiwa kuongeza huduma ya Nishati ya Umeme kwa kuunganisha vijiji zaidi ya 16 hivi sasa. Changamoto kubwa iliyobakia mkoani kwetu ni uzalishaji mdogo wa umeme na wenye gharama kubwa sana. Suluhisho la kudumu ni kufanikisha mradi wa Malagarasi wenye uwezo wa kuzalisha 44MW ambao utakuwa nafuu na kuwezesha pia kusambaza umeme mikoa jirani ya Katavi na Tabora, na hata kuuza nchi jirani ya Burundi. Viongozi wa kisiasa wa mkoa wa Kigoma watakaoingia kwenye uongozi baada ya uchaguzi mkuu mwezi Oktoba mwaka 2015 hawana budi kuweka kipaumbele kikubwa kwa mradi huu. Bila ya umeme wa uhakika na nafuu hatuwezi kupiga hatua ya kuongeza thamani ya mazao yetu kwa kujenga viwanda vya usindikaji na kuongeza ajira ya vijana wetu.

Tumefanikiwa kuanza miradi ya Bandari na Soko kubwa kijiji cha Kagunga. Lengo likiwa ni kukuza biashara ya bidhaa kati yetu na nchi ya Burundi. Kigoma ni mji wa biashara kiasili na biashara ilichukua nafasi kubwa ya uchumi wa mkoa huu kwa miaka mingi sana. Kuimarishwa kwa miundombinu ya Biashara ni sehemu ya miradi ya kimkakati katika kuuweka mkoa kuchukua nafasi yake ya kiuchumi katika nchi yetu. Katika muktadha huo ndio maana tunaendelea na miradi ya Bandari Kibirizi na Bandari ya Nchi Kavu Katosho. Ndio maana tunaendelea na mradi wa Kituo cha Usafirishaji Mwandiga ( Mwandiga International Transportation Terminal ) na eneo maalumu la kiuchumi Ujiji. Haya yote tuliyaanzisha kwa pamoja nanyi ili kuhakikisha kuwa uchumi wetu unazalisha ajira kwa watu.

Tumefanikiwa kuongeza udahili wa wanafunzi wa sekondari kwa kuwa na shule katika kata na baadhi ya kata tumejenga shule kila kijiji. Hata hivyo, tuna changamoto kubwa sana ya ubora wa elimu katika mkoa wetu. Katika jimbo la Kigoma Kaskazini zaidi ya 90% ya watahiniwa wa Kidato cha Nne wanapata madaraja ya mawili ya chini, wakati ule daraja la nne na daraja la sifuri. Tumeanzisha mradi wa majaribio ya kutoa motisha kwa Walimu ili kuona namna bora zaidi ya kuhakikisha elimu inaboreshwa. Shirika la Twaweza linaendesha mradi mkubwa wa motisha kwa walimu na baada ya mwaka huu tutakuwa tumejifunza njia bora za kuongeza ubora wa elimu kwa watoto wetu. Bila Elimu bora miradi yote niliyoeleza hapo awali haina maana yeyote. Serikali imetoa Sera mpya ya Elimu, ni wajibu wetu kuona namna ya kuitekeleza katika ngazi yetu ili kupata mafanikio. Hata hivyo, uongozi wa kisiasa utakaoingia baada ya uchaguzi mkuu mwaka huu hauna budi kujielekeza vya kutosha katika elimu ya ufundi ili kujenga stadi za kazi kwa vijana waweze kujiajiri na kuajiriwa.

Tumefanikiwa kupanua huduma ya Afya kwa kuboresha Zahanati zetu chache zilizokuwepo na kujenga zahanati kadhaa mpya na miradi ya vituo vya afya vya Mahembe na Nyarubanda. Hata hivyo nasisitiza sana umuhimu wa kinga kuliko tiba kwani gharama za afya zimekuwa kubwa sana. Ndiyo maana tulipojadili hili suala, ilionekana kuwa suluhisho linatakiwa lipatikane kwa kufanya kile ambacho hatujawahi kufanya ili kuleta maendeleo ya kweli. Na mniruhusu hapa kunukuu wosia wa Baba wa Taifa Mwalimu Nyerere, alipotuasi kuwa “Maendeleo ni maendeleo ya watu. Barabara, Majengo, kuongezeka kwa uzalishaji wa mazao na masuala mengi kama haya si maendeleo, bali ni vitendea kazi tu vya maendeleo” Ndiyo maana kulikuwa na umuhimu wa kutafuta njia mpya na mbadala kuboresha maisha ya mwananchi, hususan kwa upande wa afya. Uthibitisho wa ubunifu wetu ni kuwa katika kipindi hiki cha miaka 10 tumefanikiwa kuanzisha hifadhi ya jamii kwa wakulima.

