Hotuba ya Zitto Kabwe Ujerumani

[Invisible]

TALKING NOTES FOR HON. KABWE ZUBERI ZITTO (MP) DURING A PUBLIC PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE GERMAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S POLICY ON AFRICA – PROSPECTS AFTER THE ELECTIONS.

BERLIN, 26TH AUGUST 2009.

When I was asked by BPB staff to appear to this panel and discuss this topic I was not sure what would be able to contribute. I am not an expert on international politics, though I closely follow events and read widely on policies of various countries towards Africa in general and my country Tanzania in particular. However, I will try to share my thoughts on the subject and propose improvements where needed, from my own perspective.

Reading from the guidelines on Germany’s Africa Policy, the following features are clearly stipulated;

That Germany wants peace and security in Africa . This includes principles of democracy, rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights. We have observed Germany getting involved in Peace keeping missions in the D R of Congo (with the largest contingent ever – The BundesWehr) and recently support to Darfur. We have witnessed the role played by German Political Foundations in African countries in democratisation work (I for one am a product of one foundation i.e. FES through the now famous Youth Leadership Training Programme – YLTP). In Tanzania, the German government spends almost 4 million Euros a year on the work of political foundations.

That Germany wants Africa as an economic partner. Germany exports 9% of the total world exports coming third after EU and the USA at 16% and 12% respectively. This is for export of goods, services and income. Germany is the world’s biggest exporter of goods. It exports more than 1.2 trillion Euros worth of goods to the world and thus it is constantly in search of new markets. Germans argue that they need large numbers of discerning customers with money to spend on their high-quality products. Realising that Germany helps African countries to reduce poverty and build strong sustainable economies through support to private sector.

Working with the European Union as an influential member, Germany is involved in trade negotiations (like EPAs) in order to create the conditions for Africa to be integrated into the global economy and for all people in Africa to be able to share in their country's economic prosperity. However trade between Germany and Africa is very minimal and its major trade partners are fellow European countries, US and China. Trade relations with African countries tend to favour Germany and one struggles to see any sign of real German Investment in most African Countries apart from South Africa. Taking an example of my country Tanzania, the facts explain themselves.

In 2008, Germany exported to Tanzania goods worth EUR 155 million and imported from there goods worth EUR 71 million, thus recording an export surplus of EUR 84 million. While Tanzania like any other African Country imports machineries, it exports raw materials like Coffee, Tea and minerals (Tanzania is the third largest producer of Gold in Africa after South Africa and Ghana). This trade relation is clearly unbalanced as lack of direct investments causes Africa to export raw goods and hence limit the growth of the economy due to a minimum multiplier effect.

Statistics show that Germany’s Foreign Direct Investments outflows (Investment in companies in a foreign country) values EUR 80 billion. Less than 1% of this goes to Africa. There are hardly any German direct investments in Tanzania as I exemplified before.

That Germany wants to secure supply of energy and raw materials. The Africa policy states that only if Germany has access to adequate, accessible and affordable energy sources will it be able to survive as a developed industrial country. This is the high level of honesty shown by Germans. Few developed countries are as open about their interests in Africa’s natural resources. Germany’s net energy imports as a percentage of total energy use stands at 61%. It is true that Africa has a wealth of energy resources and raw materials. Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad, to mention a few, are some Sub Saharan African countries who produces Oil and Gas. Newcomers are Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania (which exploits gas and has used it for electricity since 2004). Germany offers a ready and secured market for Africa’s Oil and Gas. However Africa is suffering from Natural resources trap as written by Paul Collier in his Book ‘The Bottom Billion’. Several African countries rich in resources have suffered the ‘resource curse’ whereby abundance in natural resources is a cause for conflicts and bad governance. Nigeria, Angola, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea are some very good examples of how abundance of resources has fuelled conflicts. It is Africa’s hope that German companies would play a role that supports African growth and does not plunge it into resources conflicts and corruption. Germany must work with democratic and non corrupt Africa regimes to enable its need for energy to be used as a stepping stone towards ending the resource curse.

