COOPERATIVES AND DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA

COOPERATIVES AND DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA

This booklet describes the main points of the Cooperative Development Policy1 and the laws2 and rules3 that have been written to put that policy into practice. It is designed to help communities make decisions about the development of their own cooperatives. Also, it will enable communities to talk to their elected representatives about how the government should adjust future laws and policies for cooperatives.

Ushirika Huru will extract and share with you this booklet in a special series. You are kindly requested to observe it deeply  as we keep on sharing the issues from this booklet  and give out your views by reflecting to the concerned  title mentioned above, "cooperative and development in Tanzania"

Part A

Cooperatives have been an important part of the development of Tanzania for 75 years. While they have seen many successes and failures during this period no other institution has brought so many people together for a common cause.

Following the Arusha Declaration, cooperatives became the main tool for building a spirit of self-reliance during the Ujamaa period. However, following the introduction of free markets, cooperatives have struggled to compete with the private sector and many have not been able to provide their members with services they need. The Government has responded to this problem by introducing a new Cooperative Development Policy (2002) to help cooperatives to regain their importance in the economic lives of the people.

A policy tells us how the government plans to facilitate the development of a particular area of the economy such as agriculture, education or cooperatives. While policies tell us what the government’s plans are, laws are needed to help put these plans into action. Laws require organisations such as cooperatives to behave in a democratic and business like way. Laws:

• Specify the rights and obligations of institutions and individuals.

• Describe the system of enforcement of order.

• Help the regulators and/or the courts to impose penalties where necessary.

Therefore laws provide stakeholders with rights and responsibilities. Policies simply give guidance on how stakeholders can be involved.

This booklet describes the main points of the Cooperative Development Policy1 and the laws2 and rules3 that have been written to put that policy into practice. It is designed to help communities make decisions about the development of their own cooperatives. Also, it will enable communities to talk to their elected representatives about how the government should adjust future laws and policies for cooperatives.

Who are stakeholders?

All those who have a part in a policy, including those who:

• Are affected by the policy

• Carry out the policy

• Give money to support the policy

COOPERATIVES AND DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA 1

THE COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT POLICY

What is a cooperative?

A co-operative is a group of people who work together voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality and solidarity. Co-operative members believe in honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

Why do we need a new policy for cooperatives?

The government and stakeholders needed new policy and laws for the development of cooperatives because:

• Many cooperatives have not prospered in the free market economy. As a result they have been less able to provide inputs, credit and crop marketing services to members.

• The government sees cooperatives as an important means to the achievement of development goals. People working together can solve problems that cannot be solved by individuals.

• Earlier laws and policies did not properly address some issues that are important to cooperatives working in the free market economy; such as the role of women, caring for the environment and the roles that different stakeholders should play in the development of cooperatives.

Private traders have not filled

the gaps left by the decline

of the cooperatives.

Therefore people should come together to provide services for

their communities

Ushirika Huru-Taratibu na hatua za kuanzisha chama cha ushirika

Chama cha ushirika ni muungano wa watu ambao kwa hiari yao wenyewe wamekubaliana na kuamua kwa pamoja kuanzisha chama cha ushirika kwa lengo la kujiendeleza kiuchumi na kijamii. Wanaoanzisha ni budi wawena mfungamano wa pamoja, mathalani ni wakulima wa zao fulani, ni wakazi wa kijiji au mtaa fulani, ni mafundi seremala au wahunzi n.k. kwa  mantiki hiyo vyama vya ushirika vya aina mbalimbali vinaweza kuanzishwa kulingana na mahitaji ya walengwa  sera ya maendeleo ya ushirika na sheria ya vyama vya ushirika zinafafanua aina mbalimbali za vyama vya ushirika vinavyoweza kuundwa[angalia sehemu ya3].

HATUA ZA UANZISHAJI

[1]Kufanya uamuzi wa hiari

Watu wanaokusudia kuanzisha chama chao cha ushirika wakishafanya uamuzi watatoa taarifa kwa Afisa ushirika wa eneo lao ili waweze kukutana nao na kuwapatia muongozo au maelekezo ya namna ya uanzishwaji na uandikishwaji wa chama cha ushirika wanachokusudia kuanzisha.

[2]Kuitisha na kufanya mkutano mkuu wa uanzilishi

Waanzilishi wa chama husika watapaswa kufanya mkutano mkuu wa kuunda chama ambao unaitwa mkutano mkuu wa uanzilishi wa chama wakiongozwa na afisa ushirika ambaye ndiye atakuwa mwenyekiti wa mkutano huo.

Agenda za mkutano wa uanzilishi ni pamoja na;

• Kujadili kwa kina nia na madhumuni ya chama kinachotarajiwa kuanzishwa.
• Kuteua wajumbe kati ya 5-9 kuunda bodi ya uanzilishi ya chama .
• Kuwaelewesha wajumbe wa kikao kuhusu taratibu na kazi za kufanya ili kufanikisha uanzishaji wa chama.
• Kukasimu madaraka kwa bodi ya uanzilishi kutekeleza majukumu ya siku hadi siku yatakayowezesha chama kuandikishwa.

Afisa ushirika atatoa ufafanuzi kuhusu namna chama cha ushirika kinavyoanzishwa, kinavyoandikishwa na kinavyoendeshwa kwa mujibu wa sheria. Atafafanua vifungu mbalimbali vya sheria pamoja na kanuni za vyama vya ushirika.Aidha ataelezea sera ya maendeleo ya ushirika na faida za kuwa kwenye chama cha ushirika.

