Breaking news! Kawawa is dead

Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) has just announced that the former Prime Minister, Rashid Mfaume Kawawa has passed away this morning. Kawawa was admitted at the ICU of the Muhimbili National Hospital yesterday after deterioration of his physical condition.
This morning President Kikwete visited Kawawa at the hospital for the second time after the initial visit yesterday evening to wish him well.
Kawawa will be remembered for his dedication to this country and his contribution during the independence struggle of Tanganyika. May soul rest in peace. Amen.

New year greetings

The year 2009 is coming to an end today and tomorrow we will start the year 2010. Personally, the year 2009 came and went very fast. Next year, I will have to make critical decisions about which direction my life is to take. Right now, I am facing a few dilemmas and I hope to have clarity about my future by around May 2010.

In Tanzania, the fourth presidency is celebrating fourth year in power at the end of this year. I am not to dwell on what this current leadership has done and what has not been done. A number of report cards are out there in the public domain assessing the current leadership and I am sure we will see more reports of successes and failures coming out from the Government and the people as the election nears.

It is my hope that next year we will elect able leaders, people who are passionate about this country, people who want to serve this country and not serve themselves and people who want to get Tanzania out of self-induced poverty.
I am expecting some major changes in the political landscape in Tanzania after the elections. The in-fightings within the political parties will lead to candidates undermining each other, high political casualties are expected. I am very pessimistic about these changes and I feel that they will not be of any help to the common man in the village.

In terms of priorities going forward, I would like to suggest that we focus on the following:

1. Strengthening of leadership ethics mechanisms, this should include adopting zero tolerance to corruption.
2. Promoting patriotism, I want to suggest that we coin a phrase: "Tanzania first, before self".
3. Strengthening of the agriculture sector
4. Strengthening of the education sector
5. Strengthening of the health system

As the fourth presidency is about to embark on its almost already assured second term, I am keen to know what its priorities will be and how it wants to be remembered. The areas I have mentioned are worth investing time and resources on.

Happy New Year everyone, thank you for your support over the last year and I hope we will together in the coming year.
Enjoy the New Year celebrations responsibly!
Faustine

Mzee Kawawa yu hai

Kuna baadhi ya watu wamesambaza uvumi kuhusu hali ya afya ya Mzee Rashid Mfaume Kawawa.
Taarifa iliyopo ni kwamba Mzee Kawawa amelazwa kwenye chumba cha wagonjwa mahututi cha hospitali ya taifa Muhimbili na hajafariki kama inavyovumishwa na watu. Hali yake inaendelea vizuri.
Namwombea Mzee Kawawa afya njema na kumtakia kupona mapema.

Huduma ya Uzazi nchini Tanzania

Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Kinondoni, Jordan Rugimbana (kushoto) akizungumza na wazazi waliojifungua katika Hospitali ya Mwananyamala, Dar es Salaam mara baada ya kukabidhi msaada wa vifaa mbalimbali vilivyotolewa na Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa nchini (TAKUKURU) jana (Picha: Fadhili Akida).

Mtazamo: Tanzania ni moja ya nchi duniani yenye vifo vingi vya kina mama wakati wa ujauzito. Sasa hivi vifo vya kina mama (Maternal mortality ratio) ni 578 kwa kila uzao hai 100 000 na watoto 68 hufa kwa kila uzao hai 1000.
Huduma ya kina mama na watoto nchini bado ni duni. Kwa malengo ya Millenium Development Goals, nchi kama Tanzania zinatakiwa kupunguza vifo vya kina mama kwa kiasi cha asilimia 75% ifikapo mwaka 2015.
Ingawa huduma ya uzazi wa mpango imesambazwa nchini, lakini vifo vya kina mama bado viko juu. Naweza kusema kwa uhakika kwamba hatuweza kufikia lengo hili la MDGs.

Serikali imeanzisha mkakati madhubuti wa kujaribu kupunguza vifo hivi. Ila napenda kutahadharisha kuwa mkakati huu usilenge zaidi kununua ambulance na Bajaj, ila ulenge katika kuwafanya kina mama wengi zaidi waende kliniki wakati wa ujauzito na kujifungulia kliniki (sasa hivi ni asilimia 40% ya kina mama wanajifungulia hospitali). Kuna haja ya kuongeza watumishi wa afya haswa vijijini wenye elimu ya kutosha kuhusu uzazi wa mpango na uzazi salama. Hii iendane na kutengeneza mazingira ya uzazi rafiki (friendly delivery services). Haya ya wazazi kufokewa na wauguzi, kulazwa chini na kulaza wazazi wawili wawili yanabidi yatafutiwe ufumbuzi. Vifaa vya uzazi salama navyo vinahitajika.

