Wednesday, February 15, 2017

TANZANIA DAILY HOT NEWS

Dar scores top ratings in global poverty reduction

DAILY NEWS Reporter


TANZANIA has featured prominently in this year’s Bill and Melinda Gates annual letter celebrating progress in global health and poverty reduction

The letter is addressed to couple by mutual friend Warren Buffet, who a few months ago asked Melinda and Bill to reflect on the impact his gift has had in the world.
Buffett, an American investor, business magnate, and philanthropist in 2006 donated the bulk of his fortune of $30 billion, to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fight disease and reduce inequity.
In their current letter the Gates noted that since 2006 the foundation had seen incredible stories of progress and hope in Tanzania which, relative to the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, has a low neonatal mortality rate.
“Over the years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has partnered with donors, governments, the private sector and civil society to help Tanzanians live healthy and productive lives,” the letter reads, in part.
The Gates say Tanzania has achieved vaccination rates of 96 per cent or above in five crucial vaccinations, according to reports from the Unicef. Globally, the annual letter released yesterday says the fastest progress -- the world has ever witnessed -- has been recorded in global health and poverty reduction.
“Buffet donation meant that the foundation and its partners were able to invest in new technologies, solutions, and research that could save lives, help families, and reduce extreme poverty levels,” the letter further says.
Citing an example, the Gates noted that the lives of 122 million children around the world have been saved since 1990, 86% of children worldwide receive basic vaccines, and for the first time in history more than 300 million women are using modern contraceptives.
Across the African continent, Bill and Melinda note key improvements in the following areas of development: Mortality in children under the age of five, caused by pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria, has decreased by 54% across SSA.
There is also increased access to information about reproductive health and innovative contraceptive methods, which means more women have the power to make their own family planning decisions.
“… 27% of women now use contraception in sub-Saharan Africa, according to Unicef; meanwhile, extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa has decreased by 28% since 1990,” the letter adds.


Morogoro Regional Commissioner (RC), Stephen Kebwe
NATIONAL Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) has shelved special test examination for Form One students who were selected to join public schools this year, citing reluctance by school heads to collaborate




The examination body had planned the February 28 examination reportedly to filter out students who could have passed their national Standard Seven examinations last year, deceitfully.
But, NECTA Deputy Executive Secretary Athumani Salumu, speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting that Morogoro Regional Commissioner Kebwe Stephen Kebwe chaired here on Monday, said failure by heads of public schools to provide the council with the lists of examinees has hampered the plan.
He explained that the special testing of students selected to join public schools was a request from some schools heads through the regional and district education officers, claiming that some of the students joining secondary education lacked even the rudimentary ‘read and write’ skills.
The heads of government owned secondary schools had also reportedly asked for permission to subject the new entrants to admission test but NECTA communicated with the regional and district education officers, requesting for the lists of students to be admitted in the schools.
“After getting the total number of the students admitted in secondary schools, the council would have prepared the admission examinations and handing them over to the heads of schools to conduct and supervise the examinations,” he explained.
Among other conditions that the council issued the heads of schools include conducting the admission exam on the same day and time in all public schools countrywide. Mr Salumu however explained that the heads of the government secondary schools failed to present the lists of students through their respective regional and district education officers, compelling the council to cancel the exercise.
He said the council has written the regional administrative secretaries, regional and district education officers on mainland to communicate the plan hold and going back to the old system.
“NECTA has sent official communications on the decision to halt the exercise. Now all students selected to join Form One in government secondary schools including those joining boarding schools should report to their respective schools,” Mr Salumu explained.
Meanwhile, NECTA deputy boss had decried the region’s poor performance in the 2016 Standard Four, Form Two and Form Four national examinations results. In the Form Two examination results, Morogoro came 18th, down from the 13th position in 2015 out of 25 regions in mainland Tanzania

CARGO pile-up at Dar es Salaam port and traffic jams on the city roads are likely to ease soon, thanks to a multibillion dry port project at Ruvu in Coast Region.

