BAJETI YA TAIFA 2014/15 JE BAJETI HII NI YA WANANCHI AU YA WAWEKEZAJI?

TAMKO KWA VYOMBO VYA HABARI KUHUSU BAJETI YA TAIFA 2014/15

JE BAJETI HII NI YA WANANCHI  AU YA WAWEKEZAJI?

TGNP Mtandao kwa kushirikiana na wanaharakati ngazi ya jamii kutoka maeneno mbali mbali ya Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Morogoro, Shinyanga, Mara na washiriki wa Semina za Jinsia na Maendeleo (GDSS), Kikundi Kazi cha Uchambuzi wa Bajeti (BATT) na Asasi nyingine za Kiraia tunatoa tamko hili baada ya kufanya uchambuzi wa kina na kuanisha maboresho na mapungufu ya  bajeti ya taifa ya 2014/15 iliyosomwa na Waziri wa Fedha na Uchumi Mh. Saada Salum Mkuya tarehe 12 Juni 2014 Bungeni Dodoma.  Kwanza tunaipongeza serikali kwa kuonesha nia madhubuti za kukabiliana na upotevu mkubwa wa mapato kwa kujaribu kurekebisha sheria mbali mbali za kodi. Pia Tunapongeza kuondolewa kwa mamlaka ya waziri wa fedha kutoa misamaha ya kodi, hii ni hatua nzuri ya kuweza kukabiliana na ufisadi, rushwa na watu wachache kunufaika na misamaha ya kodi.

Hata hivyo sehemu kubwa bajeti ya mwaka huu imeonesha mapungufu makubwa katika mfumo mzima wa uwajibikaji wa serikali, katika ukusanyaji wa mapato na hata mgawanyo wake. Lakini pia bajeti hii imeelekezwa zaidi kwa sekta binafsi na wafanyabiashara wakubwa kuliko Watanzania walio wengi ambao ni wazalishaji wadogo na walipa kodi wakubwa.

 Maudhui

Bajeti imeainisha mapato ya shilingi za Kitanzania trilioni 19.9. Kati ya fedha hizo matumizi ya kawaida ni shilingi trilioni 13.6 (68.3%) wakati shilingi trilioni 6.3 ni matumizi ya maendeleo sawa na (31.7%). Tumeshtushwa kuona bajeti ya maendeleo haijaongezeka kama tulivyorajia. wakati kwa sehemu kubwa ndio tegemeo kwa maendeleo ya Watanzania.  Tunasikitika kwasababu hakuna tofauti kubwa kati ya bajeti ya mwaka jana wa fedha 2013/2014 ambayo matumizi ya kawaida yalikuwa Trilioni 12.6 (69.2%) na matumizi ya maendeleo Trilioni 5.6 (30.8%).

Deni la Taifa

Tumeshangazwa kuona deni la taifa likiongezeka kufikia  shilingi za Kitanzania trilioni  30.5 ukilinganisha na Trilioni 23.6 mwezi Machi 2013, na kuwa kubwa kuliko bajeti ya taifa huku serikali ikisema kuwa deni hili ni himilivu. Licha ya kwamba deni hili la taifa linazidi kukua, bado tunashangaa kuona serikali inasisitiza kuendelea kukopa kwa kigezo cha deni kuwa himilivu na kwamba serikali inakopesheka. Wakati huohuo Serikali inashindwa kusimamia ulinzi na mgawanyo mzuri wa rasilimali tulizo nazo na inatoa misamaha ya kodi isio na tija kwa taifa.. Kwa mfano kwa mwaka wa fedha 2013/2014 kiasi cha shilingi trilioni 1.6 kilipotea kutokana na misamaha ya kodi isiyokuwa na tija. Tunadai uwajibikaji wa serikali katika kusimamia ukusanyaji wa mapato na kutafuta vyanzo mbadala vya mapato ambavyo ni endelevu.