Development cooperation one of Germany’s main foreign policy instruments. Germany is the 5th largest bilateral and multi lateral donor in monetary terms. It donated a total of EUR 10 billion in 2006. However Germany ranking drops to 14th in terms of percentage of GDP. In 2006 its donations made up 0.36% of GDP compared to countries like Sweden, Norway, Netherlands and Denmark which gave more than 0.8% of their GDP. In the same year, an African country, Nigeria, was the number one receiver of the Bilateral and Multilateral Aid overtaking Iraq and Afghanistan. Out of 10 largest recipients of aid, 6 are African countries ie Nigeria, Sudan, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Cameroon. I will use, as expected, my country’s example to explain.

Tanzania has long been a major focus of German developmentassistance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Total commitments since 1962 amount to some EUR 1.8 billion[4]. For the period 2009-2011, some EUR 150 million have been pledged. All funds are in the form of non-repayable grants. Bilateral cooperation focuses on health and HIV/Aids prevention, water supply and sanitation and promoting local government reforms.

Practically I would compare Germany’s Africa policy with corporate social responsibility in a private sector environment. While meaningful investments are a more effective way to create wealth, more money is dished out as development aid. Whether aid helps to end poverty or not continues to be an issue for debate. People have written books on Aid and Development with the recent one by our African sister from Zambia Dr. Dambisa Moyo (Dead Aid) who argues for ending foreign aid to Africa. I don’t want to get involved in that debate. However as a Parliamentarian from an African country I must confess that the issue of excessive reliance on foreign aid comes to parliament during every budget session.

I would like to see a radical change in German policy towards Africa; a change that shifts the balance from development cooperation (Aid driven) towards direct investments. I understand people need water and health services. I understand that peace keeping missions and democratization support is crucial to ensure sustainable development n Africa, but in order for these efforts to be sustainable, they need to be supported by other actions.

I urge the German government to encourage German companies to invest more in African countries. There are countries with stable governments and better investments environment. Ghana and Tanzania are clear examples of African stable countries with a proven democratic track record. The attractions in Tanzania – Kilimanjaro, Serengeti and Zanzibar, attract people from all over the world every year and could easily accommodate more tourists from Germany.

If German companies invest in Tanzanian tourist sector and more and more Germans visit Tanzania, costs of travel and stay would be lower due to economies of scale. After all Tanzania has a special relationship with Germany as a former colony and there exists memories like a railway line, MV Liemba and a Kaiserhof in Kigoma. Tanzania is located strategically and thus an agent for stability in the great lakes region. Germany investments in Tanzania will not only catalyses economic growth but also bring peace to the Great Lakes Region.

Tanzania is in a dire need of electricity. It is currently running in a deficit of 200 MW of electricity while it has enough gas, hydro and coal sources of energy to power its national grid. German companies can as well take an interest in investing in energy sector in Tanzania and the return on this investment is surely good. The economy is growing at an average rate of 6% and it requires energy for further growth. Only 12% of Tanzanians have an access to electricity supplied by national grid system. This creates an investment opportunity for large and medium enterprises in the energy sector.

I would like to see the new government, to be formed after September elections, focusing its efforts towards encouraging companies from Germany to see Africa as a long term strategic investment partner. I invite potential German investors to come to Tanzania and see for themselves the considerable investment opportunities that exist. This approach will benefit both Germany and Africa which can only be a good thing.

Thank you

 

[Bluray]

Unlike Kikwete, at least he is using -or indeed proving that he has- his Economics degree and the requisite rare understanding of not only geopolitics, but also national and local politics - refer to the Kigoma post.

I mean at least the right issues are raised, the right moves are made.

In the absence of a messiah, this gives me hope.

 

[Lunyungu]

Wachumi wa zamani kama JK ambao they never practiced walicho soma ila blah blah kweney majukwaa ya siasa si rais kuwapa kiti moto cha Uchumi na mwenendo wa Dunia wa karne ya 21 wakaelewa.JK sina hakika kwamba no can now and used to read anything kuhusu Uchumi wa Dunia na kasi yake.

Nadhani waandishi sasa wachukue ngoma hii waweke katika magaezti ya TZ wananchi wengine waweze kujua kinacho jiri ughaibuni na waanze kulnganisha wasomi na wasomi ambao wamekumbatia madaraka yao na usomi wao wamefungia stoo .

