.

HOTUBA ZA MHESHIMIWA RAIS WA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA

SPEECHES

HOTUBA YA RAIS WA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA, MHESHIMIWA BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, KWENYE SIKUKUU YA WAFANYAKAZI, DAR ES SALAAM, MEI MOSI, 2001 

Mwenyekiti wa Shirikisho la Vyama vya Wafanyakazi,

       Ndugu Margaret Sitta;

Katibu Mkuu wa Shirikisho la Vyama vya Wafanyakazi,

       Ndugu Nestory Ngula;

Waziri wa Kazi, Maendeleo ya Vijana na Michezo,

        Mhe. Prof. Juma A. Kapuya, Mb.;

Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Dar es Salaam,

        Mhe. Yusufu Makamba;

Mwakilishi wa Shirika la Kazi Duniani, ILO;

Mwenyekiti wa Chama cha Waajiri Tanzania;

Viongozi wa Vyama vya Siasa na Serikali;

Ndugu Wafanyakazi na Wananchi;

Mabibi na Mabwana.

 

Ninayo furaha kubwa kuungana nanyi wafanyakazi wote katika kusherehekea Sikukuu ya  Wafanyakazi.  Nawashukuruni sana viongozi wa Vyama vya Wafanyakazi kwa kunialika kwa mara nyingine kuwa mgeni rasmi katika maadhimisho ya Mei Mosi.  Mwaliko huu ni kielelezo cha dhamira yenu kushirikiana na Serikali katika kutafuta ufumbuzi wa matatizo mbalimbali ya wafanyakazi, na ya nchi yetu.  Ahsanteni sana.

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

Baadhi yenu mlisimamia Uchaguzi Mkuu mwaka jana.  Kwa sehemu kubwa sana uchaguzi ulikwenda vizuri; na ninawapongeza na kuwashukuru wafanyakazi wote waliohusika.  Najua kura za wafanyakazi nazo zilichangia ushindi wangu mkubwa. Walionipigia kura nawashukuru sana; na waliowapigia wagombea wengine nao nawashukuru kwa kuleta uhai katika demokrasia yetu ya vyama vingi ambayo bado tuna kazi kubwa ya kuirutubisha, kuilea na kuikomaza.

Naushukuru uongozi wa vyama vya wafanyakazi uliopita chini ya Muungano wa Vyama vya Wafanyakazi (TFTU), na wafanyakazi wote, kwa mahusiano mazuri tuliyokuwa nayo.  Hata pale tulipohitilafiana, tulizungumza, kwa uwazi na ukweli, kisha tukaendelea kujenga nchi, si kuibomoa.  Mahusiano mazuri kati ya wafanyakazi na Serikali, na utendaji wa wafanyakazi mbalimbali, ni moja ya mambo muhimu yaliyochangia mafanikio makubwa tuliyopata katika kurekebisha mfumo wa uchumi wetu hadi tukasifiwa duniani kote. Leo napenda katika hadhara hii, na kupitia vyombo vya habari, niwashukuru sana wafanyakazi wa Tanzania.  Naomba tuendelee kushirikiana hivyo, kwa manufaa ya taifa na wananchi wote.

Aidha, uvumilivu na utulivu wenu ulitupa fursa ya kushughulikia matatizo makubwa ya uchumi yanayoikabili nchi yetu.  Siku zote nimekuwa muwazi na mkweli kwenu na kwa wananchi wote.  Nashukuru mmenielewa kuwa nia yangu ni njema, na kwamba kuzungumza matatizo ya taifa letu kwa uwazi na ukweli ndiyo mwanzo wa kukubaliana juu ya ufumbuzi endelevu.

            Namshukuru Mwakilishi wa Shirika la Kazi Duniani (ILO), kwa salamu zake  na kwa misaada na ushirikiano wao kwa Vyama vya Wafanyakazi na vya Waajiri, na katika  kukuza na kuimarisha ushirikiano baina ya Serikali, waajiri na wafanyakazi.  Nazishukuru pia Serikali za Denmark na Marekani wanaotusaidia kuboresha utendaji katika sekta hii ya kazi.

            Natoa shukrani vile vile kwa Mwakilishi wa Chama cha Waajiri Tanzania (ATE), kwa hotuba yake nzuri na kwa kuendeleza ushirikiano mzuri  na Serikali, na Vyama vya Wafanyakazi.

            Hivi punde nimetoa zawadi kwa wafanyakazi bora.  Naungana nanyi katika kuwapongeza sana, na kuwaomba waendelee na kazi yao nzuri ili wengine wajifunze kutoka kwao.

Pongezi na shukrani zangu za mwisho ni kwa viongozi na wananchi wa Dar es Salaam kwa kuubeba vizuri sana mzigo wa kuwa wenyeji wa sherehe za Mei Mosi mwaka huu.  Nakipongeza pia Chama cha Wafanyakazi wa Taasisi za Elimu ya Juu, Sayansi, Teknolojia, Ufundi Stadi, Habari na Utafiti (RAAWU) kilichosimamia na kuratibu maandalizi ya Mei Mosi hii. Wamefanya kazi nzuri, na ninawashukuru sana. 

Vyama Huru vya Wafanyakazi

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Mei Mosi ya mwaka huu ni ya kihistoria, iliyoandaliwa na kusimamiwa na uongozi mpya, wa vyama vipya vya wafanyakazi, vilivyo huru kabisa.  Vyama huru vya wafanyakazi ni sehemu muhimu sana ya demokrasia, na vikifanikiwa vitachangia sana kuimarisha uelewa, uwajibikaji, na utekelezaji wa haki za wafanyakazi.

            Nawapongezeni nyote kwa kuunda vyama vyenu vya wafanyakazi, na Shirikisho la Vyama Huru vya Wafanyakazi Tanzania, (Trade Unions Congress of Tanzania) na kuchagua viongozi wake.  Natoa pongezi za dhati kabisa kwako Mama Margaret Sitta kwa kuchaguliwa kuwa Mwenyekiti wa kwanza wa Shirikisho, na kwa imani kubwa wenzako waliyoionyesha kwako. Hongera sana, na ninakuhakikishia ushirikiano wa dhati unapoanza kutekeleza majukumu yako.

Nakupongeza pia Katibu Mkuu mpya, Ndugu Nestory Ngula, pamoja na nyote mlioaminiwa na wenzenu na kupewa uongozi.  Hongereni sana, na ninawahakikishieni ushirikiano wa kutosha kutoka Serikalini.

            Hata hivyo napenda kuwatanabahisha kuwa mwisho wa kuundwa kwa vyama, na kuchagua viongozi, ndio mwanzo wa kazi yenyewe, katika mazingira magumu na matatizo mengi ambayo hamuwezi kuyamaliza yote kwa mara moja.              Nimepokea malalamiko yenu kuwa Sheria iliyoanzisha vyama huru vya wafanyakazi ina mapungufu.  Iwapo hoja ya marekebisho itathibiti, tutakuwa tayari kukaa nanyi, pamoja na washika dau wengine, ili kuirekebisha sheria hiyo kwa namna itakayozingatia maslahi ya kila upande. Maana, Serikali lazima pia ijali maslahi ya washikadau wengine, wakiwemo waajiri, wawekezaji, na wananchi kwa ujumla.

Ndugu Viongozi Wapya,

            Katika mazingira haya mapya, na kwa kuzingatia ushindani mkali unaoletwa na utandawazi, ninayo mambo matatu ya kushauri vyama vipya na huru vya wafanyakazi.

            Kwanza, hakikisheni mikataba iliyopo sehemu za kazi, na sheria za nchi, inafuatwa na waajiri wenu.  Maana hakuna faida kutafuta haki mpya na maslahi mapya, kama hata yale ya awali hayajatekelezwa kwa ukamilifu.  Nitatoa mfano.  Serikali imeweka kima cha chini cha mshahara kisheria, lakini nasikia bado wapo wafanyakazi wanaolipwa chini ya kiwango hicho. Ninyi mkiwa viongozi wao mnalo jukumu la kuwatetea.

Ninaambiwa pia wapo wafanyakazi ambao hawana barua na mikataba rasmi ya ajira.  Hilo nalo inabidi vyama vya wafanyakazi vilichunguze na kuchukua hatua.  Nasikia waajiri wengine wamegeuza ajira karibu yote iwe ya vibarua tu. Hoja ya vibarua inaeleweka, lakini ina kikomo chake.  Haiwezekani wafanyakazi karibu wote wawe vibarua.  Fanyeni utafiti wa kutosha na kisha kulitafutia ufumbuzi tatizo hilo kwa kushirikiana na Serikali na waajiri.

            Pili, jijengeeni uwezo na utaalam wa kujua hali halisi ya uzalishaji katika kila sehemu ya kazi, undani wa uzalishaji na biashara mnayoifanya, au huduma mnayoitoa, na kuelewa mwenendo wake katika ulimwengu wa ushindani. Ujuzi huo utawawezesha kujiamini mnapokaa na waajiri kuzungumzia mbinu za kuongeza uzalishaji na tija, na kuongeza uwezo wenu wa ushindani katika soko huru, na baada ya kuongezeka kwa uzalishaji na tija, kupata nguvu, haki na msingi wa kudai maslahi bora zaidi.  Maana kama uzalishaji na tija haviongezeki, na kama faida haiongezeki, madai ya maslahi bora zaidi yatahimiliwa na nini?

            Tatu, zingatieni wajibu wa kujadiliana na waajiri juu ya hali bora za kazi.  Mnapaswa kujiimarisha kitaaluma kabla ya kukabiliana na waajiri ili muweze kujenga nguvu za hoja, si kutumia tu hoja ya nguvu itokanayo na wingi wenu. Sheria ya Mahakama ya Kazi imeweka utaratibu wa majadiliano ya pamoja kati ya waajiri na waajiriwa kupitia vyama vyao, ili kufunga mikataba ya hiari ya hali bora za kazi.  Sheria hii itaangaliwa upya wakati wa kurekebisha sheria zote za kazi.   Lakini ni muhimu mikataba mtakayoifunga isaidie kuchochea uzalishaji, tija na faida ili uwezo wa kuitekeleza mikataba hiyo  upatikane. 

            Kamwe msisahau kuwa Serikali, na sekta ya umma kwa ujumla, sasa si mwajiri mkubwa kama ilivyokuwa zamani.  Wanachama wenu wengi sasa watakuwa kwenye sekta binafsi.  Na kwa kadri sekta binafsi inavyotwaa majukumu mengi zaidi ya kiuchumi na utoaji wa nafasi za ajira, ndivyo wajibu na kazi za vyama vya wafanyakazi zinavyoongezeka.  Jiandaeni vizuri kuubeba mzigo huo, na Serikali itawasaidieni kwa dhati. 

Amani na Utulivu

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Tukumbushane umuhimu wa amani na utulivu kwetu sisi wafanyakazi.  Maana ni rahisi kudhani kuwa anayehusika na amani na utulivu ni Serikali na wanasiasa tu.  Lakini ukweli ni kuwa maslahi yenu kama wafanyakazi yanategemea sana hali ya amani na utulivu.  Kwa sababu hiyo, kila mfanyakazi ni mshika-dau katika kuhifadhi na kutetea sifa yetu kama kisiwa cha amani na utulivu.

            Tunaishi katika dunia ya ushindani kwenye kila jambo, ikiwemo ushindani katika kuvutia mitaji na vitegauchumi, ushindani wa ajira, na ushindani wa biashara. Sifa moja inayotuongezea uwezo wa ushindani katika Bara la Afrika ni hali yetu ya amani na utulivu.  Mwekezaji binafsi, ambaye sasa ndiye tunayemtegemea atoe nafasi za ajira, hawezi kuja kuwekeza Tanzania tukipoteza sifa hiyo. Watalii tunaowategemea sana kwa ajira na mapato nao wataikwepa nchi yetu. 

            Hivyo wafanyakazi wawe wakereketwa wa amani na utulivu.  Kwanza, wao wenyewe wasishiriki au kufumbia macho vitendo vinavyoashiria uvunjifu wa amani na utulivu.  Na pili, washirikiane na Serikali katika kukemea tabia inayoanza kuota mizizi ya kutoheshimu sheria au maelekezo mengine halali ya Serikali yenye lengo la kudumisha amani na utulivu.

Inawezekana wapo wanasiasa wanaofikiri kuwa ghasia, fujo na vurugu kwao ni mtaji wa kisiasa; lakini kwako mfanyakazi wa Tanzania ujiulize utapata faida gani nchi hii ikianza kukwepwa na wawekezaji na watalii.

Umaskini na Maendeleo

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Tanzania ni miongoni mwa nchi maskini sana duniani, na sasa tumeazimia kuondokana na aibu hiyo.  Tumebuni Dira ya Maendeleo ya Taifa 2025 inayokusudia kutufanya tuwe taifa ambalo watu wake walio wengi watakuwa na maisha bora; taifa lenye amani, utulivu, na umoja; taifa linaloongozwa kwa misingi ya utawala bora, utawala wa sheria; taifa lenye watu walioelimika na wanaoendelea kujielimisha; na taifa lenye uchumi unaohimili ushindani, uchumi unaokua na kutoa ajira na mapato, uchumi endelevu usioharibu mazingira yetu, na uchumi utakaonufaisha washika-dau wote, na kuhimili matumaini yetu ya maisha ya kisasa.

            Hayo ni malengo, lakini utekelezaji wake unategemea sana jasho na maarifa ya kila Mtanzania, kila mfanyakazi, kila mkulima, kila mfugaji, kila mvuvi, na kila mfanyabiashara, wa kike na wa kiume.  Nchi yetu itaendelea kwa kazi, si kwa maneno matupu au tamaa ya maisha bora.  Hatuwezi kuendelea kwa kutegemea fadhila za mataifa mengine.  Wao si ndugu zetu, na wakati mwingine wanaweza kuwa na agenda zao ambazo si lazima zishabihiane na malengo yetu.  Na hata kama wangekuwa ndugu zetu, wahenga walishatuambia, “Mtegemea cha ndugu hufa maskini”.

            Haki za binadamu zinazungumzwa sana, lakini jambo ambalo halizungumzwi sana ni ukweli kuwa adui mkubwa wa haki za binadamu ni umaskini.  Kwa mtu ambaye hana uhakika wa chakula, haki yake ya msingi ni chakula.  Kwa mtu ambaye hana nguo, haki yake ya msingi ni nguo.  Na kwa yule ambaye hana mahali pa kuishi haki yake ya kwanza ni kujiwezesha kupata makazi.

            Umaskini, na unyonge unaotokana na umaskini na utegemezi, ndiye adui mkubwa sana wa nchi yetu.  Tusipokuwa waangalifu, tunaweza kuondolewa kwenye mkazo unaostahili kwenye umaskini, tukang’ang’ania mambo yapitayo ambayo hayampi shibe mwenye njaa, hayamvishi aliye uchi, na hayampi makazi asiye na mahali pa kuishi, sisemi kumpeleka mwanae shule au kumtibu akiugua.

            Hivyo ni muhimu sana kwa wanasiasa wote – katika Chama Tawala na katika Upinzani – kuwajali zaidi wananchi kwa kutoa kipaumbele cha kwanza kwenye vita dhidi ya umaskini.  Mwanasiasa katika nchi maskini kama yetu, iwapo anao uadilifu wowote wa kisiasa ndani yake, ataona uchungu juu ya umaskini wa watu wetu, na ataunga mkono jitihada zote za Serikali kupiga vita umaskini.

            Lakini kama wapo wanaofikiri kuwa bidii ya kuandaa maandamano na mikutano ya kudai mimi na Rais Karume tuwapishe Ikulu ndiyo njia sahihi ya kupiga vita umaskini, wanaota ndoto za mchana.  Mimi, na nina hakika Rais Karume, tutaendelea kuweka  mkazo sahihi na unaostahili katika kukuza uchumi kwa manufaa ya wananchi wote, ikiwemo kukuza ajira, kuboresha maslahi ya wafanyakazi, kuboresha huduma za jamii, na hatimaye kufikia malengo yetu ya kuondosha umaskini kwa faida ya wananchi wote. 

Matokeo na Athari za Utandawazi

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Dunia yetu ya leo ina sifa mbili kubwa.  Moja ni kasi kubwa ya mabadiliko ya teknolojia, na ya pili ni mageuzi makubwa katika mifumo ya kijamii na kiuchumi.  Mabadiliko na mageuzi hayo yanachochewa na utandawazi, ambao ni wimbi kubwa. Tunakabiliwa na chaguo ama kuacha kubadilika tusombwe na wimbi hilo, na kuendelea kuserereka pembezoni mwa maendeleo ya dunia ya karne ya 21; au tubadilike haraka kisera, kiutendaji, na kimtazamo, na kutafuta mbinu za kuhakikisha nasi tunafaidika katika mfumo huu mpya wa mahusiano duniani, na hivyo kuwahami wafanyakazi wetu.

            Utandawazi huu unafuta mipaka baina ya nchi na nchi, bara na bara.  Mipaka ya kijiografia haiwezi tena kuzuia maingiliano ya fikra, teknolojia, ujuzi, biashara na mitaji.  Katika hali hiyo ushindani unakuwa mkali sana, kwenye kila kitu; ushindani ambao sisi tunauingia tukiwa dhaifu kuliko wenzetu. 

            Katika mazingira haya, uwekezaji mitaji ndio njia pekee ya kukuza uchumi, kupatikana kwa nafasi za ajira, na kuboresha maisha ya wananchi.  Ndiyo maana nchi zote, kubwa na ndogo, tajiri na maskini, zinashindana kuvutia wawekezaji mitaji, kwa kushindana kuweka mazingira mazuri ya uwekezaji kisera, kiutendaji, kisheria - ikiwemo sheria za kazi - na kwa kuboresha miundo mbinu.

            Iwapo sisi hatutabadilika, tutajipunguzia mvuto wetu kwa wawekezaji, wakati ambapo sisi wenyewe ndani ya nchi hatuna uwezo wa mitaji na ujuzi kuzalisha bidhaa na kutoa huduma za kushindana kwenye soko la kimataifa.  Ni kweli baadhi ya hatua tunazolazimika kuzichukua zinaweza kuathiri baadhi ya wafanyakazi, hasa kwa siku za mwanzo.  Lakini, ingawa dawa siku zote ni chungu, hatima yake ni kupona.  Kinyume chake ni kukaribisha maradhi, na hata kifo.

Hata hivyo, napenda niwahakikishieni kuwa tunachukua, na tutaendelea kuchukua, kila tahadhari ili kulinda na kutetea maslahi ya taifa letu, maslahi ya wafanyakazi na maslahi ya wananchi.  Hatufanyi mageuzi, na hatuchukui hatua za kuvutia wawekezaji, kwa mtindo wa “bendera fuata upepo”.  Tunakuwa makini, na kuona hoja ipi inakubalika, na ipi haikubaliki.

            Kwa upande wa ushindani wa kibiashara tunayo kazi kubwa mbele yetu inayohitaji ushirikiano mkubwa kati ya Serikali, waajiri na wafanyakazi.  Kwanza, lazima tuongeze uzalishaji na tija.  Lazima tubadili mtazamo wetu kuhusu kazi, na tupende kufanya kazi kwa kujituma zaidi kuliko kungoja kutumwa, tufanye kazi kwa bidii, kwa ubunifu na kwa maarifa. Pili, lazima tuongeze ubora wa bidhaa tunazotengeneza na kuzifunga vizuri kama washindani wetu katika soko la dunia wafanyavyo. Tatu, lazima tupunguze gharama za uzalishaji na uendeshaji ili bei ya bidhaa zetu iweze kushindana katika masoko ya dunia. Nne, lazima tupunguze gharama za kufanyia biashara.  Na tano lazima tuwe hodari zaidi katika kujitangaza na kutafuta masoko mapya, ikiwemo masoko yaliyo jirani nasi.

Na hapa napenda nirudie tena mwito wa kuwa na ushirikiano wa karibu sana kati ya Serikali, waajiri, na wafanyakazi. Tusipokuwa kitu kimoja, na badala yake kuendekeza malumbano na mivutano, hatutafanikiwa.  Tuazimie kuanzia leo kuvuta pamoja, si kuvutana.

            Upo pia ushindani wa ujuzi na maarifa.  Tanzania tuna maliasili nyingi, lakini dunia ya leo, na hasa dunia ijayo, itatawaliwa na wenye maarifa, kwa maana ya sayansi, teknolojia, elimu na ujuzi.  Kuwa na maliasili peke yake haitoshi.  Hatuna budi tujinoe kwa elimu na ujuzi, na hasa elimu inayomfanya mtu aajirike au ajiajiri. 

            Yapo malalamiko kuwa wawekezaji kutoka nje wanaajiri sana wageni.  Tatizo hili linakuzwa mno kuliko hali halisi ilivyo.  Ukiacha sekta kama vile madini ambapo hatuna wataalamu wa Kitanzania wa kutosha, kwenye sekta nyingine nyingi wawekezaji hao hawaruhusiwi kuajiri zaidi ya wageni 5. Utafiti tulioufanya kwenye baadhi ya miradi unaonyesha kuwa kwenye sekta ya viwanda, wageni walioajiriwa ni chini ya asilimia moja ya wafanyakazi wote; kwenye utalii ni zaidi kidogo ya asilimia moja; kwenye madini ni karibu asilimia 15, na kwenye huduma ni asilimia moja.  Hivyo hali si mbaya sana, na itazidi kuwa nzuri siku zijazo.

            Changamoto kwetu Watanzania ni kuhakikisha tunao wataalamu wa kiwango kinachoweza kushindana na wataalamu wengine duniani, tukianzia na soko la ajira la Afrika Mashariki. 

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Tutaendelea kulinda viwanda vya ndani dhidi ya ushindani usiokuwa wa haki kutoka bidhaa zinazoagizwa kutoka nje, ikiwa ni pamoja na kudhibiti uingizaji wa bidhaa kwa njia ya magendo.  Lakini katika dunia ya utandawazi, hoja ya kulinda viwanda vya ndani ni hoja ya mpito tu wakati nchi changa zinajenga uwezo wa kuhimili ushindani.  Hivyo utaratibu wa kulinda viwanda lazima uende sambamba na juhudi za makusudi kuongeza uwezo wa ushindani.  Na hilo halitawezekana iwapo tutavilinda mno viwanda vyetu.  

Kazi na Ajira

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Leo napenda pia nizungumzie dhana ya kazi kwa upande mmoja, na dhana ya ajira kwa upande mwingine.  Lazima tujifunze kubadili uelewa wetu wa kazi, na uelewa wetu wa ajira.  Maana si lazima kila penye kazi pawe na ajira, na si lazima kila penye ajira kuwe na kazi.

            Mfano mzuri wa kazi bila ajira ni kina mama.  Wanafanya kazi kubwa na muhimu katika familia. Lakini hawana ajira, wala hawalipwi mshahara.  Kwa upande mwingine, na hasa kwenye sekta ya umma, wapo watu wana ajira, lakini hawana kazi, au wanagawana kazi ambayo ingeweza kufanywa na mtu mmoja tu. Wapo wanaolipwa mshahara kamili kwa nusu kazi, au robo kazi, na wapo hata wanaolipwa kwa vile tu wameajiriwa, hata kama hawakufanya kazi yoyote.

