Staff Writers, Dar es
Salaam and Lusaka
Branded as a project
that would turn the fishing small town of Bagamoyo into a “Dubai of Africa” the
proposed Bagamoyo Port and its auxiliary industrial park and a satellite town has
officially been suspended by the Government of reformist President John
Magufuli.
Announcing the decision
in Dodoma this week, the Minister of Transport, Eng. Aloyce Kamwelwe, told the
Parliament, that the government has suspended the talks however they would continue if China Merchant of Hong Kong, China would change some conditions.
In a quick rejoinder
the opposition as well as ruling party MPs bragged into social media
to condemn the decision accusing the government for what
they cited as economic insensitivity.
“The Bagamoyo Project
would attract multitudes of benefits to the people of Tanzania from employment,
revenue to locating Tanzania as the logistics hub of Africa and the Dubai of
Africa,” say Speaker of the House, a CCM MP.
But expert reached out to comment on the fate of the
Project, commended the government decision citing several arguments ranging
from economic, social to political considerations and the the planned finalization of the talks, if it will take place ought to consider these facts.
Dr. Stalin Moore from the Institute of Strategic Studies
in Zambia who was aware of some levels of Bagamoyo Port negotiations, commended
President Magufuli as “some terms advanced by the China Croup investors were worst
ever in the history of recent maritime investments.”
He cited the issue of preferential and exclusive clauses
on which China Merchant forced a condition for the government of Tanzania not
to develop any other Ports in the vicinity during the initial 33 years of
operationalization of the Bagamoyo Port.
“This would clearly undermine Tanzania’s
geo-position as a country endowened with several natural oceanic ridges, a
condition that would see the development of such ports like Tanga, Mtwara and
Mafia clogged,” he said.
The other controversial issue is the land ownership
question. China Merchant is understood to have proposed to the government of
Tanzania that it will exclusively have the title deed for the industrial park
on her name.
“This should not be the worry, bad enough is upon
learning that the condition was attached with a request for exclusive management
of the park from deciding who to invest, tax collection to plot acquisition.
This would mean Tanzania has surrendered part of its land to the Chinese firm,”
says Jonathan Moyo, a land expert based in Kitwe.
Regarding political aspect of the project, experts
in strategic studies argue that the economic benefits advanced by the project
sponsors and their supporters do not reflect the whole truth. China, under the “Belt
and Road Initiative” is understood to advance military, security as well as
strategic reasons for financing ports and other Silk road projects in Africa
and Asia.
“This rising role in security undergirds Beijing’s economic statecraft and commercial interests in Africa, helps professionalize China’s military and protect its citizens there, and furthers its ambitions to be a major power with global influence. The rapid pace of change is taking Chinese security policy practitioners into new territory,” says an article titled: “China’s expanding military Footprint in Africa” says an article published by Mail and Guardian of Zambia in October, 2018.
The claims are hard to beat as last year China Merchant acquired about 66 percent in running the Djibouti Port in the poverty torn country of the Horn of Africa. Chinese flags are all over the port with several Chinese companies subcontracted to run different sections of the Port.
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| China's Djibouti Port |
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