WENGI WANAISHI KWA KUSADIKIKA SABABU YA KUFANYIWA MAAMUZI

Hali ya umasikini wa kipato miongoni mwa wananchi katika nchi za ulimwengu wa tatu inachangia upatikanaji wa huduma mbalimbali za kijamii kuwa ngumu na kuwa kikwazo kikubwa cha kujiamulia mambo yanayowahusu.

Hayo yamebainika wazi wakati wa wiki ya kampeni ya kupiga vita umasikini na kudai nafasi zaidi ya kujiamulia mambo ya maendeleo kuanzia ngazi za chini, maarufu kwa jina la GCAP, hususan katika nchi changa.

Ni wazi kuwa vyombo vikubwa vya kibepari, haswa taasisi za kifedha washirika wa Bretton Woods iliyoanzia nchini Marekani zimekua na tabia ya kuweka masharti kadha wa kadha yanayolenga kuzibeba nchi tajiri na kuzikandamiza zile masikini, (developing countries) pale zinapoamua kuomba misaada mbalimbali ili kujikwamua kiuchumi.

Moja ya masharti ambayo yamewagusa wananchi wengi ni fagio la kupunguzwa kazi, hii imetokana na mambo mbalimbali, serikali za nchi changa kushurutishwa kuwa na idadi ndogo ya wafanyakazi na kujitoa katika majukumu mbalimbali ya kiuchumi, ubinafsishaji, serikali kutojihusisha na biashara mojamoja na kufuata taratibu za soko huria (market economy).

Bw. Audax Rukonge mkazi wa jijini Dar es salaam anasema kuwa mizizi ya umasikini inaletwa na mifumo ambayo siyo shirikishi, yaani wananchi kutojulishwa chochote au kutoshiriki katika maamuzi ambayo yanawagusa kwa namna moja au nyingine kimaisha.

“hii ni moja ya sababu inayochangia kwa kiasi kikubwa umasikini katika nchi zetu” anasema Bw. Rukonge ambaye ni mtaalam wa masuala ya kilimo akitoa mfano kuwa katika zoezi la kupunguza wafanyakazi sekta nyingi zimeadhirika ikiwamo ile ya kilimo ambapo kwa kukosa wataalam wa kuwasaidia wakulima katika kilimo cha kisasa tafiti zinaonyesha kuwa asilimia 18 ya watu hawana uhakika wa chakula, kilimo wanachoshiriki ni kile cha bora liende.

Rukonge ambaye pia ni mtafiti katika asasi ya kimataifa isiyokuwa ya kiserikali iitwayo Action Aid anaongeza kuwa ili kushughulikia tabia hii ya mifumo ya ushauri kutoka nje anasema ipo haja ya viongozi kutoka katika nchi changa za ulimwengu wa tatu kupigania haki ya nchi zao kupata nafasi zaidi ya kupiga kura katika maamuzi na kuchangia kubadili sera za mashirika makubwa ya misaada.

“ asasi zisizo za kiserikali zinasaidia kuwafumbua wananchi macho na kuweka shinikizo zaidi ili milango ya kafanya maamuzi wao wenyewe iwepo” anasema Rukonge na kuongeza kuwa katika mkutano uliofanyika nchini Singapore mwezi uliopita mchango wa asasi hizo umeonekana.

Rukonge anatolea mfano wa mafanikio hayo ni upatikanaji bure wa dawa za kupunguza makali ya ugonjwa usio na tiba wa UKIMWI ambao umesababisha upotevu wa nguvu kazi kubwa katika nchi zinazoendelea, mfano katika ukanda wa Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara, Sub Saharan Africa, umesababisha yatima zaidi ya milioni mbili.

Hata hivyo, anaonya kuwa haina maana hata kidogo kwa taasisi kubwa za kifedha zinazotoa misaada katika nchi mbalimbali zinazoendelea kudai uchumi wa nchi fulani umekua kwa kiwango cha kuridhisha wakati mwananchi wa kawaida hata hajapata mabadiliko yoyote katika mfumo wake wa maisha ya kila siku, zaidi ya kuongezeka kwa gharama za maisha kila kukicha ambazo ni mzigo.