            Tatizo la baadhi ya watu kupenda kulipwa bila kufanya kazi inayolingana na malipo si letu peke yetu.  Ipo hadithi ya bwana mmoja kutoka nchi tajiri mojawapo ambaye alikuwa na tabia hiyo. Yeye alikuwa amepunguzwa kazi na akawa analipwa fedha za kujikimu kwa vile alikuwa hana kazi.  Ikafika wakati utaratibu huo wa kulipwa bila kazi ukafutwa, akalazimika kutafuta kazi.  Akamwendea mwenye nyumba mmoja na kumwomba kazi ya kufyeka majani kwenye bustani yake.

Mwenye nyumba akamwambia, “Kwa kawaida anakuja kijana wa jirani yangu kufanya kazi hiyo, na ninamlipa sh.20,000/=.  Lakini kwa vile nakuona una shida ya kazi, wewe nitakulipa sh.25,000/=.”

Yule bwana akamjibu, “Tafadhali mwache kijana aendelee na kazi yake;  wewe nipe tu hizo sh.5,000/=.”

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Mengine haya yanachekesha, lakini kujenga uchumi wa kisasa, unaohimili ajira kubwa, na maslahi bora zaidi, si jambo la lelemama, au jambo la kuchekesha.  Tupende tusipende, tunakabiliwa na ushindani mkubwa sana, na tukiendelea na tabia hii hatutaweza kuuhimili ushindani huo; viwanda vitafungwa; na ajira ama itahamia nchi za nje, ikiwemo nchi jirani, au wao watakuja nchini kuchukua kazi zetu. 

            Katika uchumi unaohimiliwa na sekta binafsi ajira na maslahi ya wafanyakazi havipatikani kwa amri ya Serikali, bali kwa uwezo wa kuzalisha, kushindana, na kupata faida.  Kama tunataka uchumi ukue, uweze kushindana na kuvutia wawekezaji wengi zaidi, lazima tujenge ushirikiano na kuaminiana zaidi kati ya Serikali, wawekezaji, wananchi na wafanyakazi.  Tuunde ubia wa kuhakikisha taifa linafanikiwa, wawekezaji wanafanikiwa, na wafanyakazi nao wanafanikiwa.

            Mwaka hadi mwaka tunalalamika kuwa wapo vijana 600,000 – 700,000 wanaoingia katika soko la ajira, wakati sekta rasmi inaweza kuajiri kiasi cha 25,000 tu kwa mwaka.  Lakini pia tujiulize hao vijana 600,000 wanaweza kufanya kazi gani ya kuajiriwa?  Wana ujuzi gani wenye soko katika hali halisi ya uzalishaji na utoaji huduma nchini?  Ukweli ni kuwa wengi wao hawaajiriki kwa urahisi. 

            Lazima tukubali pia kuwa tunaposema uti wa mgongo wa uchumi wetu ni kilimo, ufugaji na uvuvi, maana yake ni kuwa uti wa mgongo wa uhakika wa ajira ni kilimo, ufugaji na uvuvi, pamoja na viwanda vya kusindika mazao ya sekta hizo.  Tunasema hakuna ajira, lakini tunayo ardhi tele inayofaa kwa kilimo na ufugaji, na tunayo bahari, mito na maziwa yenye samaki.  Kwa vyovyote vile haitawezekana kwa sekta rasmi kuajiri wote watafutao kazi. Kwa Watanzania wengi, ajira maana yake ni kujiajiri katika kilimo, ufugaji na uvuvi. Huo ni ukweli ambao hatuna budi sote kuukubali.

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Ni kweli Serikali ina wajibu wa kufuatilia wawekezaji ili kuhakikisha wanatekeleza masharti ya mikataba na maelewano yetu, na kufuata sheria za nchi.  Tutaendelea kutekeleza jukumu hilo, na kuongeza uwezo wa ukaguzi.  Vyama vya wafanyakazi navyo viwe macho. Kwa upande wake, Serikali imeamua kukifanya Kitengo cha Afya na Usalama wa Wafanyakazi kuwa Wakala wa Serikali ili kiweze kujiendesha kwa ufanisi na kutoa huduma bora zaidi kwa wafanyakazi na waajiri.

            Ipo pia mipango mingi ya kuimarisha uwezo wa Wizara ya Kazi, Maendeleo ya Vijana na Michezo, kwa msaada wa wahisani mbalimbali.  Tunao mradi wa kuimarisha Idara ya Kazi unaofadhiliwa na Serikali ya Denmark.  Lengo ni kuweka mazingira bora zaidi ya kisera na kisheria katika mahusiano ya kikazi, kuwa na sheria za kazi zinazoenda na wakati na kuvutia uwekezaji zaidi, kuboresha mazingira ya kufanyia kazi, kuongeza uzalishaji na tija za wafanyakazi, na kujenga maelewano mazuri sehemu za kazi. 

            Mradi mwingine, ambao huu unafadhiliwa na Serikali ya Marekani, ni wa kuanzisha Soko la Ajira.  Kazi iliyoanza Aprili mwaka jana ya kukusanya takwimu za msingi kuhusu ajira inatazamiwa kukamilika mwezi Juni mwaka huu.  Kituo cha kwanza cha Soko la Ajira (Employment Exchange Centre) kitaanzishwa hapa Dar es Salaam, na baadaye mikoani.  Miongoni mwa majukumu ya vituo hivyo itakuwa kutoa ushauri nasaha kwa wanaotafuta kazi, kusaidia kuwaunganisha watafuta kazi na waajiri, na kukusanya na kutoa takwimu za hali ya soko la ajira kwa ujumla. Huduma hii itawarahisishia waajiri kutafuta wafanyakazi, na wanaotafuta ajira kujua kazi ambazo wana ujuzi nazo zinapatikana wapi. 

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Tunalo pia bado tatizo la unyanyasaji na ubaguzi wa wanawake katika jamii zetu, katika shule na vyuo, na katika ajira.  Kutokana na jitihada zinazochukuliwa na Serikali tatizo linapungua, lakini halijakwisha.  Natoa tena wito kwetu sote kufuta aibu hii ya kunyanyasa au kubagua wanawake.

            Serikali pamoja na wabia-jamii, kwa msaada wa Shirika la Kazi Duniani (ILO), tumetekeleza mradi wa kuangalia upya hali ya ajira kwa wanawake katika mazingira ya mageuzi ya uchumi.  Tayari ripoti imekamilika na imetupa mahali pa kuanzia katika kutetea na kulinda maslahi ya wanawake.  Ikibidi tutabadili sheria na taratibu.  Lakini, kazi kubwa zaidi ni kubadili fikra, mazoea, mila na desturi zinazokwamisha ukombozi wa kweli wa wanawake.  Kazi hiyo si ya Serikali peke yake; ni ya jamii nzima.  Na hapa tena navipongeza vyama huru vya wafanyakazi kwa kuonyesha njia, na kumchagua Mama Sitta awe Mwenyekiti wa kwanza wa Shirikisho lao.  Hiyo ni ishara kuwa tutashirikiana vizuri kutetea haki na maslahi ya wanawake sehemu za kazi. 

Sheria na Mikataba

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Serikali inatambua umuhimu wa kuridhia Mikataba ya ILO kuhusu malipo sawa kwa kazi sawa, kuondosha ubaguzi katika ajira, na kupiga marufuku ajira mbaya sana ya watoto.  Mikataba hiyo pia inahusu haki za msingi za binadamu ambazo zimo ndani ya Katiba yetu.  Hivyo tatizo si nia ya kuridhia, bali utaratibu tu wa kufanya hivyo.  Na hivi sasa hatua za kuridhia mikataba hiyo karibu zitakamilika. 

            Kuhusu ajira ya watoto, tangu mwaka 1994 Tanzania imetekeleza Mpango wa Kimataifa wa Kuondosha Ajira ya Watoto kwa kushirikiana na waajiri na wafanyakazi.  Juhudi hizo ziliipelekea Tanzania kuwa kati ya nchi tatu duniani zitakazotekeleza mpango wa muda maalum kumaliza ajira mbaya sana ya watoto.  Tunatambua pia kuwa umaskini ndicho chanzo na kishawishi kikubwa cha ajira ya watoto.  Hivyo juhudi zote za Serikali za kuondosha umaskini zinalenga pia kuondosha tatizo la ajira ya watoto.

            Nia ya Serikali ni kuwa na sera na mfumo wa sheria za kazi zinazolinda maslahi ya wafanyakazi, na maslahi ya waajiri, ili mahusiano mema kazini yawe yale ambayo msingi wake ni kuheshimu haki na maslahi ya wafanyakazi na waajiri, yenye tija katika uzalishaji, yanayowezesha ushindani, na kwa hiyo kuleta maendeleo na maisha bora. 

Mikopo ya Nyumba kwa Wafanyakazi

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Mojawapo ya matatizo ya wafanyakazi wengi ni kukosa uhakika wa nyumba za kuishi wakiwa kazini, lakini hasa baada ya kustaafu.  Kumiliki nyumba kunatosheleza hitaji muhimu la mwanadamu; na kumpa heshima na utulivu wa fikra na maisha.

            Katika miaka 10 ya kwanza baada ya uhuru, kulikuwa na mfuko wa mikopo ya nyumba kwa watumishi wa umma.  Mfuko huo uliwasaidia watumishi wa umma wakati huo kujijengea nyumba.  Leo hakuna mfuko kama huo wenye uwezo wa kutosheleza kujenga nyumba za watumishi kwa mkopo.  Matokeo yake, na kwa vile mfumo wa ukopeshaji fedha kwa ajili ya kujenga nyumba kwenye benki zetu bado haujaimarika, inabidi wananchi walio wengi wajenge nyumba kwa fedha kutoka mifukoni mwao.

Ujenzi wa namna hiyo ni ishara ya kuwa nyuma sana kimaendeleo, na kwa watumishi wa umma ni chanzo,  kichocheo na kishawishi kikubwa sana cha rushwa.  Dunia ya leo watu hawajengi hivyo; na ni matumizi mabaya ya fedha hata kwa wale ambao wanazo.  Kwa vile nyumba ni mali isiyohamishika, hakuna sababu ya kujenga kwa fedha kutoka mfukoni; na wala hakuna sababu kwa benki zetu kutaka mkopaji arejeshe mkopo katika muda mfupi.  Kwenye nchi zilizoendelea mikopo ya nyumba inalipwa kwa hata zaidi ya miaka 25.

            Kwa sababu hiyo nimeamua, kwa kuzingatia sera ya Chama changu, kuwa tuanzishe mfumo ulio wazi wa mikopo ya nyumba na uwekaji nyumba rehani kwa jumla; na pia kuwa na utaratibu mwingine maalum kwa watumishi wa umma. 

            Hivi sasa Serikali inashauriana na washika-dau mbalimbali, pamoja na benki zetu, kuona namna bora ya kutekeleza jambo hili kwa haraka, lakini kwa makini sana, maana hatutaki yale yaliyoisibu Benki ya Nyumba yarudiwe tena.  Lazima nitoe tahadhari.  Mkopo ni mkopo, na lazima urejeshwe kulingana na makubaliano kati ya mkopaji na mkopeshaji.  Ujanja wa kukwepa wajibu wa kulipa hauwezi kupewa mwanya tena kwenye sheria zetu.

            Maandalizi ya kisera na kisheria yanaendelea.  Karibu tunakamilisha Kanuni za Sheria ya Ardhi ya mwaka jana kwa kushirikiana na washika dau wengine ili kuvutia benki kukopesha kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa nyumba.  Serikali pia itaendeleza sera za jumla za uchumi zitakazosaidia kuweka mazingira bora kwa ukopeshaji wa muda mrefu, kama vile kuendelea kushusha mfumuko wa bei, na riba za benki.

            Nawaombeni viongozi wa vyama vya wafanyakazi nanyi mhamasishe wafanyakazi kuanzisha vyama vya kuweka na kukopa, na kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa nyumba, muanzishe ushirika wa nyumba.  Tatizo la nyumba ni kubwa, na ufumbuzi wake lazima utuhusishe na kutushirikisha wote. 

Rushwa na Ubadhirifu

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Nizungumzie kidogo kuhusu rushwa na ubadhirifu. Wote wawili hawa ni maadui wakubwa wa maendeleo na ustawi wetu.  Ipo rushwa inayopotosha haki, na kuifanya iwe bidhaa ya kuuzwa na kununuliwa.  Na ipo rushwa inayopotosha maamuzi ya kiutendaji na kuliingizia taifa au taasisi yoyote ile hasara kubwa.  Mfano ni pale ambapo barabara ambayo ingeweza kujengwa kwa sh.5 bilioni, inaishia kujengwa kwa sh.10 bilioni, na mzigo huo unabebwa na uchumi wa taifa, na hatimaye wananchi.  Dhahiri rushwa ni kitu kibaya sana katika jamii na lazima tupigane nayo bila kuchoka au kukata tamaa.

            Na rushwa si janga la Tanzania peke yake.  Hakuna nchi yoyote duniani inayoweza kuthubutu kusema kuwa wao ni watakatifu kabisa katika suala hili.  Tofauti zilizopo ni aina ya rushwa baina ya nchi na nchi, kiwango cha rushwa, na uwazi uliopo katika kujadili uwepo wa rushwa katika jamii na taifa.

            Tanzania tumekuwa wazi sana kuhusu rushwa.  Sijui ni nchi ngapi zimeunda Tume kama niliyounda mimi chini ya Jaji Warioba kutafiti rushwa kwa undani katika nchi yetu, kubainisha chanzo chake, na kuweka mpango maalum na mkakati wa kuipiga vita rushwa.  Na utekelezaji unaendelea kwa kuziba mianya ya rushwa upande mmoja, na kwa upande mwingine kuongeza uwezo wetu wa kupokea, kuchunguza na kuchukua hatua za kisheria kuhusu tuhuma zote za rushwa.  Upo mkakati wa kitaifa, na upo mkakati kwa kila sekta na kila Wizara. 

            Kazi ya kupiga vita rushwa ni ngumu sana, hasa ikijipenyeza pia kwenye vyombo vinavyosimamia sheria na haki.  Nyote ni mashahidi kuwa kesi za rushwa zinachukua muda mrefu mno.  Wakati mwingine ni vigumu kupata ushahidi utakaothibiti mahakamani, hasa pale wale wenye taarifa za ndani na ushahidi hawako tayari kushirikiana na Serikali.

            Siwezi kuwalaumu wananchi wanapoishiwa na subira.  Wakati mwingine hata mimi natamani ningekuwa na uwezo wa kutia watu ndani pale tuhuma nzito dhidi yao zinaponifikia.  Lakini zama hizo zimepita.  Leo dhana inayoshamiri ni ya utawala wa sheria, ambapo mtuhumiwa anahesabika hana hatia hadi mahakama itakapoamua kesi inayomkabili.

            Hali hiyo inaiweka Serikali katika hali ngumu sana.  Vyombo vya habari vinaandika tuhuma za rushwa, na kuifanya jamii iamini kuwa yanayotajwa ni kweli, na hivyo wanataka wasikie kesho yake mtuhumiwa kafungwa au kafilisiwa.  Hata marafiki zetu kutoka nchi za nje nao wanakosa subira.  Lakini hao hao, na waandishi wa habari hao hao, ndio wa kwanza kutupa darasa juu ya haki za binadamu, utawala bora, na utawala wa sheria!!

            Napenda niwahakikishieni, Ndugu Wafanyakazi, kuwa dhamira na utashi wa kisiasa wa kupiga vita rushwa sio tu upo pale pale, bali unaongezeka.  Ambacho nina uhakika hakiongezeki ni ushirikiano wa wafanyakazi katika kupiga vita rushwa na ubadhirifu.  Mimi ninaelewa wananchi wa kawaida wakinyoshea kidole Serikali na taasisi zake.  Lakini napata taabu nikiambiwa wafanyakazi wanalalamikia rushwa.  Maana, hakuna mtu anayeitwa Serikali anayepokea rushwa. Mpokea rushwa si Serikali; ni mfanyakazi mwenzetu, tunamjua, lakini tunaoneana haya.  Huo ndio ukweli, na unafanya kazi yetu iwe ngumu sana.

Huko mikoani niliwahi kuwataka wananchi wafanye mikutano ya hadhara na kupiga kura ya maoni kuhusu wanaowatuhumu kula rushwa.  Najua huu si utaratibu mzuri sana, lakini ulitupa pa kuanzia kwa kuwajua wanaotuhumiwa, na kuanza kuwachunguza. 

            Sasa niambieni.  Ni mara ngapi mmesikia kuwa katika Wizara au Taasisi fulani wameitisha mkutano wa wafanyakazi wote kwa lengo la kupiga kura ya maoni, ya siri, ya kuwafichua wenzao wanaowajua kuwa ni wala rushwa?  Maana haiwezekani awepo muuguzi katika hospitali anayedai rushwa kutoka kwa wagonjwa, halafu wenziwe wasimjue.  Vivyo hivyo kwenye Jeshi la Polisi, Mahakama, Wizara ya Ujenzi, Wizara ya Ardhi, Wizara ya Elimu, na kadhalika.

            Nakubali wito wenu kuwa vita dhidi ya rushwa izidi kuongezwa nguvu na kasi.  Lakini nasema nafasi bado ipo kubwa kwa wafanyakazi kusaidia vita hivyo pale walipo, kwa wenyewe kuacha rushwa na ubadhirifu, na kwa kutoa taarifa za wenzao wanaochafua jina la mahali pao pa kazi kwa kupanukisha rushwa. Zama za ukimya wa kulindana sasa ziishe.  Na wakati mwingine kunyosheana vidole baina ya sekta na sekta, wizara na wizara, idara na idara, haisaidii sana kama watu wasipoanza kusafisha rushwa pale walipo.  Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Dar es Salaam yupo hapa.  Yeye hupenda kusema, “Mkia wa mbuzi ni mfupi; unasafisha pale alipolala.”

Na sisi sawia.  Mfanyakazi wa Wizara ya Elimu anakuwa mwepesi kulaumu rushwa aliyopambana nayo alipoenda mahakamani, lakini ile rushwa mtumishi wa mahakama aliyopambana nayo katika kumwandikisha mtoto wake shule haioni. 

            Natoa wito kwa vyama vipya vya wafanyakazi vione kuwa mojawapo ya kazi zao ni kusafisha jina la sehemu yao ya kazi, na jina la taaluma zao.  Vyama vya wafanyakazi vione haya, na kuchukua hatua, pale jamii inapowanyooshea vidole kuwa ni wala rushwa au wabadhirifu. Vibuni mikakati ya kujisafisha, na ikibidi viombe msaada wa Taasisi ya Kuzuia Rushwa katika kupanga na kutekeleza mikakati hiyo.  Lazima pia, wote kwa pamoja, kujenga utamaduni wa kuona rushwa na ubadhirifu kuwa ni jambo la aibu, na kuwa mali isiyotokana na jasho, mali inayonuka rushwa, ubadhirifu na wizi, ni aibu na fedheha kubwa!

 

UKIMWI

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

           Nimefarijika kusikia risala yenu ikieleza kutambua kwenu kuwa janga la UKIMWI linahitaji elimu kwa jamii yote pamoja na waajiri ili kufanikisha mapambano dhidi yake. Mmetoa mwito pia kuwa wafanyakazi walioathirika wasitengwe au kunyanyaswa mahali pa kazi.  Nakubali na ninaungana nanyi kabisa katika hoja yenu hiyo.

Ningependa sote tujiulize tena maswali magumu bila aibu na tuchukue hatua bila ajizi. Je, tangu mwaka huu uanze tumeshiriki kiasi gani kuzuia kuenea kwa UKIMWI?  Je, wewe umekwisharekebisha mwenendo wako na kuacha tabia zinazochangia kuenea kwa UKIMWI?  Je, hapo kazini pamekuwa na mwamko mpya wa kupambana na UKIMWI?  Wewe mfanyakazi unashiriki vipi?

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

Kila mmoja atafakari kwa dhati moyoni  mwake na achukue hatua.  Nawaomba pia waajiri wawe  mstari wa mbele katika vita hivi na wawasaidie wafanyakazi wao kwa kila hali kuweza kujikinga, na kwa walioathirika tayari kuwatendea haki bila ubaguzi.  Kila sehemu ya kazi sasa iwe na utaratibu wa kukumbushana mara kwa mara juu ya UKIMWI, na mkakati mahususi wa kuzuia kuenea kwa virusi vya UKIMWI. 

Hitimisho:

Ndugu Wafanyakazi,

            Napenda kumalizia hotuba yangu kwa kuwakumbusha kuwa njia ya maendeleo imejaa jasho na vumbi.  Tuzingatie utamaduni wa kupenda kufanya kazi kwa bidii, maarifa, ubunifu na kujituma.  Lawama ni tamu ikitoka mdomoni, lakini peke yake haitapeleka mkono kinywani.  Na katika kujituma kila mfanyakazi akumbuke kuwa la muhimu si muda anaotumia kufanya kazi, bali kiasi cha kazi anayoweza kuifanya katika muda aliopewa.

Wenzetu majirani na duniani kote wanajishughulisha, usiku na mchana, kuongeza uzalishaji na kunoa uwezo wao wa tija na ushindani. Na sisi tuamke.  Nina matumaini makubwa nanyi viongozi wapya wa vyama huru vya wafanyakazi kwamba mtashirikiana vizuri na Serikali na waajiri ili nchi yetu ijikomboe kiuchumi na kuleta ustawi kwa wananchi wake.  Hakuna njia ya mkato, isiyo na machungu. Tuwaongoze wafanyakazi kujua na kuzingatia jambo hilo.  Na tuwashirikishe kama tunataka kushinda vita hivi.

Bwana mmoja aliwahi kusema, “Mtu akikwambia ametajirika kutokana na kazi nzito, muulize, kazi hiyo nzito ameifanya nani?”

Na sisi sote tunatamani maisha bora, ya kisasa.  Tunajua pia kuwa utajiri na maisha bora chanzo chake ni kazi nzito.  Swali.  Kazi hiyo nzito aifanye nani?

            Nawatakieni  Sikukuu njema.

            Ahsanteni kwa kunisikiliza.

HOTUBA YA RAIS WA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA, MHESHIMIWA BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, KWA WANANCHI, TAREHE 27 APRILI 2001  

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Kama nilivyosema nilipozungumza nanyi mwezi uliopita, ni wajibu wangu kuwa karibu nanyi.  Njia mojawapo ya kufanya hivyo ni kuzungumza nanyi moja kwa moja kuhusu mambo mbalimbali ya kitaifa.  Nitaendelea kujitahidi kufanya hivyo angalao mara moja kwa mwezi.

            Leo ninapenda kuzungumza nanyi juu ya dhana ya utawala wa sheria na haki ya kuishi, ambayo ni haki ya msingi ya kila raia.

            Nianze na utawala wa sheria.  Utawala wa sheria ni sehemu muhimu ya utawala bora katika jamii za wanadamu.  Utawala wa sheria ni mojawapo ya sifa zinazotofautisha jamii ya wanadamu, na jamii za wanyama.  Penye utawala wa sheria mahusiano kati ya watu, na kati ya Serikali na watu, yanatawaliwa na kuongozwa kwa mujibu wa sheria.  Jamii inayokataa kuongozwa kwa mujibu wa sheria, inafananishwa na himaya ya wanyama, ambapo kwao haki anakuwa nayo mwenye mabavu kuliko wengine.

