POLITICS

 

Obama amfunika Romney kwenye mdahalo wa pili. Tazama video ya mdahalo huo.

Baada ya kuonekana alishindwa kummudu Mitt Romney kwenye mdahalo wa kwanza sasa Barack Obama amerejea na nguvu mpya katika mdahalo wa pili na kumfunika Romney.

Ikiwa ni muendelezo wa midahalo mitatu iliyopangwa kufanyika kati ya Obama wa Democratic na Romney wa Republican watu wanaomsapoti Obama alfajiri hii walikuwa na kila sababu ya kutabasamu pale ambapo Obama alionekana kummudu mpinzani wake katika mdahalo huu wa pili.

Kwa mujibu wa kura zilizopigwa kupitia CNN Obama amepata asilimia 46 dhidi na Romney ambae amepata asilimia 39.

Obama aliweza kumbana Romney na kama alivyosema kuhusu mdahalo wa kwanza kuwa Romney anapoint nzuri lakini haziwezi kufanya kazi kwa masikini na matajiri, katika mdahalo huu pia imeonekana hivyo kuwa haziwezi kufanya kazi katika U.S.A yenye mchanganyiko wa masikini na tajiri bali zitawafaidisha matajiri zaidi.

Wakati wa mdahalo huo watu mbalimbali ulimwenguni kote walikuwa wanatweet kuhusu mdahalo huo na inaonekana zaidi ya tweet million 7 ziliandikwa.

Bado mdahalo mmoja tu uliobaki ili kuwapisha wananchi wa U.S.A kuchagua nani aingie White house na sasa Obama amesawazisha bonde alilokuwa ameweka wakati wa mdahalo wa kwanza na inaweza kuwa ameteka kura mpya kadhaa kurudisha wale aliokuwa amewapoteza baada ya mdahalo wa pili.

 

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Mpinzani wa Obama adaiwa ‘Kucopy na kupaste’ slogan ya Campaign kwenye TV show, anaemtuhumu amuandikia barua.

Mitt Romney

Imedaiwa kuwa Mitt Romney, mpinzani wa Barack Obama katika kinyang’anyiro cha urais wa Marekani amecopy slogan inayotumiwa na chama chake katika kampeni hizo kutoka katika TV show ya ‘Friday Night Lights’.

Peter Berg ambae ni muandaaji wa TV show hiyo amemlalamikia Romney kwa kukopy slogan inayosema “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose.” Hii ni slogan ambayo Romney na chama chake wanaitumia, wakati huo Berg alisema Romney aliicopy kutoka katika kipande kimojawapo cha hiyo drama series, lakini alidhani maana ya motto ya campain ilikuwa tofauti na muelekeo wa TV series.

Muandaaji huyo wa film hakuishia kulalamika tu kwa maneno, aliamua kumuandikia barua Romney, aliandika hivi “Governor Romney: Nilitengeneza hii TV show ya ‘Friday Night Lights’ na na nikaja na msemo ‘Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose’ nilishtuka  nilipoona umeicopy bila kunishirikisha (plagiarism) hii expression kusupport kampeni zako kwa kuiweka kwenye posters, kwenye ukurasa wako wa facebook na sehemu ya hotuba zako.” Aliandika muandaaji huyu wa TV Show, na akaendelelea kueleza kwenye barua hiyo kuwa “siasa zako na kampeni zako haziendani na maudhui tuliyoyaonesha kwenye series yetu.”

Kwa kulinganisha ya Romney na kile alichokisema mhusika wa  TV show hiyo anayeitwa Buddy Garrity, alisema “ulinganifu pekee ninaoona kati ya kampeni zako na ‘Friday Night Lights’ni uhusika wa Buddy Garrity-ambae aliachana na kampuni ya kutengeneza na kuuza magari kutoka Japan (Americana car manufacturers selling imported cars from Japan).”

Berg aliendelea kumwaga wino kutoa ya moyoni, “hatujafungamana na wewe katika lolote hata kampeni zako.” Kilichofata alimwambia nini anachotaka Romney afanye “tafadhali njoo na slogan yako mwenyewe ya kampeni.”

Lakini ripoti zinaonesha kuwa hata Barack Obama pia mwanzoni alikuwa na slogan inayofanana na hii, slogan ya Obama yenyewe ilikuwa inaseme “Clear eyes, full hearts,” Obama aliiandika mara moja mwezi july lakini hakukutana na pingamizi lolote.

Kampeni za urais wa Marekani zinachukua sura mpya kila kukicha na kuleta changamoto kwa wagombea hao. Wakati Berg ambae ni mtayarishaji wa TV show ya ‘Friday Night Lights’ akimpinga Romney na kumuunga mkono Obama, ndugu yake Buzz Bissinger ambae ni mwandishi wa hiyo “Friday Night Light” yeye anasema atampigia kura Romney, na hii  ni baada ya kuona alivyoweza kumshinda Obama katika mdahalo uliopita, japo mwaka 2008 alimpigia kura Barack Obama.

 

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January Makamba: "Sina mpango wa kugombea Urais"

January Makamba ndani ya studio za Magic FM akihojiwa na Fina Mango

Mbunge wa Bumbuli na  Naibu waziri wa mawasiliano sayansi na teknolojia Mhe January Makamba amesema hana mpango wa kugombea Urais. Makamba aliyasema hayo wakati akihojiwa katika kipindi cha Makutano kinachoendeshwa na Fina Mango. 

Alisema anaamini nafasi ya urais inahitaji mtu ambaye amejiandaa Kisaikolojia, Kisiasa na Kifikra na kumalizia kwa kusema kuwa Urais sio uamuzi wa mtu mmoja kwa sababu nchi haiendeshwi na mtu mmoja na inahitaji watu ambao wanashauriana, kuandaa dira ya pamoja na kupeleka ujumbe wa kuwaunganisha Watanzania. 

