Solar and Biogas Projects

The main source of fuel in Makete is fire woods, the logs. It is the responsibility of the women to collect fire wood which are used to cook, warm the house and warming bathing water and every thing that will require being preheated as well as source of light during night.

It happened some times back in early 2000, missionaries in cooperation with the local church leadership of the South Central Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania did a feasibility study to see if it is possible alleviate the situation.

It was revealed that the fetching of fire wood have consumed a lot of energy and time of these poor peasants women on the mountains, also they have to walk long distance to get an access of the forest where they can easily harvest the woods.

A simple solution was thought, these people have got plenty of cattle as their traditional wealth. One peasant could own as far as hundreds cows at one time. Then a simple solution was thought in relation to their cow keeping tradition.

A new technology was to be inverted in the Makete Mountains, the cow dung were proposed to be used to generate energy by producing a bio gas that would at last bee used to produce heat and light.

Then KPS mission in Germany volunteered to fund the project. On January, 2001 they transferred under project tattled (SCD, III 20201) the total of DM 5.714,00 for Biogas project. The money was directly received by Lutheran Mission cooperation, LMC.

On January 2003 they farther transferred a total of 12.000, 00€ for the same. The money was once again directly received by LMC.

To date these women is still spending more that five hours daily in the forest looking for the fire wood. Why? Because these projects proposal had never been implemented.

At time of planning the project, it was calculated that one biogas plant would cost approximately 500, 00$ that would serve one family. It is absurd that there is neither biogas plants in the district nor the money intended for this project in the bank accounts.

When this blog was going through the reports produced for different projects to be submitted to the donors in Europe, it was discovered this is one of the many projects whose report are still pending. However in the audit report by independent auditors the figures are not mentioned as they were not seen in the books of accounts.

This blog when demanded for explanation from by the Bishop of the diocese, Rev. Shadrack Manyiewa, I was told that the money was not embezzled instead inappropriately allocated.

The same happened to the money donated on January 2001 where by the total of 22.857, 00DM and on January 2003 a total of 20.000.00€ were donated for solar energy projects. Which till to date there is no single solar energy panel in this diocese.

In a quick summation a total of 28,571,00DM and 32,000,00€ went without being accounted for. And the supervisors, LMC nor the donors, missions abroad has ever asked for the where about of these funds.

When visited this diocese the LMC secretary, Lars Hofgren was told by this blog that, there have been gross mismanagement and embezzlement going on in this diocese for years now. Some of them could have been prevented if the donors could have taken tough stand to oversee what is going on in the field.

It is not the intention of this blog to disturb harmony in the house of the LORD rather, it is requesting making the house clean by participatory approach. Let us discuss where are all of these monies going? Who is benefiting? Are the beneficiaries the targeted group?

Be blessed.

Bishop Suspended

Bishop Shadrack Manyiewa of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, South Central Diocese (ELCT – SCD) has been suspended from his service.

The suspension followed allegation of embezzlement of donor money amounting to thousands dollars, fraud and poor administration.

The allegations were first raised by the self help group of people living with HIV, PIUMA which on April last year demanded explanation on the where about of thousands of us dollars donated for various social project in the diocese.

The allegations were confirmed by three different audit reports from three different firms. Many inhabitants of this place had always asking the relative authority to take action for long.

The decision to suspend Bish. Manyiewa was reached by the consensus of the majority of the members of the diocesan council set for an extra ordinary meeting last Monday.

ELCT- SCD had been facing serious financial crises for a period of about two years following the suspension of the donation from donors abroad.

When the local people asked decison of the donors stoping their support, said they never felt a difference because the money from donors through church structres never reached the people at the grass root.

The crises became more worse in April 2005 when Bishop Manyiewa closed down the HIV/AIDS clinic, locking out all the volunteers from Austria following their stand not to allow him to have an unlawful access to fund intended for treatment of the HIV- AIDS patients.

However there has been underground unconfirmed information that the Church is seeking for a position somewhere else for bishop Manyiewa. The members of the diocesan council said that there was an offer from one of the donors’ representative from Europe who was here recently that the mission can help to register and finance Manyiewa and his wife for further studies abroad.

When asked about this a man living with HIV Izack Sanga who had talked to Manyiewa personally two times on his leadership style said that, it will be an insult of the donors from developed places like Europe who are pictured as model of civilization, democracy an accountability to embrace the bishop who has allegation to answer.

´´It would be a right step if Bishop Manyiewa will be striped his travelling documents and brought before justice in the court of law`` he further added.

It is not yet known if Bishop Manyiewa will be taken to court to face charges against corruption, fraud and theft or not.

DONORS WITHDRAWS THEIR SUPPORT

The members of the Kidope Parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, South Central Diocese, have lost one of the funding partner the Curau parish in German.

The news that have reached the desk of this blog says that, the Curau christians have pulled out from sponsoring any project to this parish following serious unaccountability and embezzlement of the funds donated to this parish for various project in past years.

Curau sponsored a number of projects for Kidope parish including, centre for the disabled and orphaned children, the public primary school and the centre in Makete town which if after completion could have been used as a source of income to sustain other non profit project.

Number of these projects have not been completed and the reports are still pending. Though the project have not been completed the money donated for these projects have been spent. Several time in different occasion when such crisis happens the leaders of different parishes including the diocese will run for simple excuse, the money have been spend on administration, paying salary of the staff who most of them do not exist.

The members of the parish were very angry with the financial committee which was been administered by the leading pastor of the parish. However in more than five consecutive meetings they came to realise that the pastor was the root of this embezzlement.

It was discovered that the pastor has deflected more than €.7.000- into his personal account. The pastor after facing the serious and angry members of the parish he admitted that he has swindled the money. The pastor when given a chance to defend himself he said he could not resist the temptation from the devil.

The shepherded that turned to become a wild dog was asked by his flock to refund the money. While waiting for the cash to be refunded the members of the parish were astonished to hear that Bishop has Shadrack Manyiewa transferred this pastor to another distant congregation.

Bishop Manyiewa is also under scrutiny by police force department for criminal investigation, following the embezzlement of thousands of donor money intended for different projects in the diocese he is leading. The donors have been distancing themselves from discussing the problems though they have been asked by the local people several times to take action.

The donors are blamed by the indigenous here for not being accountable, demanding reports and ensuring there are physical evidence on the progress for the projects they are funding.