PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Fuel crisis, graft, religious tension reports dominate Tanzanian newspapers
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) – Reports on a fuel crisis, graft in governing party elections and religious tension filled Tanzanian newspapers this week as national leaders frantically appealed to the public to abide by the law.
“Just when we were about to believe that the fuel crisis that hit the country last year was now behind us, we are being rudely slapped with an apparent crisis again,” wrote The Guardian, which noted that preliminary checks showed that there should not be any shortage of fuel at this time.
From Monday, a number of fuel stations across the country reported they had no stocks left and racketeering of petrol and diesel quickly hit the transport sector.
The question being asked is: “Why are we experiencing such a shortage at this time, when a fresh tender has just been awarded, assuring the nation of cheaper fuel?” the private daily queried.
According to the paper’s findings, the fuel shortage could be artificial, largely caused by oil dealers who failed to take enough stock to ensure reliable service.
But the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) claimed it had no information on the shortage, maintaining that the country had enough stocks.
“We cannot over-emphasise the harm that this panic prompting situation is doing to consumers, the national economy and our security as a nation,” the daily said.
On the same issue, the government-owned Daily News reported EWURA’s admission that there were pockets of fuel shortage in the country due to disruption of the distribution system.
According to the paper, the energy regulator said last month only one tanker, instead of six, delivered fuel for domestic consumption at the Oil Jetty of Dar es Salaam port. Priority was given to tankers that discharged transit fuel for neighbouring landlocked countries.
Daily News quoted an official of EWURA as saying: “The tankers jumped berthing allocation and priority was given to transit consignments and fuel for power generation.”
According to the paper, tankers had been compelled to discharge the oil cargo by circumventing the queue at the berthing between September and early this month, leading to delays of bulk procurement vessels.
“This situation is definitely beyond EWURA’s control because the fuel is still at the port, but efforts are being made to see that it is offloaded,” Titus Kaguo, the authority’s communication and public relations manager, explained.
The Guardian’s survey towards the end of the week revealed that fuel shortage was still critical in many parts of the country and in some areas “it has paralysed transport services.”
Meanwhile, Tanzanian dailies kept a watch on the ongoing elections within the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s membership which have on several instances been marred by accusations of graft.
Various papers carried the appeal by the CCM national chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete, to members of the party’s youth wing to refrain from voting corrupt candidates in order to restore the party’s image that has been tarnished by graft.
“Vote for honest leaders who can confidently stand before the people. We don’t need to have leaders with questionable integrity,” Kikwete said, cautioning that corrupt leaders would kill the party.
Addressing the eighth CCM women’s wing, officially known as ‘Umoja wa Wanawake Tanzania’ (UWT), President Kikwete sounded the same warning against rampant corruption in the party's internal elections, saying that if the trend persisted CCM risks losing public trust.
Focusing on religious tensions in Tanzania, The Citizen daily said for the first time in history, many people were beginning to doubt if the East African nation would keep up the tag of one of the most peaceful nations in Africa.
“Burning churches and inciting religious hatred is growing wings in this highly respected country,” a columnist wrote in the paper, referring to the latest chain of events of violence in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam that raised widespread concern at home and overseas.
“One may argue that events in other distant places are inspiring hidden agendas. What goes on in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and so on has been indirectly blamed on religion.
“But is it just religion? Aren’t people dissatisfied with economic, democratic and political corruption?” queried The Citizen’s columnist.
According to the columnist, letting people who incite religious hatred get away with civil treatment at the expense of future chaos is dangerous.
“Our leaders need to show that they care for the peace and reputation of beloved Tanzania. If they let these spoilt brats continue, we will be speaking a very different language and might not even see 2015 elections. It may be the end of our infant, 20-year old democratic phase,” the columnist added.
The government’s Daily News reported that Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein has declared “zero tolerance” of violence perpetrators on the isles.
Shein has vowed to leave no stone unturned in the ongoing crackdown on suspects of peace disruption on the islands.
Riots two weeks ago claimed the life of a policeman while public and private properties worth millions were destroyed in Zanzibar town.
According to the paper, the riots were linked to the purported disappearance of ’Uamsho’ Muslim group leader, Sheikh Farid Hadj Ahmed, on 16 October.
Ahmed resurfaced four days later, claiming he had been abducted by police. Shein said the claim was baseless.
Eight ‘Uamsho’ leaders have been taken to court and charged with sabotage, incitement and persuasion of people to commit offence contrary to the National Security Act.