            Na sheria ni msumeno, inakata kote kote, maana ni mkusanyiko wa kanuni na taratibu halali kwa lengo la kusimamia mahusiano kati ya mtu na mtu, mtu na jamii, mtu na Serikali, jamii na Serikali, na kadhalika.  Kila watu, kila jamii, na hata Serikali yenyewe, hufanya kazi zake na kudai haki zake, kwa mujibu wa sheria, bila upendeleo.  Na uhalali wa sheria unatokana na ukweli kuwa katika nchi ya demokrasia kama ilivyo yetu, wanaotunga sheria ni wenzetu tuliowachagua kwa hiari yetu watuwakilishe katika vyombo vinavyotunga Katiba, Sheria na Sheria Ndogo, yaani Bunge, Baraza la Wawakilishi, na Halmashauri za Jiji, Manispaa, Miji na Wilaya.

Kwa hiyo sehemu ya kwanza ya utawala wa sheria ni kutungwa kwa Katiba na Sheria, kazi inayofanywa na wawakilishi halali wa wananchi, waliopatikana kwa misingi ya demokrasia, yaani kupitia uchaguzi huru na wa haki.

            Na Katiba ikishatungwa, kwa mujibu wa sheria, pamoja na sheria nyingine zinazotungwa kwa mamlaka yatokanayo na Katiba hiyo, wajibu wa raia, wajibu wa jamii au kundi la watu, na wajibu wa Serikali, ni kukubali kutawaliwa na kuongozwa na sheria katika maisha yetu, katika mahusiano yetu na katika utendaji wetu wa kazi. 

            Na wajibu huo unamtaka kila raia kutii vifungu vyote vya Katiba na Sheria.  Maana, Katiba ina yote mawili – inatoa haki za raia, na inadai wajibu kutoka kwa raia.  Si ruksa hata kidogo kutambua na kuheshimu vifungu vile tu vinavyokupa wewe haki, ukapuuza au kutotii vile vinavyodai wajibu kutoka kwako.

            Hivyo, sehemu ya pili ya utawala wa sheria ni kwa kila mtu, kila jamii, kila taasisi na hata Serikali yenyewe, kutii sheria.  Ibara ya 26 ya Katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania inasema ifuatavyo: 

“26     (1)            Kila mtu ana wajibu wa kufuata na kutii Katiba

hii na Sheria za Jamhuri ya Muungano. 

(2)               Kila mtu ana haki, kwa kufuata utaratibu uliowekwa na sheria, kuchukua hatua za kisheria kuhakikisha hifadhi ya Katiba na sheria za nchi.” 

Kifungu 30(1) cha Katiba hiyo nacho kinasema ifuatavyo: 

“30            (1)            Haki na uhuru wa binadamu  ambavyo  misingi

yake imeorodheshwa katika Katiba hii havitatumiwa na mtu mmoja kwa maana ambayo itasababisha kuingiliwa kati au kukatizwa kwa haki na uhuru wa watu wengine au maslahi ya umma.” 

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Ni wazi haiwezekani kila kifungu cha Katiba, au cha sheria, au cha sheria ndogo na kanuni, kikamfurahisha kila raia.  Hata mwizi angetamani isiwepo sheria ya kuharamisha wizi na kutoa adhabu kwa kosa hilo.  Lakini, hakuna nchi yoyote duniani inayotoa ruksa kwa raia kuheshimu na kutii vile vifungu tu vya Katiba, sheria, au sheria ndogo anavyovitaka.  Wajibu ni wa kutii vifungu vyote.  Kila mmoja akichagua na kutii vile vifungu tu anavyovitaka, hatutakuwa tena na utawala wa sheria.

            Na kwa kujua kuwa si kila mtu ataridhika kuwa ametendewa haki, Katiba yetu inaelekeza utaratibu wa kudai marekebisho ya utekelezaji wa sheria ili haki itendeke.  Kifungu 30 (3) cha Katiba kimeweka jambo hili wazi kama ifuatavyo: 

            “30            (3)            Mtu yeyote anayedai kuwa sharti lolote katika

Sehemu hii ya Sura hii au katika sheria yoyote inayohusu haki yake au wajibu kwake, limevunjwa, linavunjwa au inaelekea litavunjwa na mtu yeyote popote katika Jamhuri ya Muungano, anaweza kufungua shauri katika Mahakama Kuu.” 

            Huo, Ndugu Wananchi, ndio utaratibu halali, ndani ya mfumo wa utawala bora, utawala wa sheria, ambao mtu au kundi lolote la watu ni ruksa kuutumia pale wanapoamini kuwa sheria au Serikali haiwatendei haki.  Narudia.  Huo ndio utaratibu pekee unaokubalika chini ya mfumo wa utawala wa sheria, na hii ndiyo sehemu ya tatu ya utawala wa sheria.

Ndugu Wananchi,

Sote tuna wajibu wa kufuata sheria, na utaratibu uliowekwa kwa mujibu wa sheria katika kudai haki, au katika kuhakikisha wengine nao hawavunji sheria.  Atendaye kosa la jinai, avunjaye sheria, anastahili adhabu.  Lakini si kila raia, akiwemo raia mwema, ana haki ya kuamua kama mtuhumiwa kweli amevunja sheria, na wala si kila raia ana haki ya kutoa adhabu.

            Katika mfumo wa utawala wa sheria raia anayo haki kumpeleka mtuhumiwa mbele ya vyombo vya sheria, lakini hana haki ya kumhukumu na kumuadhibu.  Chini ya utawala wa sheria kila raia ana haki ya kukamata wahalifu na ana wajibu akifanya hivyo kuwakabidhi Polisi.  Jeshi la Polisi ndio wanaochunguza uhalifu. Wakiridhika kuwa uhalifu umetendeka na ushahidi upo watawafikisha wanaowatuhumu kufanya uhalifu huo mbele ya mahakama zetu, zilizoundwa kwa mujibu wa Katiba na sheria.  Mahakama nayo baada ya kusikiliza pande zote mbili – upande wa mashtaka na upande wa utetezi – ndiyo ina madaraka ya kisheria kuamua kama mtuhumiwa ana hatia au la, na kama ana hatia kumpa adhabu ambayo nayo imewekwa kwa mujibu wa sheria.

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Ili kuhakikisha haki inatendeka, na utawala wa sheria unahimili mfumo wa utoaji haki, hakuna taasisi yoyote moja iliyokabidhiwa madaraka yote ya kukamata, kuchunguza, kushitaki, kutia hatiani, kuhukumu, na kutekeleza adhabu.  Kazi zote hizi zingefanywa na mtu mmoja, au taasisi moja tu ya dola, ungekuwapo uwezekano mkubwa wa uonevu, na pengine uvunjwaji wa haki za msingi za raia.  Na sidhani yuko yeyote miongoni mwetu ambaye angependa kupambana na mtu au taasisi yenye madaraka yote hayo.

            Lakini wapo wenzetu ambao wao wanataka kuwa watu au taasisi za namna hiyo, zenye madaraka makubwa kuliko Polisi, Mahakama na Magereza kwa pamoja.  Na hii ni pale wanapochukua sheria mikononi mwao.  Hii ni ile hali ambapo raia waliokerwa na uvunjwaji wa sheria, ikiwemo wizi, unyang’anyi au uvunjaji nyumba, badala ya kutumia haki yao ya kisheria ya kuwakamata na kuwafikisha mikononi mwa Polisi watuhumiwa, wao huamua kuwa Polisi, Mahakama na Magereza kwa pamoja.  Wanawakamata, wanawahukumu na kuwaadhibu watuhumiwa, ikiwemo kwa kuwapiga, kuwachoma moto, na pengine kuwaua.  Vipo pia vitendo vya kuua watu wanaodhaniwa ni wachawi, au yale mauaji yaliyotokea Kilosa ambapo wananchi waliamua kupeana adhabu wenyewe kwa wenyewe bila kufikishana kwenye mkondo halali wa sheria.

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Vitendo hivyo vimenisikitisha na kunifadhaisha sana, na  vinazidi kunisikitisha na kunifadhaisha.  Tena vimeitia nchi yetu katika orodha ya nchi zinazovunja haki za binadamu kwa njia hiyo.  Maana, tunahukumu watu kifo, tena kifo cha kikatili, bila kuwapa fursa yao ya kisheria kupata utetezi wa kisheria.  Na hata kama wangekuwa na hatia, raia hawana madaraka ya kutoa hukumu, licha ya kuitekeleza.  Na zaidi ya hayo, mengi ya makosa ambayo yanawafanya watuhumiwa wauwawe na raia waliochukua sheria mikononi mwao, adhabu yake, kwa mujibu wa sheria zetu, si kifo.  Napenda niwaulizeni, Ndugu Zangu.  Hivi kweli ni sawa kutoa roho ya mtu kwa wizi wa mkufu wa dhahabu wenye thamani ya sh.50,000/=?  Tunakubali kushusha bei ya uhai wa binadamu wenzetu kiasi hicho?

            Tusisahau pia kuwa mojawapo ya haki za msingi za kila raia, ni haki ya kuishi.  Katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Kifungu cha 14, inasema: 

            “14.            Kila mtu anayo haki ya kuishi na kupata kutoka kwa

jamii hifadhi ya maisha yake, kwa mujibu wa sheria.” 

            Sasa ni sheria gani inayompa raia, au kundi la raia, haki ya kutoa uhai wa mtu mwingine, hata kama ameonekana akiiba?  Mwizi anastahili adhabu, jambazi anastahili adhabu, mnyang’anyi anastahili adhabu, hata mchawi naye, akithibitika, anastahili adhabu, maana sheria ya kuadhibu wachawi ipo pia.  Lakini ni adhabu zitokanazo na sheria, na zinazotolewa kwa mujibu wa sheria peke yake, si vinginevyo.

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Leo nimeona nizungumzie jambo hili maana vitendo vya watu kuuawa kwa tuhuma mbalimbali na watu wanaochukua sheria mikononi mwao vinaongezeka kwa kasi sana, na lazima sasa vikemewe kwa nguvu zote.  Nimewauliza Jeshi la Polisi juzi waniambie wanajua vitendo vingapi vya watuhumiwa kuuawa kwa njia hii.  Takwimu zinatisha.

            Kwa nchi nzima, kuanzia Januari hadi Desemba mwaka jana, vilitokea vitendo kama hivyo 219, na kati ya hivyo, 66 (au 30%), vilitokea Dar es Salaam.  Na kuanzia Januari mwaka huu hadi sasa, ninaambiwa nchi nzima kuna matukio 78 yaliyotolewa taarifa, kati yake 26 (33%) yakiwa yametokea Dar es Salaam.  Na hawa ni wale tu waliouawa kwa tuhuma za wizi, ujambazi, uvunjaji na unyang’anyi.  Watuhumiwa wengine wa vitu kama uchawi hawamo kwenye orodha hii.

            Kwa vile wanaouawa ni wale wanaotuhumiwa kuwa ni wezi, wanyang’anyi au wachawi, si wananchi wengi wanaowaonea huruma, hivyo ni wachache wanaozungumza kwa niaba yao na familia zao.  Lakini mimi ni Rais wa kila raia, akiwemo raia mhalifu.  Lazima nikemee tabia hiyo, lazima nimtake kila raia akubali kuongozwa na wajibu wake wa msingi wa kutii sheria, na kuheshimu uhai wa raia wengine, japo wawe wahalifu.

            Najua yapo malalamiko kuwa kuna rushwa kwenye vyombo vya haki na sheria, ikiwemo Polisi na Mahakama, na ndio maana baadhi ya watuhumiwa wanaokamatwa wanaachiwa.  Pengine pia baadhi ya sheria zetu zinatoa mianya ya wahalifu kupenya.  Lakini kasoro za namna hiyo si jambo la ajabu katika ulimwengu wa wanadamu, na ni vigumu kila wakati kuwa na sheria zinazokidhi kila hali na kila dharura.  Ndiyo maana tuna kazi kubwa ya kushirikiana kusafisha rushwa kutoka kwenye vyombo vya sheria na utoaji haki, na kubadili sheria mara kwa mara ili kukidhi mahitaji mapya.  Kasoro hizo kamwe haziwezi kuwa leseni ya wananchi kuchukua sheria mikononi mwao na kuua wenzao.

            Tusikubali kurudi kwenye sheria za mwituni, tubaki kwenye mstari wa utawala wa sheria.  Tusitafute njia ya mkato ya kuadhibu wahalifu, tufuate njia ya uhakika wa haki na utawala wa sheria, njia itakayoheshimu haki ya msingi ya kila raia, hata awe mhalifu, ya kuwa hai.  Haki itafutwe ndani ya sheria, si nje ya sheria.  Maana kila mtu akitafuta haki nje ya sheria, hatutakuwa tena na utawala wa sheria, na hivyo hatutapishana sana na wanyama.

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Nachukua nafasi hii kuhimiza tena vyombo vya usimamizi na utoaji wa haki na sheria, ikiwemo Polisi, Mahakama na Wanasheria, kuboresha utendaji wao ili wananchi waone, na kuridhika, kuwa haki inapatikana kupitia vyombo hivyo, na si lazima waitafute haki nje ya vyombo hivyo.  Na pili jitihada za kusafisha rushwa, uzembe, na ucheleweshaji wa utoaji haki, zifanywe kwa ari na bidii mpya.  Na katika yote hayo, ushirikiano wenu wananchi ni muhimu sana. Mkikata tamaa, na kuchukua sheria mikononi mwenu, hatutaimarisha utawala bora, utawala wa sheria, na tutazidi kuonekana kama taifa la watu wasiostaarabika, wanaoishi kwa kufuata sheria ya mwituni, badala ya utawala wa sheria.

            Tuazimie sasa, kwa pamoja, raia na vyombo vyote vya utoaji na usimamizi wa haki na sheria, kukomesha vitendo vya raia kuchukua sheria mikononi mwao.  Najua sana uchungu wa kuibiwa, au kunyang’anywa mali; tena ni uchungu mkubwa sana.  Raia pia ana haki ya kujilinda na kulinda mali yake. Lakini pamoja na yote hayo, tuupe uhai wa mtu mwingine thamani inayostahili, kama vile sisi nasi tunavyothamini uhai wetu na wa familia zetu.

            Ahsanteni kwa kunisikiliza.

            Mungu Ibariki Afrika.

            Mungu Ibariki Tanzania.  

HOTUBA YA RAIS WA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA, MHESHIMIWA BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, AKIFUNGUA MKUTANO WA MAAFISA WAANDAMIZI WA JESHI LA MAGEREZA, CAPRICORN HOTEL, MARANGU-MOSHI, 19 APRILI 2001 

Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani,

                Mhe. Muhammed Seif Khatib, Mb;

Mkuu wa Magereza,

                Kamishna Mkuu, O. E. Malisa;

Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Kilimanjaro,

                Mhe. Hilda Ngoye, Mb;

Makamanda wa Vikosi Mbalimbali vya Ulinzi na Usalama;

Makamanda na Wajumbe wa Mkutano;

Wageni Waalikwa;

Mabibi na Mabwana. 

            Kwanza kabisa nakushukuru sana Mheshimiwa Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani, pamoja na Kamishna Mkuu wa Magereza, kwa mwaliko wenu wa kufungua mkutano huu muhimu.  Nawashukuruni pia makamanda na wajumbe wote kwa mapokezi mazuri mliyonipa asubuhi hii.  Shukrani za pekee ni kwa wasanii waliotutumbuiza, na wakati huo huo kutupa ujumbe muafaka kwa siku ya leo.  Ni wazi kabisa kuwa Jeshi la Magereza ni moja ya taasisi za dola zenye wasanii mahiri sana.  Hongereni, na ahsanteni sana.

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

            Furaha yangu kuwa nanyi leo inatokana pia na ukweli kuwa hii ni mara yangu ya kwanza kufungua mkutano kama huu wa Jeshi la Magereza.  Na kwa kweli sijawahi kukutana na uongozi wote wa juu wa Jeshi la Magereza nchini kwa pamoja kama ilivyo leo.  Tumekawia, lakini sasa tumefika. Sababu za kuchelewa zinaeleweka; lakini kwa wenye mashaka napenda kuwahakikishia kuwa mimi ni Amiri Jeshi Mkuu wa Majeshi yote ya Ulinzi na Usalama.  Sibagui hata kidogo baina ya Jeshi moja na jingine.

            Ndiyo maana siku zote nimefuatilia kwa makini utendaji wenu, mafanikio yenu, na matatizo yenu.  Najua matatizo yenu ni mengi, kama ilivyo kwa wenzenu katika majeshi mengine, na Serikalini kwa ujumla.  Leo pia nimekumbushwa baadhi ya matatizo hayo.

            Matatizo ni sehemu ya maisha ya mwanadamu.  Hata mataifa tajiri duniani hayajaweza bado kumaliza matatizo yao yote, yakiwemo matatizo ya vyombo vyao vya ulinzi na usalama.  Sembuse sisi ambao ni miongoni mwa nchi maskini kuliko zote duniani!  Lazima tujenge kwanza uwezo wa kuhimili gharama za mahitaji yetu muhimu kwa njia endelevu.

            Hivyo nawapongezeni sana kwa uzalendo wenu na uvumilivu wenu, na kuendelea kufanya kazi kwa bidii na maarifa katika mazingira magumu.  Kwa mtu anayejituma, mtu mwadilifu na mchapa kazi, matatizo ni changamoto ya fikra mpya na ubunifu.  Ninyi pia mmejitahidi, si tu kuorodhesha matatizo yenu, bali pia kupendekeza mbinu na mikakati ya kupunguza baadhi ya matatizo hayo. Sasa mjiandae kuyatekeleza kwa ukamilifu yote mnayoazimia.

            Mkifanya hivyo mnaweza kupunguza matatizo yenu.  Maana, hainifurahishi hata kidogo kusikia mlolongo wa matatizo ambayo askari wetu na maafisa wao wanapata.  Ipo hadithi ya Afisa Ustawi wa Jamii aliyetembelea gereza moja kuona hali ya wafungwa.  Moyo wake ukaguswa sana na hali ya huzuni aliyokuwa nayo mtu mmoja aliyemuona pale gerezani.  Akamwendea.

            “Pole sana bwana”, akamwambia, “Kifungo chako ni cha muda

gani?”

            “Inategemea wakubwa wangu, Mama,” akajibu mtu yule.  “Mimi ni

askari jela tu hapa”. 

Ubunifu na Kujituma

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

            Tusikubali kufika mahali ambapo askari wetu wanakuwa wanyonge, kama vile na wao wapo jela.  Lakini, narudia.  Matatizo ni sehemu ya maisha, na unapokuwa maskini lazima ukubali kuwa matatizo yako yatakuwa makubwa zaidi, yanayohitaji ubunifu zaidi na uvumulivu zaidi wakati tunajenga uwezo wa kuyapunguza.  Maana, tulichopungukiwa si nia; tulichopungukiwa ni uwezo.

            Tatizo la nyumba za kuishi askari, kwa mfano, mimi linanigusa sana, hasa nikiangalia wake na watoto wao.  Mmesema zaidi ya askari na maafisa 6900 hawana nyumba za kuishi kambini.   Ni vigumu kumaliza upungufu wa kiasi hicho kwa mara moja.  Lakini nina hakika mkiiga utaratibu uliotumiwa na Jeshi la Polisi kupunguza tatizo kama hilo, na kwa kutumia ufundi na nguvukazi iliyo ndani ya Jeshi la Magereza, tutaanza kupunguza tatizo hili.

            Ubunifu katika kushughulikia matatizo yetu ni jambo la lazima, maana uwezo wa Serikali hautoshi.  Hivi sasa mapato yetu ya ndani, yanayotokana na nguvu ya uchumi wetu na kodi zitokanazo na uchumi huo, ni wastani wa Sh.700 bn tu kwa mwaka.  Na hii ni baada ya juhudi kubwa ya kuongeza makusanyo na kuziba mianya ya kukwepa kodi.  Miongoni mwa kazi ngumu sana Serikalini, na hasa wakati huu tunapoanza kuandaa bajeti ya mwaka wa fedha ujao, ni kutafuta utaratibu bora wa kugawana kiasi hiki.  Ni kazi ya kugawana umaskini, na wakati mwingine tunaishia kulipa watu mishahara bila kuwapa vitendea kazi.  Hivyo wanalipwa kwa vile tu wameajiriwa, si kwa vile kuna kazi ya kujenga taifa wanayoifanya.

            Najua ninyi wa Jeshi la Magereza mmekuwa mkipata wastani wa 50% ya mahitaji halisi mnayopeleka Serikalini kama makisio yenu.  Kwa mgao unavyokwenda, kiwango cha 50% si kibaya hata kidogo.  Wapo wengine wanaopata chini ya hapo.

            Ni vizuri mfahamu pia kuwa hivi sasa tunawania kusamehewa baadhi ya madeni yetu ya nje ya nchi.  Lakini ili uamuzi huo ufikiwe lazima tuonyeshe kuwa tuko makini katika mpango wetu wa kupunguza umaskini.  Mojawapo ya vigezo vya umakini vinavyokubalika ni kiasi cha bajeti ya Serikali kinachoelekezwa kwenye maeneo muhimu katika mkakati wa kupiga vita umaskini, kama vile elimu, afya, na huduma nyingine za jamii.  Vyombo vya ulinzi na usalama, ikiwemo Jeshi la Magereza, si mojawapo.  Huo ndio ukweli, na hapo ndipo pa kuanzia kama tunataka kupata ufumbuzi wa kudumu wa baadhi ya matatizo yetu.

                Nikianzia hapo mimi mwenyewe, naona kuna njia tatu za kukabiliana na matatizo yetu.

  • Ya kwanza, ni kuboresha usimamizi wa bajeti;
  • Ya pili, ni kupunguza idadi ya wafungwa; na
  • Ya tatu, ni kuongeza uwezo wa Jeshi la Magereza kujitegemea.

 

Usimamizi wa Bajeti

Ndugu Wajumbe,

            Kwa miaka mingi kumekuwapo Serikalini mtindo wa kuandaa bajeti ambazo hazilingani na hali halisi – hali halisi ya mapato na hali halisi ya vipaumbele vya matumizi.  Kwa vile inajulikana kuwa Wizarani, na hatimaye Wizara ya Fedha, wanapunguza makisio ya Idara na taasisi nyingine, makisio ya awali yanakuzwa mno kwa dhana kuwa kiasi kitakachobaki baada ya kupunguzwa na HAZINA ndicho kitatosha.  Lakini kwa vile HAZINA wanajua mchezo huo, nao hukata tu pengine bila kuzingatia mahitaji halisi yasiyokwepeka, kama vile chakula na nguo kwenye majeshi yetu.

