Engaging Bumbuli Constituents....

So, when I ran for MP I decided that I should engage my constituents as much and as often as possible. One of the ways I decided to use was SMS as lots of people, even in rural areas, have mobile phones. But I figured that most of my people will be constrained - and the excercise will not be effective - if they have to pay to send SMS to me. So, I decided to make it a free service. That people in Bumbuli send free messages when they want to contact me. But, somebody has to pay for it. And that is me. I applied for a short-code with TCRA for these 1500... numbers. Then negotiated with mobile phone companies for at-cost SMS rate. I then distributed the number - through posters and in public meetings - for my people to send messages if they have ANY matter - advice, complaint, etc - that they want to bring to my attention. The messages go into a web platform, and every morning and afternoon, my Assistant Alex and I log-in to see what Bumbuli people are saying. When I'm travelling Alex emails me the day's messages. We respond to some, take action on others, and also forward others to responsible authorities in the District, example DC, DED, OCD, etc. The program has been running for almost a year now and has been wildly successful. I know more about issues on the ground - even when I'm in New York - than officials on the ground. In terms of cost, it is actually cheaper than one would think. Initially, it was expensive as we were getting a lot of messages, most of them saying things like "Mheshimiwa, kumekucha, umeamkaje?". With public education, we cut down on those.

In the system, we can segment messages on issues, areas (kata), etc. On March 6th, I was in Vuga, and Alex, from my office in Dar, emailed me Vuga SMSes so that I can address the issues while there. Here I provide some. And this is just Vuga, we have so many messages from many different places.
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On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, alex manonga <....@bumbuli.org> wrote:
> Nimeambiwa leo utakuwa Vuga, hizi ni baadhi ya kero ambazo zimekuwa zikijirudia na huenda zikajitokeza. Nimekutumia ili uwe na picha halisi kabla ya kuzungumza na wananchi, mipira tayari Hozza alimkabidhi Diwani kwa baadhi ya teams. Nitakuwa nafoward kwa viongozi zile message ambazo hazihitaji privacy protection kama hiyo ya mwisho inayomtaja Diwani. Baga nitakutumia baadaye.

> 2.56E+11 Nashukuru sana mbunge kwa sms yako kwasasa nipo kilimanjaro kwa wazaz mwl wa vuga.
> 2.56E+11 Haruna shemhina kijiji cha kidundai  kata vuga maoni ni kuhusu baraba yetu  ya kutoka bangala kidundai kila mwaka tunapewa ahadi lakini hakuna kinachofanyika nakuomba  ndugu m h mbunge hili swala liingilie kati
> 2.56E+11 Ruzuku mpaka mwezi gani katika kij chetu kiungo chakuunga bomba maji yawafikie watu pesa tungeitumia sasa m kiti kishewa vuga
> 2.56E+11 SISI NIVIJANA WAKIJIJI CHA BAGHAI KATA YA VUGA KELO YETU NI KWAMBA UWANJA TUNAO LAKINI VIFAA VYA MICHEZO HATUNA KAMA MIPIRA NA JEZI MIMI NI RAMADHANI MDOE
> 2.56E+11 JANUAR .MAKAMBA .MBONA .HATUJAPATA .MAJIBU .MAZURI .KUHUSU .UMEME .IDD .BAKARI .VUGA .LUSHOTO
> 2.56E+11 Bashiru Ally .katib u wa c.c.m tawi la Kidundai kata xa  vuga jimbo la Bum buli Mhe mbunge  ni lini kero mama ya Barabara kidu ndai itatuishia?
