Women in Politics- Do the right thing OR stay in office?

Leila Sheikh

The 1950’s saw the emergence of indigenous voices on the
political platform of the then Tanganyika.

The voices were predominantly male which were occasionally
interspersed with a few women’s voices like that of the legendary
Bibi Titi Mohamed and that of Lucy Lameck.

The struggle for Independence was able to build up a strong
corps of indigenous leaders, who were strong, vocal and
committed to the struggle for self-governance.

The advent of Independence in 1961 brought those leaders
to the fore in governance though again, those leaders were
predominantly male, and moreover, those very same leaders were
carrying the baggage of tradition, prejudice and the legacy of
colonial structures.

The UWT was formed as a women’s political wing in TANU, the
then ruling party, and though the UWT was able to provide a
platform for women to take part in the decision making process,
it lacked the status and the political muscle to be a viable forum
for advocacy for women’s rights.

It was not treated with respect by the male leaders who viewed
it as a nest for intrigue and backbiting among women. It was also
not taken seriously.

Though to be fair, the UWT was able to foster women’s political
talent.

Among the UWT’s most notable contributions were the lobby for,
and the enactment of the Law of Marriage Act in 1971, quite a
revolutionary piece of legislation at the time!

In the wake of the multi parties consensus in Tanzania, the newly
emergent Political Parties formed Women’s Wings which to some
extent eroded the visibility of UWT which became the Women’s
Wing of CCM rather than the Community/Union of Tanzanian
Women.

Various women have held political office at the level of Cabinet
Ministers right down to local council in the last 40 years.

However, the male to female ratio in political leadership has
been at best, a façade because at a glance, women MPs have not
been able to fill the quota required by the national consensus on
affirmative action.
Neither have women’s political voices been given a solid platform
in terms of political muscle, for influencing change.

This is brought by the fact that the majority of women
politicians have to bow down to Party dictum, the Parties which
have given them political visibility and positions, to the extent
that when it comes to gender issues, they would rather stick to
the prevailing Party posture towards Gender Rights than risk
being alienated from the body politic.

Those same Gender Rights which Political Parties eschew and
include in their Manifesto during campaigns but which get
relegated to just being a Tool in their campaign strategy.

In the words of the late John F. Kennedy
“Politics is a jungle, a struggle between doing the right thing and
staying in office”.

Fear of rejection by their political parties, fear that they
would not be selected in the next Primary Elections; fear that
they would be viewed as pariahs if they become more vocal on
Gender Equality and Economic Justice; has forced many a woman
politician to suppress activism in favour of staying in office.

As a result, the women constituency has been feeling short
changed. The question among Gender Right activists is “If women
politicians are supposed to be representing our interests, then
how come they are more focused on holding on to their political
office rather than on campaigning strategically and actively for
the interests of women?”

In reality, women politicians who get elected to become Members
of Parliament for ‘Special Seats’ do not see the women of
Tanzania as their constituents. They look up to the Political
Parties which got them in office as ‘their constituent’.

To be fair to them, some women politicians have tried to push the
Gender Agenda onto the Political Agenda and various successes
have been documented, but this has happened because of the Civil
Societies (CSO) movement which has been acting as a lobby and
advocacy platform and which from time to time has been calling
on politicians, women politicians included, to account.

Most notable successes like law reform have been accomplished
by forming coalitions between the CSO movement and the

government. Voices from opposition parties have added an
impetus to such campaigns.

As a corps, women politicians are not very strong. Neither are
they very vocal. They only become strong and vocal when the
Agenda under review is consonant with their Party Policy.

However, the particular Policy initiated by the Party may
not be consonant with the interests of the Tanzanian women
constituency.

Gender Rights activists have criticized women politicians
especially those elected for special seats for forgetting that
they hold office through popular mandate.

Lack of a cohesive union among women politicians who belong to
different Political Parties has to some extent, marginalized the
interests of women constituents.

This has led to the fragmentation of women’s political strength
and the voices that come out are discordant.

Multiparty democracy and the proliferation of newspapers and
radio stations have served to make Tanzanian constituents
politically aware.

Human rights education and voters’ education programmes which
have been conducted by CSOs have helped raise the level of
awareness among Tanzanian voters.

Though the so-called political maturity styled along Western lines
has not yet been attained, more and more voices are heard from

the public through the media, and through direct contact with
Members of Parliament and local council leaders.