Mheshimiwa January Makamba akijibu moja ya maswali aliyoulizwa na Fina Mango

Alipoulizwa Rais anayekuja anatakiwa aweje alisema anatakiwa awe ni mtu atakaewaunganisha Watanzania huku akisema mianya ya ukabila, udini na rushwa ambayo baba wa taifa Mwalimu Nyerere aliitaja imeanza kuonekana. Pia Makamba alisema rais ajaye anatakiwa asiwe mtu mwenye hulka ya visasi na atakiwa  awe na uwezo wa kuwaambia wananchi kuwa yeye sio masiha wa kuyafanya maisha yao yabadilike papo kwa hapo kwa kuwa nchi ni ya watu wote, hivyo kila mmoja ana wajibu wa kutumia nafasi yake kuleta mabadiliko.

Alipoulizwa katika wanasiasa wa upinzani ni yupi anamkubali, alimtaja Zitto Kabwe kwa sababu ana uwezo wa kusema na kusimamia kile anachokiamini, ujasiri wa kuomba ushauri kama kuna jambo ambalo halielewi na pia anapenda kusoma na kujifunza. Pia alitaja kuwa anamheshimu sana Profesa Ibrahim Lipumba.

Fina na January Makamba baada ya kipindi cha Makutano

Mheshimiwa Makamba  alimalizia kwa kusema kuwa atagombea ubunge wa Bumbuli kwa kipindi cha pili na baada ya hapo atajikita katika shughuli za Shirika la Maendeleo ya Bumbuli (Bumbuli Development Corporation) alilolianzisha likiwa na lengo la kuleta washirika wa maendeleo ili kuwawezesha kiuchumi wananchi bila kutegemea miradi ya serikali.

 

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Zitto: Ubunge sasa basi

 Na: Frank Sanga na Anthony Kayanda, Kigoma, MWANANCHI.
MBUNGE wa Kigoma Kaskazini (Chadema), Zitto Kabwe amesema hana mpango wa kugombea ubunge mwaka 2015 badala yake anajipanga kuwania urais. Zitto alisema hayo jana alipozungumza na wananchi katika mjadala ulioandaliwa na asasi ya kiraia ya Meza ya Duara uliokuwa unafanyika maeneo ya Soko la Mwanga, mjini Kigoma. Zaidi ya watu 200, ambao walihudhuria katika mjadala huo wa wazi walimuuliza maswali mbalimbali mbunge huyo, huku mmoja akigusia kuhusu tetesi za mara kwamba Zitto anataka kugombea urais katika uchaguzi ujao.
 “Nimefanya kazi kubwa katika kazi yangu ya ubunge, nimeleta mabadiliko mengi kuanzia bungeni mpaka jimboni. Nadhani inatosha na hata nikiongezewa miaka mingine sitaweza kufanya yale yaliyonishinda katika kipindi cha miaka kumi. “Kama Mungu ataniweka mpaka mwaka 2015, sitagombea ubunge tena kwa sababu kazi niliyofanya inatosha. Natangaza rasmi kuwa nitagombea urais kupitia chama changu cha Chadema, bila kusababisha msuguano wowote na sitaki kuingia katika historia ya kurudisha nyuma harakati za upinzani kushika dola,” alisema Zitto.  “Nataka kuleta changamoto mpya, nitawaeleza watu wa chama changu nia hiyo na nitatoa hoja za msingi. Hata kama sitapata ridhaa yao, lakini huo ndio msimamo wangu. “Iwapo chama kikiona sistahili au sifai, nitakubaliana na uamuzi huo. Watu wengi wanadhani urais ni cheo, hawajui kuwa ni nafasi ambayo inakufanya ufanye vitu ambavyo ni vikubwa na vya maendeleo kwa wananchi.” Atangaza kugombea urais Katika hatua nyingine Zitto alisema ana mpango wa kuwania urais kupitia Chadema katika Uchaguzi Mkuu wa mwaka 2015. “Kwanza nataka niwahakikishia watu wa Kigoma msiwe wanyonge…mna uwezo wa kutoa rais wa nchi hii,” Zitto alianza kujibu swali hilo na kuendelea. 

Hata hivyo Zitto alipoulizwa baadaye na Mwananchi kuwa mwaka 2015 atakuwa na miaka 39, hivyo kukosa sifa ya kugombea urais kwa mujibu wa katiba alijibu; “Nadhani nina uwezo wa kuwa rais, sidhani kama Katiba inaweza kumzuia mtu mwenye uwezo asigombee na ndio maana ninaamini kuwa kipengele cha kuwa na miaka 40 kitabadilishwa katika katiba mpya.”
 “Nchi za Kidemokrasia lazima vyama vibadilishane utawala wa kuongoza nchi kama ilivyo katika nchi za Ghana na Zambia. Tanzania inatakiwa kuiga mfano wa nchi hizo,” alisema Zitto Katika kukazia hilo, Zitto alisema anashangazwa na umaskini uliopo Tanzania wakati mwaka 1976 uchumi wake ulikuwa sawa na nchi ya Malaysia, lakini mpaka kufikia mwaka 2001, Malaysia ilipunguza idadi ya watu wanaoishi chini ya dola moja kutoka asilimia 56 mpaka kufikia asilimia tatu huku Tanzania ikipunguza kutoka 51 mpaka 46. Katika hatua nyingine, Zitto alikana kuwa, Chadema ni chama cha udini, ukanda, ukabila ila akasisitiza kuwa ni chama cha kitaifa.   “Ndugu zangu naomba mnielewe, Chadema si chama cha ukabila, ukanda wala udini bali ni chama cha kitaifa. Hizo ni propaganda za wapinzani wetu,” alisema Zitto baada ya kuulizwa na mmoja wa washiriki kuhusu tuhuma za chama hicho kuwa cha Kikanda.  “CCM imewahi kudai CUF ni chama cha Waislamu, na sasa wanasema Chadema ni chama cha Wakristo, sasa wao CCM ni chama cha wapagani au cha watu gani?” Alihoji Zitto. Alisema ili kuthibitisha kuwa Chadema si chama cha Kikanda, matokeo ya urais wa mwaka 2010, Dk Wilbroad Slaa aliongoza dhidi ya wagombea urais wengine kwa kupata kura nyingi katika Jimbo la Manyovu mkoani Kigoma na hivyo kufanya kupata asilimia nyingi kuliko sehemu yoyote Tanzania.   Chanzo: http://www.mwananchi.co.tz/habari