Tulianza na Ushirika wa Wakulima wa Kahawa wa RUMAKU ambapo wananchi walijiunga na NSSF na hivyo kupata mikopo ya muda mfupi, huduma za afya bure na kujiwekea akiba kwa ajili ya mafao ya muda mrefu. Mafanikio makubwa yaliyopatikana yamewezesha wazo hili kusambaa nchi nzima na hivi sasa wakulima wa Korosho, Chai, Pamba, Tumbaku wanafuata nyayo za Wakulima wa Ushirika wa RUMAKU. Hapa Kigoma wazo hili sasa linatekelezwa kwa wavuvi wa mwambao mwa Ziwa Tanganyika. Ndoto yetu ni wananchi zaidi ya theluthi moja kwenye nguvu kazi wawe na Hifadhi ya Jamii. Natoa wito kwa wananchi wengine wenye uwezo wa kuchangia hifadhi ya jamii wajiunge na vikundi vya ushirika na kuchangia ili kufaidika na mafao ya muda mrefu kama pensheni lakini pia yale ya muda mfupi kama bima ya afya, mikopo kupitia SACCOS na mengine yatakayoanzishwa kama bima ya mazao.

Tumefanikiwa kujenga heshima ya watu wa Kigoma hapa nchini. Hivi sasa watu wa Kigoma tunatembea kifua mbele bila woga kuliko hapo awali. Kujiamini na kushiriki kikamilifu katika Ujenzi wa Jamhuri ya Muungano ni wajibu wetu kama raia. Changamoto za kujiona raia wa daraja la pili zimeondoka na zinaendelea kutokomezwa. Juhudi zetu ni silaha kubwa katika kuhakikisha tunakuwa sehemu ya Jamhuri yetu katika kila Nyanja za maisha yetu. Nafurahi kupata fursa ya kushiriki nanyi katika kujenga heshima hiyo ya Mkoa wetu. Nitaendelea kushiriki katika kudumisha heshima hiyo.

Nimejifunza mengi sana katika safari hii ya utumishi kwenu. Kama nilivyosema hapo awali, mliamua kufanya kile kisichozoeleka katika siasa ya nchi yetu kwa kunipa jukumu hili nikiwa kijana mdogo. Naamini kuwa ule ukichaa wangu mzuri wa kusimamia misingi ya kuleta maendeleo kwa wananchi wangu na kuhakikisha huduma muhimu zinawafikia nimezipigania. Na katika safari hii nimejenga marafiki wengi sana na pengine hata maadui ingawa hao ni wachache. Lakini haijalishi kwani mi binafsi sina uhasama na binadamu mwenzangu.

Katika utumishi wangu kwenu, bungeni nimejifunza namna nchi yetu inaendeshwa. Katika kujifunza huko kuna mambo kadhaa nimefanya ya kujivunia na mengine ni makosa. Mliniruhusu kufanya makosa na kuyarekebisha makosa hayo kwa hiyo kukomaa zaidi. Shukrani za dhati ziwaendee wazee wangu ambao mliniongoza mpaka hapa tulipofika na kunishauri hata kunionya pale palipohitajika. Kwa ujumla nimejifunza kuwa mzalendo zaidi kwa nchi yangu na kuwatumikia watu wa nchi hii. Ndio maana hamkunisikia tu kutetea watu wa Kigoma pekee, bali watu maeneo mengine ya nchi yetu na makundi mbalimbali ya kijamii kama Wakulima, Wafanyakazi, Wasanii, Wavuvi, Wana michezo na wana habari.

