Oil and Gas in Tanzania: Building For A Sustainable Future-A Call for a Moratorium on new offshore exploration.

Oil and Gas in Tanzania: Building For A Sustainable Future
A call for a moratorium on new offshore exploration.



Oil and Gas Industry
Picyure courtesy of: Cypressmfg

Tanzania is on the precipice of an economic evolution with the recent discoveries of gas. We have now confirmed reserves of 43 Trillion Cubic feet (TCF), roughly valued at USD 430bn[i]. Plans for LNG production are moving ahead of schedule. As a result there will be considerable new gas resources available for power generation and other needs for our economy and people including domestic use, petrochemical industries and fertilizer plants.

Our nascent oil and gas industry is set to expand greatly with the upcoming Fourth Licencing Round, which, according to Minister Sospeter Muhongo, is scheduled to be launched in Houston, Texas on September 13. We are now informed that the licencing round has been delayed. This is not enough and more work needs to be done.

The Fourth Licencing Round should be put on hold – postponed for ten years. In this, we echo the demand of Parliament’s Energy and Minerals Committee earlier this year (April 2012, Annual Report of the Committee) and the concerns of other informed citizens. It is very unfortunate that the recommendation to postpone the licensing round, supported by a Parliamentary Committee on Public Investments (POAC) and approved by a Parliamentary resolution, was largely ignored by the Ministry and TPDC. A moratorium will not only allow us to manage our new resources effectively it will also ensure the welfare of future generations. This is something the Government must take seriously.

We, as responsible leaders, have a duty to safeguard this country’s resources for future generations. This will require effective and sustainable management of our oil and gas reserves. The licencing round for the oil and gas offshore blocks announced by the Ministry through TPDC undermines our mandate to the Tanzanian people. If all exploration blocks are being licenced, what will our grand-children and great-grandchildren, who will be more educated and well prepared, do? It is critical that we approach these issues not in a short-term strategic thinking but long-term. We may not be here tomorrow but Tanzania will be.

We are not prepared for an expansion of exploration activity. Current legislation is out-dated and does not mirror the current political and economic status quo. We have no overarching Gas Policy, however progress has been made as both the Gas Act and Policy are currently being crafted. Nevertheless to continue on with a new round of licensing before these policies are complete is irresponsible. More importantly, we do not have legislation that will manage revenues from the sector. We need more time for the policies and legislative acts to be implemented. We will also need more time for institutions to be in place.

A ten-year moratorium will give us the space to develop our capacity in key areas. TPDC can be overhauled to become an active exploration and production company, modelled on Malaysia’s Petronas. Currently, TPDC does not have the capacity or resources to be an effective and strong partner in developing our reserves. These capacity deficits include the ability to conduct basic geological surveys, contract negotiations and management as well as production and processing. A moratorium will allow us to support TPDC to become a strong and reliable trustee and gatekeeper of the country’s resources.

A ten-year moratorium will allow us to build the necessary institutions that we will need to effectively benefit from these resources. These include establishing and supporting a Sovereign Development Fund , to manage revenues; coordinating with our educational institutions to train and foster young Tanzanians so they can confidently work and engage in this industry; and an oversight committee that would include parliamentarians, civil society organizations and local communities. These stakeholders would be mandated to ensure that our resources are used effectively and fairly.

A ten-year moratorium on offshore exploration will ensure that our increasingly young population will enjoy the benefits of our natural resources for generations to come. We kindly request the Government to stop any new licencing of exploration blocks and refocus all efforts into building the capacity to manage the discovered resources, make wise decisions and prepare the nation for a Natural Gas Economy in a timely manner.

Our past mistakes in the mining sector should guide us, as we comprehend the challenges and opportunities presented by the oil and gas sector. The country must first build strong accountability measures, ensure transparency, develop critical human capital and learn from case studies of other gas economies before licencing any new blocks. We need to think strategically and understand the long-game rather than thinking about short-term gains. As a result, we think 10 years will be enough to implement the necessary interventions and build a strong and sustainable oil and gas economy for all Tanzanians.
BY
Andrew mcpherson mandari.

Bawabu wa papa mahakamani kwa wizi

Aliyekuwa bawabu wa Papa Benedict amerejea mahakamani katika kile kinachotarajiwa kuwa siku muhimu kabisa ya kesi yake mjini Vatican kwa mashtaka ya wizi wa nyaraka muhimu za siri kutoka ofisi ya Papa.

