Posts Tagged ‘Tanesco’
Fedha za zilizokuwa katika akaunti maalumu ya IPTL, (Tegeta Escrow account) ni mali ya umma
Fedha za zilizokuwa katika akaunti maalumu ya IPTL, (Tegeta Escrow account) ni mali ya umma
Fedha za zilizokuwa katika akaunti maalumu ya IPTL, (Tegeta Escrow account) ni mali ya umma
Zitto Kabwe
Kwa mara nyingine serikali kupitia viongozi na watendaji wake akiwamo Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali (AG), wamedai kwamba kiasi cha Dola za Marekani milioni 250 zilizopaswa kuendelea kuwapo katika ‘Tegeta Escrow Account’ si mali ya serikali na hivyo si mali ya umma. Akaunti hiyo ilifunguliwa na serikali kupitia Wizara ya Nishati na Madini, Shirika la Umeme Tanzania (Tanesco) pamoja na kampuni ya Independent Power Limited (IPTL).
Kwa bahati mbaya sana viongozi wa serikali wamekuwa wakiendelea kurudia kuueneza huo uongo kwamba fedha hizo si mali ya umma. Inasikitisha pia kwamba vyombo vya habari vimekuwa navyo vikibeba na kusambaza huo uongo bila kuhoji na kuchunguza. Inashangaza sana pia asasi za kiraia nazo zimekaa kimya. Inatisha na kushangaa tena kuona wapinzani wakimwachia suala hili Mbunge wa Kigoma Kusini (NCCR-Mageuzi), David Kafulila, pekee wakati mapambano dhidi ya rushwa ni ajenda kuu ya wapinzani. Kafulila amekuwa akiendelea kuhoji suala hilo bungeni peke yake bila kupata kuungwa mkono na kupewa msaada wa aina yoyote kutoka kwa wenzake wa kambi ya upinzani bungeni.
Kamati ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Serikali (PAC) ilielekeza kuwapo kwa ukaguzi maalumu kwenye akaunti hiyo ya Tegeta escrow account iliyokuwa Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT) kwa kuwa ndani yake kulikuwapo fedha za umma. PAC haina sababu yoyote ya kufuatilia fedha za watu binafsi. Mwaka 2009 iliyokuwa Kamati ya Hesabu za Mashirika ya Umma (POAC) ilitoa maelekezo kwa BoT kutothubutu kutoa fedha hizo. Agizo hilo la POAC lilitokana na sababu kwamba fedha hizo zilikuwa ndani ya hesabu za Tanesco.
Akaunti ya ‘Tegeta escrow’ ilifunguliwa kutokana na kuwapo kutoelewana kuhusiana na gharama halisi na halali za umeme unaozalishwa na IPTL na kuuzwa kwa TANESCO. Mahakama ya Usuluhishi ya Kimataifa (ICSID) katika uamuzi wake wa Februari, 2014 ilitoa hukumu kuonyesha kwamba Tanesco walitozwa kiwango cha juu zaidi ya kilichopaswa kulipwa kwa IPTL. Kwa uamuzi huo ni dhahiri kwamba fedha zilizokuwa zimehifadiwa kwenye akaunti hiyo maalumu ya escrow zilipaswa kugawanywa kwa IPTL na Tanesco baada ya hesabu kufanyiwa marekebisho upya kwa viwango halali.
Hesabu za mwaka wa fedha ulioishia Disemba 2012 za Tanesco zinaonyesha wazi kwamba fedha hizo ni mali ya shirika hilo la umma linalomilikiwa na serikali kwa asilimia mia moja. Fedha za kampuni ni suala la kisheria kama inavyobainishwa katika sheria ya kampuni ya mwaka 2002.
Kwa maelezo hayo na hoja hizo, inakuaje serikali ianze kudai kwamba fedha hizo si mali ya umma? Hivi inawezekanaje kwa fedha za mtu binafsi zikaingizwa katika hesabu za shirika la umma linalomilikiwa na serikali kwa asilimia 100? Ni lini fedha hizo zimekoma kuwa za umma? Je ni baada ya baadhi ya watendaji wa serikali kula njama za kuzichukua fedha hizo kwa kushirikiana na ‘mwekezaji’ aliyechafuka kwa ufisadi duniani?