Vipaumbele vya Bajeti

Serikali imeweka vipaumbele zaidi katika sekta ambazo zipo katika mpango wa Matokeo makubwa sasa (Maji, Kilimo, Elimu, utawala bora na miundo mbinu). Sekta hizi zimetengewa kiasi cha Trilioni 7.9.  Tunadai pia uendelevu wa sekta nyingine kama Afya ambayo imekua na matatizo makubwa hasa kwenye eneo la afya ya uzazi na afya ya jamii. Tunahoji sekta ya afya kutokua sehemu ya  vipaumbele  hivi  wakati wanawake na watoto hawana uhakika na upatikanaji wa huduma za afya nchini na wanawake takribani 24 kufa kila siku kwa uzazi.

Pamoja na kupongeza kuondolewa kwa mamlaka ya waziri wa fedha kutoa misamaha ya kodi tuna mashaka na ongezeko kubwa la misamaha ya kodi kwa mapato yasiokuwa na mauzo ya hatifungani kutoka Benki ya Maendeleo ya Afrika (ADB) katika soko la mitaji ya Tanzania ambalo wakopaji wake ni wawekezaji wakubwa, huku wafanyabiashara wadogo wenye kipato kati ya milioni 4 hadi milioni 7 kwa mwaka  wakiongezewa mzigo mkubwa wa ulipaji kodi. Sekta isio rasmi haikuwekewa mazingira mazuri ya ukuaji na wakopaji wakubwa ni Wanawake, Vijana na wanaume maskini. Tunadai uwepo wa mazingira wezeshi kwa wafanyabiashara wadogo pamoja na mfumo mzuri wa sekta isiyo rasmi ambayo kwa sehemu kubwa ndio kimbilio la wanyonge.

Katika sekta ya kilimo mkazo umewekwa katika kutoa misamaha ya kodi kwenye Matrekta ambayo yataendelea kuagizwa nchini bila ya kulipiwa ushuru. Msamaha huu wa kodi haujatengeza mazingira ya namna ya kumnufaisha mkulima mdogo nchini na badala yake unanufaisha wakulima wakubwa na wakodishaji wa matrekta hayo. Jambo hili linaendeleza mfumo wa unyonyaji na ubepari  kwa wakulima wadogo na kupanua wigo wa matabaka kati ya wakulima wadogo na wakubwa. Pia  mpango huu unaendeleza ulimbikizaji kiporaji wa ardhi nchini na kuongeza migogoro isiyoisha kati ya wawekezaji na wakulima wadogo, na wafugaji. Tunadai mgawanyo wa ardhi uendane na mahitaji ya makundi katika maeneo husika hususani kwa wanawake, vijana na wanaume maskini.

Serikali imeonesha juhudi za makusudi za kutaka kulinda viwanda na bidhaa za ndani kwa kuongeza kodi kwa bidhaa ambazo zinaagizwa kutoka nje ya nchi. Tunashauri mkakati huo huo ufanywe pia ili kuwalinda wawekezaji wadogo wanaowekeza kwenye gesi asilia pamoja na mafuta. Hii itasaidia kuongeza tija kwa wawekezaji wadogo katika uchimbaji pamoja na uvunaji na hatimae itasaidia kuinua pato la taifa na kupunguza utegemezi wa kibajeti nchini.

Katika hotuba ya bajeti serikali imesema imetoa jumla ya ajira mpya 630,616 kiwango hiki ni kidogo sana ukilinganisha na idadi ya wahitimu 900,000 wanaoingia kwenye soko la  ajira kila mwaka pamoja na wale waliopo tayari. Tunahoji ajira hizi zilizotolewa na serikali kwa mwaka 2013/2014 zinakidhi mahitaji ya soko la ajira? Na Je ajira hizi ni salama na endelevu zinazojali utu, heshima na staha? Bado tunadai mkakati maalum wa kuendeleza viwanda vya uzalishaji wa malighafi vikubwa na vidogo vinavyoweza kuongeza ajira kwa waliokuwa wengi vijijini na mijini.