Works, Transport and Communications Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa is optimistic construction of the 7.3bn/- inland container depot that will receive cargo through the central railway will play a critical role in enhancing efficiency at the port.
Professor Mbarawa, speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday after witnessing the project’s contract signing between Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Director General Deusdedit Kakoko and Tanzania National Service’s SUMA-JKT Principal Legal Officer John Mbungo, described reliable transport and storage facilities afar from the port as inevitable for the port efficiency.
The construction works on the project that is scheduled for completion in a nine-week time on an area measuring 500 hectares, will link the facility to the railway line at Ruvu. “Reliable transport and storage facilities far from the harbour are crucial in boosting efficiency at the port.
In the future, even private Inland Container Depots in Dar es Salaam will be relocated on the outskirts of the city,” charged the minister. He was positive that the economic wing of the Tanzania National Service will accomplish the project on time and at the required standards.
“The government treats Suma-JKT as any other contractor and we expect the best from them given the fact that the dry port is designed as one of the biggest in the country,” he observed Plans are also underway, according to the minister, to construct a new berth specifically for vehicles as well as expanding and dredging berths one to seven at the Dar es Salaam port.
“Contractors for the projects have been secured, what lays ahead is for the Attorney General to go through the contracts after which we will conduct due diligence of the bidder. The signing of the agreement will be done in one-month time.
Presently, larger ships fail to dock when there is low tide but the berth dredging will allow the vessels to anchor smoothly,” he observed. The minister as well announced plans to expand the berth at Mtwara port in the Southern Tanzania on the area measuring 300 metres to allow larger ocean going vessels to dock.
Speaking at the occasion, Colonel Mbungo assured the minister that the project would be executed competently.“It is not our first time to undertake government projects, in the past we were contracted to construct 400 houses for public officials and we completed on time,” he boasted. He pleaded with the government to consider Suma-JKT for future construction projects.

THE police force in Arusha Region has taken a new approach in the fight against narcotics by taking stock of its own staff and right now, Corporal Zakayo D/ CPL has been arrested for allegedly fabricating such cases against innocent citizens

Regional Police Commander, Mr Charles Mkumbo said the sweep against drug dealers, pushers and users in his precinct started back on the 7th of February and so far, more than 80 suspects have been netted as many others are under surveillance.
The Police Officer, Zakayo D/CPL, who was arrested for fabricating criminal cases against people and soliciting bribes in the process, was also accused of being unruly, insubordinate and dealing with drugs himself.
During the nine-day period of narcotics dealers flushing exercise, the police here managed to impound more than 3,850 rolls of marijuana and the 54 people who bagged the consignment were also arrested in the process.
“The police also nabbed 12 other suspects with 167 pieces of heroin, 33 kilograms of chewable drug, Khat, together with 14 suspects involved, as well as one businessman believed to be an importer and exporter of heroin, among other illegal drugs.
Arusha is notorious for marijuana, originating from mostly Kisimiri Ward of Arumeru, chewable weed imported from the base of Mount Kenya and ferried into the country via Namanga border and illegal brew, produced in slummy or congested parts of the city.
Meanwhile, as people around the world celebrated ‘Valentines’ Day,’ on Tuesday, the 14th of February, which is the annual date for showing affection to loved ones, most hotels and guest houses in Arusha City and Karatu township were reported to be fully booked throughout the day.



Yusuf Manji
EMBATTLED Dar es Salaam-based businessman and owner of Quality Group of Companies Yusuph Manji faces charges of illegal hiring of 25 foreigners without working permits

The Immigration Department last Friday conducted an intensive search at the Quality Centre building along Nyerere Road and uncovered the 126 foreign employees, 25 of whom lacked valid permits to work in the country.
The move comes as a double tragedy for the business tycoon who was since last Thursday detained by police following the mentioning of his name by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda as one of the suspects engaged in drug dealings and abuse. Manji, who also chairs Young Africans Sports Club, is currently admitted at Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) to where he was rushed on Sunday evening from the Police Central Station in the city.
Dar es Salaam Regional Immigration Officer John Msumule told report-ers in the city yesterday that the department was out to arrest the businessman on Monday for arraignment but could not do so as the suspect was admitted to hospital.
“He should report to immigration office immediately after discharge from hospital to answer charges against him.
As an employer and owner of the company, Manji will be charged alongside the 25 foreigners at his company,” he explained.
The immigration official cautioned employers against hiring foreigners without working permits, stating that the department will take actions against all the perpetrators irrespective of their wealth or status.
Just recently, the Quality Group was ejected from the Quality Plaza building at Banda la Ngozi area after it failed to settle arrears it owed in rent to owner of the building, Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF).
Quality Group built the building, which it later sold to the pension fund but the seller remained a tenant, until it was evicted following a series of legal battles over the rent arrears

