Presenting the 2009/10 estimates, the minister for Defence and National Service, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, said Somali pirates posed a security threat not only to shipping but also Tanzania and its neighbours. A stronger and better equipped army was necessary to meet the challenge, he added.
The minister told the House that 13 foreign ships had been hijacked this year, while a trawler fishing illegally in Tanzanian reserve zone in the Indian Ocean was impounded with a 200-tonne fish consignment. Dr Mwiny asked the House to endorse 443,340,285,000/- for the ministrys recurrent and development expenditure.
The estimates were passed last evening. He said relations between Tanzania and its neighbours were generally robust, save for minor incidents along the borders with countries experiencing civil strive.
The army was also forced to take security alerts in response to commotion emanating from unplanned settlements on the borders with Kenya and Zambia, he said. Military presence was strengthened in Mara region in the wake of clan clashes and cross border cattle rustling, explained the minister.
Dr Mwinyi reported that preparations for the re-introduction of compulsory National Service training were well underway. Presenting the oppositions views on the defence estimates, Mr Masoud Abdallah (Mtambile-CUF), said the budget was too small compared to the tasks facing the ministry.
Mr Abdallah slammed the defence ministry for flouting public financial accounting regulations, saying it had many pending audit queries. Meanwhile, Members of Parliament commended the defence forces for their role in ensuring national security and in disaster relief.
They, however, expressed concern over the low pension paid to retired military officers, some of who they said received 50,000/- per month. They advised the government to consider increasing the amount to at least 100,000/- Mr Yono Stanley Kevela (CCM), said army officers worked under poor conditions and were lowly paid.
Mr Kevela proposed that enrolment for National Service should be expanded to include primary school and form four leavers. National Service camps should be the nucleus of agricultural revolution.
Mr Mohammed Ibrahim Sanya (Stone Town-CUF), commended the contribution of defence forces in disaster relief. He cited the example of Mbagala bomb blasts in which army officers played an exemplary role in containing the situation and ensure safety of civilians settled around the military base.
He proposed raising of pension for military staff to 300,000/- per month starting next year. The legislator was bitter about delays in payment of transfer allowance to military staff. Ms Tatu Ntimizi (Igalula-CCM), said employment and promotion in the army should take into account gender balance in addition to discipline.
She noted that some retired army officers were mentioned to be involved in banditry, because there were no arrangements to engage them meaningfully after leaving the army. Ms Anna Margaret Abdallah (Special seats-CCM), echoed the proposal for starting the green revolution in the army considering the expertise, resources and land under the force.
Mr Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru (Nominated-CCM), commended TPDF for discipline and patriotism, which he said was internationally acknowledged. But, he noted, several changes have taken place both at national and global scenes, which also calls for improvements to match with the changing times.
Mr Elisa David Mollel (Arumeru West-CCM), talked of tension between land earmarked for military and civilian use in his constituency. He requested the government to either relocate the civilians somewhere else and compensate them or rectify the boundary demarcations, which has been the source of tension among the two parties.
Daily News
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