Katika sekta ya  elimu serikali imetenga kiasi cha Shilingi Milioni  500 kwa ajili ya halmashauri 80  kujenga nyumba za walimu. Kiasi kama hiki kilitengwa katika bajeti ya mwaka 2013/2014 kwa halmashauri 40 nchini. Tunahoji pesa hizo zilizotumika zilijenga nyumba ngapi na katika halmashauri zipi na zenye ubora gani? Je upo wapi mkakati wa ujenzi wa mabweni, kuboresha mazingira ya kufundishia na vifaa vya kujifunzia, na mazingira wezeshi kwa watu wenye ulemavu?

Mwisho tumesikitishwa sana kuona Waziri wa Fedha akikiri bungeni kwamba sera zetu za kiuchumi zinatokana na mashirika makubwa ya kibeberu kama vile IMF kupitia mpango wa  Policy Support Instrument (PSI). Hali hii inathibitisha kwamba mipango mingi iliyopo nchini haitokani na wananchi bali matakwa ya mashirika makubwa yanayoendeleza ulimbikizaji kiporaji wa rasilimali nchini. Lakini pia serikali inaendelea  kupuuza utaalamu wa wataalamu wa uchumi wa ndani ya nchi.

Madai

Kutokana na uchambuzi ulioainishwa hapo juu tunadai yafuatayo:

1. Kuwepo mfumo shirikishi na endelevu katika kutengeneza na kufatilia utekelezaji wa bajeti ya taifa na serikali za mitaa kwa kuzingatia vipaumbele vya wananchi, wanawake na wanaume na makundi yaliyoko pembezoniMisamaha ya kodi katika kilimo ilenge kuwanufaisha wakulima wadogo wadogo na sio wawekezaji wakubwa.
2. Kukua kwa uchumi wa nchi kuende  sanjari na kupunguza umaskini kwa wananchi wote  wanawake na wanaume na makundi mengine yaliyoko pembezoni.
3. Sekta ya afya ipewe kipaumbele kama zilivyo sekta nyingine katika Mpango wa Matokeo Makubwa Sasa (BRN) na kuhakikisha bajeti inafikia 15% ya bajeti ya taifa kama ilivyoagizwa katika azimio la Abuja.
4. Uwajibikaji zaidi katika ukusanyaji  na usimamizi wa mapato na matumizi ya serikali ikiwemo kuondoa misamaha ya kodi isiyokuwa na tija.

Tamko hili limetolewa na:

Sisi wanaharakati wa kikundi kazi cha uchambuzi wa bajeti,  wanaharakati kutoka Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Morogoro, Shinyanga, Mara na washiriki wa Semina za Jinsia na Maendeleo (GDSS),kwa ushirikiano na TGNP Mtandao

Imesainiwa na:

Lilian Liundi

Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji

TGNP Mtandao

Tarehe 15 Juni 2014   

An Accountant Budget?

An Accountant Budget?

Marjorie Mbilinyi

Principal Policy Analyst

TGNP Mtandao

Given the economic and financial crisis facing Tanzania, this is a disappointing budget. The budget’s main focus is on technical administrative measures to be taken to strengthen financial management of revenue and expenditure, which in themselves have much to offer. However declining revenues, high trade deficits and high under/unemployment require more than technical and financial measures to tighten up data collection and tax payment.

Tax and non-tax revenues, especially domestic, depend upon having a strong economic base with horizontal and vertical linkages such that all major resources are mobilized to generate wealth and income within the domestic economy. This base requires the rapid expansion of manufacturing industry which uses local goods and services, including agriculture products, and can absorb the growing surplus population of young women and men in the rural areas in dignified employment. As more people are employed and/or self-employed, their purchasing power will increase, providing a steadily growing domestic market for Tanzanian producers [small and large] in both the rural and urban areas.

For this to happen, the government needs to develop specific measures to support and protect ‘home’ industry, including the commodities produced by small and large scale agriculture producers as well as micro small and large non-agriculture enterprises. The same framework is needed to plan further development of natural gas and oil industry, ensuring that there is public ownership and control of exploration and production, and adequate and robust support for in-country enterprises. This will not happen automatically nor naturally; as several commentators have observed recently, government intervention and support is needed on behalf of all sectors of our economy. 

