Some few media coverage of consumer rights violation in Tanzania

The issue of consumer protection in Tanzania has become acute especially since the liberalisation of the Tanzania economy in the late 1980s. Since then there is poor link between producers and consumers.

Tanzania Consumers do lack reliable and timely information; they are unaware of existing institutional mechanisms for their rights protection after abolition of state controlled economy established through Arusha declaration in 1967.

One of Tanzania state controlled icons found in Arusha.

Only 9% of Tanzania consumers are ready to actively seek protection of their rights by challenging manufacturers, sellers, or state bodies for providing them with products or services of insufficient quality.

As a result, the market is full of unsafe and low quality goods and services to the degree of leading to the presence of more globalization economy losers than winners.

Some few media evidence of Consumer’s rights violation in Tanzania Market
a) Mwananchi, 23rd.April.2007, Swahili newspaper had a title; Fake malaria drugs; kill many Tanzanians.
b) Sunday Citizen 10th.Dec.2006, had the article with the title; Many Tanzanians not fully aware of their rights.
c) The Guardian dated 11th July2007, for example, reported that banned HIV/AIDS life prolonging drug –EMTRI 30 - 40 from India that was disqualified by the WHO and its importation banned by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, was still circulating in Kisarawe district, Coast region despite an outcry by anti-AIDS activists.
d) The Citizen of 28th,July.2007, had a title; ‘’In for an injection, out with a limp’’ some people come out of the injection room with a abscess only shows up several weeks later; others come out with disabilities for life.
e) The Guardian of 19.August.2007; had the title ‘’Fake goods impedes producers - Producers are deeply alarmed by the flood of counterfeit products in the local market harming quality and undercut their efforts to thrive.
f) The Guardian of 12.Sept.2007; reported that; Bulk of Kariakoo imported goods fake - about 50 per cent of all imported goods from China and sold in Kariakoo shops in Dar es Salaam are counterfeit

g) The Guardian of 04.Nov.2007; Fake Medicines Pose Big Threat-Counterfeit Medicines In Tanzania; the story continued
i. In August 1999, fake Metakelfin labelled as a genuine product from the original manufacturer, Pharmacia and Upjohn, was found in circulation in some pharmacies in the country.
ii. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the counterfeit Metakelfin actually contained paracetamol. In May 2000, counterfeit Ampicillin capsules (250mg) were found circulating in some retail pharmacies.
iii. Laboratory analysis confirmed the capsules contained potato starch. In June 2001, expired Chloroquine Injection (from an unregistered Indian company) was relabeled as Quinine Dihydrochloride Injection 600mg/2ml from a company in Cyprus.
iv. In January 2005, fake Gentrisone Cream (a product of Shin Poong, South Korea) was reported. In this case, the active ingredient was replaced with hand and body lotion.

h) The Guardian of 08.Nov.2007; had the title; Consumer awareness is no laughing matter.
i) The Business Times of 06.01.2008; had the title; Stakeholders urge for more awareness education.
j) Nipashe of 14th.March.2008; had the title; Importation of counterfeit goods is a threat to consumers. More than 80% of Tanzania consumers are not aware of their rights…
k) Guardian of 27th.March.2008; had the title; Vision 2025: Shall we achieve `Green Revolution`? The prices of fertilisers and farming implements remain higher due to cheating by the distributors of fertilisers.
k. Uhuru, a Swahili newspaper of 4th.April.2008, had front page story with the title, ‘’Expired toothpaste chemicals were found for Tanga Sabuni Detergent’’-The chemicals were meant for making a famous toothpaste in the country – Aha

One of main TCAS goal is to support government efforts by creating opportunities for poor Tanzania consumers to take part in the economy and in the expanding market and thereby realize their potentials being translated into actual strategy on how to make investment climate for Tanzania conducive for all stakeholders in the economy including government, producers, investors and consumers.

Call for Sullivan Summit to bring lasting benefits

09:12:43 By Mgeta Mganga
The government and private sector are challenged to ensure that the coming Leon Sullivan Summit brings long-term benefits to the country. Sullivan Summit would be held in Arusha early next month amidst expectations that lots of business deals would be sealed between Tanzania`s companies and their US counterparts.

Speaking to this paper in Dar es Salaam last week, the executive director of Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society(TCAS), Bernard Kihiyo, on the picture left said Tanzania needs to foresee and put on the drawing board all important issues that are expected to be explored during the grand business event,

this time labeled `Summit of the Life Time?.

In his view, there was a need for Tanzania`s business experts to come up with practical business approaches that could be put to work as soon when the Sullivan Summit was over, targeting to develop people and the country at large over the longer runs.

``This will make the intended Sullivan Summit`s goals be met and positively benefit people and the country,`` he said. One of the key goals of Summit is to bring together the world`s political and business leaders, delegates representing national and international civil and multinational organisations, and members of academic institutions in order to focus attention and resources on Africa`s economic and social development.

The other motive to this summit is the belief that the development of Africa is a matter of global partnerships, that Africa`s Diaspora and Friends of Africa are active participants in Africa?s development.

``I am quite excited and have the passion to see Africans are starting to draw a picture of Africa in twenty, thirty, years to come? we can start thinking of what changes can be expected, which direction to take, what kind of investments are required and what approach to be taken to arrive at the intended goal of developing the continent and its people``, he said.

When establishing the Foundation, The Reverend Leon Sullivan had set global principles of social responsibility to the corporate world, aimed at improving human rights, social justice and economic fairness in the conduct of business.

``I hope no one would like to see Africa with irresponsible business, who are robbing peoples` abilities to live their dreams by selling substandard products and poor services``, he said. In order for companies to survive, he said, they require greater efficiency and cost saving, technological improvement, new manufacturing techniques and strict control of production costs.

But he cautioned the search for profitability should not compromise on efforts to protect the interests of consumers and promote competition as much as possible in order to arrive at stable prices and improve quality and quantity of goods and services.

SOURCE: Guardian of 2008-05-17
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/05/17/114564.html

Tackle consumer’s rights violations to archieve MDGs

By Bernard Kihiyo

I will be honoured to share with you some issues which are important to UN millennium development goal project. For the matter of facts if we real want countries to make progress in reducing poverty and attain the MDGs we have to think twice and analyse the trend of events with intention to help countries hit the intended targets.

In 2000 the UN Millennium Declaration, adopted at the largest-ever gathering of heads of state, committed countries (rich and poor). I should acknowledge; this strategy is one of the best ever being adopted by UN agreed by 2015 all 191 United Nations Member States have pledged to:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger,
2. Achieve universal primary education;
3. Promote gender equality and empower women;
4. Reduce child mortality;
5. Improve maternal health;
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

We are almost half way to 2015; however I have the feeling that so many countries around the world (including Tanzania) will fall far short of the Millennium Development Goals if the world will not urgently take into account consumers’ rights violation as the matter of concern.

For instance; how can a country eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, if the market if full of counterfeit products, poor services and unfair charges? How can a country eradicate poverty while businesses form cartels to rip more profit out of the little income/resources of the poor especial on food, fuel, essential human drugs, building materials, farming equipment and the like?

How can a country reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; while the market is full of fake drugs of all sort with very poor customer service characterized with unprofessional conducts; with minimum checks and balance by consumers themselves and other stakeholders?.

How can a country ensure environmental sustainability while consumers and producers don’t know their responsibilities to attain sustainable consumption and production? For instance the demand for safe sanitation and environment depends far more on hygiene education.

How can the countries develop a global partnership for development while trade policies in developed countries remain highly discriminatory against developing country exports at the same time encourage sabotage on economies of weaker partners (unfair contracts, counterfeit goods)as a result, we found in our countries with more globalization losers than winners.

Other factors such as declining level of aid, pledge were made by rich countries to allocate at least 0.7% of their gross national income to development by 2015 but; many countries are by far behind this, how can MDGs being attained under these circumstances? This is just to mention some few.

Rich countries have made promises to support MDG but these words must be backed by deeds.

It is not about hard work, support or individual efforts that will reduce poverty but also it is about all potential opportunities to eradicate poverty; should be part of the system which ensures equal rewarding to the hard work or opportunity gained or given to individuals especially the poor.

Thus, to achieve a higher rate of successful national strategic program interventions to achieve MDGs, consumer rights protection and promotion program is of paramount importance.

Section IV (67) of the 1999-UN Consumer Protection guidelines, underscores the need for governments and international organizations to promote and facilitate capacity-building in the area of consumerism.

In particular, governments and donors are urged to facilitate cooperation among consumer groups and other relevant organizations of the civil society, with the aim of strengthening capacity in the area of sustainable consumption and production.

I do believe in this world there is no single approach to reform; the MDGs must become a world reality, embraced by their main stakeholders especially the poor people to ensure they get value for their little money sent on goods or services.

The Author is
Executive Director
Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society
Website; http://www.tcas.or.tz

Service Revolution; the future of Africa and Global Sullivan summit

By Bernard Kihiyo

I have to acknowledge I started to have interest on what is Global Sullivan summit just because there are a lot about it in Tanzania media as this year summit viii will be held in our country this coming June 2nd to 6th.2008 in Arusha.

One of the very key goals of Sullivan Summits is to bring together the world’s political and business leaders, delegates representing national and international civil and multinational organizations, and members of academic institutions in order to focus attention and resources on Africa’s economic and social development

The other motive to this summit is the belief that the development of Africa is a matter of global partnerships that Africa’s Diaspora and Friends of Africa are active participants in Africa’s development.

I have been excited on the way founding member such Afro American - Rev Leon Sullivan devoted his life to the well being of others. On establishing this organization they set global Sullivan principle of social responsibility to the corporate world, aimed at improving human rights social justice and economic fairness in the conduct of doing business.

I’m quite excited and have the passion to see African are starting to draw a picture of Africa in twenty, thirty, years to come, it is know we can start thinking of what changes to be expected, which direction to take, what kind of investments are required and what approach to be taken to acquire the intended goal of developing the continent and its people.

I hope no one would like to see Africa with irresponsible business, who are robbing peoples’ abilities to live their dreams by selling substandard products and poor services unless your are benefiting out of this unethical business approach.

Currently the world is in a new economic era which has force to the removal of countries’ trade barrier and companies now are operating beyond borders, through this there is intensification of international competition, in order for companies to survive they require greater efficiency and cost saving, technological improvement, new manufacturing technique and strict control of production costs in order to survive.

During this era we have seen production shift away from the so called 1890’s to 1970’s industrialized European countries to lower cost countries in the South East Asia, the Far East and Latin America.

Companies in Europe closed factories and transfer their production activities to the emerging market of the South East Asia, the Far East and Latin America. For instance there is no businessman who can ignore the reduction in production cost for about 75% by using cheap skilled labour; for instance in China.

What are the industrialized countries like USA, UK, France, Germany and the like are doing after shifting their industries to South East Asia, the Far East and Latin America. They have shifted their effort onto Service Revolution which continues to create more jobs to the citizen; tax base for their governments and the like.

For instance they invested heavily on improvement of logistics management including transport and transportation, warehousing, state-of-the-art shopping centres, state-of-the-art telecommunication, insurance, tourism architectural, engineering, financial sector, stable power supply, a highly educated workforce, a technology and supporting infrastructure.

What remained in terms of industrial production in these former industrialized countries have been in the area of the high-tech goods; such as military equipment, high-tech industrial machines, and telecommunication devises.

In the so called Service Revolution, the trick part of it is to make sure that consumers are getting their goods and services at their maximum satisfaction no matter where they come from. These countries invested so much onto economic infrastructure.

They are very strict on adherence of companies on product and service, good record keeping for traceability, quality management principles as per standards set by International Standard Organization (ISO), CODEX Alimentarius Commission through their local standards agencies and consumers associations.

Others efforts; done by these countries are to; invest heavily on the quality of labour who can give excellent customer service, service providers are trained to be keen to the concept of consumerism, governments of these countries have established excellent policies that allow business and consumers to enjoy the benefits of globalized economy.

For instance; textile goods from China made for UK standards are shipped from China to UK and are becoming more than 60% cheaper compared if the same could be produced in UK. Then with improved logistics infrastructure and automated warehouse management operating under the principle of Just-In-Time (JIT) are filling the gaps of time to be wasted on inbound and outbound logistics.

In the so called Service Revolution; there must be transformation of the way business treat customers; the role of consumer has to be changed from one of human cash dispenser into essential element for the existence of business companies.

This is not possible if companies do not work to win the home game first; customers are the business, it is their demand that drives the whole concept of supply chain, so finding out what customers value and then delivering it is critical, it is only the movement to consumers needs and interest that add the ultimate value, smooth continuous flow of business to the adhered company.

Such a transformation has far reaching effect on the provision of goods and services to the customers, so that the servicing of the requirement of customers is now at the heart of market philosophy in all sector of the economy. This concept has easily transferred to the provision of quality of service that will lead to business and these countries’ economies to prosper.

Deliberate effort must be in place to protect the interests of consumers and promote competition wherever possible to drive prices and improve quality and quantity of goods and services to ensure that businesses, local communities and consumers benefit.

On the matter of fact; the structure of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has shifted towards services. In the early 1970s, this sector accounted for only one-quarter of the world FDI stock; in 1990 this share was less than one-half; and by 2002, it had risen to about 60% or an estimated $4 trillion.

Over the same period, the share of the primary sector in world FDI stock declined, from 9% to 6%, and that of manufacturing fell even more, from 42% to 34%. On average, services accounted for two-thirds of total FDI inflows during 2001-2002, valued at some $500 billion.
(Source; UNCTAD; World Investment Report; 2004- The Shift towards Services - Overview)

Middle East countries are now expanding their economies through international trade and many are diversify their economies away from industrial production and invest in infrastructure and service provision to plug into the world competitive market. ‘’If these countries ahead of us are flexible enough to the wind of globalization; who are we not to start the move?’’

Africa requires a serious approach to start Service Revolution for the betterment of our economies and consumers at large. In the meantime we are having a lesser-fair approach on issues and remove all barriers to creative thinking like;- it wont work, we don’t have capital, why change, we cant get there, we are better off, twenty/thirty years to come is very far away from now etc.

We have to start change our mind-set toward the way we perceive globalized economy for instance the old fashioned colonial motto like agriculture is the back born of our economy. I do agree; but we should not be too rigid to involve ourselves on activities which we are not good at; especially into this new economic era; we need to begin thinking about combination and right mix strategies to consolidate our position in this new world economy.

I believe African governments, donors community, businesses and other key allies are working together now; more than ever- as part of the solution rather than the problem; if all these are present; it can be done let us marshal our efforts and start to act now, or rather our future and our economic position in this globalized economy will be ever black.

If you want to participate on Sullivan Summit register yourself online follow this link http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=c9dc0d3f-3163-4401-916a-c828432b72b3&


The Author is
Executive Director
Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society
Website; http://www.tcas.or.tz/

How Tanzania Commemorated WCRD on 15th.March.2008 for the first time

Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) is a newly established Non Governmental Consumer Organization which has made it possible to commemorate for the first time World Consumer Rights Day in Tanzania; apart from the event been cerebrated by other countries in the world including African countries some times ago.

In doing this; It was not an easy task for us as it was a new line, venture, and it was difficulty for people to grasp single line of a message all over a sudden as people’s mind-set was far behind the concept.
TCAS Chairman Mr Daimon Jim Mwakyembe addressed to the event; He is a retired Director General of Tanzania Bureau of Standards where he worked for 17 years up to 2006

TCAS chairman in his speech amongst other things he stressed for ‘’Sustainable consumption includes meeting the needs of present and future generations for foods, goods and services in ways that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable’’.

We had to have a mix of messages on the consumers’ rights and a bit of messages on other years WCRD themes to find a level ground, however more focus was given to this year theme ‘’Junk food generation-stop the marketing of unhealthy food especially to children’’

Tanzania Consumers on the peaceful rally to commemorate WCRD on 15th.March.2008 in Dar es Salaam.

MEDIA Involvement
TCAS do understand that there is no advocacy without involvement of media, in order to acquire the intended results. The campaign in Tanzania focused on a wide range of media adverts such as: Television, radio, and newspapers adverts;

Based on this background we got in touch with four television stations, five popular radio stations, six English and six Swahili newspapers- respective news editors of these media houses where sent with a letter about the day; its theme and some participated on TCAS’s press realise event about WCRD on 7th.March.2008.

As we involved the media the general public (consumers) were addressed with information which we believe will turn around the scourge of junk food and drinks, as consumers were associated with lack of awareness on junk foods and drinks.

To this end; we had a very good support from two television stations, two popular radio stations, different ranges of newspapers produced 8 articles on Swahili and English about the day and the campaign. For more information; follow these links.
http://tanzaniaconsumer.blogspot.com/2008/02/commemoration-of-world-consumers-rights.html
www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2008/03/14/110327.html
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/03/18/110593.html

Other stakeholders Involvement
TCAS do understand the war against ‘’Junk food generation-stop the marketing of unhealthy food especially to children’’ is not a one man show; it requires strong partnership with relevant partners in order to attain positive results.

Group picture of some of stakeholders who participated on commemorating WCRD in Tanzania

To this end TCAS invited several members of government; NGOs such as National Organization for Legal Assistance (NOLA), Marie Stopes Tanzania (MST), professional bodies like Medical Doctors, Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) and Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) to talk about effects and efforts to curb Junk food Generation and to determine a way forward for this campaign.

The Way forward;
Majority of the stakeholders recommended that the campaign should focus to pupils in the primary schools who are more vulnerable to junk foods; as majority of primary school pupils are between the ages five to fourteen years old.

Young, old, Youth men and women were there to participate and lessen to the message on the WCRD-2008. During the rally we had children and youth participants however it’s in TCAS agenda to extend this campaign further to most of the primary school pupils in the country through intensive use of media.

Leaflets were shared amongst participants during commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day at Mnazi Mmoja Ground, more to be shared during future TCAS campaigns on the same.

Follow this link for Consumers International member action during WCRD 2008
http://tanzaniaconsumer.blogspot.com/2008_04_15_archive.html

Consumers Protest on substandard goods

By Bernard Kihiyo
Tanzania is only country out of 53 African nations to host Olympic torch relay for year 2008; Dar es Salaam City had been selected by the Olympic committee to be the only African city amongst twenty two world cities to be visited by the Olympic torch out of China land.

Tanzania had never hosted an Olympic torch relay before; it was quit mix-feelings experience for Dar es Salaam dwellers. The 5-km relay in the city of Dar es Salaam was accompanied by heavy police security; living aside non official torch bearers several meters away from the torch.

Some people perceived may be it was a military event and not an event whose intention is to seek for world ownership of Olympic Games, which aim at sharing the passion, glory, dreams and joys of the coming games.

(Pictures of Olympic torch-bearer surrounded by several police men to avoid experiences of other cities.)

Based on the fact that; the latest events of attacks including interruption of the relay and attempts to snatch the Olympic torch; by human rights activists who are angry over China's human rights record; Our police force in Tanzania was over protective to the extent of distorting the essence of the torch.

Tanzania Consumers were stationary/immobile on the road side near the gate of new national stadium where the main relay last event was conducted; taking full advantage of local and international spotlight to get our messages through; however we had been illegally stopped by the police (Tibaigana) who ordered for confiscation of our nine placards which had the following messages;-
1. We support Olympic Games in China; but not counterfeit products.
2. Olympic Games are the best way of bringing the world together; is the world happy with fake products?
3. Tanzania Consumers don’t want counterfeit products in our market.
4. Substandard goods are causing a lot of sufferings to poor Tanzania consumers; can China government help in this war?
5. Can China be part of the solution to stop counterfeiting in Tanzania?
6. The right of expression is our constitutional right; we are here to practise our right.
7. ‘’Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society’’ is the only Independent and active consumer organization in Tanzania.
8. The world is one through Olympic Games in China; can the world join together to fight the war against counterfeit products?
9. We are happy to have this Olympic torch in Tanzania; please take these consumers’ messages for us.

(Pictures of Tanzania Consumers with their placards bearing the message elaborated above)


The police move; was illegal and completely against the constitution of United Republic of Tanzania; part iii –Article 20 sub-article; (1) which stipulates; ‘’Every person is entitled to freedom, subject to the laws of the land, to freely and peaceably assemble, associate and cooperate with other persons, express views publicly, and more specially to form or join associations or organisations formed for the purposes of preserving or furthering his beliefs or interests or any other interests’’.


(Picture of Tanzania Consumers with their placards had called to the attention of local and international media.)

Moreover Article 21 sub-article (2) gives; every citizen has the right and the freedom to participate fully in the process leading to the decision on matters affecting him, his well-being or the nation.

In this regard; we (Tanzania consumers) have experienced severe violation of our constitutional rights and worst still the problem of counterfeit products is still affecting Tanzania; Africa and the whole of the world consumers’ lives; some of these counterfeit products are originating from China.

With counterfeit products in the market, consumers are locked out of economic opportunities and remain poor, swimming in the cycle of poverty as they don’t get actual return for their money spent on substandard goods and the like.

Based on the world economic situation through globalization, the world has become a small village; good citizens of the world will never keep quite while something bad is happening to any part of the world.

Heavy weight politicians such as Gordon Brown, Bernard Kouchner, Angela Merkel to heavy weight activists such as Steven Spielberg, Prof Wangari Maathai and simple people like us will always air our voices to be heard whenever we get an opportunity for a good cause.

Chinese government should listen from people of the world and act upon these challenges; it will be unwise to take this as a personal attack. The same could happen to France, UK, Greece, Germany, India, Tanzania and the like based on their situation/s if they could hold this same chance.

Follow these links for other messages on the same
http://www.chinalyst.net/node/35733

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7345423.stm

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804150137.html

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/business&id=3726623

E-mail: consumeradvocacytz@yahoo.co.uk
Web site: http://http://www.tcas.or.tz/
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Textiles industry could still save the day

By Erick Toroka

THE collective views among most observers are that Tanzania does have by far great comparative advantage over most of the other countries in the region in the area of textile production.

For example, the country already has in place ample supplies of raw cotton, the possibilities of cheap coal and hydropower, as well as cheap domestic labour with skills already horned through past dabbling in the textile industry. In the 1970s and ’80s, Tanzania was home to at least 32 thriving textile mills.

That was before reforms leading to economic liberalization were undertaken beginning in the late 1980s, resulting in the sidelining of the domestic textile sub-sector in favour of imported substitutes. That is the bad news...

The good news is that this negative trend can be turned round, with the textiles sub-sector being enabled to once again play a major role in propelling the economy up and forward. According to Bernard Kihiyo – an expert in the field of consumerism –

“the cotton and textile sub-sector in Tanzania can leap forward if and when it demonstrates strong capabilities at the firm-level on the supplyside to market products and services worldwide coupled with a high willingness of sophisticated consumers on the demandside to pay for the (domestic) industry's output.” Kihiyo is currently the executive director of the Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS).

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Business Times in Dar es Salaam recently, the man said Tanzania needs to take up “the challenge of global trade seriously for it to survive in the rapidly globalizing situation.

“What is missing in our mix is seriousness in exploiting these potentials for our economic development. If we really want our textile industry to grow, we need to critically analyze the tricks of globalization economics.”

This, he explains, “includes all elements of cost-effectiveness and adherence to standards and consumers choice ...In other words, it means flexibility in the market as the world continues to grow smaller, competition for the consumers money ever becomes fiercer – and choices ever wider!”

In that regard, Kihiyo says, “TCAS is ready to join in a national campaign on sensitizing consumers to buy locally-made textile materials and garments ... as long as the producers adhere to the highest standards of quality and ethical conduct.

At the end of the day, this would result in creating more jobs and alleviating poverty in Tanzania.” Before trade liberalization, the textiles sub-sector in Tanzania was one of the strongest growth sectors in the national economy.

It was one of the largest employers – and the third largest source of Government revenues in the form of taxes and export earnings. In fact, cotton was the second most important export crop for Tanzania.

Following trade liberalization over a little more than two decades, the nation’s textiles sub-sector went under, losing heavily to an influx of imports from Japan, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and other South-East Asian countries.

Admittedly, some of the imports were of a better quality. But, more often than not, they were cheap, shoddy affairs, thereby underselling even the few textile goods that were still trickling out of the struggling domestic manufactories.

In effect, Tanzania joined the growing family of countries that were dumping grounds for sub-standard textiles and garments (imported mostly from the Far East) and second-hand clothing, imported from Europe and North America.

In the event, local consumers continued to access a wide range of textile goods that were generally available in the market. One direct effect of this is that these developments hammered the last nail in the coffin of an already moribund domestic industry. Hence the highly unsatisfactory situation which is currently obtaining in Tanzania ...

The ample supplies of cotton in the country, as well as potentially cheap power and labour, do not as yet meaningfully contribute to the national economy in the forms of employment creation and income-generation compared to 1970s and early 1980s.

In recent years, the textiles industry has tried to gather itself together again, compliments of new developments like the Africa Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) of the United States. That piece of legislation enacted in 2002 set out to liberalise access to the vast US market for about 7,000 export items from sub-Sahara Africa and other least developed countries (LDCs).

Ditto for a roughly similar trade initiative by the European Union going under the programme-title of Everything But Arms (EBA). As trade programmes, both AGOA and EBA expanded the duty- and quota-free benefits which were previously available to the poorer nations of the world only under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

The two programmes in particular are by no means confined to textile goods. The goods covered range from footwear, chemicals and steel to certain motor vehicle components and varieties of agricultural products, including wines!

But, when all is said and done, countries like Tanzania have not been in a position to exploit such opportunities to the hilt. For instance, according to information from the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, the value of bi-lateral trade flows between Tanzania and the United States in terms of textiles and apparel tells only part of the story.

The value of US imports from Tanzania dropped from US$4.12 million in 2005 to $3.34 million in 2007. On the other hand, US exports to Tanzania went up from $9.48 million in 2005 to $14.5 million in 2007.

The barriers to entry in the US market of Tanzanian exports include the high sensitivity of the American Government and people to standards of quality – with Tanzania consistently falling under par.

In the event, China has taken full advantage of the situation, whereby it supplies about 45 per cent of the entire garments requirements in Europe and America! In fact, many industries in Europe and America have found it prudent to transferred their production activities to China, thereby effectively exploiting the principle of comparative advantage – including availability of cheap skilled labour, good investment policies, and good infrastructure for businesses to flourish.

It is understood that America and European countries are wary of becoming over-dependent on China in this area of economic activity. In this regard, Kihiyo argues, those countries would conceivably be more than thankful to have other alternative sources that are equally reliable.

“It is, therefore, imperative that the Tanzania Government and other stakeholders in the textiles and other industries take greater advantage of these opportunities by seriously acting upon them,” he urges.

Source The Business Times
http://www.businesstimes.co.tz/kurasa.php?soma=national&habariNamba=1040

Consumer Lobby Pushes for Standards, Quality Laws

The Guardian of 18-03-2008-03
By Patrick Kisembo

The Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) is pushing for the enforcement of product standards and quality laws to protect consumers from the consumption of poor-quality products.

Speaking at the commemoration of the World Consumer`s Rights Day over the weekend, TCAS chairman Daimon Mwakyembe asked the government to put in place a mechanism to enhance the enforcement of standards and laws in the wake of massive circulation of low-quality products in the country.

He said enforcement of legal procedures and regulations to protect consumers against poor-quality products was difficult as many consumers were still unaware of their rights. ``This can be proved by poor attendance of people around here,`` he said citing the small consumers who turned at the World Consumer`s Rights Day celebrations.

He mentioned some of the laws that protect rights of consumers as the TBS Act of 1975, Weights and Measures Agency Act of 1982, Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Act (EWURA) of 2001, Surface Transport and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) of 2001, Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority Act (TCRA) of 2003, Fair Competition Commission Act (FCC) of 2003, Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Act (TCAA) of 2003, and Bank of Tanzania Act (BoT) of 2006.

Mr Mwakyembe, a former Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) director, said domestic markets were flooded with low-quality products, including edible oil and spare parts. ``Apart from foodstuffs, there are several imported products which are below standard, thereby threatening the lives and health of consumers,`` he said.

It`s high time the government, through relevant authorities and organs, started protecting consumers against the danger posed by poor-quality products imported into the country,`` he added. He said consumer rights is a new concept for many Tanzanians, but insisted it was important to be promoted and publicized in the context of protecting consumers, like what is being done in the national fight against HIV/Aids, poverty eradication and social problems.

This year`s World Consumer`s Rights Day theme was, `Production of poor quality food not fit for the health of the consumer - stop using decomposed food.`` He urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the government to ensure effective implementation of consumers-protection programmes and strategies.

The official appealed for collaboration between the government and other East African Community (EAC) partners in the establishment of an East Africa Consumer Protection Act. ``Consumers will not be treated fairly and justly if there is no proper legal regional ground to protect them.

It sounds illogical to have a common market without a common legal basis for the protection of consumers amongst partner states - Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania,`` said Mwakyembe.

TCAS executive director Bernard Kihiyo said a consumer has the right to quality products which meet the buyer`s criteria. According to him, more than 80 per cent of consumers in Tanzania were not aware of their rights and obligations, making them vulnerable to poor quality products. Tanzania is for the first time commemorating the World Consumer`s Rights Day after 25 years since it was officially established in the USA and UK. Other African countries that had been commemorating the day for years are Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.

SOURCE: Guardian follow this link; http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/03/18/110593.html

Uingizaji bidhaa bandia nchini tishio kwa watumiaji

Nipashe 14-03-200
Na Felix Andrew

Kutokana na kuongezeka kwa bidhaa zisizo kidhi ubora nchini na sehemu nyingine serikali kwa kushirikiana na wadau kadhaa wamekuwa makini katika kuhakikisha kuwa afya za walaji zinalindwa na kusimamiwa ipasavyo.

Sio siri, baada ya uamuzi wa kuwa na soko huria, Tanzania inakabiliwa na changamoto ya uingizaji wa bidhaa za aina mbali mbali ambazo nyingi hazikidhi viwango, jambo linalohatarisha afya za walaji. Lakini pia inatia moyo kuona kuwa serikali inaonyesha kuwa ipo makini katika kukabiliana na hilo ili kulinda afya za watu wake.

Serikali imekuwa ikisema katika mfumo wa kujenga uchumi wa soko, majukumu yake ya msingi ni kuweka mazingira bora, kuhakikisha kwamba unakuwepo ushindani wa haki baina ya washiriki wa ndani na kati ya washiriki wa ndani na wa nje na wakati huo huo, kuhakikisha kwamba maslahi na afya za walaji hazidhuriki kutokana na uhafifu wa bidhaa zinazozalishwa ndani au kuingizwa kutoka nje.

Aidha, watumiaji wa huduma na bidhaa zinazozalishwa au kuingizwa katika soko kutoka nje, wanahitaji kulindwa kutokana na kutozwa bei au gharama za juu sana. Kwa mtazamo huo, uanzishwaji wa Tume ya Ushindani (Fair Competition Commission) pamoja na Mamlaka za Udhibiti una lengo la kuboresha ushindani, kuboresha ubora wa viwango vya bidhaa na huduma na kulinda walaji.

Taasisi zilizoundwa kwa lengo la kulinda afya za walaji ni pamoja na Maabara ya Mkemia Mkuu wa Serikali, National Food Control Commission na taasisi ya kudhibiti ubora wa bidhaa Tanzania. Pamoja na kuunda mamlaka na taasisi hizo kwa lengo la kuimarisha ushindani wa haki na kulinda mlaji, Serikali vile vile inaendeleza mipango ya kuimarisha maabara za uchunguzi wa kemikali na vimelea haribifu itakayokidhi viwango vya Kimataifa kama ule unaojengwa huko Mwanza kwa ajili ya biashara ya minofu ya samaki.

Ni matumaini ya Serikali kwamba baada ya kuweka mazingira bora ya ushindani pamoja na kumlinda mlaji, uchumi wa soko utaendeshwa kwa mfumo na utaratibu ulio bora zaidi na unaojali afya na maslahi ya mlaji kwa ujumla. Katika jitihada za kulinda haki za walaji, taasisi binafsi zimekuwa mstari wa mbele ili kuhakikisha kuwa walaji wanajiepusha na tabia ya matumizi ya vitu vilivyo chini ya viwango.