 

[Vakwavwe]

saaaaaaaaaafi sana, hii inaonyesha ukomavu wa kisiasa. unapokuwa nje ya nchi achana kabisa na kulia lia kuhusu hawa sisiemu. onyesha pontentiality ya nchi kwa kuwa mafisadi wanapita ila nchi itadumu milele...nimeipenda sana hiyo presentation.

 

[Mkandara]

Duh, Zitto mkali jamani kama alikuwepo kichwani mwangu!..

 

[Kwame Nkrumah]

Zitto can easily be our very own Kagame.Possibly surpass him.

 

[Kaizer]

Ghana and Tanzania are clear examples of African stable countries with a proven democratic track record.

I am a bit skeptical about this..especially the proved DEMOCRATIC track record....could this phrase have the same meaning in our local politics, especially now (refer the current CCM NEC woes), or is democracy, therefore, defined according to temporal and spatial dimensions? (may be the obvious?)

Otherwise, that was a good dossier.

 

[Masanilo]

I am a bit skeptical about this..especially the proved DEMOCRATIC track record....could this phrase have the same meaning in our local politics, especially now (refer the current CCM NEC woes), or is democracy, therefore, defined according to temporal and spatial dimensions? (may be the obvious?)

Otherwise, that was a good dossier.

I guess Zitto is good with Kaplan-Meier Survival analysis

 

[Silas A.K]

Nafikiri Zitto ni mmoja kati ya wabunge smart,waelewa wa mambo na wasiotawaliwa na ushabiki wa vyama wanavyotokea bali wanaotawaliwa na kiu ya kuona mabadiliko ya kweli katika uchumi na ustawi wa nchi hii.

Nasikitika kuona we spent almost muda wote wa discussion zetu kwenye kusema huyu fisadi yule fisadi.Tunajikuta hatuna muda wa kuzungumzia issues kwaajili ya ustawi wa uchumi wa taifa letu.

Kutoa dira na mwelekeo na kuwasaidia watawala katika kuwaonyesha njia kuhusu nini kifanyike ili kulipeleka mbele gurudumu la taifa letu.Tukosoe sera zinazotumaliza na kutoa njia mbadala.

Enough is enough with ufisadi,imefika wakati sasa tuangalie avenues zinazoweza kulipeleka taifa hili mbele huku tukiweka misingi imara ya utawala bora (good governance) na kuziba mianya ya rushwa na ubadhirifu huku tukiyashughulikia hayo ambayo yamekuwa historia yaani ubadhirifu uliotendeka nyuma katika mkondo wa sheria.

Tunahitaji kuja na majawabu na siyo maswali wakati wote,serikali inahitaji mchango wetu katika kutoa majawabu ya maswali tuliyonayo ili kuweza kusaidia kukuza uchumi wa taifa letu.

 

[Waberoya]

Unlike Kikwete, at least he is using -or indeed proving that he has- his Economics degree and the requisite rare understanding of not only geopolitics, but also national and local politics - refer to the Kigoma post.

I mean at least the right issues are raised, the right moves are made.

In the absence of a messiah, this gives me hope.

Task ya kwanza ya JK baada ya kumaliza degree was kugawa kadiza TANU he has no any specific professional work experience.

 

[Masanilo]

Task ya kwanza ya JK baada ya kumaliza degree was kugawa kadiza TANU he has no any specific professional work experience.

Kumbe tatizo lilianzia hapo! Tusimlaumu ameishasahau all the basics of economic principles.

 

[Bantugbro]

I am a bit skeptical about this..especially the proved DEMOCRATIC track record....could this phrase have the same meaning in our local politics, especially now (refer the current CCM NEC woes), or is democracy, therefore, defined according to temporal and spatial dimensions? (may be the obvious?)

Otherwise, that was a good dossier.

Ni mjanja na pia mzalendo, pamoja na matatizo ya CCM lazima unapopewa jukwaa ughaibuni uweke maslahi ya taifa mbele! Mafisadi tutapabanana nao hapahapa locally!

