‘Maintaining’ young trees is not a one-day activity
DAR ES SALAAM: WORLD Environment Day 2026 was celebrated on June 5, and, from Geita, we read about what the giant mining company operating in that area did about that day, through a week-long celebration. The news item is titled: “GGML promotes green living through climate action week” (Daily Blog 11 June, page 13). GGML stands for Geita Gold Mining Limited.
Midway through the news item we are told the following: “The week focused on three key areas, awareness, participation and household level climate solutions. GGML teams visited secondary schools, including Geita Girls’ Secondary School and Bombambili Secondary School, where they conducted environmental awareness sessions and MAINTAINED trees previously planted on school grounds”.
In Tanzanian folklore, Bombambili (usually pronounced Bombimbili) should be found in the Songea area of the country (not in Geita), but, that is beside the point. Do you maintain a previously planted tree, on a single visit to a school? The verb “maintain” has various meanings one of which is: “making sure something does not decline, deteriorate, or change from its current condition”. In the case of a young plant, this could mean looking after or nursing it, to ensure it grows properly.
“Maintain” cannot be realised on a one-day visit. What the GGML staff most likely did, was to check on the trees they planted, may be last year, or may be a few years earlier to see how they were doing. Are they healthy, are they stunted, for example? They may have poured water on the trees, to symbolically represent maintenance. GGML must be commended for making such a visit. Many samplings are planted in pompous ceremonies, only to be forgotten about, without any maintenance.
As would be expected, they sooner or later die. My reporting of what GGML did would have taken the following version: “GGML visited secondary schools, where they conducted environmental awareness sessions and CHECKED ON THE trees previously planted on school grounds to see how they were doing”. On page 10 of the same newspaper we find a feature titled: “Why family still matters in women’s development”, in which the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups is quoted as encouraging women: “to ensure that the pursuit of economic opportunities does not come at the expense of quality time, emotional support and proper upbringing”.
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The above quotation lacks something; something to do with family, but most likely, something to do with children. I would rewrite it as follows: “She encouraged women to ensure that the pursuit of economic opportunities does not come at the expense of quality time, emotional support and proper upbringing for their children”. Off to Kilosa from where we are told: “Kilosa residents hail 800m/= bridge across Zombo River” (Custodian, 11 June, page 5).
The paper’s correspondent quotes residents as expressing gratitude to the government following the construction of an 800m/= bridge across the Zombo river: “a project that has ended years of severe hardship that forced pregnant mothers to give birth on the roadside after failing to cross the river, while many pupils ‘missed school or dropped out due to the dangerous crossing’”.
This quotation needs review, in particular to be more precise about the role of the Zombo river in thwarting access to essential activities. Here is my recommended version: “A project that has ended years of severe hardship that forced pregnant mothers to give birth BY the road side after failing to cross the river to access MEDICAL CENTRES; while many pupils ‘missed, or dropped out of school, since they could not cross the dangerous river, at times’”.
The just read Government Budget is emphasising construction and improving of infrastructure so that social and economic activities do not suffer, as a result of lack of bridges over the numerous rivers in the country. lusuggakironde@gmail.com.
Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania limepitisha Muswada wa Marekebisho ya Sheria Mbalimbali za Fedha wa mwaka 2022 (The Written Laws (Financial Provisions) Amendment Act, 2022), ambao unalenga kufanya marekebisho ya Sheria 6 za kodi, mirahaba na uwekezaji.
Akiwasilisha Muswaha huo bungeni jijini Dodoma, Waziri wa Fedha na Mipango, Mhe. Dkt. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba alisema Lengo la Muswada huu ni kufanya marekebisho kwenye Sheria zinazosimamia kodi na mrabaha kwa kubadili viwango vya kodi na mrabaha.
Aliongeza kuwa Muswada huo unalenga kuweka taratibu za utoaji vivutio kwa wawekezaji ili kuhamasisha uzalishaji kwa viwanda vya ndani ya nchi vinavyozalisha mbolea na maguni ya mkonge, pamoja na kuondoa changamoto zilizopo katika utekelezaji wa Sheria ya uwekezaji Tanzania, Sura 38.
Mhe. Nchemba alizitaja Sheria zinazopendekezwa kufanyiwa marekebisho kupitia Muswada huo kuwa ni Sheria ya Ushuru wa Bidhaa Sura 147, Sheria ya Kodi ya Mapato Sura 332, Sheria ya Madini Sura 123, Sheria ya Ushuru wa Barabara na Mafuta Sura 220 na Sheria ya Kodi ya Ongezeko la Thamani Sura 148.