 

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MCH MTIKILA ALIVYOPIGA MKWARA KWA POLISI AKIKATAA KUKAMATWA BAADA YA KUSHINDA KESI

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Mwenyekiti wa chama cha Democratic (DP) Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila ameachiwa huru na Mahakama baada ya kukabiliwa na kesi ya kusambaza waraka wa uchochezi dhidi ya rais Jakaya Kikwete ambapo Hakimu aliekua anaendesha kesi hiyo amesema hakukuwa na ushahidi wa kutosha kumtia hatiani.
Hakimu mkazi mfawidhi wa Mahakama ya hakimu mkazi kisutu Ilvin Mugeta amesema katika kesi ya Mtikila, oktoba 21 2011 Dar es salaam alidaiwa kutoa maneno ya uchochezi, dharau na kujenga chuki dhidi ya serikali na rais Kikwete kitu ambacho kingeweza kusababisha wananchi kukosa imani na serikali yao.
Kwenye kesi hiyo mchungaji Mtikila hakua na wakili yeyote wa kumtetea kwa sababu aliamua kusimama mwenyewe kwa kujiamini ambapo baada ya kutangazwa huru namkariri akisalimia wafuasi wake kwa kuanza kusema “Haleluya!!! nilitarajia kwa sababu nilimwambia bwana Yesu yakwamba nitakuona katika kesi hii yakwamba huwezi kuwatelekeza wanafunzi wako akasema sitafanya hivyo, ndio maana nilikua na uhakika kwamba mwisho wa kesi utakua ni huu kwa hiyo tukazane zaidi kumtangaza bwana Yesu na kuutetea Ukristo, ukristo wa kuganga njaa tuacheee, Yesu anarudi”
Baada ya mchungaji Mtikila kumalizana na hiyo kesi akiwa hapohapo Mahakamani alikumbana na zengwe jingine, ni zengwe la kutaka kukamatwa na polisi kwa tuhuma za kubomoa nyumba ya Gottam Ndunguru iliyopo Kimara Mavurunza na anadaiwa pia kumtishia Gottam maisha.
Wakati askari polisi waliokua nje ya Mahakama ya Kisutu wakijiandaa kumkamata, mchungaji Mtikila alimwambia mmoja wa askari hao kwamba hakuwa na mamlaka ya kumkamata kwa sababu cheo chake (cha huyo Askari) ni cha chini wakati yeye ni kiongozi wa kitaifa, ambapo kweli baada ya Mtikila kumchimba askari mkwara ilibidi askari aondoke taratibu na Mtikila hakukamatwa.
Namkariri awakati akimpiga askari huyo mkwara, alimwambia “mimi nimeongea na mkuu wa kituo amenipigia simu yeye, mimi sio criminal.. huondoki na mimi, kwanza cheo chako huruhusiwi kunikamata.. mimi kule nakwenda mwenyewe huna uwezo wa kunikamata, polisi huwa naitwa napigiwa simu hata Said Mwema anaponihitaji wananipigia simu ninakwenda mwenyewe, ninamuogopa nani nchi hii mimi?”

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Libya yaondosha makundi ya wapiganaji

Kiongozi wa bunge la Libya amesema kuwa makundi yote ya wapiganaji yasiyokuwa halali yataondoshwa baada ya balozi wa Marekani kuuliwa na moja kati ya makundi hayo juma lilopita.

Hapo jana kundi la wapiganaji lilokuwa na nguvu, mashariki mwa Libya, lilisema kuwa linamaliza shughuli zake.
Pamekuwa na wasiwasi ndani na nje ya nchi, kuwa makundi mengi ya wapiganaji bado yana nguvu - makundi yaliyojitokeza wakati wa vita vya kumuondoa Kanali Gaddafi.
Mkuu wa bunge la taifa, Mohammed Magarief, amesema kuwa makambi na wapiganaji wote wasiodhibitiwa na serikali, yatafutwa:

 

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Sudan na Sudan Kusini zarejea mezani

Mkutano wa Sudan na Sudan Kusini Ethiopia

Marais wa Sudan na Sudan Kusini hii leo wanaendeleza mazungumzo kuhusu mizozo iliyowasababisha kukaribia kutumbukia katika vita mapema mwaka huu.

Masuala muhimu katika mkutano huo unaofanyika nchini Ethiopia ni usalama katika maeneo ya mpakani, ugavi wa mapato ya mafuta na eneo lenye utata la Abyei.

Baada ya masaa mawili ya mazungumzo siku ya Jumapili,msemaji wa serikali ya Sudan, Badr El-Din Abdallah, alisema kuwa hatua zimepigwa kati ya pande zote mbili lakini swala la amani ndilo bado linazua utata
Umoja wa mataifa umetishia kuziwekea pande zote mbili vikwazo ikiwa hazitaafikia makubaliano na amani ya kudumu
Sudan Kusini ilijipatia uhuru mwaka jana kutoka kwa Sudan baada ya makubaliano ya amani kumaliza vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vya zaidi ya miaka kumi.

 

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Mageuzi hayatakuja kwa vita Syria

Rais wa Syria Bashar al-Assad amesema kuwa mapinduzi ya kiraia yaliyoshuhudiwa katika nchi za kiarabu yamekuwa chanzo cha ghasia wala sio demokrasia au uhuru.