 

[Kaizer]

Ni mjanja na pia mzalendo, pamoja na matatizo ya CCM lazima unapopewa jukwaa ughaibuni uweke maslahi ya taifa mbele! Mafisadi tutapabanana nao hapahapa locally!

hehe on that one tupo ukurasa mmoja mkuu

 

[Fungu la kukosa]

Thanks very much the youngest Member of Parliament in Tanzania for your economic understanding about our country and Africa in general. A good thing with you is that, at least you have taught a lesson to other MPs that the time is now due for Africans to show their positive stand point to the Europeansa and avoid a dendency of befriending to the White. Most africans behave like slaves when meet with these the so called Superpower Masteers and do not say anything about how to safeguard African economic interest rather than hunting 10% of the lion share when either signing contractual agreement on business deals or discussing sensitive political issues about our continent. Thank you very much bwana mdogo

 

[Sophist]

Nafikiri Zitto ni mmoja kati ya wabunge smart,waelewa wa mambo na wasiotawaliwa na ushabiki wa vyama wanavyotokea bali wanaotawaliwa na kiu ya kuona mabadiliko ya kweli katika uchumi na ustawi wa nchi hii.

Nasikitika kuona we spent almost muda wote wa discussion zetu kwenye kusema huyu fisadi yule fisadi.Tunajikuta hatuna muda wa kuzungumzia issues kwaajili ya ustawi wa uchumi wa taifa letu.

Kutoa dira na mwelekeo na kuwasaidia watawala katika kuwaonyesha njia kuhusu nini kifanyike ili kulipeleka mbele gurudumu la taifa letu.Tukosoe sera zinazotumaliza na kutoa njia mbadala.

Enough is enough with ufisadi,imefika wakati sasa tuangalie avenues zinazoweza kulipeleka taifa hili mbele huku tukiweka misingi imara ya utawala bora (good governance) na kuziba mianya ya rushwa na ubadhirifu huku tukiyashughulikia hayo ambayo yamekuwa historia yaani ubadhirifu uliotendeka nyuma katika mkondo wa sheria.

Tunahitaji kuja na majawabu na siyo maswali wakati wote,serikali inahitaji mchango wetu katika kutoa majawabu ya maswali tuliyonayo ili kuweza kusaidia kukuza uchumi wa taifa letu.

Utopia?
Unaweza kujaza maji pipa unamomwaga lita 10 wakati muda uleule zinatoka liata 20? Where do you get the negative ten litres?
Hopefully this has to do with common sense rather than Fredieman tight money policy or Lord Meynes Kaines economic acumenship.
One more note: development (broudly thought) does not depend on function but vision and leadership to achieve the vision. period.

 

[Silas A.K]

mkuu sophist,naamini uchumi wa tanzania hautajengwa kwa kupiga kelele za epa,meremeta asubuhi mchana jioni.

Maisha yetu kama taifa lazima yasonge mbele na lazima maisha bora kwa kila mtanzania iwe reality.tunajifunza kutokana na historia yakiwemo mambo yaliyoturudisha nyuma kama taifa na yale tuliyofanikiwa kama taifa.

 

[Kijakazi]

Baada ya kusoma hiyo hotuba ingawaje imenichukua muda mrefu kuilewa kutokana na mapungufu ya Lugha kwa upande wangu, nimegundua kwamba mh Zito pamoja na watu walioichangia iyo hoja kuwa uwezo wake(o) wa kufikiri ni mdogo sana, nitaelezea kwa nini.

Kwanza hakuna jipya ambalo Zitto ameliongea ambalo hao wazungu hawajawahi kulisikia katika kwa viongozi wetu nikimaanisha kuomba misaada. Zitto anongelea kwamba hao wajerumani waje kuwekeza Tz anachoshindwa kuelewa ni kwamba wawekezaji huwa hawaitwi hata siku moja, anashindwa kuelewa kwamba kama kuwekeza Tz kungekuwa kunalipa (kwa makampuni ya Uj au kwingineko) basi hamna haja hata ya kwenda kutoa hotuba (ya kuendelea kutudhalilisha) kwani mabepari wangekuwa wamekwisha kuja tayari na wasingejari kama tz ni demokrasia au udikteta na mifano ipo mingi libya umeshasikia Gaddafi akienda kuruka ruka na kuomba wawekezaji? Mbona wanamiminika kila siku? Sudani, Angola, Chad n.k kwa hiyo ninachotaka kusema hapa ni kwamba tatizo Tz so wawekezaji bali ni kwamba kuwekeza Iz hakulipi siemens au toyota hawawezi kuja kujenga kiwanda Tz kwani hakuna sababu ya kuichumi ya wao kufanya hivyo hakuna miundo mbinu, watu wenye ujuzi n.k.

