Sasa hao wafadhili wakisitisha msaada wao si ndiyo tutakwisha kabisa?
Power crisis handling disappoints donors
ABDUEL KENGE
Daily News On Saturday; Saturday,October 21, 2006 @00:09
THE donors' General Budget Support review (GBS), yesterday criticised the way the government has handled the ongoing power crisis, resolving to assess the situation before assisting the country's five-year emergency power master plan.
The GBS says that the power crisis, which started seven months ago, was scheduled to end in September through leased gas-generators, but it was 'questionably delayed because of mismanagement'.
The outgoing Chairman of the GBS, Mr Torbjorn Pettersson of Sweden, told the 'Daily News on Saturday' yesterday that the donors want to assess the issue before deciding the next step.
"We regret the mismanagement of the power problem," Mr Pettersson said after GBS wound up its five-day annual review, adding "the development partners are watching closely how the government will manage this crisis--this is all I can tell you for now."
The government had set aside about 220bn/- for leasing gas generators that were supposed to bridge the gap when Mtera Dam ceases generation of hydropower. The dam was switched off a few days ago.
A joint GBS Secretariat communique said that a small group of government officials and development partners--the World Bank, Sweden, United Kingdom and IMF--would meet in advance of the next cabinet meeting, to discuss the issue. The cabinet is scheduled to meet next Friday.
"There is need to start implementing the emergency power supply programme immediately," the summary says.
To speed up management of the power crisis, the donors also have nodded to government's intention of using emergency procurement regulations to address the problem.
The development partners support 80 per cent of the government's development budget which this year is over 800bn/-.
Commissioner for Policy Analysis at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Mugisha Kamugisha, agreed there was a delay in delivering the generators to offset the hydropower vacuum.
"The money is there on the budget but the problem is the delivery", Mr Mugisha said.
Mid this year the government hired Agreko and Richmond Development Company (RDC) to produce 40 megawatts and 100MW, respectively, but starting with 20MW each, to ease the power crisis. However, the latter failed to effect delivery on time, further worsening the power crisis.
Bank of Tanzania Governor, Mr Daudi Ballali said due to the power cuts, the economic growth would not grow as anticipated at 7.0 per cent claiming it would now grow at 5.9 per cent.
The Minister for Finance, Ms Zakia Meghji, warned during the opening of the GBS on Monday that unless the blackouts were halted, positive economic growth would be a distant dream.
The five-year Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) recovery master plan requires a capital investment of 1.3trilion/- that will also minimise TANESCO's financial losses. To mobilise the resources, the government intends to convene a donors' meeting soon.
Halafu angalia na hii...
Waziri mpya anusa hujuma Tanesco
Na Mwandishi Wetu (Mwananchi 21 Oktoba 2006)
WAZIRI wa Nishati na Madini, Nazir Karamagi ameshutushwa na taarifa za kufungwa kwa bwawa la Mtera, licha ya kupewa taarifa na uongozi wa Tanesco kuwa lingeweza kuzalisha umeme kwa siku 21 zaidi.
Kutokana na hali hiyo, Karamagi ametafsiri hali hiyo kama njama za kuhujumu uchumi zinazofanywa dhidi ya serikali kutoka ndani ya shirika hilo.
Karamagi amesema jana kuwa serikali imeshtuka baada ya kusoma kutoka kwenye magazeti taarifa za kufungwa kwa bwawa hilo wakati siku moja kabla, viongozi wa Net Group na Tanesco, walishaithibitishia serikali kwamba maji katika bwawa hilo yangeweza kutosha kwa siku 21.
Karamagi alisema baada ya kuingia katika wizara hiyo Oktoba 17 mwaka huu, uongozi mpya uliitisha kikao cha watendaji wote katika shirika hilo na kutoa taarifa kuwa maji yangekuwepo kwa siku 21.
Juzi Karamagi alikaririwa akisema kuwa taarifa za kufungwa kwa bwawa la Mtera zilizoripotiwa na vyombo vya habari hazikuwa sahihi.
"Asubuhi ya tarehe 17 Oktoba wahusika wa Tanesco walitwambia kwamba maji katika bwawa la Mtera, yalikuwa yamebakiza kina cha sentimeta 21 na kwa kuwa matumizi yalikuwa sentimeta moja kila siku, walitarajia bwawa hilo lingeendelea kutoa nishati angalau kwa wiki mbili," alisema.
Lakini, alisema kuwa kesho yake yaani Oktoba 18, waliona kwenye magazeti habari za kufungwa kwa bwawa la Mtera.
"Serikali imekitafsiri kitendo hicho kama njama za kuihujumu na kuhujumu uchumi wa taifa," alisema na kuongeza:
"Kinachotushangaza katika serikali, ni kwa nini taarifa iliyotolewa katika vyombo vya habari na ambayo ilikuwa sahihi, haikutolewa serikalini na badala yake, serikalini ikapelekwa taarifa ambayo ni ya uongo wa wazi?" alihoji.
Kwa mujibu wa Karamagi, suala nyeti la kufungwa kwa bwawa hilo lisingeweza kutangazwa kwenye vyombo vya habari bila kuiambia serikali.
"Kwa nini wanafunga bila kutueleza?" sisi katika serikali tunajiuliza hatupati jawabu," alisema Karamagi.
Waziri huyo ameshangazwa na utaratibu huo na kuhoji: "Huu ni utamaduni wa wapi? Wizara ndiyo yenye mamlaka na suala la nishati. Hawa wa Tanesco na Net-group walitaka kuniweka mimi katika mazingira ya kumwambia Rais jambo ambalo si kweli."
