Joseph Mwamunyange
2 May 2005
Nairobi — Vandalism in Dar es Salaam has caused the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd (TTCL) losses of Tsh160 million ($152,380) in the first three months of this year.
"This loss is specifically attributed to the districts of Kinondoni and Temeke in Dar es Salaam.
In the month of March, acts of vandalism on TTCL infrastructure resulted in the company losing Tsh50.3 million ($47,904) in Kinondoni district alone, said a statement from TTCL.
"In the district of Kinondoni alone, more than 120 covers of TTCL interconnecting cables were stolen up to April this year. The cost for this alone is Tsh42 million ($40,000), the statement said.
To deal with the problem,TTCL is enhancing security measures aimed at protecting infrastructure in different parts of the country, especially those areas hardest hit by vandals.
However, TTCL infrastructure is spread throughout the country and it is very difficult to protect everything considering the fact that most of these acts take place at night, the statement said.
The statement added that the loss declared also takes into account the cost of replacing the cables, "but this doesn't include the loss of revenue due to non-availability of services in the affected areas affected by vandalism or theft of TTCL furniture.
TTCL's statement comes barely two months after President Benjamin Mkapa decried vandalism of parastatal infrastructure, which he said was on the increase in the country.
Speaking during his monthly address to the nation, the president called on Tanzanians to guard public property.
To minimise vandalism in his district, the District Commissioner for Temeke, Baraka Konisaga, held meetings with district chairmen and ward executive officers where it was resolved that the leaders would guard against acts of vandalism in their respective areas.
"The meeting decided that all infrastructure belonging to TTCL, Tanzania-Zambia Mafuta (Tazama), Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara), Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) and City Water, be protected at all costs because any damage on them directly impacted on the respective communities in any given area, said Mr Konisaga.
However, the district commissioners needed the co-operation of the firms and companies in question. "We have requested the companies affected to make sure that their technicians or personnel doing routine maintenance or repairs in the field have proper identification to deter and catch impostors," said Mr Konisaga.
While Tanesco and TTCL have been hit by theft of transformer oil and cables for the former and cables for the latter, the Tazama pipeline, which transports crude oil to Zambia, has been vandalised and crude oil stolen.
In the case of City Water, illegal connections are the order of the day.
Electrical and communication cables are said to be finding their way to neighbouring countries where they fetch a better price when sold as scrap copper wire.
Meanwhile, Vodacom Tanzania, has spent over Tsh17 million ($16,190) in the past two years in full financial sponsorship of University of Dar es Salaam information and communications technology and engineering students.
The bursary programme, run in collaboration with the university, also guarantees employment by Vodacom Tanzania after completion of studies and is open only to third and fourth-year undergraduates in ICT.
Since 2002, seven students, including two this year, have benefited from the programme.
During this year's award presentation ceremony Vodacom Tanzania Finance director and acting managing director Chris Fawcett said: "We really have to thank the university for such a productive collaboration and for helping us create a difference in a meaningful and sustainable way."
Almost 50 students applied for the bursary this year and underwent through a selection process that involves written and oral tests.
Mohamed Swahib from Telecommunication Engineering Department and Huzefa Gulamabbas from the Computer Engineering & IT department were declared this year's winners.
Mr Fawcett said the award also offers the chosen students a six-week internship in each department of the company while still in university, to "help them discover where they can best fit in the profession for full potential realisation."
University of Dar es Salaam Vice Chancellor Prof Mathew Luhanga commended the bursary scheme and said that at the University, "We don't train students for employment but to think. Employers should train them to suit their programme requirements."
The vice chancellor said worldwide, specialises training and research requires much more than governments' budgets and so companies are bridging the gap. He was the chief guest at the award giving ceremony.
Prof Luhanga urged other companies to also recruit local Tanzanians and train them instead of outsourcing professionals from outside the country.
Mr Fawcett said, "Selecting the final two students out of the qualified 10 was not an easy task. The competition was tough as all the students were exceptional."
Additional reporting by Abduel Kenge
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