MKAPA CALLS FOR LAW ON NATURAL RESOURCES BENEFITS

Former President Benjamin Mkapa yesterday called for a law to provide for the sharing of income from natural resources exploitation between investors and the communities surrounding the areas concerned. These are resources that are on the land such as forestry and those that are beneath the land such as mineral deposits.

Speaking at a forum, which was organised by Nyerere Resource Centre (NRC) yesterday, Mr Mkapa said the basis for that sharing of resources is because it is the communities who own land, in most cases the only property they own worth the name.

“There should be a legal regime for the sharing of revenues with the poor (communities) in situ… from the national exploitation of these resources,” Mr Mkapa who was President of Tanzania between 1995 and 2005, said in a presentation that focused on how to end poverty in Tanzania.

But the former President’s comments would come as a surprise to many because it was during his tenure that most mining companies estbalished themselves in the country, with widespread accusation that the government had given investors more say than the interests of the local communities. Through the Mining Act 1998, a piece of legislation designed with the help of the World Bank, Mr Mkapa oversaw the establishment of several mining companies. But Mr Mkapa yesterday was adamant saying land ownership of the rural poor should not be comprised because it is the only asset they are left with.

Mr Mkapa was speaking as respondent at a forum which was discussing a theme titled “The return of the developmental state”.

Meanwhile, Mr Mkapa expressed his concern that quality of civil servants has deteriorated and was affecting the country’s development.

“One of the things I feel has deteriorated, I am sorry to say, is the quality of civil servants, you do need professional implementers,” he said.

He attributed that to the lack of known rules or bridges on how people can advance themselves or move from one level to another through training until they become professionals. The forum was attended by several scholars and public figures including Prof  Adebayo Olukoshi, director for UN-African Institute of Economic and Development Planning.

Others were Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, chairman of opposition CUF, renowned law Prof Issa Shivji and veteran politician Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru.