WAUZA MAGAZETI MKOANI IRINGA WAIOMBA JAMII KUTHAMINI KAZI YAO

WAUZA magazeti mkoani Iringa wameiomba jamii kuthamini kazi yao ya kuuza magazeti na kuachana na dhana potofu ya kuwaona kama ni watu wasiofaa katika jamii.

Wauza mgazeti hao waselima hayo wakati wakiongea na Nipashe jana kupitia umoja wa wauuza magazeti Iringa (UWAMAI), nakuongeza kuwa wameamua kuanziasha umoja huo ili kuondoa dhana potofu ya jamii juu yao.

Walisema kuwa wapo watu wanaowafananisha na wahuni, wavuta bangi na wasiokuwa na maadili katika jamii na wengine kuwahisi kuwa na itikadi Fulani wa vyama vya siasa.

Akifafanua kuhusu jambo hilo mweneyekiti wa umoja huo wa UWAMAI, Mashaka Kayoka alisema kuwa kazi ya kuuza magazeti ni kazi kama kazi zingine za kujiingizia kipato.

Kayoka aliwaomba wadau mbalimbali wa magazeti pamoja na serikali kuviunga mkono vikundi kama hivyo kwa kuthamini kazi zao yakusambaza magazeti kwa wateji mbalimbali ili wapate habari.

“Tumekuwa tukinyoshewaa vidole na jamii kwamba wauza magazeti ni wahuni na watu wa vurugu, kumbe wala sisi tunafanyakazi yetu yakutuingizia kipato. Sisi pia tuna familia na tunatunza familia zetu kupitia kazi hii pamoja na kusomesha watoto wet shule…,” alisema Kayoka.

Alisema kuwa lengo la kuunda umoja huo ni kusaidiana katika shida na raha akatoa mfano kuwa , mwanachama akiugua au akiunguliwa, akifiwa au akifa umoja huo unamsaidia kwa kutoa kidogo fedha katika kafanikisha matibabu au mazishi.

Naye Katibu wa UWAMAI, Bernard Makoli alisema kuwa umoja wao umesajiliwa rasmi na mamalaka husika na kupewa namba ya usajili IR/IMC/CBO NO.208 na kuruhusiwa kufanya shughuli zake katika Manispaa ya Iringa, na kwa mkoa wa Iringa kwa ujumla.

Makoli aliwaomba wadau wa magazeti pamoja na makampuni mbalimbali ya magazeti kuwaunga mkono katika shughuli zao za kila siku.

“Tunafanya kazi ya kusambaza habari kupitia kuuza magazeti kwa hiyo wenye magazeti waone umuhimu ya kuwasaidia na kuwezesha kwa hali na mali…,” alisema.

Aliongeza kuwa umoja huo pia ufanyakazi ya kuelimisha jamii ili iondokane na umasikini kwa kuhamasisha jamii kupitia kazi zao za vikundi ili kuleta mabadiliko chanya ya maendeleo.

Kwa upande wake mweka hazina wa umoja huo Salum Hamisi alisema kuwa kikundi chao kinapata mapato kupitia ada na michango mbalimbali za wanachama.

Alisema kuwa wanaomba taasisi za kibenki na wadau mbalimbali kuwaunga mkono jitihada zao kwa kuwawezesha ili waweza kutunisha mfuko ili wawezi kukopeshana na hatimaye kujikwamua katika umasikini wa kipato.

Na Friday Simbaya, Iringa

NEWSPAPER VENDORS IN IRINGA ASK FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT

THE newspaper vendors in Iringa have asked the community to appreciate their work of selling newspapers and to abandon the misconceptions of viewing them as inappropriate people in society.

The vendors said that when they talked to The Guardian reporter yesterday through the Iringa newspaper vendor group (UWAMAI), adding that they have decided to start the unity so as to eliminate community misconceptions about them.

They argued that there are people view them like antagonists, smokers, and immoral in society and others feel that they have some ideology for political parties.

Explaining to the reporter, the chairman of the UWAMAI coalition, Mashaka Kayoka said that the job of selling newspapers is a job like other jobs of income-generating activities.

Kayoka asked various stakeholders of the newspapers, the government and private sector to support such groups to appreciate their work of distributing newspapers to different stakeholders for information.

"We have been portrayed by the community that sellers of newspaperss are thieves and violent people, or we do not work for income. We also have a family and we care for our families through this work as well as educating the kids ..., "said Kayoka.

He said that the goal of creating unity was to support each other in difficulty and in needy to provide for example that, if a member suffers or nursing for her/his patient, dies the union helps him by giving less money to achieve treatment or funeral.

UWAMAI secretary Bernard Makoli said the union was officially registered with the relevant authorities and issued a registration number IR / IMC / CBO NO.208 and was allowed to perform its activities in the Iringa Municipality, and in the Iringa region as a whole.

He has asked media houses and various newspapers stakeholders to support them in their daily activities.

"We are doing the work of distributing information by selling newspapers so the newspaper owners should see the importance of helping us with empowerment and wealth," he said.

He added that the unity is also a community-based which gives training and campaign to community in order to cope with poverty by encouraging community members through their group work to bring about positive change in development.

On the other hand, the union treasurer Salum Hamisi said that their group gained revenue through various membership fees and contributions.

He said they are asking for banking institutions and stakeholders to support their efforts by enabling them to fund the basket (mfuko) so that they can exchange and eventually get rid of poverty. By Friday Simbaya, Iringa

Tax avoidance Half of landlords in one London borough fail to declare rental income

Newham council says HMRC may be losing £200m a year in London alone after finding half its 27,000 landlords failed to register for self-assessment

Newham council estimated it had 30,000 private properties rented out by 5,000 landlords. After the licensing process, it found 50,000 properties owned by 27,000 separate landlords. Photograph: Justin Kase z11z / Alamy/Alamy

Patrick Collinson

Sunday 13 August 2017 14.04 BSTLast modified on Monday 14 August 2017 01.05 BST

Up to 13,000 landlords in just one London borough have been identified as failing to declare their rental income, prompting estimates that unpaid tax in the capital is costing the public purse nearly £200m.

Newham council in east London, the first to introduce a compulsory borough-wide licensing scheme for landlords in 2013, shared their names and property addresses with HM Revenue & Customs. Newham, which has 27,000 registered landlords, said it understands that 13,000 had not registered for self-assessment, which is generally required if a property owner receives £2,500 a year or more in rent. HMRC would not confirm the figure.

The council estimated that unpaid tax by landlords is costing the public purse nearly £200m in London – and far more nationally. 

In a letter sent to the chancellor, Philip Hammond, the mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, said: “It is our understanding that, to date, up to 13,000 Newham landlords are of interest to HMRC, where there are discrepancies between declared income and our records, with potentially significant financial implication for the exchequer.”

Newham is battling with the Department for Communities and Local Government to have its licensing scheme renewed, following a 2015 clampdown by the government, which said licensing imposes “unnecessary additional costs” on landlords. Neighbouring borough Redbridge has already had its application for landlord licensing rejected.

Wales told the chancellor in his letter: “Our core grant funding has halved since 2010-11, that’s less money for our schools, less money for social care, and less money for housing. I urge you to assess the additional benefits of Newham’s licensing scheme in assisting the exchequer to address tax evasion by landlords.”

Newham said it understands that HMRC is currently contacting local landlords who have failed to register their rental revenues. The tax authorities have the power to claw back unpaid tax over 20 years, with penalties of up to 100% of the tax demanded.

In a statement, HMRC said: “We are working with the London Borough of Newham as part of the Let Property Campaign. This work has generated £115m in additional and previously unpaid tax and interest.”

HMRC’s Let Property Campaign was launched in 2014 amid concerns that up to 1m buy-to-let landlords are not declaring their rental income. HMRC said at the time that it believed landlords were avoiding around £550m in tax, although Newham’s experience may suggest that the figure could be much higher.

Newham said it has instigated 1,135 prosecutions for housing crimes – 70% of all such prosecutions in London. It has banned 28 landlords, served 2,170 notices to improve properties, and recovered £2.6m in additional council tax.

Before Newham began mandatory landlord licensing, it had estimated that the borough had 30,000 private properties rented out by around 5,000 landlords. But as a result of the licensing process, it discovered 50,000 rental properties owned by 27,000 separate landlords.

Newham has among the highest levels of private renting in the UK. Between 2006 and 2016, the share of the total housing stock in the borough owned by private landlords leapt from 21% to 46%, with just 23% of homes now owner-occupied.

Liverpool, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham, and Croydon have all introduced compulsory licensing schemes following Newham’s success, but other boroughs hoping to match them have run into opposition from central government.

Since 2015, local authorities have been forced to apply to the secretary of state for permission to license landlords if the scheme affects more than 20% of the homes in the borough or its geographical area.

Housing minister Brandon Lewis wrote to local authorities in March 2015 to warn them of an amendment to licensing rules. He said: “The blanket licensing approach adopted by some local authorities has major drawbacks. This is because it impacts on all landlords and places additional burdens on reputable landlords who are already fully compliant with their obligations, thereby creating additional unnecessary costs for reputable landlords which are generally passed on to tenants through higher rents.

“The vast majority of landlords provide a good service and the government does not believe it is right to impose unnecessary additional costs on them, or their tenants. Such an approach is disproportionate and unfairly penalises good landlords.”

However, Newham said its licensing had won the support of 90% of local residents, and that the the vast majority of landlords have had to pay just £150 for a five-year licence. However its fee for new landlords is planned to rise to £400. Liverpool charges £400 for the first property and £350 for each additional property. 

Newham’s scheme comes to an end in December, and because of the restrictions imposed in 2015, it has been forced to apply for permission for another five-year period. The council made a formal application to the government to continue its scheme last month.