This dialogue needs to be strengthened so that public voices
would become amplified.

Mnyika kuongoza maandamano ya kudai maji Marchi 16

Tarehe 16 Machi 2013 nitaongoza maandamano ya amani ya wananchi kwenda kwa Waziri wa Maji kusimamia uwajibikaji kuwezesha hatua za haraka za kuboresha upatikanaji wa majisafi na ushughulikiaji wa majitaka katika Jimbo la Ubungo na Jiji la Dar es salaam.

Wote mlioshiriki mkutano wa tarehe 10 Februari 2013 (Kwa wale ambao hamkushiriki mnaweza kutazama video hii: YOUTUBE , mtakumbuka tulimpa wiki mbili Waziri kujitokeza kwa wananchi kujibu hoja alizokwepa kujibu bungeni.

Tutakusanyika kata ya Manzese eneo la Bakhresa (jirani na daraja) saa 5 asubuhi na tutapita barabara ya Morogoro kuelekea kata ya Ubungo zilipo ofisi za Wizara ya Maji kufuatilia majibu ya ukweli na ukamilifu kuhusu hatua tisa za haraka za kuboresha upatikanaji wa majisafi na ushughulikiaji wa majitaka nilizopendekeza kwa niaba ya wananchi bungeni kupitia hoja binafsi na masuala mengine ambayo wananchi watataka yatolewe majibu siku hiyo.

Kila mmoja anaweza kuendelea na maandalizi ya kushiriki kwa kuwa tayari tarehe 4 Machi 2013 nimewasilisha notisi kwa Kamanda wa Polisi Mkoa wa Kinondoni na Maafisa wa Polisi Wasimamizi wa Maeneo kwa kuzingatia masharti ya kifungu cha 43 cha Sheria ya Jeshi la Polisi na Huduma Saidizi Sura ya 322 (The Police Force and Auxiliary Service Act, Chapter 322).

Itakumbukwa kwamba baada ya kutoa wiki mbili Waziri alijitokeza mara tatu ndani ya wiki hizo; mbili kati ya hizo ikiwa ni kupitia mikutano ya CCM na mara moja ikiwa ni kwenye mkutano kati yake na wafanyakazi wa DAWASA na DAWASCO.

Katika mkutano wa hadhara wa CCM uliofanyika Temeke mwisho tarehe 16 Februari 2013, Waziri hakutoa majibu badala yake alirudia tena maelezo yale yale potofu aliyoyatoa bungeni tarehe 4 Februari 2013.

Kwenye mkutano wa hadhara wa Goba tarehe 17 Februari 2013 ambapo aliahidi maji kutoka tarehe 20 Februari, 2013 ambayo hayakutoka. Tarehe 23 Februari 2013 nilifanya mkutano Goba na kutangaza namba zake za simu wananchi wamhoji ahadi hiyo na kutaka Manispaa, DAWASA na DAWASCO waweke kambi Goba mpaka maji yatoke.

Shinikizo hilo limesaidia baadhi ya maeneo ya Goba maji yameanza kutoka hata hivyo maeneo mengi bado hali ambayo inahitaji hatua za haraka nilizopendekeza bungeni kuhusu kata hiyo ziweze kutekelezwa.

Kupitia mkutano wake na DAWASA na DAWASCO tarehe 21 Februari 2013 (tofauti na maelezo yake bungeni) alikiri kwamba kuna upotevu wa maji ikiwemo kwa wizi, kuna biashara haramu yenye kuhusisha hujuma ya miundombinu, bei ya juu ya maji na kutozingatiwa kwa ratiba ya mgawo wa maji katika maeneo mengi ya Jiji la Dar es Salaam.

Hata hivyo, zaidi ya wiki moja imepita Waziri wa Maji na Wizara kwa ujumla haionyeshi kwa matendo kuisimamia kwa karibu EWURA, DAWASA, DAWASCO na Manispaa ya Kinondoni kuchukua hatua za haraka ambazo nilizieleza kwenye hoja binafsi.

Hivyo, wote mlioahidi kupitia mkutano wa tarehe 10 Februari 2013 kushiriki maandamano na wote ambapo mnaguswa na matatizo ya maji katika kata mbalimbali za Jimbo la Ubungo na Jiji la Dar Es salaam tukusanyike Manzese tarehe 16 Machi 2013 saa 5 asubuhi tuandamane kwenda Wizara ya Maji kwa mujibu wa Katiba ya Nchi Ibara za 8, 18, 20 na 21. 

