WAZIRI MEMBE ATAJWA SAKATA LA KUTESWA KIBANDA

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje, Mhe. Bernard Membe

JINA la Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimaitafa, Bernard Membe, limeanza kuhusishwa na tukio la kutekwa na kuteswa kikatili na watu wasiojulikana lililomkuta Mhariri Mtendaji Mkuu wa New Habari (2006) Ltd, Absalom Kibanda.

Madai ya kulihusisha jina la Waziri Membe na tukio hilo, yalianza kuzagaa miongoni mwa watu waliofika katika Hospitali ya Taifa ya Muhimbili kumjulia hali Kibanda, muda mfupi baada ya kutendewa unyama huo.

Makundi ya watu waliokuwa hospitalini hapo walilioanisha tukio hilo na kauli iliyopata kutolewa na Waziri Membe katika mahojiano ya kipindi cha Dakika 45, kinachorushwa na Kituo cha Televisheni cha ITV, alipoeleza kuwa anao maadui wakubwa 11, wakiwamo waandishi wa habari wawili ambao aliahidi kuwashughulikia.

Ingawa Membe alikutana na shinikizo la watu mbalimbali lililomtaka awataje maadui zake hao 11, wakiwamo waandishi wa habari wawili ambao alikuwa na mpango wa kuwashughulikia, hadi sasa hajapata kufanya hivyo, jambo ambalo linadaiwa na wadadisi wa mambo kuwa ni uamuzi wake wa kuchukua mkondo wa kutekeleza kile alichokisema kwa vitendo.

Tamko lake hilo katika kipindi hicho kilichorushwa hewani Julai 16, 2012, ambalo limeibua hali ya sintofahamu, sasa linaonekana kuchukuliwa kwa uzito zaidi na wanahabari na wamiliki wa vyombo vya habari, baada ya kuwa moja ya mambo mazito yaliyozungumzwa jana katika mkutano wa wamiliki wa vyombo vya habari.

Kwa takribani siku mbili, Membe amekuwa akitafutwa na gazeti hili kwa ajili ya kuzungumzia madai hayo, lakini hata hivyo jitihada za kuzungumza naye hazikufanikiwa, baada ya simu yake kuita wakati wote bila majibu.

Hata alipotumiwa ujumbe mfupi wa maneno kupitia simu yake ya kiganjani, hakujibu, licha ya kuonyesha umefika.

Jana katika mkutano huo wa wamiliki wa vyombo vya habari ulioketi Hoteli ya Serena, Dar es Salaam, kujadili kuzorota kwa mazingira ya usalama ya waandishi na wanaharakati wengine, suala hilo la Membe pia lilijadiliwa.

Wakijibu maswali ya waandishi waliotaka kujua namna viongozi wa serikali na watendaji wa vyombo vya ulinzi na usalama wanavyohusishwa na matukio ya aina hii, wamiliki hao walieleza kuwa wapo baadhi ya watendaji waandamizi wa serikali waliokwishalitangazia taifa kuwa wanao maadui 11 hapa nchini, wawili kati ya hao ni waandishi wa habari walioahidi kuwashughulikia.

Akizungumza kwa niaba ya wamiliki wenzake, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Kampuni ya New Habari (2006) Ltd, Hussein Bashe, alisema ni jambo la kushangaza kuona kauli kama hiyo iliyotolewa na kiongozi mwandamizi wa serikali haijafanyiwa kazi na vyombo vya ulinzi na usalama.

“Mfano, mwaka jana, alinukuliwa mwanasiasa na kiongozi wa Serikali kupitia kipindi cha Dakika 45, akisema kuwa ana maadui 11 ambao kati yao, wawili ni waandishi wa habari, hivi kauli hii ambayo ilikuwa ikiruka katika kituo cha luninga haikusikika au adui mwenyewe kati ya waliotajwa ndiyo Kibanda?

“Kama ni hivyo, mbona haitwi ili ahojiwe kuhusu hali hii na vyombo hivi vya ulinzi na usalama vya nchi yetu, tunahitaji kuona kuwa Serikali yetu inafanya kazi na hata kulinda maisha ya watu wake,” alidai Bashe.

Sehemu ya kauli ya Waziri Membe katika kipindi hicho kilichokuwa kikiongozwa na mtangazaji Selemani Semunyu, ambayo sasa inaonekana kuwa hatari kwake, alisema: “Lazima watu hao wajue kwamba ukikaa juu ya nyoka, ipo siku atakugonga tu. Hili nawaachia Watanzania waamue, lakini kuna watu 11, wakiwamo waandishi wawili wa habari, nitawatwanga kweupe.”