Mimi nilitegemea kusikia kutoka kwa kiongozi kijana kama huyo ambaye natumaini amazaliwa baada ya uhuru kuongea mambo yenye akili na sio sijui Ujerumani walitawala Tz sasa anafikiri kama Uj walitawala Tz ndio utawavutia anashindwa kuelewa kitu rahisi kabisa kwamba ubepari una maana 3 nazo ni FAIDA, Faida na faida. Kwa hiyo kwenda kuanza kusema sijui mlitutawala kwa hiyo njooni muwekeze kuonyesha upungufu wa akili au uwezo wa kufikiri kwani kwa kawaida kwa mtu yeyote mwenye akili jambo la kutawaliwa ni jambo la aibu na fedheha na wala si la kujivunia kama anavyodhani mh Zitto mimi nilitegema kwa mtu kama yeye awe na uwezo wa kuelewa hilo. Eti anasema wajerumani walitawala Tz kwa hiyo kuna uusiano maalumu huo uhusiano maalumu anauona yeye kwanza sidhani hata kama ukienda huko ujerumani na ukawauliza wajerumani mitaani kama hata wanajua kuna nchi inaitwa Tz!

Mtu mwenye akili ana majivuno kwani nimesikitishwa sana na huyo Zitto kuongea utumbo kiasi hicho.

Mimi nilitegemea kama hao waj wamefanikiwa kiuchumi angalia ni kwa nini jifunze chukua kinachochukulika leta Tz na angalia ni jnsi gani tunavyoweza kubadilisha mfumo wetu nasio kwenda kuwakumbusha eti mlitutawala sasa iweje?

La mwisho ni kwamba hotuba yote haionyeshi kama mtu mwenye akili anaongea inaonyesha kwamba bado ANAOMBA, hakuna majivuno yeyote aliyoonyesha. Eti njooni serengeti, kilimanjaro ndugu yangu dunia nzima inajua kwamba kuna mbuga inaitwa serengeti ingawaje hawaiji Tz, wanajua ml kili ingawaje hawajui Tz, na kama tz na kama wewe ungekuwa una akili basi ungeweza kuelewa kwamba kama watalii wakutosha hawaji Tz si kwa sababu hawajui kama kuna ml kili au serengeti ni kwamba kwa upande wetu hakuna tunachokifanya ili mtalii yeyote atakaye lipa pesa nyingi kuja kwetu na mwishowe kuridhika na huduma zetu na yeye kurudi kwao na kuwaambia wenzake ni jinsi gani kunavyolipa kwenda Tz.

Kwa hiyo mimi mtz nimesikitishwa sana na hiyo hotuba kwa maana haukuongea kama wewe bali umeongea kwa niaba ya nchi yetu kwa hiyo nimesikia kudharaulishwa sana kwani hotuba nzima imejaa KUOMBA na ninasikitika kusema kwamba hauna TOFAUTI NA KIKWETE, HAUNA KURA YANGU NIMESHAKUWEKA PEMBENI NA NINAENDELEA KUTAFUTA MKOMBOZI MWINGINE.

 

[Nyuki]

Kukalili (kudesa) na kwenda kuongea mbele za watu si kazi ngumu kabisa.

Maneno matupu hayavunji mfupa

 

[C. Misonge]

watz ni wazuri wa kutokubali au kumsifia mtz mwenzio pindi anapofanya jambo zuri, japokuwa hii haimaanishi kutokubali maoni yenu (ie nyuki + kijakazi), kukosoa kuzuri ni kuonesha kasoro, na kuleta hotuba yako uoneshe ungekuwa wewe ungesema nini ambacho unahisi mh zitto alipaswa aseme

 

[Gembe]

Angekuwa Mbowe unafikiri angeweza kuzungumza hapo? Lugha yenyewe mgogoro na ukizingatia na shule ilimshinda..