            Kuanzia sasa tunataka kila sehemu wawe makini zaidi kwenye kuandaa makisio yao ya matumizi.  Lazima kuwe na uwiano mzuri zaidi baina ya mishahara na marupurupu mengine, na vitendea kazi.  Aidha, lazima kuwe na bajeti zinazolingana na hali halisi kwa yale mambo ambayo hayaepukiki. Nimeona, kwa mfano, kuwa baada ya jitihada zote za kupunguza madeni ya ndani, bado kati ya Julai 1998 hadi Desemba 2000 Jeshi la Magereza peke yake tayari mmepeleka HAZINA kwa uhakiki na kulipwa madeni mapya ya wazabuni na ya watumishi ya Sh.10.5 bn!!  Maelezo yake yanaweza kuwa ya aina mbili tu.  Ama makisio ama maidhinisho yetu ya yale matumizi ambayo hayakwepeki yalikuwa sio sahihi, au fedha iliyopo ilitumika kwa mambo mengine, na kwa yale ambayo kila mtu anajua ni matumizi yasiyokwepeka, tunakopa.  Nasema sasa lazima tuboreshe maandalizi ya bajeti zetu ili matumizi yasiyokwepeka yapewe fedha za kutosha, zinazotumika kwa mambo hayo tu.

            Lakini pia lazima kuimarisha usimamizi wa matumizi ya fedha kidogo inayopatikana.  Baba wa Taifa alituasa miaka mingi iliyopita kuwa “Kupanga ni Kuchagua”.  Lazima sasa tuizingatie kwa makini kabisa dhana hiyo.  Kwa umaskini wetu, yapo mambo mengi mazuri, ya muhimu, ambayo tutashindwa kuyafanya.  Hivyo lazima kukubali wajibu wa kuchagua, tena kwa misingi ya vipaumbele vinavyozingatia maslahi ya taifa, haki za binadamu, na uwezo uliopo.

            Lakini hivi sasa bado tunalo tatizo kubwa la kulipa madeni makubwa ya wazabuni, stahili za askari na madeni ya kantini, maduka ya Magereza na Shirika la Magereza.  Pamoja na jitihada za kuweka utaratibu mzuri ili malimbikizo ya aina hii yasitokee tena, lazima tuendelee na jitihada ya kuhakiki madai yaliyopo na kutafuta uwezo wa kuyalipa.  Madai ya haki, yaliyohakikiwa, hayana budi kulipwa.  Sisi ni maskini, lakini Serikali yetu si ya kihuni.  Kila uwezo ukipatikana tutalipa madeni yetu ya ndani.

            Tayari yapo madeni ambayo yamekwisha kulipwa.  Kwa mfano, kwa madeni hadi 30 Juni 1998, Jeshi la Magereza lilipeleka HAZINA madai ya Sh.6.6 bn, na baada ya uhakiki kiasi cha Sh.5.6 bn kilionekana kinastahili kulipwa.  Hadi sasa tumefanikiwa kulipa Sh.4.5 bn, na ni Sh.1.1 bn tu bado hazijalipwa.  Jitihada zinaendelea kutafuta fedha za kumalizia deni hili la kipindi cha hadi Juni 1998.

            Kwa madeni ya Sh.10.5 bn kwa kipindi cha Julai 1998 hadi Desemba 2000 hivi sasa kazi ya uhakiki inaendelea.  Kazi hiyo ilianza mwishoni mwa mwezi uliopita, na hadi wiki jana madai 6,662 kati ya 48,145 yameshughulikiwa.

Aidha, baada ya kugundua kuwa madeni mengi ya wazabuni ni ya chakula, tuliamua kuwa Jeshi la Magereza lipate chakula moja kwa moja kutoka Akiba ya Nafaka ya Taifa (SGR).  Hatua hii ninaamini itapunguza sana ongezeko la madeni ya wazabuni kama ilivyokuwa huko nyuma.  Tutaangalia uwezekano wa kuendeleza utaratibu huu siku zijazo.

            Kwa upande wa madeni yatokanayo na Kantini ya Magereza, Maduka ya Magereza na Shirika la Magereza (Corporation Sole), pamoja na stahili za askari, nadhani kiasi kikubwa kimekwisha kulipwa.  Kazi inayoendelea hivi sasa ni kuhakiki madeni yaliyobaki, na kisha kutafuta uwezo wa kuyalipa pia.

            Lakini narudia.  Utaratibu huu wa kulimbikiza madeni si mzuri, na si sahihi hata kidogo. Lazima baada ya kumaliza kulipa madeni hayo tuwe tumeridhika kuwa tunao sasa utaratibu wa kuhakikisha hatuingii tena kwenye madeni makubwa kiasi hiki.

Idadi ya Wafungwa

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

            Ni jambo la kusikitisha sana kwamba magereza yetu yamefurika, na kusababisha mlundikano mkubwa wa wafungwa kuliko uwezo wake.  Uwezo uliopo ni wafungwa 21,000 tu, lakini waliopo ni 45,000, yaani zaidi ya mara mbili ya uwezo.

                Jibu rahisi kwa nini mlundikano huo upo ni kwamba tangu Uhuru hatujajenga magereza mpya.

            Ni kweli tunahitaji magereza mapya, hasa kwa wilaya mpya ambazo hivi sasa zinalazimika kuchangia magereza na wilaya jirani.  Lakini pia yapo maswali ya msingi ya kujiuliza: 

  • Kwa nini idadi ya wafungwa inaongezeka?
  • Hivi ni lazima wahalifu wote wafungwe?  Hakuna adhabu nyingine?

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

            Wafungwa 45,000 walio gerezani ni asilimia 0.14 tu ya Watanzania, hivyo ni rahisi kusema kuwa wafungwa hao si wengi sana.  Lakini ni ukweli pia  kuwa uhalifu unaongezeka, sambamba na mageuzi ya kiuchumi na kijamii.    Lazima kama jamii tulichunguze suala hili, kuona chanzo chake, na namna bora ya Serikali na wananchi wanavyoweza kushirikiana kulishughulikia.  Maana ni wazi mageuzi haya yanaongeza tofauti ya mapato katika nchi yetu, na maisha ya wenye mali yanaongeza tamaa miongoni mwa hata wale ambao hawana uwezo wa maisha hayo.  Aidha, maendeleo ya teknolojia yanatuonyesha sisi sote, hata wale fukara kabisa, maisha ya kisasa na kifahari waishiyo wengine duniani.

            Tamaa ya mali ni chanzo kikubwa cha uhalifu nchini – iwe udokozi, wizi wa kutumia silaha, wizi wa kalamu, biashara ya madawa ya kulevya au rushwa.  Uhalifu mwingi chanzo chake ni kutafuta njia ya mkato ya maisha bora zaidi.  Peke yetu Serikalini hatuna jibu jepesi; lakini kama jamii ya Watanzania hatuwezi kukwepa wajibu wa kutathmini hali hii na kutafuta njia za kuwezesha wananchi kuboresha maisha kwa jasho lao, na kwa njia halali.  Kazi hiyo lazima ianzie kwenye kaya, kwenye kijiji, shuleni, na ndani ya jamii kwa ujumla, ikiwemo kwa kutumia ushawishi wa viongozi wa jamii, na hasa viongozi wa dini.

            Viongozi wa kisiasa, hususan viongozi wa vyama vya upinzani, nao hawana budi kujishughulisha na tatizo hili.  Haki za binadamu ni pamoja na haki za binadamu walio kifungoni.  Lakini kama magereza yetu yataendelea kubebeshwa mzigo wa kuhudumia wafungwa wengi mara mbili ya uwezo wake ni vigumu kuwapa wafungwa hao huduma na haki wanazostahili kama wanadamu wengine.  Hivyo pamoja na kuwaita vijana, na watu wengine wasio na njia za uhakika za mapato, kwenye mikutano ya hadhara na maandamano ya kudai Katiba mpya, na madai mengine ya kisiasa, ingekuwa bora vilevile kubuni mipango na miradi ya kuwasadia kupata mapato ya uhakika, na hivyo kuepuka kuishia kwenye magereza yanayofurika.  Haitoshi kuwajaza pumzi za kisiasa, kuwatumia kwa malengo ya kisiasa, na kuwashibisha chuki dhidi ya Serikali.  Hatimaye wanahitaji utulivu utakaochangia uchumi ukue na fursa za kujiondoa kwenye umaskini kupatikana, na kuwashibisha chakula.

            Pamoja na hayo lazima kama jamii tutafakari upya dhana ya kufunga mtu jela.  Na hapa tena yapo maswali kadhaa ya msingi ya kujiuliza. 

  • Je, tunafunga mhalifu ili kumuadhibu, au ili kumtenga na jamii?  Kwa wale wahalifu ambao hawaleti hatari yoyote kwa jamii, je ni lazima adhabu yao pia iwe kifungo, tena kifungo cha jela?
  • Je, ni lazima tuwe na idadi kubwa hivi ya mahabusu?  Ni kiasi gani kuharakisha kupeleleza na kusikiliza kesi kutapunguza mlundiko wa wafungwa?
  • Je, ni lazima kila mfungwa atumikie kifungo chake chote hata pale anapoonekana dhahiri kuwa hatahatarisha jamii, amejirudi na ana tabia njema?
  • Je, tunapofunga mhalifu lengo letu ni kumuadhibu tu, kumtenga na jamii tu, au vilevile ni kumrekebisha aache uhalifu na kuwa raia mwema?

Ndugu Mwenyekiti,

            Nauliza maswali hayo kwa makusudi kabisa ili kama taifa tuanze kujiuliza maswali ya msingi kuhusu mfumo na utaratibu wetu wa kuadhibu wahalifu.  Binafsi, ninaamini tunafunga watu wengi mno bila sababu, na kujibebesha mzigo mkubwa unaotushinda sasa, kwa vile tumezoea utaratibu tuliorithi kwa wakoloni wa kulundika wahalifu wote jela bila kupima kila mhalifu, na kuupima kila uhalifu.

            UTARATIBU HUO UMEJENGWA JUU YA DHANA POTUFU KUWA KILA MHALIFU ANASTAHILI KUFUNGWA, CHINI YA ULINZI WA ASKARI JELA.  UPO MSEMO KUWA ASKARI MAGEREZA HUPOKEA WAGENI AMBAO HAKUNA MWINGINE ANAYEWATAKA.  LAKINI, HASA KWA WALE WAGENI AMBAO SI HATARI KWA JAMII, WAKATI UMEFIKA WA KUWAPA ADHABU BILA NA SISI WENYEWE KUJIADHIBU KWA KUJITWISHA UGENI UNAOTUSHINDA. 

            Kijana anaiba kuku mmoja mwenye thamani ya Sh.2,000/= kisha anakaa rumande, na hatimaye anafugwa.  Nimeambiwa gharama ya kumlisha mfungwa mmoja kwa siku ni Sh.730/=.  Hivyo akifungwa miezi sita, kwa kosa la kuiba kuku wa Sh.2,000/=, Serikali inaingia gharama ya Sh.131,400/=.  Hivi hasa aliyeadhibiwa hapa ni nani, ni mwizi au ni Serikali?  Dhahiri tunahitaji mfumo wa adhabu ambao ni nafuu zaidi. Isitoshe, kijana huyo anafungwa na majambazi sugu wanaoweza kumkomaza zaidi kwenye uhalifu.

            Nafurahi kuwa hapa nchini, kama ilivyo duniani kote, maswali yanaulizwa iwapo adhabu ni jela tu.  Na takwimu zinaonyesha kuwa si wahalifu wote wanaogopa jela.  Maana, kati ya asilimia 12 – 15 ya wafungwa wote wanarudia uhalifu, na kujikuta wanarejea jela kila mwaka.  Takwimu pia zinaonyesha kuwa wengi wao ni wale wenye vifungo vifupi, chini ya miaka 5.  Hawa ni wale wenye makosa madogo madogo ambao wangeweza kutafutiwa adhabu nyingine badala ya kulundikwa gerezani ambako inaelekea wanapazoea, na pengine kujifunza uhalifu zaidi badala ya kujirekebisha.  Hao ni kama yule mfungwa aliyecheleweshwa kuachiwa kwa wiki nzima baada ya kumaliza kutumikia kifungo chake.  Afisa wa Magereza anayehusika alipogundua kosa hilo alimtaka radhi ifuatavyo:

            “Tuwie radhi, Bwana.  Tumechelewa kukuachia kwa wiki nzima”, alisema.

            “Usijali, Afisa.  Hiyo wiki nakukopesha.  Utaikata nitakaporudi”. 

Lazima sasa kubuni utaratibu wa kuadhibu wahalifu kwa njia itakayosaidia zaidi kuwarekebisha, si kuzidi kuwatumbukiza kwenye uhalifu, na bila kuibebesha serikali gharama kubwa mno.  Ningependa Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani, kwa kushirikiana na Jeshi la Magereza, na kwa kuzingatia uzoefu wa nchi nyingine, walete haraka Serikalini mapendekezo ya mabadiliko ya sheria yatakayowezesha wahalifu ambao hawana hatari yoyote kwa jamii watumikie vifungo vyao nje, na watumikie jamii kama sehemu ya adhabu yao.  Tutathmini pia mara kwa mara utaratibu wa kupunguziwa vifungo vya ndani (Parole), kwa lengo la kuuboresha zaidi.

            Napenda nitumie fursa hii kutoa wito kwa wananchi kwa ujumla kuyakubali mabadiliko tunayokusudia kuyafanya kwani tunayafanya kwa nia njema kabisa ya kuboresha mfumo wetu wa sheria na haki.  Serikali itahakikisha kuwa tahadhari zote zinachukuliwa ili kuzingatia kwa ukamilifu lengo kuu la kulinda na kuimarisha usalama wa jamii.  Natoa wito huo kwa sababu ni wajibu wangu; lakini natambua pia kuwa mafanikio ya sera au sheria zinazohusu masuala ya kijamii kama haya hutegemea sana kueleweka na kukubalika kwake na jamii yenyewe.  Kwa hiyo nawatakeni ninyi Makamanda wa Jeshi la Magereza muwe mstari wa mbele nchi nzima kuielimisha jamii ipasavyo kuhusiana na mambo haya kama mojawapo ya kazi zenu na mikakati yenu ya utekelezaji wa mipango mtakayokubaliana hapa.

            Ningependa vyombo vya habari navyo vitusaidie kujenga hoja ya kupunguza mlundikano wa wafungwa.  Tatizo hili si letu peke yetu.  Duniani kote tatizo hili lipo na kila nchi imejaribu kutafuta mfumo wa adhabu utakaolipunguzia taifa lao gharama, na wakati huo huo kuongeza uwezekano wa wafungwa kujirekebisha.  Hivyo ni vizuri tukajifunza pia kutokana na uzoefu wa wengine.  Miongoni mwa mifano mliyonipa ni uzoefu wa nchi jirani ya Kenya, na pia nchi za Afrika Kusini na Namibia.

            Nchini Kenya, kwa mfano, walianza kutumia rasmi utaratibu wa Adhabu ya Kutumikia Jamii (Community Service) mwezi Desemba, 1999, na hadi kufikia mwanzoni mwa mwaka huu tayari watu 20,000 walishahukumiwa kufanya kazi za huduma za jamii kwenye shule, hospitali, halmashauri za miji, na mashambani.  Utaratibu huo uliokoa fedha nyingi ambazo Serikali ingelipa kwa ajili ya huduma hizo.  Aidha, watu hao 20,000 waliepuka kwenda gerezani ambako si tu Serikali ingetumia fedha za walipa kodi kuwatunza bali pia wangekumbana na adha ya maisha magumu  gerezani, na wengi wao kuharibiwa tabia na wafungwa sugu tunaowatenga na jamii kwa kuwaweka gerezani.  Lakini suala la msingi zaidi pia ni kwamba watu hao wameweza kutumikia adhabu zao huku wakiendelea kuishi na familia zao ambazo zingekuwa katika matatizo makubwa kama wangelifungwa gerezani.

                Kwa upande wa Afrika ya Kusini, wafungwa waliokuwa gerezani mwaka jana walikuwa wastani wa 162,000 kwa siku, wakati waliokuwa wakitumikia adhabu zao kwenye jamii chini mipango ya Community Service, Parole na Probation walikuwa ni wastani wa 61,000 kwa siku.  Hii ni sawa na asilimia 38 ya walio jela.  Kama mipango hii isingelikuwepo, ina maana kwamba watu hao wote wangelikuwa gerezani.  Hali kadhalika huko Namibia, ambao ninyi ndio mmewasaidia kuanzisha Jeshi la Magereza la Namibia huru, waliokuwa gerezani mwaka jana walikuwa wastani wa 5,700 kwa siku, wakati wale waliokuwa nje kwenye adhabu za Parole walikuwa ni wastani wa 730 kwa siku, sawa na asilimia 13 ya walio jela.  Kwa mifano hii hai, nadhani wananchi wataelewa umuhimu wa kuwepo kwa mabadiliko kwenye mfumo wetu wa adhabu hapa nchini. 

Kuongeza Kujitegemea

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

                Sana nizungumzie ile njia ya tatu ya kupunguza matatizo ya Jeshi la Magereza, nayo ni kuongeza uwezo wa kujitegemea.  Tunaweza kabisa kutumia wafungwa vizuri zaidi, wakazalisha mali zaidi, na mzigo wa Serikali katika kuhudumia wafungwa ukapungua zaidi.  Hakuna sababu kwa nini nguvukazi ya wafungwa isitumike kikamilifu, na badala yake kodi za raia wema zitumike kuwatunza wao.

                Kwa kuanzia, ningependa yawepo mawasiliano na mashauriano Wizara zinazosimamia sekta ambazo Jeshi la Magereza lina uzoefu nazo, na uwezo wa uzalishaji mali au utoaji huduma.  Wizara hizo ni kama vile Wizara ya Kilimo na Chakula, Wizara ya Maji na Mifugo, Wizara ya Viwanda na Biashara, na kadhalika.  Lengo la mashauriano hayo liwe kutafuta njia muafaka za kutumia nguvukazi ya wafungwa.

                Mojawapo ya mambo ambayo lazima mjiulize ni kwa nini kusiwe na uzalishaji endelevu kwenye kilimo, ufugaji, au viwanda vidogo vidogo vya Jeshi la Magereza.  Tutafute sasa mbinu za kuyafanya mashamba yanayotegemea nguvukazi ya wafungwa yazalishe ziada itakayotumika kununulia zana za kilimo, madawa, na pembejeo nyingine.  Miradi ya kilimo, ufugaji, na viwanda inaweza kujitegemea badala ya kungojea bajeti ya Serikali.  Tubuni njia za kuifanya miradi hiyo ipate faida na ziada ya kutosha kununua zana, kama vile trekta, na kugharamia ukarabati wake.

                Bila hivyo nina wasiwasi miradi ya Jeshi la Magereza inaweza kugeuka kuwa kama mashirika ya umma, pamoja na matatizo yote yaliyoua mengi ya mashirika hayo.  Ndio maana naunga mkono wazo la kuanzisha ubia na sekta binafsi katika kuendesha miradi hiyo ili kuimarisha nidhamu na usimamizi kwa misingi sahihi ya biashara.

                Ninachotaka ni kuwa miradi hiyo iwe chanzo cha mapato, bila kutegemea kwanza ruzuku za Serikali.  Hoja inaweza kujengwa kuwa miradi hiyo ipewe kipaumbele katika kupewa kazi au zabuni za Serikali.  Kwa nini, kwa mfano, mashamba ya Magereza yasipate zabuni za kulisha shule, au majeshi mengine, kwa mkataba?  Vivyo hivyo kwa samani za Serikali na Idara zake.  Maana kila mwaka kwenye Maonyesho - ama ya Kilimo au ya Kimataifa - ninaonyeshwa mfano wa kilimo bora, na vifaa vizuri vinavyotegenezwa na Magereza.  Mafanikio hayo yanaweza yakajitafsiri katika uzalishaji wa kibiashara na faida.

                Hapa lazima pia niungane nanyi katika kudai kuwa wale wanaonunua bidhaa zenu, au huduma mbalimbali, wawalipe, tena kwa wakati.  Magereza wanastahili kulipwa sawa na wazabuni au wadai wengine. 

UKIMWI

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

                Kama ilivyo ada yangu siku hizi, kwa masikitiko makubwa, inanibidi nizungumzie maradhi mabaya ya UKIMWI yanayohatarisha maendeleo, ustawi na hatimaye uhai wa jamii zetu na taifa kwa jumla.

                Mojawapo ya matatizo yenu ni upungufu wa askari, ambapo nasikia mna upungufu wa askari zaidi ya 6,500.  Nina uhakika vifo vinavyotokana na UKIMWI vimechangia kwa kiasi kikubwa upungufu huo.  Tatizo la UKIMWI ni mzigo mkubwa kwa taifa, maana tunapoteza vijana tuliowasomesha kwa gharama kubwa, na ambao mchango wao katika ujenzi wa taifa na malezi ya familia zao unahitajika sana.  Ni wazi kabisa kuwa majeshi yetu yote ya ulinzi na usalama ni mojawapo ya taasisi zilizoathirika sana.

                Kwa waliofariki, hatuna budi kujenga hoja, ninayoiunga mkono, ya kuajiriwa wengine badala yao.  Lakini ufumbuzi wa kudumu ni kufanya bidii kubwa zaidi kuzuia maambukizi ya UKIMWI katika jamii, na hususan katika majeshi yetu.  Kwa vile kwa kiasi fulani tabia ya mtu huchangia ama kuambukizwa, au kupona, tunayo kazi kubwa ya kufanya ya kuelimishana na kukumbushana bila kuchoka, kwa lengo la kubadili tabia, na kwa lengo pia la kujikinga kwa ukamilifu kwa wasioweza kujizuia vitendo vinavyoeneza virusi vya UKIMWI.

                Na kwenu wa Jeshi la Magereza mnao wajibu mkubwa pia kuzuia kuenea kwa virusi vya UKIMWI kwa wananchi mliokabidhiwa kuwahifadhi, yaani wafungwa.  Kweli wameadhibiwa kwa uhalifu wao; lakini UKIMWI si sehemu ya adhabu yao. Wao bado ni Watanzania wenzetu, ni ndugu zetu na ni jamaa zetu.  Uhalifu wao haufuti ukweli huo. Wao pia ni sehemu ya jamii – wametoka kwenye jamii na wakimaliza vifungo vyao watarejea kwenye jamii.  Hivyo, katika vita vyetu dhidi ya UKIMWI hatuwezi kuwasahau wao pia.

                Ningependa mshirikiane na Tume ya Taifa ya UKIMWI kubuni namna bora ya kufikisha ujumbe wa UKIMWI kwa wafungwa wote, na namna ya kuzuia kuenea kwa maradhi hayo kwenye jela zetu.  Mimi napinga sana mfumuko wa semina na warsha nchini; lakini kwa jambo hili natoa ruksa ifanyike warsha maalum ya namna ya kukabiliana na tatizo la UKIMWI, na magonjwa kama vile TB, matumizi ya madawa ya kulevya, na kadhalika, katika magereza yetu.  Warsha hiyo hatimaye iandae mkakati maalum unaohusisha washika dau wote wa kupambana na UKIMWI kwenye Jeshi la Magereza, na miongoni mwa wafungwa. 