Katika safari hii ya miaka 10 kuna watu nimewafurahisha na kuna watu nimewaudhi. Kwa wale niliowaudhi ninaomba radhi. Kwa wale niliowafurahisha ninaomba wasiache kuniongoza na kunishauri kila wakati. Haikuwa safari rahisi na sikutegemea iwe rahisi. Kiuhalisia ilikuwa safari ngumu yenye mafunzo makubwa kwangu. Ilikuwa ni safari yangu kama kiongozi na pia safari yangu binafsi ya kupevuka kifikra na kupata mafunzo kuhusu maisha. Ukifika ulikokuwa unakwenda katika safari, unaweza kutathmini mengi kuhusu safari hiyo, lakini mwisho wa siku unatakiwa ujue kama safari hii ilikuwa njema ama la. Ninajivunia safari hii na ninasema kwa dhati kabisa ilikuwa ni safari njema.

Ni wakati sasa wa kutoa nafasi kwa nguvu mpya kuongoza Jimbo letu. Kushika kijiti pale ninapoishia. Kurekebisha pale nilipokosea. Kuimarisha pale nilipofikia.

Sitakuwa mbunge wenu baada ya Uchaguzi Mkuu mwezi Oktoba lakini nitaendelea kutetea maslahi ya Mkoa wa Kigoma na Taifa letu kwa njia nyingine.

Sitaacha ule uendawazimu mzuri aliyoizungumzia Thomas Sankara unaoleta maendeleo ya kimapinduzi. Na misingi ni ileile na maadui ni walewale ambao mwasisi wetu Mwalimu Nyerere aliyokuwa anasema tupambane nao, yaani umaskini, ujinga, maradhi na sasa tumeongeza ufisadi. Kizazi chetu kina jukumu la kipekee kuendeleza mapambano haya na nitaendelea kuhakikisha tunafanya mapinduzi na kuwa na Taifa lenye misingi madhubuti ya uwajibikaji ili kuondoa kila aina ya ufisadi na kutumia rasilimali za nchi kuondoa umasikini, ujinga na maradhi.

Asanteni sana Kigoma Kaskazini!

Saving in Poor Countries

Saving in Poor Countries

Beyond Cows: Incentives through social security to boost saving

Zitto Kabwe, MP

The Economist (September 20th, 2014) published an article (http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21618900-coaxing-does-more-boost-saving-compelling-beyond-cows ) with above caption except that I have replaced ‘coaxing does more to boost saving than compelling’ with reference to social security. The article says that only 18% of the adults in Middle East and Africa have an account at a formal financial institution compared to 80% in high income countries. The poor have to save more as that “would help them to pay for big or unexpected expenses, such as school fees or medical treatment. It would also boost investment and thus accelerate economic growth” The Economist argues.

The article explains about difficulties for poor people to save including lack of self discipline. As a result Commitment savings accounts (CSAS) are growing rapidly. Many poor people in countries like Tanzania join Savings and Credit Societies (SACCOS) because they want to access their cash when in need as well as getting small loans for various purposes. However there are challenges to saving by poor people, “people in poverty often need access to their cash at short notice, whether for medical emergency or to take advantage of a business opportunity” as per the study done by Nava Ashraf of Harvard University as quoted in the article. Tanzania has developed a solution to mentioned challenges by encouraging savings by poor people through social security system.

National Social Security Fund (NSSF) the largest pension fund in East Africa has introduced a scheme to cover informal sector with social protection. Wakulima scheme (peasants scheme) enroll small-holder farmers into the fund by contributing Tanzanian shillings 20,000 (US $12) monthly and members benefit from short term and long term benefits. Short term benefits includes health insurance to members and access to small credits through NSSF member’s SACCOS scheme. Long term benefits include pension after consistent contributions for 10 years and attainment of formal retirement age which is 55 in Tanzania.

Coffee peasants from Kigoma, a remote region west of Tanzania, along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, were the pioneer of the scheme in 2013. They joined through their primary cooperative society of 1500 members and paid their membership contributions six months in advance. Since 2013 coffee buying season they got cheap credit from NSSF to buy coffee beans at interest rate of 9% (previously they were paying 18% to commercial banks). The cooperative, RUMAKO paid back this loan (US$ 1million) within a year after selling their crop. Peasants enjoy health insurance and have access to credits to improve their farms and engage in other enterprising activities. This year coffee production doubled because of access to inputs like fertilizers and pestcides as well as the excitement of socially protected living. NSSF decided to rollout the scheme all over the country in 2014, targeting 400,000 small holder farmers in cooperatives.