UHURU KENYATTA: HUU NI UKOMAVU WA KWELI KWA DEMOKRASIA

Nairobi, Kenya. Rais Mteule wa Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta ameahidi kwamba muungano wa Jubilee utahakikisha unabadilisha maisha ya Wakenya na kuomba ushirikiano kwa watu wa kada zote ili waweze kutimiza ahadi walizozitoa wakati wa kampeni za uchaguzi.

Kenyatta ambaye amechaguliwa kuwa Rais wa nne wa Kenya alisema kwamba atahakikisha anatembelea maeneo yote ya nchi na kuhakikisha ahadi ya muungano wa Jubilee ya kuongeza ajira na kuwawezesha wananchi inatekelezwa bila kujali kabila, dini au rangi.

Aliyaeleza hayo wakati wa ibada ya Jumapili huko Gatundu juzi, ambapo pamoja na kusali alipokea wageni waliokwenda kumpongeza katika makazi ya familia huko huko Gatundu.

Wakati akielekea kanisani, Kenyatta aliweka vituo kadhaa kwenye maeneo ya Juja, Kimonyo na Gatundu ambapo alisalimiana na mamia ya wafuasi wake waliokuwa wamejipanga barabarani huku wakimshangilia.

Akizungumzia ushindi wake, Kenyatta alisema hiyo ni ishara ya wazi kwamba ni ushindi kwa demokrasia na amani. Baada ya kutangazwa mshindi katika uchaguzi uliofanywa Jumatatu wiki iliyopita, kwa kupata asilimia 50.07, Kenyatta alisema wapiga kura walizingatia sheria na kuahidi kushirikiana na wapinzani wake.

 

Hata hivyo, mpinzani wake mkuu, Raila Odinga, aliahidi kupinga ushindi wa Kenyatta mahakamani.

Aidha Kenyatta , anakabiliwa na kesi ya uhalifu dhidi ya ubinadamu katika mahakama ya ICC, akidaiwa kuhusika na ghasia za baada ya uchaguzi wa mwaka 2007.

Kenyatta anatuhumiwa kwa kuchochea ghasia baada ya uchaguzi wa mwaka 2007 ambapo zaidi ya watu 1000 waliuawa na wengine zaidi ya 600,000 kuachwa bila makao.

Siku ya Jumamosi, tume ya uchaguzi ilimtangaza Kenyatta kama mshindi wa uchaguzi huo, baada ya kushinda zaidi ya asilimia 50 kwa njia ya wazi na huru.

Tume hiyo ilisema kuwa wapiga kura zaidi ya walijitokeza kwa wingi sana asilimia 86, idadi kubwa zaidi ya wapiga kura kuwahi kushuhudiwa. Ulikuwa uchaguzi wenye ushindani mkubwa kuwahi kushudiwa.

 

Baada ya matokeo kutangazwa, Kenyatta aliwaambia wafuasi wake kuwa atawahudumia Wakenya wote, bila ya upendeleo. Baada ya ushindi wake, Uhuru aliwaambia Wakenya kuwa kinachosherehekewa ni ushindi wa demokrasia, amani na umoja. 

Aliongeza kuwa wapiga kura walionyesha kukomaa kisiasa kwa kiwango ambacho hakikutarajiwa na kuwataka walioshindwa kushirikiana nao. Hata hivyo kwa upande wake, Odinga, alisema tume ya uchaguzi iliwakosea wakenya. Ametangaza kuwa atapinga matokeo hayo katika mahakama ya juu zaidi.

DK SLAA AMKUMBUKA SITTA

Mvutano uliopo hivi sasa kati ya Chadema na Bunge ulianza Februari 4 katika kikao cha Bunge mjini Dodoma baada ya wabunge wa Chadema kupinga msimamo wa kiti cha Spika wakieleza unapendelea

Kutokana na mvutano ambao umekuwapo mara kwa mara kati ya Chadema na Spika wa Bunge, Anne Makinda, chama hicho kimemkumbuka aliyekuwa Spika wa Bunge la 10, Samuel Sitta kikieleza kuwa alikuwa hapindishi sheria na kanuni za Bunge na ndiyo maana lilikuwa limetulia.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jana kuhusu wabunge wa chama hicho kutakiwa kuhojiwa na Kamati ya Haki, Kinga na Maadili ya Bunge, Katibu Mkuu wa Chadema, Dk Willibrod Slaa alisema Spika Makinda amekuwa akipindisha kanuni na ndiyo maana kumekuwa hakuna utulivu bungeni.