Hitimisho

Mheshimiwa Waziri,

                Napenda nimalizie kwa kuwasomea muhtasari wa kumbukumbu za mkutano mmoja wa Wakaguzi wa Magereza, katika nchi ambayo sitaitaja.  Baada ya kupokea malalamiko mengi ya viongozi wa Magereza, na kujionea hali halisi ya gereza mojawapo, wakaguzi hao, katika mkutano wao, wakaazimia ifuatavyo: 

  • Imeamuliwa, kwamba gereza lililopo halitoshi, na kwamba jingine lazima lijengwe.
  • Imeamuliwa, kwamba vifaa vya ujenzi vya gereza lililopo ndivyo hivyo hivyo vitumike kujengea gereza jipya.
  • Imeamuliwa, kwamba gereza la zamani lisibomolewe kwanza mpaka jipya likamilike.

  Ndugu Wajumbe,

                Ninachotazamia kutoka kwenu katika mkutano huu si utambuzi tu wa mambo mengi mazuri, ya muhimu, yanayopaswa kufanywa, kwa uwezo wa fedha na nyenzo ambao haupo.  Tofauti na wenzenu hao, nadhani mnaweza kuelewana vizuri zaidi namna ya kuongeza ubunifu, kujituma zaidi, na kuandaa mapendekezo yatakayosaidia kupunguza ukali wa matatizo, na kuiwezesha Serikali kuchangia mafanikio yenu vizuri zaidi.  Nitangojea kwa hamu kuona mapendekezo hayo, ambayo naahidi tutayazingatia na kuyatafakari kwa uzito unaostahili.

                Na sasa napenda kutangaza kuwa Mkutano huu wa Maafisa Waandamizi wa Jeshi la Magereza umefunguliwa rasmi.

                Ahsanteni kwa kunisikiliza.           

 

 

HOTUBA YA RAIS WA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA, MHESHIMIWA BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, KWA WANANCHI, 31 MACHI 2001

Ndugu Wananchi, 

            Ni wajibu wangu kuzungumza nanyi mara kwa mara juu ya mambo au maamuzi ya msingi Serikali inayoyafanya kwa niaba yenu.  Tunataka kujenga katika nchi yetu misingi ya demokrasia ya kweli, ambapo kila kiongozi mmoja mmoja, na kwa ujumla wao kama Serikali, katika kila ngazi ya utawala, watazingatia na kutekeleza wajibu wao wa kuwajibika kwenu wananchi.  Demokrasia ya kweli si uhuru wa kupiga siasa za domo kaya maradufu. Kielelezo cha demokrasia ya kweli ni utawala unaotokana na ridhaa ya wananchi, na unaowajibika kwa dhati kwa wananchi; utawala unaozaa matunda, kwa faida ya wananchi walio wengi.

            Mmesikia kuwa hivi karibuni nimefanya mikutano na semina mbalimbali na viongozi wakuu wote wa Serikali kule Dodoma.  Tarehe 15 na 16 Februari nilikaa na Mawaziri, Naibu Mawaziri, na Makatibu Wakuu wote.  Tarehe 19 mpaka 22 Machi niliwaongeza Wakuu wa Mikoa, Wakuu wa Wilaya, Makatibu Tawala wa Mikoa, na Wakurugenzi wa Halmashauri za Wilaya, Miji, Manispaa na Jiji. Na, tarehe 23 na 24 Machi, tuliwahusisha wawakilishi wa washika-dau wa sekta ya kilimo, taasisi za fedha na wahisani kwenye sekta hiyo.

Ndugu Wananchi,

Mnayo haki ya kuuliza kwa nini niliamua kufanya hivyo.  Maana, gharama ya mikutano hiyo ni kubwa na imelipwa na mapato yatokanayo na kodi zenu.  Zipo sababu kadhaa, na madhumuni maalum. 

·        Kwanza, baada ya Uchaguzi Mkuu nimefanya uteuzi wa viongozi wapya.  Wao, na wale wa zamani, ilibidi tukae pamoja ili kuelewana, na kuwa na mwelekeo mmoja, kuhusu kazi wananchi mliyotutuma tuifanye, nayo ni kutekeleza Ilani ya Uchaguzi ya CCM, kwa maendeleo na manufaa ya wananchi wote;  

·        Pili, ilikuwa muhimu kuelewana namna bora ya kujipanga kimuundo na kiutendaji ili kufikia malengo ya jumla tuliyojiwekea katika kupiga vita umaskini na kuharakisha maendeleo; 

·        Tatu, ilitupa fursa kujadili suala la uwezeshaji ili  kufikia malengo hayo muhimu, hasa yale yatakayoimarisha na kudhibiti uhuru wetu na maendeleo yetu, tukianzia na kujijengea uhakika wa chakula; 

·        Nne, nilitaka kusisitiza tena umuhimu wa viongozi katika ngazi zote, kila mmoja, na kwa umoja wao, kutambua kuwa wana wajibu wa uwezeshaji, na wajibu wa kuwa chachu ya maendeleo na vita dhidi ya umaskini hapo walipo na kuwajibika ipasavyo kwa wananchi; na  

·        Tano, nilitaka tuelewane juu ya dhana na umuhimu wa utawala bora na demokrasia ya kweli katika kila ngazi, hadi ngazi ya kijiji, ili kazi tuifanyayo hivi sasa ya kupeleka madaraka karibu zaidi na wananchi ilete matunda yaliyokusudiwa. 

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Mikutano yote hiyo ilifanikiwa sana.  Viongozi wenu wa Mikoa, Wilaya na Halmashauri wanaporejea kwenye maeneo yao ya kazi ninaamini wanakuja na ari mpya, mwelekeo mpya, ushirikiano mpya, na msisitizo sahihi wa masuala yote ya msingi tuliyoyazungumza. Nawaombeni sana, Ndugu Wananchi, mshirikiane nao ili mrahisishe kazi yao, ikiwemo kazi ya kusimamia utawala bora, usimamizi wa sheria, kuongoza vita dhidi ya umaskini na kuwajibika kwenu.  Nitazungumzia baadaye kidogo baadhi ya yale ambayo ningependa wananchi nanyi myafanye.

            Lakini kwanza niwajulishe machache tu ya hayo masuala ya msingi tuliyoyajadili, kuelewana, na kuyawekea mikakati ya utekelezaji.   

·        Tumejadili malengo mahsusi katika vita dhidi ya umaskini, tukayawekea vipindi maalum vya utekelezaji, na kubainisha vigezo na viashirio vya utekelezaji.  Malengo ya kitaifa yatagawanywa sasa katika malengo ya kila mkoa, wilaya na hata kijiji; na nimeagiza niwe napata taarifa ya utekelezaji kila mwaka.  Bila tathmini za kila mwaka, katika kila ngazi, hatutajua kwa hakika iwapo tunapiga hatua mwaka hadi mwaka, katika vigezo muhimu vya vita dhidi ya umaskini na kuchochea maendeleo. Viongozi wenu watakuja kushirikiana nanyi kutathmini kero zenu, kuona raslimali mlizo nazo, kubuni mipango ya kuondoa kero kwa kutumia raslimali hizo, kugawana majukumu ya utekelezaji, na kuona wapi ni lazima mchango wa Serikali au wahisani utafutwe.  Maendeleo ya kweli na endelevu ni yale yatakayotokana na utaratibu wa mipango shirikishi ya kijamii, ambapo kazi ya Serikali na wahisani ni kuongeza uwezo wenu wa kuyatekeleza yale mliyoamua wenyewe. Tunataka mipango ya maendeleo sasa ianzie kwenu wananchi, badala ya kuanzia Serikalini, lakini kwa kuzingatia kikamilifu malengo yetu ya kitaifa na kimataifa katika kupiga vita umaskini; 

·        Pili, tumezungumzia sera mpya ya maendeleo vijijini inayozingatia dhana hiyo mpya ya mipango shirikishi kwa lengo la kufikisha kwa wananchi uwezo mkubwa zaidi wa wao wenyewe kuongoza vita dhidi ya umaskini na jitihada za maendeleo katika kila ngazi.  Wananchi mlio wengi, karibu asilimia 80, mpo vijijini.  Tunataka maisha yenu yawe bora zaidi, muweze kuzalisha bidhaa za kilimo, mifugo na uvuvi kwa wingi na ubora zaidi; na kisha muweze, kwa kupitia barabara za uhakika, kuzifikisha kwenye masoko, na kulipwa bei ya haki na uhakika; 

·        Tatu, tumezungumzia na kukubaliana juu ya mbinu na ratiba ya kufufua ushirika kama mkakati mahsusi wa utekelezaji wa sera hiyo ya maendeleo vijijini - ushirika wa kweli, ulio huru, unaoendeshwa kwa misingi ya demokrasia na kumilikiwa kwa dhati na wanaushirika wenyewe, badala ya kugeuzwa mali ya viongozi wachache; 

·        Nne, tumejadili hifadhi ya  mazingira.  Rais Mstaafu, Mzee wetu Ali Hassan Mwinyi, alituasa kuwa uharibifu wa mazingira na umaskini ni watoto mapacha, na mama yao ni ujinga.  Hatuwezi kupiga vita umaskini iwapo tutaangamiza mazingira yetu yanayohimili uhai wetu na shughuli zote za kiuchumi na kijamii.  Ardhi inayochujuka kwa vile tunakata miti hovyo haiwezi kutupa chakula cha kutosha.  Maji yatazidi kukauka tukiharibu vyanzo vyake.  Mifugo yetu itakosa maji na malisho.  Hivyo, tumepeana majukumu ya kutoa upya elimu ya mazingira, na kubuni mipango ya kuokoa maeneo yaliyoharibika, na kuzuia mengine yasiharibiwe katika kila ngazi na eneo, tangu kaya hadi kijiji, wilaya hadi mkoa, na hatimaye taifa; 

·        Tano, tumezungumza kwa kina kuhusu hali ya kilimo na ufugaji nchini, na namna tunavyoweza kuboresha matumaini yake kwa siku zijazo.  Tumeelewana juu ya vipaumbele katika sekta hii. Kwanza kabisa ni kuhakikisha kuwa katika miaka michache ijayo tunaachana kabisa na aibu ya kuomba chakula; tena wakati mwingine tukisaidiwa na nchi ambazo hazina ardhi nzuri, maji mengi na hali ya hewa inayofaa kwa kilimo kama tuliyo nayo sisi!!  Hatutaridhika na kujitosheleza kwa chakula tu.  Sisi ni watu ambao tukiamua tuna uwezo mkubwa wa kulisha nchi nyingi zinazotuzunguka.  Tumezungumza na kuelewana ni nini kifanyike ili kufikia lengo hilo, na viongozi wenu watafikisha ujumbe huo kwenu. Nawaombeni, wananchi, muupokee vizuri ujumbe huo;  

·        Sita, tulizungumza sana pia juu ya namna bora ya kuwasaidia na kuwawezesha wananchi, wakiwemo wahitimu wa vyuo vyetu vya kilimo, wawe wakulima wa kisasa na wa kibiashara.  Hii ni dhana mpya na muhimu ya ajira, yenye maana na tafsiri ya kujiajiri!!; 

·        Saba, tulikubaliana na kuazimia kuweka mkazo mpya kwenye kusindika mazao yetu ya kilimo kwa kiwango kitakachoyawezesha kuuzika katika masoko ya kimataifa, kama tulivyofanikiwa kufanya kwa minofu ya samaki kutoka Ziwa Victoria. Tanzania tunaruhusiwa kuuza bidhaa nyingi huko Ulaya na Marekani bila ushuru.  Hiyo ni fursa adimu sana kwa dunia ya leo, ambayo bado hatuitumii kikamilifu.  Tuko tayari sasa Serikalini kuweka vivutio maalum kwa wawekezaji katika kilimo na ufugaji wa kibiashara, na katika kusindika mazao ya kilimo na ufugaji, viwanda vya kwanza vikiwa vya  kusindika kile tunachozalisha.  Kwa kuongeza thamani ya mauzo yetu nje ya nchi, tutapata fedha nyingi zaidi za kigeni, na wananchi watapata ajira.  Tunao mfano hapa Dar es Salaam wa kiwanda kidogo tu cha kubangua korosho kiitwacho Premier Cashew Industries ambacho kinaajiri wanawake 1,200; na  

·        Nane, tulizungumzia huduma za jamii, ikiwemo elimu na afya.  Katika sekta hizo tunayo mipango mahsusi ya uboreshaji wake, na kubadili mfumo wa utoaji wake. Kwa upande wa elimu tunakusudia kurejesha elimu ya msingi kwa watoto wote waliofikia umri wa kuanza shule, yaani miaka 7. Na hilo litawezekana tu kwa kufuta ada za shule kwenye shule za msingi za Serikali, kwa kuongeza idadi na ubora wa walimu – ikiwemo kuwahamisha baadhi yao ili kuleta uwiano mzuri zaidi - na kwa kuongeza idadi ya madarasa, nyumba za walimu, ofisi, vyoo, na kuimarisha huduma za ukaguzi. Tutahitaji sana ushirikiano wa wananchi, si tu katika kuandikisha watoto wao wote, wa kike na wa kiume, na kuhakikisha kweli wanahudhuria masomo bila kukosa, bali pia kwa kuchangia nguvu na mali zao katika kujenga shule mpya, kuongeza vyumba vya madarasa, vyoo, madawati, ofisi na nyumba za walimu.  Katika mikutano yetu tulielewana juu ya namna bora ya kuwashirikisheni wananchi katika kazi hii; tulielewana pia juu ya mchango wa Serikali – kama vile mabati, saruji, mbao, na misumari pale itakapowezekana – ili kwa haraka kuongeza na kuboresha miundombinu ya kutolea elimu. Viongozi wenu wanajua malengo tuliyojiwekea, na ninawaombeni sana, Ndugu Wananchi, mshirikiane nao kuweka mipango na mikakati ya utekelezaji wake katika kila kijiji, wilaya na mkoa; 

·        Tisa kwa upande wa afya, tunataka kueneza sana elimu ya kinga na chanjo kwa watoto ili kupunguza maambukizo ya maradhi, na wakati huo huo kuwezesha kila kaya kuhimili gharama za tiba pale inapobidi.  Mkakati tutakaoutilia mkazo sasa ni kuanzishwa kwa Mifuko ya Afya ya Jamii. Zipo wilaya ambazo tayari zimeanzisha mifuko hiyo na kupata mafanikio makubwa, kama vile Wilaya ya Igunga. Zipo wilaya nyingine ambazo nazo zimepiga hatua. Kwa kila kaya kuchangia sh.5,000/= au 10,000/= tu kwa mwaka, au kiwango tofauti ambacho wananchi wenyewe mtakubaliana, pamoja na mchango wa Serikali, kila kaya itaweza kupata matibabu bila malipo mengine kwa mwaka mzima.  Pale viongozi wenu watakapokuja kuwahimizeni kuanzisha au kujiunga na Mifuko hiyo naomba sana mshirikiane nao na nyote mjiunge.  Mafanikio yake mtayaona;

·        Kumi, tumezungumzia pia UKIMWI.  Viongozi wenu watakuja na ari mpya ya kuhimiza na kueneza elimu ya kujua namna ugonjwa unavyoenea na njia zilizopo za kujikinga.  Hali ya maambukizo ni mbaya sana, tena sana!  Sehemu nyingi UKIMWI sasa ndicho chanzo kikuu cha vifo, ujane na uyatima.  Nawaombeni sana, Ndugu Wananchi, mzinduke na kuzingatia kwa ukamilifu yale yote mnayoshauriwa na wataalamu na viongozi wenu juu ya ugonjwa huu; na

·        Mwisho, ni suala la rushwa na utawala bora.  Tulijadiliana kwa kirefu sana.  Nia ya Serikali kupiga vita rushwa iko wazi, lakini ili tufanikiwe msaada wenu wananchi unahitajika sana. Ninafurahi kuwa idadi ya taarifa za rushwa zinazotolewa na wananchi imeongezeka kutoka 432 mwaka 1998 hadi 1461 mwaka jana. Ningependa idadi hiyo iongezeke zaidi; maana hiyo ndiyo njia kuu ya kuhamasisha vita dhidi ya rushwa.  Mtu haandikwi usoni kuwa ni mla rushwa; lakini wananchi mnawajua wala rushwa.  Tusaidieni kuwafichua ili tusafishe uovu huu katika jamii yetu.  Tumewajadili pia Watendaji wa Vijiji na Kata kama watu muhimu sana katika kusukuma maendeleo na kusimamia shughuli mbalimbali za Serikali.  Baadhi yao wanafanya kazi nzuri.  Lakini wapo pia wengine ambao wamekuwa kero kubwa kwa wananchi, ambao tutawadhibiti kikamilifu iwapo wananchi mtawatolea taarifa.  Tutajitahidi pia kutoa mafunzo kwa watendaji hao ili waelewe madaraka yao na mipaka yao.  Aidha, tutajitahidi kuwapeni wananchi elimu ya uraia ili nanyi muelewe ni nini Mtendaji wa Kata au Kijiji anaruhusiwa kukifanya, kwa madaraka gani, na kipi haruhusiwi kukifanya; na akikifanya mwananchi ana haki kutoa taarifa wapi.  Tukishirikiana, tutahakikisha unakuwepo utawala bora zaidi katika ngazi hii muhimu ya uongozi wa nchi yetu.

  Ndugu Wananchi,

            Hata kabla viongozi wenu hawajawafikieni, napenda, kwa lengo la kujipatia uhakika wa chakula, nitangulize ushauri wangu ufuatao.  Msimu huu mvua za vuli zimekuwa nzuri kwa sehemu kubwa ya nchi yetu.  Wale mnaovuna sasa, naomba mvune kwa uangalifu ili msipoteze chakula chochote.  Na kisha mhifadhi vizuri sana chakula hicho kisiharibiwe na mvua, wadudu au wanyama.  Epukeni kuuza kwa haraka mavuno yenu, na mnapouza iwe ni baada ya kujiwekea akiba ya kutosha kulisha familia zenu hadi mavuno mengine.  Msisahau pia kuwa wakati wa mavuno bei zinashuka sana, hivyo kama huna dharura usikimbilie kuuza.  Vile vile tupunguze sherehe, na matumizi yasiyo ya lazima ya nafaka kama vile pombe kupita kiasi.

            Kwa wale wanaopata hivi sasa mvua za masika, wazingatie ushauri wa maafisa kilimo, na kutunza vizuri mashamba yao.  Narudia.  Inawezekana kabisa kujitosheleza kwa chakula kama tulivyowahi kufanya siku za nyuma wakati wa kilimo cha kufa na kupona.

            Nimezitaka pia Bodi za Mazao kujiandaa vizuri kwa ongezeko la uzalishaji wa mazao ya biashara na chakula.  Huduma za ugani ziimarishwe.  Kanuni za kilimo, uvunaji, uwekaji madaraja ya mazao na uhifadhi zizingatiwe kwa ukamilifu.  Soko la mazao liheshimu kanuni na taratibu tulizojiwekea.

            Wawekezaji na wafanyabiashara wetu, nawaomba pia wajiandae kufanya biashara ya mazao, na kuwekeza zaidi kwenye usindikaji wa mazao ya kilimo.  Lengo letu kuu liwe kuwa hatimaye tusindike mazao yetu yote ya kilimo na mifugo ndani ya mipaka ya nchi yetu.  Hili pia linawezekana iwapo Vyama vya Wafanyabiashara vitajituma zaidi na kuwania hivyo kwa dhati.  Kama nilivyosema, Serikali iko tayari kuweka vivutio maalum kwa wawekezaji katika kusindika mazao ya kilimo na mifugo, hasa pale ambapo tunaridhika kuwa bidhaa bora zitazalishwa kwa kiwango cha kuuzika kwenye masoko ya kimataifa.

            Mwisho, Ndugu Wananchi, narudia tena rai ya kubadili fikra zetu juu ya dhana ya maendeleo, na mgawanyo wa majukumu katika kuyatafuta.  Maendeleo kwa heshima, na maendeleo endelevu, chanzo chake ni azma – azma katika ngazi ya mtu binafsi, azma katika kaya, na azma katika jamii.  Tusipoazimia kwa dhati katika ngazi hizo, na kukubali kutoka jasho na kutumia maarifa, hatutaweza kufanikiwa.

            Mipango shirikishi katika kila ngazi ya jamii ni muhimu sana.  Wananchi azimieni kuondokana na kero mbalimbali, na kupiga hatua katika kujiletea maisha bora zaidi.  Tutawapeni fursa kuamua ni mambo gani yapewe kipaumbele, na mgawane vipi wenyewe majukumu ya utekelezaji na tathmini.  Kwa upande wake Serikali inaandaa mazingira yatakayowawezesha wananchi wote walioamua na kujipanga vizuri wafanikiwe, na Serikali ichangie kiuwiano mafanikio hayo.  Kila kijiji kiwe na malengo yake, mpango wake wa kazi wa kuyafikia malengo hayo, ratiba yake ya utekelezaji, na viashirio vyao vya mafanikio. Chagueni machache muyafanye vizuri; msitawanye mno nguvu zenu na mali zenu.  La muhimu ni kuwa siku hadi siku, mwaka hadi mwaka, ionekane wazi tunapiga hatua kwenye mambo na maeneo fulani.

Ndugu Wananchi,

            Hatma yetu kama watu binafsi, kama jamii, na kama taifa, imo mikononi mwetu.  Tupunguze basi utegemezi kwa wahisani.

            Maisha ni yetu na nchi ni yetu; juhudi ni zetu na jukumu ni letu; mafanikio nayo yatakuwa yetu, ila tukifanya ajizi tutageuka kweli kuwa nyumba ya njaa.  Lakini kila mmoja akiazimia, kwa pamoja tunao uwezo wa kuifanya Tanzania iwe nchi ya kuheshimika zaidi, na maisha yetu kuwa bora zaidi.  Naomba sana tufanye hivyo.

            Mungu Ibariki Afrika.

            Mungu Ibariki Tanzania.

            Ahsanteni kwa kunisikiliza.

 

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, HIS EXCELLENCY BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE TANZANIA NATIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL, DAR ES SALAAM SHERATON HOTEL, 9 APRIL 2001  

Chairman of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation,

Mr. E. Musiba;

Honourable Ministers;

Representatives of the Donor Community;

Chief Executives and Representatives of the Private Sector;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

             I am truly glad the day has finally come for me to officially launch the Tanzania National Business Council.  Soon after assuming office, in November 1995, I realised the need to change the way the national economy is managed.

            This need was made more acute by the fact that our country was moving from a public sector led economy to a private sector driven market economy.  In other words, the private sector was assuming an increasingly larger and crucial role in national development and poverty reduction.  It became necessary, therefore, for the government to maintain a continuous dialogue with the private sector and other stakeholders on critical issues affecting private sector development, and the economy as a whole. That is why I committed myself to creating a forum and a mechanism for institutionalised dialogue between the Government and the Private Sector.  But, little did I know then that the negotiations and the preparatory phase for the establishment of the National Business Council would outlive the entire first term of my administration!

            But, that the process has been so long may not necessarily be a bad thing.  For it means we have had time to consult widely within the country, and learn from the experiences of other countries about public-private consultative mechanisms.

