UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Tanzania News Online (4) - 08/18/97

Tanzania News Online (4) - 08/18/97

TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE/TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE/TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE

Edition #4 18 August 1997

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A fortnightly update of news from Tanzania

TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE is written by Tanzanian journalists in Tanzania and brings you the news from their point of view. It is assembled and edited by South Africa Contact, the former anti-apartheid movement in Denmark, publishers of i'Afrika, a quarterly magazine concentrating on Southern Africa.

TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE joins ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE, MALAWI NEWS ONLINE and ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE in providing up to date news, at very reasonable subscription rates, from our established network of journalists in Southern Africa. These newsletters will be followed, in the very near future, by individual news updates from other countries in the region.

TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE is brought to you through a co-operation between South Africa Contact and Inform, Denmark's leading alternative information network.

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In this edition:

Feature:

HUNT ON FOR DRUG BARONS

Stories:

1. CUF TO UNDERGO GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION

2. TANZANIA CONDEMNS EXECUTIONS OF SIX BY BURUNDI JUNTA

3. 880 TEACHERS STILL JOBLESS

4. MKAPA PRAISED FOR COURAGE

5. 30 NGOs AMONG 236 STRUCK OFF BY GOVERNMENT

6. WASALAMA GUARDS AGITATE FOR OFFICIAL RECOGNITION

7. TANZANIA ECONOMY THREATENED BY SOUTH AFRICAN COMPETITION

8. NEW TAX LAWS COULD INFRINGE CIVIL RIGHTS

9. SMALL MARKET TRADERS PROTEST NEW SERVICE CHARGES

10. TANZANIAN SPORTS STARS RETURN EMPTY HANDED

Feature: HUNT ON FOR DRUG BARONS

Recently, the Tanzanian press brought to light a story about a Tanzanian who was caught at Dar es Salaam airport in possession of a kilo of narcotics valued at TSh 10m/-(Equivalent to more or less US$16,000).

As the incident was not unique, the question was raised whether the substance was en route to another destination or was intended to be consumed locally. With some good fortune, while still looking for the answer, Tanzania a few days later received some US$786,400 from the UN Drug Control Program(UNDCP), to purchase equipment and train anti-drug control personnel.

According to a UNDCP report, a rapid increase in the drug problem is emanating primarily from the changing socio economic conditions of rural migration, unemployment, improved communication flow and the impact of intrusion of external cultures. It is also thought that the lack of properly trained agents to combat these crimes and the absence of modern detection equipment are among the reasons drug traffickers are attracted to the route through Tanzania.

Beyond the purchasing of drug identification equipment and transportation for the trained personnel, the funds granted will also serve to co-ordinate expenses for law enforcement in Tanzania and legal personnel and their counterparts in the neigbouring countries of Kenya, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi. The legislation of Tanzania has up to now said to have been not severe enough to scare away the drugs barons. This is very crucial because big shots, including government officials, are reportedly 'greasing' the trafficking network. Policy makers and planners are among those who directly or indirectly benefit from drug booty.

Elaborating on the general situation in the drugs market in Tanzania, the UNDCP says that this situation continues to deteriorate with herbal cannabis abuse increasing throughout the country and heroine abuse, including intravenous use, becoming more prevalent in both Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Cocaine abuse, due to its high costs, is restricted to the more affluent in society.

While the role that the mainland of Tanzania is playing in the network is still under investigation, the Zanzibar government has acknowledged that not only is it a drug conduit but also that a good number of its population is addicted to drugs. More or less 200 young people are reported to require rehabilitation due to the effects of drugs. Observers agree that Zanzibar's rate of drug abuse could be similar on the mainland.

In 1993/1994, Tanzanian authorities seized over three million mandrax tablets hidden in vehicles travelling from Kenya to South Africa. This route, from Kenya to South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania, is reported to be coordinated by drug barons based in Dar es Salaam with links to criminals living in other countries.

The other weakness of Tanzania lies in the failure of the government to control and to scrutinise importation of legalised chemicals like acetone and coca leaf. Though considered harmless, mixed with some other ingredients, these chemicals can be transformed into narcotics. Several companies import acetone and coca leaf but the government knows very little about the required amount for legitimate use.

Re-invoicing is a common practise in import and export trade. Quantification and description of chemicals are done at the place of shipment whereas the invoices are produced during loading. It is, therefore, easy for invoices to be modified once the vessel is at sea, and to change the destination.

