Thursday 24 May 2012

Nipo Zanzibar

Nipo Zanzibar sasa kwa takribani mwezi mmoja... siku zinakwenda kasi pasipo mfano! Mara ya mwisho kuja Visiwani hapa ni zaidi ya miaka sita sasa. Mengi yametokea katika kipindi hicho, ikiwa ni pamoja na kumpoteza baba yangu mzazi, ndugu na marafiki wengi! Safari yangu ya kuja Zaznibar ilikuwa ya ghafla mno na ninawashukuru sana watanzania wa Finland kwa kuniwezesha kusafari kwa wakati na kuwahi maziko ya baba yangu.

Bado nina tongotongo machoni juu ya mabadiliko mengi niliyokwisha yaona mpaka sasa.. Zanzibar imebadilika sana na bado kuna kila dalili za mabadiliko zaidi kutokea katika kipindi cha miaka mitatu ijayo. Sio rahisi sana kwa mwenyeji kuona tofauti kwa haraka kama kwa mgeni. Wenyeji bado wana kiu kubwa ya maendeleo zaidi,ambapo ni jambo la msingi kwa maendeleo ya nchi kwa ujumla.

Kuna mipangilio mingi mipya na plan kadhaa mpya baadhi ni kama kuondoa ofisi za serikali kadhaa ndani ya Mji Mkongwe, kuwepo na udhibiti mzuri wa aina ya magari yaingiayo Mji Mkongwe, upanuzi wa barabara(baadhi)katika maeneo ya Ng'ambo, ujenzi wa barabara mpya kuunganisha Ng'ambo na Mashambani.

Huduma nyingi zimekuwa na mafanikio ya kiasi na makubwa. Zantel bado ina tatizo la upatikanaji katika maeneo kadhaa visiwani hapa, ili ni la kushangaza kidogo! Lakini ndivyo lilivyo! Mabadiliko katika bandarini yamezidisha misongamano kwa abiria na vyombo vya moto.... Nimesikia hili linafanyiwa kazi, ingawa wahusika wanataka kwanza kuboresha upakuaji wa bidhaa toka melini. Kwani kwa sasa bandari ya Malindi ina uwezo wa meli moja tu kufunga gati! Mipango mipya ni kuwa na bandari yenye uwezo wa kuchukua meli nne kwa pamoja!

Mafanikio mengine yapo kwenye suala zima la usafi, ambapo sio rahisi tena kuona mifuko ya plastiki ikipepea angani, sasa kuna matumizi makubwa ya mifuko ya khaki na magazeti. Awali nilitegemea kuwepo na Vikapu vingi vya ukili, ikiwa ni kuongeza ajira na vipato kwa watengenezaji wa vikapu hivyo. Hata hivyo kutokana na uwekezaji mkubwa katika mahoteli malighafi ya vikapu hivyo imekuwa adimu na inauzwa kwa bei kubwa mno kwa mwananchi wa kawaida.

Kwa sasa kila barza ya kahawa hadithi ni muamsho, wengi wanapenda kuwepo kwa muamsho ili kujitenga na Tanganyika na wengi bado wanapenda kuwapo na muungano. Hii itatoa changamoto kubwa katika tume ya katiba. Muamsho zaidi ya kutaka kujitoa kwenye muungano, bado hawapo wazi katika sababu kubwa ama tatizo kubwa la muungano.

Nilipita hapo Airport na kuona ujenzi mpya wa Airport, hata hivyo unaonekana umesimama kwa muda mrefu, zipo tetesi kuwa Serikali serikali na wajenzi wamekuwa wakipisha juu ya ujenzi huo kiasi cha kufikia hatua hiyo.

Anyway nipo hapa Mesi ya Jeshi(Migombani) na tayali zantel imeanza kugomagoma... nitaendelea na stori katika siku zijazo....

Monday 16 April 2012

Legislators Decry Tourism Invasion By Foreigners


Zanzibar — SOME members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives are alleging that the tourism sector is dominated by non-Zanzibaris contrary to the isles ambition of establishing the industry three decades ago.

