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....

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

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

Karume Day

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

Hotel za Kitalii Kuvunjwa Zanzibar?

Over 60 per cent of more than 200 tourists’ hotels in Zanzibar face demolition because they are built on the sea side, contrary to environmental regulations. A prompt survey by members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives identified massive violations of the regulations.

The lawmakers have since declared war on such premises. “This is unacceptable, all structures built on beaches contrary to the law should be demolished. The department of environment should make sure the order is implemented,” said Mr Hamza Hassan Juma, Chairperson of the House Committee on Environment.

Hamza and his team blamed the environment department and other responsible authorities for failing to make sure that investors abide by the laws, particularly at this time when the environment is a global issue. According to Mr Sheha Mjaja, Director of the Department of Environment, regulations require any project to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before taking off, and any structure should be built at least 30 metres and 10 metres from sandy and rocky beach respectively.

Mr Mjaja said that his department has identified over 60 per cent of the tourists projects in Zanzibar particularly tourist hotels, which have either not done any EIA at all or just ignored it. “Unfortunately we have not been serious in enforcing the law because of bureaucracy. This is a complex issue because it involves many public institutions and investors.

“We are planning to convene a meeting to involve investors, public institutions, and my department to discuss and find out the best way to solve the ongoing reckless construction of building at the beaches,” he noted. In addition to trade, and cloves production, Zanzibar relies on the booming tourism industry which contributes about 25 per cent to its GDP.


By ISSA YUSSUF
Tanzania
Daily News

Aspara

Muungano

Wafinn na Zanzibar

HS.fi

Soko la Samaki

Women in Unguja and Pemba Happily Making Money and Saving

Pemba — A popular Kiswahili proverb known by many Zanzibarians goes like this "Haba na haba hujaza kibaba" in other words drop by drop the vessel will get filled.

This wise saying has been vividly demonstrated by women in the rural areas of Unguja and Pemba and is calling on others to follow suit.

Women in Unguja South and Pemba North have for a long time never engaged themselves in income generating activities and they had little hope for any sort of economic improvement of their lives.

In 2008 Women Empowerment in Zanzibar (WEZA) initiative was introduced and their lives took a new turn bringing hope for the women.

Around 8742 women at their own individual pace saved between 200 and 1,000 shillings each week after receiving savings and financial training from the Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA), Jozani Credit and Development Organisation (JOCDO) and Pemba Savings and Credit Association (PESACA). The project was co-financed by the European Union (EU), Government of Austria and Care Austria.

The training marked the beginning of a big take off and by 2011 the women collectively had saved a total of 693,790,000/=.

This was a big surprise not only to the Zanzibari population but to women themselves who could not believe they had the potential.

"How can we save 500 /- a week while at the same time we did not receive that amount of money for our family meals?" asked a section of women members in Kiungoni Shehia of Pemba North during the sensitisation meetings before the savings began.

Now the very same women save more than 2,500 shillings per week owing to the various business activities they are engaged in including the making of handicrafts and agro- business.

The general rule for acquiring a loan is that a member has to convince the group that she has something useful to do with the loan. Secondly she needs to have four sureties (wadhamini) from the group who sign contract which among others request them to take due responsibility in case the member fail to repay the loan.

In the case a member fails to repay the loan, her weekly shares are first taken away by the group in addition to that of her sureties. However, this has only appeared once at Jambiani in Unguja while Pemba it has never happened. Most of the members repay their loans in three months and if one fails giving reasonable grounds, the group gives her additional two weeks in which to settle the debt before further action is considered.

Mr. Omar Khamis, a Shehia leader of Kiungoni, Shehia in 2009 said WEZA changed the perception and status of his Shehia. Speaking to the project's representatives and the villagers, he said that before WEZA was established the women in his village were not involved in any business contrary and now every woman is struggling hard to earn an income and erase illiteracy.

Ms. Fatma Ali Haji (40) of the same Shehia narrated her experience while talking to Daily News recently. Fatma says her life has changed drastically from struggling to make ends meet to setting up business person while she save 15,000/= per week.

"WEZA taught us how to and utilise the resources around us. I now buy for basic items such as food and clothes for myself and my family," she said.

She sells coconuts and tailors clothes for women wiping out the old stereotyping of women staying indoors. She sells coconuts at Kiungoni and as far as Chake chake, Pemba South. An officer for Savings and Loans with Women Empowerment in Zanzibar (WEZA), Muhiddin Ramadan said on average members' savings stands between 1000/- and 5,000 each week. He said the saving shares were raised as a result of the increased income generating activities.

He says that the common business activities are locally made hand bags, spice based soaps, batik, rosella juice , liquid soaps and selling of fresh vegetables. As much as Zanzibar appreciates the achievement there are challenges which that need urgent redress. Mwanakhamis Mrisho, an officer from TAMWA mentioned the challenges as lack of reliable market of the finished products and low quality products to face stiff competition in the competitive market.

She attributed the challenges to financial constraints, lack of mobility and confidence calling for concerted efforts to improve the quality of women's products in order to be fully fledged entrepreneurs. She feels that the government in particular should put more emphasis in promoting women's products of these areas as well as introducing more women into the business world.

This will help the women fully utilise the Sunday market launched recently by the government at Mwembeshauri Grounds, Unguja Urban, which is albeit at its fragile stage. Most of the women currently do not have bank accounts as they consider still consider themselves poor. For the time being they are concentrating on expanding their businesses, building and or repairing their homes and taking their children to school.


Daily News

KUMBUKUMBU.

Ni miaka 23 sasa tangu umetutoka lakini sisi kama watoto wako pamoja na baba ulietuacha huku tunaona ni kama jana tu umeondoka maana umeenda kimwili lakini kiroho bado tupo nawe, na kamwe hatutaacha kukumbuka malezi yako bora!

Tukiwa kama familia (watoto wako pamoja na mumeo (baba)) daima hatuishi kukuombea DUA njema kila kukicha upate kupumzika kwa kwa amani huko uliko.

Ni matumaini yetu mungu anasikia dua zetu MAMA.

Ni sisi wanao wapendwa Mariam, Hussein, Salum, Mariam Hawa pamoja na Baba yetu (mumeo) Sheikh Suleiman hatuna la zaidi ila ni dua tunakuombea.

INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAAJIUN.


Salum Suleiman Lyeme (Sule Junior)
Entertainment writter (Freelance), Graphic Designer (Freelance) / Mwananchi Communication Ltd
C.E.O of SULE'S Inc. & ENTERTAINMENT