We did not want to force anyone’s hand, and we did not want to proceed precipitously.  For, it is only by winning the confidence and total commitment of all actors that we can succeed and guarantee sustainability.  And to build confidence, trust and commitment requires patience, preparation and consultations that are both wide and deep in scope and content.

A story is told of an overworked tailor who agreed to make a suit for a customer, but warned it would take 30 days.  The customer was outraged.

 

“Why, God took only six days to make the entire world,” he exclaimed.

“True,” said the tailor, “but have you taken a good look at it lately?”

 

So, without divine inspiration, we took our time; and I think it was time well spent, and a job well done.

The Business Council we are launching today is the first fruit of the consultative culture, and the spirit of give and take, we seek to nurture in Tanzania. Consultations have taken place between the different actors in the private sector, leading to the formation of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation. Consultations have, likewise, taken place between the government and the private sector within the context of the Steering Committee and the Task Force. The experience both sides have thus gained is the initial valuable capital we jointly bring into the national consultative process we are launching today.

            Let me, therefore, thank all those in Government and in the private sector, who worked so hard and tirelessly to bring these preparations to this happy conclusion.

            I also wish to thank USAID, UNDP and UNIDO who have supported us so generously during this preparatory phase, as well as DANIDA and SIDA.  We shall continue to count on their support.  They helped to mid-wife the Tanzania National Business Council, and we now call upon them to back us up as we nurse and nurture the newborn baby.  We do not seek to develop or entrench dependence on donors.  Indeed our goal is to have a self-supporting Council, but it has to be weaned gradually to that state.

 

The Case for Smart Partnership

Mr. Chairman,

                         Tanzania espouses the Smart Partnership Concept in developing countries, demonstrated by our participation in the Southern Africa International Dialogue.  It is pertinent on an occasion like this to revisit the theoretical basis for the concept and its main elements, and see how it can be utilised as the driving force for the work ahead of the Tanzania National Business Council.

                        The first premise in a smart partnership is that the economy, indeed the entire society, at each level, is an integrated and interdependent whole. There may be many components, many players and many stakeholders, with as many different, and often conflicting interests.  But each stakeholder, through actions or omissions, affects the others.

The Government depends on taxes to maintain law and order, and to build and maintain the requisite economic and social infrastructure on which the business sector depends.  But the Government cannot get taxes if its citizens – both individual and corporate – do not make money.  And if the individual and corporate citizens do not pay taxes, the government cannot build and maintain the economic and social infrastructure, or invest in necessary human resources development.

If workers demand wages that existing levels of production and productivity cannot sustain, the enterprise will at some point grind to a halt and jobs will be lost.  And if politicians pursue social and economic policies that are harmful to business, the economy will collapse along with the house of cards such politicians may have built.

            Clearly, we are very dependent on one another, and it does not make sense to undermine each other, or to work parallel to each other.  The sensible thing to do is to create a holistic framework and a mechanism for working together, for supporting each other, for bringing out the best in each other, in a manner that will guarantee each stakeholder wins in the end.  We must unite people, enterprises and institutions in pursuit of common and shared values, visions and prosperity.  But to do that all stakeholders must agree to the principal of give and take.  That is the only way to produce a win-win situation for everyone that is central to the smart partnership concept and spirit.  But, the last five years have shown us that it is one thing to embrace the theoretical basis for smart partnership, and quite another to get it operational.

 

Attitudes Must Change

            So, the second imperative to this Smart Partnership is to come to terms with our past, and then irrevocably change our attitudes and mind-sets.  For over 30 years now we have propagated the policy of self-reliance.  But the fact is that as a nation, and as individuals, we have embraced dependency.  The public sector driven economy contributed a lot to this.  Until this day, people look to Government directly for jobs, even as economic reforms have reduced the capacity of Government to employ. People still look to Government to solve their problems.  A celebrated case is where children in one village could not get life-saving vaccinations because the refrigerator for vaccines at the local dispensary had no kerosene!!  That is not partnership, it is untenable dependency!

            At a different level, until recently the public sector economy did not always create a conducive environment for the emergence of a strong and thriving private sector.  The views of the private sector were not routinely sought, and taken into account during policy formulation or implementation. The relationship between the public service and the private sector was even adversarial at times.

The business community on its part attributed many of their problems to government indifference, even when the real problem did not lie with the Government.  Its contact with the government took the form of complaints or representations from business associations, rather than holistic constructive suggestions.  Efforts by some in the private sector to have influence in government gave rise to suspicions of corruption. This does not bode well for building partnerships that are so necessary between the Government and the private sector.  I am glad to note, therefore, that much reform has taken place over the last six years.  But much work remains to be done at all levels of government and the private sector before we can bury the unhelpful mind-set on all sides for good.

            I must at this point commend the private sector for beginning to shed the image of disorganisation that used to cast a shadow on its ability to play the role expected of it in the new partnership and dispensation. In the two years that the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation has been in existence, it has managed to bring some order into the cacophony of advocacy groups, each trying to put across its narrow sectoral views and influence policy in favour of the interest it represents, often to the detriment of national goals, objectives and aspirations.  I believe we now have a credible focal institution that can collect the views and demands of the private sector, sift them, analyse them and articulate them as inputs into the policy review and formulation process. 

 

Mr. Chairman,

            We, in government, have clearly begun to unlearn the prejudices and inhibitions of the past, to unlearn the experiences of central planning and control, and learn the new culture of a business friendly public sector.  But the journey remains long, and we must keep on at it.  That is the message I also gave to Regional and District Commissioners when I met them a few weeks ago.  Encouraging entrepreneurship and facilitating the private sector is now part and parcel of their work. 

Mr. Chairman,

            A well functioning private sector, at all levels, helps society allocate its resources more efficiently, productively and without excessive transaction costs.  This implies doing more with a given set of resources; it also implies increasing productivity and reducing cost. So, much as I am committing my Government to supporting and aiding the private sector, I must add a caveat that it must on its part shed the “parastatal mentality”, and learn to operate profitably within existing constraints.  For, we all live in the real world, a world of constraints and limited resources.  There is a limit to the number of appeals the Government can meet.

            There is a story of a certain clergyman in charge of a poor church who habitually suffered financial difficulties and was constantly appealing to his Bishop for help.  The Bishop, losing patience, finally chided the man for making so many appeals.  Not long after, the Bishop received a cable from the clergyman, which said, “This is not an appeal.  It is a report.  I have no pants!”

            I want to assure you that my Government will not be inclined to so resent your appeals as to leave you in the end without your economic pants!

 

Vision and Mission

Mr. Chairman,

            We can also be partners if we share a common vision for the future, if we share values, and if we are committed to working together, shouldering our responsibilities even as we demand our rights.

            I am pleased, therefore, that the preparatory work over the last five years has enabled us to agree on the vision and mission of the Tanzania National Business Council that is in line with the overarching National Development Vision 2025.  This is a vision of a nation that is politically stable, united and at peace with itself.  A nation where governance wears a human face and is people-centred and striving towards the provision of high quality livelihood for a well educated and learning society; a nation where the private sector is the bedrock of a competitive economy capable of producing sustainable growth and shared benefits for all.

            Our mission is to promote a healthy and robust economy where the guiding hand of government, through enlightened legislation and transparent governance, enhances the development of private initiatives, encourages local and foreign investments, and generally provides an enabling environment for economic growth.

 

Competitiveness in the Global and Regional Market

Mr. Chairman,

            Trends in today’s world have created opportunities and challenges for governments and firms in both developed and developing countries.  The globalisation of economic activities and the fierce competition this entails has made it necessary for African governments to search for new models of economic management.

            Tanzania cannot live in isolation, and we have to adjust to these realities of today and tomorrow.  We need to organise ourselves internally, in partnership, and work towards attaining the three main attributes of competitiveness, namely good quality, right price and timely delivery.  We have no choice if we are to remain in the game.  We must also remember that time is running out and deadlines are fast approaching for throwing doors open to foreign trade within the context of the East African Community, the SADC and the World Trade Organisation.

            We will, therefore, endeavour to improve our laws and regulations so as to enable the public to save and invest in productive activities, so as to increase job opportunities and contribute to poverty reduction.  Market driven incentives will be provided to make Tanzania an attractive place to invest for both domestic and foreign investors.  But I repeat and stress the importance of rules and regulations.  For, a market economy is only robust and good if it is properly and fairly regulated; otherwise it augurs chaos.

 

Objectives of the National Business Council

Mr. Chairman,

            What are we now agreed should be the objectives of the Tanzania National Business Council?  These are:

·        First, to provide a forum for public-private sector dialogue with a view to reaching consensus or mutual understanding on strategic issues relating to the efficient management of development resources; 

·        Secondly, to promote the goals of economic growth with social equity and even development; 

·        Thirdly, to review from time to time developments in the external and domestic business environment, the challenges they pose to Tanzania, and propose appropriate courses of action; 

·        Fourthly, to exchange views on the prevailing operating and regulatory environment, and propose ways to facilitate the public service, to improve on service delivery and make the civil service business friendly; 

·        Fifthly, to review and propose changes in the policy environment, to enhance the attractiveness of Tanzania for both domestic and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), and improve the competitiveness of Tanzanian products in the world market; 

·        Sixthly, to encourage and promote the formulation of co-ordinated policies on social and economic matters, including consideration of existing and proposed economic legislation, and make appropriate recommendations; and 

·        Finally, to consider any other matter deemed relevant to the achievement of the above objectives.

 

 

Priorities for the Future

Mr. Chairman,

            In pursuit of these objectives, it will be necessary for the Council to prioritise its agenda. There is such an over-abundance of pressing needs and competing expectations that if we are not careful we may bite more than we can chew, and may end up without any concrete results towards the attainment of our objectives.

            In my view, therefore, the Council’s immediate agenda should focus on the following areas:

 

·        First, it must direct itself to proposing ways of improving the tax regime quickly in order to support firmly our development objectives while generating adequate budget revenue; 

·        Secondly, it has to review the regulatory system, including the legal and judicial systems, with a view to recommending ways of making it more investor-friendly and consistent with the popular yearning for good governance;

·        Thirdly, the Council has to take a close look at our domestic industry, including the export and import-competing sectors, particularly the processing of agricultural and livestock products.  We must expand our manufacturing capacity and become increasingly competitive, regionally and internationally.  The deep-seated supply side constraints in sectors such as energy, transport, and communications, also need attention.  The labour market and related regulatory framework needs urgent reform.  And, not least, we have to redouble our efforts in finding markets for our products, including making special efforts to make maximum utilisation of opportunities for duty free access to European and American markets; 

·        Fourth, the Council must suggest ways to ensure the opportunities and fruits of economic growth are broadly shared, through mutually beneficial co-operation among large, medium and small enterprises, including relatively large traders and the petty traders at the street corners; 

·        Fifth, openings must emerge for financing productive activities in all sectors, including agriculture and medium, small or even informal activities.  The Council has to suggest ways to facilitate and expand such financing substantially; and 

·        Sixth, in order to entrench the decision of Economic Reform we must find ways to ensure that the principles of good governance are accepted and practiced tenaciously by the public sector as well as the private sector and the NGOs.

 

Requirements for Success

Mr. Chairman,

            The Tanzania National Business Council is not a panacea, and is in itself not enough to bring about the practical results we so much need.  Those to whom we entrust this task must, therefore, put all their hearts and minds to it.  But even that is not enough.

All parties, both in government and the private sector, must exhibit a high level of commitment to dialogue, which in turn requires the support of all political leaders - not just those in Government but those in Opposition as well.  They must see dialogue and consultation as a positive approach to solving all problems. 

There must also be an adequate commitment of time and money to the economic consultative process by all parties concerned.  As much as possible it must not be donor-driven, and that is why the financing of the Council must as much as possible be underwritten by the Government and the Private Sector in shared partnership and shared responsibility.

Mr. Chairman,

An effective national consultative mechanism will also be influenced by the existence and support of strong and powerful sectoral associations with the technical capacity to diagnose and analyse sectoral and other contemporary issues.

            The National Business Council cannot be a single channel or contact mechanism between the Government and the private sector.  Contacts between line ministries and agencies and their client sectoral or sub-sectoral associations have to continue, because implementation bottlenecks will still have to be solved at those levels.  For that reason, each ministry must identify its customers, maintain a continuous dialogue with them, and understand their operational problems, and their aspirations.  This will enable the government to intervene as and when necessary without undue delay.

            We should also bear in mind that the Tanzania National Business Council is neither an alternative government, nor is it an extended cabinet.  It is only a forum where partners jointly review critical socio-economic issues, as well as constraints arising from the regulatory or operating environment for business, and make recommendations.  But it is a forum that the government intends to hold in great esteem, if only because of our joint membership in it, and the fact that I will be its Chairman.

 

Conclusion

Mr. Chairman,

Today everyone realises that the task of managing economic growth in Tanzania must involve public and private sectors, employers and labour, government and non-government organisations.  The public service wants to become business friendly; and the private sector needs to learn how to balance the demands of the market with other national interests.  Both sides need to agree on how to optimise the use of development resources.

The purpose, therefore, of having a National Business Council is to create a forum for both consultation and dialogue, leading to a consensus or at least a high level of understanding of the issues of National Economic Management.  From now on, we must consider ourselves business partners, indeed development partners, who must consult more, dialogue more, and strategize on how we can work together to meet the national challenges of the future.

Those sitting in the Council will have a special duty and a unique opportunity to steer this country on the road to sustainable development in dignity, as an independent and self-reliant nation. 

Our country is a land of many opportunities and great potential.  It is a united and peaceful country, with a fairly good climate and fertile arable land; a country richly endowed with mineral and other natural resources, and waters teeming with fish and other marine life; a country well positioned geographically.  It is our duty to find the key that will unlock all these opportunities and potential for the betterment of the lives of our people, and the development of our nation.  The hopes are many; we must strive to meet as many of them as possible. 

We are here today for one, and only one purpose:  To work together to make Tanzania a better place.  We should, therefore, make the most and best contribution we can, singly and collectively.  And if Tanzania, as a result of having put us in charge at this time, becomes a better place than it was before we came in, then we shall have fulfilled our promise.

Let us always remember that strength and weakness have nothing to do with courage or muscle; only recognition.  Strong people recognise their weaknesses.  They also recognise their ability to overcome those weakness.  Weak people, on the other hand, deny their weaknesses, and fail to recognise how strong they truly are.

I call you to duty, to action, conscious of the challenges ahead, and the weaknesses derived from underdevelopment.   But by recognising those weaknesses, and by taking those challenges by the horns, we can, and we must, succeed.

A Chinese proverb says, “Strong souls have willpower; weak ones only desires.”  Let us then summon the willpower to give Tanzanians the strength to realise their desires.

 I now have the pleasure to declare the Tanzania National Business Council officially launched.

I thank you for your kind attention.

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, HIS EXCELLENCY BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, ON OPENING THE POLITICAL MILITARY SEMINAR IN PREPARATION FOR THE RECAMP 3 JOINT MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISE, HOTEL SHERATON, DAR ES SALAAM, 8 MAY 2001 


Minister for Defence and National Service,
Hon. Prof. Philemon Sarungi, MP;
Excellencies High Commissioners and Ambassadors;
Chief of Defence Forces,
Gen. Robert Mboma, fhwc;
Participating Generals and Commanders;
Resource Persons and Seminar Participants;
Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Wole Soyinka, the renowned Nigerian playwright and Nobel laureate, is not one to mince his words when reviewing events and trends on his continent, Africa. In an acrid speech he delivered in Cape Town two years ago, and being less sanguine about the prospects of an African renaissance, he justified his lament at the “dialogue of arms” in Africa, in the following terms:

A lament can be purifying, consoling, for a lament still affirms the retention of soul, even of faith, yes, it is a cry of loss, of bereavement, an echo of pain but it is, therefore, an affirmation of humanity, a reaching out to a world that is still human or to forces that shape humanity. A lament does not emerge from atrocities, for an atrocity is the very silencing of the human voice. It deadens the soul and clogs up the passages of hope, opening up in their place only sterile accusations, the resolve of vengeance, or else a total surrender to the triumph of banality. We can no longer speak of wars on the continent, only of arenas of competitive atrocities.



Mr. Chairman, 
When I survey the African political and military landscape, and when I see all these open and latent conflicts, I am tempted to lament with Wole Soyinka at Africa’s arenas of competitive atrocities.
But I am a politician, a Head of State, a Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces; and it is the burden of African leaders like me, singularly and collectively, to find sustainable solutions to the conflicts that ravage and savage our continent. We cannot just lament over, and neither should we foment, those conflicts.

African Conflicts
Mr. Chairman,
The fact remains that there are some African nations, on the poorest continent on this planet, that spend large proportions of their budgets and natural resources to wage war and unleash death upon each other – within nations and across borders. With about 10 percent of the world’s population, Africa is credited with at least half of all current conflicts in the world, some of them acquiring a distinct regional character. And there is not much evidence yet that Africa is about to irrevocably turn its back on violence and conflict.
As a result, Africa has produced almost a third of all the 22 million refugees worldwide. Many more millions are internally displaced. Tanzania, with a per capita income of only USD 240, and a population of 32 million, hosts almost 600,000 refugees under the UNHCR, and another 400,000 outside the UNHCR ambit. All these are people who have had to run away from their own countries for fear of persecution or death. The rich industrialised countries issue quotas for refugees they can take each year. Tanzania does not have that luxury.
And conflicts have their own dynamics. As they continue, they engender violations of human rights and suppress the evolution of systems and processes for good governance. These violations in turn trigger more resentment, and feed on the violence. Refugees across borders engender suspicions in the refugee generating country against refugee receiving countries. Scarce resources are diverted from essential social services, and even finite natural resources are exploited to pay for western arms or those from post cold-war Eastern Europe. Such misuse of resources also sows the seeds of continued conflict, as warring factions fight for the control of those natural resources. Conflicts also have devastating effects on the environment, on infrastructure, on production and services, and ultimately on development.
Post-independence African conflicts are estimated to have directly or indirectly caused the loss of about 8 million lives, 2 million of which were children. According to UNICEF, another 4-5 million children have been disabled, 12 million have been rendered homeless, and more than a million orphaned or separated from their families. And, tens of thousands have become “child soldiers.”
Clearly we face the urgent need to address conflicts on the African continent, to create frameworks and pillars for peace and stability, and release the necessary energies and resources towards construction rather than destruction, life rather than strife and death. And most of the initiatives for this endeavour must be homegrown. The concept of “African solutions to African problems” must not be an empty slogan, but a basis for action. Such action, however, warrants the full support of the international community. For, African initiatives cannot obviate the need for external support, and neither do they absolve the United Nations Security Council of its fundamental responsibilities towards peace and security, even on our continent.

Prevention, Management and Resolution of Conflicts
Mr. Chairman,
As Africa tries to come to grips with its conflicts, it is important to bear in mind that there cannot always be easy solutions; there are no quick fixes. I consider the following preconditions absolutely necessary if we are even to begin making progress.
The first is political will. Without political will to solve political, economic, geographical and security problems through negotiations and the political process, rather than resorting to military force, Africa cannot succeed to prevent, manage or resolve its conflicts. Unfortunately, we still have people and governments in Africa that believe their personal or national interests can only be promoted and safeguarded through military might and conquest. But history has shown us that, however fierce and long a war, one day the protagonists will have to sit down and talk, even if it is only to agree to the terms of an armistice or ceasefire. Obviously, the sooner such negotiations take place, the more lives, limbs and property will be saved. If I may ask. How many of our people do we need to kill before we can sit down and talk?
The German writer, Friedrich von Schiller, wrote in the 18th Century that, “A merely fallen enemy may rise again, but the reconciled one is truly vanquished.” That is a lesson we as African leaders have to learn and internalise. Post apartheid South Africa has shown us that it is possible to have a political and social catharsis, that even the deepest of wounds can heal, that wide political and social rifts can narrow, and that reconciliation and reconstruction are possible if there is sufficient political will. I regret, however, that the lesson of South Africa is yet to be applied and absorbed in some other conflict areas in Africa. Even the healer of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, has trouble healing Burundi. But we must continue trying; for, the alternative is too grave even to contemplate.
The second precondition is good governance and the rule of law. And this is not simply about a multi-party democratic system of government, important though this definitely is. It is also about transparency and accountability, about ethics in public office and social justice, and about respect and equality before the law. It is about the full respect of the Constitutions and laws of the land, the acceptance of both the rights as well as the duties so entailed, and the granting of equal opportunities for a better life to all citizens. And, especially if we are to talk of the prospects for the future, we must focus on developing and nurturing a pervasive culture of rule-based political competition and pluralism, and the institutional framework to underwrite it. 
The immediate past Commonwealth Secretary General, Emeka Anyaoku, correctly focussed on this imperative when he said:

“Managing pluralism in conditions of scarcity of resources and other adversities, but without sacrificing the integrity of the state, is part of the political challenge which history poses for African leadership. For its own purposes, colonialism, as was the case with apartheid, deliberately fostered all the divisive forces within African society. That was to be expected. But the promise of independence cannot be fully realised unless Africa’s leaders tackle this problem with imagination and urgency.”

With colonialism ended, Africa needs to gravitate more forcefully towards unity within nations, founded upon justice, good governance, and the rule of law; and unity and co-operation across borders, especially after our collective decision to create an African Union.
Mr. Chairman,
The third precondition is capacity building for conflict prevention, management and resolution, with the active support and assistance of the richer members of our common planet. Africa’s attempt at fulfilling its obligations, through its Cairo Declaration on the Establishment of a Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, will not succeed without this practical support.

Tanzania’s Position on Peacekeeping
Seminar Participants,
Tanzania, as an active member of the United Nations and of the Organisation of African Unity, has always been, and is always ready, to shoulder its responsibilities, not only in hosting refugees and attending to their humanitarian needs, but also in pursuit of conflict prevention, management and resolution. Our northern town of Arusha is a well-known symbol of some of our efforts in that regard. This also includes our willingness to take part in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. Our participation in peacekeeping in Liberia, among others, is illustrative of such willingness.
On the basis of our experience so far, I can say today that Tanzania will continue to take part in such operations, at the express request of the United Nations or the OAU, subject to the following essential conditions:

· First, we feel that our participation in peacekeeping operations can only be productive if there is the full consent and co-operation of the parties to the conflict in question;

· Secondly, the peacekeeping mission must have a clear and achievable mandate;

· Thirdly, the peacekeeping operation to which we are called has to be legitimate in the sense that it must be in pursuit of a just cause reflecting the objective will of the broad international community, not the partisan desires of certain groups;

· Fourthly, the operation in question must enjoy the continuous and active support of the United Nations Security Council;

· Fifthly, it must be an operation that is both impartial and objective;

· Sixth, it must be an operation that does not have as its object the use of force;

· Seventh, all participating countries in a peacekeeping operation must be pursuing a common and shared objective reflecting the broad will of the international community; and 

· Eighth, there must be issued firm guarantees of support by the international community in terms of financial resources, materiel and logistics.

