Diaspora to JK: We need peace in our country now

 

By kinga Mkinga  

 

In Summary

• I have also asked myself the same questions about what is happening currently! But I have made several interventions where I have engaged religious leaders from the Muslim and Christian faiths

Yokohama. Two issues of religious tension and public anger over the handling of the country’s natural resources have created concern among Tanzanians living in Japan.

They lodged their concern before President Jakaya Kikwete who met them at a Yokohama-based hotel on Monday.

Speaking on behalf of Tanzanians living in Japan, Mr David Semiono said members of the diaspora have been wary of recent events that have caused religious tensions.

They asked the President to intervene immediately and rescue the nation.

“We urge you to personally get involved in solving the ongoing religious crisis in our country...We feel ashamed here in the diaspora for what is happening back home. If it’s possible, you should form a special unit to deal with religious matters for the sake of our peace and security,” Mr Semiono said.

In his response the President said he was also unsettled by recent conflicts in the country but pointed fingers at politicians who have been trying to cause disintegration among Tanzanians for many years.

He said that they had now opted to use religious ideologies.

“I have also asked myself the same questions about what is happening currently! But I have made several interventions where I have engaged religious leaders from the Muslim and Christian faiths,” President Kikwete said.

On having a special unit which will be specifically dealing with inter-faith relationships, the President said there was already a minister of State in President’s Office, Mr Steven Wasira, responsible for Social Relations and Coordination.

“My government is also concerned with the ongoing situation and I am trying hard to make sure that we return to where we belong in terms of peace,” President Kikwete said.

The Tanzanian community in Japan also asked the government if it had, in light of the Mtwara chaos, learnt from other countries that natural resources are associated with conflicts.

Mr Semiono asked the government to find better ways of ensuring that the resources serve national interests.

Before he asked the minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, to give further details, President Kikwete said his government was committed to making sure that natural gas and the ongoing oil exploration in the country remained a blessing and not a curse.

“For the Mtwara case, the residents had a point in insisting that the government should have established gas instrastructure in the area to encourage the growth of industries...but I differed with them on the use of natural resources of our country because I believe that they should be shared among all citizens,” President Kikwete said.

 He noted that the government’s aim was to increase power generation through natural gas and wean it from depending exclusively on hydroelectricity which has been hugely affected by global warming. He said it was through reliable power that Tanzania would have a much stronger economy.

“Japan today has strong a economy because they have enough energy to run industries.....if we reach the 3,000 MW on the national grid we shall be at a position of building our economy properly. The Mtwara project is among those that have been given high priority in my government,” President Kikwete said.

His sentiments were echoed by Prof Muhongo who said Tanzania will never repeat same mistakes in negotiating mining contracts. He said the government has opted to have shares in every company that would love to invest in the fast growing energy and minerals sector.

“Other countries have been benefiting through Public Private Partnership where the government will be having shares....we will be partly owning and not waiting for the royalty as it used to be before in our contracts,” Professor Muhongo said

However, the Tanzanian in diaspora asked the Constitutional Review Commission not to forget them in duo citizenship. But we hope that it will be dealt properly by the minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation BernardMembe.