The present budget, in contrast, does not address these and other issues. Instead, it appears to be responding to concerns of ‘development partners’ [multilateral and bilateral] over the lack of strong and accountable mechanisms of financial management, quality control, and continued corruption, especially in energy, natural resources and construction spheres. Hence the extensive attention to improved measures to oversee and regulate financial systems, procurement, and quality control over implementation – with a focus on construction and other areas of consultancy contracts. An accountant budget par excellence. However important these may be, they do not provide the framework for economic development; nor address the other major issue raised in present development discourse – that of jobless growth and growing inequality between the rich and the poor, the urban and the rural areas, men and women, and the ‘time bomb’ of masses of unemployed youth.

Moreover, the budget perpetuates the idea that the private sector is THE engine of growth, if left unhindered by state regulations and controls. Is it not time for the government authorities and their economist advisors to ask why, after 20 years of creating an enabling environment for ‘investment’, the results are so dismal, even for local commercial enterprises, let alone the poor majority?

The pro-globalisation outlook of the budget is especially worrying, as it suggests the government is contemplating even higher levels of borrowing and debt. For example, the government states its commitment to the Policy Support Instrument  (PSI) of IMF, and is entering its third plan in July this year [para 84-85]. The PSI is an essential instrument, according to the budget speech, in order to assure both capitalist investors and development partners that the government’s policy and strategy framework is sound – ie conducive for capitalist development. According to the speech, the government has also taken additional steps by appointing an International Legal Adviser and identifying an appropriate Company to be a Rating Agency so as to validate the country’s credit worthiness [86]. This step, it argues, is essential not only to enable the government to be able to access more commercial loans, but also private companies and institutions to access capital markets; and make investment in the private sector easier. To quote, “Aidha, zoezi hili ni muhimu katika kuiweka nchi kwenye ramani ya dunia hususan kiuchumi na kutambulika zaidi kwa wawekezaji.” [This exercise is essential to put the country on the global map especially economically and to get more recognition by investors – my translation]. Needless to say, the investors referred to are foreign, multinational corporations; the aim is to be increasingly integrated [globalised as in colonized?] into the global capitalist system – there is no concept of panAfrican integration and solidarity, beyond the usual mention of regional agreements and trade/other ties.

The budget speech goes out of its way to try to assure Members of Parliament that the present level of debt is sustainable. By March 2014, national debt combining that of government and external debt of the private sector had reached a total of Tshs 30.56 trillion, compared to Tshs 23.67 trillion a year ago – the majority or Tshs 26.83 being government debt. A growing portion of this debt is to private commercial banks and financial institutions within and outside of Tanzania – meaning high interest rates and shorter repayment timeframes. An entire section is focused on trying to prove that this debt is sustainable, according to international indicators [40-42]. You can flag a dead horse as much as you want – this debt is enormous, much bigger than the entire budget; a growing portion of recurrent expenditure is now devoted to debt servicing, thus robbing present and future generations of vital resources needed to provide both economic and social services. The recent alarm raised over escalating debt by the IMF suggests that there are competing interpretations of the situation, even among financial and economic experts. As in the past, a growing number of civil society activists are demanding that Parliament have an oversight role to approve largescale loans.

The same goes for the new measures to regulate and reduce tax exemptions, and to enhance openness and accountability about them [9-10]. The government’s commitment to make quarterly reports about tax exemptions on the Finance Ministry’s website; and to make an annual report on all tax exemptions to Parliament is laudable but not enough. Civil society activists are calling for Parliamentary oversight over major tax exemptions –ie the power to say ‘no’, to reject specific largescale tax exemptions. Otherwise ‘the opportunity to discuss and give your ideas’ about tax exemptions is mere window dressing.

Who are the main beneficiaries of this budget? The government is quite open: the commercial private sector is the engine of growth and its partner in development. The privileged role of largescale producers in agriculture and extractive industry is highlighted throughout the budget, along with largescale financial institutions. The majority of people who depend on smallscale production and trade are marginalized in this budget, destined to wait for whatever trickles down from the capital and primitive accumulation of the largescale corporate enterprises.

