Sudan Protests

   CAIRO (AP) - Thousands demonstrated Friday in nearly two dozen neighborhoods of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, calling for President Omar Bashir to step down, according to activists, keeping up the pressure on the autocratic general-turned-president who has been in power for nearly 30 years.

   The activists said hundreds also took to the streets Friday in the railway city of Atbara north of Khartoum, Obeid in the western North Kordofan province, and Senar and Wad Madani south of the capital. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals.

   They said police used tear gas to disperse protesters in the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman, a traditional hotbed of dissent. There were no reports of casualties.

   Friday's protests were the latest in a wave of demonstrations that began across much of Sudan on Dec. 19, first against price rises and shortages but which later turned against Bashir, in power since a 1989 military coup he led. They coincide with worsening economic woes that saw a currency devaluation spiking prices, fuel shortages and a steep rise in the price of bread, a main fare for most Sudanese.

   The government says elections are the only legitimate means for "regime change" and insists that "subversive elements" have infiltrated the ranks of peaceful protesters. Lawmakers loyal to Bashir are rallying support in the legislature for constitutional amendments to allow Bashir, who is in his mid-70s, to run for election in 2020.

   On Friday, the spokesman for U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he wanted authorities in Sudan to conduct a "thorough investigation" od the deaths and violence during the protests. "The Secretary-General emphasizes the need to safeguard freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," the spokesman said.

   London-based rights group Amnesty International says it has "reliable reports" to show that 37 people were killed in the first five days of unrest. The United States, Britain, Canada and Norway have expressed concern about the use of lethal force by security forces against protesters and are demanding an investigation.

   On Thursday, the government gave its first casualty figures from the unrest. It said 19 people were killed in the protests and more than 200 protesters were wounded. Nearly 190 members of the security forces were wounded, it added.

   As in previous protests, participants numbered in the hundreds or very low thousands, but the continuing defiance of the government in the face of security forces accused of using lethal force indicate a high level of popular discontent.

   But it's too soon to speculate on whether these relatively modest numbers could force Bashir to step down. They may embolden top army commanders to counsel the president to quit in the nation's interest, although another general at the helm is unlikely to placate the Sudanese. A protracted uprising would likely paralyze the country and turn into the kind of chaos seen in Libya, whose 2011 revolt turned into a civil war that has left the country divided to this day.

   Sudan's military has dominated the country since independence in 1956 and the ongoing protests bear some resemblance to popular revolts in 1964 and 1985 that toppled military regimes and ushered in democratically elected governments, later overthrown by military coups in 1969 and 1989 respectively.

   The protesters in Atbara chanted "the people want to bring down the regime," the main slogan of the Arab Spring revolts of 2010 and 2011. In Omdurman, they chanted "freedom, peace and justice."

   A video clip provided to The Associated Press by the activists and posted online purported to show the scene at a Khartoum mosque where Bashir, an Islamist, performed his Friday prayers. A lone male voice could be heard shouting "Bashir, leave!" The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.

   Friday's protests also coincided with an indefinite strike by doctors and a three-day strike by journalists that began on Thursday.

   Also Friday, the activists reported another wave of arrests of opposition leaders, including some of the organizers of an attempted march on Bashir's presidential palace on Tuesday. The call for the march attracted thousands of participants who clashed with police who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them. Scores were wounded, some seriously.

   Among those arrested is the chairman of the liberal Sudan Conference Party and a senior leader of the Communist Party, the latter a key player in past popular uprisings.

Maandamano dhidi ya Bomba la Gesi: Kilio cha Uwajibikaji

Maandamano dhidi ya Bomba la Gesi

Picha Hisani ya: Mtwara Kumekucha Blog by Baraka Mfunguo

'Dar inachangia asilimia 80 ya mapato. Kitovu cha Uchumi. Dar inachangia 90% ya ufisadi. Uti wa mgongo wa ufisadi nchini'


Na Mh. Zitto Kabwe
Malumbano kati ya wananchi wa Mtwara na Serikali kuhusu matumizi bora ya utajiri wa nchi yameendelea kwa takribani wiki moja sasa. Baada ya Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Mtwara na Waziri wa Nishati na Madini kuwaita Watanzania wa Mtwara Wahaini, wapuuzi na watu hatari, Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania naye aliingia kwenye mjadala huo kwa kuonya watu wanaowaunga mkono watu wa Mtwara na kuwaita watu wanaotafuta umaarufu wa kisiasa na wanaotaka kugawa nchi. Siku moja baada ya hotuba ya Rais, Waziri wa Nishati na Madini alifanya mkutano na waandishi wa habari kueleza suala lile lile ambalo bosi wake alilielezea usiku wa kuamkia mwaka mpya 2013. Hii ni dalili ya Serikali kuweweseka.