“Spika Sitta aliyekuwepo kabla ya Makinda alikuwa hapindishi sheria na alikuwa anajirekebisha pale anapokosea na tulikuwa tukishauriana kwamba asijihusishe na mambo ya vyama,” alisema Dk Slaa.

Alisema Sitta, ambaye hivi sasa ni Waziri wa Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki alikuwa hafuati mambo ya vyama kwa kuwa alitakiwa kuwa ni mtu ambaye hapendelei upande wowote. Sitta, ambaye alikuwa Spika kuanzia mwaka 2005-2010, alikuwa anajinadi kwa kuendesha Bunge kwa spidi na viwango.

“Makinda aachane na ushabiki wa CCM kwani anajua kabisa kanuni ya nane inamtaka Spika asifungamane na upande wowote hivyo aache kufanya hivyo,” alisema Dk Slaa.

Alisema ni muhimu Spika akawaeleza kimaandishi amepata wapi mamlaka ya kuruhusu kamati iendelee wakati zote zilivunjika rasmi katika Bunge lililopita.
“Spika kama hajui kanuni aende shule kujifunza kuliko kututia aibu, wanasheria, wabunge wamsaidie ili aweze kuelewa.”

Dk Slaa alisema katika mabunge ya kidemokrasia, kupongeza ni jambo halali na kuzomea pia ni jambo halali hivyo kitendo cha wabunge wao kuzomea ni sawa kwa kuwa ni njia yao ya kufikisha ujumbe. Akizungumzia suala la wabunge wake kuhojiwa na kamati hiyo ya Bunge, alisema hawatakwenda kuhojiwa na kamati hiyo na kama Bunge litaamua kuwafukuza lifanye hivyo ili wananchi waelewe.

“Hawawezi kwenda kuhojiwa na kamati ambayo haipo kisheria, nilipokuwepo bungeni nilishiriki kuandaa kanuni hizi za Bunge, Spika hana mamlaka anayojipa ya kuongeza muda wa kamati, hivyo aache kulidhoofisha Bunge na badala yake alisaidie,” alisema Dk Slaa.

Akizungumzia suala hilo, Mnadhimu Mkuu wa Kambi Rasmi ya Upinzani Bungeni, Tundu Lissu alisema anashangazwa na Naibu Spika, Job Ndugai kusema kuwa kuna kamati ambazo huwa zinaendelea wakati nyingine zinapokuwa zimemaliza muda wake.

Lema aitisha maandamano
Mbunge wa Jimbo la Arusha Mjini, Godbless Lema, ametangaza kuandaa maandamano makubwa yatakayoshirikisha wanawake na watoto katika Jiji la Arusha ili kushinikiza Mamlaka ya Majisafi na Majitaka Arusha (AUWSA) kuwasambazia maji.

Akizungumza jana, Lema alisema ameamua kuandaa maandamano hayo ya kudai maji kwani kwa zaidi ya miezi sita sasa asilimia 70 ya wakazi wa Jiji la Arusha hawapati maji safi.

“Nimewaandikia barua AUWSA wiki mbili sasa nikiwataka wanipe mipango yao ya muda mfupi na mrefu ya kuondoa tatizo la maji Arusha, kwani mimi kama mbunge ninaweza kushirikiana nao kupunguza tatizo hili, lakini hawajajibu sasa tutawashinikiza kwa nguvu wa umma,” alisema Lema.

Hata hivyo, Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa AUWSA, Mhandisi Ruth Koya hakupatikana kuelezea kama amepokea barua hiyo baada ya kutopatikana ofisini, pia simu yake ya mkononi ilikuwa haipatikani.

ROME CONCLAVE: CARDINALS TO BEGIN VOTING FOR NEW POPE

Cardinals have entered the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, where they will begin voting to elect a new Pope. The 115 cardinal-electors will be locked in the chapel after swearing an oath of secrecy. They will vote four times daily until two-thirds can agree on a candidate. The election was prompted by the surprise abdication of Benedict XVI. There is no clear frontrunner to take over from him as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The 85-year-old Benedict stepped down last month saying he was no longer strong enough to lead the Church, which is beset by problems ranging from a worldwide scandal over child sex abuse to allegations of corruption at the Vatican bank. 

His resignation and the recent damage to the Church's reputation make the choice of the cardinal-electors especially hard to predict. They will weigh pressure for a powerful manager to reform the Vatican against calls for a new Pope able to inspire the faithful, our correspondent adds.