Mwisho napendekeza wakunga wa jadi washirikishwe katika mkakati huu kwani wao ndio wanaotoa huduma kwa 60% ya wanaojifungua. Hawa wapewe mafunzo ya uzazi salama, vifaa vya uzazi usalam na jinsi ya ku-refer complicated cases.

Life is cheap in Tanzania-5

.....Business under a transformer and a railway crossing........(Picture: Fadhil Akida).

Jeshi latoa msaada kwa wananchi

Baadhi ya Askari wa Jeshi la Wananchi wa Tanzania (JWTZ) wa Kikosi cha 92 KJ, kilichopo katika Tarafa ya Ngerengere, Wilaya ya Morogoro wametoa msaada wa kuwaokoa wananchi waliokumbwa na mafuriko katika kijiji cha Visaraka, Kata ya Kidugaro, mwishoni mwa wiki baada ya Mto Ngerengere kufurika kutokana na mvua zilizonyesha hivi karibuni (Picha: John Nditi).

Je, Rais alitakiwa kufanya hili?

Rais Jakaya Kikwete (kushoto) akipokea Kifimbo cha Malkia toka kwa Mwanariadha aliyepata Medali ya Shaba ya Michezo ya Jumuiya ya Madola chini ya Miaka 17, Mary Naali alipomkabidhi leo Ikulu baada ya kumalizika kwa Mbio zake zilizozinduliwa leo katika Uwanja wa Uhuru, Dar es Salaam.
Swali: Je, ilikuwa sahihi kwa Mhe. Rais kupokea kifimbo hiki? Je, isingekuwa sahihi kwa Waziri wa Michezo kupokea kifimbo hiki kwa niaba ya watanzania? Maoni yako tafadhali!

sim card registration period extended

The Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has announced that the current exercise to register Sim cards has been extended to 30th June 2010. Initially the exercise was to end at the end of this month. The Director General of TCRA reported that only about 6 million people have managed to register Sim cards out of possible 14 million subscribers.
Picture above: The TCRA director general Prof. John Nkhoma (left) addressing the media, seated right is the Director of Consumer and Industry Affairs, Dr Raynold Mfungahema.

Picture: Fadhil Akida

Safety is not a priority

Life buoys under the lock and key below the staircase of MV Kigamboni pontoon. In a case of emergency will there be adequate time to scramble for a key?

Huduma mbovu ya Zain kwa wateja

Leo jioni nilikuwa naongea na rafiki yangu kuhusu huduma mbovu kwa wateja. Kwa watoa oa huduma wengi kauli zao mbiu ni "Mtoa huduma ni mfalme na sio mteja".
Tangu nifike Bongo nimekuwa na matatizo ya kuingiza vocha za simu kwenye akaunti yangu ya simu.

Nimejaribu kuwapigia Customer Services yao bila mafanikio, ujumbe ninaopata kila nikipiga unasema"watoa huduma wetu wanawahudumia wateja wengine, simu yako ni muhimu kwetu, jaribu wakati mwingine". Halafu wanakata simu. Lakini ukisoma mtandao wa Zain , wanadai kuwa wana kituo kinachofanya kazi masaa 24. Na wametoa namba zao ambazo ukipiga hazipatikani.
"Call our 24-hour call centre any time - for free. We'll answer your questions and we'll help you to make the most of Zain services.
To call us, just dial 100 from your Zain phone. You can also dial +25578 4105300 from any phone, or +25578 4105300 if you are abroad".

Ingawa mimi sio Corporate customer, lakini natumia kati ya Tsh 5000-20000 karibuni kila siku. Sioni sababu pesa yangu initese. Inaonekana kampuni hii haihitaji fedha yangu hivyo basi, kabla wiki kuisha itabidi kufanya maamuzi kuhusu kuendelea na kampuni hii au kuhama. Nitawajulisha kuhusu uamuzi wangu.

Ndugu msomaji kama umepata matatizo katika utumiaji wa simu za mikononi hapa Bongo, tuelezee mkasa wako.