"Hebu fikiria kama mimi ningekwenda kumwambia Rais kwamba tunayo maji ya kutosha kwa siku 21 na bwawa linaweza kutusukuma kwa siku hizo, na Rais akalitangazia taifa kwamba bwawa la Mtera halitafungwa katika siku 21. Lakini kesho yake vyombo vya habari vikatangaza kwamba bwawa hilo limefungwa, hii ingekuwaje? Hali hii tunaitafsiri kama njama tu," alisema.
Alipoulizwa ni hatua gani serikali inachukua, Karamagi alisema serikali imekwishaanza kuchukua hatua. Hata hivyo, alisema kwa sasa suala la muhimu sana ni kuweka sawa suala la umeme nchini.
"Katika hali kama hii, huwezi kushughulikia matatizo mawili, kwanza tunahangaika na hili la nishati ndipo tutaanza kushughulikia hili la kiutawala. Lakini hatua za kiserikali tayari zimekwishaanza," alisema waziri huyo.
Wakati huo huo, Nora Damian anaripoti kuwa Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) kimemtaka Rais Jakaya Kikwete, kuunda tume kuchunguza suala zima la umeme kikihisi kuwa kuna baadhi ya viongozi wakubwa serikalini wanahujumu jitihada za kutatua tatizo hilo ili wajinufaishe kupitia biashara ya jenereta.
Akizungumza na Mwananchi jijini Dar es Salaam jana, mara baada ya kufungua mkutano wa mafunzo ya vijana wa chama hicho, Katibu Mkuu wa Chadema, Dk Wilbroad Slaa, alisema inatia hofu kuona jitihada za kutatua tatizo la umeme zinakwama mara kwa mara, jambo ambalo alisema huenda likawa na mkono wa mtu.
Tunamuomba Rais aunde tume ya kuchunguza suala hili, inawezekana kabisa jenereta tunazoziona mitaani ni biashara ya wakubwa na ndiyo maana tatizo la umeme haliishi kila siku. Rais anapotoshwa kila siku kuhusu tatizo la umeme na hii huenda inafanywa makusudi, alisema Dk. Slaa.
Alipoulizwa na Mwananchi kama ana ushahidi au kumjua kiongozi yoyote wa serikali anayejishughulisha na biashara ya jenereta, Dk Slaa alisema; Inawezekana ni mpango wa viongozi wakubwa lakini siwezi kuwataja.
Alimtaka Rais Kikwete kutoona aibu kulitangaza tatizo la umeme linalolikabili taifa kwa sasa kuwa ni janga la kitaifa.
Alisema pamoja na tatizo la umeme kuwa na athari mbaya kiuchumi, lakini pia linaathari za kijamii hasa kwa akina mama ambao alisema wapo katika hatari kubwa ya kubakwa na kupoteza maisha kwa sababu wanafanya kazi nyingi kama kutafuta mashine za kusaga usiku wakati umeme unapopatikana.
Wanazima umeme mchana wakifikiri wanapunguza matumizi lakini matokeo yake kazi zinafanyika usiku, hii ni hatari hasa kwa wanawake kwa usalama wao kwani wanaweza kubakwa na kuporwa, alisema.
MAONI YANGU
Nimejaribu kujiuliza na kurejea yafuatayo:
1. Tukumbuke hapo nyuma kuna kampuni inaitwa Utegi Enterprises nayo ilipewa jukumu la kuleta jenereta kwa ajili ya hapo hapo Ubungo, deadline iliwasumbua sana na almanusura wanyang'anywe tenda. Sikumbuki waliishia wapi. Mwenye kumbukumbu anisaidie kwa hili. Ninachojua ni kuwa hiyo kampuni nayo kazi yake kubwa ni "clearing and forwarding".
2. Tangu mitambo hiyo ya gesi ifungwe hapo Ubungo, imekuwa "inaharibika" mara kwa mara. Kwa nini? Ilikuwa, na ni mibovu, kwa sababu ya rushwa au hujuma?
3. Tatizo la Richmond ni nini? Hawana pesa za malipo ya awali kwa huyo mwenye jenereta? Au jenereta yenyewe ndiyo haipo? jambo ambalo haliniingii akilini. Kama JK anahusika si angeweza kumwambia dada yake Meghji awape fedha hao jamaa ili walete huo mtambo, mambo yakaisha chapchap bila yeye kuadhirika? Kama ameweza kuagiza serikali itoe milioni 500 zaidi kwa halmashauri licha ya kwamba bunge lilishapitisha kiasi cha milioni 500 tu, kwa nini kwenye hili isiwezekane?
4. Sekta ya nishati ni nyeti kwa taifa na ndiyo maana kina WB, IMF na "wahisani/wafadhili" (kwa manufaa ya nchi zao) wanaiangalia kwa karibu. Ni wao wanahusika kwa kiasi kikubwa ku-sanction nani (kampuni) afanye nini. Walilazimisha, kwa mfano, serikali iingie mkataba na Netgroup Solution na kwamba wao "wangelipa" fedha hizo ikiwa ni "mkopo" kwa serikali yetu. Wao wanafaidika vipi? Ni nia njema tu ya kusaidia?
5. Netgroup Solution (watu waliishaibatiza Netgroup Problems) inahusika vipi na sakata hili? Waziri Karamagi "kanusa" nini? (rejea hiyo habari hapo juu). Serikali ilitangaza kuwa haitaendelea na mkataba na Netgroup. Je, wamekasirika hivyo "wanatufanyizia" kabla hawajaondoka? Badala ya ku-manage wame-mismanage mitambo na mabwawa ya kuzalisha umeme kisha wanatuacha solemba?
Bado naendelea kutafakari.