-0- PANA AR/VAO 27Oct2012
“Just when we were about to believe that the fuel crisis that hit the country last year was now behind us, we are being rudely slapped with an apparent crisis again,” wrote The Guardian, which noted that preliminary checks showed that there should not be any shortage of fuel at this time.
From Monday, a number of fuel stations across the country reported they had no stocks left and racketeering of petrol and diesel quickly hit the transport sector.
The question being asked is: “Why are we experiencing such a shortage at this time, when a fresh tender has just been awarded, assuring the nation of cheaper fuel?” the private daily queried.
According to the paper’s findings, the fuel shortage could be artificial, largely caused by oil dealers who failed to take enough stock to ensure reliable service.
But the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) claimed it had no information on the shortage, maintaining that the country had enough stocks.
“We cannot over-emphasise the harm that this panic prompting situation is doing to consumers, the national economy and our security as a nation,” the daily said.
On the same issue, the government-owned Daily News reported EWURA’s admission that there were pockets of fuel shortage in the country due to disruption of the distribution system.
According to the paper, the energy regulator said last month only one tanker, instead of six, delivered fuel for domestic consumption at the Oil Jetty of Dar es Salaam port. Priority was given to tankers that discharged transit fuel for neighbouring landlocked countries.
Daily News quoted an official of EWURA as saying: “The tankers jumped berthing allocation and priority was given to transit consignments and fuel for power generation.”
According to the paper, tankers had been compelled to discharge the oil cargo by circumventing the queue at the berthing between September and early this month, leading to delays of bulk procurement vessels.
“This situation is definitely beyond EWURA’s control because the fuel is still at the port, but efforts are being made to see that it is offloaded,” Titus Kaguo, the authority’s communication and public relations manager, explained.
The Guardian’s survey towards the end of the week revealed that fuel shortage was still critical in many parts of the country and in some areas “it has paralysed transport services.”
Meanwhile, Tanzanian dailies kept a watch on the ongoing elections within the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s membership which have on several instances been marred by accusations of graft.
Various papers carried the appeal by the CCM national chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete, to members of the party’s youth wing to refrain from voting corrupt candidates in order to restore the party’s image that has been tarnished by graft.
“Vote for honest leaders who can confidently stand before the people. We don’t need to have leaders with questionable integrity,” Kikwete said, cautioning that corrupt leaders would kill the party.
Addressing the eighth CCM women’s wing, officially known as ‘Umoja wa Wanawake Tanzania’ (UWT), President Kikwete sounded the same warning against rampant corruption in the party's internal elections, saying that if the trend persisted CCM risks losing public trust.
Focusing on religious tensions in Tanzania, The Citizen daily said for the first time in history, many people were beginning to doubt if the East African nation would keep up the tag of one of the most peaceful nations in Africa.
“Burning churches and inciting religious hatred is growing wings in this highly respected country,” a columnist wrote in the paper, referring to the latest chain of events of violence in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam that raised widespread concern at home and overseas.
“One may argue that events in other distant places are inspiring hidden agendas. What goes on in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and so on has been indirectly blamed on religion.
“But is it just religion? Aren’t people dissatisfied with economic, democratic and political corruption?” queried The Citizen’s columnist.
According to the columnist, letting people who incite religious hatred get away with civil treatment at the expense of future chaos is dangerous.
“Our leaders need to show that they care for the peace and reputation of beloved Tanzania. If they let these spoilt brats continue, we will be speaking a very different language and might not even see 2015 elections. It may be the end of our infant, 20-year old democratic phase,” the columnist added.
The government’s Daily News reported that Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein has declared “zero tolerance” of violence perpetrators on the isles.
Shein has vowed to leave no stone unturned in the ongoing crackdown on suspects of peace disruption on the islands.
Riots two weeks ago claimed the life of a policeman while public and private properties worth millions were destroyed in Zanzibar town.
According to the paper, the riots were linked to the purported disappearance of ’Uamsho’ Muslim group leader, Sheikh Farid Hadj Ahmed, on 16 October.
Ahmed resurfaced four days later, claiming he had been abducted by police. Shein said the claim was baseless.
Eight ‘Uamsho’ leaders have been taken to court and charged with sabotage, incitement and persuasion of people to commit offence contrary to the National Security Act.
-0- PANA AR/VAO 27Oct2012
