RECENTLY the sugar industry in the country faced many challenges especially the issue of sugar prices rising illogically.

Some sugar mills increased the price of sugar and refused to lower it despite getting all the necessary assistant from the government to increase production.

This situation reached its peak during the holy month of Ramadan, where the price of sugar rose from TZS 2,500 per kilo to TZS 4,000 and up to 6,000 in other areas per kilo, causing many complaints from the people. 

The government decided to take drastic measures to control the situation by issuing permits to import sugar to other traders in the market.

This move brought positive results as sugar prices started to drop from TZS 4,000 per kilo to TZS 2,800 per kilo.

However, the government saw the need to take more action by preparing laws in parliament to break the monopoly of sugar factories.

For the benefit of the five rich owners of sugar mills, the government cannot hold its 65 million people captive and continue to suffer from the price of sugar for the benefit of the few.

With the aim of pressuring the government to cancel the changes, the owners of those factories returned to their corrupt practices to bribe some politicians to shout against these good measures of the government.

We are asking what is wrong if small or large companies were allowed to import and sell sugar in the market to lower the price, are only large companies entitled to the opportunity to import and sell sugar?

The question to ask is, do some people want the government not to take any action while corrupt groups continue to exploit its citizens?

It is obvious that if this problem were left unchecked, the cost to the economy would be very high.

 Inflation of the price of sugar would affect various sectors of the economy and would lead to increasing the cost of living for citizens and reducing the ability to buy other important products.

This could cause serious harm to the economic well-being of the nation.

It is time to say no to sabotage and protect the interests of the people and that the government exists for the people and continues to ensure that justice is done for all.

Idd Salum, a resident of Tandika, says the government has done a good thing to ensure that it intervenes in the sugar issue and allows other traders to import sugar to eliminate monopoly.

 "If only two large companies are left to import sugar, we will be going back to where this product will last and the price will rise, so the government's action to intervene and allow small and large companies to import sugar is a very good thing for Tanzanians," he said.

One of the sugar traders in Tandika, Haule Shangu, said that the sugar business should not be left to a small group because by doing so they can use the opportunity to hurt the people.

He said that the sugar business makes a lot of money, so the government should look at it with a special eye because few people want to own the industry so that they can play with the price of sugar as they want.

 "Firstly, I applaud the steps the government took after finding out that few people can play with the price of sugar and decided to allow other companies to import sugar. I ask that the same process be followed for other companies to be allowed so that few people are not able to play with the price of sugar," he said.

He said he was surprised by the statement of the Kisesa CCM Member of Parliament against other companies being given permits to import sugar because he wants to develop a monopoly that can raise the price of sugar.

"I personally congratulate the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, for the way he handled the sugar issue and decided to give permits to other companies to import sugar to reduce the shortage of sugar and ensure that the price of sugar does not hike," he said.