My thought: Why South Africans booed Jacob Zuma?

By Nuzulack Dausen

As the world continues to mourn the loss of the world icon Nelson Mandela, many things emerges as point of unity as well as disunity. The Tuesday boo by South Africans to their president Jacob Zuma during the Mandela memorial service in Johannesburg can confirm my fear.

Contrary to what ought to be, the majority attended in FNB Stadium to mourn the departed hero showed more love to the US president Barack Obama than their loved, majority voted president.  They cheered Obama more than his host.

Like many spectators in the world who watched the event through the live television coverage, I felt something went wrong in a big and historic event like that—which was attended by more than 100 global leaders.

What caused South Africans to boob their president? Perhaps the pledges by the speakers in the service to follow Mandela’s path--angered many by the facts that their government failed to copy Madiba.

Read more: Hundredsof world leaders gather in Johannesburg's FNB Stadium for Nelson Mandela'smemorial service

While the Mandela’s death unites the world, South Africans seems not united to their government. The boo points out some few weaknesses of the Zuma’s government that do not reflect the real picture of the Mandela legacy. People have showed a public discontent with their government.

The rampant corruption and frequent violation of human rights reported in the country have at least disconnected Mandela’s government and that of Mr Zuma. Perhaps this could be a reason why majority booed Mr Zuma during his speech on Tuesday.

The allegations facing the head of state on using tax payers’ money to refurbish luxurious houses continue to triumatise South Africans especially when they remember Madiba.  A recent public prosecutor’s report revealed that he spent $20 million in state funds expanding his private home outside Durban, including setting up a large swimming pool. However the government officials have justified that the money was spent on security upgrades.

Read more: Mandela Memorial: South African Crowd Boos President Jacob Zuma

Read more: Outrageover South Africa president Jacob Zuma's $30 million retirement home renovationbill

Mandela--in a straight language--was selfless; he respected human rights by pioneering equality, dignity, unity and love that’s why the world crying for his loss.

South Africans fears what will happen after the death of their father. They are worried on the way the government manage public resources.

Also, the extra-judicial killings of the mine workers in Marikana a year ago pose another question on Zuma’s administration. It neither suggests Mandela’s legacy nor propose a better leadership that South Africans would like to have.

The government is still struggling to convince the world that the massacre was not carried by police deliberately instead was a defensive mechanism against the angry mine workers. It is sad to lose 34 people whose lives cuts short by their guards just because were struggling for their rights.

Apart from that, the South African unemployment rate is higher as it suggests the presence of inequality between those who have and not. Currently the unemployment rate stands at 25.6% according to the country's national statistics service.

A section of  mourners attended the special memorial service for the late Nelson Mandela at FNB Stadiumon Tuesday. Many leaders who paid tribute to the fallen hero asked the world to follow the Madiba's path.  Photo: Courtesy of AP.

Such acts return events that Madiba was against with. They are simply a manifestation of torture, segregation and inequality that the country had suffered during the Apartheid era.

Currently, Pretoria government has tough job to retain the Mandela’s image: to end the ever growing corruption, cleaning all elements of Apartheid policy, and lowering inequality. This will puts the government in a pure democratic world that human beings would like to be.

Poverty keeps away majority from high-tech electronics in Kenya

By Nuzulack Dausen

Kenyans generally do not consider buying electronic gadgets as a luxurious affair unlike other techno savvy countries in the developed world.

Majority say an ever increasing competition between electronics manufacturers in releasing high-tech gadgets does not affect their consumption pattern. Instead they are looking at affordability and availability of the gadgets that will help them to access basic services and help to boost their lives.

They said their pockets allows buying cheap mobile phones and Radios that will help them to communicate and gets instant information. Among of the highly mentioned basic mobile phones services were: calling and sending short messages.

They said designs and brands were luxury matters that they could not prefer much as they struggle to win their daily bread.

For the past five years the electronics manufacturing industry have been going high-tech as companies tries to show off their technological capabilities. The short interval of releasing flagship brands within the same company has challenged some people who confused with the daily released designs.

For instance, before a company could take months or a year to release a new brand of an electronic gadget like a mobile phone, Hi-fi, radio or a television set. But now it just take three months to release new devices; Samsung is a good example for unveiling Samsung Galaxy S4 and S3 plus gear in a minimum period of six months.

They also say the insecurity of places where majority lives and the spread of fake gadgets in the streets were additional obstacles to buy the highly sophisticated devices for those who can afford.

 “For me it is illogical to buy the most expensive phone or a television while staying in Kibera (the largest slums in Kenya) even if I have money. The security of a particular place determines what type of electronic equipment one should buy,” said Julius Mtala, a university student in Nairobi.

He insisted that an increasing counterfeits on electronics in the country has also pushed many people not to consider brand factors when they shop the gadgets.  The malice he added reduces the original strength of the brands; the reason majority opts for cheapest Chinese phones.

Despite the absence of majority interests to the highly sophisticated electronics equipment like mobile phones, Kenya mobile subscription has increased to 30.4 million in September 2012 from 29.7 million of the three months before.

According to the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) mobile penetration stood at 77.2 per cent in September 2012.

Christopher Mwole an entrepreneur in Nairobi said the most considerable mobile phone’s features he wants is ability to call his client and send short messages. The best he added is to access mobile financial services like M-Pesa—a powerful Safaricom mobile financial service. Watch the video.