TGNP MTANDAO YAMPOTEZA MWANACHAMA MWANZILISHI NA MWENYEKITI WA KWANZA

TGNP Mtandao

TANZIA

TGNP MTANDAO YAMPOTEZA MWANACHAMA MWANZILISHI NA MWENYEKITI WA KWANZA

                 DADA FIDES SIWANGU CHALE              

  

1940 - 2014

TGNP Mtandao tumepata pigo kubwa  kwa kumpoteza mwanaharakati na Mwenyekiti wa kwanza wa shirika, aliyefariki Juni 2, 2014 Ubungo Msewe Dar es Salaam.

Fides Chale alikuwa ni mwalimu na kiongozi aliyegusa maisha ya wengi hapa Tanzania, Mwanaharakati mtetezi wa haki za wanawake, wasichana na makundi mengine yaliyoko pembezoni.

Dada Fides amekuwa mtu wa watu, mcheshi, mwenye upendo, utu, huruma, mpole, mwenye sura ya kutabasamu muda wote hata alipokuwa kwenye hali ya ugonjwa.

Tunapoombeleza kumpoteza dada yetu Fides Chale, tunasheherekea maisha yake  mchango wake mkubwa jinsi alivyojitolea kwa hali na mali kulilea shirika tangu lilipoanza  hadi mauti yalipomfika. Fides Chale  alishika uongozi  TGNP wakati shirika likiwa changa, kuliwekea misingi imara na endelevu wa kiuongozi, kiutawala, na  mfumo mzuri wa kubadilishana uongozi unaoendelea hadi leo.

Mipango ya mazishi inaendelea nyumbani Ubungo Msewe. Alhamis 05/06/2014 ibada itafanyika katika Kanisa Katoliki Mt. Petro  Osterbay na kufuatiwa na mazishi katika makaburi ya Kinondoni.

Imetolewa na

Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji

TGNP Mtandao

MCHANGO WA TGNP KWENYE KUDAI RASILIMALI MAJI INUFAISHE WOTE WATAMBULIKA

SEHEMU YA HOTUBA YA WAZIRI JUMANNE MAGHEMBE ALIYOISOMA BUNGENI MEI 31,2014

TGNP Mtandao yawanoa washiriki wa MAISHA PLUS kijijini

Wawezeshaji kutoka TGNP weakijadiliana na wasimamizi wa MAISHA PLUS  hapo kijijini kabla ya kuanza kufundisha

wanakijiji wa MAISHA PLUS wakiwa tayari wamekaa wakisubiri kupata darasa kutoka TGNP

Wawezeshaji kutoka TGNP Deo Temba na Agnes Lukanga wakikaribishwa na 'Babu' wa  MAISHA PLUS  kijijini

"babu" akisisitiza jambo kuhusu darasa la TGNP kijijini

 Babu ni lazima achekeshe na kuingiza utani kwenye utambulisho

Deo temba kutoka TGNP akiwezesha kijijini hapo

Mshiriki wa MAISHA PLUS  kutoka Uganda akichangia  hasa kueleza uingizaji wa masuala ya kijinsia kwenye mchanakto wa kuandaa bajeti za kitaifa

Mwezeshaji Agness Lukanga akiwezesha

Mshiriki wa MAISHA PLUS kutoka Burundi akichangia

Mshiriki wa MAMA SHUJAA  kijijini akichangia

Wanawake wanashiriki kama walezi wa vijana na wakijifunza zaidi masuala ya kilimo na wanawake

washiriki wakiwa na wawezeshaji wakiwa na  bango la TGNP linaloonesha mzigo anaoubeba mwanamke  kutokana na kutokuwa na bajeti yenye jicho la kijinsia na mchango wake kutokutambuliwa. bango hilo liliibua mdajala mpana  na washiriki wote kutoka nchi za Afrika ya mashariki walisema tatizo lipo nchi zote

Na TGNP Staff

Mtandao wa Jinsia  Tanzania (TGNP),  imepata fursa ya kuwawezesha na kuwanjengea uwezo washiriki wa programu ya Maisha Plus na mama shujaa inayofanyika kila mwaka mara moja.