With schemes like these and innovations taken, poor countries can build savings culture, boost investments especially in agriculture and agro processing, accelerate growth and massively reduce poverty. Innovations like these mitigate the challenges of short term needs. However governments need to do more by, for example, introducing matching, whereby when a poor person (a peasant) saves a certain amount the government match it with a third of the amount, since poor peasants don’t really retire, introduce a price stabilization insurance coverage or drought insurance. These will provide incentives to save.

Siku ya 7 CHADEMA Kanda ya Magharibi- Jimbo la Bukene, wilaya ya Nzega

Timu ya CHADEMA kanda ya Magharibi ikijumuisha Mwenyekiti wa Kanda Ndg. Mambo na Wenyeviti wa Mikoa 3 ya Kigoma, Tabora na Katavi tumetembelea Jimbo la Bukene, wilaya ya Nzega.

Kama ilivyo kwa mikutano iliyopita tumezungumza umuhimu wa Katiba na mchakato wake kutopendelea chama chochote cha siasa kwani tunaandika katiba ya nchi, umuhimu wa mwafaka wa kitaifa na kuwapongeza viongozi wakuu wa vyama kwa kukubali kufanya mazungumzo ili kupata mwafaka. Pia tuliwaambia wananchi wasikubali mbinu chafu za kutaka kuongeza muda wa Bunge mpaka 2017 kwani itakuwa ni kinyume na katiba yenyewe.

Wananchi wa Bukene ni wakulima wa Pamba na sehemu kidogo Tumbaku. Kioja tulichokikuta Bukene ni wananchi kuuziwa dawa za Pamba feki ambazo haziui wadudu! Wananchi wa vijijini wanafanyiwa kila aina ya dhulma na kukandamizwa.

Pia tulielezwa namna watendaji wa vijiji na kata wanavyonyanyasa raia kwa kujifanya wao wakamataji, waendesha mashtaka na mahakimu. Wanatoza faini wananchi kwa kesi za kubambika. Itabidi tutafute namna ya kuhakikisha hatua zinachukuliwa dhidi ya watendaji wa kata na vijiji wanaokiuka misingi ya utawala bora. Wananchi wa vijijini wana haki ya kuishi kama raia wengine wa Tanzania. Tusiwasahau

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Extending Social Security to the excluded: A Personal Tour of Duty

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Mhamiaji Haramu? #WahamiajiHaramu cc @hrw @refugees @amensty

This old man lives in Kigoma with documents from UN as a refugee. The govt denies that it doesn’t deport such people. This is an evidence of a person dumped at DR Congo Embassy in Kigoma. Interestingly during elections CCM gives membership cards to refugees to vote for them as evidenced here.

For how long will Tanzania lives in state of denial?

 

Familia moja kwa wazazi wote 2 haiwezi kuwa na baadhi wahamiaji haramu na baadhi Watanzania. Lakini kutokana na kukamata watu hovyo kunakofanywa na Askari wa Polisi, Uhamiaji na JWTZ huko Kigoma inawezekana.

 

Mzee huyu alikamatwa akitoka porini kuchimba dawa. Amekamatwa na familia yake nzima. Alihukumiwa ni mhamiaji haramu hata kabla ya kuhojiwa. Kosa lake? Mmanyema. Askari wakikumata ukasema wewe ni Mmanyema au Mbembe unaitwa mkongo. Ukisema wewe Muha unaitwa Mrundi. Operesheni ya wahamiaji haramu itaacha mtu Kigoma?

 

Mama huyu kakamatwa kama mhamiaji haramu na kupelekwa Ubalozi mdogo wa DR Congo uliopo Manispaa ya Kigoma. Amezaliwa Tanzania, amesomea Tanzania, Baba yake Mtanzania, Babu yake Mtanzania na Ndugu zake wengine Watanzania na hawakukamatwa. Amekamatwa akitoka kuchota maji ziwani Tanganyika. Malalamiko yake nimeyafikisha kwa Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani.