A PROSECUTION witness, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Salum Hamduni, yesterday told the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam that words published in a weekly tabloid, ‘Mawio’ Newspaper, in January last year, over Zanzibar were seditious

The witness, who is currently Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Ilala, disclosed that had it not for intervention measures taken at the time such publication would have incited disaffection to citizens against the lawful authority of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
He was giving evidence in the seditious trial of Singida East Member of Parliament (MP) Tundu Lissu and three others, including two senior journalists with ‘Mawio’ Newspaper, Jabir Yunus and Simon Mkina and a Printer, Ismail Mehbood.
Led by State Attorney Paul Kadushi, the witness told Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba that on January 4, last year, he was working with the police force as Deputy Zonal Crime officer. On that day, he said, he received information with criminal elements and likely to jeopardize peace.
According to him, there were informal assemblies at various places where some newspapers are sold in the city of Dar es Salaam. Such gatherings, the witness went on, were discussing the outcome of Zanzibar following a story in ‘Mawio’ Newspaper dated January 14-20, 2016.
“I informed the Zonal Crime Officer over the matter and the police headquarters where they said a similar situation had happened in Zanzibar. I inquired about the publication of the newspapers to see whether there were any seditious elements,” he testified.
The witness told the court that after getting hold of the newspaper, he noticed that it carried a heading, titled “Machafuko yaja Zanzibar.” Upon going through the publication, he said, the contents had seditious elements that were likely to promote ill feelings of citizens against the government.
ACP Hamduni testified that he decided to initiate investigations onto the matter to see whether there were any criminal elements committed therein by opening a file and handed the assignment to other senior officers, including Assistant Superintendent of Police James and Assistant Inspector of Police Nicholaus.
He concluded his evidence in chief that he directed such police officers subordinate to him to continue with thorough investigations and later hand over the file to the office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further actions, including drawing of charges and possible prosecution of suspected offenders.
Cross-examined by advocate Peter Kibatala, for the accused person, the witness admitted that he had no statistics showing the circulation of the newspaper both in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar and that nothing happened on the aftermath of the publication because the situation was contained.
The witness also admitted that the highly disputed publication is an interview between the writer, Jabir Yunus and Tundu Lissu, who is well known lawyer and a lawmaker with the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema).
He also responded during the cross-examination session that he was not sure whether the contents of the publication show that Lissu was beseeching President John Magufuli to intervene, what is described as crisis in Zanzibar to avoid what the advocate termed as bloodshed.

THE government plans to introduce a national policy on Kiswahili in order to facilitate growth of the international language. Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Mr Nape Nnauye said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the new national policy will address challenges facing the growth of Kiswahili language. “Previously, Kiswahili was just part of the national policy on culture.


The new policy will be separate from the national policy on culture,” said the Minister while winding up discussions between the government and Kiswahili and culture key stakeholders.
The meeting brought together Kiswahili book authors, artists and government officials from institutions under the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports to discuss the Kiswahili development. Mr Nnauye noted that the views from the meeting will help to improve formation of the national policy on Kiswahili.
“The new national policy on Kiswahili will expand scope of the growth of Kiswahili beyond the country’s borders,” he observed. Mr Nnauye pointed out major challenges facing the growth of Kiswahili language as shortage of resources, lack of national policy on the language and will to promote it.
The Minister hailed President John Magufuli for the use of Kiswahili language in international functions, pointing out that the Head of State has tremendously helped to promote the language.
Book author, Shafi Adam Shafi urged the reintroduction of Kiswahili in schools of journalism, pointing out that previously one had to perform well in Kiswahili subject in order to graduate from schools of journalism. “This will prevent poor use of Kiswahili in media. Previously, the language was one of course units in journalism,” said the ‘Vuta N’kuvute’ book author.
The National Council of Culture (BASATA) Executive Secretary, Geoffrey Mungereza, said there should be accreditation of Kiswahili teachers to teach in schools to promote good use of the language.
“We should control ‘Jacks of All Trades’ in Kiswahili teaching in order to have only competent Kiswahili teachers in schools for growth of the language,” he said.