Pamoja na hayo, Lawrent Wambura, mtafiti na mshauri wa masuala ya UKIMWI anasema nchi nyingi changa ikiwemo Tanzania zimekuwa zikipata fedha kupitia masharti ya Shirika la Fedha la Dunia (IMF) na Benki ya Dunia (WB) ili kupambana na umasikini.

Hata hivyo, anaongeza kwa kusema kuwa tafiti zinaonyesha kuwa huduma mbalimbali na mategemeo ya kuishi miongoni mwa wananchi wengi wa nchi za ulimwengu wa tatu yamepungua. Takwimu zinaonyesha kuwa katika miaka ya tisini kati ya watoto 1000 waliozaliwa, 100 kati yao walipoteza maisha katika hatua za awali kabisa za maisha yao duniani, lakini kuna dalili za wazi kuwa hali hiyo inaendelea kukua kutokana na ukosefu wa huduma madhubuti.

Bw. Wambura anasema kuwa sio jambo la kushangaza kumkuta mgonjwa katika maeneo ya vijijini akitembea umbali mrefu ili kufuata huduma ya afya, tena huduma yenyewe inayofungiwa safari ni ya kusuasua kwa kuwa hakuna vifaa vinavyohitajika.

Mtaalam huyo anasema kuwa kutokana na hali hiyo baadhi ya wagonjwa hushauriwa kurudi nyumbani na kufuata matokeo na majibu ya maabara kuhusu magonjwa yanayowasumbua kesho yake, hali ambayo huwazidishia zaidi maumivu na kuhatarisha maisha yao, pengine kifo.

Pamoja na hayo anasema kuwa suala la uchangiaji wa gharama mbalimbali za afya umekuwa kikwazo kikubwa katika upatikanaji wa huduma ya afya kwa wananchi wengi wasio na uwezo kwa kuwa hali yao kimapato sio nzuri ili kujigharamia.

Naye Albert Memba ambaye ni mwandishi, pia mhamasishaji wa masuala mbalimbali ya kijamii anasema kuwa ingawa huduma nyingi zimekuwa zikifanyiwa marekebisho ipo haja ya kuhakikisha kuwa wataalam wanapatikana kwa idadi ya kutosha ili kukidhi mahitaji ya jamii.

Anasema kuwa tafiti iliyofanyika hivi karibuni inaonyesha kuwa takriban asilimia 70 ya misaada ya kifedha kwa nchi changa imekuwa ikirudi huko ilikotoka kwa njia mbalimbali kutokana na udhaifu uliopo katika nchi changa, au kusababishwa na umakini dhaifu katika kuingia mikataba mbalimbali na nchi tajiri.

Anasema asilimia hiyo 70 imekuwa ikirudi ilikotoka kupitia mfumo wa kuwalipa wataalamu na washauri kutoka nchi zilizoendela, ununuaji wa mashine za kisasa na vipuri vyake, au kuhamisha teknolojia (Horizontal Technology Transfer) pamoja na mafundi wa mashine hizo ambao inadaiwa utaalamu wao haupatikani katika nchi za ulimwengu wa tatu.

“ni wazi kuwa misaada ya namna hii hailengi katika kuboresha hali ya maisha ya watu kwa kuwa hata hao wanaotoa misaada huwa hawawi wazi na kusema asilimia fulani tutaichukua” anasema Memba na kuongeza kuwa ni vema wananchi ambao ndio waathirika wakubwa hasa pale mambo yanapoenda vibaya wawekwe wazi ili waamue wenyewe na sio mtu mwingine awaamulie.

Anasisitiza kuwa lazima nchi changa ziwe ‘masikini jeuri’ pia ipo haja ya kuhakikisha kuwa wataalamu wanapatika kwa nguvu zote, husasan walimu ambao bado hawatoshelezi mahitaji ya wanafunzi hapa nchini kwa kuwa idadi ya wanafunzi inaongezeka kila kukicha.

