Of late there have been reports of a pyramid scheme christened Development Entrepreneurship for Community Initiative (DECI). Authorities have cautioned people against depositing their money with the firm. The reason: the firm would not be able to pay matured claims and repay those who would wish to withdraw their money at will.
Surprisingly, more and more people are still keen to join the scheme. Of course, that there are quick benefits to be reaped is understandable. But why would anyone ignore authorities’ cautions of a possible rip-off is still hard to fathom.
We could be witnessing politics at play here as some have suggested; behind the scenes competitors are punching each other below the belt. But that had been too weak a point to hang on to. Or it could be the sign of the times; people are so desperate that they wouldn’t let go of any opportunity to make that extra shilling, risks involved regardless.
Indulging on the matter from a political point of view without proof might just as well be unhealthy. It would have been easier if one could read the minds of the people still keen to join the scheme to know what really makes them tick.
It’s a thin line between bravery and stupidity. No matter how desperate one is, weighing the means to a desired end prior to deciding is always of paramount importance. That people are so desperate to tread such a dangerous ground just doesn’t click.
Some claim to have lost faith in public officials, what with recent events that brought to bear embezzlement of public funds by the same officials. In their payback attempt of sorts to improve their livelihoods minus government involvement, they risk losing it all!
Most importantly, however, the targets of such schemes are unaware of how the schemes operate. They simply do not know what the firms do to give so much at so short a time. They are just contented with the quick benefits they reap. They are making uninformed choices.
Some people love conclusions to give a ‘way forward’. I only have innocent questions:
1. How is that such firms operate illegally for so long and in the process serve government officials (police officers included) without the government noticing?
2. Is it only DECI that’s operating illegally or is the whole ‘quick and better reap’ practice illegal in the country?
3. What are authorities doing to recover people’s money, if anything? And innocent question number
4: Since this is not the first time this happening, any plans to ensure it does not recur?
There is no lesser vile!
Suluja Lindani
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ReplyDelete"How is that such firms operate illegally for so long and in the process serve government officials (police officers included) without the government noticing?"
ReplyDeleteAND HOW DID KAGODA,A COMPANY THAT SEEMS HAVE NO OWNERS (at least that's what we are told,MANAGE TO TAKE TZS 40 BILLION FROM OUR CENTRAL BANK?
"Since this is not the first time this happening, any plans to ensure it does not recur?"
AS LONG AS THE FORMAL FINANCIAL SECTOR CONTINUE TO NEGLECT OR UNDER-SERVE THE POOR,THERE'S UNFORTUNATELY NO END IN SIGHT TO POTENTIAL RECURRENCE OF SUCH GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEMES.
Nimesikitishwa kuona hawa Viongozi wa dini maaskofu wa makanisa ya Pentekoste wakitumia jina la Kanisa na heshima waliyonayo ya ukasisi kama silaha ya kujenga uaminifu na kukubalika katika jamii kwa kufanya biashara za kitapeli na haramu ambazo zinawa deceive wananchi masikini na wasiokuwa na Elimu ya biashara na utambuzi ambao ungewapa mangamuzi na kuelewa hapa wanapigwa changa la macho.
ReplyDeleteBiashara hii ya mfumo wa piramidi sio ngeni imeanza zamani sana miaka ya 1800 na muasisi wake ni Little Dorrit. Watu wanaendelea kuifanya kwa kutumia majina mbalimbali miaka ya sasa mfano DECI , PONZI na kadhalika.
Haina hii ya biashara ilikuwa inafanyika sana nchi za Ulaya na Amerika na imeshapigwa marufuku kwani ni haramu.
"Kupanda na Kuvuna" ni biashara ya mfumo wa "Pyramide scheme" kama inavyoitwa Kiingereza Pia inaweza kuitwa "Ponzi scheme" ambayo ilisambazwa na na muhuni mmoja mu Italy, kwa jina Ponzi akiendeleza sera zile zile za muanzilishi L.Dorrit.
