Africa's 50 Richest 2013: The Newcomers

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New Moroccan billionaire Aziz Akhannouch (Photo credit: Reuters/Stringer)

This year, nine individuals join the ranks of Forbes’ third annual ranking of the richest people in Africa on account of rising stock prices, new oil deals and high-profile M&As, among other reasons. Tanzania takes the lead as the country with the most newcomers: three.

The wealthiest newcomer to Forbes’ list of Africa’s 50 Richest is Algerian-born food tycoon Issad Rebrab, who debuts with a fortune estimated at $3.2 billion. Rebrab is the founder of Cevital, a majority family-owned company that produces sugar, vegetable oil and margarine. Cevital also owns steel manufacturing and distribution assets.

Kenyan mogul and East Africa’s richest man, Vimal Shah joins the list with a net worth of $1.6 billion. Shah, his father and his brother together control Bidco Oil Refineries, the dominant manufacturer of edible oils in East and Central Africa. The company’s annual revenues exceed $500 million. Bidco also manufactures baking powder and beauty soaps and distributes in 14 African countries. He is also an investor in Tatu City, a new $3 billion ultra-modern satellite city to be built on Nairobi’s outskirts.

Morocco’s Aziz Akhannouch is worth $1.4 billion based on his ownership and control of Akwa Group, a conglomerate which his father founded and which now owns publicly traded Afriquia Gas and Maghreb Oxygene as well as media, real estate development and hotels. Akhannouch is now Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. His wife, Salwa Idrissi, owns a luxury property development company that develops malls and holds the Moroccan franchise for fashion brands like Gap GPS -0.68% and Zara .

Rostam Azizi, a fifth generation Tanzanian of Persian origin, is the richest man in Tanzania with a fortune that Forbes pegs at $1 billion.  Key assets include a 35% stake in Vodacom Tanzania, the largest mobile phone company in Tanzania, with over 9.5 million subscribers; Caspian Mining, a contract-mining outfit; and a minority interest in a Tanzanian container terminal controlled by Hutchison Whampoa  (which is in turn controlled by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing). Azizi also owns real estate in Dubai and Oman.

Reginald Mengi, also from Tanzania, is Africa’s second richest media mogul after South Africa’s Koos Bekker. Mengi’s privately held IPP Group owns 11 prominent national newspapers, three television stations and ten radio stations. Other assets include gold mines, several mining concessions and a Coca-Cola bottling plant. He is worth $550 million by FORBES estimates.

Aspen Pharmacare’s cofounder Gus Attridge of South Africa joins the list with a net worth estimated at $525 million, thanks largely to the company’s ballooning stock, which is up 75% over the past year. Aspen Pharmacare manufactures drugs in 17 factories including in several African countries, Australia, Mexico, Brazil and Germany.

Tanzanian-born Mohammed ‘Mo’ Dewji is one of Africa’s most successful young businessmen. He is the CEO of METL, a large Tanzanian conglomerate with activities in distribution, textiles, manufacturing, agriculture and real estate. His father, Gulam Dewji, started it as a commodities trading business. After Mo finished studying business at Georgetown University, he returned home and took the reins of the business, transforming it into a manufacturing player. He is also a Member of Tanzania’s parliament and has a net worth estimated at $500 million.

Femi Otedola, a Nigerian energy mogul, debuted on the Forbes billionaires list in 2009, but dropped off the ranks very shortly afterwards. He’s made a comeback. An astounding 1100% increase in the share price of his petroleum distribution company, Forte Oil, over the past year has fueled his fortune to an estimated $410 million. The company recently purchased a power plant, which reports have cited along with rising profits as a cause for some of the stock increase. Otedola also controls Zenon Petroleum, a leading distributor of energy products in Nigeria.

Tunde Folawiyo is one of the two new Nigerian members to the list. He is the managing director of the Yinka Folawiyo Group, a conglomerate his late father, Wahab Folawiyo, founded in 1957. The group’s interests span shipping, banking, construction, agriculture, energy trading and power.

Forbes plans to update our Africa list yearly. If you have suggestions for possible new members, feel free to email me at mnsehe [at] forbes [dot] com

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An impressive speech-Mesaya

An impressive speech

Asalam aleykum/Bwana yesu asifiwe wanazuoni wenzangu na wanaumajimui wote?

Awali ya yote nimshukuru mwenyezi Mungu kwa kuniwezesha kujumuika nanyi kwa mara nyingine tena japo ni watu tofauti ili dhima kuu bado ni ile ile.

Pili nimwage shukrani za dhati kwa wana-UDBS wa 2009-2012 kwa kutuunga mkono na kutusaidia kwa namna moja au nyingine.

