Tanzania: MPs Cry Support for Sports

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Gabriel Nderumaki

14 June 2011

Dodoma — THE government has been asked to give more support to the sports sector to be able to contribute notably on the national economy.

This was said in the parliament here on Tuesday by a Special Seats legislator on CCM ticket, Mariam Kisangi, when contributing on the five-year development plan (2011-2016) launched by President Jakaya Kikwete last week. She said that it was disappointing that the nation has aligned itself to foreign culture with little effort done to promote the local artistes.

“Sports has been neglected and I don’t see any effort worth emulating that seriously promotes our own artistes,” she said. The MP said that there has to be a workable plan to promote sports which she said, could become a reliable source of income for the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and also for poverty alleviation among the youth.

“Why not promote our own artistes and bands like Msondo Ngoma, Sikinde, TMK Wanaume, Lady Jay Dee, Ze Comedy? We will end up inviting foreign groups like Makhirikiri and so many others if we are not putting up plans to market our own culture and music,” she said.

Meanwhile, a call has been made for the government to promote the country’s culture abroad as an effort to bring in foreign currency and ultimately contribute on the economy. Joseph Mbilinyi (CHADEMA-Mbeya Urban) said that for the national development plan to achieve its target, efforts must be in place to help artistes reap maximum benefits from their investments.

“Music or culture is an identity of a nation. Hollywood in the US is an icon for film makers in that country. We need to have own plans that take us to the next level,” he said.

Mbilinyi, an accomplished hip-hop musician who is popularly known as Mr Sugu also called for concerted efforts to fight music piracy, which he said has made a few selfish businessmen rich while the artistes remained poor. He said that music piracy is a national disaster, adding that the culprits must be punished mercilessly through heavy fines and jail terms.

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