Katika kauli ya Serikali, ambayo haikuwa na jipya zaidi ya wimbo ule ule wa ‘kugawa nchi’ ‘umaarufu wa kisiasa’ nk, Serikali ilitaka kuonyesha umma kuwa watu wa Mtwara hawana shukurani. Kwamba miaka yote toka Uhuru watu wa Mtwara wamekuwa wakilishwa na Pamba, Kahawa, Chai, Tumbaku, Sukari, Kidatu nk. Kwamba watu wa Mtwara na Lindi hawakuchangia hata kidogo kwenye hazina ya Taifa. Hivyo wao kupigia kelele gesi yao ni uchoyo na roho mbaya na kukosa shukurani. Kauli ya Serikali ni kauli ya chombo kinachoendelea kukosa ‘legitimacy’ ya kuongoza taifa. Ni kauli ya kukata tamaa. Ni kauli hatari sana dhidi ya Watanzania waliojitolea damu kulinda uhuru wa nchi yetu.

Moja, Serikali katika kauli yake haitaji kabisa kwamba toka Uhuru watu wa Mtwara na Lindi wamekuwa wachangiaji wakubwa sana katika uchumi wa Taifa kupitia zao la Korosho. Takwimu za Uzalishaji wa Korosho zinaonyesha kwamba kuanzia mwaka 1965 mpaka 2011 Korosho imeliingizia Taifa fedha kigeni jumla ya dola za Kimarekani 4.58 bilioni ( Cashewnuts Sub-sector study 2003, Hali ya Uchumi 2012, Cashewnuts Tanzania Report 2010). Katika Mwaka wa Uchumi unaoishia Novemba 2012, Korosho imeliingizia Taifa jumla ya dola za Kimarekani 151 milioni. Katika mwaka 2011 zao hili liliingiza dola 130 milioni wakati Pamba iliingiza dola 53 milioni tu. Licha ya Zao la Korosho kuingiza fedha hizi za kigeni (sawa ni shilingi trilioni 7.2) kwa nchi mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara ipo miaka 50 nyuma kimaendeleo kulinganisha na mikoa mingine ya Tanzania. Serikali inataka kufuta historia ya mchango wa zao la Korosho kwenye uchumi wa nchi yetu kwa sababu ya uroho wa gesi asilia. Kwa nini kauli rasmi ya Serikali haijataja Korosho kabisa? Kauli hii ilipitishwa na ngazi zote za Serikali? Mawaziri wa Serikali wanaotoka mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara walikubali kauli kama hii itoke dhidi ya wananchi wao wanaoteseka na zao la Korosho miaka nenda miaka rudi?

Pili, Serikali imesahau kabisa mchango wa watu wa Lindi na Mtwara katika ulinzi wa Taifa letu. Moja ya sababu ya mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara kuwa nyuma kimaendeleo ni juhudi za ukombozi wa kusini mwa Afrika. Kambi ya wapigania uhuru wa Msumbiji ilikuwa Nachingwea. Kambi ya Frelimo iliwekwa kwenye Shamba la Mkonge kilometa 17 tu kutoka mjini Nachingwea ambapo ilikuwa makao makuu ya ukombozi wa Msumbiji. Rais Samora Machel, Rais Joaqim Chissano na Rais Guebuza waliendesha mapambano kutoka kusini mwa Tanzania. Makaburu wa Afrika Kusini na Wareno walikuwa wanashambulia nchi yetu na mikoa hii miwili ya Lindi na Mtwara ikawa ‘buffer zone’. Wakati Dar es Salaam inaendelea kwa kila aina ya maendeleo, mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara ilikuwa inalinda ili wanaoishi Dar es Salaam na mikoa mingine waishi wa amani na starehe. Serikali inapimaje mchango huu wa mikoa hii? Tunaipima kwa fedha? Uroho wa gesi asilia kuzalisha umeme wa kufurahisha walalaheri asilimia 14 nchini ndio inaifanya Serikali kusahau kabisa ‘sacrifice’ ya watu wa Mtwara katika kulinda uhuru wa Taifa letu?