Hivi sasa sehemu mbalimbali duniani, ikiwemo Tanzania wamekuwa katika maandalizi ya kusherekea siku ya haki za walaji duniani itakayoadhimishwa katikati ya mwezi huu.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jijini Dar es Salaam Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Shirika la Kutetea Haki za walaji Tanzania (TCAS) Bw Bernard Kihiyo, anasema kuwa maadhimisho hayo yanayotarajia kufanyika Machi 15 yanalenga kuikumbusha jamii vitendo vya ukiukwaji wa haki za walaji duniani.

Mwaka huu ujumbe wa siku hiyo unasema zuia kutangaza vyakula vibovu. Vyakula vibovu ni pamoja na vile vyenye sukari, chumvi na mafuta na havionyeshi vizuri muda wake wa kumalizika lakini vinafanyiwa matangazo ya hali ya juu kuwa bado vinafaa kwa matumizi ya binadamu, inakuwa ni ngumu sana kusema chakula au kinywaji gani ni kizuri au siyo kizuri kwa afya.

Anasema kuwa TCAS imedhamiria kuandaa wiki ya walaji ambapo mambo mbali mbali yatakuwa yanafanyika kabla ya kufika kilele cha sherehe. Katika wiki hiyo anasema chama kitaandaa mkutano kuhamasisha wananchi na taasisi mbali mbali juu ya siku hiyo.

Taasisi zinazotarajiwa kualikwa kwenye mkutano huo ni madaktari , Shirika la Viwango nchini (TBS) na Mamlaka ya Chakula na Dawa nchini (TFDA). Pia alisema siku ya kilele, TCAS itaandaa maandamano ya amani kutoka Kariakoo hadi Viwanja vya Mnazi mmoja ambapo viongozi mbali mbali watatoa hotuba zao.

Siku ya haki za walaji duniani ilianza kuadhimishwa nchini Marekani ambapo mnamo Machi 15 mwaka 1962 Rais John. F Kennedy alitoa tangazo kwa baraza la Congress. Anasema walaji ndilo kundi kubwa kabisa la kiuchumi lililoathirika au kuathiriwa na maamuzi mengi ya umma na pia ndio kundi muhimu ambalo mawazo yake mengi hayasisiki.

Katika mkutano huo Rais Kennedy alitangaza haki nne za msingi za walaji ambazo wananchi wa Marekani wanazitambua hadi leo.Haki hizo ni haki ya usalama, haki ya kupewa taarifa, haki ya kuchagua na haki ya kusikilizwa. Kwa mara ya kwanza Siku ya Walaji Duniani ilianza kuadhimishwa Machi 15 mwaka 1983 nchini Marekani , Uingereza na baadaye katika nchi nyingine kama Misri, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Afrika Kusini na imekuwa ikihamasishwa kwa kushirikiana na taasisi ya kimataifa ya kutetea haki za walaji inayojulikana na Consumers International (CI).

Utafiti uliofanywa na TCAS mwezi Aprili mwaka jana katika miji ya Arusha, Mwanza, Moshi, Pwani na Dar es Salaam unaonyesha kuwa zaidi ya asilimia 80 ya walaji nchini hawana uelewa wa kutosha kuhusiana na haki zao.

Kutokana na uelewa finyu wa mlaji kuhusiana na sheria , wafanyabiashara ambao sio waadilifu wameendelea kutumia mwanya huu kudanganywa na kudhulumu walaji kwa kuleta bidhaa duni na zisizokidhi malengo ya watumiaji yaani walaji.

Wakizungumza katika mahojiano, wananchi wengi wanasema kuwa bado hawajazijua haki za mlaji, na hivyo wameomba kuelimishwa zaidi kuhusiana nazo. ``Kwa kweli mimi binafsi bado sijajua nifanye pindi ninapogundua kuwa bidhaa niliyouziwa ni feki au mahali pa kulalamika, `` anasema Bi Rozina Mwambe mkazi wa Kijitonyama.

Mwananchi mwingine aliyejitambulisha kwa jina la Jerome Sanga,anakiri kuwa bado hajajua haki hizo na kuziomba taasisi husika kutoa elimu kwa wananchi namna ya kuzijua na kuzidai. ``Nimekuwa nikiwaona watu wa tume ya ushindani wakikamata na kuziteketeza bidhaa feki, lakini bado sijawahi kusikia wananchi walionunua bidhaa hizo kwa bahati mbaya kama wanapewa fidia au la``, amesema. Hivi karibuni Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano lilipitisha sheria kali zaidi ya kudhibiti bidhaa Bandia ambapo kundi kubwa zaidi la watu linalojihusisha na bidhaa hizo litaweza kubanwa ikiwa ni pamoja na wauzaji reja reja na hatua hiyo kuchukua muda mfupi.

Sheria hiyo kwa sasa inasubiri saini ya Rais ili iweza kuanza kutumika rasmi. Mashirika ya kupigania haki za walaji hayana budi kuendelea kuelimisha walaji kuhusiana na haki zao ili kupunguza wigo wa tatizo la dhuluma na uonevu kutoka kwa wafanyabiashara wafanyabiashara wasio waadilifu.

Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya ushindani ya mwaka 2003, imeainisha mambo yote ambayo ni kinyume na taratibu za kibiashara, na imebainisha ni mambo gani yakikiukwa mlaji au mdau mwingine yeyote ana haki ya kushtaki na kulipwa fidia pale ikibainika kuwa ameathirika na tukio la ukiukwaji wa vipengele tajwa, sehemu ya nne, kipengele cha 22 hadi 24 imebainisha hiyo na pia sehemu ya kumi kipengele cha 57 mpaka 91 kimeainisha Mahakama ya ushindani ikiwa ni pamoja na taratibu, mamlaka na majukumu ya Mahakama hii kwa wabia wa biashara ikiwa ni pamoja na mlaji.

Pamoja na kuanzisha sheria mbalimbali za kumlinda mlaji, utafiti unaonyesha kuwa hadi leo hii bado Tanzania inakabiliwa ukiukwaji mkubwa wa haki za walaji kupitia serikali na mawakala wake, wazalishaji, waagizaji wa bidhaa na pia kutoka katika makundi mengine ya jamii yenye nguvu, huku mlaji hajui ni kwa vipi ataweza kukabiliana na kadhia hii.

Kutokana na hili imeonekana ni muhimu kubainisha haki za mlaji katika jitihada za kuwasaidia walaji kuelewa haki zao za msingi ili mlaji aweze kupaza sauti yake kupitia jukwaa la TCAS.

Serikali na wadau wanatakiwa kuanza kuwashirikisha walaji ili wazielewe haki zao na namna ya kuzifuatilia ,kinyume na hapo itakuwa vigumu sana kupambana na uingizaji wa bidhaa feki nchini. Sheria iliyoanzisha TBS inayoipa mamlaka ya kuujulisha umma juu ya bidhaa zisizokuwa na viwango haina budi kuangaliwa upya.

Chini ya sheria hiyo, wakati mwingine TBS hulazimika kuiomba Mamlaka ya Udhibiti wa Huduma za Maji na Nishati (Ewura) kutumia sheria yake, kuwachukulia hatua watu waliokiuka sheria. Inatakiwa TBS ipewe meno yenye `kuuma` pindi panapotokea uvunjaji wa sheria tulizojiwekea badala ya kuzikabidhi taasisi nyingine.

SOURCE: Nipashe Fuatilia link hii

www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2008/03/14/110327.html

Commemoration of World Consumers Rights Day in Tanzania

Re: Invitation To participate on World Consumers’ Rights Day - 15th.March.2008

In response to the current consumer rights violation challenges in Tanzania, TCAS intend to organize consumers’ week, eventful consumers rights related activities days before the final day of commemorating for World Consumers Rights Day on 15th.March.2008.

World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) was first observed on 15 March 1983 in US and UK, later in developed world, Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa just to mention some few and has since become an important occasion for mobilising citizen action under the leadership of the world consumers organization body known as ‘’Consumers International’’ (CI).

World Consumer Rights Day has its origins in former US President John F. Kennedy in his 15 March 1962 declaration to the US Congress. He said '’Consumers are the largest economic group, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic decision; yet they are the only important group... whose views are often not heard.'’