Baada ya wanachama kuelewa nia , madhumuni na faida ya kuanzisha chama cha ushirika .Litatolewa azimio la kuanzisha chama hicho cha ushirika .Mambo mengine yatakayofanywa na mkutano mkuu wa uanzilishi ni,

• Kuteuwa mwenyekiti na makamu mwenyekiti wa bodi ya uanzilishi.Aidha kutakuwa na katibu atakayekuwa na kazi ya kuandika muhtasari wa majadiliano ya kikao na kutunza kumbukumbu za chama kinachoundwa.
• Kupendekeza jina la chama , anuani , kiingilio, idadi ya hisa na thamani ya hisa moja.
• Kutoa kibali kwa bodi ya uanzilishi kutumia fedha zilizochangwa na wanachama waanzilishi kufanya matumizi ya awali ya lazima [mathalani ununuzi wa shajala vitendea kazi, ukodishaji wa ofisi [n.k]
• Kuainisha majukumu ya bodi ya uanzilishi ili kufanikisha uanzishaji wa chama husika.

[3]Mkutano wa kujadili mapendekezo ya bodi ya uanzilishi

Baada ya bodi ya uanzilishi kukamilisha maandalizi yake , itaitisha mkutano wa wanachama waanzilishi kujadili mapendekezo yalioandaliwa na bodi. Mkutano utaongozwa na mwenyekiti wa bodi ya uanzilishi. Mkutano utafanya kazi zifuatazo;

• Kujadili rasimu ya masharti ya chama na kuyapitisha.
• Kuidhinisha makisio ya mapato na matumizi ya mwaka wa kwanza .
• Kuidhinisha sera mbalimbali za chama .
• Kupitisha taarifa ya uwezo wa kiuchumi wa chama [kidadisi uchumi].
• Kupitisha mpango – biashara ya chama.
• Kupitisjha azimio la maombi ya kuandikisha chama

[4] Kuwasilisha maombi ya kuandikisha chama

Maombi ya kuandikisha chama cha ushirika yataandaliwa na kuwasilishwa kwa mrajis msaidizi wa vya ma vya ushirika [ngazi ya mkoa] kupitia kwa Afisa ushirika wa wilaya . fomu ya maombi ya kuandikishwa chama itafungashwa pamoja na nakala nne za kumbukumbu zifuatazo;

• Masharti ya chama .
• Taarifa ya uwezo wa kiuchumi wa chama [kidadisi uchumi].
• Makisio ya mapato na matumizi.
• Mihtasari ya mikutano mikuu miwili ya awali.
• Ada ya kuandikisha chama [kwa kuzingatia aina ya chama husika].

Mrajis msaidizi wa vyama vya ushirika atafanya tathmini ya maombi ya usajili pamoja na kupitia kumbukumbu zinazohusika kwa lengo la kuona kama chama tarajiwa kina uwezo wa kiuchumi wa kutosha kuendesha shughuli zake na pia kama matakwa ya sheria yamezingatiwa. Baada ya tathmini, na ndani ya siku tisini, anaweza kutoa hati ya kuandikishwa. Endapo hataridhika, ataelekeza marekebisho yanayotakiwa kufanyika au atakaa kabisa kuandikisha chama hicho na kushauri waombaji kupeleka suala lao kwa mrajis wa vyama vya ushirika. Aidha waombaji wasiporidhishwa na uamuzi wa mrajis msaidizi [na mrajis] wanaweza kuwasilisha rufani kwa waziri mwenye dhamana ya vyama vya ushirika kwa maamuzi ya mwisho.

[5] Mkutano mkuu wa kwanza baada ya chama kuandikishwa

Mkutano mkuu wa kwanza wa chama utaitishwa katika kipindi cha miezi miwili baada ya kuandikishwa. Mkutano huu utafanya mambo yafuatayo:-

• Chama kukabidhiwa hati ya kuandikishwa
• Kuondoa bodi ya uanzilishi
• Kuchagua bodi ya uongozi wa chama ambayo itakuwa na wajumbe wasiopungua 5 na wasiozidi 9 na kuchagua mwenyekiti na makamu mwenyekiti wa bodi.
• Kupokea maagizo/maelekezo ya mrajis msaidizi wa vyamavya ushirika juu ya mambo muhimu ya kuzingatia katika uendeshaji wa chama.
• Kuweka mikakati ya kutekeleza madhumuni (malengo) ya chama kwa kuzingatia masharti, sera na mpango-biashara.

[6]Uchaguzi wa bodi kufanyika kwa mujibu wa sheria ya vyama vya ushirika

Bodi ya uanzilishi, kabla ya kuitisha mkutano mkuu wa kwanza itatoa tangazo la kuwafahamisha wanachama wanaohitaji kuchukua fomu za kuomba uongozi katika chama si chini ya siku 21 kabla ya mkutano huo kufanyika.

Fomu zilizojazwa zitawasilishwa kwa msimamizi wa uchaguzi [ambaye huteuliwa na mrajis wa vyama vya ushirika] ambaye ataunda kamati ya watu waadilifu kuchambua maombi ya wote wanaoomba uongozi.

Msimamizi wa uchaguzi, atawasilisha mapendekezo ya waombaji waliotimiza sifa za kugombea kwenye mkutano mkuu wa kwanza kwa ajili ya kupigiwa kura za siri.baada ya uchaguzi huo wa bodi ya uongozi kukamilika chama hutambuliwa rasmi na huanza kutekeleza majukumu yake kwa mujibu wa sheria ya vyama vya ushirika kwa manufaa ya wanachama wake na taifa.

How to Apply

KWA TAARIFA ZAIDI WASILIANA NA:-

Mrajis wa vyama vya ushirika

S.L.P 201 Dodoma, Tanzania

Simu 026-2322456 Fax 026-2321973

Barua pepe: ushirikadodoma@yahoo.com