Vox Pops with #KigomaAllStars musicians after the #LekaDutigite Concert

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vox pops by Pernille Bærendtsen

Photo: #LekaDutigite Kigoma All Stars Concert in #Kigoma

All musicians on stage performing the Leka Dutigite song

Photo by Pernille Bærendtsen

Mchango wangu Bungeni-Hotuba ya Waziri Mkuu: Haki za Uraia, Mafuta/Gesi Asilia na Uwajibikaji

MHE. ZITTO Z. KABWE:

Haki za Uraia, Mafuta/Gesi Asilia na Uwajibikaji

Unyanyasi wa Watu wa Kigoma

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, nakushukuru kwa kunipa fursa ya kuchangia Hotuba hii ya Waziri Mkuu. Jana Mheshimiwa Waziri amekuja kuomba Bunge limuidhinishie jumla ya shilingi trilioni 3.8 kwa ajili ya Ofisi yake na taasisi zote zilizo chini ya Ofisi yake pamoja na takribani shilingi bilioni 113 kwa ajili ya Bunge. Fedha zote hizi takribani shillingi trilioni 3.2 zinakwenda Wizara ya Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa.

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, kabla hatujaweza kumuidhinishia Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu fedha hizi na yeye kama Mkuu wa Shughuli za Serikali, msimamizi wa kazi za Serikali za kila siku na ambaye anaangalia utendaji wa takribani Mawaziri, wote ni vizuri aweze kutoa majibu kwa baadhi ya masuala ambayo mengine ameyaainisha kwenye hotuba yake, lakini mengine hakuyaainisha katika hotuba yake.

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, nitaanza na Kigoma. Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu katika ukurasa wa 51 wa Hotuba yake amezungumzia masuala ya ulinzi na usalama lakini hakugusia kabisa operesheni ambazo zinaendelea hivi sasa katika Mkoa wa Kigoma nadhani na Mkoa wa Kagera kuhusiana na masuala ya wahamiaji haramu. Hivi tunavyozungumza ni kwamba mamia ya watu wa Kigoma wameonyeshwa kwamba siyo raia wa Tanzania. Utaratibu huu umekuwa ukiendelea mwaka hadi mwaka. Napenda Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu akumbuke historia baada ya Vita vya Kwanza vya Dunia kati ya mwaka 1918 na mwaka 1924 Kigoma haikuwa sehemu ya Tanganyika. Kigoma ilikuwa inatawala kama inavyotawaliwa tofauti sasa hivi Burundi kama inavyotawaliwa sasa tofauti Rwanda. Kwa muda mrefu sana Mkoa wa Kigoma umeachwa nyuma katika kila kitu eneo la maendeleo.

Mimi nimeona lami ya kwanza ya highway mwaka 2008. Miaka zaidi ya 40 baada ya uhuru. Leo hii watu wa Kigoma wa maeneo ya Kusini mwa Kigoma wa maeneo ya Kaskazini mwa Kigoma wanasombwa kwenye maboti, wanasomwa kwenye magari wakiambiwa kwamba siyo raia wa Tanzania. Hatuwaoni Wamakonde wakiambiwa kwamba siyo raia wa Tanzania na wanapakana na Msumbiji. Hatuwaoni Wamasai wanaambiwa siyo raia wa Tanzania na wanapakana na Kenya. Hatuwaoni Wachaga wanaambiwa siyo raia wa Tanzania wanapakana na Kenya. Hatuwaoni Wanyakyusa wanaambiwa siyo raia wa Tanzania wanapakana na Zambia na vile vile wanapakana na Malawi.

Kwa nini suala hili liwe ni kwa watu wa Kigoma na watu wa Katavi peke yake? Kwa nini tunatumia fedha za nchi, polisi wa nchi kwenda kusumbua watu wa Kigoma. Nilikuwa naomba Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu operesheni inaendelea sasa hivi katika Mkoa wa Kigoma kuwanyanyasa Raia wa Kigoma waonekane ni Raia wa Tanzania wa daraja B ikome mara moja na viongozi wa Kisiasa, Wabunge wote  wa Mkoa wa Kigoma na Wakuu wa Wilaya na Wakuu wa Mikoa tukae tuweze kuangalia kwa sababu kuna uonevu wa hali ya juu sana katika operesheni ambayo inaendelea hivi sasa.