Kwenya mahojiano na jarida la nchini Mirsi, (al-Ahram al-Arabi), Assad alisema kuwa waasi hawawezi kushinda vita nchini Syria.
Amesema watu wasisubiri kujionea matokeo ya hali ya Libya ambapo aliyekuwa rais Muamar Gadafi alipinduliwa na kisha kuuawa.
Aidha Assad ameongeza kuwa mageuzi nchini Syria hayatakuja kwa nchi hiyo kuingiliwa na nchi za kigeni au kung'olewa mamlakani kwa viongozi, bali kupitia mazungumzo na upinzani.

 

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We're in for a heck of a ride

WHAT PEOPLE SAYS ABOUT OBAMA SPEECH ON US ELECTION

LZ Granderson: Obama showed what he knows about fighting for the little guy

President Obama did not promise heaven and earth, as he did four years ago. And it's a good thing because I doubt many would have believed him. Instead last night's speech at the Democratic National Convention served as a reminder that beyond the soaring rhetoric and heartwarming smile is a man whose entire adult life has been about fighting for the little guy. Not to win elections mind you, but because he was once a little guy himself and he comes from a hardworking, middle class -- and diverse -- family.

LZ Granderson

In that context he talked about the importance of establishing policies that are designed not to carry people but to lend a helping hand when needed. He emphasized education and the impetus behind health care reform.

True, he had some great zingers about the Romney/Ryan lack of foreign policy experience, but to me the most important part of the speech was that he took the notions of citizenship and change and gave them new life, reminding people of the changes they've already made together by voting for him and the changes that will come in a second term. It may not have been his best speech, but it was his best message.

LZ Granderson, who writes a weekly column for CNN.com, was named journalist of the year by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and is a 2011 Online Journalism Award finalist for commentary. He is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter: @locs_n_laughs

Analysis: Obama hit the marks he needed to

Anne-Marie Slaughter: The real Obama doctrine: 'With power comes responsibility'

Anne-Marie Slaughter

The key line for me of Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural address was when he called for "a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world." As a parent who spends a lot of time trying to drum into my sons that they have to take responsibility for their actions, failures as well as successes, I thought to myself: "Barack Obama had a good mother!"

But this theme recurs again and again, so much so that I have long said that the real Obama doctrine in international affairs is from Spiderman: "With power comes responsibility." His consistent message to other nations is that if they seek the benefits of being a great power, they must also accept the obligations of upholding global order and playing by global rules.

That same philosophy came through strongly in his convention speech last night. The speech really took off when he stopped ticking off points aimed at various constituencies and started talking about citizenship: his fundamental conviction that Americans have responsibilities as well as rights; that it is up to us to govern ourselves and not just to expect government to provide for us. He has a deep commitment to the social contract as a contract, with mutual obligations on both sides.

When he turned to foreign policy, what struck me most was that he never talked about "winning two wars," but rather "ending them." He was willing to face up to his responsibility as commander in chief, to recognize the full cost of lives ended and changed forever and to stare down the unavoidable truth that Iraq and Afghanistan are not wars that we can "win" in the traditional sense of vanquishing an enemy and going home. He has thus decided that his responsibility to our soldiers is to bring them home as quickly and safely as possible.

But what is our responsibility to the people of Afghanistan who have relied on us and had their lives changed profoundly by us for over a decade? To the people of Iraq? And going forward, what is the responsibility of the United States and other great powers not to the abstraction of international order but to the brutal and concrete reality of hundreds and even thousands of Syrians killed every day? Those are questions that a second Obama administration will have to answer.

Anne-Marie Slaughter is a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University. She curates foreign policy on Twitter at: @slaughteram

Ana Navarro: We're in for a heck of a ride

Ana Navarro

The Democrat Convention versus the Republican Convention...where shall I begin? Republicans were organized, methodical and formal. Democrats held a convention that was at most times barely controlled chaos, but it had a lot of energy and soul. It was political Mardi Gras.

The two very different conventions featured dramatically different nominees. Mitt Romney's speech was focused on introducing Mitt Romney to the nation. His acceptance speech was meant to tell us who he is, what has shaped him and what's in his heart. That's what he needed to do. Americans did not know much about him before the convention and before we trust him, we have to know him.

Barack Obama's speech was not an introduction. We know him already. It was a reminder of what he stands for. He admitted it hasn't been quick or pretty, but he's a president and commander in chief in control. That's what he needed to do. Four years go, Barack Obama was America's hope for change. Today, keeping Americans hopeful is his only hope for re-election.

I attended both conventions. Actually, it would be more accurate to say I survived both conventions and have lived to tell the story.

I hate to admit it, but if the presidential race was solely based on who had the better convention, Mitt Romney would be gasping for air. But it's not. The debates and political advertising war are the other two legs of this stool. The conventions mark the start of the sprint to the finish. The two horses are now out of the gate, and we're in for a heck of a ride.

Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist and commentator, served as national Hispanic campaign chairwoman for John McCain in 2008 and national Hispanic co-chair for Jon Huntsman's 2012 campaign.

Opinion: We're in for a heck of a ride

Robert Dallek: Expect to see a clear uptick

Robert Dallek

The Democratic convention was notable for the stirring speeches, especially by Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Warren. The speeches underscored two fundamental truths about current and recent American politics.

First, that winning elections and commanding public backing for a national agenda are dependent on a president's personal appeal or, perhaps better stated, likability. It was a compelling feature of these convention talks. The most successful presidents of the last century were those who created personal connections to the public: Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman in 1948, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. "I miss the way your husband used to speak to me about my government," someone told Eleanor Roosevelt after FDR died. In a recent poll, JFK and Reagan had approval ratings of 85% and 74%, respectively.