Tatu nitoe shukrani zangu kwa wazazi wangu, ndugu, jamaa na rafiki zangu ambao hawakuishiwa neno na wala hawakuchoka kunipa mwongozo na shauri mbalimbali ili niweze kufanikisha malengo yangu.

Nne niwashukuru pia uongozi wa Chuo kikuu cha Dar es Salaam kwa kukubali kukaa chini na kulijadili suala hili kwa mara nyingine na kwa kina na hatimaye manufaa haya yakafikiwa ijapokuwa “the decision was final and conclusive”

Na mwisho nitoe shukrani zangu za dhati kutoka moyoni kwenu wote kwani najua wote mliguswa na hili jambo kwa namna tofauti. Wapo ambao walitambua dhamani yetu na hawakusita kumwomba Mungu wao kwa namna mbalimbali wajuavyo wao kwa lengo moja tu la sisi kuweza kujumuika nao kwa mara nyingine kwenye tasnia hii ya elimu. “Mbarikiwe sana”

Wapo pia ambao walishusha pumzi zao na kumshukuru maulana kwa namna tofauti wajuavyo wao baada ya kupata taarifa kwamba hatukuwa tena sehemu ya umma wa Chuo kikuu cha Dar es Salaam. Hawa walitoa dinari za shukrani zao kwa Mwenyezi Mungu kwani watu ambao wamekuwa vizuizi na kukosoa yale maovu wanayoyafanya, walikuwa wamechinjiwa baharini tayari. Nao pia wabarikiwe sana

Baada ya salamu hizi nichukue nafasi hii kuwasihi vijana wenzangu jambo moja muhimu kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya taifa letu.

Kuna usemi ambao umezoeleka sana masikioni kwa kila mmoja wetu unaosema “KIJANA NI TAIFA LA KESHO”. Usemi huu tumeuzoea na hata tunauunga mkono kwani hata wenye nyadhifa na nafasi mbalimbali nao pia wameuridhia na kila kukicha na kuchwea wanatushawishi kuhusu hili. Si kwamba nawalaumu kwa hili bali naamini tunautumia kwa kuwa tumeukuta na vile vile hatukuwahi kuruhusu akili zetu kutafakari na kuchambua maana halisi ya usemi huu kwa mustakabali wa maendeleo ya taifa letu na jamii zetu kwa ujumla.

Kwa kifupi tunapozungumzia taifa la kesho tunawazungumzia wataalamu, viongozi, wafanyakazi, wazazi, walezi, washikadau mbalimbali na wajasiriamali wa baadae. Mkumbuke ya kuwa vitu vyote hivi vinahitaji maandalizi ya leo ili kesho yaweze kufanikiwa. Kama mtakubaliana na mimi katika hilo, basi hatuna budi kukataa kwa akili na nguvu zetu zote usemi huu ambao kama vile una lengo la kubana uwezo wetu wa kufikiri.

Kwa ukweli na msimamo huo naweza kusema kuanzia sasa usikubali kuitwa taifa la kesho ukiwa kama kijana bali tuwe na usemi mbadala unaosema “KIJANA NI MAANDALIZI YA TAIFA LA KESHO”

Chukulia mfano leo hii tunalalamika maadui wakubwa wa taifa letu, badala ya kupungua wanazidi kuongezeka. Nadhibitsha hilo kwa hali halisi iliyopo sasa kwani awali tulikuwa na maadui watatu, yaani UMASIKINI, UJINGA na MARADHI lakini kwasasa maadui hao wameota mizizi na kutoa mazao mengine ya RUSHWA na UFISADI. Hii imefanya maadui hawa kuongezeka na kufikia watano kwa idadi kwasasa. Sasa kwa nafasi uliyonayo sasa kama utasema wewe ni taifa la kesho basi umeruhusu mind yako ku-relax kwenye hili. Lakini tukijikubali kuwa sisi ni maandalizi ya taifa la kesho basi hatutakuwa na budi kupambana na hili kuanzia sasa ili tutengeneze aina ya taifa tunalotaka kuishi.

Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere aliwahi kutanabaisha hili kwa wasomi wa Afrika kwenye hotuba yake aliyoitoa kwenye Chuo cha Monrovia- Liberia mwaka 1968, feb 29. Alisema, “……..Sisi vijana bado katika Afrika tunaweza kwa kutumia ujuzi wetu, kuwasaidia wananchi kuleta mapinduzi katika masiha yao yaliyo ya kimasikini sana. Lakini kama tunataka kufikia sifa hiyo ya kufanya kazi nzuri na kuridhika, basi kuna kipimo kimoja tu lazima tufikie. Sisi wenyewe ni lazima tuwe sehemu ya taifa hilo tunalotaka kulibadili…..” Mwisho wa kumnukuu.