Serikali inadanganya waziwazi kudai kwamba fedha hizo si mali ya umma. Umma una haki ya kukumbushwa kwamba madai hayo yalitolewa pia katika lile sakata la ufisadi maarufu wa EPA unaofanana kwa kila hali na huu wa sasa wa ‘Tegeta Escrow’.
Hoja nyingine ni kwamba, Mbunge Kafulila alisema kwamba Jaji Utamwa wa Mahakama Kuu ya Tanzania hakutoa uamuzi wa kuchukuliwa fedha kutoka akaunti ya ‘Tegeta Escrow’. Nimepitia kwa makini hukumu ya Jaji Utamwa na kubaini kwamba hakuna popote alipotaja akaunti ya ‘Escrow’. Hata hivyo, nilipopitia muhstasari wa kikao kati ya TANESCO, IPTL na Wizara ya Nishati na Madini, ndipo kwa mara ya kwanza nikakuta wametafsiri uamuzi wa mahakama wakidai kwamba fedha zote za ‘Tegeta Escrow’ zipewe kampuni ya PAP (inamilikiwa kwa asilimia 50 na Harbinder Singh na 50% na Simba Trust iliyosajiliwa Australia). Hiki ndicho kikao kilichofanya maamuzi ya kuiba na kugawana wenyewe fedha hizo (Hukumu ya Jaji Utamwa na muhstasari wa kikao vinaambatanishwa).
Wote waliohudhuria kikao hicho kilichojipa mamlaka ya kutafsiri hukumu ya Mahakama Kuu, wanapaswa kuchunguzwa na kufikishwa mahakamani kwa mujibu wa sheria zilizopo. Inawezekana vipi uamuzi wa mahakama ukatafsiriwa na kikao cha Wizara? Muhstasari wa kikao hicho ndio uliowasilishwa Benki Kuu (BoT) kuhalalisha madai kwamba fedha hizo lazima zitolewa kutoka akaunti ya Escrow.
Fedha zinazohusiana na akaunti ya Escrow ni Dola za Marekani milioni 250, katia ya hizo Dola milioni 122 zilizokuwa BoT zimeshatolewa na kiasi kilichosalia Dola milioni 128 zitalipwa na Tanesco kutokana na fedha zake kwa madai ya kushindwa kulipa kwa wakati. Fedha zilizolipwa ni zile ambazo zimetoka Wizara ya Nishati na Madini ambayo kisheria ndio walipaswa kulipia gharama za uzalishaji umeme (capacity charge) fedha zilizotoka kwa walipa kodi.
Ikumbukwe kwamba uhamishaji wa asilimia 70 ya hisa za IPTL kwenda PAP umeambatana na nyaraka za kughushi kutokana na kutokuwepo kabisa kwa uthibitisho wa cheti halisi cha hisa (share certificate) kutoka kampuni ya Mechmar kwenda kampuni ya Piperlink. Nyaraka za TRA zinaonyesha kwamba hisa hizo (70%) ziliuzwa kwa Shilingi za Kitanzania milioni sita (6) tu. Na bado hakuna ushahidi kuonyesha kwamba uhamishaji huo wa hisa ulipata baraka za mamlaka husika kama inavyotakiwa na sheria za nchi.
Wakati huyo anayejiita mmiliki mpya wa IPTL aliposaini mkataba wa kuchukua fedha kutoka akaunti ya Escrow zilizokuwapo BoT, hakuwa mmiliki halali kisheria kwani kodi ililipwa siku moja baada ya wao kupokea fedha kutoka BoT. Sheria inataka kutolewa kwa cheti na Kamishna wa TRA kama uthibitisho kwamba kodi yote imelipwa ipasavyo (Sheria ya Fedha ya 2012 kifungu cha 29).
Ni nani wamiliki wengine wa kampuni ya PAP? Uchunguzi ni muhimu ukawalenga vigogo na wanasiasa wakubwa wakiwamo watendaji waandamizi wa Wizara ya Nishati na Madini.
Inapaswa tutafakari kuona kwamba Harbinder Singh aliyechukua fedha za Escrow, anamiliki vitalu vya mafuta na gesi kupitia kampuni iitwayo HydroTanz ambayo nayo imesajiliwa nchini Australia, ikiwa na anwani sawa na ya kampuni ya Simba Trust. Kitalu hicho cha mafuta kinaitwa ‘Mnazi Bay North’, jirani kabisa na ugunduzi mkubwa wa hivi karibuni mkoani Mtwara.