Kurejea mtandaoni

Nimerejea tena mtandaoni baada ya matatizo ya internet nyumbani kwangu. Akaunti yangu ilisimamishwa kwa kutokuwepo kijijini kwa muda mrefu. Mchakato wa kuifufua akaunti imechukua muda zaidi ya jinsi nilivyotarajia.
Katika nchi yetu nimejifunza kuwa mvumilivu na mnyenyekevu wakati unaomba huduma hata haki yako.
Sasa hivi nitakuwa hewani. Hali ya mabandiko katika blogu itaendelea kuwa kama kawaida jioni hii.
Sasa hivi natoka kwenda kupambana na joto la Bongo. Tutawasiliana jioni.
Kwa wale wanaotaka kuwasiliana nami. Namba zangu za Bongo ni zile zile. Tuwasiliane.

Niko Kijijini kwa Mama

Niko Bongo kwa mapumziko ya sikukuu. Napenda kuwatakia wadau sikukuu njema ya Xmas na ya heri ya mwaka mpya 2010.
Tuzidi kuwa pamoja. Katika kipindi hiki mabandiko kwenye blogu hii hayatakuwa kama ilivyozoeleka. Sahamani kwa usumbufu wowote utakaojitokeza.

Faustine

Renatha Benedicto anatafutwa!

Heshima kwako Ndugu,
Naomba uniwakilishie ombi hili barazani kwako. Namdafuta Dada Mdogo RENATHA BENEDICTO ambaye tumepoteana kwa takriban miaka 7 sasa. Renatha alikuwa mwanafunzi wa shule ya Sekondari Kibasila jijini Dar kati ya mwaka 1998 - 2001 na baada ya hapo alienda Songea TTC kujiunga na masomo ya ualimu. Pia alikuwa kati ya wahanga wa ajali mbaya ya Tawfiq iliyotokea tarehe kama ya leo mwaka 1999 ambapo alikuwa msaada mkubwa saana kuokoa maisha yangu. (Maelezo kamili yako http://changamotoyetu.blogspot.com/2009/04/namtafuta-renatha-benedicto.html)Niliwasiliana naye kwa miaka miwili iliyofuata mpaka alipoenda chuoni Songea nami nikaondoka nchini mwaka uliofuata na kwa miaka mingi sasa nimekuwa nikijitahidi saana kumtafuta bila mafanikio. Naomba kama anaweza kusoma ama kuna anayesoma na kumfahamu anisaidie kuwasiliana naye. Email yangu ni changamoto@gmail.com Blessings

Maimu mkurugenzi wa vitambulisho vya Taifa

RAIS Jakaya Kikwete amemteua Dickson Maimu kuwa Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Mamlaka ya Vitambulisho vya Taifa (NIDA).

Taarifa iliyotolewa na Katibu Mkuu Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi, Mbarak Abdulwakil jana, ilisema uteuzi huo ulianza Desemba 17 mwaka huu.

Kabla ya uteuzi huo, Maimu alikuwa Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Mamlaka hiyo iliyoanzishwa Agosti mosi mwaka jana kwa ajili ya kutekeleza mradi wa kuandaa vitambulisho vya taifa.

Pia Maimu aliwahi kuwa Mtendaji Mkuu wa kwanza wa Wakala wa Usajili, Ufilisi na Udhamini(RITA) ambao upo chini ya Wzara ya Katiba na Sheria, kabla ya kujiunga na Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi.

Chanzo: Habari Leo

Tenda ya umeme kurudiwa tena

Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, William Ngeleja ameagiza mchakato wa kutafuta wazabuni kwa ajili ya kununua mitambo miwili ya kuzalisha umeme wa jumla ya megawati 160 itakayofungwa Dar es Salaam na Mwanza, urudiwe upya baada ya kubaini kuwa tathmini ya ununuzi wa mitambo hii haikuzingatia vigezo muhimu. Bofya hapa kusoma habari kamili.

Mtazamo wangu: Hivi ni kweli vigezo hivyo muhimu vilisahaulika au ilikuwa ni mbinu ya wataalamu wetu kuingiza tena Serikali hasara? Inawezekanaje wataalamu wetu wakashindwa kuona hayo mapungufu mpaka kufikia kukosolewa na Kiongozi wa kisiasa? Tatizo ni uwezo wa wataalamu au njaa?

Picha: Full Shangwe

A Tanzanian is killed in London

A talented art student was stabbed to death on a basketball court after a row erupted on Facebook, it was claimed today.