Wenu katika uwakilishi wa wananchi, 

John Mnyika (Mb)
05/03/2013

Source: WAVUTI

Kipanya azidi kukomaa na wabunge#tuwachore tu

Kibonzo kuhusu anguko la kidato cha 4

Baadhi ya maoni ya wadau kuhusu matokeo ya Form 4 2012

Kwa hisani ya wavuti napenda ku-share maoni ya wadau.

Hizi ni baadhi ya screen shot kutoka kwenye blog ya wavuti..ilikupata habari hii kwa uzuri zaidi tembelea blog hiyo.

INGIA HAPA KUTAZAMA MATOKEO KIDATO CHA NNE 2012

Fungua link zifuatazo kuungalia matokeo ya kidato cha nne 2012
Link 01

Link 02

Shujaa wa Kilimo aliyekatwa Mikono akidai Mahari

PAMOJA na kuwa na ulemavu wa kutokuwa na mikono yote miwili, Salim Mbela mkazi wa eneo la Delux, nje kidogo ya mji wa Songea, amefanikiwa kulima shamba la mahindi kubwa na zuri kwa kutumia miguu yake.

Ukiliona shamba hilo la Mbela licha ya kuwa na mahindi, pia lina maharage, magimbi na ndizi yaliyostawi na kupendeza.

Huwezi kuamini kuwa shamba hilo linalimwa na Mbela, ambaye ni mlemavu kwa kutumia miguu yake.

Ulemavu huo umemkuta na kulazimika kulima kwa miguu, baada ya kukatwa mikono yake alipokuwa akidai kurejeshewa mahari kutoka kwa wakwe zake.

Mbela anasema kuwa pamoja na ulemavu alioupata ukubwani, hawezi kutembea mitaani kuomba omba, wakati bado mwili wake una viungo vingine anavyoweza kuvitumia kujipatia mahitaji yake ya kila siku.

Kilichosabisha kukatwa mikono

Mbela alizaliwa miaka 53 iliyopita akiwa na mikono miwili na mwenye afya tele, lakini misukosuko ya maisha imemfanya leo abaki hana mikono yake miwili, huku akiishi peke yake.

Anaeleza kuwa kabla ya kuwa mlemavu, aliwahi kuajiriwa na Jeshi la Polisi, akifanyia kazi Kituo cha Polisi Makuyuni mkoani Arusha miaka ya nyuma, lakini alicha kazi hiyo baada ya kuugua kwa muda mrefu.

Baada ya hali hiyo, aliona bora arudi nyumbani kwao Kijiji cha Malumba wilayani Tunduru ili kuendelea kupata matibabu.

Mbela anasema kuwa alipofika kijijini kwao, aliendelea kupata matibabu na baadaye akapona.

Akizungumza kwa kusaidiwa na rafiki yake wa karibu ambaye amejitambulisha kwa jina la Zacharia Dikala, maarufu kama Babu Masai, Mbela anasema kuwa alikutana na matatizo ya kukatwa mikono miaka minne iliyopita.

Mbela ambaye pia ni baba wa watoto Mwanabibi Salim (28), Siku Salim (19) na Said Salim (24) anaeleza kuwa akiwa na mkewe na familia yake, siku moja ali kwenda nyumbani kwa wakwe zake waliokuwa wakiishi katika kijiji hicho cha Malumba na kuchukua mbuzi wake aliotoa mahari miaka ya nyuma wakati akimchumbia mkewe ambaye ndiye aliyemzalia watoto hao.

Anasema kuwa wakati huo alikuwa na nguvu na alitumia mabavu kufanya fujo, hadi akafanikiwa kufika zizini na kupora mbuzi, bila kujua kama maisha yake yange badilika na kuishia pabaya.

Hata hivyo, anajutia kitendo hicho akisema kwamba iwapo angefahamu mapema yataka yomkuta, asingethubutu kwenda kufanya fujo hizo.