As an example, the UNDCP record shows that from 1994 to 1996, Interpol and the World Customs Organisation (WCO), seized more than 227 tonnes of hashish in Europe and North America which transited in east and southern ports, one of them being Dar es Salaam. During the same period, a container purportedly carrying candles was seized in the UK. It contained 10 tonnes of hashish. As the haul originated from Zambia this was a confirmation that Dar is used as a transit port. Further investigations ended up in seizure and impounding four tonnes of hashish in Moshi and an eight tonnes in Dar es Salaam.

The UNDCP is concerned about the security situation at Zanzibar's port and airport, in terms of its efficiency in controlling the flow of drugs. 'Controls in Zanzibar are even less effective than in Dar es Salaam and much of the incoming shipment (of drugs) is eventually bound for the mainland .. many of the containers are transferred from Zanzibar to Dar without further control after off-loading in Zanzibar,' said the UNDCP survey, stating that trade with India, Pakistan, the Far East and the United Emirates have particularly complicated the situation.

UNDCP is expecting that the funds will contribute towards the plans already in place to fight the drug trafficking. The funds will also help the drug commission secretariat to be functional and effective within five years. Law enforcement, combating drug related crimes, increasing trans border communication and co-operation is to be permitted by the US$ 786,400 and it is hoped this will end up with drug seizures and related arrests and successful prosecutions.

Stories:

1. CUF TO UNDERGO GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION

The Home Affairs minister, Mr Ali Ameir Mohammed, has said that two prominent political parties were suspected of hiding groups that could threaten peace in the country. The groups are the Blue and White Guards and Black Mamba.

The main opposition political party in Zanzibar, the Civic United Front (CUF), is now ready in case the government wants to investigate the presence of Blue and White Guards in its youth wing. However, the main opposition on the Tanzanian mainland, NCCR-Mageuzi, said the defence group called Black Mamba is not in its party.

The CUF Publicity Secretary, Mr Ramadhani Mzee, told the press recently that the investigation was welcome. He said the groups were not different from the TANU Youth League under the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, the ruling party. Elaborating, Ramadhani declared that the government in general and Chama Cha Mapinduzi in particular, had developed fears about the group because their members revealed to the party whatever was taking place within the two institutions, in particular the innermost secrets of State House.

The United Republic of Tanzania is composed of Zanzibar, an island, and Tanganyika, the mainland. CUF and NCCR Mageuzi are the main opposition political parties respectively on the island and the mainland .

2. TANZANIA CONDEMNS EXECUTIONS OF SIX BY BURUNDI JUNTA

Tanzania has blasted the Burundi military junta over the July 31 executions of six Burundi nationals. In a worded statement, Tanzania's Foreign Ministry accused the Burundi military rulers of trying to botch international mediations aimed at bringing peace to the ethnically divided central African country.

Just before the executions were carried out, Tanzania's retired president, Julius Nyerere, who is the mediator on the Burundi crisis, had announced that all-party talks would take place August 25 in the northern Tanzanian town of Arusha in an attempt to put an end to the Burundi civil war.

'Tanzania has learned with great shock and consternation about the fate of the Burundi nationals who were summarily executed on July 31 because they were allegedly found guilty of massacring their fellow citizens following the (1993) assassination of the first democratically elected president of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye,' said the statement. It said Tanzania strongly believed that fair trials and justice could not be dispensed by a 'military government which abrogated the constitution and is itself an embodiment of illegality and unlawful usurpation of power'.

The August 25 talks to be held in Arusha will be the first between the government of the Tutsi military leader, Pierre Buyoya, and the main Hutu rebel group, the national Council for the Defence of Democracy(CNDD). Tension is already running high between Tanzania and Burundi following the killing in mid July of three villagers in Kigoma Region (west of Tanzania) by Burundian soldiers. Burundian authorities complained on their side that the camps sheltering thousands of Hutu refugees in western Tanzania were used to train the CNDD Hutu rebels and to launch attacks against Burundi.

3. 880 TEACHERS STILL JOBLESS

As the Minister of Education and Culture, Professor Juma Kapoya recently tabled his estimates before the budget session of the parliament, some 880 teachers in the country were still stranded unemployed. Shortage of teachers was among the ministry's problems when the minister tabled last year's budget estimates. Professor Kapuya had promised to employ some 1600 new teachers to sustain the need and asked the Central Civil Service Department for permission to fulfill the promise.

Some of the teachers who graduated from the University of Dar es Salaam have complained about the situation, saying they were frustrated by the government's failure to employ them but the ministry said it could not employ teachers without permission from the Civil Service Department.