Mheshimiwa Spika, nilikuwa naomba niyaseme hayo vizuri na ninarejea kwamba tumefundishwa na wazee wetu kwamba sisi kati ya mwaka 1918 na mwaka 1924 hatukuwa sehemu ya Tanganyika iliyokuwa inatawaliwa na Mwingereza. Ninaomba nirejee sisi ni watu wa Kigoma kwanza kabla hatujawa wa Tanganyika, kabla hatujawa Watanzania. Ninaomba nilisisitize hili na watu wa Kigoma wananisikia kwa sababu tumenyanyaswa sana. Ninaomba masuala ya uraia yaangaliwe kwa karibu sana. Huu ni ujumbe ambao nimepewa na watu wa Kigoma nimeombwa niueleze na naomba Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu, Mkuu wa Kigoma yupo hapa, Wakuu wa Wilaya, Kamanda Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Polisi wa Mkoa wa Kigoma na IGP waweze kuliangalia jambo hili kuweza kuhakikisha kwamba tunawalinda raia wa Kigoma.

Wenye Mabilioni Uswisi(Switzerland)

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, la pili, Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu kumekuwa na taarifa ambazo zimeandikwa katika vyombo vya habari toka wiki iliyopita. Lilianza Gazeti la The East African baadaye wakaja Gazeti la The Citizen na leo nimesikia kwamba Gazeti la Mwananchi limezungumza kwamba kuna Watanzania 6 wana fedha katika akaunti kule Uswisi zaidi ya shilingi bilioni 303. India walipopata taarifa hizi kutoka Benki ya Uswisi waliwataja majina watu wote wana siasa na wafanyabiashara wenye fedha nje na fedh zile zikachunguzwa zile ambazo zimepatikana kwa haramu zikarejeshwa India. Nilikuwa naomba Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu uagize TAKUKURU na vyombo vyote vya Ulinzi na Usalama kwanza tutambue ni Watanzania gani hawa na fedha hizi zimepatikana kwa njia zipi na zile ambazo zimepatikana kwa njia ya wizi na ufisadi zirejeshwe nchini mara moja. Kwa sababu hatujaanza kunyonya utajiri huu wa gesi tayari kuna watu ambao wameshaanza kutajirika nao.

Tutakapoanza kunyonya hali itakuwaje? Kwa hiyo, nilikuwa naomba suala hili Serikali ilichukulie kwa uzito mkubwa ili itume salaam kwa mtu yeyote ambaye anatarajia kwamba atafaidika na utajiri wa rasilimali ya nchi kama gesi na madini na kadhalika ajue kwamba kokote atakapoficha fedha zake tutazifuata na zitarudi katika nchi hii. Nilikuwa naomba Waziri Mkuu aweze kuliangalia jambo hili kwa ukaribu sana.

Zuia Makampuni ya Kigeni kwenye Ulinzi

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, la tatu hivi sasa Kiongozi wa Upinzania amezungumza jana kuna meli ziko Pwani ya Mkoa wa Pwani, Lindi na Mtwara zinatafuta mafuta. Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu hakuna kampuni hata moja ya mafuta inayonunua hata mchicha kutoka Tanzania. Meli zote ambazo ziko Bandari Mtwara zinakwenda kupeleka huduma kwenye maeneo ambayo yanatafuta mafuta yanapata mchele, nyanya, vitunguu, mchicha, mafuta ya kula na kadhalika kutokea Kenya kwa sababu hatujaweka utaratibu wa kufanya nchi yetu iweze kufaidika na utaraji huu mwanzoni. Kwa sababu hatua hizi za mwanzoni hakuna kodi ambayo tunapata kwa sababu mafuta bado yanatafutwa.

Hatua hizi za mwanzoni tunatakiwa tufaidike na fedha inayokuja, watu waweze kutumia fedha za kutoka ndani. Lakini hali ilivyo hivi sasa ni kwamba makampuni ya mafuta yanatumia zaidi ya dola milioni 161 kwa ajili ya shughuli za ulinzi na makampuni yanayolinda, ni makampuni ya nje. Yanabeba silaha kubwa kubwa, siku yakiamua kutugeuka na Navy yetu ilivyo tutapata shida. Nilikuwa naomba tutenge resources za kutosha na hata kama hatujaziweka kwenye bajeti sasa hivi, tuangalie, tuimarishe Navy na tupige marufuku, tuandike sheria kabisa kwamba itakuwa ni marufuku kwa raia yeyote wa kigeni kubeba silaha zozote kubwa ili kuweza kuhakikisha kwamba ulinzi ama unafanywa na watu wa ndani au unafanywa na Navy yetu tuweze kulinda mipaka yetu vizuri.