Tatu, Serikali inasema lazima bomba lije Dar es Salaam kwa sababu Dar ndio inazalisha asilimia 80 ya Mapato ya Serikali. Kwanza huu ni uwongo. Ni aibu Serikali kujitetea kwa uwongo. Dar es Salaam ni kituo tu cha kukusanyia mapato ya Serikali. Uzalishaji mkubwa wa nchi yetu wenye kuzalisha kodi unafanyika nje ya Dar es Salaam. Walipa kodi wakubwa wengi Ofisi zao Kuu zipo Dar es Salaam lakini uzalishaji wao unafanyika nje ya Dar es Salaam. Serikali itoe orodha ya walipa kodi wakubwa 100 tuone uzalishaji halisi wa mapato hayo unafanyika wapi. Hata hivyo inawezekana kuwa ikawa kweli Dar es Salaam inakusanya asilimia 80 ya mapato ya nchi. Basi na tuseme Dar es Salaam inachangia asilimia 90 ya ufisadi wote nchini. Kashfa zote kubwa za Ufisadi zinafanyika Dar es Salaam na fedha nyingi za ufisadi zinatumika Dar es Salaam.

Mwisho, maandamano ya watu wa Mtwara ni kielelezo tosha kwamba watu wa mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara wamechoshwa na longolongo za Serikali. Wananchi wa Mtwara na Lindi wanataka Uwajibikaji wa Serikali kuhusu utajiri wa nchi. Mtanzania yeyote mwenye tahadhari ya nchi yetu kutokuwa na laana ya rasilimali ataungana mkono na watu wa Lindi na Mtwara kudai maendeleo. Nilitoa mfano wa Mgodi wa Golden Pride ambao umemaliza dhahabu yote tani 76 katika eneo la Lusu wilayani Nzega. Kampuni ya Resolute ya Australia iliwekeza dola 370 milioni kuanzia mwaka 1998 (mkataba wao ulisainiwa 25th June 1997). Katika kipindi cha uhai wa mgodi, miaka 14, Kampuni hii imeuza dhahabu ya thamani ya dola za kimarekani 3.3 bilioni. Kabla Serikali haijawaita watu Mtwara wahaini, wapuuzi na watu hatari, iwaambie watu Watanzania kodi kiasi gani imekusanywa kutoka mgodi huu katika kipindi cha miaka 14. Mpaka mwaka 2008, kwa mujibu wa Taarifa ya Kamati ya Bomani, kampuni hii ilikuwa imelipa mrahaba wa dola 11 milioni na kodi nyingine dola 16 milioni. Serikali itwambie ilipofika Disemba 2012 kodi kiasi imekusanywa kutoka kampuni hii?

Pia watu wa Mtwara na Lindi wameona historia ya bomba la Songosongo. Hata kodi ya Halmashauri ya Wilaya ya Kilwa (0.3%) ilikuwa inalipwa Halmashauri ya Manispaa Ilala na kampuni ya Pan Africa Energy. Ilichukua juhudi za mbunge wa Kilwa Kaskazini Murtaza Mangungu kuingilia kati ndio kodi ikaanza kulipwa Kilwa ambapo uzalishaji unafanyika. Watu wa Mtwara ni werevu, wanajua wafanyalo. Wanataka utajiri wa nchi unufaishe nchi kwa kuanzia kule utajiri ulipo. Kuna dhambi gani?

Uwajibikaji katika uvunaji wa Rasilimali ya Gesi ndio chanzo cha maandamano ya watu wa Mtwara. Serikali isikimbilie kulaumu wanasiasa kwamba ndio wamechochea maandamano haya. Haya ni maandamno ya wananchi wakitaka Serikali yao iwajibike kwao. Serikali ithubutu kufanya ubabe wa kujenga bomba la gesi bila ridhaa ya Wananchi wa Lindi na Mtwara. Wananchi wanapohitaji uwajibikaji ni wajibu wa Serikali kuwajibika kwao ni sio kuwaita wahaini, wachochezi, watu hatari, wapuuzi. Watu wa Mtwara wamechangia maendeleo ya Taifa letu kwa jasho na damu. Serikali ina wajibu wa kuwasikiliza, kuwaelimisha na kupata mwafaka. Kauli ya Serikali imewatukana watu wa Mtwara na Lindi. Hawatakubali kudhalilishwa. Hawatakubali historia yao kufutwa. Hawatakubali waendelee kubaki nyuma kimaendeleo. Serikali ifikirie tena.