 

Strict secrecy

On Tuesday morning's, the cardinals attended a "Mass for the Election of the Supreme Pontiff" in St Peter's Basilica. They filed in wearing bright red vestments to the sound of Gregorian chanting.

In his homily, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, praised the "brilliant pontificate" of Pope Benedict and implored God to grant another "Good Shepherd" to lead the church. 

He outlined the mission Catholics believe was given by Jesus Christ to St Peter - the first Pope - emphasizing love and sacrifice, evangelization and the unity of the church. 

The speech was more measured in tone than the address given in 2005 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became Pope Benedict, which featured a fiery attack on the "dictatorship of relativism".

A few hundred people watched the Mass from St Peter's Square on giant screens in thunderstorms and pouring rain.

At 16:30 local time (15:30 GMT), 115 cardinal-electors - all under 80, as those over 80 are excluded - entered the Sistine Chapel for the secret conclave to select Benedict's successor, chanting the traditional Litany of the Saints.

Once they have taken an oath of secrecy, Msgr Guido Marini, papal master of ceremonies, will call out the words "Extra omnes" - "Everybody out" - and the chapel doors will be locked to outsiders.

On Tuesday morning several cardinals took to Twitter to say goodbye to their followers before being cut off from the outside world.

"Last tweet before the conclave: May Our Father hear and answer with love and mercy all prayers and sacrifices offered for a fruitful outcome," South African Cardinal Wilfrid Napier tweeted. 

Jamming devices in the Sistine Chapel should block all electronic communication and anyone tweeting would in any case risk being excommunicated. Benedict - now known as Pope emeritus - resigned on 28 February after eight years in office, citing ill health. He was the first Pope in six centuries to do so.

 

As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2005, he was the marked favourite ahead of the conclave and was elected pope after just four rounds of voting. The vote for his successor is expected to take much longer. After 10 general congregations open to all cardinals, regardless of age - at which 160 cardinals spoke of the issues facing the Church and the qualities needed by its next leader - no clear frontrunner has emerged.

"Last time around there was a man of stature, three or four times that of any other cardinal," French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin told reporters.

"That is not the case this time around. Therefore, the choice has to be made among one, two, three, four... a dozen candidates.

"We still don't really know anything. We will have to wait for the results of the first ballot."

New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan told his priests there was hope that a new Pope could be chosen by Thursday. Candidates named as contenders include Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, Brazil's Odilo Scherer, and Cardinal Dolan himself - though he told one interviewer anyone who thought he was in with a chance might be "smoking marijuana".

Conclave in numbers

• 115 cardinal-electors
• Two-thirds - or 77 - need to agree on papal candidate
• Four votes per day, two in the morning and two in the evening
• Chosen candidate will be 266th Pope
• He will lead world's 1.2 billion Catholics

Once inside the Sistine Chapel, cardinals will listen to a meditation by elderly Maltese Cardinal Prosper Grech before holding a first vote, after which their ballot papers will be burned. The smoke that will drift out of the chapel's chimney early in the evening is likely to be black - meaning no Pope has been elected.

 

From Wednesday, two votes will be held each morning and afternoon - with ballots burned after each session - until one candidate attains a two-thirds majority (77 votes). Then the smoke will be white, meaning the 266th bishop of Rome will have been chosen.

KENYA ELECTION: UHURU KENYATTA 'WINS VOTE COUNT'

Uhuru Kenyatta: The son of Kenya's founding father Jomo Kenyatta

Kenya's Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta appears to have won the presidential election by the tightest of margins, provisional results indicate. After all the votes were counted he had polled 50.03% of the vote, 4,109 votes over the threshold required for outright victory.

 

But the official result will not come until 11:00 on Saturday (08:00 GMT). Rival candidate Raila Odinga is likely to file a legal challenge if he loses. One of Mr Odinga's aides told the BBC he would not concede victory and would take court action.

Mr Kenyatta won 6,173,433 votes out of a total of 12,338,667, well ahead of the prime minister, who polled 5,340,546 - or 43.28% of the vote. However, both candidates have complained of irregularities during the course of the count, since Monday's election.

 

Early on Saturday, small groups of Kenyatta supporters celebrated in Nairobi, hooting car horns and singing. 

If Mr Kenyatta is confirmed by Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), he could face difficult relations with Western countries.

Mr Kenyatta denies fuelling communal violence after the 2007 presidential vote

He faces trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague in July for crimes against humanity.