Wakati wa Tawala zilizopita shilingi ilikuwa inacheza sana, ilikuwa haitulii kabisa. Hata JPM alipoingia madarakani kuna kipindi shilingi iliyumba sana hadi tukalamika hapa JamiiForum kuwa mabeberu kuna namna wanatuhujumu katika hili.
Badae serikali ikaingilia kati tatizo likaisha shilingi ikarudi 2270 kama nakumbuka vizuri. Tokea hapo ikashuka tena kidogo hadi 2300 na vipoint hivi . Tangu kipindi hicho shilingi imechezea 2300 hadi 2319, hili limedumu kwa muda mrefu sana.
1. Sijafanya research kuangalia "stability" ya USD over other currencies kuanzia 2016. Ukiangalia thamani ya TZS over USD kabla ya 2015 utaona shiling ilikuwa vizuri tu lakini ghafla thamani ya shiling ikaanza kuporomoka (in fact, uhalisia ni kwamba thamani ya USD ikaanza kupanda) ghafla!!
Kimsingi sio kwamba Shiling ilianza kuporomoka bali USD ilikuwa inapanda kila wakati, na hii haikuwa kwa TZS peke yake bali USD ili-shoot dhidi ya sarafu nyingi sana duniani!!
Hata US kwenyewe, Exporters walianza kuingia hofu na kulalamika jinsi USD ilivyokuwa inapanda thamani constantly over other currencies!! Unajua akina sie tusiejua mambo ya kiuchumi ndio huwa tunafurahia kuona USD inabadilishwa kwa shilingi chache zaidi... kibiashara, for export business, hiyo sio mzuri na ndio maana mataifa kama China au Japan yana-hustle kuifanya sarafu yao kuwa na thamani ndogo!!
Sasa kama US Federal Reserve or US Monetary Policy ilifanya jambo kuzuia more USD Surge basi hiyo kilichofanyika kitakuwa kimesaidia sarafu nyingi including ya kwetu!!
2. Inawezekana serikali ina-control thamani ya shilingi! Unaposema ku-control ni kama ilivyokuwa enzi za Mwalimu!! Uchumi ulikuwa too weak! Hatukuwa na export ya kueleweka kuweza kuingiza more and more USD na hivyo kufanay supply kuwa kubwa lakini pamoja na yote hayo, bado thamani ya TZS ilikuwa kubwa sana!!
Thamani ile ya TZS ya Mwalimu haikuwa na uhalisia wowote kiuchumi kwa sababu, endapo nguvu ya soko ingeachwa iamue bei ya USD basi huenda kabla ya Mwalimu kuondoka angeacha TZS ikiwa na thamani ya chini kabisa pengine kuliko kipindi kingine chochote kuwahi kutokea!!
Tukija kwenye uwezekano wa performance bora ya serikali kusababisha TZS kuonekana kuwa na afya, tunapaswa kuangalia yale yanayoweza kusababisha TZS Stable.
Kama utaacha nguvu ya soko iamue bei ya USD vs TZS, basi Export and Import ndizo zenye uwezeo wa kuifanya shilingi kuwa stable over USD. Ukifanya export kubwa, maana yake unaleta ndani more USD na hivyo kuongeza supply yake! Export ikiwa ndogo, USD supply nayo inadumaa!!
Kanuni za supply na demand zinasem supply ay kitu ikiwa ndogo basi price inaongozeka!
Kwa upande wa Import, ukifanya uagizaji mkubwa wa bidhaa kutoka nje maana yake utasababisha demand for USD ili uweze kuingiza bidhaa husika!! Kwa maana nyingine, more import itasabisha demand for USD kuwa juu na hatimae bei yake kuwa juu vile vile!!
Sasa ukiangalia Report ya BoT ya mwaka 2015/2016, inasema:-
The deficit in current account of the balance of payments narrowed to USD 2,312.8 million in 2015/16 compared with a deficit of USD 4,777.0 million in 2014/15, driven by increased exports coupled with decline in imports.
Kwa maana nyingine , tulifunga mwaka wa fedha wa 2015/2016 tukiwa kwenye hali mzuri in terms of exports and imports... kwamba tulipunguza import na kuongeza export na hatimae deficit in a current account kuwa USD 2,312.8!
Lakini hata ukiangalia overall Balance of payment, taarifa inasema:-
The overall balance of payments recorded a deficit of USD 368.3 million compared to a deficit of USD 225.9 million in the preceding year, due to under performance in the capital and financial account.
Utaona ingawaje kwenye current account ambayo ni sehemu ya balance of payment tulifanya vizuri lakini overall BoP hatukufanya vizuri kulinganisha na 2014/2015!
Lakini wakati hali ilikuwa hivyo mwaka 2015/2016, ripoti ya mwisho ya BoT ya 2018/2019 inasema kwamba:-
The current account balance was a deficit of USD 2,645.3 million in 2018/19 compared with deficit of USD 1,771.7 million in the preceding year. Exports were virtually unchanged, while imports increased.
Utaona hapo wakati 2015/2016 sio tu current account deficit ilikuwa ndogo zaidi (USD 2,312.8 million ) compared to 2018/2019 (USD 2,645.3 million) lakini pia kulikuwa na ongezeko la export na kushuka kwa imports huku 2018/2019 export ikiwa haijabadilika lakini import imeongezeka!!!
Na ukija kwenye overall BoP, ripoti inasema:-
The balance of payments was in a comfortable position, albeit turning into a deficit of USD 990.7 million in 2018/19 compared to a surplus of USD 627.9 million in the preceding year.
Again, utaona hata Balance of Payment for 2015/2016 ilikuwa bora zaidi (
USD 368.3 million) kwa zaidi ya mara mbili unusu compared to 2018/2019 (
USD 990.7 million)
REMEMBER: Kwavile tupo kwenye deficit, basi kadri hizo namba zinavyokuwa kubwa ndivyo inavyoonesha hali kutokuwa mzuri!!!
HIVYO BASI, kwa kuangalia vigezo hivyo muhimu, yaani "
The deficit in current account of the balance of payments" na "Overall
Balance of Payment", sababu za kiuchumi HAZISHAWISHI kuonesha hivi sasa serikali inafanya vizuri zaidi kuliko awamu iliyopita na hivyo kusababisha TZS kuwa stable!!
Katika mazingira ya kawaida, ungetarajia TZS over USD iwe vizuri zaidi in 2015 kuliko hivi sasa!!!
Sasa kwa kuangalia jinsi ambavyo TZS ilivyokuwa ina-depreciate rapidly over USD back in 2015 kulinganisha na sasa, basi moja ya theories zangu hapo juu itakuwa sababu... kwamba, ama USD imeacha ile constant appreciation over other currencies iliyokuwepo back 2014 to 2015 over all other currencies au bei ya TZS haiamuliwi na nguvu ya soko bali na serikali or BOTH!!
Kama nitatakiwa kuchagua moja kati ya hayo, basi jibu langu litakuwa BOTH!!