> 2.56E+11 MH.me ni mwl wa s/m vuga napenda sana mazingira ya vuga lushoto lakn fedha yng haitosh pamoja na kulipia kodi TUNAOMBA UJENZ WA NYUMBA ZA WALIMU ahsante
> 2.56E+11 MHESHIMIWA .JANUARY .MAKAMBA .PIGANIA .VUGA .TUPATE .UMEME .NAMAJI .UKIZINTIA .VUGA .UMEPITABILAKUPINGWAJ .MIMI .IDD .BAKAR
> 2.56E+11 ROBERT KARATA,VUGA KIHITU MAULWI. KELOYETU MAJI SAFI NA SALAMA YA BOMBA WAMAMA WANAPATA SHIDA YAMAJI
> 2.56E+11 Kero yangu kwako Mh.Mbunge ni tatizo la maji katika eneo lako la Kata ya Vuga maji ya kisima yanapatikana kwa siku ya Ijumaa tu .Na ina kuwa tatizo kubwa kwa sisi wafanyakazi kufanya kazi katika mazingila magumu kiasi hiki.Itafika mahali ukose wafany
> 2.56E+11 Tunakupongeza kwa juhudi zako ktk Jimbo letu la Bumbuli.Tunaomba swala la umeme kata ya vuga,uliwekee kipaombele kwani tumeona Tanesco wamekuja kupima,tunaomba wasiishie kupima tu.mungu akupe maisha marefu na afya njema Mbunge wetu.Ni mimi mwl.MAHONG
> 2.56E+11 Mimi mwl wa shule ya msingi kata ya vuga MH.MBUNGE KAZ YANG NAIPENDA SANA LAKIN KUTOKANA NA KUKOSA UMEME,NYUMBA ZA WALIMU,PAMOJA NA BARABARA KUNANIFANYA NICHUKIE KAZI YANGU TUSAIDIE MBUNGE
> 2.56E+11 MH.MBUNGE mimi ni mwl wa shule ya msing vuga tunaomba tujengewe nyumba za walimu kwan kulipa kodi hatuwez kwan mshahara nimdogo na majukum ni mengi
> 2.56E+11 SHULE ZA KATA YA VUGA NI NNE  UMEME HAKUNA NA TUNAHITAJI MAABARA SASA UNATUAHIDI NINI.MIMI BAKARY.H.KIBANGA.KATA VUGA.KIJIJI BAGHAI.
> 2.56E+11 Asalamu Akeykum Ndugu mbunge napenda kukupa pore sana. Tatizo letu vijana kataya vuga kijiji cha Baghai ni michezo .Mipira kwetu ni haba pamoja na jezi
> 2.56E+11 Tunakushukuru,MH.MBUNGE kwa juhudi zako katika Jimbo letu,Bado kilio chetu cha umeme kata ya Vuga tunakusubiri utukamilishie.ni sisi wapiga kura wako kata ya Vuga.
>
> 2.56E+11 Kwakua Maji Niuhai Uharibifuunaofanyika Katikachanzo Chamaji Kihitu Katayavuga Inahitaji Kushughulikiwa Bilakuchelewa.
>
> 2.56E+11 Vuga Eneola Kihitu Limevamiwa Nawachimba Madini Katikachanzo Chamaji Yanayotumi Kwawananchi Tunaomba Msaada .
>
> 2.56E+11 Je utatusaidiaje ss tunaosoma sayansi ktk shule yetu wakati hatuna maabala na walimu wa sayansi?.Nimimi Hemedy toka Vuga Bazo sec school.
>
> 2.56E+11 Maji niuhai kwa binadamu ila sasa ktk kijiji chetu vyanzo vya maji vimeharibiwa na wachimba madini na inasemekana wana kojoa na hajakubwa pia.utatusaidiaje kunusuru afya zetu.Ni mimi Herasy toka Vuga Bazo.
> 2.56E+11 SAMA HANI MHSHIMIWA NAOMBA MSADA WAPESA YA BIASHALA ASHILNA HUSENI
>  VUGAKISHEWA,
> 2.56E+11 Mh salam alaykum wananchi wako wakitongoji cha mtimule bado ile kero yao ya maji imekua ina wasumbua sana  wanaijadili kila siku hawajapata ufumbuzi ni mimi M .A.Shembilu kijiji cha Baghai kata ya Vuga
>
> 2.56E+11 Mh,mbona vuga mikopo kwetu tabu sana tatizo nini tunaiyona kwa wenzetu.
>
> 2.56E+11 Mh.mbunge lijue tatito la shule ya Sekondari Vuga-Bazo.Kuna upungufu mkubwa wa walimu wazazi wa Vuga wanakuomba wewe mtetezi wao uwatatulie tatizo hilo kubwa.SALIMINA MAGOGO WA VUGA-KISHEWA.
