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JK blasts Mbinga leaders
2006-10-10 09:27:36
By Bilal Abdul Aziz, Mbinga
Mbinga district authorities came under fire yesterday when President Jakaya Kikwete criticised them for letting HIV/Aids prevalence get out of hand.
After presenting the district development report to the President, who was on his second day tour of the region, Mbinga District Commissioner Amina Masenza found herself on the receiving end when the head of state blamed regional leaders for not intensifying campaign against the pandemic.
The report presented to President Kikwete highlighted HIV/AIDS as a major challenge in Mbinga, with prevalence rates hitting 17.2 per cent compared with the national average of seven per cent.
President Kikwete was told that HIV/AIDS in the area was caused by gold businesspeople, an excuse that angered the President.
”The HIV/AIDS problem needs commitment and serious people to address it. Such simplistic explanations make me believe that you are irresponsible and incompetent,” Kikwete said.
Kikwete said small-scale gold mining activities in the area could not justify the high prevalence of AIDS in the region.
An MP from the area was taken to task when the President demanded a plausible explanation of the cause of high HIV/AIDS infection rates.
The MP, John Komba (CCM), pledged to renew the fight against HIV/AIDS. He said the disease undermines the labour-force in the region.
”There is no shortcut to this. Devise new strategies to prevent further spread of AIDS and stop lamenting about or blaming gold miners.
There are such businesspeople in other parts of the country, where infection is low,” Kikwete said.
In Mbamba bay, the President inspected Lundo irrigation scheme, the project that has assured residents increased income.
More than 1,000 acres are under irrigation, using water from a local dam.
President Kikwete said he would keep track of extension officers’ work, who instead of helping farmers to use modern farming techniques, pursue personal interests.
”I will monitor the performance to find out who among the extension officers does not deliver,” said Kikwete.
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