Mtwara Gas Protest

=About Mtwara= Mtwara is a coastal region situated in the South-Eastern part of Tanzania. The region covers an area of 16,710 km2. According to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 1,270,854, up from 1,124,481 in 2002, indicating an inter-censal growth rate of 1.2. In 1982, the second national natural gas discovery was made in Mnazi Bay in Mtwara region, and in 2006 Mnazi Bay went commercial.

=Background= In July 2012, the Tanzania Government launched the construction of a 532 km Mnazi Bay to Dar es Salaam gas pipeline project. In January 2013, people protested against the proposed pipeline, but President Jakaya Kikwete made it clear that the government will continue with the project despite the protests, arguing that the resources belong to the whole country, not one geographical area. On 15 May 2013, leaflets were distributed in Mtwara urging people to paralyse the town by not rendering any service. The leaflets urged commuter buses and motorcycle operators famously known as bodaboda, shop owners and market vendors not to offer services on 17 May when the former Minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, was due to present his budget estimates for the 2013/2014 financial year. However, the minister’s budget speech was not presented on that day. The police urged the people to continue with their daily businesses with security guarantees that everything was under control. Five days later, on 20 May 2013, other leaflets were distributed aimed at the day the budget speech was to be presented.

=Genesis of the riot= On 22 May 2013, Mtwara saw protests and street battles. The protests and street battles, which briefly disrupted the regional economy and stability, were attributed to multiple causes: the confirmation by the government through the former Minister of Energy and Minerals, Prof. Professor Muhongo, to construct a 532 km pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam funded by the Chinese government;     Western governments’ whose main motive was to tame the growing Chinese investments in the gas-rich region,      lack of proper communication between the government and Mtwara residents;      and political rivalry between the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and opposition parties, namely CHADEMA (the party of democracy and development) and CUF (Civic United Front). Of all the causes put forward by commentators, pundits believe that lack of clear communication and engagement between the Tanzania Government and Mtwara residents on how they would benefit from the construction of the pipeline was the central concern by the people of Mtwara. One analyst noted, “the people were not opposed to the project. Rather, the sentiments were due to a lack of clear information on how the project would bring them tangible benefits.”     This view is shared by the Mtwara-based Pride FM Station Manager who remarked: “When the gas issue emerged last year [2012], there were public forums all over the region [Mtwara], some speaking positively about it and others against [it]. Generally, it was clear that awareness education on the matter was missing, both to the general public and the media.” That notwithstanding, analysts framed the sentiments within the historical experiences of the southern Tanzania by indicating that from the colonial groundnut scheme of the 1940s and 1950s, to the post-independent Tanzania Government’s villagisation policy during the 1970s, people in the south have only “experienced political engagement as subjects of policies and projects imposed and rarely discussed” [them]”.

=Views from Members of Parliament (MPs)= Members of Parliament from both the ruling party (Chama cha Mapinduzi, CCM) and opposition parties commented on the gas riots. According to Mr. Ezekiel Maige (CCM), the gas riot is a message that Tanzanians now want the royalty that the Tanzania Government gets from extractive companies to be shared between the government—the central government and communities where natural resources are being extracted. He reiterated that there was a need for the authorities to implement the Bomani Commission’s recommendation that local communities take 40% of the earnings from natural resources. His views were also shared by his CCM counterpart, Mr. James Lembeli. The Mtwara Urban MP (CCM), Hasnain Murji, who was accused by his party and government officials of inciting the violence, noted, “they [people of Mtwara] are [were] not against the pipeline, they are [were] protesting lack of clarification on how they would benefit.”     The former Attorney General and MP for Bariadi West, Mr. Andrew Chenge, urged the government not to listen to those opposed to the project as natural resources in Tanzania are for all Tanzanians.

=Government’s Reaction= The Tanzania Government reacted differently. The National Assembly, through the Speaker, established a special team to investigate the matter. The team was chaired by Charles Mwijage (from the ruling party) and deputised by Said Arfi (from the opposition). Other committee members were Dalaly Kafumu (ruling party); Said Nkumba (ruling party); Cynthia Ngoye (ruling party); Hamad Rashid (opposition party); Ramo Makani (ruling party); Mohammad Chomboh (ruling party); Cecilia Pareso (opposition party); Rukia Ahmed (opposition party); Mariam Kisangi (ruling party); Agripina Buyogera (opposition party); and Selemani Jafo (ruling party). According to the Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Anne Makinda, the committee was tasked to investigate the effectiveness of the steps that have been taken by the government in dealing with the situation and recommend the best way to contain the situation. The decision came after the suspension of the minister’s budget speech in the August House. On his part, the former Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Robert Manumba, informed journalists that a task force had been dispatched to Mtwara to find out what exactly transpired. Neither of these reports—by the Parliament and Police—was made public.

=Army’s Involvement= During the riots, riot police were deployed and soldiers were seen patrolling the streets. The town returned to normalcy after the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDC) was called in to contain the situation.

=Impacts= The riots in Mtwara affected the economic activity of the residents and security. Reports indicate that Mtwara Central Market stayed closed for three consecutive days as running battles between the police and rioters made it difficult for people to trade. The riots left four people dead and more than 20 others injured, including a police officer. In Masasi District, the riots caused an estimated loss of public and private property worth Sh1.5 billion as a score of houses, motorcycles and vehicles were set ablaze. Other reports estimate the loss of damaged property at Sh1.7billion. Apart from houses, motorcycles and vehicles, other damaged property included the Mikindani Primary Court, CCM’s office and private houses.

=Attack on Press Freedom= According to the statement issued by the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), three journalists including Kassim Mikongolo (from government owned Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation – TBC), Hassan Simba (from government owned Kiswahili newspaper – Habari Leo), and Rashid Mussa (from ruling party newspaper – Uhuru) were not spared by rioters. Whereas Mikongolo’s house, a car and tricycle were torched, Mussa was reported to have been threatened and Simba was threatened but rescued by the Police. However, the office of Mwananchi newspaper—a widely circulated newspaper in the country—was not entangled in the saga as some ‘vigilantes’ volunteered to protect it as the newspaper was perceived to advance popular views.

=Government Stand= During his budget speech, the Minister noted that the government would not reverse its decision to build a gas pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam despite the opposition that he said had been fuelled by some political parties: “The Mtwara-Dar es Salaam Gas Pipeline is on...we plan to spend Tsh. 63bn during the 2013/2014 financial year as part of the government’s contribution towards construction of the project.”

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