“Nilikuwa najiamini sana, nilikuwa na nguvu sana, nikaamua kwenda ukweni kwangu kufuata baadhi ya mifugo yangu, niliyotoa mahari wakati namposa mke wangu,” anasimulia na kuongeza:

“Nilipofika ukweni, niliingia zizini moja kwa moja na kufungua mbuzi kwa lengo la kwenda kuwauza ili nipate fedha, lakini kwa bahati mbaya kwa kuwa ilikuwa ni usiku, walipiga kelele na mimi kwa ubabe wangu nikawafanyia fujo sana wakwe.”
Anafafanua: “Hivyo, waliitwa mgambo kutoka Kata ya Malumba, walipofika nilipambana nao, lakini walinishinda na walifanikiwa kunipiga sana, kisha kunifunga mikono yangu miwili kwa nyuma kutumia mipira, wakanipeleka na kunitupa porini. Ukweli niliteseka sana hadi nilipookotwa nikiwa sijitambui.”

Anasema kuwa baada ya mkasa huo alipoteza fahamu, alipozinduka, alijikuta akiwa amelazwa Hospitali ya Mbesa, wilayani Tunduru huku mikono yake ikiwa imeharibika vibaya na hakukuwa na njia nyingine, zaidi ya kukatwa mikono yake yote miwili na kulazwa hospitalini hapo kwa zaidi ya mwaka mmoja.

“Naumia, nimepoteza mikono yangu kwa uzembe. Ningejua kama yangenikuta haya, nisingefanya fujo zile, ila nashukuru Mungu nipo salama na maisha yangu yanaendelea,” anasema Mbela.

Hata hivyo, pamoja na changamoto hizo za maisha, Mbela hajakata tamaa, bali anaendelea na maisha yake kama walivyo watu wengine katika eneo analoishi.

Zacharia ambaye ni rafiki mkubwa wa Mbela anasema kuwa tangu apoteze mikono yake, Mbela hakupenda tena kuendelea kuishi katika kijiji hicho, bali alilazimika kuondoka na hadi Songea mjini ambapo alifikia kwa ndugu zake eneo la Luhila na kukaa nao kwa muda, hadi walipomfukuza kutokana na tabia yake ya kubeba mizigo kwa kutumia midomo waliyodai inawakera .

“Kwa sasa anaishi peke yake katika nyumba chakavu ya Shirika la Umeme  Tanzania, (Tanesco), iliyopo Songea, huku akijilimia shamba lake kwa kutumia mguu, ambapo hatumii jembe, badala yake hutifua ardhi na kupanda mazao mbalimbali kwa kutumia mdomo. Pia anapalilia mazao yake yakiwamo maharage, mahindi, magimbi pamoja na ndizi kwa kutumia mdomo,” anaeleza Zacharia.

“Maisha yangu yamebadilika sana , nimetengana na familia yangu, ingawa huwa wanakuja kuniona mara moja moja, hata mke wangu, lakini najihisi upweke sana,” anasema akifafanua:
“Nafanya kazi zangu mwenyewe na nalima mazao mbalimbali ya chakula, napata chakula changu na kingine nahifadhi kwa ajili ya familia yangu. Napata gunia tatu badala ya nane kutokana na watu kuniibia mahindi yangu yakiwa mabichi hata yakikauka. Inaniumiza, ila sina jinsi.”

Mbela anataja changamoto mbalimbali anazokutana nazo kuwa ni kuibiwa mazao yake na baadhi ya vijana aliodai ni majirani zake wasio waaminifu, hali ambayo imemsababishia kukorofisha nao na yeye kuwekwa ndani zaidi ya mara mbili .

Anasema, amekuwa akipambana na wezi wake kutumia miguu kwa kuwapiga na kuwakanyaga na akitoa onyo kwa watu wenye tabia ya kumwibia mazao yake kuacha vitendo hivyo.

Polisi huyo mstaafu ameiomba Serikali kumsaidia kwa kumpatia mbolea ya ruzuku walau mfuko mmoja, ili aweze kuzalisha mazao kwa wingi zaidi, pamoja na watu walio na mapenzi mema ku msaidia ili aweze kuendesha maisha yake na familia yake.

AFRICAN MIGRANTS COULD SAVE US$4 BILLION ANNUALLY ON REMITTANCE FEES, FINDS WORLD BANK

By; Word Bank

Africa's overseas workers, who sent close to US$ 60 billion in remittances in 2012, pay more to send money home than any other migrant group. According to the World Bank's Send Money Africa database, Sub-Saharan Africa is the most expensive region to send money to, with average remittance costs reaching 12.4 percent in 2012. The average cost of sending money to Africa is almost 12 percent- higher than global average of 8.96 percent, and almost double the cost of sending money to South Asia, which has the world's lowest prices (6.54 percent).