A second distinguishing feature of these convention speeches was the emphasis on government's vital role in advancing the national well-being. All these speakers made the case for the government's part in promoting economic expansion and improving the quality of life for millions and future generations of Americans.

Anyone who took note of how the New Orleans' levees built by the Army Corps of Engineers at a cost of $11 billion preserved the city from another disaster or read the news about the federally financed genome project that is bringing us closer to understanding the origins of many diseases would look foolish disputing the value of government.

It's difficult to imagine that President Obama and the Democrats won't see a clear uptick in standing from the style and substance of these speeches.

Presidential historian Robert Dallek is completing a book on John F. Kennedy and his advisers.

Donna Brazile: A message for citizens: You don't walk alone

Donna Brazile

This week, former President Bill Clinton said that no president could have fully repaired in just four years the damage President Obama inherited. The American people recognize that. They know just how deep was the financial void and pervasive the virus of despair.

They seem willing to concede that President Obama has done a lot: brought us out of the Great Recession -- and out of Iraq. As Vice-President Biden said, "GM is alive and Bin Laden is dead." Indeed, by any objective standard, President Obama has accomplished a lot. Considering the petty and intractable Republican opposition to every initiative and idea, it's remarkable, almost miraculous that we now have a reformed student loan system, renewed Wall street regulations and economic growth, and, oh, yes, Obamacare.

Still, we are not where we want to be or need to be. The recovery is slower than anyone wants. So the president had to answer a fundamental question: We know where we've been, but as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once asked, where do we go from here?

Last night, President Obama answered that question. He told us that hope is a hard path, but it is a righteous path to dignity. He told us that it is a path each of us must walk by ourselves, but that none of us can walk alone because at one time or another, we'll all stumble or stub our toe along the way.

I came away from the president's speech inspired, because he didn't flinch from the truth: "America, I never said this journey would be easy, and I won't promise that now. Yes, our path is harder, but it leads to a better place."

President Obama gave us a map: "We celebrate individual initiative, but we also believe in something called citizenship. As citizens, we understand that America is not about what can be done for us. It's about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government."

The president told us, rightly, that the easy way is to go back, to look for shortcuts, or to stop when the path up is a little steeper than we expected.

So, did he give us a vision for the future? Read these words, and you tell me:

"...we travel together. We don't turn back. We leave no one behind. We pull each other up. We draw strength from our victories, and we learn from our mistakes...knowing that Providence is with us."

Donna Brazile, a CNN contributor and a Democratic strategist, is vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee. She is a nationally syndicated columnist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of "Cooking with Grease." She was manager for the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign in 2000.

Opinion: Obama speaks to Americans as adults

Alonzo Hamby: Soaring rhetoric, but short of details on economic recovery

No better orator has ever held the presidency.

Barack Obama expressed a current of populism that has popped up again and again through the long history of the Democratic Party. He sees a long-running social conflict: the virtuous people versus oppressive special interests motivated by greed. He casts his lot with the people.

To sophisticates, such a view may seem hopelessly simplistic. To many believing Democrats, it is a self-evident truth, proclaimed in the past by leaders from Andrew Jackson through George McGovern and Jimmy Carter. To President Obama, a man of humble origins, it is an article of faith. The convention delegates will leave Charlotte in a state of exhilaration.

What was missing was hard, detailed talk about the continuing weak economy and a plan for full recovery. Nor was there even a cursory recognition of the nation's unsustainable entitlement programs. Or of a mounting national debt that needs to be controlled before we find that we have more in common with Greece than we like to believe. Is it possible to manage these threats without more pain than we want to endure?

Any fair-minded critic must congratulate the President on his soaring rhetoric. And admit that the Republicans have their own cherished wishful myths. One can only hope against hope that the coming campaign will be more than another act in the dreary political spectacle thus far presented to us by both parties.

Alonzo L. Hamby, the Edwin and Ruth Kennedy Distinguished professor of history at Ohio University, has written extensively on Harry Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt and 20th century American politics.

Timothy Stanley: GOP can breathe a sigh of relief

Timothy Stanley

Barack Obama gave one of the weaker speeches of his national political career as the Democratic convention wrapped up last night. The standard had been set too high by what came before. Michelle Obama did a fantastic job of personalizing the issues, Bill Clinton was a warm reminder of happier times, and even Joe Biden impressed with his rip-roaring revival of New Deal themes.

What the audience probably expected from the president was something personal, a plea to stick with him through troubled times, colored by reflections on his youth and family. Instead the speech opened with a shopping list of promises delivered too fast with too little passion. The middle passages satirizing the GOP as the party that wants "a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism" were more effective. The finale came close to rousing, but without the same thematic unity or strength of the old "audacity of hope."

The tone was of a State of the Union rather than a stump speech. Perhaps the president calculated that he didn't need a game-changer. Given his residual strength in the polls, he might be right. But the GOP campaign can breathe a sigh of relief. Obama didn't entirely shame them.

Timothy Stanley is a historian at Oxford University and blogs for Britain's The Daily Telegraph. He is the author of "The Crusader: The Life and Times of Pat Buchanan."

Ruben Navarrette: Obama asks for more time

Ruben Navarrette Jr.

How's this for a bumper sticker slogan: "Barack Obama can heal what ails America. He just needs more time."

How much time? It's hard to say. "The truth is," Obama said in his acceptance speech Thursday night, "it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades."

How much time? Another four years should do the trick. In 1992, Democrats were eager to oust George H.W. Bush. In 2008, they couldn't wait to turn the page and replace George W. Bush. On both occasions, they were counting on Americans being impatient for things to improve. They were the ones saying: "Time's up. You've done enough damage. You've got to go."

Now that the election is on the other foot, Democrats are pleading for patience and asking Americans for an extension on their lease. "We draw strength from our victories," Obama told the delegates. "And we learn from our mistakes." Obama has made plenty of mistakes. Perhaps the biggest blunder was waiting more than a year before prioritizing what is, for many Americans, the No. 1 issue: jobs and the economy.