Nyaraka hizo zimefichua tuhuma za rushwa na mgogoro wa madaraka katika ngazi ya juu ya Kanisa Katoliki.

Bawabu huyo Paolo Gabriele, anatarajiwa kutoa ushahidi hii leo ikiwa ni siku ya pili ya kesi hiyo.

Makao makuu ya kanisa hilo Vatican wanasema kuwa Gabriele tayari amekiri mashtaka akisema kuwa alitaka tu kuweka hadharani uovu na rushwa ndani ya kanisa hilo.

Bwana Gabriele anakabiliwa na adhabu ya kifungo cha miaka minne jela iwapo atapatikana na hatia.

Uturuki yaidhinisha mashambulizi Syria

Majeshi ya Uturuki mpakani na Syria

Bunge la Uturuki limetoa idhini kwa mashambulio ya kijeshi nje ya mpaka wake na Syria, iwapo hatua hiyo itahitajika na serikali. Hii inakuja baada ya Syria kufanya shambulizi kali dhidi ya Uturuki na kuwaua watu kadhaa.

Mswaada ulipitishwa na wabunge 320 na kupingwa na wabunge 129, pia inaruhusu mashambuizi dhidi ya maslahi ya Syria.
Taarifa zinazohusiana
Siasa

Hii inajiri saa chache tuu baada ya Uturuki kurejelea mashambulio ya kituo kimoja cha kijeshi cha Syria baada ya watu watano kuuwawa na mabomu ya Syria ndani ya Uturuki.

Naibu waziri Mkuu wa Uturuki Besir Atalay hata hivyo amesema idhini hiyo ya bunge sio hatua ya vita. Amesema Uturuki itachukua hatua hiyo kwa ushirikiano na taasisi nyingine zinazohusiana na mzozo wa Syria

Uturuki imekuwa ikifanya mashambulzi ndani ya Syria tangu siku ya Jumatano na kuwaua wanawake wawili na watoto watatu.

Kushambulia kwa makombora kwa Uturuki dhidi ya Syria na kuitisha kwake kwa mkutano wa dharura wa mabalozi wa mataifa wanachama wa NATO ni ilani tosha kwa Serikali ya Damascus.

Hii ni ishara kuwa uvumilivu wa Uturuki umefikia kikomo na kwamba Rais Bashar Al Asad atarajie kwamba Uturuki itaendelea kumshambulia mara kwa mara kuanzia leo.

NATO imeunga mkono kikamilifu Serikali ya Uturuki kama ilivyofanya mnamo Juni wakati makombora ya Syria yalipoangusha ndege ya Uturuki.

Kuna wakati ambapo Uturuki ilitaka kuwepo eneo nchini Syria ambako wakimbizi wa nchini humo wangeweza kupewa mahitaji bila kuingizwa Uturuki lakini dhana hii hawajaizingatia sana.

Wanachotaka hasa ni kushambulia Syria lakini kwa ushirikiano na NATO.

SYRIA YAONYWA NA UN

Syria yaonywa vikali na Umoja wa Mataifa

5 Oktoba, 2012 - Saa 08:41 GMT

Jamaa za waliofariki katika shambulizi hilo nchini Uturuki

Baraza la usalama la Umoja wa mataifa, limeshutumu mashambulizi ya roketi yaliyofanywa na Syria katika mji wa mpakani nchini Uturuki ambapo watu watano waliuawa.

Baraza hilo limetoa onyo kwa Syria kukomesha mashambulizi kama hayo, yanayokiuka sheria za kimataifa na kuitaka iheshimu uhuru na mipaka za jirani zake.
Taarifa zinazohusiana
Siasa

Taarifa hiyo ilisema kuwa shambulizi lilionyesha wazi athari za mzozo wa Syria kwa usalama na uthabiti wa kikanda.

Urusi ilikataa kuunga mkono kielelezo cha awali cha azimio hilo kilichotaja shambulizi hilo kama tisho kwa amani na usalama wa kimataifa kwa sababu ya maandiko yake.

Bunge la Uturuki, limeidhinisha hatua za kijeshi dhidi ya Syria, hatua ambayo ilichochea maandamano ya kupinga vita.

Hata hivyo, waziri mkuu wa Uturuki, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, amesema kuwa nchi yake haina nia ya kuanza vita dhidi ya Syria.

Balozi wa Syria katika Umoja wa mataifa alisema kuwa nchi yake, ilitoa pole zake kwa shambulizi hilo ambalo lilisabaisha vifo, lakini haikuomba radhi kwani uchunguzi ungali unaendelea.