Tunatarajia kwamba Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Serikali (CAG), atafichua ukweli wa sakata hili na TAKUKURU itawafikisha mahakamani wahusika bila kujali nyadhifa zao serikalini.
Kauli ya Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Nishati na Madini, Eliakim Maswi, kwamba kuna watu waliokula rushwa na kwamba nyaraka zinazotajwa ni karatasi za kuuzia vitumbua, ni kauli zenye kuonyesha kutapatapa kwa watendaji serikalini. Hakuna hata mahali pamoja ambapo nimemtaja mtu kuwa ni mwizi zaidi ya kuwasilisha hoja zinazohitaji majibu mwafaka na si matusi, vitisho na tuhuma za kuzusha. Nyaraka za TRA haziwezi kuwa za kufungua maandazi kama ambavyo hukumu ya Jaji wa Mahakama Kuu haiwezi kuwa karatasi za kufungia maandazi na badala yake ni nyaraka halali zinazohitaji maelezo kutoka kwa viongozi na watendaji wa serikali badala ya kuropoka na kuporomosha matusi.
Hali kadhalika, Bunge lina kila sababu kupitia sheria yake ya Haki, Maadili na Madaraka ya Bunge kulinda hadhi yake kutoka kwa watendaji kama Maswi ambao wanatoa matamshi ya kuonyesha kwamba chombo hicho ni chombo cha watu wasiofaa na kwamba watu wanaofaa wanazungumza nje ya Bunge. Maswi na wengine kama wana ushahidi wa rushwa dhidi ya mbunge ama yeyote hawapaswi kupayuka ovyo bali kwa nafasi zao wanaweza kuwasiliana na vyombo vya dola kama TAKUKURU na polisi ili wachunguze na kuchukua hatua kama ambavyo vinawachunguza wao.
Kauli ya Maswi kwamba “wanaume” hawazungumzi ndani ya Bunge si tu udhalilishaji wa chombo hicho bali pia inaashiria ugonjwa wa mfumo dume uliotawala miongoni mwa viongozi wetu kwa maana kwamba wanaume ndio wenye hadhi, uwezo na heshima na wanawake ni dhaifu na wasiostahili heshima. Tufumbue macho tuone na tuondoe hisia binafsi zenye kubebwa na itikadi, chuki na misimamo yetu ya kisiasa. Tuwe wazalendo ili tuweze kusimamia utaifa.
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Ukaguzi Maalumu akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow-Hadidu Rejea-PAC
Ukaguzi Maalumu akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow
Hadidu rejea
1) Kuchunguza uendeshaji wa mkataba wa kuzalisha Umeme kati ya kampuni ya IPTL na TANESCO
2) Kuchunguza kama wakati escrow inafunguliwa kampuni ya mechmar ilikuwa inamiliki IPTL, kama ilikuwa imefilisiwa na kama ilikuwa imehamisha umiliki wake kwa kampuni ya PAP.
3) Kuchunguza na kuthibitisha ushahidi wa kampuni ya PAP kununua kampuni ya mechmar na kumiliki IPTL
4) Kuchunguza chanzo cha mgogoro kuhusu tozo kati ya TANESCO na IPTL na kuthibitisha ushahidi wowote kuwa mgogoro uliamuliwa kwa faida ya IPTL
5) Kuchunguza kama ilikuwa sahihi kwa mwanasheria mkuu wa Serikali kusamehe kodi ya VAT ya jumla ya tshs 26 bilioni kutokana na tozo ya capacity charges na TRA wachukue hatua gani kuhakikisha kodi hiyo inakusanywa
6) Kuchunguza kiwango cha fedha kilichopaswa kuwemo katika akaunti ya escrow, kiwango gani kilikuwepo wakati IPTL wanalipwa na kiwango gani kitapaswa kulipwa zaidi kutoka tanesco
7) Kuchunguza madai ya benki ya standard chartered kwa tanesco na madai mengine yeyote yanayohusiana na mkataba wa kuzalisha Umeme wa IPTL na iwapo Serikali imejihadhari na uwezekano wa madai yanayoweza kufunguliwa, nafasi na heshima ya nchi katika kuheshimu mikataba ya kimataifa na ya uwekezaji.