But has Obama really learned from his mistakes? That's hard to say since, like his Republican predecessor, he rarely admits to making any. What assurance do voters have that, if they roll the dice again, and give the president more time to accomplish his goals, that our situation will improve? And how can they be sure things won't get worse?

You won't find the answers to those questions in Obama's speech. It was heavy on grand promises and flowery rhetoric -- but light on guarantees.

Ruben Navarrette is a CNN contributor and a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group.

Alan Brinkley: Obama's emotional appeal to swing states

This was a pretty good night for the Democrats. Joe Biden, not often thought of as a great orator, gave a somewhat hammy but very effective and emotional speech that roused the audience. Obama hasn't shown much emotion in public for a long time, perhaps ever, and I was surprised not only by how good a speech he made, but moreover, by how powerful the speech was.

Not since his first campaign has he spoken like this, like a preacher, and he even showed some humility, something we rarely see. Whether this will work for voters I don't know, but it certainly excited the Democrats. But what tonight was really about is something that should be very obvious: Ohio and Michigan, the two states that could assure his re-election.

That's why both Biden and Obama spoke so much about workers, and about automobile workers. For the sake of increasing their appeal in Florida and Virginia, they also spoke a good deal about soldiers. A smart decision if it works.

Alan Brinkley is the Allan Nevins professor of history at Columbia University.

Julian Zelizer: Good convention; now to convince voters he can fix economy

Julian Zelizer

Democrats completed a relatively successful convention. Building on former President Bill Clinton's blistering speech Wednesday night, Democrats sent out a clear message that they are the party of the middle class and, more importantly, that giving President Obama one more term will allow him to complete his work on the economic policies which, they say, are on the cusp of succeeding. "The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place," the president said. Democrats presented the GOP as a party that is stuck to worn out ideas about supply side economics that will produce a repeat of 2008 rather than a resolution to the economic crisis this nation faces.

The problem for Obama, however, is an economy which remains sluggish and where there is little evidence of a strong revival. As long as the middle class is anxious and insecure, Democrats will have to struggle to convince voters in the crucial swing states that they should get four more years to make these policies work.

Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Jimmy Carter" and of the new book "Governing America."

News: Obama urges voters to secure the change he started

Ilyse Hogue: A bid to win the election back from special interests

Ilyse Hogue

The first laugh line of President Obama's acceptance speech in Charlotte was in reference to the unprecedented campaign ads battering voters in battleground states. "If you're sick of hearing me 'approve this message,' believe me, so am I."

While the president spent the bulk of his speech focused on his vision for jobs and rebuilding the manufacturing base upon which the middle class in this country once rested, sprinkled through the speech were references to the unprecedented money flowing into this election. No wonder. Outside groups are far outspending Obama on behalf of Romney, much of that money coming from a handful of ultra-wealthy individuals. Confidence in Congress is at an all-time low and political corruption ranks second on voters list of concerns.

After he built an image of what American could look like under four more years of his leadership -- for women, for education, but most of all for getting America back to work -- he made his final pitch to voters not to give in to apathy and cede the playing field to the lobbyists and special interests who want to buy our democracy. And that combo may just be his winning ticket.

Ilyse Hogue is co-director of Friends of Democracy, a super PAC aimed at electing candidates who champion campaign finance reform. She is the former director of political advocacy and communications for MoveOn.org and has been a senior strategist to Democratic and progressive groups. She is a regular contributor to The Nation magazine.

 

 

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KAULI MPYA YA MSAJILI WA VYAMA VYA SIASA KUHUSU VINAVYOKIUKA SHERIA, PIA KUHUSU VINAVYOENDESHA OPARESHENI.

Gari la Chadema ambalo limevunjwa kioo kwenye vurugu za polisi na wafuasi zilizotokea Iringa hivi karibuni.

Kutokana na kuendelea kwa mfululizo wa matukio mbalimbali yanayosababishwa na vurugu za kisiasa kati ya baadhi ya vyama vya siasa dhidi ya jeshi la polisi, ofisi ya msajili wa vyama vya siasa Tanzania imesema imechoshwa na matukio hayo ambayo yamekua yakisababisha vifo vya mara kwa mara kwa raia wasio na hatia.
Msajili wa vyama vya siasa John Tendwa amesema ofisi yake kuanzia sasa imepanga kuchukua hatua kali za kisheria ikiwemo kukifuta chama chochote cha siasa kitakachothibitika kufanya mkutano kinyume cha sheria na kusababisha vurugu pasipo kujali kama vurugu hizo zimedhuru au hazijadhuru raia yeyote.

Vilevile Tendwa amekemea kampeni mbalimbali zinazoendelea kufanywa nchi nzima na baadhi ya vyama vya siasa na kupewa jina la ‘OPARESHENI’ ambapo amedai kuwa huu si wakati wa vyama kuanza kampeni, hivyo chama chochote kitakachoendelea na kampeni kwa mtindo huo kuanzia sasa kitachukuliwa hatua kali ikiwemo kukifutia usajili.

 

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Raila Odinga kuwatumia Jaguar na Prezzo kwenye kampeni ya urais?

Prezzo na waziri mkuu Raila Odinga walipokutana hivi karibuni

Mwamko wa wanamuziki vijana kujiingiza kwenye siasa haupo Tanzania pekee. Kenya mambo ni yale yale pia. Miongini mwa wasanii walioonesha dalili za kupanda kwenye majukwa ya kisiasa nchini humo ni Prezzo na Jaguar. 