Utafutaji Mafuta Zanzibar Uendelee

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, pili kuna suala ambalo halijaisha na Kiongozi wa Upinzani Bungeni jana amelizungumzia la mafuta na gesi katika masuala ya muungano. Nilikuwa naomba jambo hili tulimalize kwa haraka. tulimalize kwa haraka na mimi sioni ubaya kwa kweli, sioni ubaya hata kidogo kama tukiamua kwamba shughuli zote commercial not upstream, sio masuala ya regulation, sio masuala ya vibali, sio masuala ya kutoa leseni, masuala yote commercial yanayohusiana na mafuta na gesi, kila upande wa muungano ushughulike na masuala yake.

Hakuna sababu ya kunga’gania jambo hili kama sisi tuna dhahabu, tuna tanzanite, tuna madini hayapo sehemu ya muungano, kwa nini mafuta na gesi yawe sehemu ya muungano? Hili ni jambo ambalo tulimalize, liishe tuimalize hii kero, vikao na vikao havitasaidia, tuimalize hii kero, tu-move forward watu wa Zanzibar waanze utaratibu wao wa kufanya utafutaji wao, waangalie kama watayapata hayo mafuta au hawatayapata, sisi tayari huku Bara tumeshapata, tuna matrilioni ya gesi, basin a wenyewe tuwaache waendelee na utaratibu wao. Hakuna sababu ya kuchelewesha jambo hili tuweze kulimaliza mapema.

TZS 40 Bilioni kwa Kiwira

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, la mwisho ni suala la Kiwira na baadae nitakuwa na mazungumzo na baadhi ya Mawaziri kuhusiana na suala hili tuliangalie kwa makini. Tumetenga shilingi bilioni 40 kwenye fedha ya maendeleo Wizara ya Nishati na Madini kwa ajili ya nini? Kuna fedha ambayo tunaenda kuwalipa watu ambao wameuharibu mgodi. Kwa nini tulipe watu ambao wameuharibu mgodi?

Lakini tunaenda kulipa bilioni 40 sio kwa Kiwira nzima..

Mheshimiwa Mwenyekiti, ahsante.

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Related Story in THE Citizen(Wednesday, 27 June 2012):  Zitto wants Swiss bank accounts investigated probed

Kigoma Kaskazini – a Potential Kerosene Free Constituency?

Parliamentarians perform three core duties – Legislating, representation and oversight.

Ironically, one key duty is not constitutional – constituency promotion. Increasingly in Tanzania a Member of Parliament is judged not on his constitutional duties, but on constituency promotion duties like bringing in development projects such as roads, water, schools, hospitals and medicine etc. to the constituency, creating jobs and by making a lot of noise in Dodoma.

The people of Kigoma Kaskazini credit my service to them through several fronts but two that stand out is the road construction (the 60KM tarmac road Mwandiga-Manyovu & 34KM Kigoma-Kidahwe) and the other my being very vocal in Parliament. During my re-election campaign in 2010 my constituents in various meetings time and again reiterated the following “roads are done; now we want electricity”. True to their word they have been very vocal and holding me to account especially the coffee farmers of Kalinzi who want to add value to their coffee and get a better return.

The umeme vijijini is not an easy agenda and it is tough getting rural electrification projects from Rural Energy Agency (REA) as costs are very high and the government always gives them a small budget. In the 2011/2012 Budget about TZS 6.5bn was allocated to power 12 villages in Kigoma Kaskazini, but not one single shilling has been remitted to REA from the central government to implement the project. Rural electrification has remained a favorite catch phrase from the government and politicians to wananchi and usually elicits a lot of emotion but we have little to show as progress.

Kigoma Region, mainly Kigoma Town, uses diesel-powered thermal generators with installed capacity of 11MW. However, only 3-4MW is being produced – the cost of producing power in Kigoma is very high. While TANESCO spend TZS 1bn monthly to run Kigoma Generators, it collects about TZS 133Million.