EAST African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Speaker, Mr Daniel Kidega
EAST African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Speaker, Mr Daniel Kidega, has commended President John Magufuli for his sterling development- oriented leadershiP

According to a media statement from the Directorate of Presidential Communications, Mr Kidega has called on Tanzanians and other people in the East African region to support the president whose leadership style remains exemplary.
The regional assembly speaker made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday shortly after holding talks with the head of state on various issues including cementing relationship among countries in the bloc.
“Tanzanians and people in East Africa are lucky to get such a powerful and exemplary leader. Magufuli leads us in a way that we are on the right track to achieve rapid development and record reforms, I urge all Tanzanians and other people in the region to support him,” he noted.
In another development, President Magufuli yesterday met British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ms Sarah Cooke. The two leaders discussed how their countries can strengthen cooperation in investment, aviation sector, revenue collections and war against narcotics.
Dr Magufuli thanked the diplomat and assured her of continued cooperation. He showed gratitude to the UK government for increasing funding for various development projects in the country.
Meanwhile, President Magufuli yesterday met International Monetary Fund (IMF) Resident Representative in Tanzania, Mr Bhaswar Mukhopadhyay. They held talks on a range of development activities being implemented in the country between the government and the global monetary organisation.
Mr Mukhopadhyay commended president Magufuli for efforts he has so far taken to improve country’s economy. Dr Magufuli also met East African Community (EAC) Secretary- General Liberat Mfumukeko and held talks on various issues.



Minister for Information, Youths, Artists, Culture and Sports Nape Nnauye
MEDIA practitioners have been advised to read and understand the country’s laws and regulations better – and refrain from listening and believing everything they are told by outsiders.

The call was made by the Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Nape Nnauye, during celebrations to mark the World Radio Day at the Open University grounds. “You must read the laws and regulations in depth so that you can understand them.
This will make it possible for you to identify laws that are hindering development of the profession so we can sit down and discuss,” Minister Nnauye noted when responding to queries on laws that are stifling growth of the profession.
February 13 is World Radio Day, which celebrates the radio as a way of educating people, providing information, and promoting freedom of expression across cultures. However, it was noted during the celebrations yesterday that the Media Service and Statistics Acts were infringing on freedom of the important sector in the development of the nation.
The Deputy Chairperson of the Community Media Network of Tanzania (COMNET), Prosper Kwigize, said community radio stations were facing a myriad of challenges including present laws governing the sector. But Mr Nape stressed that the laws were not holy books, and that that more than 80 per cent of news is from the government and the media have the right to access the news.
“We should sit down … discuss issues and come to an agreement... Parliament is tasked with enacting laws,” he explained, adding that not every information from the government was classified.
Mr Nape noted that to ensure easy access to information from the government, public relations officers have been directed to participate in all meetings and disseminate reports to journalists with confidence and without fear.
“It is the work of the government to put in place a good environment for growth of the media sector and will continue to fight for that because it recognizes the importance of the media,” he noted further.
The minister also urged the community radios to find ways to connect with providers of national news to ensure their audiences do not miss out on important issues from other parts of the country. “Since these community radios are based in remote areas, efforts should be directed to ensuring they access national news as well so they do not miss out important issues,” he stressed.



SIMIYU Regional Commissioner Anthony Mtaka
SIMIYU Region has allocated at least 3,000 acres to pilot irrigation farming at Mwananyili area in Busega District, in efforts to turn the newly formed region into food production hub.

The Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Anthony Mtaka, revealed here yesterday that the irrigation project is scheduled to commence next year. He said the region aspires becoming the country’s main food producer, adding that plans are already in place to realise the goal.
Busega District, according to Mr Mtaka, is the 2017 priority district for agriculture production. “We look forward to use Lake Victoria water for irrigation farming, our aim is to feed Tanzania and other neighbouring countries and this is possible because we are well prepared and determined,” he assured.
The regional chief noted that currently his office is looking for an affordable irrigation model that will help to successfully execute the project.
“We are sure that this project will take off as planned and we are currently looking for an affordable irrigation model that will help us to implement the project without problems,” he said, describing Busega as a strategically located district on the highway to Dar es Salaam and close to Lake Victoria.
The RC said his office has already asked various stakeholders to chip-in to support the project.
“Our aim is to see this project taking off within three years from now,” he noted.
The region has communicated with the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) through its agriculture window to support the project and prospects are high that the bank will cooperate.
According to Mr Mtaka, Busega is planned to become a unique district with irrigation farming countrywide. “We want to ensure that the type of agriculture practised in Busega and Simiyu Region is quite different from that of Same District and other areas that have no access to Lake Victoria ... we are determined to feed the country,” said Mr Mtaka.