HARAKATI ZA UCHAGUZI MAREKANI 2012

 

Heka heka za uchaguzi nchini Marekani

Uchaguzi wa Marekani: Vitu 5 muhimu

Jumatano hii mjadala wa kwanza wa kampeini za uchaguzi wa urais nchini Marekani utafanyika .

Mwezi mmoja kabla ya siku ya uchaguzi Novemba tarehe sita, haya hapa mambo matano unayopaswa kuyafahamu kuhusu mchakato wa uchaguzi huo.
Taarifa zinazohusiana
Marekani

1. Kuna swala moja muhimu

Takriban asilimia 80 ya wapiga kura wanahisi kama uchumi wa nchi ni swala nyeti na mojawapo ya mambo yatak.

Maswala nyeti:

Uchumi

Maadili ya serikali

Kodi

Afya

Sera ya kawi

Elimu

Malipo ya uzeeni

Uhamiaji

Usalama wa kitaifa

Obama na Romney: Sera kwa sera

Swala nyeti zaidi ni uchumi na ajira kwa upande mwingine. Marais waliohudumu muhula mmoja, Jimmy Carter na George Bush Sr waliondoka katika ikulu, wakati nchi hiyo inakabiliwa na hali mbaya na kiuchumi

Ukosefu wa ajira umesalia kuwa juu kwa kiwango cha asilimia 8 kwa miezi 43 na madeni ya nchi hiyo yamepita dola trilioni 16 na hata kuwaacha watu wakijikuna vichwa kujiuliza kwa nini Rais Obama hayuko nyuma kwa kura za maoni au hata kuhoji ikiwa uchumi ni swala nyeti kwa wapiga kura kama wanavyosema wapiga kura wenyewe.

Utafiti uligundua kuwa takwimu hizi sio chanzo cha huzuni kwa wengi kama inavyodhaniwa. Waliofanya utafiti wanasema kuwa , wamarekani hawahisi kuwa wako katika hali nzuri ya kiuchumi kuliko walivyokuwa miaka minne iliyopita. Lakini hawahisi kama mambo yamewatumbukia nyongo.

Lakini kwa sababu Rais Obama havuti mkia katika kura za maoni haimaanishi kuwa swala la uchumi sio muhimu kwa wapiga kura.

Watu wengi wanahsi kuwa Rais Obama hajafanya vyema katika kura za maoni lakini pia wanahoji ikiwa Romney ataleta mabadiliko yoyote. Na pia idadi kubwa ya wamarekani wanamlaumu Rais wa zamani George W Bush kwa masaibu yao ya uchumi.

2. Ni majimbo machache tu yenye umuhimu.

Uchaguzi huu utategemea sana kura za kubahatisha au majimbo machache kwa sababu sehemu kubwa za nchi hii upande mmoja kuna wanademokrat na mwingine wanarepublican. Sidhani kama hilo litabadilika kwa hali yoyote.

Kila jimbo linapewa idadi ya wajumbe wanaoweza kupiga kura kumchagua rais kulingana na idadi ya watu katika jimbo hilo.

Uchaguzi wa Marekani 2012 takwimu na utafiti

Yeyote anaweza kushinda katika majimbo hayo.

Majimbo muhimu kumi : Florida (wajumbe 29 ), Pennsylvania (wajumbe 20), Ohio (wajumbe 18), N Carolina (wajumbe 15), Virginia (wajumbe 13), Wisconsin (wajumbe 10), Colorado (wajumbe 9), Iowa (wajumbe 6), Nevada (wajumbe 6), New Hampshire (wajumbe 4)..Pindi mgombea anapopata kura 270 unashinda urais.

Jimbo la Ohio, lina idadi kubwa ya watu wasio na ajira ikilinganishwa na idadi ya wasio na ajira kitaifa. Jimbo hilo ndio limekuwa tegemeo kubwa la wagombea kwani tangu mwaka 1960 limekuwa na usemi mkubwa nani anakuwa rais. Wagombea wote wamekuwa wakitumia mamilioni ya dola kwa kameini zao katika jimbo hili. Lina wajumbe 18 wanaoamua nani anakuwa rais.

Wenyeji wa Ohio wamekuwa wakipigiwa simu na wanaowakempenia wagombea angalau mara mbili kwa wiki katika miezi sita iliyopita. Na kila jioni matangazo ya biashara kuhusu kampeini yanaonyeshwa kwenye televisheini.