Vile vile dhana hii ya kusema kijana ni taifa la kesho imeendelea kuwaathiri vijana wengi hadi leo kwani wengi wa vijana wenzangu wanaona hawana la kufanya kwa ajili ya taifa lao kwa sasa kwani wao ni taifa la kesho. Kwa hili hata waasisi wa taifa hili walilikemea tena kwa nguvu mno wakijua ya kwamba vijana hawataweza kurithi tunu, mila na tamaduni za taifa lao kama hawatafanya maandalizi ya kutosha pindi wawapo vijana. Niwakumbushe tena nukuu ya Mwalimu Nyerere aliyoitoa 3/07/1964 Ikulu kwenye maazimisho ya miaka 10 tangu kuanzishwa kwa TANU alipokuwa akizungumza na watoto na vijana. Alisema, “…….Wajibu wenu ni kujifunza. Si kwa kusoma vitabu tu maana yawezekana kujua mambo mengi lakini pia ukawa huna manufaa kwa nchi yako na kwa wananchi wenzako. Kazi ya kujifunza, kujua mambo na kutumia ujuzi huo ni lazima kutumiwa kwa ajili ya kazi za maendeleo ya nchi na watu wake. Ni lazima kila mara ujiulize swali hili “Nifanye nini kumsaidia mwananchi mwenzangu au nifanye nini kuisaidia nchi yangu? ……Tukumbuke mambo haya yote hayangoji mpaka ati hapo mtakapofikia umri wa mtu mzima. Mnaweza sasa kuanza kujifunza, na mnaweza sasa kuanza kuanza kusaidia kazi ya kujenga nchi……” Mwisho wa nukuu.

Kwa hilo nami nawaasa sana vijana wenzangu tuachane na dhana ya kwamba kijana ni taifa la kesho na kuanzia sasa tuanze kuandaa taifa letu la kesho kwa kukemea na kunyooshea vidole yale yote ambayo yanakwamisha ama yana lengo la kukwamisha maendeleo ya taifa letu na Afrika kwa ujumla.

Mwisho kabisa niwaage kwa kuwakumbusha maneno haya, “……..We now have no alternative but to apply ourselves scientifically and objectively to the problem of our country. We have to think, and then act on our thinking. We have to recognize the poverty, the ignorance, the diseases, the corruption, the embezzlement of public fund, the social attitudes and the political atmosphere which exist, and in that context think about what we want to do and how can we move from the existing situation towards one which we like better”.

Asanteni sana

Mungu ibariki UDSM, Mungu ibariki Tanzania, Mungu ibariki Afrika

Imeandaliwa na kuandikiwa na

Mesaya Ismail

Mob: +255 756 688 090

Email: Ismail.mesaya@yahoo.com

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Huo ndio msimamo wa EPL, nani atapanda nani atashuka na nani atakuwa king'ang'anizi??

	P	W	D	L	GD	PTS
Arsenal	11	8	1	2	12	25
Liverpool	11	7	2	2	11	23
Southampton	11	6	4	1	10	22
Chelsea	11	6	3	2	8	21
Man Utd	11	6	2	3	5	20
Everton	11	5	5	1	4	20
Tottenham	11	6	2	3	3	20
Man City	11	6	1	4	16	19
Newcastle	11	5	2	4	-1	17
West Brom	11	3	5	3	0	14
Aston Villa	11	4	2	5	-1	14
Hull	11	4	2	5	-5	14
Swansea	11	3	3	5	0	12
Cardiff	11	3	3	5	-6	12
Norwich	11	3	2	6	-12	11
West Ham	11	2	4	5	-2	10
Stoke	11	2	4	5	-4	10
Fulham	11	3	1	7	-9	10
Sunderland	11	2	1	8	-14	7
C Palace	11	1	1	9	-15	4

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Kauli ya Lema-mbunge wa Arusha mjini

Lengo la Uongozi lisiwe Madaraka bali Mabadiliko yaliyojaa Utu – LEMA

Nimekuwa nikifuatilia mijadala mbali mbali inayohusu CDM katika vyombo vya habari na hususani mitandao ya jamii , nimeona fikra nyingi halali na haramu na nikajiridhisha kwa uhalisia kabisa kuwa Taifa linahitaji ukombozi mkubwa wa fikra . Watu wengi wanaopita katika mitandao ya jamii na kutoa maoni juu ya hali ya Nchi na Vyama vya siasa na matukio mengine mbali mbali unaweza kabisa kusema ni kundi kubwa ambalo lina mwanga kiasi katika matumizi ya vifaa vya electroniki au komputya na kundi hili linaweza kutajwa kama kundi lenye uelewa wa mambo japo kidogo .