In the same meeting, President Kennedy declared four basic consumer rights to US citizens which are valid even today, these rights are;-
Ø The right to safety
Ø The right to be informed
Ø The right to choose
Ø The right to be heard.

April.2007, TCAS; consumer Survey report revealed that, more than 80% of consumers in Tanzanian suffer from lack of understanding of their rights. They remain unaware, vulnerable, with no platform and ability to fight or claim for their rights.

Majority of Tanzania families live below poverty line with an average per capita gross national income (GNI) of less than $745 per year, this is to say they live on less than $2 per day. Imagine this little income - $2 per day consumers are spending on counterfeit products, and poor services, associated with a lot of cheating and poor practice from unscrupulous traders.

In campaigning for the rights of consumers across Tanzania, TCAS seeks to hold corporations to account for consumers’ needs and interest and persuade government actions to put consumer concerns first.

To this end, we are committed to act as a national watchdog: campaigning against any behaviour that threatens; ignores or abuses the principles of consumer protection; for instance;-

Ø TCAS wants to support government efforts on holding corporations to account and ensure for product safety and corporate responsibility are paramount.

Ø TCAS believes in sustainable access to essential goods and services, regardless of ability to pay.

Ø TCAS is working to put the rights of consumers at the heart of decision-making.

Ø TCAS is campaigning for an end to unethical and unsustainable production and consumption.

Ø TCAS is working toward raising awareness about purchasing choices through clear, engaging and accessible communication.

This year’s World Consumer Rights Day theme is about ‘’Junk food Generation- to stop marketing of unhealthy food’’.

What are junk foods? Are foods high in sugar, salt and fat? Due to confusing labelling and extensive promotions, it can be difficult to tell what food or drink is healthy and what food or drink is unhealthy.

Consumers International (CI) has played an integral part in the passing of a highly significant World Health Organization (WHO) resolution announced at the World Health Assembly (WHA), which took place from 14-23 May 2007 in Geneva.

Through the lobbying of countries by CI and its member organisations, CI achieved a resolution that has committed the WHO to:

“Promote responsible marketing including the development of a set of recommendations on marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children”.

The WHO has until May 2009 to develop a set of proposals on the marketing of food and drinks to children. CI believes that this should be an international code restricting marketing of unhealthy food.

Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society intend to have a week of eventful consumer related activities to mark the week before the final event on 15th.March.2008; for instance;-
On 7th.March.2008; TCAS will give a press release on the intention of conducting a press conference on 10th.March.2008 and round table meeting on 13th.March.2008 all these efforts aim to sensitize people about marking World Consumers Rights Day on 15th.March.2008.

On 10th.March.2008; TCAS will hold a press conference to extend an invitation to the member of general public, media house, and members of the professional bodies like Medical Doctors from Muhimbili, Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) to talk about their efforts to curb Junk food Generation and to determine a way forward for this campaign. At Habari Maelezo from 09.00 am to 12.00noon.

On 13th.March.2008; TCAS will conduct a Round Table meeting to celebrate WCRD with the focus on consumers’ empowerment and awareness creation on consumers’ rights and remedies on the one hand, and on the other way sounding a note of warning about Junk food Generation at Landmark Hotel from 09.00 am to 16.00hours.

Participants include members of from the media house, the public, representatives from sectoral regulatory authorities, key government officials, medical doctors, NGOs such as NOLA, LHRC, TAMWA, TGNP and other civil societies.

On 15th.March.2008, at this final event TCAS will display, and distribute T-shirts, posters and pamphlets about consumers’ rights in Tanzania.

TCAS will hold peaceful rally from Kariakoo to Mnazi Mmoja grounds, from 8.00am to 10.30am, later to make a key word on World Consumers’ Rights Day at Mnazi Mmoja grounds at 10.30am. TCAS management, group representatives, and a guest of honor- honorable Minister for Economic planning and empowerment will deliver speeches.

The main message to mark the day will focus on awareness creation on Junk food Generation through out the final event and through media coverage such as newspapers, radio and television.

Other Recent themes promoted by Consumers International for World Consumer Rights Day include:

2007 - The theme was; ‘’Unethical Drug Promotion’’
2006 - The theme was; ‘’Sustainable Access of Energy for All’’
2005 - The theme was; ‘’Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is a problem - Get your food labelled’’
2004 - The theme was; ‘’Clean Water and Sustainable Sanitation for All’’.
2003 - The theme was; ‘’Corporate control of the food chain: the GM link’’
2002 - The theme was; ‘’Consumer Representation’’.
2001 - The theme was; ‘’Corporate Accountability’’
2000 - The theme was; ‘’Genetically Modified Foods ‘’

TAZAMA Arts group will perform drama and comedies relating to problems encountering Tanzania consumers to mark the event.

TCAS will publish and share consumer survey reports and information about the latest studies, findings and testimony about problems Tanzania consumers are facing.

We real need your presence so that we can up date Tanzania consumers and equip news editors with information to address these issues squarely in order to turn around the scourge of junk food, counterfeit, substandard, poor quality goods and services that is associated with lack of consumer awareness particularly to poor consumers every where in Tanzania.

I am delighted to invite you to attend these events as explained above

TCAS management team has invited Honorable Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to be the guest of honor.

We are looking forward for your presence. Please your confirmation to attend will be of greate help through this email; consumeradvocacytz@yahoo.co.uk

Together we can make a difference.



Daimon Jim Mwakyembe
Chairman
Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society

Govt told: enact law to enforce observation

CONSUMER PROTECTION, EDUCATION

Front Page article in Business Times of 17.01.2008

By Times Reporter,

http://www.businesstimes.co.tz/kurasa.php?soma=national&habariNamba=910

THE Government in Dar has been urged to enact a law that would perforce require businesses to have insurance cover in favour of their customers/consumers.

According to Bernard Kihiyo, the executive director of the Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS), “insurance services are today needed in the Tanzanian market more than at any time in the country’s history. Even domestic businesses are morally bound – and should also be legally bound – to apply best practices at all times and under all circumstances if they are to be effective in the global economy.

” In that regard, he said, proper legislation and regulatory frameworks are needed, to go hand-in-hand with insurance policies which cover the greatest possible majority of consumers – complete with the right and adequate compensation schemes.

“Up to the moment,” Kihiyo said, “there is not a single firm which has already established such a scheme – although there are many consumers who routinely face various challenges, but are invariably denied their (consumer) rights.”

He also insisted on “consumer education as an important part of the process ... and is a basic consumer right that must be assured for the general public. Such education should be introduced at the school and college levels.”

This would increase consumers’ understanding of their rights, and would also build consumers’ ability to pursue their rights more effectively. The effort at consumer education would make consumers’ voices heard far and wide, loud and clear.

There also would be increased awareness amongst consumers in particular, and the public in general, this facilitating accountability and responsiveness to consumers’ needs and interests.

Kihiyo said “education, any education in fact, is a lifelong process of constantly acquiring relevant information, knowledge and skills. “Consumer education is an important part of this process and is a basic consumer right that must be insisted upon by the general public and, as such, should be introduced at the school and college levels,” Kihiyo stressed.

TCAS intends to introduce annual Awards for the ‘Best Manufacturer,’ ‘Best Supplier,’ ‘Best Importer,’ et cetera, as adjudged in accordance with accepted standards and the views of consumers countrywide. According to Kihiyo, the Awards scheme would give back to businesses the confidence they need for business conduct par excellence from Tanzanian consumers in particular, and entire communities at large.

“The Awards system aims at encouraging business companies to take a triple-bottom-line approach to their performance: sensitivity to standards, quality and environment – as well as economic impact of their operations.

“This Awards Scheme will keenly watch how businesses are applying responsive business practices that can create value chains for the betterment of consumers – and that would help business firms to become more cost-effective, accountable and responsive to consumers’ needs and interests,” the consumer

Source; Front Page; the Business Times of 17.01.2008

Domestic consumers lobby digs up new drive

By Mgeta Mganga

2008-02-18 08:49:25
The Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) has plans to introduce annual awards to honour manufacturers, suppliers, importers, operators and service providers who would have demonstrated agility to uphold consumers rights in Tanzania.