Polisi Waua Morogoro Leo!

Marehemu Ally Zona,  alikuwa ni muuza magazeti. Alipigwa risasi kichwani akiwa ameshika magaztei yake!  Hiyo jieraha inaonyesha kuwa marehemu alikuwa anakimbia kutoka kwa polisi. Alipigwa kwa nyuma.

Hapo awali ilielezwa kuwa wakati Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) kikisitiza kufanya maandamano leo kisha mkutano mkubwa wa hadhara, kuliibuka mvutano baina yake na Jeshi la Polisi Mkoa wa Morogoro, kufuatia Kamanda wake, Faustine Shilogile kupiga marufuku mandamano hayo.

Kamanda Shilogile alieleza sababu za kuzuia maandamano hayo kuwa ni udogo wa barabara za Morogoro na kwamba leo ni siku ya kazi hivyo yanawezesha kusababisha usumbufu kwa wakazi wa mji huo.

Wakati Shilogile akieleza kuzuia maandamano yanayotarajiwa kuanza saa 5 asubuhi, Mkuu wa Operesheni Sangara, Benson Kigaila, alisisitiza kuwa watafanya maandamano kwa kuwa waliskubaliana na Kamanda Shilogile kabla ya kuwageuka.

Kwa mujibu wa Gazeti la Nipashe la 27 August 2012, ilielezwa kuwa Kamanda Shilogile alidai kuruhusu baiskeli na watu kutumia barabara kwa sababu ya mikutano ya Chadema itakuwa ni kuwanyima haki wananchi wengine, na hivyo wataruhusu watu wasiozidi 50 kupita kwa wakati mmoja pasipo kuwa na ishara ya kuonyesha kama wanaelekea katika maandamano.

Pichani ni kijana aliyeelezwa kupigwa risasi kichwani katika tafrani hizo na baadae kupoteza maisha Ametambulishwa kwa jina la Ally Zona, ambae alikuwa ansoma magazeti katika stendi ya Msamvu. Tukio hili lilitokea mapema leo asubuhi kuelekea saa sita mchana wakati Polisi walipokuwa wakiwatawanya wafuasi hao wa chadema. Mtoa taarifa anasema Polisi wanadaiwa kutumia risasi za moto pamoja na mabomu ya kutoa machozi kuwatawanya waandamani hao.

Watu wengine waliojeruhiwa katika tafrani hiyo wameelezwa kuwa ni mwenesha baiskeli Hashim Seif ambae amejeruhiwa kwa risasi mguuni akiwa napita na baiskeli yake na kijana mwingine aliielezwa kuwa ni muuza matunda Frank Valimba ambae amejeruhiwa na risasi tumboni.

KWA HABARI NA PICHA ZAIDI TEMBELEA KIBONGO BONGO BLOG:

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TAMKO KUTOKA TANZANIA JOURNALIST ALLIANCE (TAJOA)

Jumuia ya Waandishi wa Habari Tanzania (Tajoa) inalaani kwa nguvu zote mauaji ya makusudi yaliyofanywa na Jeshi la Polisi leo mjini Morogro. Inashangaza Tanzania sasa inataka kugeuka taifa la polisi wauaji. NI vyema busara, ujuzi na mbinu stahiki zikatumika badala ya kuendelea kuua raia hata wasiokuwa na hatia.

Hebu ona huyu masikini alivyouawa kwa kupigwa risasi kwenye paji lake la uso na kumsab

abishia kifo cha papo hapo. Inaelezwa alikuwa muuza magazeti aliyekuwa kibandani kwake. Sasa tusubiri taaria ya Polisi ambayo huenda ikasema alikuwa amebeba silaha.

Tanzania, tusikubali kuwa taifa la polisi wauaji.

Marafiki wa Tajoa, nini sasa kifanyike kukomesha hali hii ambayo inaonekana kuota mizizi? Toa maoni yako hapa ili nasi tuyapeleke kwa Jeshi la Polisi

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Wafuasi wa Chadema wakiwa na maandamao hayo mjini Morogoro

Moshi wa mabomu yaliolipuliwa kutawanya maandamano ya Chadema leo mjini Morogoro

Akina Mama wakikimbia mabomu ya machozi