LIVELIHOODS SHOULD BE EARNED WITHIN THE LAW
Debate is still raging following the government’s decision to evict vendors and other small-scale traders from authorised areas, particularly road reserves. There are those who support the decision, saying it was long overdue, while others view it as an insensitive act that is likely to condemn people who are already struggling to eke out a living to more misery.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but few people, if any, can dispute the fact that misplaced populism and those in position of authority trying to turn the legions of unemployed youth into political capital are largely to blame for the mess which the government is now trying to sort out amid hue and cry.
Laws and bylaws prohibiting people from conducting business on road reserves and other unauthorised areas have been there for as long as one can remember, but have not been strictly enforced over the years.
To make matters worse, the late President John Magufuli issued a directive in 2016, which may or may not have been misinterpreted by a section of the general public and the relevant authorities alike to mean that nobody should dare touch “downtrodden” small-scale traders and they should be left to their own devices wherever they may be.
The result was that pavements, shopfronts, bus stops and even some roads in urban areas were hijacked by small-scale traders, many of whom erected unsightly stalls in total disregard of the relevant laws and bylaws. Dar es Salaam, for example, has in the last few years been transformed into a sprawling marketplace where people were free to sell all manner of merchandise virtually anywhere they saw fit.
The authorities, unwilling to get into the bad books of the powers that be, chose to look the other way. It is this sad state of affairs that has created the mistaken impression that people are being victimised in the cleanup exercise being conducted nationwide.
People have the right to earn a living, but should do so within the law.
SHIELD CHILDREN FROM TOXIC TECH
While we cannot deny that education has been greatly transformed by digital media, not all apps are beneficial to children. It is not uncommon for parents to leave their young children with smartphones, ostensibly to help them improve their language skills.
They simply download apps and e-books and dump them on the children without guidance or setting a limit. It could be that parents do not know how gadget addiction and unlimited screen time impact on their children’s cognitive and motor development. That is why parents should be present to guide children about the contents of various apps and e-books.
They can read out aloud for children interesting stories then later ask them questions instead of letting them explore on their own. Experts have pointed out that gadget addiction affect a child’s vision and increase their chances of developing myopia.
So, with all the good that digital educational apps have come with, there is a need to put a limit for children and protect them from the adverse impact of technology addiction.