The G8 and the G20 established 5 percent as the target average remittance price to reach by 2014.  “High transaction costs are cutting into remittances, which are a lifeline for millions of Africans,” said Gaiv Tata, Director of the World Bank's Africa Region and Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure Global Practice. 

“Remittances play a critical role in helping households address immediate needs and also invest in the future, so bringing down remittance prices will have a significant impact on poverty.” Lower cost remittances also advance financial inclusion, since they are often the first financial service used by recipients, who are then more likely to use other financial services including bank accounts.

Remittance prices are even higher between African nations. South Africa, Tanzania, and Ghana are the most expensive sending countries in Africa, with prices averaging 20.7 percent, 19.7 percent, and 19.0 percent respectively, due to several factors including limited competition in the market for cross-border payments.

“Governments should implement policies to open the remittances market up to competition,” said Massimo Cirasino, Manager of the Financial Infrastructure and Remittances Service Line at the World Bank. “Increased competition, as well as better informed consumers, can help bring down remittance prices”. Send Money Africa also finds that banks, which are the most expensive remittance service providers, are often the only channel available to African migrants.

A regulatory environment that encourages competition among remittance service providers can help bring down remittance prices. Migrant workers can also benefit from more transparent information on remittance services.  

 from nyasebwablog

Mtazamo wa Kipanya kuhusu Mchakato wa Katiba Mpya# tuwachore tu

Mkasa mwingine wa Kusikitisha St. John University

Mwanafunzi wa uuguzi katika chuo Kikuu cha St. John kilichopo mkoani Dodoma na ambaye alikuwa muuguzi katika hospitali ya Kilimatinde, Manyoni, Singida amefariki dunia baada ya kubakwa na kisha kuuawa na watu wasiojulikana.

Mwili wa marehemu huyo aliyetambuliwa kwa majina Lyidia Mzima mwenye umri wa miaka 57, ulikutwa umetupwa kichakani na tayari ulishaliwa na fisi.

Inataarifiwa kwua marehemu alipatwa na masaibu hayo alipokuwa ametoka kujisomea, akiwa anarudi anakoishi katika nyumba ya kupanga, Kibaoni-Image B, katika kata ya Kikuyu Kusini, iliyopo karibu na chuo hicho.

Kamanda wa Polisi mkoa wa Dodoma, David Misime amethibitisha kutokea kwa tukio hilo juzi usiku na kwamba marehemu alionekana kunyofolewa nyama za mapajani.

Kiongozi wa wanafunzi wa chuo hicho aliongeza kuwa aliuona mwili wa marehemu ukiwa umechunika ngozi kuanzia utosini hadi sehemu ya kisogoni.

Mwili wa marehemu uligunduliwa na wananchi ambao walisema kwa siku mbili ilikuwa ikisikika milio ya sauti za fisi kutoka katika eneo ambapo mwili wa marehemu ulikutwa.

Mwili wa marehemu umehifadhiwa katika hospitali ya rufaa Dodoma ukisubiri kufanyiwa uchunguzi.

Makamu Mkuu wa Chuo hicho, Profesa Gabriel Mwaluko alithibitisha tukio hilo na kusema hayo yote yanatokana na chuo kukosa mabweni ya wanafunzi kulala jambo ambalo linafanya wanafunzi wengi kwenda kupanga mitaani na kukumbwa na matukio mbalimbali.

Mei mwaka jana, wanafunzi wa chuo hicho waligoma kuingia madarasani hadi wawasilishe malalamiko yao kwa Kamanda wa Polisi wa Mkoa, kutokana na kukithiri kwa vitendo vya kupigwa nondo, kuibiwa vitu kulawitiwa na hata kubakwa. Walisema sababu nyingine inayochochea matukio hayo ni chuo kukosa uzio na hivyo kurahisisha mwingiliano wa watu na wanachuo.

Hivi karibuni wanachuo wa Chuo cha Usimamizi wa Fedha (IFM), Dar es Salaam waliandamana wakipinga kukithiri kwa vitendo vya wizi, ubakaji na ulawiti katika hosteli zao zilizoko Kigamboni.

source wavuti