Hata hivyo kuna tofauti kubwa sana kama utajaribu kufanya utafiti kupitia maandiko yao mbali mbali na michango yao katika kuelimisha Jamii , pengine tofauti hii kubwa inatokana na hisia za kishabiki ambazo zinapewa kipaumbele kuliko mambo ya msingi yanayoweza kuleta fikra chanya katika Jamii . Nimeona maandiko mbali mbali kuhusu Chama changu ninachokitumikia na Nchi yangu , nimekuwa nikishangazwa na ushauri wa maadui zetu kuhusu mustakabali wa Chama Chetu , Maadui zetu ambao wanatupiga kila siku , kutubambikia kesi , kuuwa watu katika mikutano yetu na mateso mbali mbali mabaya kuna saa unawaona wakijaribu kuhimiza umoja wetu kama nguzo muhimu ya kuwatoa madarakani wao . Hili ni fumbo kubwa kwetu ? 

CHADEMA itachukua Dola 2015 . Changamoto na matatizo yeyote yatakayoonekana sasa na hapo baadae hayatakuwa kikwazo katika ndoto hii muhimu bali ni ufunguo katika kufikia haya mafanikio kwa ufasaha zaidi . Natambua kuwa Viongozi tunawajibu muhimu katika kujenga Demokrasia isiyo na chembe ya hofu wala uoga kwani katika ujenzi wa demokrasia ya ukweli ni vyema tukaendelea kufundisha watu namna muhimu ya kushinda hofu na uoga kama nguzo kuu ya ulinzi wa rasilimali na Nchi yao , Chama hiki kitakuwepo na kitaendela kuwepo na hakuna Mtu wala kelele za kuangusha Chama hiki natambua juhudi kubwa zinafanyika ndani yetu na nje yetu kuangusha Chama hiki na faraja ya maadui imekosa hekima kwani kuua chama Kikuu cha upinzani Nchini ni kuua demokrasia na kuua demokrasia sio faida kwa watawala kwani wananchi wanapotaka mabadiliko kama wakiyakosa kwa haki na njia sahii watayatafuta kwa silaha , kwa hiyo ukuaji wa demokrasia ni muhimu katika ulinzi wa Amani ya Nchi , ingekuwa kuuwa Upinzani na Chadema ni kumzorotesha Mtu binafsi na sio maono muhimu katika utawala wa Nchi yetu basi Chama hiki kingeweza kufa , lakini kwa sababu sio hivyo basi ni vyema maadui wakajua wanafanya kazi ambayo hawatafaulu kwani Demokrasi , Haki , Ukweli , Usawa na Utu ni tabia ya Mungu na hivyo Chadema ni mpango wa Mungu kelele za shetani na Watu wake haziwezi kuangusha Mbingu .

Wanachama wetu ni muhimu wakajua CCM ni adui wetu si kwa sababu ya rangi ya bendera yao ila ni kwa sababu ya matendo yao , hatuwachukii CCM kwa sababu rangi yao ni kijani isipokuwa tunachukia matendo yao na tabia zao ambazo zimezorotesha Taifa katika kila Nyanja mbali mbali na huu ndio ugomvi wetu mkubwa na Chama hiki katili .
Tulipowafukuza Madiwani Arusha nilisema hivi “ Kama Madiwani wanaweza kukaidi agizo la Kamati kuu juu ya mahusiano yenye usaliti katika baraza la Halmashauri ya Jiji la Arusha na sisi tukaona ni vyema wao kuendelea kwa sababu ya kuhofia uchaguzi , Je tutawezaje kama Chama cha Upinzani kikubwa kuwanyooshea Chama tawala vidole kwa kushindwa kuwawajibisha viongozi wake wenye tuhuma mbali mbali tena waliokuwa na nyadhifa kubwa Serikalini ? . Kuliko tuchukue Dola 2015 na Watu wasio na rangi inayojulikana ni bora tuendelee kuwa Chama cha Upinzani , kwani lengo la msingi la Chadema lisiwe kutafuta heshima na utukufu katika uongozi bali mabadiliko na utu wa kweli katika Taifa letu .

