Tanzania Red Cross near collapse as leaders alleged to personalise everything

[FikraPevu]

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Tanzania Red Cross Society, beyond any reasonable doubt is the lead humanitarian agency in the Country. It provides relief and support to the communities affected by disasters or large-scale humanitarian demands.

The society was established by Act No. 71 of the Parliament of 1962 as auxiliary to the government or public authorities mandated to intervene in the disaster situations by especially giving relief and carrying out first aid to the disaster victims.

A-52-year old institution is now taking five steps backward against half a step forward. in other words, its collapsing and a dire emergency government intervention is more than necessary at this point to save the humanitarian agency.
The first reason is that the agency has for close to 10 years been without an executive leadership after its Secretary general Mr. Adam Kimbisa joined politics without putting in place a replacement, implying that he has been managing the agency by remote.

This is contrary to Red Cross Seven Guiding Fundamental Principles that include; Impartiality, Neutrality and independence. After the partners and Red Cross Movement intervened in vein to protest his involvement into politics, closed their offices and left. The agency has been struggling with donations from local NGO to meet its obligation.

The agency has been grossly mismanaged either consciously or by lack of skills. For the last 10 or so years the agency has never produced audited books of accounts, an issue that continues to scare away they would be humanitarian donors and supporters.

Over 70% of its entire staff are either above retirement stage or due to clocking government mandatory retirement age and there is no succession plan in place, implying that they would remain in offices with excuses of not wanting to leave the agency without leadership.

Reliable sources affirm to FikraPevu that most senior management staff including the Executive secretary Haj. Adam Kimbisa, his deputy Mr. Peter Mlebusi, Human Resources Boss, Sigsbert Raphael Shimbe, Directors of Finance Rajabu Ali, and that of Disaster John Kimariyo and Kibari, Dr Justine Lugoe of health depart.

All these are over 65 years by now, but even no plan of even handing over offices to others!
Others supposed to retire are managers of Branch Development, Kejo Julius, of Finance; Bajwala Juma, Batangwa Gideon, Jane Lweikiza of health department.

Recruitment and Employment
The society currently has over 300 workers countrywide. Majority about 80% are employed on an annual renewable contract basis, others are either Four years of permanent and pensionable basis and others are merely volunteers.

Employment and recruitment is also based on connections with top management are alleged to employ their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and other family members. The policy is that one cannot be employed if is not brought by any of those mentioned above- logic is that don't want an intruder.

FikraPevu has been informed that Recruitment goes on every time there are vacant positions or when new jobs have been created. They advertise to hoodwink the public. Thousands apply, but the actual fact is that people are already working by the time of advertising the vacancies!

Red Cross being a public institution established under the Parliamentary Act 71 of 1962 is or should be working or run under government laws and regulations. It has an independent principle that the government recognizes; but the way it's ran, FiraPevuthinks that it's the right time the parliament should intervene to save the humanitarian industry.

But its a different story when it comes to its way of operation despite serving as auxiliary to public and government authorities.

The society doesn't even...

Full story=>Tanzania Red Cross near collapse as leaders alleged to personalise everything