MP wants Tanesco mandated to import all electrical wares

A Member of Parliament has suggested that the power utility company (Tanesco) be given the sole mandate to import and sell electrical goods to curb rampant importation of such fake products.

Mohammed Sanya (Mji Mwema) told Parliament yesterday that if the government is not careful, Tanzania would soon become a dumping place for fake goods from China and elsewhere.

Sanya who was contributing to amendment of the Merchandise goods Act Cap. 85 said that it was high time Tanzanians were educated on how to detect fake goods and avoid them as one way of fighting against the trend.

There has been an increase of fire accidents in residential houses in most urban centres in the country due to electrical faults arising from fake electrical products.

The legislator wondered why local businessmen are importing fake electrical products while local industries are producing good ones in the country.

Sanya said, because Tanesco is the sole supplier of Electricity, it would only be fair to give the company sole mandate to supply electrical equipment too to ensure that whatever is installed is not fake.

He called on Tanesco to educate the people to buy electrical goods made in the country to avoid frequent fire accidents caused by fake products.

Sanya requested the Ambassador of China to Tanzania, where the bulk of fake goods come from, to advise Tanzanian businessmen on good companies they can buy standard goods to avoid bringing in fake products.

Commenting on drugs, the legislator said it was high time the government banned all imported drugs with Chinese prescriptions. ?The issue of fake drugs is also a problem.

We must fight this problem before our people are affected,? he said.

Fatuma Maghimbi (CUF), (ChakeChake), said that the government should register all manufacturers whose products are sold in the country to curb importation of fake goods.

She called on the government, through the Fair Competition Commission to educate the people to create a habit of rejecting fake goods.

Earlier while presenting the amendments, the Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika, said the amendment was geared at giving the law more teeth.

He said under the amendments, the minister for finance would have power to appoint Chief Inspector to coordinate issues relating to trade marks.

Mwanyika said the Chief Inspector would have powers to order that a certain person be investigated for violating the law.
The Chief Inspector would also have powers to institute cases against people violating the law.