8) Kuchunguza iwapo Wizara ya Nishati na madini ambayo ni mhusika Mkuu wa akaunti ya tegeta escrow ilifanya ‘due diligence’ ya kutosha kabla ya kuingia makubaliano ya kutoa fedha zilizopo akaunti ya tegeta escrow. Kupata Maelezo ya Katibu Mkuu Wizara ya Nishati na madini ni kwa nini aliagiza ukaguzi maalum wakati yeye ni mhusika Mkuu kwenye mchakato mzima na ilhali akijua PAC tayari imeanza mchakato wa ukaguzi.
9) Kutoa mapendekezo ya njia bora za kisheria kulinda Taifa kutoingia hasara zaidi katika mkataba wa IPTL chini ya wamiliki wapya
10) Kutoa ushauri kwa kamati ya PAC juu ya mapendekezo ya hatua ambazo Bunge linapaswa kuchukua kuhusu matokeo ya ukaguzi huu maalumu
Imetolewa na;
KAMATI YA BUNGE YA HESABU ZA SERIKALI (PAC)
Mapya IPTL: $270Million zimetokaje BoT ?
Mapya IPTL: $270m zimetokaje BoT ?
Nimesoma habari kuu ya gazeti la The Citizen la tarehe 3 Machi 2014 kuhusu mauzo ya kampuni ya IPTL kwa kampuni ya Pan Africa Power Limited (http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/-270m-deal–Story-of-IPTL–PAP-and-High-Court/-/1840392/2228606/-/1bddmgz/-/index.html).
THE CITIZEN 4th March 2014 How $270-million IPTL deal was planned and executed
Nimeshtushwa sana na matumizi ya fedha za akiba maalumu (escrow account) iliyokuwa benki kuu (BoT). Nikiwa mwenyekiti wa kamati ya PAC nina haya ya kusema; Mwaka 2006 Rais Jakaya Kikwete aliagiza kwamba, ili kumaliza kabisa suala la mkataba wa kuuziana Umeme wa IPTL, mitambo ya kampuni hiyo ichukuliwe na Serikali. Mwaka 2006, 2007 na 2008 Kamati ya BUNGE ya Nishati na madini imekuwa ikitoa maagizo hayo hayo kuhusu suala la IPTL. Mwaka 2009, Aprili 30 Kamati ya Bunge ya POAC ilipeleka mapendekezo bungeni kwamba IPTL ichukuliwe na serikali na fedha zilizopo katika escrow account zitumike pia kubadili mtambo ule kutoka mafuta mazito kwenda kutumia Gesi Asilia. Pendekezo hilo lilipitishwa na Bunge na POAC ikatoa maelekezo maalumu kwa Gavana wa Benki Kuu kuwa fedha zilizopo escrow account zisitumike kwa namna yeyote ile bila mitambo ya IPTL kuwa ya umma na kubadilishwa ili itumie Gesi Asilia.
Chanzo cha escrow account?
Baada ya mkataba wa IPTL kuingiwa, iligundulika kuwa kuna udanganyifu mkubwa ulifanyika katika kiwango cha mtaji wa kampuni hiyo na hivyo kufanya malipo wanayolipa tanesco kwa IPTL kuwa makubwa mno. Wakati katika kukokotoa gharama za uwekezaji (capacity charges) mtaji uliowekezwa katika IPTL ulisemwa ni dola milioni 36, ukweli ni kwamba IPTL waliweka dola 50 tu. Hivyo capacity charge ya dola milioni 3 kwa mwezi haikupaswa kulipwa yote kwani kampuni iliendeshwa kwa mkopo kuliko mtaji wa wawekezaji ( debt financed and not equity financed). Hivyo, mahakama ya kimataifa ya ICSID ikaamua kuwa, fedha zote za capacity charges ziwekwe Benki Kuu mpaka gharama halisi ziamuliwe na mahakama ndio wahusika wagawane (tanesco na IPTL). Akiba hiyo, nimeambiwa, ilifika dola 250m kabla ya kuchukuliwa na kugawanywa kwa wanahisa na wanunuzi wa IPTL. Hivyo kabla ya mgawo huu ilipaswa pesa ambazo tanesco walikuwa wanalipa kama ziada ya capacity charges kwa IPTL zirejeshwe kwanza na zinazobakia ndio zilipwe kwa wadai (creditors) na wanahisa. Kwa hali ilivyo sasa mnunuzi wa IPTL kapewa mitambo na fedha za kuinunua, ikiwemo fedha za tanesco ambazo zilipaswa kurejeshwa (Richmond cha mtoto kwa kweli).