"Nimeishi katika majimbo 12 tofauti lakini sijawahi kuona matangzo ya kibiashara kuhusu kampeini za wagombea kama ya sasa kupitia redio, televisheni na nyanja mbali mbali za habari." Alisema Tim Gaddie, mwanafunzi wa chuo kikuu katika jimbo la Ohio

Ramani kuhusu uchaguzi wa Marekani

"Uchaguzi uliopita nilikuwa katika jimbo la Indiana. Kinachoudhi sana ni simu unazopigiwa lakini kinacho furahisha ni kuwa watu wamepata mwamko mpya na wanajihusisha na mjadala wa kisiasa."

Kumejitokeza taswira mbili za nchi ya Marekani wakati wa kampeini hizi, moja ambayo huwezi kukwepa matangazo mazito ya kibiashara kuhusiana na kampeini za uchaguzi, na ya pili le ambayo maisha yanaendelea tu kama kawaida kana kwamba watu hawana habari na uchaguzi.

3. Wapiga kura wanabadilika.

Kila mwezi wapiga kura wa Hispania wanaosajiliwa huongezeka hadi watu laki tano nchini Marekani. Jamii ya wahispania ilipita watu milioni hamsini mwaka 2010 ambao sasa ni asilimia kumi na tatu ya watu wote nchini humo.

Mnamo mwaka 2008, rais Obama alipokea asilimia 68 ya kura kutoka kwa walatino.Na huenda akapokea idadi hiyo mwaka huu, kulingana na mtaalamu wa siasa za Latino katika chuo kikuu cha New Mexico, Gabriel Sanchez.

Wapiga kura wanabadilika

"Hoja sio eti Romney ataweza kupokea kura za jamii ya walatino, bali ikiwa idadi ya walatino watakaojitokeza kupiga kura itamwezesha Rais Obama kushinda." Tathmini hii ni pamoja na ikizingatiwa kuwa msimamo mkali wa Romney kuhusu uhamiaji utamnyima kura za walatino.

Mwanasiasa wa Repubican Jeb Bush ametoa wito kwa Romney kulegeza msimamo huo wakati akigusia maswala yanayozua hisia kama vile uhamiahiaji hasa miongoni mwa Latino na wahispania.

Seneta Lindsey Graham amesema waziwazi kuwa idadi ya wazungu wenye ghadhabu, haijatosha kiasi cha kusalia kwenye biashara kwa muda mrefu"

4. Sio tu kuhusu Marekani

Taarifa kuhusu Iran zilizotolewa na wagombea hao wawili:

Obama: "Marekani inataka kusuluhisha mzozo huu kuhusu mradi tata wa Nuklia wa Iran kwa njia za kidiploamsia na tunaamini kuwa bado kuna muda wa kufanya hivyo, lahiki lazima tuwe na kikomo."

Romney: "Tunapaswa kuchukua hatua zozote kuilazimisha iran kusitisha mradi wake wa nuklia."

Wagombea wa uchaguzi wa Marekani Barack Obama na Mit Romney

Obama analaani siasa kali duniani.

Sera ya kimatifa inakuja ya pili katika orodha ya mambo muhimu kwa wamarekani wakati huu wa uchaguzi ingawa mauaji ya balozi wa zamani wa Libya Christopher Stevens, yameweza kuisongesha juu sera hiyo katika ajenda ya wamarekani huku Iran, Israel na Afghanistan zikijadiliwa katika vyombo mbali mbali ya habari nchini marekani.

Romney, ameshutumiwa kwa kutumia masaibu ya Libya kuhusu Marekani kushambulia sera ya Obama akisema kuwa hajakuwa mkali kwa Iran na kwamba amesaliti Israel.

Pia ameahidi kuikemea China kuhusu kile anachoita kupandisha thamani ya sarafu yake kiholela na kuhujumu thamani ya dola ya Marekani na kuongeza tisho la vuta ni kuvute ya kibiashara kati ya chi hizo.

Watu wengi wanatazama kwa karibu nani atakayeshinda uchaguzi wa marekani kwa sababu vitendo vya Marekani vina athari kubwa kwa dunia nzima.

5. Yeyote atakayeshinda, tarajia vuta ni kuvute zaidi!

Sio uchaguzi wa urais pekee utafanyika tarehe sita mwezi Novemba. Viti vyote katika bunge la waakilishi pamoja na thuluthi moja ya viti vya bunge la Senate vitawaniwa.

