PEDALS FOR PROGRESS (P4P) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITY IN DIVERSITY FOUNDATION (UDF) TANZANIA AND VICTORIA FOUNDATION

Pedals for Progress is proud to announce a new partnership with the Unity in Diversity Foundation (UDF) in Mbeya Tanzania.

On June 9th we will make our 1st shipment of bicycles and sewing machines.

This region has a population of 2.5 million people by 2008 (projection) out of which 0.5 million people live in the urban area and 2.0 million in the rural area.
Mbeya is situated at an altitude of 5,500 ft, and sprawls through a narrow highland valley surrounded by a bowl of high mountains. The main language is Swahili, while English is extensively taught in schools.
In the rural population, small holder agriculture is the predominate employment with crops including corn, rice, bananas, tobacco, coffee, tea, potatoes and extensive animal husbandry. Personal transportation for getting into the farming area, and carrying produce out of the farming area is critical to the success of the local population. Mountain bikes are ideally suited to offer affordable mobility. There is also a strong demand for our sewing machines.

HIZI NDIO SABABU ZA KUKOSA UMEME

MENEJA wa Shirika la Umeme Tanzania (Tanesco) Mkoa wa Mbeya, Mhandisi John Bandiye amesema , sababu ya kukosa huduma ya umeme kwa  baadhi ya maeneo Jijini Mbeya, imetokana na watu kuiba zaidi ya lita 1,000 za mafuta ya transfoma 12 katika maeneo tofauti mkoani hapo.
 
Bandiye alitoa kauli hiyo wakati akizungumza na waandishi wa habari ofisini kwake, ambapo alisema, kutokana  na wizi wa lita hizo za mafuta  baadhi ya wakazi wa Iyunga,Forest Mpya na Mji mdogo wa Mbalizi kwa takribani mwezi mmoja wamekosa huduma hiyo muhimu.
 
Bandiye alisema, kufuatia hali hiyo wananchi hao waliamua kufika katika ofisi  yake na kutoa malalamiko hayo ya kukosa umeme ambapo aliwaeleza tatizo lililopo ambalo ni la wizi wa mafuta katika baadhi ya  transfoma katika  maeneo tofauti tofauti jijini hapo.
 
Alisema, baada ya wananchi kuelezwa tatizo lililopo waliweza kushirikiana kwa pamoja kuwabaini wanaohusika wanaoiba mafuta hayo ikiwa ni kwa mwananchi mmoja kutoa taarifa za kuwapo mtu anayejihusisha na uuzaji wa mafuta hayo katika maeneo ya Wilaya ya Mbarali na Mbozi.
 
Bandiye alisema baada ya kupatia taarifa hizo waliweza kwenda na Polisi katika eneo la Chimala,  wilayani Mbarali na kufanikiwa kumkamata mtu mmoja anayejihusisha na biashara hiyo ya mafuta ya transfoma pamoja na wengine watatu wilayani Mbozi, huku mmoja akiwa na mafuta hayo na nyaya za shaba mali ya shirika hilo na wengine wawili wakiwa  na vyuma vinavyotumika kwenye nguzo zinazosafirisha umeme mkubwa.
 
"kufuatia hali hiyo tulifanikwa kuwakamata watu wanne katika wilaya ya Mbarali na Mbozi wakiwa na mafuta baadhi ya mfuta hayo, nyaya za shaba mali ya shirika hilo pia wengine walikutwa wakiwa na vyuma vinavyotumika kwenye nguzo zinazosafirisha kiasi kikubwa cha umeme", alisema Bandiye.
 
 
Aidha,Mhandisi Bandiye alisema Katika kipindi cha miezi miwili zaidi ya lita 1,000 za mafuta hayo ziliibiwa katika transfoma kumi na mbili maeneo  tofauti mkoani hapa na walizofanikiwa kuzikamata kwa watuhumiwa hao ni lita 150 pekee.
 

"Katika kipindi cha miezi miwili zaidi ya lita 1000 za mafuta hayo ziliibiwa katika transfoma 12 maeneo tofauti tofauti mkoani hapa , lakini hadi sasa tumefanikiwa kukamata lita 150 pekee ambazo tulizikuta kwa watuhumiwa tuliowakamata katika operesheni yetu, tukishirikiana na wananchi na polisi kwa ujumla." alisema Bandiye.
 
Aliongeza  kwamba hadi sasa hawaelewi mafuta hayo yanatumika kwa shughuli zipi, kwani mtoa taarifa aliyetumwa kujifanya mnunuzi wa mafuta hayo, alielezwa na mtuhumiwa wa Mbarali  kuwa kwa lita 500 anazohitaji anatakiwa kulipia Sh1 milioni.
 
Alisema kufuatia hali hiyo ya wizi wa mafuta hayo, Tanesco mkoani hapa imeingia hasara kubwa kutokana na wizi huo, sambamba na miundombinu mingine kuhujumiwa kwani wateja wao wengi wakiwamo wenye viwanda vikubwa walilazimika kukosa huduma hiyo kwa kipindi kirefu.
 
Mbali na hilo Mhandisi Bandiye alisema  walipokea malalamiko kutoka kwa  baadhi ya zahanati katika mji mdogo wa Mbalizi, kuwa  dawa zilizokuwa zimehifadhiwa katika friji zimeharibika kufuatia kukosekana kwa umeme.
 
Aliendele kuwaomba wananchi kutoa taarifa za mara kwa mara katika eneo husika pindi wanapobaini ubadhirifu wa aina yoyote ndani ya shirika hilo sambamba na kuwafichuwa wale wote wanaojihusisha na vitendo vya wizi wa mali za Tanesco.

