HOJA YA HAJA: MIFUKO YA HIFADHI YA JAMII (Social security funds)


UTANGULIZI
Kwa mujibu wa Shirika la Kazi Duniani, Mfuko wa hifadhi ya jamii ni mfumo ambao jamii husika imejiwekea kwa lengo la kuwakinga watumishi wa umma au binafsi (waajiriwa) dhidi ya matukio yasiyotarajiwa (Contingencies). Matukio hayo ni kama maradhi, ulemavu, kupoteza kazi, kuacha kazi kwa sababu ya uzee (kustaafu) aidha kwa hiari au kwa lazima, na mengineyo ikiwamo huduma za matibabu, ghalama za msiba ikiwa mteja atafariki au kufiwa na mtu ambaye mfuko husika huchangia. Vile vile iwapo mteja atafariki kabla ya kustaafu basi mafao yake hulipwa kwa warithi wake ambavyo huweza kusaidia kusomesha watoto wa mhusika.  
Hifadhi kutoka kwa jamii ni haki ya kila mtu kama ilivyotajwa na katiba ya jamhuri ya Muungao wa Tanzania, 1977 (kama ilivyofanyiwa marekebisho mara kwa mara) katika ibara ya 11, ibara ndogo ya (1) kwamba:
“Mamlaka ya nchi itaweka utaratibu unaofaa kwa ajili ya kufanikisha utekerezaji wa haki ya mtu kufanya kazi, haki  ya kupata elimu na haki  ya kupata msaada kutoka kwa jamii wakati wa uzee, maradhi au hali ya ulemavu, na katika hali nyinginezo za mtu kuwa hajiwezi...”
Hivyo hivyo, ndivyo inavyotaja ibara ya 22 ya Tamko la Ulimwengu la haki za Binadamu la mwaka 1948, ambayo pia inataja kuwa ni haki kwa kila mtu kupata hifadhi ya kijamii kupitia utaratibu uliowekwa.
KWA NINI KUNA MIFUKO YA HIFADHI YA JAMII
Kutokana na hali ya maisha kutotabilika, wafanyakazi wengi hujikuta wakiishi maisha magumu mara baada ya kumaliza muda wao wa utumishi (kustaafu). Lakini pia hata kabla ya kustaafu, wafanyakazi hujikuta wakipitia hali ngumu za maisha kutokana na maradhi au ulemavu ambavyo huweza kusababisha kupungukiwa au kukosa kabisa kipato hivyo kushindwa kumudu ghalama za matibabu na za kimaisha kwa ujumla. Hiki ndicho kipindi ambacho umuhimu wa Mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii huja, kwani baada ya kuridhika kuwa mteja anastahiri huduma kutoka kwenye mfuko husika, huweza kupatiwa ghalama za matibabu na matunzo kutoka katika mfuko huo kulingana na taratibu zilizowekwa. Ila inatakiwa iwe imetajwa kuwa mfuko husika hutoa huduma husika na mteja amekidhi sifa za kupata huduma hiyo (pensionable fund) kwa maana ya kutabulika kama mteja na kuchangia kwa utaratibu uliowekwa.
WAKATI AMBAO MTU ANAWEZA KUPATA MAFAO YAKE AU HUDUMA KUTOKA KWENYE MFUKO HUSIKA
Ifahamike kuwa mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii ni maalum kwa ajili ya kumsaidia mfanyakazi  kumudu mahitaji yake ya uzeeni pindi anapostaafu kama si mahitaji mengine yaliyotajwa hapo mwanzo.  Sababu kubwa iliyopelekea kuwepo kwa mifuko wa hifadhi ya jamii ni baada ya kubainika kuwa wakati wa ujana, wafanyakazi wengi hushindwa kujiwekea akiba ya kutosha kukidhi mahitaji yao ya uzeeni au kumudu ghalama za maisha yao pindi itokeapo hali yoyote ya kutojiweza.
Tofauti na benki au taasisi nyingine za kifedha, mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii hutoa mafao kwa mteja wake pindi awapo na uhitaji wa kidharula (mfano: Maradhi, ulemavu au hali nyingine ya kutojiweza ), au kustaafu kazi kwa misingi ya uzee kwa mujibu wa sera za kazi na utumishi na si vinginevyo. Kwa mantiki hiyo mteja wa mfuko husika hawezi kudai mafao yake kwa misingi yoyote ile tofauti na ile iliyowekwa na mfuko husika (mfano: kuhitaji pesa kwa ajili ya kuanzisha biashara, kununua vyombo vya starehe kama gari, pikipiki na vinginevyo) kama kustaafu kazi au kupoteza kazi. Kwa hiyo bila uhitaji wa namna hiyo mteja hawezi kulipwa mafao yake ya aina yoyote ile mpaka pale atakapofikia umri wa kustaafu aidha kwa hiari au kwa lazima ambao kwa Tanzania ni miaka 55 hadi 60, mtawalia*.
Mifuko ya ifadhi ya jamii ni kama ilivyo sera ya bima yaani mtu hulipwa pale anapopatwa na janga, na ni mahususi kumsaidia mfanyakazi kununua vitu vya thamani kama vile viwanja au kujenga nyumba anapostaafu au anapoelekea kustaafu. Kwa hiyo, hiyo ndiyo maana halisi na lengo la mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii.