“Sehemu ya Pili ya Muswada yenye ibara za 3 hadi 5 inapendekeza kurekebisha Sheria ya Ushuru wa Bidhaa, Sura ya 147, ambapo kifungu cha 128 kinapendekezwa kurekebishwa ili kumpa mamlaka Waziri mwenye dhamana na masuala ya fedha, baada ya kupata idhini ya Baraza la Mawaziri kusamehe ushuru kwenye bidhaa zitakazotumika katika utekelezaji wa miradi ya uwekezaji mahiri na mahiri maalumu itakayoidhinishwa na Kamati ya Taifa ya Uwekezaji (NISC)”, alifafanua Dkt. Nchemba.
Alibainisha kuwa iwapo itabainika kwamba msamaha uliotolewa kwa mwekezaji umetumika tofauti na malengo yaliyokusudiwa, msamaha husika utafutwa na mwekezaji atalazimika kulipa kodi iliyosamehewa.
“Marekebisho haya yanayopendekezwa yanalenga kuwianisha masharti ya Sheria hii na masharti ya Sheria ya Uwekezaji Tanzania ili kuboresha utekelezaji wa vivutio vitakavyotolewa kwa wawekezaji”, alisema Mhe. Nchemba.
Alisema sehemu hii inapendekeza kurekebisha Jedwali la Nne la Sheria hii, kwa kuongeza ushuru wa bidhaa kwenye mvinyo unaotokana na zao la zabibu unaoingizwa kutoka nje ya nchi kutoka shilingi 2,466.45 kwa lita hadi shilingi 5,600 kwa lita.
Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania limepitisha Muswada wa Marekebisho ya Sheria Mbalimbali za Fedha wa mwaka 2022 (The Written Laws (Financial Provisions) Amendment Act, 2022), ambao unalenga kufanya marekebisho ya Sheria 6 za kodi, mirahaba na uwekezaji.
Akiwasilisha Muswaha huo bungeni jijini Dodoma, Waziri wa Fedha na Mipango, Mhe. Dkt. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba alisema Lengo la Muswada huu ni kufanya marekebisho kwenye Sheria zinazosimamia kodi na mrabaha kwa kubadili viwango vya kodi na mrabaha.
Aliongeza kuwa Muswada huo unalenga kuweka taratibu za utoaji vivutio kwa wawekezaji ili kuhamasisha uzalishaji kwa viwanda vya ndani ya nchi vinavyozalisha mbolea na maguni ya mkonge, pamoja na kuondoa changamoto zilizopo katika utekelezaji wa Sheria ya uwekezaji Tanzania, Sura 38.
Mhe. Nchemba alizitaja Sheria zinazopendekezwa kufanyiwa marekebisho kupitia Muswada huo kuwa ni Sheria ya Ushuru wa Bidhaa Sura 147, Sheria ya Kodi ya Mapato Sura 332, Sheria ya Madini Sura 123, Sheria ya Ushuru wa Barabara na Mafuta Sura 220 na Sheria ya Kodi ya Ongezeko la Thamani Sura 148.
“Sehemu ya Pili ya Muswada yenye ibara za 3 hadi 5 inapendekeza kurekebisha Sheria ya Ushuru wa Bidhaa, Sura ya 147, ambapo kifungu cha 128 kinapendekezwa kurekebishwa ili kumpa mamlaka Waziri mwenye dhamana na masuala ya fedha, baada ya kupata idhini ya Baraza la Mawaziri kusamehe ushuru kwenye bidhaa zitakazotumika katika utekelezaji wa miradi ya uwekezaji mahiri na mahiri maalumu itakayoidhinishwa na Kamati ya Taifa ya Uwekezaji (NISC)”, alifafanua Dkt. Nchemba.
Alibainisha kuwa iwapo itabainika kwamba msamaha uliotolewa kwa mwekezaji umetumika tofauti na malengo yaliyokusudiwa, msamaha husika utafutwa na mwekezaji atalazimika kulipa kodi iliyosamehewa.
“Marekebisho haya yanayopendekezwa yanalenga kuwianisha masharti ya Sheria hii na masharti ya Sheria ya Uwekezaji Tanzania ili kuboresha utekelezaji wa vivutio vitakavyotolewa kwa wawekezaji”, alisema Mhe. Nchemba.
Alisema sehemu hii inapendekeza kurekebisha Jedwali la Nne la Sheria hii, kwa kuongeza ushuru wa bidhaa kwenye mvinyo unaotokana na zao la zabibu unaoingizwa kutoka nje ya nchi kutoka shilingi 2,466.45 kwa lita hadi shilingi 5,600 kwa lita..