Maswali ya kujibiwa ni haya;
Je, ziada ya fedha za malipo ya capacity charges zimerudi tanesco?
Je, mwekezaji Mpya kapewa mkataba Mpya wa kuuza Umeme (PPA) kwa utaratibu gani wa zabuni?
Je, agizo la Rais na BUNGE kwamba Mitambo iwe ya umma limetupiliwa mbali kwa vigezo gani?
Wizara ya Nishati na Madini na Benki Kuu wametoa taarifa rasmi kwa umma kuhusu masuala haya? Wizara itoe taarifa, CAG akague
Kwa namna yeyote ile CAG anapaswa kukagua mchakato huu na kuweka majibu kwa umma kupitia kamati ya PAC. Hii ndio njia bora zaidi ya kuondoa wingu katika suala la IPTL ambalo toka limeanza miaka ya tisini limegubikwa na mazongezonge ya rushwa na uvundo wa kifisadi. Uwazi utatoa ukweli na kuwezesha uwajibikaji wa fedha za umma. Wakati mchakato wa ukaguzi unafanyika ni vema Wizara ya Nishati na madini itoe tamko rasmi.
Zingatia:
Kwa mujibu wa mkataba kati ya TANESCO na IPTL capacity charge inapaswa kukokotolewa kwa kuzingatia mtaji wa asilimia 30 na mkopo wa asilimia 22.31. Mtaji wa IPTL ulikuwa $50 tu, tofauti na $36 milioni zilizotajwa kwenye mkataba na kuamuliwa na mahakama. Badala ya TANESCO kulipa ‘capacity charge’ ya dola 50,000 kila siku Umeme uzalishwe au la, udanganyifu wa mtaji ulipelekea TANESCO kuwa inalipa dola 100,000 kila siku tangu mwaka 2002. Kuanzia mwaka 2007 fedha hizo zilianza kuwekwa kwenye akaunti maalum (escrow account) BoT.
PRESS RELEASE: Shilingi Bilioni 86 zaibwa Wizara ya Nishati/TANESCO, Gridi ya Taifa hatarini
Shilingi bilioni 86 zaibwa Wizara ya Nishati/TANESCO, Gridi ya Taifa hatarini
Gazeti la The East African la Novemba 24 – 30, 2012 limetoa taarifa kwamba jumla ya dola za kimarekani milioni 54 zimegundulika kuibwa na watumishi waandamizi wa Wizara ya Nishati na Madini na Shirika la TANESCO kupitia manunuzi ya Mafuta ya kuendesha mtambo wa Umeme wa IPTL. Gazeti hili limenukuu taarifa ya ukaguzi kutoka kwa Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Tanzania (Controller and Auditor General). Taarifa hiyo inasema kuna kikundi (racket) ambacho kazi yake kubwa ni kujifaidisha binafsi na mpango wa umeme wa dharura kupitia manunuzi ya Mafuta mazito ya IPTL.
Itakumbukwa kwamba toka mwaka 2011 kumekuwa na shinikizo lililotolewa na Kamati ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Mashirika ya Umma, Kamati ya Bunge ya Nishati na Madini na Waziri Kivuli wa Nishati na Madini kwamba zabuni za ununuzi wa mafuta ya kuendesha mpango wa umeme wa dharura na mchakato mzima wa manunuzi ya mafuta haya ufanyiwe uchunguzi wa kina (forensic audit).