Ni biashara haramu kutokana na mfumo wake ulivyo kwani sio biashara ambayo inaweza kuendelea(unsustainable)kwani inalipa marejesho kwa mpandaji kutokana na fedha zinazolipwa/zitakazolipwa na wapandaji wengine, na huyu mpandaji wa awali halipwi marejesho kutokana na faida inayopatikana kwa kufanya hii biashara, hapa inamaana hamna biashara inayofanyika kama ni faida basi ni fedha zinazolipwa na wapandaji wanaofuata.
Kam kuna biashara inafanyika tunaomba hawa baadhi ya maaskofu wa Makanisa ya Pentekoste Tanzania watuambie ni biashra gani wanafanya inayoweza kuleta faida kubwa kiasi hicho.
Ili Mradi huu uweze kuwa mradi endelevu(sustainable) unahitaji wapandaji wapya kila siku zinavyoenda ili zipatikane fedha zinazoweza kuwalipa wapandaji wa awali kitu ambacho hakiwezekani kwani itafikia mahali hakutakuwa na wapandaji wapya na mara nyingi mradi huu unashindwa kuendelea kwani serikali ya nchi husika huwa zinaingilia kati kwani ni mradi haramu unakiuka taratibu za kifedha, kimaadili na ni utapeli uliojificha mtu wa kawaida huwezi kugundua na ndio maana wanachama wa DECI masikini wamechachamaa wakiangalia faida walizozipata haiingii akilini mwao unapowaambia huu mradi kwa siku za usoni utashindwa kuendelea kusimama hawaelewi na kuishambulia Serikali kwamba imeshindwa kuwasaidia na hivyo iwaache watu waliojitokeza kuwasaidia kwa kuwapunguzia umaskini.
Maaskofu wa umoja wa makanisa ya Pentekoste wanavyoendelea kutetea ninashindwa kuwaelewa, watetee basi kisomi mbona hawajasema mpaka sasa wanafanya biashara gani? mbona hawajasema kama DECI ina akaunti? tumesikia tu account zimefunguliwa kwa majina binafsi, hapa inaonyesha ni kwa jinsi gani hii biashara inavyoendeshwa kienyeji, na ni ya kitapeli. Maaskofu ninavyofahamu mimi ni watu wanaokuwa na busara, hekima na uelewa wa hali ya juu, niashangaa hapa ni kwa nini wameweza kulogwa na watu wachache walioleta wazo la kufanya huu mradi kwa kutumia jina la kanisa na wao kukubaliana nao bila ya kugundua kwamba huu ni utapeli, hapa napata wasiwasi pia uwezo wao wa kuelewa mambo.
Kwa mara ya kwanza nilisikia jina la DECI 2008 miezi ya katikati kutoka kwa mama yangu mdogo ambaye alipanda fedha alinishawishi nami niweze kupanda, kabla sijafikia uwamuzi nikawa najaribun kumdadisi ili nipate maelezo ya ziada baati mbaya akawa anashindwa kunipa maelezo ya ziada jinsi Deci wanavyoendesha shughuli zao, hivyo nikachukua uwamuzi wakutafuta mawasiliano nao, nikapata namba ya simu pamoja na anuani ya mawasiliano pepe. Cha kushangaza basi nimepiga simu kama mara kumi kwa siku tofauti tofauti hamna hata siku moja simu ilipokelewa,nikaandika email kwa kuwaeleza nimekuwa interested kujiunga na upandaji ila nina kosa maelezo ya kutosha kufahamu ni kwa jinsi gani wanaendesha shughuli zao na ni jinsi gani ninaweza kujiunga na kunufaika, email zangu zote tatu hazikujibiwa, ya nne nikawaandikia kuwakosoa jinsi wasivyoona umuhimu na kutoa kipaumbele katika swala zima la mawasiliano,hawakujibu.