On the upgrading courses mentioned in the ministry' s last year budget estimates, 147 Grade C teachers would have been selected to join colleges. The ministry has also established several centres at district level for upgrading teachers, a program which is to begin as soon as the ministry budget is approved.

4. MKAPA PRAISED FOR COURAGE

For having recently conceded that the 1995 Chama Cha Mapinduzi (The Tanzanian ruling party) election manifesto was inadequate, Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa has been commended for courage and honesty to his country.

The praise came one day after the two main opposition political parties, NCCR Mageuzi and the Civic United Front (CUF) called for the President's resignation allegedly for weakness in the election manifesto. "It is a reflection of a courageous leader to admit to defects in declared plans and giving practical options," said one of the senior lecturers of the Sokoine University of Agriculture.

Another lecturer at the Cooperative College in Moshi told the press that President Mkapa is a competent leader who had proved that he doesn't fear the coming election by announcing publicly that his government cannot fulfill all promises.

5. 30 NGOs AMONG 236 STRUCK OFF BY GOVERNMENT

Thirty non governmental organisations have recently been "struck off," while 206 others have received notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs that they were slated for deregistration . Mr Ali Ameir Mohamed, Minister of Home Affairs, said when delivering the ministry's estimates for the current fiscal year that the measure have been taken against 236 NGOs out of 8897 registered ones.

The government had warned the 206 NGOs that they would be struck off if they 'continued with their inappropriate conduct under the conditions of their registration'. NGOs using their registration as a platform to engage in hostile exchanges of words with the government would be struck off, he said. He added that some NGOs activities were likely to create confusion and insecurity in the country.

The minister called a number of the NGOs arrogant, and said this was because they had received large amounts of money from foreign benefactors aimed at inciting the people on the pretext of campaigning for human rights. According to the Home Affairs minister, some foreign countries openly showed their intention to destabilise Tanzania. Without naming the countries in question, he said the government would not tolerate such behaviour.

However, Mr Hashul Nassor, who speaks on home affairs for the opposition, said Minister Ameir was declaring war against free association and the opposition as a whole. He said the tone of the speech was more that of a CCM (Ruling party) official than a cabinet minister.

6. WASALAMA GUARDS AGITATE FOR OFFICIAL RECOGNITION

Traditional guards in the Tanzanian northern region of Mwanza are agitating for official recognition so that they may become part of the state security apparatus. Addressing public rallies recently in the same region the Tanzanian President, Benjamin Mkapa, said the government was working out strategies to incorporate the Wasalama in the state organ.

In some of the districts of Mwanza region, after a routine field craft training provided by retired soldiers, the traditional guards help by supplementing the efforts of an overworked, unmotivated and understaffed police force.

"This country is very huge and scattered, we cannot depend on the state organ alone. Civilians should form security groups to defend themselves," said the president and he encouraged other regions to emulate this.

The Wasalama guards started in the early 1980s in Shinyanga, Mwanza, and Tabora regions, in order to help curb increased banditry in the areas. However, many allegations have been made against the Wasalama and the government has a tough task ahead of it to assimilate them. As an example, at a recent rally a Wasalama guard stood up and complained that he was in conflict with the police and that the police had locked up him and some of his fellow guards 'just because we beat a thief to death'.

7. TANZANIA ECONOMY THREATENED BY SOUTH AFRICAN COMPETITION

The Trade between Zambia and Tanzania is declining because of the liberalisation politic opted for by the two countries.

Tanzania-Zambia Railways Authority (TAZARA), the TAZAMA pipeline and the Tanzanian Harbour Authority (THA), are the three basic pillars sustaining the commercial relationship between Tanzania and Zambia. Close to 90% of cargo destined for Zambia came through the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam before liberalisation. With the opening of borders with South Africa after the apartheid era, the Tanzanian monopoly ended.

"If TAZARA and THA prove to be efficient they will attract business from Zambia as it is cheaper to use TAZARA than other routes," said President Chiluba of Zambia during his recent visit to Tanzania. He insisted that necessary measures be taken in order to improve efficiency. "We will not groom and entertain sluggish performance. We cannot cohabit with lazy ladies and gentlemen," he said.

TAZAMA in Dar es Salaam involves vast oil storage facilities, petroleum pumping machines and a steam generating plant. US$47 million have been spent since 1990 for the rehabilitation of the pipeline. According to TAZARA's managing director, a total of US$91million will make the 1710 km pipe line trouble free for the next 25 years.