Wakati kinyang'anyiro cha viti hivi hakijaangaziwa sana, huenda umuhimu wake ukaathiri nafasi ya ushindi wa Rais Obama au Mit Romney.

Kibao kikielekeza wapiga kura

Chama cha Republican kinadbiti bunge la waakilishi huku Democrats wakidhibiti bunge la Senate, pande zote zimekuwa na misimamo mikali kwenye mabunge hayo, mvutano ukaendelea, na hivyo miswaada michache ikapitishwa mwaka 2011,na hivyo likaitwa bunge la kuzembea.

Dhana inayoangaziwa na kufeli kwa mwaka jana kwa kukosa kuafikia makubaliano kuhusu kumaliza madeni yanayokabili nchi hiyo, imesababisha watu kutokuwa na imani na bunge la Congress.

Lakini Rais wa zamani Bill Clinton, alielezea kuwa na matumaini kuwa anataraja bunge la congress kuwa na ushirikiano zaidi baada ya uchaguzi.

Nini maoni yako kuhusu uchaguzi unaokuja wa Marekani?

Mashujaa wa Mau Mau kuishtaki Uingereza

5 Oktoba, 2012  

Mashujaa wa Mau Mau

Mahakama nchini Uingereza imeamua kuwa mashujaa wa Mau Mau walioishtaki serikali hiyo kwa mateso na dhulma wakati wa vita vya Mau Mau, wanaweza kuendelea na kesi ya kuitaka nchi hiyo kuwalipa fidia.

Jaji Richard McCombe, alisema kuwa kuna ushahidi wa kutosha kuonyesha mateso yalitokea kwani serikali ya Uingereza wakati huo ilikuwa makini sana katika kuweka rekodi za yaliyotokea.
Taarifa zinazohusiana
Kenya

Serikali ya Uingereza imesema itakata rufaa. Katika taarifa ya wizara ya mambo ya nje nchini humo, watekelezaji wengi wa ukatili huo tayari wamekufa na kwa hivyo hakuna mashahidi wa kueleza kilichotokea.

Uamuzi huu wa kihistoria una maana kuwa watu wengine kama mashujaa hawa walioteswa na serikali za kikoloni wanaweza kudai fidia.

Wakenya hao wanadai waliteswa na kudhulumiwa na serikali ya ukoloni ya Uingereza katika miaka ya 1950, wakati wa harakati za kupigania uhuru wa taifa hilo.

Mnamo mwezi Julai, serikali ya Uingereza ilikiri kwa mara ya kwanza kwamba washukiwa wa vita vya Mau Mau waliteswa na hivyo Uingereza ikaomba radhi.

Mahakama hata hivyo itaamua ikiwa kesi itaendelea au iamrishe walipwe fidia.

Lakini mawakili wa serikali waliteta wanateta wakisema kuwa kesi ya haki haiwezi kutendeka kwa sababu matukio hayo yalitokea miaka ya hamsini.

Mapema mwaka huu, mshindi wa tuzo ya amani ya Nobel, Askofu mkuu mstaafu Desmond Tutu, alimtumia ujumbe waziri mkuu David Cameron akimtuhumu kwa kujaribu kukwepa kuwajibika kisheria kwa makosa yaliyofanywa na wakoloni.

Kinyang'anyiro kikali nchini Venezuela
 5 Oktoba, 2012 

Wagombea wawili wa urais nchini Venezuela wamehutubia umati mkubwa wa wafuasi wao katika siku ya mwisho ya kampeni kabla ya uchaguzi utakaofanyika Jumapili.

Rais Hugo Chavez ambaye amekuwa madarakani kwa takriban miaka kumi na minne amewaambia maelfu ya wafuasi wake huko , Caracas kuwa anahitaji muhula wa tatu kuimarisha marekebisho ya kijamii na kutokomeza umaskini.
Taarifa zinazohusiana
Siasa

Naye mpinzani wake mkuu, Henrique Capriles, alikuwa na mikutano miwili katika miji ya magharibi.

Aliahidi kuimarisha uchumi na uongozi bora na kisha aliwahimiza wapiga kura kujitokeza kwa wingi Jumapili.

Aliwataka wapiga kura kumuunga mkono ili waweze kumshinda bwana Chavez kwenye uchaguzi huo siku ya Jumapili.

Wadadisi wanatabiri ushindani mkubwa kwenye uchaguzi huo dhidi ya Rais Chavez ukiwa ndio wa kwanza tangu aingine mamlakani mwaka wa 1999