Should poverty eradication be the no.1 priority for Tanzania now?

Sungurampole · 2011-05-28T08:40:46+00:00

WHAT A FOOLISH QUESTION TO ASK-Don't you see how our people are suffering? Indeed they have been suffering for many years and everyone knows [see also-Taarifa kwa vyombo vya habari toka Ikulu 5.5.2011 para 2 it say it clearly Wangu ni uongozi usiokuwa na muda wa kupoteza. Nina haraka. Sina muda tena wakusubiri. Tunahitaji kuongeza kasi ya mapambano ya kuwatoa wakulima wetu katika umasikini. Watu wetu wameishi katika umasikini kwa miaka mingi kupita kiasi. Watu wetu wameteseka sana, Rais Kikwete amesema leo, Jumatano, Mei 4, 2011." Although this is a fact it doesn't mean we should then blindly go for the priority - because you are thinking of the ideal world but this is BONGOLAND. If you do, you would have failed to read our context. As a nation, 'TUMEFIKA PABAYA' - We are stuck; we are living in a world of our own where everyone goes the bongo way. To be successful in any national intervention you need committed self - less people and the right environment if you agree with this then we need to first do something here. We have all seen how a number of initiatives designed to help the poor have ended up being another pipeline to siphon more of our money to the pockets of rich. You might argue but if we are honest with our souls you will agree with me. We normally have the bookish evaluations for the reports and leave the truth in our hearts. Thats why you will never hear of a failed programme in Tanzania, be it MKUKUTA, or sector specific the evaluations come out glittering with success but we just dont move. We evaluate with the donor in mind so that a new phase can come, but we and at times they also know it was a flop- a complete waste of resources. Unfortunately these evaluations also miss a critical element of self reflection and learning and as a result we get funds for next phase, nothing is changed and life goes on Business As Usual.(BAU). I am talking about this because if we think poverty eradication is our no.1 priority then programmes will role out and disaster will strike. Take an example KILIMO KWANZA the four major items known by the ordinary Tanzanian under KK so far are 1) the Power tillers, 2) Subsidized farm inputs and 3) Allocation of big chunks of land and 4) agricultural loans. The major beneficiaries have not been the poor but the rich, this is common knowledge although not said aloud. Who doesnt remember the fight that went into the tender of purchasing power -tillers. Who doesnt know that in many instances the voucher system of supplying pembejeo only involved paper movement and where it was actually supplied either the price was overstated by 100% + or the inputs were fake and the transport cost hiked by 100 % and done by my Uncle & co. When you talk of the agriculture loans see who were awarded the bulk of it? - The leaders, their cohorts or the rich well connected guys. It is said the loan carry all favorable conditions you can dream of, low interest loan rates some say as low as 5-8%, desirable grace period, government guarantee, long term repayment etc. Sometimes you hear people praising Kilimo Kwanza as a good case of PPP. True it is PPP but in most cases it was either Public Public Partnerships or Public -Family Partnerships. Where true private sector was involved it is just a conduit to take the money back to the public officer/office that issued the tender. Here we can change the Procurement act every other day but more and more money will be continue to be looted through public procurement- it is not the Act which is wrong it is the people. Go to the councils and see the shod work been done plus outright theft/cheating- now the ministers have been ordered (semina elekezi) to go there -what they are seen is only new to them not the poor people there, they have seen it all. You know what happened to the JK billions? Who got the lions share of it, and why? If you want to be fair you would say but a number of SACCOS got some of it. It is true but does this mean it benefited the poor? The answer is big NO. I heard of women group (SACCOs) who got up to TZS 50m at 8% interest and the SACCOS retailed it to its innocent unsuspecting members at 24% interest. These are only a few of the many initiatives taken sometimes innocently by the government to lift the people from POVERTY. We have reached a point where when you mention an idea of moving the remains of our dead to bury them in a new area on the side others are busy planning how to CHAKACHUA it to make money for themselves. Here comes world financial crisis and Obama gives a stimulus package to the private sector we think it is a good idea and we cut and paste forgetting this is Bongo. You know what happened to the Tanzania stimulus package of TZS 1.7trn, ask CAG. BUT the late Adam Lusekelo(RIP) saw it coming and wrote in the Light touch saying I see EPA number two and this is exactly what happened, sad he is not here to witness his prophesy come true. That's why I repeat my Question- Should poverty eradication be the no.1 priority for Tanzania at the moment? When Tanzanians cried of corruption Mkapa asked to be shown the corrupt! Sometimes I failed to understand Are we missing or cleverly avoiding the point? Yes, even the DPP is asking Wananchi for evidence on Kagoda and we just laugh at him not taking action to say no to this bad joke. We know of what happens to those who try to unearth corruption in Tanzania ask Jerry the journalist, he learned the hard way and he is not alone we hear of TAKUKURU, who openly cheated the President in Richmond scandal once going after the MPs double allowances, now after Bishops, TRA going after CHADEMA, Usalama wa Taifa going after the form 1 kid of Ukerewe- It is all a systemic set up to stop and silence the people from pointing a finger at corruption. When Mkapa asked for the corrupt he got his test through the Warioba corruption report- it mentioned names, he said the TOR was to show loopholes not mention names. However Kiula got his share. Now it is a fashion whenever we have a problem we are told a committee has been formed to investigate, it spends millions and if you are luck you will hear of a report been handled to the Boss followed by 'Dead silence' If someone is serious you can see it - he/she seriously keep the promise he/she gives. You hear the IGP preaching us of polisi jamii - wananchi to support his jeshi to combat evils, is he serious? You want us to support you in the fight against Drugs? Are you been fair - where is you respect to our grey matter called brains? Dont you think we would have taken you more seriously if you would have started with telling us what you did with the list your Boss had in 2005? Or even the ones in the Mengis case? People don't go for your words they look for actions. The way things go in Bongo I know a contingent will soon be dispatched to check if I paid tax on the local chicken I sold yesterday! This is after they are through with Sir bodo. 'Mimi ni mpole lakini inauma'

Thread starter Sungurampole
Start date May 28, 2011

Sungurampole

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Should poverty eradication be the no.1 priority for Tanzania now?

Sungurampole

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