The exchanges between the two countries through TAZARA and THA have suffered more from the South African competition. In 1992, two million tonnes out of the 4,6 million tonnes received in Dar es Salaam, was Zambian. Last year it was down to 700,000 tonnes from a total of 3.5 million tonnes, equivalent to 20.5 per cent of cargo handled.

"Our jubilation in welcoming you though is amidst concern, as the statistics shout very loudly the fact that Zambian traffic continues to rapidly find its way to other routes," said the General Director of Tanzania Harbour Authority when Chiluba visited the port. Landlocked Zambia had depended on Dar for its exports and imports but there is now stiff competition coming from a number of efficient ports in South Africa and the recently privatised Mozambican Port of Beira.

8. NEW TAX LAWS COULD INFRINGE CIVIL RIGHTS

In what appears to be a major measure to rope Tanzanians into an all-hands-on-deck effort to collect taxes, the tax authorities have recently proposed drastic amendments to existing tax laws.

According to the bill to be passed by the national assembly, as the Finance Act of 1997, tax officers will retrospectively from June 20 this year, have the power to ' impound, detain and seize any goods' sold without a receipt. The proposed legislation is to be the bastion of revenue measures for the 1997/98 financial year.

Asked to comment on the apparently autocratic move, the Commissioner of Sales Tax and Inland Revenue, Placidius J. Luoga, said the goal was not to penalise innocent buyers but to encourage the culture of issuing and demanding receipts for every sales transaction.

In another development, by an amendment to the Hotel Levy Act of 1972, the commissioner for hotel levy in the Treasury may now recover the levy by distress instead of suing for its recovery through a court of law. This amendment seeks to dispense with the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) as related to debt recovery.

Collection of 'debt due,' including tax, by distress under the hotel levy act, usually leads to seizure, detention and sale of a debtor's possessions. When asked whether the new provisions in the tax law was not an erosion of public justice, the revenue commissioner said that 'it is neither intended nor aimed at eroding justice or unduly jeopardising the public'. He recognised, however, that the finance bill was waiving the provisions of the CPC in relation to distress. Mr Luoga is of the view that tax defaulting was not of civil character but of a criminal nature.

9. SMALL MARKET TRADERS PROTEST NEW SERVICE CHARGES

Dar es Salaam market traders have refused to fill in contractual forms issued recently by the city commission because of what they say are exorbitant prices for the services delivered. According to the chairperson of the Association of Dar es Salaam Market Traders, Mr Said Amani, the Commission is posing unacceptable conditions.

The new forms state that stall operators must pay about 9000 TSh(About15 US$) per month, collect garbage at own expense and pay for water, electricity and other services. In addition to the new charges, the levy usually paid to the City commission will not be exempted. Traders in various small markets insist that the Commission is not being fair. They say that in other markets operators are charged only 2000TSh (3.5US$) per month and provided with such services as water, electricity and security.

10. TANZANIAN SPORTS STARS RETURN EMPTY HANDED

The Sixth Athletics World Championships held in Athens, Greece, left Tanzanian athletes empty handed on their return, as had been widely expected. Tanzania didn't go far beyond its reputation of being nothing more than a participant, and its last three entrants in the men's marathon corroborated that assertion when they proved a flop.

Zebedayo Bayo was placed 68th among 70 runners who finished the race, held in stifling heat. Two other Tanzanians in the event, Francis Naali and Metha Petro, didn't even manage to cross the finish line. Bayo clocked hours 11.19 minutes to finish the race, almost one hour behind the winner, Abel Anthon of Spain, who grabbed the gold and US$60,000 in prize money.

Bayo, captain of the Tanzanian team, started on a promising note and was in the leading group up to the 40 kilometre mark. However, maybe because he put in a superhuman effort, he ran out of steam and collapsed barely two kilometres from the finish line. An intravenous drip had to be admnistrated to the exhausted and dehydrated runner who, to the surprise of the organisers, refused to drop out and insisted on finishing the race after he had regained some strength.

Apart from the men's marathon the only other event in which Tanzania fielded a competitor was the women's 5000 metres. Restituta Joseph, the only female in the team finished eleventh in her semi-finals race to miss out on a place in the final. "I don't know what happened. They looked so good when they were training in Arusha," said coach Ntondolo Roland who had predicated before the team left the country for Athens that Tanzania would win its first medal. He suggested that Tanzanian athletes be trained well before time to compete and participate regularly in international meets.

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From: AfricaNN@inform-bbs.dk (Africa_news Network) Date: Mon, 18 Aug 1997 11:41:51 +0200 Subject: TANZANIA NEWS ONLINE #4 Message-ID: <3017334719.103893684@inform-bbs.dk>

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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