Kabla ya kuhitimisha makala hii, tukizungumzia kidogo kuhusu pensheni ambayo hujulikana kama (Kiinua mgongo), ni kiasi cha pesa ambacho  hulipwa na serikali au kampuni binafsi kwa mtu ambaye ameacha kufanya kazi kwa sababu ya uzee au maradhi. Kwa maana hiyo mtu hawezi kupata pensheni mpaka ule umri wa kustaafu ambao umewekwa na serikali (miaka 60). Ieleweke na ndivyo ilivyo, ya kwamba mtu hawezi kupewa pensheni  katika umri wowote tofauti na umri uliotajwa kuwa ni umri wa kustaafu kwa lengo la kufanya biashara au kwa ajili ya lengo jingine lolote lile. Hii ni kwa sababu hela ya mteja husika hutumika kuanzisha vitega uchumi na taasisi husika na ndio maana mteja hupata mafao manono zaidi kuliko alivyochangia. Hii ni kama alivyo wahi kusema Mheshimiwa Irene Isiaaka  ambaye ni mkurugenzi mkuu wa mamlaka ya udhiti wa mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii (SSRA), kuzitaka taasisi za mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii kubuni miradi endelevu na kuanzisha vitega uchumi mbalimbali ili kuziwezesha taasisi hizo kutoa huduma bora kwa wateja wake. Hii ndio sababu kubwa ambayo huipasa mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii kukaa na pesa za wateja wake kwa mda mrefu zaidi ili kuwa na uhakika wa mafao bora wakati ambapo mteja huacha  kuchangia kwa sababu ya kuacha kulipwa mshahara na badala yake kuanza kulipwa mafao yake na mfuko husika kutokana na uzalishaji wa hela yake.
Ni muhimu kutoa pongezi kwa mamalaka ya udhibiti wa mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii kwa kutoa nafasi kwa wafanyakazi wanaokaribia kustaafu kupata sehemu ya pensheni zao kupitia sheria iliyopitishwa na bunge mwezi April mwaka 2012. Nafasi hiyo itawapa watumishi wa umma uwezo wa kujiandalia mazingira mazuri ya kustaafu ikiwa ni pamoja na kukununua viwanja, kujenga nyumba bora za kuishi na kusomesha watoto wao.
Napenda pia kuonesha kusikitishwa kwangu na watu wanaobeza  hatua hiyo iliyofikiwa na mamlaka ya udhibiti wa mifuko wa hifadhi ya jamii, huku wakidai ya kuwa umri wa miaka 55 hadi 60 ni mkubwa na kuwa una dalili za kibaguzi hivyo kuwa kinyume na haki za binadamu. Naweza kusema ya kuwa ni kuhoji mambo tusiyoyafahamu yanaendaje napengine kuigiza siasa hata kwenye mambo ambayo si ya kisiasa ambavyo ni hatari kwa maendeleo ya jamii yetu. Zaidi natambua kuwa wamo wanasheria na mashirika ya kutetea haki za binadamu wanaopanga kuzuia sheria hiyo kwa kigezo cha umri wa pensheni kuwa mkubwa. Ningependa kuwakumbusha kwamba penshion siyo mshahara, siyo mkopo na wala sio kama pesa iliyowekwa benki kwamba mtu anaweza kuidai pindi anapojisikia, kufanya hivyo ni kopotosha maana halisi ya dhana ya pensheni ambayo hata kamusi zote zinalitaja kuwa ni mafao ya uzeeni baada ya kuacha kazi, kupatwa na maradhi au kupata kilema kiasi cha kushindwa kuendelea na kazi ambazo ndio sifa za mtu kupata pensheni (pensionable) na si vinginevyo.
Ushauri wangu ni kwamba kama kuna mtu anahisi kuwa umri uliowekwa kwa mtu kupata pensheni ni mkubwa aombe serikali kubadili sera ya umri wa kustaafu na si kubadili maana ya pensheni kuwa kama mishaara au mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii kuwa kama benki. Ijulikane kuwa ndio maana kuna benki na kuna mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii.
 HITIMISHO
Ni muhimu tukielewa kuwa kulalamika pale tunapohisi kuwa haututendewi haki ni haki ya kila mmoja wetu kama watanzania. Lakini ni muhimu kuelewa na hata kutafuta kuelewa jambo ambalo hatulielewi vizuri. Hii itatusaidia kujikosoa pale tunapojikuta kuwa jinsi tulivyoelewa jambo ni tofauti na uhalisia wa jambo husika na si kukimbilia kulalamika kwa ushabiki wa kisiasa kwa mambo yasiyostaili kuingiziwa siasa. Mamlaka za mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii ziandae elimu maalum kwa ajili ya wadau wake ili kuwawezesha kufahamu mfumo na jinsi mifuko hiyo ya hifadhi ya jamii invyofanya kazi. Hii itaondoa malalamiko yasiyo ya lazima kutokana na kutofahamu jinsi mifuko hii inavyotoa huduma zake.
Natanguliza shukrani
*Mtawalia: maana yake- Respectively- a kufuatana katika mpangilio
Davis Muzahula,
Mwanafunzi wa shahada ya kwanza ya sheria (mwaka wa nne),
Chuo Kikuu Cha Mtakatifu Augustino cha Tanzania
Simu: +255756829416
Barua pepe: davismuzahula@yahoo.com