Ajali yaua 13 Mbeya, 16 wajeruhiwa

WATU 13 akiwamo mjamzito wamefariki dunia, huku wengine 16 wakijeruhiwa kufuatia ajali iliyotokea Mbeya mjini baada ya basi dogo aina ya Coaster na lori aina ya Scania kugongana uso kwa uso.

Ajali hiyo ilitokea jana saa 6:30 mchana eneo la Mlima Mzalendo, Igawilo baada ya basi hilo lililokuwa limejaza abiria kutoka Mbeya kwenda Kyela liligongana na lori lililokuwa na tela likitokea nchini Malawi.

Mashuhuda wa tukio hilo walisema chanzo cha ajali hiyo ni breki za lori lililokuwa likiteremka kushindwa kufanya kazi na kuvamia basi hilo kwenye kona kali na kusababisha vifo hivyo.

Kwa mujibu wa maofisa wa polisi waliokuwa kwenye tukio hilo, watu waliokufa ni 13 na wengine 16 walijeruhiwa.
Walisema waliokufa papo hapo ni tisa na wanne walifia hospitalini wakiendelea kupata matibabu.

Miongoni mwa waliokufa yumo dereva wa basi aliyetambulika kwa jina la Mwasa Diamond (32), mkazi wa Ilomba, Mbeya na mwanamke mmoja aliyetajwa kuwa alikuwa ni mjamzito ambaye hakufahamika jina lake.

Mkurugenzi wa Hospitali ya Rufani Mbeya, Eliuter Samky, alithibitisha kupokea miili ya marehemu na kwamba, hali za majeruhi zilikuwa mbaya.

Alisema baadhi ya miili ya marehemu haijatambuliwa na amewataka wananchi kujitokeza.Kamanda wa Polisi mkoani Mbeya, Athuman Diwani, hakupatikana kuzungumzia tukio hilo.

Kwa hisani ya Mwananchi comm 

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY..Green Economy: Does it include YOU?

 The 2012 theme for World Environment Day is Green Economy: Does it include you? Evidently, there are two parts to this theme and the first tackles the subject of the Green Economy. This is where some people shut off their minds because they find the concept of the Green Economy a little too complex to understand.

On the contrary, the Green Economy is really something that is applicable all around you and it is easy to imagine how you fit in it. Visit the ‘What is the Green Economy?’ page to read a layman’s narrative of this concept.

The UN Environment Programme defines the Green Economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.

Practically speaking, a Green Economy is one whose growth in income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. These investments need to be catalyzed and supported by targeted public expenditure, policy reforms and regulation changes.

But what does all this mean for you? Well, this essentially what the second part of the theme is all about. If the Green Economy is about social equity and inclusiveness then technically it is all about you! The question therefore asks you to find out more about the Green Economy and assess whether, in your country, you are being included in it.

To learn more about the Green Economy bookmark the World Environment Day website, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and we shall be unraveling the concept of what the Green Economy really is and what it means to you ahead of World Environment Day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MWAMVITA MAKAMBA

TANESCO KUFUNGA TRANSFOMA MBILI MPYA

SHIRIKA la Umeme  Tanzania (Tanesco) jana, limeanza kufunga transfoma mbili mpya zenye uwezo wa kuzalisha umeme  wa megawati 12 kila mmoja katika kituo cha kuzalisha umeme cha City Centre, kilichopo Jijini Dar es Salaam.

Transifoma hizo ambazo zilikabidhiwa kwa Tanesco na Wizara ya Nishati na Madini kuanza kufungwa eneo hilo, zinachukua nafasi ya nyingine ambazo ziliungua kwa vipindi tofauti kati ya Januari na Machi mwaka huu.

Kamishna Msaidizi wa Madini wizarani hapo, Innocent Luago aliieleza  Kamati ya Bunge ya Nishati na Madini kuwa , zoezi hilo ni mwanzo wa  sehemu ya kuziba pengo la transifoma zilizoungua ambapo  nyingine sita zinazotarajiwa kuwasili nchini hivi karibuni.

 Luago alisema, tranfoma hizo mbili ni miongoni mwa  chache zinazotarajiwa  kutoka nchini Uturuki na kufanya  jumla  yake kuwa nne, zenye  thamani ya Sh1.8 bilioni  kwa mchakato mzima hadi kufungwa jenereta zote ambAzo zitagharimu Sh2 bilioni.

“Kuna transifoma nyingine nne kutoka  India tunazitaraji wa pia” alisema na kuongeza kuwa  ufungaji wa transifoma hizo utasaidia kuongeza kiwango cha umeme katika maeneo kadhaa ya jiji.

Aliyataja maeneo ambayo yatanufaika baada ya kukamilika kwa zoezi hilo kuwa ni pamoja na Mtaa wa Mkwepu, hospitali za jirani na katikati ya jiji, mahoteli, benki na ofisi zinginezo” alisema.
Alisema Tanesco hivi sasa wapo katika maboresho kwa jiji la Dar es Salaam na maboresho hayo yataenda pia katika mikoa yote ya Tanzania na vituo zaidi katika jiji la Dar es Salaam.

“Dar es Salaam tuna vituo 27 vya kuzalishia umeme na tutaanza na vituo saba” alisema na kuvitaja vituo hivyo kuwa ni Kurasini, Kariakoo, Mnazi Mmoja, Kipawa na Mbagala.

Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bunge ya Nishati na Madini, Suleiman Zedi aliipongeza wizara kwa hatua hiyo ya kukabiliana na changamoto zinazolikabili shirika hilo katika uzalishaji wa umeme.
“Tanesco ndiyo shirika nyeti katika uzalishaji pamoja na ukuaji wa uchumi , hivyo linahitaji kuwezeshwa kadiri itakavyowezekana” alisema mwenyekiti huyo.