Memba anasema bila kuwa na msingi madhubuti wa elimu maamuzi mengi yatafanywa na nguvu za nje kwa kuwa uwezo wa kung’amua ubaya au uzuri wa kuingia katika mikataba mbalimbali miongoni mwa wananchi wa nchi changa au viongozi wao utazidi kuwa mdogo na wenye shaka kubwa.

Ni wazi kuwa baadhi ya bidhaa zisizo na viwango zimekuwa zikitupwa katika soko la nchi changa kwa kisingizio cha soko huria, bidhaa hizo ‘junk products’, zimekuwa chanzo cha matatizo mengi kijamii. Mfano magonjwa mbalimbali, mapema mwaka huu mtafiti mmoja alianishisha kuwa mipira ya kike ya kujikinga kwa UKIMWI haina viwango vya kimataifa vivyotambulika, ISO, hivyo kuweka katika mashaka maisha ya watumiaji wake, ni hatari zaidi kwa kuwa bidhaa za sampuli hii nyingine hutolewa bure kwa kisingizio cha kuokoa maisha.


Ni jambo lililo wazi kuwa bila kuwa na mshikamo madhubiti miongoni mwa wananchi na viongozi mageuzi ya kiuchumi hayawezi kutimia na kumkomboa mtu wa kawaida. Ni vigumu kuwaamulia wananchi jambo fulani ili wao walitekeleze bila kuwashirikisha. Ushirikishwaji wa wananchi katika mambo yanayowagusa ni muhimu ili kupata maendeleo endelevu.

MWISHO.

DARWIN'S NIGTHMARE-THE TRUTH

THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

THE TRUTH ON HUBERT SAUPER’S- “DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE FILM”

“Darwin’s Nightmare” film was produced by a freelance journalist of Austrian descent based in France.The film maker, Mr. Hubert Sauper tries to portray that the Nile Perch (Sangara) trade from Mwanza region in Tanzania facilitates poverty, hunger, prostitution, homelessness to children, environmental destruction, loss of lake Victoria biodiversity and human rights abuse in the area. He further claimed that Nile Perch business in Tanzania is a door for importing ammunition to the Great Lake Region.

Mr. Sauper claims that high quality Nile Perch fillets are exported to the European market while the locals are left with fish remains, specifically the head and skeleton, popularly known by the Kiswahili word ‘mapanki’.

Mr. Sauper mentions Christmas festivities during which European children enjoy high quality food (fish fillets) while their counterpart in Africa instead of such food staff received ammunition.Mr. Sauper in his film inserts a number of scenes that are not natural (cooked one). This implies that inserts were done purposely so as to achieve the intended goal of cheating and tarnishing the good image of Mwanza and Tanzania in general.

Mr. Sauper had an intention of showing that Nile Perch business in Tanzania is the main cause of poor living conditions and source of various ailments to the people who reside around lake Victoria.

1. ABJECT POVERTY

Mr. Sauper shoot homeless children, fishing camps, prostitutes, children with malnutrition, and HIV/AIDS patients so as to capture the picture of poverty in the fishing areas. He also shoot fishing landing sites, the areas for drying fish from fish processing factories, fish camps and slums in which homeless dwell. He did this to show poor sanitation in the area. Additionally, in his film he portrayed unhygienic environment in fish processing industries.

Mr. Sauper tried to link abject poverty to fisheries activities. It is obvious that poverty related issues exist in our society, but poverty is a wide concept, which is linked to other factors, including socio-economic and political issues.

The truth is, Nile Perch business has done a lot to increase income for the people around lake Victoria, particularly through export of fish fillets.Since the introduction of the business in the early 90’s, statistics shows that a number of fishers have been increasing, from 30,000 to 400,000 (300,000 people play part as part timers and 100,000 as full time fishers) todate. On top of this fish processing industries employs over 4,000 people.