Mr. Chairman,
For the countries, like Tanzania, which are ready to shoulder such peacekeeping and humanitarian responsibilities, it is of utmost importance to be prepared. For, however much we strive to prevent conflicts from emerging, or from transiting from low to high intensity status, the fact remains that wars just like natural disasters are, regrettably, a dark and common aspect of our human condition. As one politician once said, “History is littered with wars which everybody knew would never happen.” So we must always be prepared.
But for developing countries like Tanzania, and most sub-Saharan African countries, we need help to build up the requisite capacity for preparedness – both in terms of training, financial resources, materiel, and logistics. And that is why we are so appreciative of countries like France, United Kingdom and United States of America who have at different times come to help us improve our capacity for preparedness. But, this needs to be an on-going support and partnership if we are indeed to develop a year-round preparedness both for war prevention and for coping with natural disasters. Nothing exposed our unpreparedness for natural disasters as the Mozambican floods, or, in the case of my own country, the sinking of the MV Bukoba in 1996 and the El-Niño floods of 1997-98.
Mr. Chairman, 
When it comes to training for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance, Tanzania will always be guided by the United Nations standards and doctrine, as stipulated in Chapters 6, 7 and 8 of the United Nations Charter, namely on peace-making, peace-enforcement, and regional arrangements for conflict resolution and management.
The reference to regional arrangements has to be emphasised in the African context. For, while most of the security issues facing the United Nations Security Council today are from our continent, the amount of resources – both human and financial – deployed for peacemaking, peace-enforcement, and peacekeeping in Africa are not proportionate to the gravity of the situation. It is as if both the security and the humanitarian tragedies facing Africa remain peripheral to mainstream international concerns. And this has been the driving force behind developing African solutions to African problems.
Under these circumstances, and pursuant to the Cairo Declaration, the least Africa can expect from the richer members of our common planet is the necessary help to enable Africa develop the capacity and the preparedness to apply African solutions to African problems. The experience of ECOMOG has shown, in the case of Liberia and Sierra Leone, that Africans can indeed do a lot on their own if helped to build the requisite capacity.
It is also important to bear in mind that the effectiveness of a particular peacekeeping operation can be helped a lot by a closer understanding of the nature of the conflict, which neighbouring countries, regional organisations and agencies have. And sometimes the peacekeeping mandate has to be adjusted to suit particular local circumstances. New types of conflicts continue to emerge in Africa, both within and between African countries. As such training and preparedness for peacemaking, peace enforcement and peacekeeping operations must bear in mind what this might mean in terms of the scope and practice of each particular operation. 




Exercise TANZANITE 2002, RECAMP-3
Mr. Chairman,
Let me now say a few words about the present Political-Military Seminar being held as one of the preparatory measures ahead of the Exercise TANZANITE 2002, RECAMP-3 next February.
First of all, I think it is quite appropriate that we should have a “Political-Military Seminar.” For it is us, politicians, that must accept a large measure of the responsibility and blame for conflicts on our continent – for the things we do, for those things we don’t do, and for the things we do badly.
It was, after all, the radical French politician, and twice Prime Minister, Georges Clemenceau, who after the end of the First World War, said, “It is far easier to make war than to make peace.” Those of us who have worked so hard in pursuit of peace in our region could not agree more. In Africa too it is regrettably far easier to make war than to make peace. And the sooner we politicians, who claim to have our people’s interest at heart, realise this, the sooner we can achieve sustainable peace.
In the meantime Africa remains the most conflict-prone continent, and the importance of being prepared to keep the peace and to offer humanitarian assistance in times of conflict cannot be overemphasized. It is truly sad and tragic that many of our people – civilian men, women and children – have died in previous conflicts and natural disasters due to our unpreparedness, and the unwillingness of the international community to intervene, or back up regional initiatives.
Exercise TANZANITE-2002, RECAMP-3, is essentially a capacity building and reinforcement undertaking to increase Africa’s ability to move in quickly with peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance when conflict erupts, or natural disasters occur. On behalf of my colleagues in Africa, whose armies will take part in this exercise, I want to thank the French Government for helping us to organise it.
Tanzania has demonstrated that language is no longer a barrier between herself and France by participating successfully in various capacities in the multi-national peacekeeping exercises within the programme of the French Armed Forces in the Southern Zone of the Indian Ocean, (FAZSOI), such as Exercise TULIPE in 1998-99-MADAGASCAR and REUNION, and Exercise GERANIUM 2000 in REUNION. 
I believe Exercise TANZANITE-2002-RECAMP-3 will facilitate the exchange of experiences between all participating nations relating to peace support operations. This, I am sure, will pave the way towards developing regional co-operation in the field of peacekeeping in the SADC, EAC, and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) countries. It is also a manifestation of the political will to contribute to international peacekeeping and maintenance of humanitarian law; and to enhance friendly relations between the countries of this region.
I am confident that the combination of very experienced participants and extremely able resource persons will guarantee very successful discussions.
We must also bear in mind that capacity building is not a once for all undertaking. It is a continuous process. And as we in Africa begin to prepare ourselves for these duties, we ask for the continued support of France and all our other partners in this enterprise.

Conclusion
Mr. Chairman,
In conclusion, let me once again thank the French Government, and the French Army, for making it possible to hold these military exercises in Tanzania. I thank the United Nations and the OAU for the role they have played, and continue to play, in building Africa’s capacity for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance. And I thank all the countries that have agreed to participate in, or support, these exercises.
It behoves us, the leaders of Africa, to lead the journey towards an Africa at peace with itself, an Africa that will focus on its real enemy – an enemy who is not a fellow African, but poverty and deprivation.
The French General and Emperor, Napoleon I, contended thus: “If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks which precede cannon-shots”. As we seek to build Africa’s capacity for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance, we must likewise address the internal and regional pin-picks that precede cannon-shots. At the heart of such initiatives must be the political will to uphold justice, good governance, the rule of law, good neighbourly relations, regional co-operation and integration, and above all the need to work for economic growth and broad based development in all our countries.
I now declare the Political-Military Seminar for Exercise TANZANITE 2002 open, and I wish you very successful deliberations.
I thank you for your kind attention.

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, HIS EXCELLENCY BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, AT THE OPENING OF THE NINTH CONFERENCE ON THE STATE OF POLITICS IN TANZANIA, NKRUMAH HALL, UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM,
10TH MAY, 2001 


Mr. Chairman and Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Dar es Salaam;
Honourable Ministers and Members of Parliament, 
House of Representatives, and Councillors;
Your Excellencies, High Commissioners
and Ambassadors;
Leaders of Political Parties;
Members of the Academic Staff;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am the Chairman of the Ruling Party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi. But I want to make it clear from the outset that I shall be addressing you today not in that capacity, but only as President of the United Republic of Tanzania; a President fully committed to fulfil with maximum diligence the solemn oath of that High Office. It is a commitment:

· To be faithful to the United Republic of Tanzania, to serve it with all my heart, and to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania;

· To do justice to all people according to the law, customs and traditions of the United Republic of Tanzania, without fear, favour, affection or ill-will; and

· To defend and sustain the unity of the United Republic of Tanzania in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic.

I shall also be addressing you as one on whose shoulders rests the ultimate responsibility and accountability for democratic governance, and for the pillars of a rule-based competitive political dispensation, a dispensation underwritten by the rule of law.
You can, therefore, believe me when I say how very pleased I am to once again accept an invitation from the leadership of the University of Dar es Salaam to officiate at the opening of yet another conference on the State of Politics in Tanzania, organised by the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of the University of Dar es Salaam, through its Research and Education for Democracy in Tanzania Programme, (REDET).
I say “once again” because I had the honour and privilege to perform a similar function at the 1994 Second Annual Conference of this ongoing conference series, whose proven sustainability deserves much praise. At that time, I was Guest of Honour in my capacity as Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education. 
I believed then, as I do now, that such a forum was, and continues to be, an important source of inspiration, where our young multi-party democracy is apt to find wise counsel and nurture. My wish at the time was to see the conference subsequently become an uninterrupted annual event. The fact that today I am officiating at the 9th Conference, seven conferences after the one I opened in 1994, shows that my wish has been fulfilled. I thank you deeply, as I renew my wish for continued sustainability and resourcefulness of this conference series in the future.
Mr. Chairman, 
I have on different occasions encouraged our Universities to be increasingly engaged in the topical issues and challenges confronting our nation, and to strive to be relevant to the society at large. The University of Dar es Salaam, in particular, has a glorious past in that respect, a past it is now called upon to live up to. This campus used to be the “Mecca”, and the fountain of intellectual inspiration, for those across the world that believed in freedom, in equality, in social justice, and in people-centred development. Time has passed, and circumstances have changed internally, regionally and globally, but I believe this University can, and must, continue to uphold a name and a special place for itself in the new Tanzania, the new Africa, and the globalising world.
These series of REDET Conferences are one way to go about it, and I urge you to keep the tradition alive and well. As President, I have a particular interest in your deliberations, hoping that out of them will emerge new ideas on how we can consolidate democracy and democratic governance in Tanzania. I always enjoy a good debate; and I cannot claim to have all the answers to the challenges that the evolution of multi-party democracy poses for us as a nation. Give me good counsel, and I will give it the sincere consideration it deserves.

The Case for Democratic Consolidation
Mr. Chairman,
The theme of this Conference, “Issues in Consolidation of Democracy and Democratic Governance in Tanzania” implies two things. First, that there is democracy and democratic governance in Tanzania, and, secondly, that such democracy and democratic governance as we have needs to be consolidated, or even improved. I should like, even at this stage, to say that this is, indeed, a valid proposition.
This day, the 10th of May, happens to be the day Sir Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1940. In 1947, two years after the end of his first term as Prime Minister, he made a speech in the House of Commons, from which is often quoted the following dictum.

Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.

Mr. Chairman,
The historical experiences of practically all nations have proven Sir Winston right. Democracy is best, but there is no perfect democracy; not even in the oldest democracies in the world. Democracy is not a destination; it is a journey towards an ideal. And the democratic ideal is akin to the rainbow, beautiful to behold from afar, yet impossible to hold in your hand. For, the parts that constitute the ideal keep on mutating and realigning over time, as they relate to societies in which, by their nature and technological advancement, the only constant is change.
The quest, indeed the imperative, to improve democracy and democratic governance, and to amend Constitutions and laws, is not therefore unwelcome to those committed to the ideal of democracy, as we are in Tanzania, and neither are they specific or unique to Tanzania. The issue, therefore, is not whether or not we should seek to improve governance, or our Constitution; the issue is how best we can do it, and what we can afford to do, under which time-frame and what sequence, while at the same time safeguarding and consolidating democratic governance.

Democratic Change
Many are agreed that there is democracy in Tanzania; the question, therefore, is how best we can improve it, including by amending our Constitution and laws. Do we improve democracy by democratic means; or do we regress into anti-democratic means. I say so because there is a political concept that is gaining currency called “people power,” to which the self-appointed viceroys of democratic governance have curiously shut their eyes, ears and lips. As I know it, “people power” is only legitimate through an election; and an election that is disputed is resolved through legal or political means, not through mob violence. Anything else is not “people power,” but “people thuggery.” 
And unless this distinction is appreciated, Africa will not make much headway in the consolidation of democratic governance. As the American politician, Alfred Smith, said in 1933, “All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.” This Conference would be well advised to figure out how this pithy advice can be internalised into our political system. For even in our own world of sin and woe, the best way to cure the ills of our democracy is none other than through democratic means.
Mr. Chairman,
We can only build by building, not by demolishing. Consolidation of democracy and democratic governance means strengthening what has already been achieved in these fields, and in my opinion what has been achieved so far is impressive. Much progress, for instance, has been attained by the enactment of the Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment; by the amendment of election laws both at central and local government levels; by the restructuring of central, regional and local administrations to make them more efficient and effective, while remaining responsive and accountable to the citizenry through their elected representatives; and by the enactment of several other laws which broaden and protect citizens’ rights and liberties. The list is long and deserves recognition, especially considering the short time and economic difficulties in which these far reaching legal and structural reforms have been undertaken.
Mr. Chairman,
The terms “democracy” and “democratic governance” encompass a wide spectrum of political attributes that empower the citizenry to participate in shaping the common good of society in freedom, dignity and responsibility. Such political attributes are too many to be covered adequately, either by me in such a short opening speech, or even by you, conference participants, in the two-day session that has been allocated for that purpose. I will thus avoid the futility of trying to expound on all the theoretical or even practical notions relating to the consolidation of democracy and democratic governance.
But as I was browsing through your programme, I pleasantly noticed that the conference organisers managed to capture salient issues for discussion, which are very pertinent to our national experience in democracy and democratic governance. These include: Prerequisites for democratic consolidation; the state of institutions of governance; the state of political parties and civil society; lessons from the 1999 neighbourhood/village/local government elections and the General Elections of October 2000; and, finally, the political problems in Zanzibar.
These are indeed important issues, which deserve an in-depth and objective analysis. But analysis alone would fall short of usefulness if the conference does not come up with strong and action-oriented recommendations that would help to consolidate our democracy and democratic governance in practical terms.

A Rule-Based Political System
Mr. Chairman,
Based on some of those issues, which are going to be discussed at this conference, let me give you a few stimulating thoughts. We know, for instance, that the kind of representative democracy we are trying to build is based on party political competition through elections. Such competition is governed by rules. One prerequisite for consolidation of democracy is for political players to agree on the rules of the game and obey them. 
In the case of our country, such rules are embodied in the constitution and other legitimate pieces of legislation enacted by legitimate bodies. In order for party political competition to produce a respectable representative democracy dividend, the political parties contesting an election must play by the existing rules of competition. When a party enters an election contest, this is a sign that it agrees with, or is at least acquiescent to, the existing rules and that it will, therefore, accept the outcome of the contest. Anything else is a prescription for, and a harbinger of, veritable anarchy.
The outcome of an election contest can be either victory or defeat. Our political parties must understand and accept this reality without equivocation. Rules of competition in a democracy include celebrating victory with humility when a party wins, and accepting defeat with grace when it loses. When the loser is not satisfied with the results, the right thing to do is to seek redress through the channels stipulated by the existing rules. For instance, our laws grant Parliamentary and House of Representatives candidates the right to petition in the High Court when they do not agree with election results. Exercising such a right, rather than resorting to any other means of reacting to defeat, is what democracy is all about. I would like this conference to suggest ways in which we can consolidate this democratic culture of rule-based political competition, and bring all political parties on board.
When the existing rules are inadequate, and this may be true because even in the most advanced democracies shortcomings in the rules of the game continue to be discovered, the proper place to amend the rules to suit the needs and interests of all political players is the houses of representatives. We have two such houses in Tanzania: the Union Parliament and the Zanzibar House of Representatives. I challenge this conference to impress upon political parties and their elected candidates that the only legitimate and democratic way to change rules is through active participation in the legislative bodies. Democrats fight for change in those bodies; they do not boycott them.
Boycotting does not only fly in the face of our attempts to improve and consolidate democracy and democratic governance, it is also a great injustice to the people, and one may even add that the people are being exploited in pursuit of the political agenda of their leaders. An election costs a lot of money, public money. This justifiable expense is intended to produce people’s representatives in the organs that according to the constitution make laws, regulations, and decisions about public revenue and expenditure. To deny the people this constitutional right to representation, on whatever pretext, is a grave injustice to them, and a terrible assault on our efforts to consolidate democracy. By boycotting you do not punish the ruling party, you do not punish the government, you punish innocent people, who voted in good faith.
The pursuit of, and conformity to, the individual position of a political party cannot supersede the constitutional right to representation by all people. For, a constituency is not composed of followers of only one party. Its members are a cross section of all political parties, as well as many other people who do not belong or pledge loyalty to any party, and who therefore are not bound to defer to the position of any party.
You see, Mr. Chairman, we are not a very litigious society; otherwise, someone in those constituencies where legally elected Members of Parliament or House of Representatives have abdicated their duty to represent people, could have taken them to court for denying them their constitutional right to representation. And, I am not instigating anyone to do it. My primary concern, rather, is to consolidate democracy and democratic governance. 
Those who refuse to represent their constituencies in Parliament and the House of Representatives would be wise to accept the counsel of the American politician, William Fulbright, who in a speech to the United States Senate in 1966 said:

“In a democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine, the test of its value is not in its taste, but its effects.”

And the effect of the boycott by CUF Members of Parliament and the House of Representatives has been essentially to undermine the evolution of democratic governance, and entrenching further the dominance of Chama Cha Mapinduzi in the Councils of State. For, in a democratic state such a boycott can serve no greater or deeper purpose; at the very least it only tempts the victorious side to paraphrase Shakespeare in King Richard II and say,

“Not all the water in the rough rude sea
Can wash the balm from a duly elected President.”

Political Tolerance
Mr. Chairman,
Consolidation of democracy also requires political tolerance, which in turn implies and recognises the existence of divergent views. But it also means that such divergences must be managed on the basis of accommodation, restraint and mutual respect. Lately, there have been signs that political tolerance has degenerated in our country despite our repeated reminders that unity, peace and solidarity constitute the most cherished cultural heritage of our nation, and the foundation upon which all else must be built. 
I, therefore, challenge you to find the root cause of this spectre of political intolerance that has been gaining ground in our midst. I also call upon participants to prescribe some medicine that will help to exorcise that evil spirit, but without hurting the witch. You may wish to bear this challenge in mind when you discuss the political problems in Zanzibar, which as I noted earlier, have thoughtfully been included in your agenda. I strongly believe that political intolerance has contributed significantly to the political malaise we have experienced in Zanzibar.
The Government, on its part, has tried hard to be tolerant as its contribution to the consolidation of democracy in our country. The assumption in being tolerant is that some of these problems, however unpleasant and unjustified, are transitory – the birth pangs of a responsible political opposition, an opposition that one day can be a credible alternative to the Government in power. But sometimes, it is as if there are people who are determined to probe the limits of Government tolerance. That is injudicious, dangerous, and inimical to the consolidation of genuine democracy. The Italian writer and politician, Ignazio Silone, in his book The School of Dictators, written as the Second World War was about to begin in 1939, warned thus:

“For democrats in troubled countries, the height of the art of governing seems to consist in accepting slaps so as to avoid kicks… The enemies of democracy take advantage of this and grow daily more insolent.”

Mr. Chairman,
My Government is determined to be as tolerant as it can so as to consolidate democracy and democratic governance. But, for any government, in any country, there is a limit to the number of slaps it can take. Drawing the line at an appropriate point is also part of good governance. Let this conference press the case for the civil society to politically dialogue with a civil tongue!

Law Enforcement
Mr. Chairman,
I have also noted with interest the time slot given to the discussion of the state of the instruments of governance, such as the relationship between the three branches of government, and the performance of various government services, including the state defence and security establishments. All these institutions are bodies that are there to enhance, and not to hamper, the consolidation of rule-based democracy and democratic governance. In performing their duties, they too must obey and enforce existing laws and rules. They wield power and authority, but they must do so in a way that demonstrates responsive and responsible leadership, which strictly observes civic respect, policy openness and the rule of law.
Where these instruments of governance are performing their duties according to existing laws, the citizens on their part must show compliance and trust, and must never provoke them beyond tolerance. Where, on the other hand, these instruments of governance act outside the law, they need also to be held accountable. One way we have tried to accomplish this is through the training given, and the necessary skills imparted on them, as well as the sensitivity demanded of them to their duty to discharge their responsibilities according to the law. But they are human beings, and there is always scope for error. That is why we have now legislated for the establishment of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance to which all complaints can be directed for investigation, determination, and ultimately remedial action.
There may be areas where the laws governing the instruments of governance are defective. There may even be instances of abuse of power by some officials. To put such matters right, we need to empower our citizens in exerting influence and oversight in governance. Politically competent citizens will have defective laws corrected in the respective legislatures through their representatives. Such citizens will also be able to have occasional abuses of power redressed through lawful and politically acceptable methods, as in the case of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance I have already made reference to.

Civic Education
But citizen influence and oversight must be cultivated through civic education. At present, the state of civic education in Tanzania is far from being satisfactory. This applies to both ordinary folks in our society and a great number of politicians, in all political parties. The task of providing and disseminating civic education is one in which government could work in partnership with other stakeholders, such as political parties, non-governmental organisations, religious organisations and others, provided that a standardised form of content and methods for such education can be agreed upon, and observed by all. For, civic education must not degenerate into politicking in disguise.
There is also a huge difference between civic education, or even the development of informed political opinion, and the stoking of the fires of political sentimentalism and sensationalism. The former helps to consolidate democracy, but the latter undermines democracy. Regrettably, I would attribute the demonstrations and public rallies taking place in our country now as falling in the second category. Political parties are not creating informed political opinion; they are creating political sentimentalism, whipping up waves of resentment knowing very well they may find expression in anti-democratic and unruly actions and behaviour. 
I, therefore, challenge the non-governmental stakeholders to think about appropriate ways to develop citizens’ influence and oversight on governance through responsible civic education. There are important values that you can impact, such as: political equality, inter-group tolerance, inclusiveness in associational membership, and the importance of political participation. But above all, the pursuit of politics must never be allowed to threaten national unity and concord, or peace, stability and public security.
Mr. Chairman,
While I am still on this subject of civic education, I would like to congratulate REDET for its recent publication of a civic education manual for primary schools entitled “KATIBA NA HAKI ZA RAIA TANZANIA” which was launched by my Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Joseph Mungai, MP. This is another achievement that lends credibility to the University’s contribution to consolidation of democracy through education. I thank and commend you.

Economic Growth and Development
Mr. Chairman,
I know there is only so much you can discuss in these two days you will be here. But one thing I want you to keep in mind is the capacity to manage and sustain the democratic political dispensation we have adopted. And today I am not talking about technical capacity, I am talking about the capacity of the economy to underwrite all the things we want to see done in order to consolidate democracy and democratic governance. And that is why you will always hear me talking about the economy, in terms of the imperative of reform and of engendering economic growth and broad-based development.
We have so far held two General Elections under a multi-party democratic political system. And both times we could not afford wholly to finance the elections ourselves. We reduced this dependency on donors last year, but the need for external support remains. It is, therefore, important for all political players to give sufficient attention to that part of our polity that gives us the wherewithal to sustain a democratic political system. The cost of one by-election, in one constituency, is way above what a whole district is allocated from the national budget for development expenditure for a whole year. You can imagine what the situation would be like if we were to be forced, by law, to hold 15 by-elections within a month!
But the importance and relevance of economic growth to the consolidation of democracy is not only in terms of financing our elections. It is also in terms of fully funding and building capacity in the institutions of governance through the three branches of Government: The Executive, in terms of a public service that is ethical, people-centred, and service-oriented; the Parliament and House of Representatives in terms of technical and financial capacity to represent people; and the Judiciary in terms of prompt adjudication of disputes and the interpretation, application and enforcement of laws. If I can’t guarantee the supply of paper needed by judges and magistrates to record cases, how can the people’s confidence in the Judiciary be strengthened?

Free Trade Unions
Mr. Chairman,
The economic reforms we have embarked upon are increasingly shifting economic activities, and hence job-creation, from the public to the private sector, including multinational corporations. In terms of democratic governance, therefore, the role of effective and efficient free trade unions is critical and unmistakable.
But our trade unions lack the requisite capacity and experience to negotiate good working conditions and remunerations with the private sector. For the duration of most of our independent statehood, trade unions were, at least in terms of structure, not antagonistic to the Government, which was the largest employer. Trade Unions were even, for several years, an organ of the ruling party.
It is only two weeks ago that the long journey towards the establishment of free trade unions in Tanzania ended. The new trade unions need the help of everyone, in terms of education, advice and developing the technical competence for analysis and negotiations, as they find their feet in the huge challenges they now have to face. An enlightened organised workforce is a factor of good governance.