The 18-year-old victim, named locally as Salum Kombo, staggered 400 yards before collapsing in a pool of blood after he was attacked near to his family home in East London.

Friends today claimed that the attack was triggered by an argument on Facebook.

One friend, who did not want to be named, said: 'an argument on Facebook is what triggered it all off, although I am not sure exactly what the argument was about.'

The friend said Salum had arrived in the UK from Tanzania around seven years ago and had been a student at Tower Hamlets College studying art.

They added: 'He was a really good artist'.

Another friend said that they had heard that the attacker had 'put his arm around Salum then just stabbed him'.

It is thought Salum had been living with an aunt in a flat only yards from where he bled to death on the pavement in Devons Road near Bromley-by-Bow.

A devastated female relative at his family home said today: 'we are too upset to comment - this has only just happened.'

A 16-year-old boy who was arrested over the attack is being quizzed by detectives.

Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: 'Initial inquiries have established that the victim was stabbed on a basketball court just off Chiltern Road.'

'He managed to stagger around 400 yards to Devons Road where he was found.'

Source: Mail online

Hongera mdau

Picha hapo juu ya mdau Bernard Rwebangira, mpigapicha wa Shirika la magazeti ya Serikali, TSN na mmiliki wa blogu ya Bongopicha imefanikiwa kuingia katika picha 15 bora katika mashindano yaliyoandaliwa na radio moja ya Uholanzi. Jumla ya washiriki 535 walishiriki katika shindano la "Share your world with the world". Picha hii inaonyesha hali halisi ya usafiri wa wanafunzi katika Jiji la Dar es Salaam.
Ingawa Mdau Rwebangira hakushinda, hatua aliyofikia inatia moyo, ni faraja kuona kuwa kuna watu wanaojituma katika kazi zao.
Nilikutana na Mdau Rwebangira kijijini Johannesburg mwezi wa nane alipokuja kuchukua ujuzi zaidi wa kupiga picha katika kozi iliyoandaliwa na FIFA. Namwombea apate nafasi ya kupiga picha katika mashindano ya Kombe la Dunia mwakani.
Hongera sana Bernard.

Maximo is on his way out!

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has begun the hunt for a new coach for the national team, the Taifa Stars.

It comes after a meeting between the federation and current manager Marcio Maximo where it was agreed that Maximo will quit the job three months before his contract is due to expire.

It means the Brazillian will be gone by next March.

TFF President Leodegar Tenga said they would use next month's Nations Cup finals as a hunting ground for a new coach.

"We will begin the search in January, focusing on coaches in Angola," he said.

"We hope we will get one in Angola, and if we agree terms, he will take over in March."

"We have met and explained this to Maximo and I believe he is also busy searching for a new job," he added.

News of the termination of Maximo's contract followed President Jakaya Kikwete's declaration that he was not shielding him from a sack.

Critics blame the Brazilian for failing to turn around the fortunes of the national team and many people felt he was being kept in the job because he has a good relationship with President Kikwete.

But the teams failure at this year's East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) tournament in Nairobi, seems to have cost Maximo his job.

The Taifa Stars also failed to qualify for the Nations Cup finals.

Source: BBC

My Take: It seems that the prayers of football fans have been answered, but with the current football set up in Tanzania, I expect no miracles even if we get a coach from heaven.

Mbeya hit by a quake

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck southwest Tanzania early on Sunday morning but does not appear to have caused any damage, a regional police chief said.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake's epicentre was 84 miles (135 km) south of the town of Mbeya, at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km).

"At 0223 in the morning, there was an earthquake but up to this point, we have no reports of any damages or injuries," said the regional police commander of Mbeya, Advocate Nyombi.

A magnitude 6 quake is capable of causing severe damage.

Source: Reuters

Rais Kikwete atunikia maofisa tepe

Mkuu wa Majeshi ya ulinzi na usalama Jenerali Davis Mwamunyange akimkaribisha Rais Jakaya Kikwete ambaye pia ni Amiri Jeshi Mkuu katika Chuo Cha Jeshi(TMA) Monduli ambapo aliwatunukia kamisheni maofisa wapya wa jeshi baada ya kuhitimu mafunzo yao chuoni hapo leo.
Rais Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete akikagua gwaride lililoandaliwa na maofisa wapya wa jeshi walotunukiwa kamisheni zao katika Chuo cha Jeshi Monduli mkoani Arusha leo (Picha:Ikulu).