Siku chache baada ya kuwasili nchini Kenya, Prezzo alipata fursa ya kukutana na waziri mkuu Raila Odinga kwa mazungumzo ya siri. Hakuna anayejua walizungumza nini lakini wengi wanaamini Raila aliutumia mkutano huo kumpongeza kwa kuiwakilisha nchi yake kwenye BBA na kumpa dondoo kadhaa za namna ya kuwa mwanasiasa aliyefanikiwa.Mazungumzo hayo yalimalizika kwa wote kupiga picha ya pamoja

Jaguar na Raila Odinga hivi karibuni

Haujapita muda mrefu, Jaguar naye akamzukia Raila ofisini kwake. Huenda ikawa ni tukio la siku moja kwakuwa Raila anaonekana kuwa na suti na tai ile ile. Jaguar na Prezzo wanaweza wasigombee uongozi wowote kwenye uchaguzi ujao, lakini wameanza kujiweka karibu na manguli wa siasa ya Kenya ili kujisafishia njia mapema.

Kwa haraka haraka, kinachokuja akilini mwetu hapa ni kuwa labda Raila Odinga anataka kuwatumia wasanii hawa wote kwaajili ya kumpigia kampeni kwenye uchaguzi ujao wa urais nchini humo.

Wote wakiwa kwenye kambi moja, kuna mvuto mkubwa utakaoonekana kwenye kampeni ya Raila hasa ukizingatia kuwa wasanii hawa walikuwa maadui wakubwa.

You never know, pengine kuna mpango wa kufanyika ngoma ya pamoja ya wakali hawa itakayompigia debe mgombea huyo wa urais. Muda utaongea.

 

 

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Staples founder: Why I'm supporting Romney

Mitt Romney likes to talk about how he helped grow Staples into America's largest office supply company. Now its founder wants to tell his story.

FORTUNE -- The Republican National Convention tomorrow night will hear a primetime address from Tom Stemberg, the Staples Inc. (SPLS) founder who credits Mitt Romney with helping to grow the office superstore. He now works as a venture capitalist, investing in consumer goods and retail companies.
I sat down with Stemberg this morning in his Tampa hotel, for a wide-ranging discussion of his relationship with Romney and the current state of companies like Staples. What follows is a transcript:

Fortune: What is your basic argument for why Mitt Romney should be our next president?
Stemberg: I think there are a couple of cases to be made. The first is that Mitt is a great leader and this country is badly in need of leadership. Two, Mitt's a person who runs toward problems, not away from them. We have an administration today that refused to deal with the tremendous problems America faces. Twenty-three million Americans unemployed or underemployed, trillion dollar-plus deficits and, despite appointing a commission like Simpson-Bowles to address these issues, they simply have walked away from them.
Third, I think Mitt's broad range of experiences prepare him very, very well to be president of the United States. Specifically when you think about what private equity does, it tries to deliver better customer experience and value by being efficient. Staples is as good an example as any. We succeeded because we brought better value to small businesses by cutting out middle-men, buying direct, letting the customer do some of the work and so forth.

Mitt took the same approach when he was governor of Massachusetts. So things like registering your car online rather than waiting in line at the registry. His concept of merging the Turnpike Authority and the Transportion Department to get the roads maintained for less. A lot of those ideas are now in place, and speak to Mitt's general philosophy of providing better value to the customer while, at the exact same time, making it possible by being much more efficient. Massachusetts healthcare is another great example. He took the money that was being wasted by having indigent people going to the most expensive teaching hospitals' emergency rooms to get treated for the flu, and took all that money and rediverted it into providing universal healthcare without raising taxes. That's the kind of leader we want running this country.

Mitt's experience with you at Staples was basically through a venture capital deal, not a private equity deal…
Yes, it was a venture capital deal.

So do you feel qualified to discuss a business career that ultimately became much more about private equity than venture capital?
Yeah, I've been involved with Bain Capital companies for a long time. I served on the Duane Reade board after the buyout and invested in every one of their funds…

Including the first one?
No, not the first one. Every one from then on. So I'm very comfortable seeing how Bain operates. And the people around him operate much as he does. Mitt surrounds himself with very smart, very hard-working, good people who stay there for a long time, by and large. And those people work harder than any other private equity guys I know and thus create success.

Is it right that Bain was just one of four original outside investors in Staples?
That's correct.
Are you able to isolate what Romney brought to the table?
Mitt added value. I'll give you several example. Early on in Staples' life a lot of people didn't want to sell Staples because we were discounting 50% or more and the industry wasn't so sure that was a good idea. Household names like Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), IBM (IBM), Canon (CAJ) all refused to sell Staples. Ampad actually used to refuse to sell Staples.
We ran a vendor summit for all of our current and prospective vendors at the one place we could afford to do it: The International House of Pancakes, next to the original Brighton store. Mitt came in and was the speaker.
His speech was: "I was a consultant for many years and observed the growth of The Home Depot (HD). And a lot of vendors jumped on The Home Depot bandwagon and rode that train to great success. Other vendors were worried about it and didn't get on the train. In many cases, they ended up getting run over by the train. So ladies and gentlemen, you have to decide. This Staples train is leaving the station. Do you want to get on the train, or do you someday want to get run over by the train?"
And two months later, a bunch of key vendors began to sell us and I think Mitt's speech had a lot to do with it.
Here's the second example: We did a fair number of acquisitions at Staples, and the biggest one was going to be a public company in California [Viking Office Products, now owned by Office Depot]. And a bunch of us flew out but on the way back it was clear that we were having a serious case of buyer's remorse. The founder of the company, who I admire as one of the greatest entrepreneurs I've ever met, was going to retire, which is why the company was being sold. He wanted his number two guy -- Bruce Evans, who later became CEO of Office Depot (ODP) --  to become my successor at Staples. And, if he wasn't made my heir apparent, and therefore my COO, we had to pay him all kinds of money. And of course the question to ask was if this guy wasn't good enough to run a company that was a fraction of our size, how would he be good enough to run our company?

