Panga la Magufuli lafyeka kigogo Reli

Kasi ya Rais, Dk. John Magufuli, katika kufichua ubadhirifu wa fedha katika taasisi za serikali imeshika kasi ,baada ya jana kumsimamisha kazi Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Kampuni Hodhi ya Rasilimali za Reli Tanzania (RAHCO), Mhandisi Benhadard Tito.

Kusimamishwa kwa mkurugenzi huyo kumeelezwa ni kupisha uchunguzi  wa kina kutokana na ukiukwaji wa taratibu za manunuzi uliobainika katika mchakato wa utoaji wa zabuni ya ujenzi wa reli ya kati.

Kadhalika, Rais Magufuli amevunja Bodi ya Mamlaka ya Reli Tanzania (TRL), kutokana na kutoridhishwa na jinsi ilivyoshughulikia ripoti ya uchunguzi wa mchakato wa ununuzi wa mabehewa ya treni.

Reli ya kati imekuwa ikilalamikiwa kwa muda mrefu kushindwa kutoa huduma za uhakika kwa wananchi kunakosababishwa na kuharibika mara kwa mara kwa miundombinu.

Kutokana na hali hiyo, Rais Dk. Magufuli katika kampeni zake aliwahi kueleza kuwa atajenga reli hiyo kwa kiwango cha kisasa (Standard Gauge).

Katibu Mkuu Kiongozi, Balozi Ombeni Sefue, alieleza kuwa Rais Dk. Magufuli amefikia uamuzi wa kumsimamisha mkurugenzi huyo baada ya kuitisha kikao cha wataalamu kutoka wizara na taasisi mbalimbali za serikali ambazo zinahusika katika utekelezaji wa mradi wa ujenzi wa reli ya kati kwa kiwango cha kisasa yaani ‘Standard Gauge’.

Balozi Sefue alisema  mbali na Rais Dk. Magufuli kumsimamisha kazi mkurugenzi huyo, pia ameivunja Bodi ya RAHCO baada ya kujiridhisha kuwa haikutekeleza ipasavyo wajibu wake katika kusimamia mchakato wa zabuni hiyo na badala yake imeonekana kutetea kilichofanyika.

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Habari Zilizopo Katika Magazeti ya Leo Alhamisi ya Disemba 24

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Rais Magufuli amemalizia kuwateua Mawaziri Wanne Waliokuwa Wamebaki...Majina na Wizara zao ziko Hapa

Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Dkt. John Pombe Magufuli amemalizia kujaza nafasi za uteuzi wa Mawaziri na Naibu Waziri alizobakiza wakati akitangaza baraza la Mawaziri la kwanza katika awamu ya tano yautawala wake

Uteuzi huo ni kama ifuatavyo;

1.Profesa Jumanne Maghembe -Ameteuliwa kuwa Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii.

2.Dkt. Philip Mpango – Ameteuliwa kuwa Waziri wa Fedha na Mipango (Ni baada ya kumteua kuwa Mbunge).

3.Mhandisi Gerson Lwenge – Ameteuliwa kuwa Waziri wa Maji na Umwagiliaji.

4.Dkt. Joyce Ndalichako – Ameteuliwa kuwa Waziri wa Elimu,Sayansi,Teknolojia na Ufundi.(Ni baada ya kumteua kuwa Mbunge)

5.Mheshimiwa Hamad Masauni – Ameteuliwa kuwa Naibu Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi

6.Prof.Makame Mbarawa –Amehamishwa kutoka Wizara ya Maji na Umwagiliaji na kwenda Wizara ya Ujenzi, uchukuzi na Mawasiliano

Katika hatua nyingine Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Dkt. John Pombe Magufuli amewatakia heri watanzania wote katika Sikukuu za Maulid, Christmas na Mwaka Mpya na kuwataka washerehekee kwa amani na utulivu.

Gerson Msigwa

Kaimu Mkurugenzi wa Mawasiliano, IKULU

23 Desemba, 2015

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Government orders all National IDs issued by mid 2016

The government has ordered the National Identification Authority (NIDA) to issue National Identification cards to all eligible Tanzanians before the end of this financial year in July 2016.

Speaking shortly after visiting the NIDA offices in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Minister for Home Affairs, Charles Kitwanga said all people who are above 18 years old are supposed to have a National ID by the end of the government’s financial year.

“The fifth phase government wants to ensure it reaches its goal for the country to attain middle income status, issuing all Tanzanians with IDs is part of the process,” he said

“I also ordered the National Identification Authority (NIDA) to bring their strategic plan to solve challenges they face in issuing the National IDs,” he added.

Kitwanga who is also the Member of Parliament for Misungwi constituency ordered NIDA to use the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) machines from National Electoral Commission (NEC) to help complete the exercise.

“NIDA told me that they have several challenges including shortage of machines for registrations, I told them to borrow the machines from NEC to complete the exercise,” he said.