Monday, July 30, 2012

MEET A 22 YEAR OLD WHO IS TRANSFORMING LIVES OF MANY CHILDREN IN TANZANIA


My name is David  Mwendele. I am 22 years old and soon I will be heading to South Africa to compete with other young African entrepreneurs in the Anzisha Prize finals.
I was born in Morogoro region in Tanzania, my mother conceived me at a very young age. A guy who was supposed to give father love ran away. Despite being a single teenage mom, my grandparents chased my mother from home. Honestly, she had no place to go. Another man who loved my mother decided to take care of us.  On my six years old birthday, my mother disappeared; we never knew what happened and where she went. I was taken to my uncle who was a farmer.
Two years later, another man came to my uncle’s place to take me to his home in Bukoba then to Dar-Es-Salaam, where this man abandoned his family. My step mom and I had to work hard to meet the family needs. For instance, in my early teens, I joined a counter book factory after I finish my primary school education. I can say there was no hope for me to go to school again but I didn’t give up. I worked for one year but the income wasn’t enough to take care of my family and myself.
In a year 2006, I went for the interview to join Hananasif Orphanage Centre and Hocet Secondary School. Hocet Secondary School is an orphanage school located at Mkuranga, Coast Region in Tanzania. During my time in the school and in the orphanage, not only I received excellent education but also I met people who inspired me to think positively.
In a year 2010, after I finished my secondary education in an orphanage school, I went back home. One day, I was just remembering how much I have suffered thus I asked myself how many young people and their families are suffering the same way I my family and I did.  I witnessed many youth in my community succumb to truancy, delinquency, joblessness, and drugs.  I was determined to make a difference. From my spiritual motivation and life experience, I founded the Let God Be You Foundation (LGBY). I founded LGBY when I was 20. The mission of the organization is to provide quality education and life skills to youth and children to help them overcome challenges they face in life and become leaders of positive change in their society.
I started out by securing a loan from a friend to begin training youth on how to make hard cover exercise books, a skill I learned after working long hours at a factory in my teens. These books are sold to generate revenues, which then funded the transportation, and food needs for children, and the class’s operational costs. I also taught local youth the art of embroidery, t-shirt printing, baking, and photography. In two years, I have trained over 100 local youth with skills that have spawned several other profitable ventures (Take a look at the pictures)
In a year 2011, I got information about African Leadership Academy, and one of their students from Tanzania, Julius James Shirima, founder of Darecha. I was interested to join the school but merely I wanted to meet Julius and make him my friend. It wasn’t easy to do on my own but my friend Sydney arranged a meeting with him and invited me to join. It was good to meet him for few minutes. I was able to make it to the ALA finalist weekend, where I meet Julius and other Julius friends who inspired and encouraged me a lot through their speeches. It was sad that I could make it to join the school. Still I wanted to be more close to Julius and his organization Darecha, it was good to get his phone number from my friend Sydney and I didn’t delay to make my first call with Julius. I met Julius for a meeting at his office and we had long conversation. I was so impressed by the way he stared his eyes on me carefully listening,  it gave me courage to keep telling him my story because I felt listened. Julius really encouraged me to keep doing my work, he advice me to Join Darecha to learn and get more experience. I did just that. Lastly, he advised me to apply for Anzisha prize because he believed I have the potential to make it there. I didn’t apply because the application form was written for youth 15-20 years old. I received email one day from Julius asking me if I applied for the prize, I told him no and explain the age matter but Julius kept insisting me to apply. By that time the application was closed already.
In a year 2012, I got email from a friend Andie, advising me to apply for the Anzisha prize too, I again told him that I was above age, and she kept insisting me to apply. I applied  to the finalist round after competing with hundreds of other young entrepreneurs in Africa. I wasn’t able to see the potential in myself but Julius and his Darecha team  saw it, I am thanking God  for this wonderful opportunity.