"We have evidence that more than one-thousand "foreigners" including Kenyans have dominated jobs in most tourist hotels. Some are staying illegally and holding Tanzanian passports," Mr Makame Mshimba Mbarouk (CCM- Kitope) alleged.

Debating the report from the House committee responsible for "livestock, Tourism, economic empowerment and Information," Mbarouk accused the government and the immigration for not taking "any action despite receiving reliable information about foreigners working in Zanzibar illegally."

The legislator also alleged that there has been serious violation of employment laws in the tourism sector, including lack of contracts and uncalled-for expelling of work, giving an example of Blue Bay, Karafuu, and Serena Hotels. Mr Ismail Jussa Ladu (CUF-Mjimkongwe) said that unemployment problem in Zanzibar can be solved by implementing job restriction rules, "mainly making sure all jobs in the tourist hotels are for Zanzibaris, unless the position cannot be filled by a Zanzibari."

He also blamed some ministers for abusing their position by accepting bribes from some investors to violate the existing laws. Jussa also expressed his disappointment with some leaders including minister who use the Bwawani Hotel (state owned) without paying bills. Other legislators such as Ms Ashura Sharif Ali (Special seats), and Mr Suleiman Hemed Khamis (CUF- Konde) decried moral decay from mainly youths copying western lifestyles of living.

Meanwhile, Jussa also asked media owners and the government to improve the welfare of journalists who have been working hard in "unfriendly environment without proper working tools, no transport, and poor payment."

BY ISSA YUSSUF,
15 APRIL 2012

Thursday 12 April 2012

Murder case accused acquitted...

WANTED MAN IS AT LARGE IN ZANZIBAR


A MAN charged with the murder of a charity worker from Newcastle has been acquitted by a judge during court proceedings in Zanzibar.

26 year old Robert Stringer was found dead on a beach in Zanzibar in August 2009 having suffered multiple head injuries. He had spent the previous five weeks carrying out volunteer work in Tanzania before taking a short break on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar.

A popular figure locally, Robert's death sent shockwaves throughout Newcastle and surrounding areas. In the months leading up to his trip to Tanzania Robert had carried out a number of successful local fundraisers to help fund his volunteer work.

Judge Abraham Mwampashi acquitted Hamad Khamis of Mr. Stringer's murder in the High Court in Zanzibar. He also criticised the prosecution over the lack of ' hard evidence' presented during the case.

In a 25-page judgment, Judge Mwampashi said Mr. Khamis had to be acquitted because the prosecution was too heavily reliant upon circumstantial evidence when ' hard evidence was of critical nature' in order to convince the court.

Mr. Stringer was found dead on a beach a few days after befriending Mr. Khamis. The pair had discussed business matters as Mr. Stringer was a volunteer and IT expert.

Evidence was presented in court which found that the victim had been hit over the head with an implement during an attack and died from those injuries. The defence for the accused argued that the only connection between Mr. Khamis and Mr. Stringer was the fact that they knew one another.

Mr. Stringer's laptop, ipod and speakers, sun glasses, digital camera and a wallet containing 1,000 Tanzanian shillings and $30 were found to be in the possession of Mr. Khamis. However, the judge ruled that this did not prove an 'evil element.'

The judge also blasted the prosecution for failing to gather what could have proved to have been vital evidence.

'I am baffled as to why no effort was taken to see what evidence could have been drawn from bank cards that were found with the accused person, or from the digital camera or from the computer to help support the case against the accused person.'

In his judgment he added, ' the prosecution case against the accused person is based wholly on circumstantial evidence.'

The court was told a second man wanted in connection to Mr. Stringer's death still remained at large.

No appeal was lodged by the prosecution when Mr. Khamis was acquitted.

Wicklow people

Saturday 7 April 2012

Karume Day

Leo ni siku ya kumbukumbu ya Rais wa kwanza wa Zanzibar A.A Karume