The industry has a big multiplier effect which puts the total employment at about two million people, deriving livelihoods from extended activities in fishing vessel construction and repair, fishing gears and related equipment construction and maintenance, food vending, water and road transportation of fish, railway and airport workers.

The government has continued putting efforts in modernising fish landing sites to meet the required safety and international standards for fish products.Special trucks (Boxed van) are used in transporting fish to industries. Frequently inspection on trucks to ensure safety and international standards for such work is always conducted.

Special boxes (clean insulated containers) are used in storing fish in the trucks. To ensure that, the trucks are specifically for fish transportation, they are labeled ‘STRICTLY FOR FISH’ and hence are not allowed to carry anything other than fish.

2. HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION

Mr. Sauper in his film claims that about 500 tones of Nile Perch fillets are exported abroad daily, while at the same time locals are starving.

The film shows the following footage;

• Homeless children in poor living condition without assurance of getting food.He defended himself by showing the footage of children with poor health, sorrowfulness, hunger, loosing hope and those who fight for food while eating.

• He also quoted electronic media (Radio and Television) broadcasts on food shortage in the country. During that time not only food shortage faced Tanzania but also other Sub-Saharan countries and that was caused by the climate change.

Mr. Sauper fails to differentiate between the words hunger and poor nutrition. Basically fish alone is not the main dish but is used as a supplementing item to the main food.However, purposely the Tanzanian government has allowed only the exportation of Nile perch fillet while the rest of fish species like Tilapia, Sardines, Haplochromids and catfishes, are reserved for the local market to ensure fish protein supply.

Statistics show that Lake Victoria, on the Tanzanian side produces about 475,000 tons of fish annually, of which the Nile Perch accounts for around 125,000 tons. The factories process 80,000 tons of Nile Perch for export. This leaves 45,000 tons of Nile perch and 350,400 tons of other fish species totaling 395,400 (83%) for local consumption.

3. PROSTITUTION AND ALCOHOLISM

Mr. Sauper portrays how girls engaged in prostitutions so as to earn a leaving. He shows homeless children who were also involved in hooliganism and prostitution activities.The fact is that the above activities are everywhere, in both developing and the so-called developed countries. However it is noted that prostitutions is legalized in some developed countries.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION

Mr. Sauper deliberately connects footages taken from several areas (far from Lake Victoria) to show environmental destruction and the loss of Biodiversity within and around the lake Victoria. In reality lake Victoria leads among other lakes for variety of fish stocks.

It is known that the Lake is faced with environmental degradation, however efforts to make sure that the lake and its resources are sustainably used for the present and future generations are underway. For example, efforts to preserve environment within lake Victoria is done in partnership with donors such as the World Bank (WB) specifically on Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP) and the European Union (EU) through the Implementation of Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) under the supervision of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO).

4. ARMS SMUGGLING Mr. Sauper had malicious intentions of;

Linking arms transportation from European countries to Africa, via Tanzania to the Great Lakes Region.

Mwanza airport has been used as a corridor for smuggling arms. He uses the existence of cargo planes that carry fillets from Mwanza to the European markets as a proof of arms smuggling through Tanzania.

Portraying Tanzania as a country of troublemakers who at anytime can embark on war with her neighbours.

The fact is that Mwanza airport has never been used as a gateway for arm smuggling.Moreover, Tanzania is not a country of troublemakers as revealed by her unique history but only of peacemaker.

Mr. Sauper allegations are far from the truth since he has so far failed to prove how planes brought in arms at the Mwanza airport. Lots of his scenes have been done at nights, which proves that he is a cheater and liar.

Further, from his film, a number of scenes are pre-planned and arranged (cooked), such as;

Homeless children fighting for the food and sniff gas (petrol).

Interviewed prostitutes in different nightclubs.

A watchman (guide) interviewed as a fisherman, while he is not.

The producer asks leading questions so as to get the intended answers of his choice.