Katika mkutano wa 3 wa Bunge la Kumi (April 2011) niliuliza swali Bungeni kuhusu kashfa hii ya ununuzi wa mafuta ya kuendesha mtambo wa IPTL na baadaye tarehe 16 Aprili 2011 nilimwomba Spika airuhusu Kamati ya Nishati na Madini kufanya uchunguzi kuhusu kashfa hii. Kamati ya Nishati na Madini chini ya aliyekuwa Mwenyekiti ndugu January Makamba ililitaka Bunge kuazimia kufanyika kwa uchunguzi kuhusu suala hili kwenye Taarifa yake ya mwaka 2011 iliyowasilishwa Bungeni mwezi Aprili mwaka 2012. Waziri Kivuli wa Nishati na Madini ndugu John Mnyika katika Hotuba yake ya Bajeti ya Wizara hiyo mwaka 2011 alipendekeza kufanyika kwa uchunguzi kuhusu kashfa hii pia. Juhudi zote hizo hazikuzaa matunda.
Kipindi hicho kiwango kilichokuwa kinahojiwa kuibwa ni shilingi bilioni 15 tu. Taarifa ya The East African kama walivyonukuu kutoka kwenye taarifa ya CAG inaonyesha fedha zilizoibwa ni shilingi bilioni 86.
Zabuni za kununua mafuta ya kuendesha umeme wa dharura zimekuwa zikitolewa bila kufuata utaratibu wa zabuni kwa mujibu wa Sheria ya manunuzi. Hivi sasa kila mwezi Tanzania inatumia dola milioni 70 kununua mafuta ya kuendesha mitambo ya umeme. Fedha hizi zinatoka Hazina na sehemu ndogo kutoka TANESCO. Wakati fedha hizi bilioni 112 zinachomwa kila mwezi kununua mafuta mazito na dizeli ya kuendesha mitambo ya umeme, Taarifa za kitaalamu zinaonyesha kwamba Bwawa la Mtera hivi lina kina cha maji chini ya kiwango kinachotakiwa na uzalishaji wa umeme ni asilimia 20 tu ya uwezo (installed capacity). Iwapo TANESCO wataendelea kutumia zaidi maji yaliyopo Mtera, Mitambo itashindwa kazi na Gridi nzima itasimama maana Mtera ndio nguzo kuu ya Gridi ya Taifa. Hali hii ni hatari sana kwa uchumi na ulinzi na usalama wa Taifa. Kimsingi Gridi ya Taifa ipo hatarini kutokana na kiwango cha Maji kilichopo Mtera hivi sasa na kuendelea kupungua kwa kina hicho cha maji.
Wananchi wanapaswa kuelezwa kinaga ubaga nini kinaendelea katika sekta ndogo ya umeme hapa nchini;
1. Taarifa ya Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Serikali kuhusu zabuni za manunuzi ya Mafuta ya kuendesha mitambo ya umeme wa dharura iwekwe wazi na ‘racket’ inayosemekana kuiba jumla ya shilingi bilioni 86 ionyeshwe na hatua za kisheria zichukuliwe mara moja na bila kuchelewa.
2. Waziri wa Nishati na Maadini auleze umma hali yalisi ya sekta ya umeme nchini, uzalishaji wa umeme upoje, hali ya maji katika bwawa mkakati la Mtera na nini hatma ya mitambo ya IPTL, kesi zake na utekelezaji wa mapendekezo ya Bunge kuwa kesi za kampuni hii zimalizwe nje ya mahakama. Pia Taifa lielezwe Mpango wa Dharura wa umeme unakwisha lini maana muda uliotolewa na Bunge mwezi Agosti mwaka 2011 tayari umekamilika. Waziri aeleze hatua agni amechukua baada ya kukabidhiwa taarifa na CAG kuhusu maafisa waandamizi wa Wizara waliohusika na wizi wa shilingi bilioni 86 za kununua mafuta ya IPTL.
3. Waziri wa Fedha na Uchumi aueleze umma ni kiwango gani cha fedha Hazina imetoa kununua mafuta ya kuendesha mitambo ya umeme wa dharura kati ya Mwezi Novemba mwaka 2011 na Oktoba mwaka 2012 na kama taratibu zote za zabuni zilifuatwa na pale ambapo hazikufuatwa ni hatua gani PPRA wamechukua dhidi ya waliokiuka sheria ya manunuzi na kuleta hasara ya mabilioni ya fedha kwa Serikali.
Kabwe Zuberi Zitto, Mb
Naibu Kiongozi wa Upinzani Bungeni na Waziri Kivuli wa Fedha
Dar es Salaam. Novemba 25, 2012
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.