Mass Media
Mr. Chairman,
The print and electronic media are also an important component in the consolidation of democracy and democratic governance. A free and objective mass media can act as another institution offering checks and balances against the Government and other players in a democratic political system.
But more needs to be done to improve the quality of journalism in our country. The tendency is too much on the business aspect, on the desire to make profits, including through sensational reporting, rather than truly informing and educating the public. The mass media has a great responsibility which if executed well can help consolidate democracy, and spread the inspirational momentum for development. As it is, there is too much reportage of what politicians say, rather than the analysis of policies, decisions and trends. 
What a distinguished person, including the President, says may be news, especially if it is inconsequential. But a series of inconsequential pronouncements, even by the President, are not only NOT NEWS, but also downright boring! It is said that great minds do not discuss people; they discuss events and ideas. We need greater minds in the forest of newspapers, radio and television stations, sprouting and flourishing on a fertile and hungry audience that Tanzania has become, and the freedom of expression our Constitution guarantees.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate my keen interest in the proceedings of this conference as one of the inputs, which may contribute to our thoughts and actions in the government’s efforts to play its part in consolidating democracy and democratic governance. The rich plurality of the backgrounds of participants in this conference should guarantee very fruitful deliberations.
Pericles, the Athenian statesman and orator of ancient Greece, four centuries before the birth of Christ, said:

“Our government is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of the few but of the many.”

Today, 2,400 years later, his definition still holds. And to you who have met here to review the state of politics in Tanzania, with a view to consolidating democracy and democratic governance, I have one basic request. Help us to determine the best way to make sure power is, and remains, firmly in the hands not of the aspiring few, but of the many that every five years tread to polling stations, standing patiently in long queues, to express their opinion, and pass judgement on aspiring politicians, through the ballot box.
We need a pervasive re-commitment to a rule-based democratic political dispensation, a strong and growing economy that can sustain it, and working democratic institutions with the capacity to arbitrate between competing demands and interests, and install the necessary checks and balances into our system. I will follow the deliberations of this Conference with keen interest, for ultimately, as President Harry Truman would say, the buck stops with me.
I now declare this 9th Conference on the State of Politics in Tanzania officially open.
I thank you for your patience and attention.

HOTUBA YA RAIS WA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA, MHESHIMIWA BENJAMIN WILLIAM MKAPA, KWA WANANCHI, TAREHE 31 MEI 2001 


Ndugu Wananchi,

Leo napenda nizungumze nanyi kuhusu tafsiri ya umaskini wetu, na malengo tuliyojiwekea kama Serikali, kwa kushirikiana nanyi wananchi, na kwa mchango wa marafiki na wahisani kuupunguza umaskini huo. Katika miaka 5 iliyopita, Serikali yenu imejitahidi sana kukamilisha kazi ya kurekebisha sera, sheria, milki, mfumo na utendaji katika uchumi wetu. Mabadiliko hayo yalikuwa ya lazima ili kujenga msingi wa uchumi utakaokua kwa uendelevu. 
Kwa kiasi kikubwa kazi hiyo imekamilika, na kuweka mazingira muafaka, na msingi wa kuanza kujenga upya uchumi wetu. Tunayo sasa matumaini makubwa kuwa mafanikio tuliyoyapata katika kuimarisha uchumi mkuu yatatoa fursa kwa wananchi kujiendeleza na kufaidika katika ngazi ya uchumi mdogo, na kupunguza umaskini kwenye ngazi ya kaya na vijiji jambo ambalo ndilo lengo letu kuu katika miaka 5 ijayo.

Mkutano wa Brussels
Ndugu Wananchi,
Kwa niaba yenu, nilialikwa kuhudhuria na kuhutubia katika Mkutano wa Tatu wa Umoja wa Mataifa Kuhusu Nchi Maskini Kuliko Zote uliofanyika mjini Brussels, Ubeljiji, wiki mbili zilizopita. Tulialikwa Wakuu wa Nchi wachache, na tukazungumza kwa niaba ya nchi nyingine maskini.
Mikutano mingine miwili kama huu ilifanyika mjini Paris, Ufaransa, mwaka 1981 na mwaka 1990. Lengo kuu la mikutano hiyo, kama ilivyokuwa kwa mkutano wa juzi, lilikuwa kuona jinsi ambavyo nchi tajiri zinaweza kusaidia jitihada za nchi maskini kuondosha umaskini.
Kilichojitokeza wazi pale Brussels ni kuwa maazimio ya mikutano ya awali hayakufanikiwa kututoa katika umaskini wetu. Mwaka 1981 kulikuwa na nchi 25 tu kwenye kundi hili la nchi maskini sana. Hadi sasa ni nchi moja tu, Botswana, iliyofanikiwa kuondoka kwenye kundi hili na kuingia katika kundi la nchi zenye kipato cha kati. Badala yake, idadi ya nchi maskini sana imeongezeka kutoka 25 hadi 49, kati yake 34 zikiwa barani Afrika, Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara.

Umaskini wa Mapato
Ndugu Wananchi,
Umaskini una sura nyingi, mojawapo ikiwa umaskini wa mapato. Inakadiriwa kuwa mwaka 1997, wastani wa mapato ya kila mwananchi katika nchi maskini kuliko zote ulikuwa sh.211,500 tu (USD 235) kwa mwaka, ikilinganishwa na sh.22 milioni (USD 24,522) katika nchi tajiri. Sisi, Tanzania, baada ya juhudi zote, inakadiriwa sasa tumefikia wastani wa mapato ya kila mwananchi wa sh.243,000 (USD 270) kwa mwaka. Hivyo, Mtanzania akiwa na sh.1, binadamu mwenzake katika nchi tajiri ana sh.91. Hiyo ndiyo sura mojawapo ya umaskini wetu.
Hivyo katika vita vyetu dhidi ya umaskini silaha yetu lazima iwe bidii za kuongeza mapato halali ya wananchi wetu, kwa kukuza uchumi kwa asilimia 8 – 10 kwa mwaka. Ongezeko hilo ndilo litatuwezesha ifikapo mwaka 2010 kuongeza kipato cha wastani kwa kila Mtanzania kwa karibu mara mbili. 

Umaskini wa Mahitaji Muhimu
Ndugu Wananchi,
Sura nyingine ya umaskini ni upungufu, au kutokuwa na uhakika, wa mahitaji muhimu ya mwanadamu; kama vile chakula, mavazi na makazi. Sura hii ya umaskini inaonekana zaidi vijijini ambapo karibu kila Watanzania 8 kati ya 10 wanaishi, maisha yao yakihimiliwa kwa kiasi kikubwa na kilimo, ufugaji na uvuvi. Hivyo hakuna njia nyingine ya kuondoa umaskini wa mapato, na umaskini wa kukosa mahitaji muhimu, isipokuwa kwa kuongeza uzalishaji na tija kwenye kilimo, ufugaji na uvuvi.
Lengo letu kitaifa ni kuongeza ukuaji wa sekta ya kilimo kutoka asilimia 3.6 hadi asilimia 5 kwa miaka 3 ijayo, na kwa kiwango kikubwa zaidi miaka inayofuata. Kasi hiyo itatuwezesha kupunguza idadi ya wasio na uhakika wa chakula, na wasio na uhakika wa mahitaji mengine muhimu. Aidha tunalenga kupunguza utapiamlo mkali kutoka 6% hadi 2% ifikapo 2010.
Mimi nina uhakika kuwa inawezekana malengo haya kuyafikia na kuyavuka. Lakini kwanza lazima kila mwananchi aazimie, na kutekeleza wajibu wake, wa kufanya kazi kwa bidii na maarifa. Bila hivyo, juhudi za Serikali peke yake za kuweka mazingira bora zaidi ya shughuli za uzalishaji, biashara na huduma hazitazaa matunda tunayoyakusudia.

Umaskini wa Huduma Duni za Kijamii
Ndugu Wananchi,
Sura nyingine ya umaskini wetu ni viwango vya chini vya huduma za jamii, hususan elimu, afya, na maji. Huduma hizi, pamoja na lishe, ndizo humpa mtu afya, nguvu, na maarifa ya kufanya kazi na kujiondoa katika umaskini. Ndio maana upatikanaji na ubora wa huduma hizi ni kigezo muhimu cha mafanikio kwenye vita dhidi ya umaskini.
Hebu tuone Tanzania tunalinganishwa vipi na nchi tajiri. Wakati ambapo kwenye nchi tajiri watoto karibu wote wanaandikishwa, na wanamaliza elimu ya msingi, sisi kwa kila watoto 100 wenye umri wa kuanza shule, tunaandikisha 77 tu, na wanaomaliza ni 57 tu. Hapa petu ni watoto 6 tu kati ya 100 wenye umri wa kusoma elimu ya sekondari ndio wanasoma, wakati ambapo katika nchi tajiri wamefikia 96 kwa 100. 
Na kwa mpango wetu tulioupeleka Brussels tunatarajia kuongeza watoto wanaoandikishwa darasa la kwanza hadi 85 kwa kila 100 ifikapo mwaka 2003, na kupunguza wanaokatisha masomo kutoka 6.6% hadi 3% tu. Tunakusudia pia kuongeza idadi ya wanafunzi wanaofaulu mtihani wa darasa la 7 kutoka 20% hadi 50%; na wanaoingia sekondari waongezeke kutoka 15% ya wanaomaliza shule ya msingi hadi 21%. Aidha, tunataka kuongeza elimu ya watu wazima.
Kwa ulinganisho na nchi tajiri tunayo kazi kubwa sana, lakini lazima ifanyike ili angalao tupunguze tofauti hizi kubwa sana katika elimu. Bila elimu na ujuzi hatuwezi kuendelea katika dunia ya leo, wala hatutaweza kushindana na mataifa mengine. Ndiyo maana umuhimu wa elimu kwa nchi maskini tuliuzungumzia sana kule Brussels, na kukubaliana kuwa nchi tajiri ziongeze misaada yao ili ikichanganywa na juhudi za wananchi na serikali zao, kasi ya utoaji na uboreshaji wa elimu iongezeke.
Kwa upande wetu tunayo kazi kubwa, inayotegemea sana ushirikiano wa Serikali Kuu, Serikali za Mitaa, Wananchi na Mashirika yasiyokuwa ya Serikali, ikiwemo Mashirika ya Dini, na wahisani. Serikalini tumeamua kufuta ada kwa watoto wa shule za msingi. Kwa kushirikiana, tutaongeza shule, madarasa, madawati, nyumba za walimu, vifaa vya kufundishia, huduma za ukaguzi wa shule, ajira ya walimu, na kadhalika. Hatuna hiari katika jambo hili. Ukweli ni kuwa hakuna nchi yoyote duniani iliyopiga hatua endelevu ya maendeleo bila kuwekeza vya kutosha katika elimu na ujuzi. 
Kwa upande wa maji na afya hali kadhalika. Tofauti kati yetu na nchi tajiri ni kubwa mno. Wakati katika nchi tajiri karibu kila mtu anapata maji safi, sisi ni asilimia 54 tu. Wakati katika nchi tajiri ni watoto 6 tu kati ya 1,000 wanaozaliwa hai wanakufa wakiwa wachanga, sisi tunapoteza watoto 90. Wengi wa watoto hao wanakufa kwa magonjwa yanayozuilika kirahisi kwa chanjo au tiba. Hicho ndicho kiwango cha umaskini wetu.
Hivyo miongoni mwa malengo yetu katika miaka 3 ijayo ni kupunguza vifo vya watoto wachanga kutoka 90 hadi 85 kwa kila watoto 1,000 wanaozaliwa hai; kupunguza vifo vya watoto chini ya miaka 5 kutokana na malaria kutoka 12.8% hadi 10%; kuongeza chanjo kwa watoto chini ya miaka 2 kutoka 71% hadi 85% ya watoto wote; kufikisha kampeni maalum dhidi ya UKIMWI kwa 75% ya wilaya zote, na kuongeza upatikanaji wa maji safi na salama mijini na vijijini.
Malengo yote haya yanaweza kufikiwa, na kuvukwa. Lakini lazima tushirikiane wote, Serikali Kuu, Serikali za Mitaa Wananchi, na Wahisani.
Na lazima tuweke mkazo maalum kwa watoto – kwa elimu yao, afya yao, uhai wao, na mazingira yao. Ripoti ya Shirika la Watoto la Umoja wa Mataifa, UNICEF, kuhusu hali ya watoto duniani mwaka huu inabainisha kuwa watoto wadogo wanazidi kufa bila sababu. Kiasi cha watoto milioni 11 hufa kila mwaka duniani, wengi wao katika nchi maskini, kabla ya kufikisha umri wa miaka 5 kwa sababu zinazozuilika. Maana, kwa kila watoto 100 wanaokufa kabla ya umri huo, 20 wanakufa kwa matatizo wanapozaliwa, 18 kwa magonjwa ya njia ya hewa, 17 kwa magonjwa ya kuhara, 15 kwa magonjwa yanayoepukika kwa kupewa chanjo, 7 kwa malaria, na 23 ndio hufa kwa sababu nyingine. Kwa maneno mengine, tuna uhakika kuwa inawezekana kuzuia vifo vya watoto 77 kwa kila 100 wanaokufa hivi sasa. Inawezekana. Na nikinukuu kutoka katika ripoti hiyo:

“Kuacha kuwapatia watoto wadogo matunzo na malezi haya ya awali ni kosa lenye gharama kubwa kuliko makosa yote.”

Tuazimie basi kuwapa watoto wote chanjo; kuwapeleka hospitali wakiumwa, si kupiga ramli; na kuwapeleka shule wote, wa kike na wa kiume.

Umaskini wa Kukosa Kauli
Ndugu Wananchi,
Sura nyingine ya umaskini ni unyonge unaosababisha hali ya kutojiamini, na hivyo kupuuzwa katika kufanya maamuzi. Katika ngazi ya kitaifa, Tanzania tumesifiwa sana kwa hatua tuliyopiga katika kukataa umaskini wa aina hiyo. Katika miaka ya hivi karibuni Serikali Kuu imejichukulia madaraka makubwa zaidi ya maamuzi katika kubuni sera, mipango, mikakati na vipaumbele vya maendeleo yetu. Hali hiyo sasa tunakusudia kuifikisha kwa wananchi, kwa kupeleka madaraka karibu zaidi nao kupitia Serikali za Mitaa, na kuwashirikisha katika miradi ya maendeleo katika ngazi ya kijiji. Uwajibikaji wa wanasiasa, na watendaji wa Serikali, kwa wananchi katika ngazi zote ni jambo la muhimu sana. Hivyo, tutaendelea kuuimarisha uwajibikaji huo kwa njia mbalimbali, ikiwemo kukuza demokrasia ya vyama vingi, kuendeleza uhuru wa vyombo vya habari, kuboresha utendaji na kuongeza uwezo wa Serikali za Mitaa, na kuendeleza uwazi katika maamuzi na utendaji wa kiserikali.
Lakini ni jambo moja kwa Serikali kutoa upeo mkubwa zaidi wa wananchi kujiamulia mambo yao, na ni jambo tofauti kwa wananchi kushiriki kikamilifu katika kubuni mipango shirikishi na kuitekeleza. Naomba wananchi wote wakubali wajibu huo na wautekeleze kwa ukamilifu.
Utawala bora ni zaidi sana ya vita dhidi ya rushwa, au kufanya Uchaguzi Mkuu. Utawala bora pia ni kupanua uhuru wa wananchi - uhuru wa maoni, uhuru wa kuchangia mawazo kuhusu hatma ya jamii, uhuru wa kudai uwajibikaji wa viongozi kwa wananchi, uhuru unaoimarishwa kwa elimu, ikiwemo elimu ya watu wazima na elimu ya uraia.
Mwananchi lazima aelewe kuwa ni haki yake, na ni wajibu wake, kumtaka diwani wake awaeleze wananchi wa kata yake kuhusu mapato, matumizi na mipango ya maendeleo ya kata na halmashauri inayohusika. Mwananchi aelewe madaraka, na mipaka ya madaraka hayo, aliyo nayo Mtendaji wa Kijiji au Mtendaji wa Kata. Kisha aelewe nini cha kufanya Mtendaji anapovuka au kukiuka maadili ya kazi zake, au mipaka ya madaraka yake. Uhuru wa kiwango hicho nao ni silaha katika vita dhidi ya umaskini utokanao na unyonge wa kukosa kauli, na ni chachu muhimu ya utawala bora.

Mazingira ya Nje ya Nchi
Ndugu Wananchi,
Nchi yetu si kisiwa, na katika dunia yetu ya utandawazi, ambapo maingiliano kati ya nchi na nchi nyingine ni makubwa, yanayotokea nje ya nchi yetu yanatugusa, ama kwa faida au kwa hasara.
Hivyo mojawapo ya mambo tuliyoyapigia kelele sana kule Brussels ni:

  • Kuzitaka nchi tajiri zitimize ahadi yao ya kuchangia angalao 0.7% ya pato la taifa kama msaada kwa nchi zote maskini; na 0.2% kati ya hizo ikielekezwa kwa makusudi kwa nchi maskini kuliko zote;

  • Kuzitaka nchi tajiri kusaidia, kwa sera na ushawishi mwingine, uwekezaji mitaji katika nchi maskini;

  • Kuzitaka nchi tajiri zote, sio zile za Ulaya tu, kufungua milango yao kwa bidhaa zote, isipokuwa silaha, kutoka nchi maskini; na

  • Kufuta au kupunguza sana madeni ya nchi maskini.

Kimsingi wametukubalia; na kwa kweli sisi kama Tanzania tumefaidika sana na misaada, uwekezaji, ahadi ya kupunguziwa madeni, na fursa za biashara. Tunawashukuru wanaotusaidia. Lakini, kwa ujumla wao nchi tajiri hazijatimiza ahadi zao kwa nchi maskini. Nitatoa mfano.
Kule Paris, mwaka 1990, tuligawana na tulikubaliana juu ya majukumu katika vita dhidi ya umaskini. Sisi nchi maskini tumetekeleza mengi kati ya majukumu yetu. Nchi maskini, pamoja na nyingi barani Afrika, zimezingatia kuliko wakati wowote ule wajibu wa utawala bora, demokrasia ya vyama vingi, uhuru wa vyombo vya habari, sera za uchumi wa soko, kufungua milango ya biashara na nchi za nje, na kadhalika. Na sisi Tanzania ni mfano halisi wa waliotimiza wajibu wao. 
Lakini kwa upande wao, nchi tajiri zilizo nyingi hazikutimiza yale tuliyokubaliana. Kwa mfano tu, badala ya kuongezeka, misaada kwa nchi maskini kuliko zote imepungua kwa asilimia 45. Pale tulipokuwa tunapata 100 sasa tunapata 45! Misaada kupitia mashirika mbalimbali ya Umoja wa Mataifa yanayotusaidia sana nayo imepungua sana kwa sababu wachangiaji wamepungukiwa nia.
Uwekezaji mitaji nao unaathirika kutokana na mazingira magumu, ikiwemo miundo mbinu isiyokuwa mizuri na ya kuaminika, kama vile umeme, barabara, reli, simu na kadhalika. Wakati mwingine, kwa umaskini wetu, mazingira hayo yanaweza kuboreshwa tu kwa kutumia fedha za misaada na mikopo. Na sisi ni mfano. Barabara zetu za lami karibu zote zimejengwa kwa kiasi kikubwa kwa mikopo na misaada. Vivyo hivyo kwa miradi ya umeme, maji na kadhalika.
Inakadiriwa pia kuwa iwapo nchi za Ulaya zingeruhusu kwa dhati kuwa mazao ya nchi maskini sana yaingie barani humo bila ushuru au kikwazo chochote, nchi hizi 49 maskini kuliko zote zingepata nyongeza ya sh.166.5 bilioni (USD 185 m.) kwa mwaka. Lakini mazao yetu mengi ni ya kilimo ambayo yana vikwazo vingine vingi vilivyojificha. Kwa mfano, ni vigumu kwa wakulima wa Tanzania, ambao hawapati ruzuku yoyote, kushindana na wakulima wa baadhi ya nchi tajiri wanaopewa na Serikali zao ruzuku ya wastani wa sh.900 bilioni (USD 1 bi) kwa siku. 
Kwa upande wa madeni, nchi nyingi bado hazijafikia hatua ya uamuzi wa mwisho wa kupewa msamaha kufanywa, na bado maswali yanaulizwa iwapo msamaha utakaopatikana utatosha kweli kuchochea vita dhidi ya umaskini au bado fedha zinazohitajika kwa elimu na afya itabidi ziendelee kutumika kulipa madeni.

Ufumbuzi ni Nini
Ndugu Wananchi,
Tulichopata Brussels ni mambo mawili ya msingi. Kwanza, nchi tajiri zilirejea tena kauli yao kuwa vita dhidi ya umaskini ni jukumu la dunia nzima; ingawa wajibu wa kwanza ni wa kila mtu, kila jamii na kila taifa maskini. Pili, walitupa ahadi nyingine kuwa wataongeza misaada, watapunguza madeni, watafungua milango ya biashara na kuhimiza uwekezaji mitaji. Na sisi tumeahidi uwajibikaji, utawala bora, na kukusanya nguvu zetu za misuli na akili. 
Lakini fundisho kubwa kwetu ni kuwa lazima tukubali kuwa umaskini ni wetu, na ni sisi wenye wajibu wa msingi kuupiga vita. Wengine watatusaidia, wakipenda. Sisi hatuna hiari hiyo. Tusaidiwe au tusisaidiwe lazima tujitahidi kufanya kila tunaloweza kupambana na umaskini. Viongozi watapita kwenye maeneo yenu pamoja na wataalam wa ushirikishwaji jamii. Tafadhali wasikilizeni, na mkubali kushiriki vita dhidi ya umaskini katika kila ngazi – tangu ngazi ya kaya na familia, hadi kijiji, kata, tarafa na wilaya.
Bainisheni kero zenu, na viashirio vya umaskini pale mlipo, kisha jadilianeni namna ya kuzikabili kwa nguvu zenu zote, mali zenu zote, na maarifa yenu yote. Kwa yale yaliyo nje ya uwezo wenu, Serikali Kuu na Serikali za Mitaa zitakusanya nguvu zake, kwa njia ya kodi, misaada ya wahisani na mikopo ya masharti nafuu, kuongezea kwenye nguvu zenu. Kwa kushirikiana hivyo, bila shaka katika miaka 10 ijayo, kulingana na Mpango wetu tulioupeleka Brussels, tutaifikisha nchi yetu mahali pazuri zaidi.
Huo, Ndugu Wananchi, ndio wito wangu leo. Tukubali kuwa sisi ni maskini, lakini tunayo maliasili, akili na nguvu za kutosha kupiga vita umaskini huo kwa mafanikio, na kwa muda mfupi tufanye kazi basi kwa bidii, maarifa na kushirikiana.
Mungu Ibariki Afrika.
Mungu Ibariki Tanzania.
Ahsanteni kwa kunisikiliza.