 Wakati wa hotuba yake ya kuaga mwaka 2008 na kuukaribisha 2009, Rais Kikwete alisema hivi kuhusu hali ya chakula nchini: Quote: Ndugu Wananchi;
Hali ya upatikanaji wa chakula nchini ni nzuri kwa miaka miwili mfululizo sasa, yaani 2007 na 2008, na tumekuwa tunapata ziada ingawaje ni kidogo. Napenda kuwahakikishia kuwa hakuna tishio la njaa nchini. Hata yale maeneo ambayo yamekuwa yanapata upungufu wa chakula tumeweza kuyahudumia kwa kutumia ziada hiyo na akiba kutoka katika Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Chakula (SGR). Habari hizi mbili zinazofuata zinatufanya tuhoji ukweli wa kauli hiyo ya Rais, kama kwa makusudi au kwa kupotosha hakuliambia ukweli Taifa.
Katika taarifa ya gazeti la Guardian la leo kuna habari hii:
Quote: Ten villages in Tunduru facing shortage of food
2009-01-02 12:09:32
By Augustino Chindiye, Tunduru
Hundreds of residents from at least ten villages in Misechela and Mtima wards in Tunduru District, Ruvuma Region are facing starvation due to acute shortage of food supplies.
According to the area councillor, Mohamedi Njalanjala many families have resorted to consumption of unripe mangoes as a way of sustaining their lives.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with this paper yesterday, Njalanjala requested for immediate action by higher authorities to avert the situation and save many lives.
He named the villages as Chiungo, Mkotamo, Meamtwaro, Liwanga and Misechela, whereby families are reportedly unable to afford even a single meal a day. Others are Mtina, Nakapanya, Mbesa, Nalasi and Mchoteka.
``It is heartbreaking to see all family members running to mango trees early in the morning for the day`s collection. Human beings deserve more than that.
It is time proper and corrective measures were taken to help these people lead descent lives,`` he said.
However, the councillor also proposed a change in attitude among the residents to avoid repetition of such uncertainty in life.
He wanted the villagers to cultivate the culture of saving food instead of consuming it all during local traditional festivals.
``People`s income has been reduced to the lowest. Prices of grain have become unaffordable such that a kilogramme of maize flour is sold at 1000/- and dried cassava roots currently fetching 350/- a kilogramme, of which people cannot afford,`` councillor Njalanjala explained.
He said he was worried that the situation would deteriorate further in case the mango season came to an end, adding that he feared that the entire village would be reduced to cheap labour at farms and estates of the well-to-do people. Na hii leo katika Habari Leo Eline Shaidi, Morogoro
Daily News; Tuesday,January 06, 2009 @20:00 Vijiji vinane vilivyopo katika kata mbili za Mkambarani na Kidugalo katika Halmashauri ya Wilaya ya Morogoro, vinakabiliwa na upungufu wa chakula. Taarifa iliyotolewa na Mkuu wa Wilaya hiyo, Said Mwambungu imeeleza kuwa vijiji hivyo vipo katika ukanda wa ukame ambapo mtawanyo na kiwango cha mvua ni kidogo chini ya wastani wa milimita 600 za mvua kwa mwaka.
Alivitaja vijiji hivyo kuwa ni Mkono wa Mara kilichopo kwenye Kata ya Mkambarani, na vijiji vya Visaraka, Magela, Kidugalo, Kisemo, Lubumu, Seregete A na Seregete B vilivyopo kwenye Kata ya Kidugalo.
Aidha, Mwambungu alisema wananchi wanaoishi kwenye vijiji hivyo wamehamasishwa kutotumia chakula kidogo walichovuna katika sherehe, pamoja na ngoma kama ilivyo desturi yao, na hivyo kutumia chakula hicho vizuri.
Pia halmashauri hiyo imewahamasisha wafanyabiashara wilayani humo kununua chakula kutoka kwenye Hifadhi ya Chakula ya Taifa na kukiuza kwa wananchi kwa bei nafuu ili waondokane na tatizo hilo la njaa katika kipindi hiki.
Taarifa hiyo ilieleza kuwa katika maeneo mengine ya wilaya hiyo, hali ya chakula ni nzuri isipokuwa katika maeneo hayo machache, na kuwataka wananchi kutumia vizuri chakula walichovuna katika kipindi cha mwaka jana.
Ilifafanua zaidi umbile la ardhi katika halmashauri hiyo, ambalo limegawanyika katika kanda kuu mbili muhimu ambazo ni ukanda wa milimani ambapo huhusisha tarafa za Mkuyuni na Matombo, na kueleza kuwa wananchi wa kanda hizo hujishughulisha na uzalishaji wa mazao ya mihogo, migomba na matunda.
Kwa upande wa ukanda wa mabondeni ambao huhusisha tarafa za Mvuha, Bwakira, Mikese na Ngerengere wananchi hujishughulisha na kilimo cha mahindi, mpunga, mtama, muhogo, migomba na magimbi. Hili linatukumbusha suala la sinema ya Mapanki ya "Darwin's Nightmare". Kuna watu hawampi Rais taarifa sahihi au yeye mwenyewe hahoji vya kutosha kupata taarifa sahihi? Kama waandishi ndani ya wiki moja wameweza kupata vijiji karibu 20 vyenye matatizo ya chakula; kweli kauli ya Rais bado inaweza kusimama?
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