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George Michael Uledi.
Kyela,Mbeya.
July 5,2021.

Hambantota Port story might serve as a good lesson for Tanzania when the country mulls over reviving talks with Chinese and Oman investors over the contruction of the Bagamoyo Port.

The proposed mega project stalled after the then Tanzanian President Dr John Magufuli trashed what he described as exploitative terms by the Chinese.

“..only a madman and drunkard would have accepted them…”, he said.

According to the late leader, the terms included the 99 years lease,tax free status,33 years gurantee of not expanding any Port in Tanzania!

China Belt and Road Initiative which is a Chinese international mission brought a dark fate to Sri Lanka government leased to Chinese firm for 99 years over the ownership of Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka!

Western media have used the Hambantota Port project to justify that China is using the Road and Belt Initiative for creating debt trap for countries and thereafter conficating the strategic infrastructure.A New York Times carried one article alleged that China lured Sri Lanka into a debt trap under BRI.

A Port grab had been a China’s objective from days. Chinese military submarines have been docking at Hambantota being a Chinese strategy to encircle India somehow. After the lease to China the Hambantota Port by the former Sri Lanka regime for 99 years, now the Sri Lanka new government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wants to undo the previous regime move to lease the Port to Chinese venture, citing National interests.

China is dismissing worries over any military dimension to it’s investment in Hambantota Port and Tanzania should be Keen on the matter. Bagamoyo project if not given a keen eye “security wise, economically and politically” may fall into the same trap not only to the story of China -Hambantota project but also the China -Djibouti who where the Horn of Africa can country believe that it has potential to became the “Singapore of Africa” with the help of Chinese investments.

Tanzania’s strategic location on the Indian Ocean makes the country one of the critical locales for projecting power across Africa and Asia.

!”…they have a grand and strategic plan,we don’t have”,David Shinn ,former US Ambassodor to Ethipia had said,about China’ s presence in Indian Ocean shores.

Another story of Djibouti-China marriage supported by majority share of Djibouti’s debt account for over 70% of it’s GDP. The strategy behind Djibouti accumulating large sums of debts was to promote it’s logistic hub between Africa and Asia. Why China want to invest almost the whole of Indian ocean shore through Ports economy…Bagamoyo,Lamu,Djibouti,Sudan?.

In March, this year, the Commander of Djibouti support base Liang Yang got promotion the rank of Major General to unknown Chinese base after successfully handled BRI in Djibouti.

THE MUST KNOW WHILE TANZANIA IS INTERING INTO BAGAMOYO PROJECT RENEGOTIATION.

1.Tanzania experts should know that now China has became more willing to renegotiate debts and therefore investments terms too,because it doesn’t want to look like a “bad boy” after the Hombantota experience in Sri lanka,therefore this provide a room for us to came up with win-win situation deal in the Bagamoyo Project!

2.While we are for this project ,Tanzania should know that there are similar projects operated by China along Indian ocean therefore it is not a big deal anymore.

3.Is the BRI purely economic Corperation to enhance international tie as China claims?,or is it a geopolitical tool to enhance global strategic influence?

4.In June 2015,Tanzania Shipping Agents Association warned the government against the construction of a new port, citing low business.

  1. We must know that china’s Belt and Road Initiative forges intertwining economic, political and security ties between Africa and China advancing Beijing’s geopolitical interests.

I conclude and advice that the idea of Bagamoyo project implementation should be grounded through research based decision to reveal the potential of the Bagamoyo Project.

https://www.csis.org/analysis/game-loans-how-china-bought-hambantota?amp

Writer is a CCM youth wing member,former lecturer at Saut & Tumaini University,former Officer at Habari- Maelezo,former Officer Cadet at Tanzania Military Academy & former contender at Kyela Costituency for CCM 2020.

+255784159968.

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