DAR ES SALAAM Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda displays a file that contains 97 names of alleged drug dealers before he handed it over to Commissioner General of the Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority Rodgers Sianga in the city yesterday. (Photo by Mohamed Mambo)
NINETY-SEVEN names of suspected drug barons were yesterday handed over to newly appointed Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) Commissioner General Rogers Sianga.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC) Paul Makonda presented the names as Commander of the Special Police Zone Simon Sirro revealed that the law enforcers have so far netted 311 suspects with 544 pellets of heroin and cocaine as well as five sacks, 438 bundles and 37 pellets of bhang.
Commissioner of Police Sirro also hinted that 45 out of the individuals whom the RC recently summoned at the Central Police Station had not reported for questioning, stressing that police will look out for them. “The new list is a groundshaker as it includes kingpins involved in narcotics from the Second Phase Government under President Ali Hassan Mwinyi.
These people used to import between 2,000 and 5,000 kilogrammes of narcotics for transit and supply in the local market. “There are also children of public leaders who are not directly involved in the illegal trade, but used their positions to abet passing of the narcotics at airports for commissions,” charged Mr Makonda, adding that the new list includes politicians, religious leaders and businesspersons. He said yesterday’s listing was the third of the seven catalogues pending release.
According to Mr Makonda, there are currently 27 out of 50 unofficial docks along the Indian Ocean coast used to transit banned substances.
“We are also aware of 200 houses, some of which are owned by politicians as well as 67 hotels, 20 night clubs and 107 jobless corners which are notorious for hosting drug dealers and users,” he disclosed, lashing at the mushrooming bureux de change in Dar es Salaam, currently at over 200, some of which are used to cleanse drug barons’ ill-gotten money.
“The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has put a limit of 100,000 US dollars on transactions per day but some bureaus transact up to three million dollars (over 6bn/), which is questionable ... we need as well to restrict the amount money one is allowed to ship out of the country, if the war against drugs has to succeed,” charged the RC. The RC belittled the critics of his approach in the fight against drugs, describing them as people who have in one way or another benefited from the illegal trade.
“Parents and relatives of people who have been affected by the drugs understand the pain. I will not stop the fight against people bent on destroying the young generation and the country’s workforce,” he vowed.
According to the RC, it is estimated that between 10 and 15 kilogrammes of cocaine and heroin are consumed in Dar es Salaam daily. Commander Sirro explained that the police have conducted crackdowns on dealers, peddlers and users during the past three weeks.
The clampdown team includes Deputy Dar es Salaam Regional Crime Officer, officials from the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services, Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) as well as officials from the RC office.
Former drugs addict and local artiste Khaleed Mohammed alias TID and two young girls from a sober house in Kigamboni gave a chilling testimony of how they got involved in drug abuse before they decided to quit. TID admitted to have gone wrong and asked his family to forgive him now that he has reformed, pledging to play a positive role in fighting the use and trade of illicit drugs.
“Drug use is a public disaster; I want to become a good example now ... imagine if my son Jamal followed my steps, what legacy would I leave for myself and the local music industry,” he regretted.
He was nevertheless happy that his recent arrest and eventual arraignment before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court had played a positive role in transforming him.



Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) Commissioner General Rogers Sianga
NEWLY appointed Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) Commissioner General Rogers Sianga yesterday descended on drug dealers and accused some dishonest judges and magistrates of meddling in narcotics related cases.