>
> 2.56E+11 JINA KIBWANA H MBARUKU KIJIJI CHA KILUWAI KATA YA  VUGA KERO NI UKOSEFU WA MAJI  YA B6BA KATIKA KIJIJI HIKI CHA KILUWAI
> 2.56E+11 Je utatusaidiaje ss tunaosoma sayansi ktk shule yetu wakati hatuna maabala na walimu wa sayansi?.Nimimi Hemedy toka Vuga Bazo sec school.
>
> 2.56E+11 Mbona hatuoni ahadi ulizotuahidi vuga hata ofisi ulioahi kwa ajili kukuona tabu.
>
> 2.56E+11 Ahsantesana  MH.JANUARY MAKAMBA kwakutupatiamipiraborakabisa vijanawavuga kwakwelitumefurahi kwakuona MBUNGE wetu unajalimichezo nakutakiakazinjema nauzidikutukumbuka nimimi HASSANI ISSA timu yaKIHITU
> 2.56E+11
> MIMI NAITWA JUMAA DHAHABU NATOKA KATA YA VUGA.. USHAURI WANGU KWA MH MBUNGE WA BUMBULI. UWE NA OFISI YA MBUNGE KILA KATA KWA AJILI YA KUSHUGHULIKIA MAMBO YA WANANCHI KUPITIA OFI YA MBUNGE. 2. UWE NA MFUKO WA MBUNGE UTAKAO SAIDIA KATIKA ELIMU KWA VIJA
>
> 2.56E+11 Kamua baba hivyo hivo Afled vuga
>
> 2.56E+11 Sasa BABA UMEME VUGA VIPI ALFLED
>
> 2.56E+11 Tunahitaji vifaa vyamichezo kama vile viatu&mipira ilikuendeleza vipaji vuga.Heras toka vuga bazo.
>
> 2.56E+11 MIMI MWL S.MHAGAMA WA KATA YA VUGA.MH.VUGA NIGIZA TUPU WEKAHISTORIA KWAKUTULETEA UMEME NAKUAMINI KWASABABU UNAUCHUNGU NAJIMBO. AHASANTE
> 2.56E+11 HAKUNA WALIMU WA SAYANSI SEKONDARI VUGA  BAZO  . SAMWEL  KATA  VUGA  VUGA
>
> 2.56E+11 Naitwa  Daudi  Taratibu nipo katika kijiji cha kiluwai kata  ya vuga kero yetu ni maji ya bomba ambaYO TULIAHIDIWA KUYAPATA  NA MIMEA YETU ILIKATWA BILA MALIPO TUKARIDHIKA TUKAAHIDIWA KUWA TANGI LA MAJI  LITAJENGWA KATIKA  KITONGOJI CHA MANKOLE KITON
>
> 2.56E+11 Naitwa  Daudi  Taratibu nipo katika kijiji cha kiluwai kata  ya vuga kero yetu ni maji ya bomba ambaYO TULIAHIDIWA KUYAPATA  NA MIMEA YETU ILIKATWA BILA MALIPO TUKARIDHIKA TUKAAHIDIWA KUWA TANGI LA MAJI  LITAJENGWA KATIKA  KITONGOJI CHA MANKOLE KITON
>
> 2.56E+11 NAKUSHURU MI BINAFSI PAMOJA NA JOPO LANGU LA WALIMU KATA VUGA KWA JITIHADA ZAKO ZA KUTUBADILISHA KIMAISHA NA KUTUPA MAENDELEO  YA UHAKIKA KWA KUTULETEA UMEME, BARABARA YA BANGALA KIDUNDAI,NAAMINI MENGINE KAMA HOSTEL BAZO SEK.ZAHANATI VUGA NA KUINUA K
> 2.56E+11 MIMI NAITWA JUMAA DHAHABU. KATA YA VUGA. KERO MHESHIMIWA DIWANI WETU AMEKUWA MPIGA VITA WA MAENDELEO AMEKUWA ANAPINGA ASASI ZA KIRAIA NAKUDAI KUWA MBUNGE ANAZIKATAA HAINGII AKILINI KWANI TUNATAMBUA KUWA HUU NI UZUSHI WA DIWAANI
>
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