MAGHEMBE AFUTA MIKATABA YA UWINDAJI, AVUNJA BODI YA MBOMIPA

WAZIRI wa Maliasili na Utalii, Profesa Jumanne Maghembe ameivunja bodi ya Jumuiya ya Hifadhi ya Wanyamapori Tarafa ya Idodi na Pawaga (Mbomipa) pamoja na kufuta mikataba ya kampuni mbili zinazoendesha shughuli za uwindaji wa kitalii katika eneo hilo.

Mbomipa ni eneo la hifadhi ya jamii ya wanyamapori linalopakana na hifadhi ya Taifa ya Ruaha, wilayani Iringa mkoani Iringa lenye wanyamapori wengi wanaoingia na kutoka katika hifadhi hiyo linaloundwa na vijiji 21 vya tarafa hizo mbili.

Bodi iliyovunjwa inaundwa na Mwenyekiti Zabron Luvinga na Steven Nyandongo, Alban Lutambi, Mawazo Malembeka na Denis Ngede ambao ni wajumbe; na kampuni zilizofutiwa mikataba ni Kilombero North Safaris Ltd na Mkwawa Hunting Safaris Ltd.

Wakati mmiliki wa kampuni ya Mkwawa Hunting Safaris Ltd Ahamed Huwel alisema amepokea bila kinyongo chochote uamuzi huo wa waziri alioutangaza juzi mbele ya wanajumuiya hiyo katika kijiji cha Tungamalenga, mmiliki wa Kilombero North Safaris Ltd, Acram Aziz hakupatikana kuzungumzia uamuzi huo.

Hatua ya Waziri Maghembe kuvunja bodi na kufuta mikataba ya jumuiya hiyo na kampuni hizo imekuja kwa kuzingatia matokeo ya timu ya wataalamu aliyoiunda hivikaribuni kuchunguza dosari na malalamiko ya uendeshaji wa taasisi hiyo na kubaini mapungufu makubwa ya kisheria na kiutendaji.

“Kwanza Katiba inayotumiwa na jumuiya hii inakinzana na sheria za wanyamapori, kanuni za uwindaji wa wanyamapori na utalii wa kupiga picha; lakini pia bodi haiko pamoja, kila upande una mwekezaji wake,” alisema.

Kwa mazingira hayo, waziri huyo alisema katiba ya jumuiya hiyo inatakiwa kufumuliwa upya na baada ya hapo bodi mpya uindwe katika mchakato alioagiza uwe umakamilika kabla ya Oktoba mwaka huu na baada ya hapo shughuli ya kutafuta wawekezaji ianze upya.

Profesa Maghembe alisema eneo la jumuiya hiyo lina utajiri mkubwa lakini akashangaa kuambiwa kwamba wana jumuiya hawana wanachopata kutokana na uwekezaji unaofanywa eneo hilo, jumuiya haina uwezo wa kulipa mishahara watumishi na walinzi wake na inashindwa kufanya shughuli zake mbalimbali za kiofisi na matengenezo ya vifaa na gari lao yamekuwa yakifanywa kwa kupitisha bakuri.

Awali katibu wa Mbomipa, Josephat Kisanyagi alisema jumuiya imekuwa katika mtikisiko mkubwa wa kukosa mapato kutoka kwa wawekezaji wake katika kipindi chaJulai 2016 hadi sasa.

“Kukosekana kwa mapato hayo kumesimamisha shughuli muhimu za jumuiya hiyo huku viongozi na walinzi wanaofanya kazi ya doria katika eneo hilo la Mbomipa wakikosa mishahara na stahiki zao,” alisema.

Akionekara kukerwa na kile kinachoendelea ndani ya jumuiya hiyo, Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Iringa Amina Masenza alisema; “hakuna kijiji hata kimoja kati ya vijiji 21 vinavyounda jumuiya hiyo kinachoweza kusema kimenufaika na uwepo wa Mbomipa.”

Masenza alisema katika jumuiya hiyo pamekuwepo na migongano isiyokwisha na utapeli uliokithiri ambao sehemu yake kubwa ulifanywa na bodi zilizopita kana kwamba Mbomipa ilikuwa mali yao.

“Kwa maneno mepesi bodi ilipewa mamlaka na madaraka makubwa juu ya Mbomipa kuliko inavyotakiwa, kumekuwa na kufukuzana na kuchaguana mara kwa mara kwasababu baadhi ya watu waliokuwa wakipata uongozi waliomba uongozi ili kukidhi maslai yao,” alisema.

Akiahidi kuyasimamia maamuzi hayo ya waziri, Masenza aliwageukia pia baadhi ya wawekezaji katika eneo hilo la Mbomipa akisema wamekuwa matapeli na hivyo kuifanya jumuiya hiyo ifike hapo ilipo na kugeuka kuwa ombaomba.

Baada ya taarifa hiyo ya mkuu wa mkoa, Profesa Maghembe aliiagiza Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa (Takukuru) kufanya uchunguzi wa mapato na matumizi ya jumuiya hiyo ili hatua za kisheria ziweze kuchukuliwa kwa watu watakaobainika waliitumia kujinufaisha.