Mkuu naongeza nyama ktk historia ya Mzee Mwakitwange kama nilivyoona katika mtandao, maana JF ni kujifunza kwa historia ya uhakika alipotokea Mzee huyu mjasiliamali mswahili kwa mujibu wa ESRF (Economic Social Research Foundation) -Rungwe oceanic resort ilikuwa ya bwana mmoja aliyeitwa Mwakitwange ambaye alianzisha chama cha PONA na aliposhindwa kwenye siasa alikufa yeye na mali zake zote.
Taasisi ya ESRF ipo ya kitongoji kilicho kati ya Morocco/Victoria jijini Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania: Rungwe oceanic hotels limitedPaper : Development of National Entrepreneurship in the East
African Tourism Industry
Timothy Ranja0
The Rungwe Oceanic Hotels is a tourist and beach hotel specialising in
accommodation, restaurant and sea safaris. The hotel is strategically located along the
tourist attractive beaches of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The hotel was built by Mr. Wilfred Mwakitwange a Tanzanian. Mr. Mwakitwange
was a trained as a teacher/clerk in the colonial times before Tanzania become
independent. Later he trained in cooperative management in Israel.
After the country attained independence, he become heavily involved in cooperative
affairs. He held major posts such as Managing Director of the Tanzania Network
Transport; which was a public company for upcountry passenger buses. He was also
the secretary of the cooperative union in the country. In the 1960s, he was a member
of the Tourist Board in the 1960s. He was a founder member of the Tanzania
Confederation of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA).
Mr. Mwakitange was also heavily involved in business. He was running a bulk goods
transport and owned several big lorries. He was also involved in agricultural activities
and supplied food (farm produce) such as chicken and pork to colleges and the army
barracks in Morogoro. In addition to the hotel, he was also running a carpet
manufacturing business and a 75 acres business.
In 1978, he decided to exit from the transport business and start the business of his
passion; by building a tourist hotel. The initial capital was between 50-75 million
Tanzanian shillings, which was savings from the transport business and contributions
from a 75 acre farm. The initial construction was a 20 room building, 50 person
restaurant and 100 people conference hall. Other facilities included five new cars; a
10 seater combi, 3.5 tonne lorry and 3 saloon cars. The number of staff at inception
was 15.
Later on, 20 more cottages each with four self-contained rooms, a water pumping
system and a 2 tonne pick up car were added. The capital for expansion was a 3
million Tanzania shillings loan from the Tanzania Investment Bank. Despite the
success of the hotel in the eighties, the investment faced difficulties in late nineties.
Currently, the hotel is closed down awaiting a suitable buyer or partner to resuscitate
it.
It is difficult to clearly pinpoint what exactly led to the decline of the business. The
major factor was howeve r a change in the business environment after the
liberalisation of the markets. Mr. Mwakitange also became actively involved in
politics and started a political party. In the pre-economic liberalization period, there
were no barriers as political influence offered unlimited access to internal markets and
supplies, credit etc. Business outlook was inward and opportunities were readily
available. The major clients were government related functions. The post reform era
however created challenges and competitio n, which the business had not prepared for.
18
There was inadequate/lack of information on available opportunities. There was an
absence of bridging finance to help local business to align business with demands of
rule-based environment. Major international hotels and even Indian business men with
relatives running tour firms as far as Canada created challenges for entrepreneurs who
had thrived without competition in the pro-reform era.
One can regard Mr. Mwakitange as a dynamic indigenous entrepreneur who took risk
and worked hard to establish the business. However, like most other indigenous
entrepreneurs he over relied on political patronage and failed to seek ways to make it
competitive in a global world. Source: http://global.esrftz.org/output/WPS09_Ranja_Tourism.pdf
READ more: about other dynamic indigenous entrepreneurs source: http://global.esrftz.org/output/WPS09_Ranja_Tourism.pdf 2.Joseph 2. Mfugale- Peacock Hotel, Dar es Salaam:;
3.Mr. Duncan Ndanshao: Lions Hotel, Dar es Salaam;
4.Mr. Michael Shirima: Precision Air ;
5. Mr. Willy Chambulo:Kibo Tour Company