The awards would become full swing by the end of this year and TCAS Executive Director; Bernard Kihiyo confirmed to this paper last week that this programme would also create greater possibilities for using corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies and business best practice frameworks to enhance private sector interest in consumers protection.

There are indications that the Consumers International (CI) would support the initiative by providing technical and consultation inputs into making the event successful.

On his part, the TCAS chairman, Daimon Mwakyembe said the annual competition would tune-up the attention of businesses to the fact that consumers were watching companies activities, actions and behaviour as to how best they are serving consumers interests and needs.

According to Mwakyembe, the competition would also encourage businesses to invest in broader social values whose benefits go beyond profit. He explained that for businesses to flourish there must be symbiotic relationships between supply and demand sides.

In recent times, he said, investors were apparently becoming more concerned to invest in company`s that are seen to be acting in a socially responsible manner. Transparency and a commitment to responsible business could give a company an advantage in securing public contracts.

The award winners would be those that would have objectively demonstrated their resolve to boosting sustainable consumption, including meeting the needs of present and future generations for goods and services in ways that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Mwakyembe, the immediate past Director General of Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) said the awards would also provide feedback to businesses about their conduct from the point of view of Tanzanian consumers. ``The goal is to work toward addressing consumers right for quality products as well as getting best deal for the value of their money``, he said.

The Annual Award will involve strong consumers participation in a transparent way. Consumers views would be collected through postal mails, e-mails, text messages, and interactive radio and television bulletins.

The lobby group claims that 80 percent of consumers in Tanzanian do suffer from lack of awareness about what rights they were naturally entitled to enjoy from suppliers of goods and services. TCAS provides an advocacy platform that would make the voices of consumers heard and hence make markets work better for both urban and rural consumers in Tanzania, doing so since 2005.

· SOURCE: Guardian
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/02/18/108614.html

Independent Consumers Associations are Required to Supplement Government Efforts on Consumerism.

From TCAS Annual Review Discussions;


M/s; Lucy Ludovick Tarimo and other members in TCAS’s board of directors tried to define Independent Consumer Association as an organization not committed to a political party or relying on government, affiliated with small, medium or large producers, manufactures, distributors, service providers and is standing as an independent consumers association with the deliberate intention of not allowing that particular organization to be controlled by other powerful interests hence cause biasness on organization’s future decisions.

A shared commitment and efforts to fulfil the right of consumers should be the responsibility of the government with other members of the society like individual consumers, producers, distributors, service providers, professionals, civil societies, NGOs, consumers’ associations and others. All should work together to supplement government efforts on protection and promotion of consumers rights. Mr Adam Karia contributed in the discussion.

This is not a new phenomenon; there are a lot of government programs on child and maternal healthy, HIV/AIDs of which government is doing through its’ ministries, hospitals, commissions, agencies like;- TACAIDS but yet still there are NGOs such as AMREF, UMATI, Marie Stopes, SHIDEPHA, Pathfinder, Engender-Healthy, Family Healthy International (FHI) just to mention some few whom are working day and night to supplement government efforts on reducing the effect of HIV/AIDs, and unsafe motherhood that affect majority of Tanzanians. Mr Adam Karia emphasized.

Mr Bernard Kihiyo said; the government is having the Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children; Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs-courts of law, Minister of State in the President's Office - Good Governance and Commission for Good Governance and Human Rights yet still there are organisations and NGOs which are working to supplemented government efforts on the same; NGOs such as; - Tanzania Media-Women Association (TAMWA), Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), National Organisation for Legal Assistance (NOLA), Tanzania Gender Network Program (TGNP), TUWAJALI Women Rights Legal Assistance (WRLA), Kuleana and many others.

There is Ministry of Water which is there to coordinate the supply of clean water to all Tanzanians; however government effort is supplemented by independent organization such as Oxfam, Care International, Action-Aid, Water-Aid, Plan International, etc by establishing or financing various water projects in different parts of Tanzania.

Moreover the government is having Minister for Planning, Economy and Empowerment; Minister for Industry, Trade and Marketing; Minister for Energy and Minerals; Minister for Health and Social Welfare; Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives; Minister for Infrastructure Development; Minister for Information, Culture, and Sports; - all of these ministries are dealing with Tanzania consumers in one way or the other but there is no independent non governmental consumers’ associations to do the same.

For instance through Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing this coordinates manufacturing, trade and marketing of goods and services in and outside the country; in helping the ministry to perform its duties there are several agencies established such as ‘’Tanzania Bureau of Standards’’ (TBS) for controlling goods standards; ‘’Tanzania Weight and Measurement Agency’’; and ‘’Fair Competition Commission’’; Energy and Water Utility Regulatory Authority (EWURA) which on its peculiar case it is under two different ministries (Ministry of Water; Ministry of Energy and Minerals).

Under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare there is ‘’Tanzania Food and Drugs Regulatory Authority’’ (TFDA); Ministry of Infrastructure Development there are; - ‘’Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority’’ (SUMATRA) and ‘’Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority’’ (TCAA); Minister for Information, Culture, and Sports there is ‘’Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority’’ (TCRA). Kihiyo elaborated.

Under each of the Sectoral Regulatory Authority (SRAs) there is Consumer Consultative Council whereas under Fair Competition Commission there is ‘’National Consumer Advocacy Council’’. Each of these SRAs - council consists of not less than five members and not more than ten members appointed by responsible minister. The council in consultation with the minister makes its own rules for regulating its procedures and other matters relating to its functions on promoting and protecting consumers’ rights. Mr Proches M. Latonga explained.

All councils under Sectoral Regulatory Authorities (SRAs) are governed by Director-Generals, non-executive members who are appointed by the responsible Minister or president in case of chairperson after consultation with relevant Ministers. These SRAs are required to submit their reports to the relevant Ministers within specified time and the responsible minister; who will share council’s budget and annual report with National Assembly for funds and approval.

In each council there must be a copy of the Public Register of activities done by the council that has to be accessible for inspection by the general public (consumers). But the responsible minister has the powers from time to time to advice, authorize and determine the categories of decisions and information which would be placed on the Public Register. Mr Latonga cemented.

In some instances we have experienced a negative side of what it sometimes means to be independent council, commission or agency under the parasol of the government. These councils in one way or the other are influenced by the political wind of ministers and government in powers. All TCAS’s attended board members agreed on this.

In view of the situation above; we need independent; non governmental consumers associations which can supplement the works of government ministries, commission and agencies mentioned above. Independent consumers’ associations are required to supplement government efforts on promoting and protection of consumers’ rights as it is to other marginalized groups like children and women rights on reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, general human rights and good governance and the like. Mr Latonga insisted.

The government of Tanzania with the support of various donors World Bank’s, DFID, SIDA, DANIDA, GTZ, CIDA, the Netherlands;- are carrying out various programs such as Business Environment Strengthening for Tanzania (BEST) programme; Private Sector Competitiveness Project; the Private Sector MSME Competitiveness Project; The Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT); Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) etc with the aim of improving the business environment; investment climate in Tanzania and strengthening private sector as an engine of country’s economic growth. Mr Hodrum B. Suleiman said.

He went further to say; I do recognize that private sector is an engine of Tanzania’s economic growth and that if poverty reduction goals are to be achieved significant strides must be made in the development of the sector. However, by focusing strictly on measures to overcome supply-side constraints that inhibit growth and competitiveness of the private sector, without supporting the efforts of government sectoral regulatory authorise, consumers' councils and other independent non governmental association these efforts are going to lack sight. Mr Hodrum B. Suleiman lamented.

According to Ellerman (Britton Woods Update, Jan/Feb 2002) argues that, improving the investment climate for one group may make it worse for some other groups. It has been revealed in April.2007 TCAS’s consumers Survey that more than 80% of consumers in Tanzania are suffering from lack of understanding of consumer rights. They remain vulnerable; they have no ability to claim their rights and don’t have a formidable platform that could make their voices’ heard. http://www.tcas.or.tz

Poor people economic empowerment under the Ministry of Planning, Economy and Empowerment through MKUKUTA - NSGRP is going to be unachievable dream, if consumers’ voices are not heard and consumers are not empowered to get the actual value for money they spend on the goods and services. M/s; Happy Steven Mhina-TCAS’s member of the board of directors said.