Kuanzia hapo nikaanza kuwa na muono hasi juu ya hawa jamaa, na kujiuliza ni kampuni gani makini inayoshindwa kujibu hoja na maswali ya wateja wake? nikaona hawapo organised na kuona ni matapeli tu, kingine kilichonishangaza ni huu mfumo wao wakuvuna fedha kwa kwenda kuchukua ofisini kwao, kwa nini wateja wasiwekewe kwenye account zao? hapa kuna kasoro wanakwepa nini? wanakwepa mahesabu yao yasionekane bank?
Mwisho kabisa sidhani kama ni busara serikali kwa kupitia JK kama wenyewe walivyoomba, isaidiwe kwa kurekebisha mfumo wa uendeshaji biashara yao, na wala sio kufungiwa.Hapa hamna swala la kurekebisha hapa swala ni kuivunja na wananchi walipwe fedha zao that is it, mfumo wa biashara ni wa kipiramidi huwezi kurekebisha chochote, labda kama watatuzibitishia mfumo wa uendeshaji sio wa kipiramidi hapo Serikali kwa kutumia wataalamu wake inaweza kuangalia mfumo bora jinsi ya kuendesha shughuli zao.
Mdau B Kimbache
Kilwa Kipatimu
Even if the government leaves it to continue with its operation, still its automatic ruin is defined. The government should educate the members because Perhaps most of them don't have a knowledge on the reason and the way it would collapse.
ReplyDeleteI am somehow surprised that some people are surprised that such a scheme could be operating in Tanzania. What we need to remember is that globalization and communication technology have put our country and its people in a rather interesting dilemma. On one hand, with a little bit of brainpower and creativity, it is so easy to make a quick buck on the back of a relatively inexperienced populace. On the national stage, corporations (both legitimate and illegitimate) take advantage of nonexistent regulations to rip off benefits (through shady contracts, etc) quickly and run for dear life before the shit hits the fan. They are aware that there's no much time before regulations are in place. That's the core of such business models. Others like DECI go right to the individual consumers. However, technology has also allowed us to share ideas and insight like we do on this blog. It gives us some sort of a sixth sense and a little bit extra information to make informed decisions when confronted with such new phenomenon as DECI. So, is DECI a time bomb? The answer is, it depends on who's concerned. From a business point of view, we all know it is a pyramid scheme and therefore doesn't create any wealth. However, if DECI invests its assets in legitimate financial instruments, it could be considered a value-creating entity. From a consumer's perspective, I don't see any "ideological" difference between DECI and, say, legal and legitimate day-trading. In my opinion (and I stand corrected), both are based on perception. In both cases, an increase in perception that more people will put money into the system is proportional to the perceived probability of making a buck. The only difference is that with DECI there's no underlying "value," but the incentives are pretty much the same. My only beef with DECI is transparency. I am certain that most of its customers don't know how the company makes those outlandish profits that are distributed every few months. But then again, it's not only DECI that needs to be transparent. Our own government officials have been swindling billions of public funds for decades and we didn't even have a clue. We all know that there are mafisadis everywhere, but very few of us actually know the ins and outs of how they actually screw us over.
ReplyDeleteThe conclusion for this long and twisted commentary is that DECI will collapse, but we shouldn't be pointing a finger to something that isn't that bad than what we have experienced before. However, it would be better if we focus our energy and time on creating real value rather than look out to make a few bucks on the cheap.
Kiwi cha Macho
scheme kama ya deci iliwahi kutokea south africa na watu wengi walipoteza hela nyingi sana. Pia hiyo scheme ilikuwa ikiendeshwa na kanisa (mchungaji). Nawashauri watanzania wanzangu wakae mbali sana na DECI. Hivi kweli unaweza kupata wapi hela kirahisi namna hiyo wakati uchumi wa dunia umeanguka? Jibu ni rahisi...Cheap is Expensive. Tafakari.
ReplyDeleteYes!DECI is a disaster in the making...The GOVT should stop it now.
ReplyDelete