 “I also advised NIDA to use manpower from TAMISEMI and provide them with short course training...we want this exercise to complete soon,” noted the minister.

NIDA Director General Dickson Maimu said more than 6.1 million Tanzanians have been registered since the exercise began in February, 2013.

 “We will give the Minister our strategic plan on Monday and we will include the number of registration machines that we need to complete the exercise as well as the funds and a number of workers,” he said

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President Magufuli- Seif Hamad meet on Z'bar political impasse

President John Magufuli yesterday met with Zanzibar’s First Vice President Seif Sharrif Hamad on the political impasse in the Isles.

The discussion between the two leaders was also attended by the Union Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

A Statement availed to The Guardian yesterday by State House said both leaders were optimistic that the safety and calmness in Zanzibar will be maintained despite the political standoff.

The statement said President Magufuli commended Zanzibar President Dr   Ali Mohamed Shein, the First Vice President Hamad and other leaders who participated in dialogue that has thus far kept Zanzibar at peace despite the tension.

The President also applauded the people of Zanzibar for maintaining peace and tranquility as the dialogue between the leaders of the Civic United Front and Chama Cha Mapinduzi carries on.

The statement said that during the talks, Zanzibar’s First Vice President Hamad informed President Magufuli on the current political standing of Zanzibar and that President Magufuli commended the report calling upon him to proceed with the dialogue to reach a consensus.

All the leaders expressed hope and optimism that the two parties will resolve the political standoff amicably.

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Muhas launches genetics laboratory No other EAC country has a lab of this standard - Former President Mwinyi

Dar es salaam based Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) yesterday launched a new Genetics Laboratory to be used in research on genetic disorders, diagnostic services and teaching at the university.

The establishment of the Genetics Laboratory was spearheaded by the Tanzanian Consulate to Istanbul-Turkey, Ziya Karahan who generously donated the laboratory equipments worth more than USD 1 million, while the construction and repairing of the building done by MUHAS and incurred 129m/-.

Speaking at the commissioning of the MUHAS Genetics Laboratory (MGL), Former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi said it has been a long time standing ambition for Tanzania to host a large genetic laboratory which will not only be useful to its citizens but also those from nearby countries.

Former President Mwinyi, who is also a MUHAS Chancellor, was central to the set up of the lab having generated interest between MUHAS and the Doctors Worldwide-Turkey (DWWT) and the University of Istanbul to collaborate in medical training programmes

“This is a unique opportunity for people from other countries to come get knowledge here that meets international standards,” he said.

“This laboratory is found nowhere else within East Africa it is only here so I extend special acknowledgement to the people of Istanbul-Turkey for making this happen,” said the former president.

On his part, the institute’s Vice Chancellor Prof Ephata Kaaya said the laboratory will be used for teaching at MUHAS, Muhimbili National Hospital and other Hospitals including that of Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute.

“It will open an avenue for research in genetics and make it possible to confirm genetic disorders and therefore save money that would otherwise be incurred in referring specimens to reference laboratories outside the country,” he said.

“The university will therefore oversee the function of the laboratory and ensure that it provides quality services to acceptable standards,” he said

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Mobile phones get new security mode

To enforce the new identification mechanism, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has set a six-month deadline for mobile phone users to switch from counterfeit to original phones before the end of June 2016 when fake phones go off the air.

TCRA Director General Dr Ally Simba said the CEIR will enable the regulatory authority to manage the communication sector better in the wake of the ever-increasing wave of mobile phone theft in the country.

Using the users mobile handset’s special international mobile equipment identity number (IMEI), service providers can block the stolen handsets, thus rendering the gadget useless for both the thief or whoever will buy the stolen phone. “Users will provide the IMEIs to their service providers who will then block the phone. The phone will not work for all service providers once blocked.

This will also help curb use of phones in illegal activities,” Dr Simba explained. The CIER system launched by TCRA yesterday will be used to register IMEs for all mobile phone users in the country, which will then facilitate the security controls.

Dr Simba added that the implementation of CEIR is a requirement by the Electronic and Postal Communications Regulations 2011, which also requires all mobile phone service providers to establish the Equipment Identity Register (EIR), which started formally in 2014 for all the service providers.

Already the system is in place for Zantel, Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo and Smart, while the process is in different stages for TTCL, Smile and Viettel, Dr Simba told reporters.

The DG noted that the communication sector in the country has grown tremendously, noting that registered mobile phone lines have increased to 35,950,090 by September 2015 from 2,963,737 in 2005.

A study conducted by TCRA showed that the average costs of an original mobile phone is between 20,000/- to 60,000/- for ordinary phones, while smart phones sell at between 100,000/- and 1.5m/-.