If not for Non governmental, independent consumers associations to supplement government efforts on protecting and promotion of consumers’ rights (consumerism), the most difficulty questions to ask our selves are
-How abusive business practices by enterprises at the national and international levels which adversely affect consumers will be curbed
-How private sector institutions will be made accountable and more responsive to consumer’s needs and interests
-How the private sector will emerge, grow and remain competitive in the absence of an informed and healthy consumers
-And, strengthening private sector, reforming business environment and investment climate for whom? If not for the betterment of all forty million Tanzania consumers. She insisted.

The presence on high increase on violation of consumers’ rights is a new challenge to Tanzania government, with its social-economic, political and judicial system. If the situation is not well taken care it is going to jeopardise the essence of citizen economic rights and empowerment in our country…It is now or never let us work together for the common good of Tanzania consumers, M/S Lucy Ludovick Tarimo said.

Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) with partnership with Consumers International (CI) is vocal, independent non governmental campaigning voice for consumers in Tanzania. We would like to build a powerful national consumers movement to supplement government efforts on protection and empowerment of consumers everywhere in Tanzania. Jackyz Meena explained.

Tanzania Consumers are suffering from Uncontrolled, Unreported Inflation and Cartels.

By Bernard Kihiyo

Consumer is an individual like me and you, who tend to buy goods or services for his/her personal uses to satisfy individual immediate needs, gains, leisure, interests or satisfaction. Consumer can consume tangible goods like food, building materials, home appliances and intangible goods like hospital, transport, insurance, banking, utility, telecommunication, education services this is just to mention some few.

According to my definition above, it appears that consumers are the largest economic group, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic venture and decision.

Inflation can be defined as the continuing rise in the general level of prices of some set of goods and services in a given economy over a period of time.

There two main causes of inflation; one is the presence of excess demand beyond the output capacity of the economy to supply goods and services, which push up prices, i.e. financing of the public deficit entirely by printing more money, this increase in money supply will push aggregate demand up, causing prices to rise (demand –pull-inflation).

And the second cause of inflation is an increase in inputs costs- wages, raw materials, rise in taxation, the increase in the prices of utilities, other overhead costs, rise on costs of imports, rise in bank interest rates; all these tend to push up cost faced by the firms, thus forcing a consumer price to increase (cost-push inflation).

While; Cartel is a small group of producers or importers of goods or service who agree to regulate supply in an effort to control or manipulate prices. Adam Smith wrote in ‘’The Wealth of Nations’’ (1776) that when people of the same trade meet, `the conversation ends in conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices or price fixing.

Tanzania economy depends fully on imported goods because our industrialization process is on an very infant stage; we do import almost 75% of goods in our shops from canned/packed food stuff to building materials, from home appliances to cloths, from medical equipment to drugs, from computers to office stationary this is just to mention some few.

Due to this economic dependency from other countries’ economies; Tanzania tends to be a victim of local and overseas cartels in human and animal drugs, petrol, cars and automobile parts, building materials, home and industrial appliances and the like.

We know by names few prominent traders who feed and supply all above mention stuff for Tanzanians. With just a single meeting at Kariakoo or Jamatin prices of certain goods might rise to a significant percentage on imported goods.

It is the interest of all businessmen around the world if not controlled; to reap as huge profit as possible no matter what it takes to consumers. This kind of conspiracy led to unjustifiable and artificial increases in prices for hundreds of imported food stuff, medicine, building materials, home appliances to Tanzania.

It is cartel-type of purchasing behaviour of big merchants in Tanzania who use to form cartels which decided the purchase price of farmers’ food and cash crops. They normally decide who will buy what, where, at what price and so on.

It is cartel-type of purchasing behaviour of big merchants who use to adopt a delay tactic on purchasing on farmers’ cash crops such as cotton, coffee, tobacco, tea, and cashew nuts with the intention of frustrating farmers whom later can accept low prices for their crops

The government on some few incidents had intervened on abolishing licences of some traders whom appeared to sabotage or having intentions of exploiting farmers in one way or the other, however majority of them go without been identified.

It is against this background that Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) would like to work as an independent watch dog on identifying and investigating these antitrust behaviours on purchasing farmers’ food and cash crops which ruin the purchasing power - marginal propensity to consume of this very important section of Tanzania consumers.

TCAS will do all what it takes to investigate and conduct some researches on all antitrust behaviours that in one way or the other affects consumers’ welfare.

As of April 2007 TCAS had conducted a consumers’ survey on their experience for the past twelve months; it had been learnt that there is a significant price rise of common food stuff like maize meal, rice sugar, and cooking oil for the past 12 months before April.2007.

On average Consumer Price Index (CPI) of retail price for one kilogram had risen as follows; - sugar from Tshs 800 to Tshs 1200, this is 50% price rise, maize flour from Tshs 320 to Tshs 500, this is 56.3% prise rise, rice (normal standard) from Tshs 600 to Tshs 950 this is 58.3% price rise, cooking oil from Tshs 900/litre to 1700/litre this is 88.8% price rise.

Due to this we experienced food inflation with annual rate of more than 50 percent as stated above. On the other words the amount of goods and services which can be purchased by a specific sum of money; given the prices of those goods and services increased by 50% is definitely going to lower consumers’ marginal propensity to consume within the stated period.

The survey results by TCAS indicate that 67 percent of households in Tanzania cannot afford to have three meals a day; however 73 percent could only manage to have two meals a day, whereas 27 percent of the households could only afford one meal per day, this leaves only about 33 percent households that could manage to have three meals or more in a day.

In year 2007 Tanzania government continued on watering seeds of consumers’ welfare destructions; for instance the government increased tax on petrol in 2007-8 - budget, also the government decided to stop giving subsidies to Tanzania National Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) which resulted to 21 percent tariff price increment and up to 250 percent increment on installation fee.

Government’s subsidies is one way of strengthening poor consumers’ right to access to basic services, If Tanzania government decides to stop giving subsidies to TANESCO there is no other way TANESCO can do than to shift the burden to the consumers.

In the Guardian of 6th Sept.2007 there was a statement by the minister of Industries, Trade and Marketing Hon Basil Mramba that the Government is probing why pricing of locally made goods using locally available raw materials are more expensive than imported ones.

What Mramba wants to probe is purely the consequence of rise on fuel tax and what we see on shaken and worsening of Tanzania firms’ competitive position in domestic and overseas markets; against foreign rivals is one of inflation signals however other factors mentioned with definition above might apply.

The other unreported point that influences our local prices especially on our food can be viewed in the PhD thesis done by Dr Bakar Nnunduma for three good years on food management systems in Tanzania Market; he realised that; our poor food handling systems account for 40 percent of Tanzanians food poverty. Our prices on food are not realist because they are inflated to cover the losses that are acquired during the process and handling of our food from source to the markets and later to consumer’s plate.

For instance transporting simple perishable goods like tomato from Iringa to say Dar es Salaam market, given that a trader bought 100 cases of tomatoes from source; the process of taking the stuff from the source-farm to the market can take three to five days. Consequently to this delay about 40 cases equivalent to 40% of bought cases of tomatoes will reach the market while rotten due to poor handling and use of un-refrigerated vehicle like Fuso.

What a trader will do to cover the loss, is to increase price of the remaining 60 cases to cover the loss that had been acquired from the rotten 40 cases of tomatoes.

The end user-consumer is the one who is going to pay for this avoidable negligence that can be reduced by introducing proper policy on transport and transportation of perishable goods in accordance to codex standards for fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, meat - food stuff in order to preserve the quality at the same time the quantity from being damaged.

I call upon the government and SUMATRA to call for investors on this line. SUMATRA should start thinking on giving licences to companies that can work to reduce the gap of relevant and appropriate means of transportation on food stuff.

As long as consumers comprise of all Tanzania population, its high time for politicians to put consumers’ rights promotion and protection on their agenda to save needs and interests of the entire nation. Tanzania Government should provide and maintain adequate infrastructure to develop, implement and monitor consumers’ protection policies.

Special care should be taken to ensure that measures for consumer protection are implemented for the benefit of all sectors of the population, particularly the rural population and people living in poverty.

The Author is
The Executive Director of
Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society