CONCLUSION

Mr. Sauper intention was to destroy Tanzania’s lucrative business on Nile Perch abroad, specifically to the European market.

The film is misinforming and misleading not only Tanzanians but also other stakeholders and the World at large, in the fight against poverty. Mr. Sauper failed to mention other neighbuoring countries, which share the same lake, which also carry out Nile perch business.

Part of the shots are not from the scene of 2003 when Mr. Sauper produced his film, but they are from 1992-1996 when the Nile perch business was still at the infancy stage.

We strongly condemn Sauper’s film as it is intended to suppress the Tanzanian government efforts to fight poverty through Nile Perch exportation.

Copyright. (c) DARWINSNIGHTMARE.NET. 2006. All rights reserved. DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE is a trademark of Hubert Sauper Neither are associated or affiliated with DarwinsNightmare.net.

source: google

... THE GOB CAMPAIGN AT THE BUNGE ENTRANCE

NEW BUNGE 'PARLIAMENT' BUILDING: PHOTO: AAI
















key message:


1. The Director of Action Aid-Tanzania Rose Mushi has said that poverty is partly contributed by lack of adequate resources for investing in key areas such as health, education, agriculture and roads.

2. More aid and debt cancellation are needed so as to enable the Least Developed Countries (LDC) to cope with the current challenges of the globalised world, among others, including HIV/AIDS.

3. Albert Memba of Action Aid-Tanzania said the information collected will be used to convice developed countries to cancel debts for poor countries.

4. The Minister for Planning and Economy Empowerment, Dr. juma Ngasongwa said the government plans an ambitious programme to supply Dar es salaam city with sufficient water by exploiting additional water sources.

florence3

florence3

get on board

GET ON BOARD, GOB, IN TZ
:

Dr. Juma Ngasongwa, The Minister for Planning and Economic Empowerment, (centre) on his right campaign bus manager Sandy Krawitz of Action Aid-US, and left Action Aid-Tanzania Director Rose Mushi at the bunge grounds in Dodoma-Tanzania.



PHOTO:AAI

MAKING POVERTY A HISTORY IN AFRICA

Action Aid International-Tanzania, during a campaign to make poverty a history in Africa.

pictured: A campaign bus at the Mutukula towship, moment before crossing to Uganda.

Make Poverty a History in Africa, Get On Board 'GOB' is a campaign by an NGO named Action Aid through a bus popular in Tanzania known as as “kipanya” and is for the second time consecutively to be in the country, the first campaign was in 2005. The Bus which was on its way to Uganda for the same mission.

generally, ‘GOB’ is the journey of a small African bus since 2005. It is a journey that started in Johannesburg on 31 March and ended in Scotland on 6 July at the G8 summit of the world’s most powerful leaders.

This year the bus is back on the road from South Africa through Tanzania to Uganda to disseminate the results of the 2005 campaign.

Action Aid is a key player in the global call to action against poverty and the make poverty history coalitions. This involves asking developing countries to invest in their future by improving basic healthcare and providing free basic education.

ends.

KUKEKETA SIO MBAYA!

Baadhi ya mambo sio utamaduni wa Waafrika hivyo hayana faina kwao, kwa kuwa hayaendani na mazingira yao.

Ukoloni ulipoanza, baadhi ya taratibu za Waafrika zilidharauliwa ili waige zile za wageni, "wakoloni".

Moja kati ya hizo ilikuwa ni ukeketaji, kwani kukeketa kuna ubaya! Kenyata (1938) ameandika kuwa kukeketa ni mila ya Waafrika yenye maana kwao, na wala hakuna madhara yoyote na yeye ni mmoja kati ya waafrika waliozaliwa na mwanamke aliyekeketwa.

Anasema kuwa Waafrika lazima waheshimu mila zao, na sio mtu kutoka nje awafundishe kipi kizuri kuhusu utamaduni wao. Hivyo ukeketaji ni sawa sawa kabisa, neno FGM limeletwa na hao wageni!

mwisho.