You are here > News > Thursday News

Last Updated: 4.3.2010

ENGLISH | SWAHILI | SPORTS

 

Kigamboni Bridge a dream come true.

The construction of the long awaited Kigamboni bridge in dar es salaam will start in November this year and be completed in 18 months time.The national social security fund(NSSF),the main stakeholder of the project has already sourced a transaction advisor to help them negotiate the contract with one of the six companies that wins the bidding process.

 

Kipawa homeless plead for tents.

More than 300 kipawa residents whose houses were demolished last friday have pleaded with the governement to provide them with tents.speaking in dar es salaam yesterday,their chairman Mangus malisa said that they have been rendered homelesss and they need tents for shelter.He however added that the situation they are facing currentky had forced them to sign the compensation chaques no matter how litttle the money might be.

 

Dar set to localize carbon trade plan The Government is preparing a local version of carbon trade arrangement under which people would earn money for planting trees as a measure to reduce global warming. The Government has also changed the national tree planting day from January 1 to April 1, each year effective next year. Speaking during a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the acting deputy permanent secretary and director of forestry and beekeeping in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Felician Kilahama, said carbon trade plan is expected to be ready at the end of 2010. Dr Kilahama said the plan entails monitoring, verification and reporting. It is a part of global campaign to motivate people to plant trees in a bid to counter global warming and other calamities of climate changes. ?The aim is to reward people who plant more tree as a motivation than focusing to punishing those who are cutting down trees,? said Dr Kilahama. He said a team of experts wasformed drawing members from the ministry,Vice-Presidents Office, academicians, private sector and non-governmentalorganisations, to work on modalitiesto measure the rate of carbon which will be acceptable globally. Earlier, the deputy minister for NaturalResources and Tourism, Mr EzekielMaige, said the Government has changed the national day for plantingtree to April 1 because many parts of thecountry receive rains during that period. This is just a national day toencourage tree plantating, but each region could choose other dates which coincide with the rain season,? saidMr Maige. The deputy minister called on regional and districtleaders to encourage people to plant trees as their(leaders?) performance will also be measured on that criteria. But he said the ministrywas faced with shortage of forest officers, making supervision oftree planting exercise a difficult task. Meanwhile, President Jakaya Kikwetehas appointed former Speaker of the National Assembly and CCM deputychairman (Mainland), Mr Pius Msekwa, chairman of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority (NCAA) effective October, this year. Subsequently, the minister for NaturalResources and Tourism, Ms Shamsa Mwagunga, has named 11 members tothe NCAA board. Politicians criticise JK youthful cabinet pledge Mixed views have greeted President Jakaya Kikwete's promise to appoint more young people to his government if he wins a second term in next year?s General Election. Politicians and political analysts said there was no way the Government could function efficiently and effectively without experienced people. However, the youth welcomed President Kikwete?s remarks, and asked the Head of State not to renege on his promise. President Kikwete told a group of visiting youths on Sunday that he would see to it that the country?s leadership was dominated by the youth if he wins a second term. Politicians who spoke to The Citizen yesterday included CUF national chairman Ibrahim Lipumba, Chadema secretary-general Willibrod Slaa and TLP national chairman Augustine Mrema. Others were a political scientist from the university of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dr Benson Bana, CCM National Executive Committee member Nape Nnauye and UDSM student Musa Luhamo. Prof Lipumba said striking a balance between young and veteran politicians was the best option. ?The youth don?t have the required experience. Although the youth are energetic and able to learn quickly, we need the experience of veterans. We need to have a combination of the two groups to have an effective government,? he said. Prof Lipumba said President Kikwete?s remarks were a political statement aimed to win him the support of the youth. For his part, Dr Slaa said President Kikwete should appoint a new Cabinet that will serve the interests of all Tanzanians, regardless of their political affiliation. ?It?s very interesting that the President is not happy with the performance of his ministers and yet he continues to retain them?this talk (of appointing more young people) is nothing but a political statement.? Dr Bana said the country needed experienced people who could drive the country?s development agenda. ?I see the President?s remarks as a political statement because I know that he knows that we need experienced people for efficient functioning of the government.? He said age was not a major factor in leadership, adding that what mattered was an individual?s performance. Mr Mrema said President Kikwete should give Tanzanians a ?Christmas present? by overhauling his Cabinet. ''I agree with the view that some veteran politicians who have been around since independence have outlived their usefulness. He should reshuffle his cabinet now instead of waiting until the 2010 General Election,'' he said. Mr Mrema said President Kikwete should not be apprehensive about dissolving his cabinet and appointing a new one because ''he has the public?s support''. Some youths supported President Kikwete?s remarks, saying such a move was crucial to the development of the country. Mr Nnauye urged President Kikwete to keep his promise, saying he was sure young people supported the idea, adding that the youth should be the driving force behind the country?s development. He said, however, that the appointment of young leaders should take into consideration their patriotism and competence. ''The most important thing here is having young leaders who are patriotic and who can deliver.'' A master's degree student at UDSM, Mr Musa Luhamo, also supported President Kikwete, saying the youth were capable of contributing ''tremendously'' towards development if they were given the chance. ''Some of the veterans we see in the Cabinet have been around since independence?it's time they stepped down to create room for the youth to make their contribution. I?m happy that the President has seen this,''he said. Mr Luhamo said young and energetic leaders were vital assets in development, and cited US President Barack Obama, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila as examples. A quick analysis of President Kikwete?s Cabinet shows that only a handful of ministers are under 50. Home Affairs minister Lawrence Masha is the only Cabinet member who is under 40. He is 39 years old. Ministers aged between 40 and 49 include Dr Batilda Burian, 44, (Vice-President's Office - Environment); Hawa Ghasia, 43, (President's Office - Public Service); William Ngeleja, 42, (Energy and Minerals); and Dr Diodorus Kamala, 41, (East Africa Cooperation). President Kikwete's remarks come at a time when anxiety is high among Cabinet ministers following last week?s Cabinet meeting. Reports from the meeting said President Kikwete clearly indicated that he was fed up with a number of ministers who had not performed to his expectations. There is speculation that President Kikwete will reshuffle his Cabinet after the CCM committee appointed to investigate the working relationship among CCM parliamentarians and between the MPs and Cabinet ministers submits its report.

Make Comments About this Article click here