Even though some are running for the basic and most affordable electronics, John Maina an electronic repairer at 4ntech Communications in the city says some people have been seeking advice on kind of gadgets should buy. The most frequent asked questions he says are whether the devices are novelty and their ability to offer high quality mobile applications disregard to cost.

John Maina, an electronic repairer  in his mobile phone repair shop in Nairobi. Some electronics buyers   have been seeking advice on high-tech specifications which considered by lower income earners as expensive to buy.

He however acknowledges that the number of people who asks for specific details about the high-tech devices is relative low. Even customers who bring smartphones to get repaired he adds are very few comparing to one bringing conventional phones.

TANZANIA YAADHIMISHA MIAKA 19 YA KUMBUKUMBU YA MAUAJI YA KIMBARI

 Leo ulimwengu umeadhimisha miaka 19 baada ya mauaji ya Kimbari yaliyotokea nchini Rwanda mwaka 1994 na kugharimu maisha ya watu takriban milioni moja. Maadhimisho hayo hufanyika duniani kote kama siku maalumu ya kuwakumbuka wahanga wa vita ya wenyewe kwa wenyewe kati ya Wahutu na Watusi iliyopiganiwa ndani ya siku 1oo.

Maadhimisho hayo yalianza kuazimishwa tangu mwaka 2004 baada ya Umoja wa Mataifa kuiteua April 7 kila mwaka kuwa ni siku ya kumbukumbu ya mauaji ya Kimbari.

Nchini Tanzania maadhimisho hayo yamefanyika leo jijini Dar es salaam ambapo baadhi ya Wanadiplomasia mbalimbali walikusanyika katika Ukumbi wa Mikutano wa Mlimani City kwa ajili ya maadhimisho ambapo waliongozwa na Balozi wa Rwanda nchini Dk Benjamin Rugangazi  huku mgeni rasmi akiwa ni Mwanadiplomasia mkongwe Dk Salim Ahmed Salim.

Kabla ya maadhimisho hayo yalifanyika matembezi  ya kumbukumbu kuanzia  katika Viwanja vya New World Cinema- Mwenge hadi Mlimani City ambapo yalihudhuriwa na Wanafunzi mbalimbali wa Shule za Msingi na Sekondari za jijini Dar es salaam.

Maadhimisho hayo yalianza kwa kuwasha mishumaa ikiwa ni ishara ya upendo wa kuwakumbuka waliopoteza maisha katika vita hivyo mbapo yalifuatiwa na burudani kutoka kwa Wanafunzi wa shule ya Msingi ya Heritage na baadaye kumaliziwa na hotuba mbalimbali ikiwemo ya Dk salim.

Picha zifuatazo zinaonyesha matukio mbalimbali ya maadhimisho hayo.

ACB YAZINDUA HUDUMA YA MOBILE MONEY

Benki ya Akiba Commercial Bank(ACB) imezindua rasmi huduma za kifedha kupitia simu za mkononi zitakazo wawezesha wateja wa benki hiyo kutuma na kupokea pesa kupitia mitandao ya simu ya M-pesa, Airtel Money na Tigo pesa.

Akizindua huduma hiyo jijini Dar es salaam jana baada ya kutiliana saini ya ushirika na Kampuni ya Selcom Wireless, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa ACB John Lwande alisema wateja wa benki hiyo wataweza kutuma na kupokea pesa mahali popote walipo nchini bila kwenda kwenye tawi la benki.

“Mteja aliyejisajiri na Mobile money ya ACB anaweza kutuma pesa na kupokea kwa M-pesa kupitia akaunti yake ya simu inayoitwa Mobile Walet. Pia ataweza kutoa pesa kutoka kwenye akaunti ya ACB na kutuma kwenye akaunti za Airtel Money na Tigo pesa” alisema Lwande.

Mbali na huduma hizo za kutuma na kupkea pesa, wateja hao wateweza kurejesha mikopo benki bila kwenda kwenda kwenye tawi la benki na kupunguza gharama za muda na fedha.

Alizitaja faida za kujiunga na huduma hiyo kuwa ni urahisi wa kujiunga na kutumia huduma hizo za kifedha zinazopatikana nchi nzima, kutunza muda na pesa, na pia ni hatua muhimu za kimaendeleo za benki hiyo tangu ilipoanzishwa mwaka 1997.

“Wateja wa mitandao yote mitatu tunayoshirikiana nayo wataweza kutuma pesa hadi kiwango cha milioni 1 kwa gharama ya Sh1000 tu” alibanisha Lwande.

Alisema kuwa wateja hao pia wataweza kupata taarifa za salio la akaunti zao, taarifa fupi za kibenki pamoja na huduma za LUKU, Startimes, na DSTV.

“Wateja wasiwe na hofu kuhusu suala la usalama tumeshajipanga kuhakikisha hakuna tatizo katika muamala utakaofanyika kutoka benki kwenda katika mitandao hiyo na kuleta usumbufu na ikitokea hali hiyo tulishulikia haraka sana tatizo hilo” alisisitiza.

Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa ACB John Lwande(katikati) akibadilishana mkataba na Mkurugenzi mtendaji wa Selcom Wireless Sammer Hirji(kulia) ma kushoto ni Meneja Mkuu wa idara ya ICT wa benki ya ACB.