Huu ni wakati muhimu kuelekea uchaguzi mkuu 2015 ambao ni lazima tutafakari sana , je tunataka kura kwa ajili ya utawala au kura kwa ajili ya mabadiliko ? Maadui zetu wa nje ni wepesi sana wamekwishalegea kinachosubiriwa ni juhudi zetu ili kufika kileleni , hatuwezi kufika kileleni huku wasaliti wakiwa ndani yetu ni lazima kama Chama sasa tuchukue hatua . Hatua hizi ngumu haziwezi kuwa na test ya raha bali uchungu ambao ni lazima uvumiliwe ili kufikia malengo muhimu , Mwanamke mjamzito ana njia mbili ya kujifungua Mtoto , moja ni kwa njia ya kawaida na pili ni njia ya upasuaji na zote zina maumivu na mateso lakini baada ya hapo Mtoto huwa anakuja na furaha na faraja na zawadi mbali mbali na Mama kusahau changamoto zote alizopitia . CHADEMA ni tumaini kubwa Tanzania ni muhimu sasa kuchagua njia muhimu ya kusafisha Chama kabla mambo hayajifika mbali na kama tukikosa madaraka na sababu ikawa ilikuwa kujisafisha wenyewe basi sababu hii itakuwa ina maana kubwa kwa sisi kutokuchukua madaraka na utawala wa Nchi hii , kwani lengo lisiwe madaraka bila mabadiliko bali Mabadiliko na mamlaka ili kuweza kurudisha utawala unaojali haki , utu na heshima katika Taifa hili .


Katika msingi wowote wa maamuzi magumu lazima tutambue kwamba , kelele , dhihaka , matusi , kashfa vitainuka kwa kiwango cha juu na kwa msaada mkubwa wa maadui zetu lakini ni vyema tukatambua kuwa Uongozi ni kukumbana na Changamoto mbali mbali kama vile hofu , mashaka na vishawishi na kuamua kuzishinda kama ambavyo Wright Brothers walifanya katika ugunduzi na utafiti wa kurusha ndege Duniani hata hivyo faida kubwa tuliyo nayo ni kuwa Wanachama wetu wamekuwa wengi sana kwa hiyo hatuna Mtu maarufu tena ila tuna CHAMA maarufu na mashuhuri , tulipofukuza Madiwani Arusha kuna Watu walisema Chadema imekwisha Arusha na wengine walijitapa kuwa wao walikuwa wanakubalika kuliko Chama lakini uchaguzi wa hivi karibuni wa Madiwani unaonyesha kuwa CDM Arusha imeshinda kwa aslimia kubwa kuliko ilivyokuwa mwaka 2015 tena kwa Watu wapya na wenye sura ngeni katika Siasa , pamoja na kuwa maamuzi ya kufukuza madiwani yalipigiwa kelele sana lakini msingi wa kufukuza madiwani ulikuwa muhimu kwa afya ya Chama na Nchi kwani utawala usiokuwa na nidhamu ni sawa na kupanda mahindi katika tiles , japo kuwa tiles ni nzuri kuliko udongo lakini mahindi hayawezi kuota na kwa hiyo kwa kadri utovu wa nidhamu unavyokuwa sugu ndivyo ambavyo roho ya usaliti inakuwa muhimu kwani “ you can not feel bad to discourage the move that you do not respect “ Ukitafakari kwa makini sana utagundua kuwa historia haijawi kuwapa kipaumbele wasaliti hata siku moja, kwa hiyo ni muhimu wanaosaliti hii kazi muhimu wakajua hivyo kwamba heshima yetu ni Chama Chetu na sio Majina yetu kwani tukijenga Chama imara hata kama hatutakuwepo Chama kitaendelea kuwepo na hapa kanuni ni moja tu “ Nguvu kubwa ya mshikamano na Upendo wetu itakapokuwa muhimu kwetu kuliko Ubinafsi wetu na Sifa binafsi basi safari itakuwa imefika mwisho “ Sio tu kwa kushinda dola bali kwa kubadilisha mitazamo ya fikra katika Siasa jambo ambalo ni muhimu sana kwa wakati huu kuliko hata kushika madaraka .

Kuna uoga mkubwa sana katika Taifa hili ni vyema tukajenga kizazi kinachoweza kushinda hofu na kusimamia Nchi yao katika haki na kweli kwani ni hatari sana kwamba leo ndani ya Bunge hata kutaja majina ya wezi wa mali ya Umma eti inahitaji ITIFAKI , lakini katika hatua hii muhimu ya kuondoa hofu na kufundisha ujasiri Jamii lazima Viongozi wakubali kuwa wataitwa majina yote mabaya kama ambavyo Mandela aliitwa wakati alipokuwa anataka utu wa Watu wake .

" Dhambi mbaya na kubwa kuliko zote duniani ni uoga " 


Godbless J Lema

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