Fedha Investment yaja na huduma bora kwa wakazi wa jiji la Dar

 Jengo la Fedha Investment linavyoonekana kwa nje.Kampuni hii inajihusisha na utoaji wa huduma mbali mbali za kijamii,kama vile,M-Pesa,Tigo Pesa,Airtel Money,kununua Luku,Kulipia DSTV na vitu ningine vingi ikiwa ni sehemu ya kumrahisishiwa mwananchi kupata huduma zote sehemu moja na si kuhangaika sehemu tofauti tofauti.
 Mmoja wa Wateja waliofika Fedha Investment kwa ajili ya kuhudumiwa mahitaji mbali mbali yatolewayo na Fedha Investment.kulia ni Mmoja wa wafanyakazi wa Fedha Investment,aitwae Mariam.
 Huduma zikiendelea.
 Wadau waliokuwepo katika uzinduzi wa Fedha Investment.
 Mama Anna Mkapa alikuwa ni mmoja wa wageni waliohudhulia ufunguzi rasmi wa Fedha Investment,na hapa akiwa na baadhi ya wafanyakazi Fedha Investment.
 Wadau mbali mbali walikuwepo kwenye uzinduzi huo.
 Shampein ikifunguliwa kuashiria ufunguzi rasmi wwa utoaji wa huduma za kijamii.
 Ilikuwa ni furaha kwa kila aliefika katika ufunguzi huo wa kampunu ya Fedha Investment.

Masai Club yazinduliwa upya Arusha

 Kundi la Burudani la burudani la Gotagious Danceteam Africa kutoka jijini Arusha wakitoa burudani wakati wa uzinduzi wa MASAI CAMP ya jijini humo ambayo sasa itakuwa ikitoa vionjo tofauti kwa vyakula na burudani za aina mbalimbali pamoja na vinywaji vya kila namna kwa wageni watakao kuwa wakitembelea kituo hicho cha maraha kutwa nzima.
Wageni maalum katika uzinduzi huo Mkurugenzi wa Mawasiliano wa Kampuni ya Bia ya Serengeti (SBL) Teddy Mapunda (kushoto) na timu yake waklipata burudani na vyakula vya aina mbalimbali.
 Burudani ya vijana hawa ilikuwa ni ya nguvu na yakuvutia.
 Wageni kutoka nje ya nchi ambao wapo jijini Arusha kwa shughuli za utalii, masomo na kazi za kujitolea wakifuatilia burudani kutoka kundi hilo la Gotagious Danceteam Africa lililokuwa likip[oromosha burudani kali.
wateja walio hudhuria katika uzinduzi huo hawakutamani burudani hiyo ikatike maana ilikonga nyoyo zao na kupata ladha ile halisi ya mahali tulivu kwa burudani na vinywaji huku misosi ikiendelea.
 furaha ya watazamaji haikuweza kufichika...
 Burudani ya Disco iliporomoshwa na mkali huyu kutoka majuu
Wadau wa Masai Camp ya mjiji Arusha wakilamba picha ya pamoja usiku wa jana wakati wakitambulisha upya kiota hichi cha maraha.
 Teddy Mapunda 'Aunt T' akishow love na mmoja wa waendeshaji wa Masai Camp
Burudani iliachiwa mpaka majogoo na watu waliruka majoka ya hatari.....ilikuwa ni raha tupu.