Spurred by this and the many challenges that Kigoma has as a region and my constituency are facing, and being a green energy advocate, I have been championing for a green project working with a US based company known as KMR Infrastructure on a biomass project to produce 10MW of electricity in Kigoma and shut off expensive diesel generators.

The other day I had the opportunity and pleasure to meet the CEO of KMRI here in Washington DC and we discussed a number of issues with regard to their biomass project and other green projects/initiatives that I felt I should share. Some of the highlights from my meeting were;

• By displacing TANESCO diesel mini-grids with biomass power it reduces TANESCO operating costs by 45%, generates thousands of local jobs in agriculture and uses local agricultural biofuel supply to displace imported diesel creating longer sustainable benefits to the region
• Up to 25 Million USD will be invested into this biomass power plant in Kigoma over the coming 3 years.
• In this project 1000 families will be provided with 5 hectares of land each for a bamboo plantation and bamboo will provide fuel for power generation. More jobs will be created through the whole value chain including transportation services. With strong linkages to the rural economy, the project is expected to have enormous positive effects to the people of the Region.
• Power will increase in Kigoma, jobs created and TANESCO will cut their costs.

 

Kerosene Free Constituency

How will this alternative power solution transform the lives of people from low-income househoulds? KMRI had an answer that I coined “a kerosene free constituency” as highlighted below;

Most of Tanzanian villages’ households use kerosene or paraffin lamps for lighting. By setting up centralized solar charging stations, we could make entire villages kerosene free by replacing oil wick lamps with battery powered CFL light. This will reduce monthly lighting bill by 50% for rural households, provide 40 times better lighting and avoid health hazards from using kerosene or paraffin lighting.

The central village charging centers also act as employment opportunity for rural entrepreneurs providing them USD 3-4 per day in income and also creating immediate market based sustainable electrification program for Tanzanian villages.

Leveraging the proposed renewable biomass plant in Kigoma, a distributed renewable energy infrastructure would be setup to make this kerosene free village initiative.

As a starting point the biomass plan will help 20-40 entrepreneurs set up central solar charging stations in villages and charge 50-100 battery powered CFL lamps. The charging centers will use solar power during the day to charge CFL lights and then sell to households charged lamps that provide 15-20 hours of lighting. After the battery is exhausted, the households return the empty battery lights and can buy another charged light for fresh usage, similar to buying additional kerosene for their lamps. This pay per use model is similar to their current buying patterns and so will be easier to adopt as it is in line with existing habits.’

The daily cost of these CFLs will be 50% less than using kerosene for similar hours in a day.

The CFLs apart from being cheaper will provide considerably much better lighting and hence reduce strain on eyes.

Displacing kerosene also has other benefits like avoiding indoor smoke pollution, eye irritation and fire hazards.

In addition to lighting, the central solar station can also be used to charge cell phone batteries avoiding expensive trips to town and cutting cell phone charging costs by more than half. Providing a reliable and cheap source of charging a phone removes a huge constraint in mobile adoption thus promoting more telecommunication usage in rural areas, leading to increased economic activity, banking services, information availability, and reduced travel time.

The biomass power plant provides the necessary centralized infrastructure to equip and train the entrepreneurs, provide technicians to provide ready technical and operational support to the charging stations to ensure their continued successful functioning”.

Kigoma will also benefit from MCC funded project on solar power.

The solar project will put solar power on “45 secondary schools, 10 health centres, 120 dispensaries, municipal buildings and businesses across 25 village market centres currently without access to the electricity grid.

Camco International, a global clean energy developer, and Rex Investment Limited (RIL), a solar power contractor based in Tanzania, were just awarded USD 4.7 million for this rural Tanzanian solar power project in the region of Kigoma. Source: Clean Technica.

I am not just dreaming of seeing a Mwamgongo village woman throwing away a koroboi and embracing a cleaner energy at lower costs than kerosene, that costs much more in Kigoma, and in Mwamgongo in particular, compared to other places in Tanzania. Kerosene- free villages are in sight. A ‘koroboi’ free Kigoma Kaskazini is possible.

Hard work and focus are necessary. Going beyond the constitutional duties of a member of Parliament is necessary to transform the lives of our people.

Photography Exhibition: ‘Kigoma Colours’

Photography Exhibition: 'Kigoma Colours'