“This means prices of the ordinary phones are affordable to the majority of Tanzanians, without any difficulties. Once the counterfeit phones are blocked,” Dr Simba explained, noting that for the next six months, the regulatory authority will focus on educating the public on how to recognise genuine mobile phones.

Speaking during the launch, the Chief Secretary, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, said the CEIR system has come at the right time to control stealing of mobile phone handsets and use of fake mobiles phones in circulation in the country.

Ambassador Sefue called on those depending on stealing and selling stolen mobile phones to seek other appropriate and legal lines of business. He noted the presence of and condemned impostors who con others by pretending to be senior government officials.

“This system will put a stop to offensive tendencies by some people, especially those who pretend to be government officials to con others of their money and stealing mobile phones and reselling them,” he explained.

Establishment of the CIER system is part TCRA’s broader system in improving the communication sector in the country, in 2013, the government installed the Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring System (TTMS), which among other important things, enables the regulatory authority to identify fraudulent operators causing government revenue losses.

TTMS also provided the government with a new source of revenue from international calls as well as providing the correct data on communication in the country. The system also keeps track of mobile money transactions through its Mobile Money Monitoring component, implemented to follow up more closely mobile money transactions.

TCRA is sharing the system with the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to ensure government revenue is collected on time. According to the TCRA director general, the Mobile Money Monitoring component will enable the government enact appropriate policies and legislations that will promote better use of the service.

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MOI operates on 50 swollen head kids tomorrow

 A Non-Governmental Organization, Friends of Children with Cancer Tanzania (FoCC) in collaboration with Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) will for the first time in Tanzania tomorrow conduct surgery en masse on 50 children suffering from hydrocephalus condition.

Hydrocephalus which means “water in the brain” is a condition that occurs when fluid builds up in the skull causing brain to swell.

The swelling from fluid buildup that mainly occurs in children and adults over the age of 60 may lead to physical, brain and intellectual impairments in its advanced stage. 

But Director of MOI, Dr Othman Kiloloma told the press in Dar es Salaam yesterday that it was common in Tanzania for children born with hydrocephalus to be either kept away from the public or killed by their parents due to ignorance and superstitious beliefs.

“Most of the hydrocephalus children in the country are killed or hidden by their families due to cultural misconceptions… their parents or relatives kill them immediately,” he said, adding that while about 4,800 cases are born in the country every year only 400 are sent to MOI for treatment. 

He decried the killing and harboring of young patients of the otherwise curable disease, urging parents to send the kids to hospital immediately as  signs of impairment are noticed in them.

But he cited lack of education and awareness among the parents as a serious setback for the public to respond to his call.

He mentioned major cause of the problem as the absence of folic acid found in greens and potatoes among expectant mothers.

“Consumption of sweet potatoes, cassava and vegetables or folic acid vitamins is essential to expectant mothers in order to mould a healthy child free from diseases like hydrocephalus,” he noted.

Hydrocephalus is excessive fluid in brain which causes much pressure to the extent of damaging brain tissues. In humans, it happens when the neuro tube defect fails to develop properly after three weeks of pregnancy, causing too poor production of brain cells to provide space that is filled with water.

FoCC Director Janeth Manoni said her team had extended support to the sick children so as to enable them realize their future dreams and help fight against public stigma typically imposed on kids and their families. 

“These children need support from family to community level as they have physical disabilities. They need support to carry out their daily duties,” she said

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TRA goes Chinese in tax collections

Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has embarked on training Chinese business community on taxation laws and regulations to promote revenue collections among the mainly business community. 

The country has observed an increased number of Chinese investors in various manufacturing industries dodging tax payment, leading to the loss of government revenues.

However, TRA Manager of Taxpayer Education Diana Masalla said the authority is conducting a seminar to ensure that foreign business men including Chinese comply with the country’s tax laws, though “Chinese nationals are among the best taxpayers in the country.” 

“We aren’t saying Chinese businessmen are not paying tax, but this is our routine seminars to businessmen in breaking the communication barrier in tax payment system, apparently  broadening the tax base,” she said.

Mesalla said that the move follows discovery that language posed a major communication barrier between Chinese business community and TRA.

“Language is a big challenge to the them. They wouldn’t understand the rules and regulations surrounding our tax payment system, and that’s why we have introduced such seminars,” she said.

  

She was echoed by Managing Director of Jiteng Consultancy Limited, Andrew Huang, a Dar es Salaam-based Chinese entrepreneur who said that his compatriots failed to communicate with tax collectors mainly due to language barrier. “Some of us speak neither Swahili nor English, while the tax men don’t speak Chinese,” he said.

“Chinese businessmen have found themselves in trouble with tax collectors not because they are reluctant at paying, but rather because they are ignorant of taxation details,” he added. 

Familiar with the Tanzania’s tax environment, Haung said he was actively engaged in waging awareness campaign in promoting tax collection among his people and act as a bond between TRA and his community. 

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