He vowed to ‘leave no stone unturned’ in the fight against narcotics, declaring a relentless war on government officials, including those who last year facilitated the importation of 21,000 tonnes of precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of drugs.
On his first public appearance since he was sworn-in by President John Magufuli on Sunday, the DCEA boss ordered the authority’s Commissioner for Operations Mihayo Msikhela to prepare the list of the distrustful members of the judiciary for submission to the Chief Justice.
“There should be checks and balances in the running of the government, we have on record judges and magistrates who release suspects caught red-handed with narcotics,” he charged, at a meeting that the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC) organised in the city yesterday.
He fumed; “There was one person who was arrested with 50 kilogrammes and another one with 180 pellets of drugs, but they were all released by courts in mysterious circumstances.”In a related development, Mr Sianga directed his deputy, Mr Msikhela, to investigate and take actions against the officials who aided the importation of 21,000 tones of the precursor chemicals.
The plain-speaking Sianga summoned for questioning a Dar es Salaam resident he identified as Ayoub Mfaume Kiboko, in relation to dealings in the illicit substances. “I will keep on the tempo initiated by President Magufuli and RC Makonda in the crackdown ... no one is above the law,” he said.
He said the clampdown will be extended to all regions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar to book all people aiding and abetting dealings in narcotics. The DCEA chief was confident of winning the war against drugs, thanks to the Drug Enforcement and Control Act of 2015 that empowers the authority to arrest suspects, seize property and proceeds obtained from the illegal trade.
“The authority will deal with drugs from three aspects - the supply and demand of drugs as well as harm reduction for those already affected by drugs ... we should not stay aside in this fight; it is our war and no one is safe if we allow drug kingpins to continue this business.
Drugs have social, health and economic effects on the population, particularly the youth,” he stated. Commissioner Msikhela confirmed that his office had finalised the list of judges and magistrates who have been thwarting efforts by the law enforcement agencies to bring to justice the netted suspects.
Mr Msikhela who was until recently the Commander of Police Anti-Drugs Unit blasted some heads of public health facilities for diverting prescribed medicines to the market.
“They acquire the prescribed medicines from the Medical Stores Department (MSD) and sell them to the market where they end up being abused,” he charged
.The authority’s Commissioner for Intelligence Fredrick Kibuta called on members of the public to provide information about people they suspect to deal in the illicit trade to enable the law enforcement agencies to act.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Council of Religious Leaders Against Drugs who is also Chief Sheikh of Dar es Salaam, Alhaj Alhaad Musa and Bishop George Fupe of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT), rallied their support behind the government, urging leaders to act without fear or favour.
The Chairman of CCM in Dar es Salaam Region, Mr Ramadhani Madabida, urged the government to act tough on the illicit trade as stipulated by the ruling party manifesto spanning between 2015 and 2020.



Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa
PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has directed Commissioner General of Prisons (CGP), Dr Juma Malewa, to supervise demarcation of all land belonging to the Prisons Department countrywide to make sure they have physical boarder markings.

Premier Majaliwa issued the directives yesterday during a meeting he organised in his office in Dodoma between the new prisons chief executive and his subordinate officers, notably those responsible with agriculture and industries from all regions in the country.
"A good number of our prisons are located in unsurveyed areas. Some of these areas are embroiled in conflicts because the public has encroached on Prisons land. We must survey the areas and put up physical boundary marks," Prime Minister Majaliwa stressed. The premier also pointed out that the Prison department has large farmlands which have also not been surveyed, making it easier for the public to carry out cultivation in the farmlands.
"I know that Prison Department has large tracks of farmland which have not been surveyed. Every RPO is a member of the regional safety and security committee ... use land surveyors from your councils and make sure that these land areas receive title deeds," he stressed.
The premier said it was high time that the department lists opportunities available and decided the best way forward in development the areas and becoming independent.
"If it’s agriculture, livestock or electricity production ... you must decide so we can figure out the best opportunity that can be attractive to investors but the most important thing is to ensure the land has valid documents," he noted.
Mr Majaliwa said there were some Prisons that were very popular in agriculture production but none of them owns even a tractor, saying "agriculture technology has changed we must move to modern ways of farming."
Speaking on Livestock and fisheries, Mr Majaliwa directed the Prisons Department to use its expertise to train prisoners so they can use the knowledge and skills gained when they complete serving their jail terms. "I have visited Nanenane and Sabasaba grounds and saw chicken coops constructed on top of fish dams.
This means that chicken waste is food for the fish," he added. The premier asked Dr Malewa to figure out the possibility of putting up workshops in every prison so that prisoners can be put to work.
"I have visited Isanga Prison and saw doors that did not have locks and because there is no workshop they had to get a locksmith from outside. With a fully functioning workshop complete with electricity supply, there will not be a need to get someone from outside the Prison buildings," he explained.
Speaking on lack of residential housing units for Prison Officers, Premier Majaliwa directed the Prison department to make use of available resources including human and natural resources to make bricks.
"Instead of depending on tendering process make use of the type of sand available and make bricks including the hydraform bricks, you would have reduced the huge work that would have gone into building the houses by a large per cent," he noted.
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