Katika uwezeshaji huo ambao uliwezeshwa na  wafanyakazi wa TGNP Mtandao  uliwawezesha washiriki hao kuibua mijadala kuhusu  ushiriki wa jamii katika kuandaa bajeti ya mrengo wa Kijinsia na ushiriki wa wananchi wa pembezobi katika kaundaa bajeti na ibebe masuala ya wananchi hasa wanawake.

Pilika pilika zilionekana katika kijiji cha Maisha Plus ambapo wanakijiji walionekana wakishughulisha na shughuli binafsi za kifamilia, kubadilishana mawazo na uzoefu walionao. Pia waliweza kupata darasa kutoka kwa wawezeshaji kutoka TGNP  Mtandao.

 Lengo la darasa hili ni kuwawezesha washiriki wa Maisha Plus vijana na mama shujaa wa chakula kutambua na kuelewa masuala ya kijinsia kwenye shughuli zao za kazi wanazozifanya kwani washiriki wanatoka sehemu mbalimbali na wanajishughulisha na kazi tafauti ambazo zinatofautiana wengine ni wasanii, waandishi wa habari, wafanyakazi wa taasisi mbalimbali, wengine bado ni wanafunzi wanaendelea na masoma.

Tunajua kwamba wakipata masuala muhimu ya kutetea usawa wa kijinsia na wanayaelewa huko wanapofanya kazi zao baadaye watayatumia vizuri sana na wataweza kuleta mabadiliko katika nchi yetu ndiyo maana tumeshiriki kwa pamoja kuhakikisha kwamba tunawajengea uwezo kwenye kampeni ya ‘Haki ya Kiuchumi: Rasilimali Ziwanufaishe Wanawake Walioko Pembezoni’ alisema Deogratius Temba, Afisa Habari wa TGNP Mtandao.

Aliendelea na kusema kuwa tumefurahi sana kuwepo na mjadala huu mpana kupitia picha chokozi na kuona ni fursa pekee kuendelea kusambaza kampeni ya Haki ya Uchumi kwa jamii nzima mjini na huko vijijini kwasababu watu walio vijijini ni wengi  na watakapoenda kule wataendeleza hii kampeni na lubadilisha jamii yetu ya kitanzania.

Suala la na mfumo dume na umiliki wa ardhi limejitokeza wakatii wa majadiliano kwani mfumo dume na umiliki wa uchumi vinashirikiana kwamba kama kuna mfumo dume mwanamke na kijana hawawezi kumiliki uchumi hivyo kuendelea  kubeba mzigo mkuwa wa kulea familia.

Wanakijiji wa Maisha Plus walifurahishwa na mjadala huu kwani una nia ya kumkomboa mwanamke kutokana na yale majukumu mazito anayokuwanayo nyumbani na jamii nzima inayomzunguka na kuwa na haki ya kumiliki ardhi na siyo kuwa mzalishaji pekee kama ilivyo sasa katika jamii nyingi hapa nchini. Vile vile wameweza kuona umuhimu wa kuhudhuria vikao vya kijiji ambapo wanaweza kupata fursa ya kutoa maoni na kushiriki moja kwa moja katika mchakato wa bajeti ya serikali kupitia serikali ya mtaa ambapo wengi wao hawakuwa na ufahamu huo.

Mama shujaa pia walitoa uzoefu wao kuhusu nafasi ya mwanamke katika jamii wanazotoka na kusema kuwa umiliki wa ardhi kwa kinamama bado ni changamoto kwani wengi wao wamebaki kuwa wazalishaji tu na kutumia ile ardhi na siyo kumiliki jambo ambalo linarudisha nyuma juhudi za kinamama katika kujikomboa kiuchumi. Vile vile walipongeza waandaaji kwa kuwa na mpango wa kutoa mafunzo mbalimbali yatakayowasaidia washiriki katika sehemu walizotoka na jamii kwa ujumla.