So this is on a Friday night. The press releases are being written on Saturday and we're going to announce it to the world the following night. Sunday we have our board meeting and we lay out our case. Mitt interrupts the conversation and say, "I've been listening and seen you guys do other deals, but you just don't sound excited. What worries you?" So we explained the human issues to him, and how I didn't think Nelson was better than our internal people. And Mitt goes: "This deal isn't signed until the board approves it and I can tell you right now that this board member isn't approving it." And the board then decided not to do the deal.
Again, that's Mitt Romney. He's insightful.
A third one, there's a commercial being cut on it. There was a guy at who worked for me at Staples named Eddie Albertian who, when he left his prior company to work for us, his then-employer had loaned him money to buy a house and called the loan. Mitt wrote him a check to loan him the money until Staples could do it.

If someone other than Romney had won the Republican nomination, would you be supporting them?
I'm a Republican, but I'd say I'm probably more socially liberal than the party platform. I'm a big backer of Planned Parenthood, for example, but I'm going to vote for Mitt Romney with great enthusiasm despite those differences. Some other Republicans I would have supported, but not all.

You're speaking on Thursday night. What's your job?
My job is to talk about the years of Mitt Romney at Bain and what he did for Staples in particular.

CNBC's Herb Greenberg recently asked if Staples is a metaphor for America, in that it was a once great company that's fallen on tough times. Fair?
I'm not going to comment on Staples because I think that's bad form.But what I will say about the office superstore industry is that it has three or four fundamental challenges that companies need to address.
One if that it's hard to be a technology seller without selling the leading technology company, Apple (AAPL). They've got to get Apple. Two, I think three companies ought to be two. And obviously I put my money where my mouth was way back when but it failed [Staples was blocked from buying Office Depot in 1997]. I think the FTC was wrong, and I think the FTC knows it was wrong and that a merger would be an effective and productive in providing vaue to the American consumer. Three: I think they need to spend more money and effort in passing the Main Street Fairness Act, or some version thereof, so that retailers with physical presence collect taxes the same way Internet retailers collect taxes and thus a level playing field?

Do you know Romney's position on that type of legislation?
He has no position on that, to my knowledge. The Republican Governors Association just came out in favor of it, though.

The Romney campaign has mostly kept his business experiences on the surface level, not delving too deep into the details. Is that a mistake, or is talking too much about Bain too risky?
I don't think it's risky at all. I think Bain is an incredibly ethical group and it's been my privilege to have worked with them. Both in the past and even today, since we're co-investors on Guitar Center. I never seen anyone smarter or people who work harder than those at Bain Capital.

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Misa ya Wafu yafanyika Afrika Kusini

Waombolezaji nchini Afrika Kusini

Maelfu ya watu nchini Afrika Kusini wamehudhuria misa ya kuwaombea watu waliouawa katika machimbo ya Marikana ya madini ya Platinum.

Watu thelathini na wanne waliuawa na polisi kwa kupigwa risasi wakati wa maandamano ya wachimba mgodi huo wakidai malipo zaidi, wiki moja iliyopita.
Misa hiyo ilivurugwa kwa muda kufuatia kuwasili kwa mamia ya wafanyakazi wa mgodi walio katika mgomo, baadhi yao wakiwa wamebeba mapanga.

Misa kama hiyo zinafanyika nchini kote Afrika Kusini.
Rais Jacob Zuma anatarajiwa kuanisha hadidu za rejea kwa tume ya kuchunguza mauaji hayo.
Bwana Zuma hakushangiliwa wakati alipotembelea eneo la tukio la mgodi wa Marikana Jumatano.
Mgogoro huo umesambaa katika migodi mingine ya platinum nchini humo.
Afrika Kusini inazalisha robo tatu ya madini hayo ya Platinum kote duniani na bei ya madini hayo imepanda kutokana na wasiwasi wa kushuka kwa uzalishaji nchini Afrika Kusini.

 

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Greece facing last chance, says eurozone chief Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker: "I personally think ordinary people in Greece have suffered a lot and it would not be advisable to put further demands on them"

Eurozone finance chief Jean-Claude Juncker has said the Greek people have to be aware the country is facing its "last chance".

After a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Mr Juncker praised the nation's "tremendous efforts" so far to cut its deficit.
But he said "priority number one" was further consolidation of the public finances of Greece.
He added that Athens must put in place economic and structural reforms.
These include changes to the labour market, and the relaunching of privatisation programmes which have been promised but not enacted.
Mr Samaras promised that Greece would finalise a package of cuts worth 11.5bn euros (£9.1bn: $14bn) in the next few weeks.
He wants an extension of up to two years to implement those painful cuts.

Antonis Samaras: "We talked about the serious, decisive efforts we are making as a country"

But Mr Juncker, who is also Luxembourg's prime minister, said a decision on that would depend on a report from Greece's main lenders, due next month.
"I have to underline this will depend on the findings of the troika mission and we have to discuss the length of the period and other dimensions," Mr Juncker told a news conference alongside Mr Samaras.
'Fruitful' talks The troika of international lenders - the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission - will return to Greece next month to assess whether the country is on target to meet the conditions of its bailout.

Mr Samaras said he had also told Mr Juncker that Greece was serious about tackling tax evasion, while at the same time looking to provide security for its citizens.

"I talked to him about the serious, active, measures we are making as a country," Mr Samaras said.

He said that the three parties of the ruling coalition were also fully behind the package of cuts being implemented.
His country was "turning the page, economically, politically and socially", said Mr Samaras.
"The meeting was very fruitful," he added. "He [Mr Juncker] was able to update us about... the expectations that Europe has for Greece."
He said as well as Greece's debt, the pair also discussed the availability of finances for Greek businesses, with Mr Samaras saying that small and medium-sized firms in the country were "asphyxiating" because of a lack of funds.

On the wider issue of whether there was a danger of Greece leaving the euro, Mr Samaras said he was "confident that all those betting on a Greek exit - undermining our efforts - will be proven wrong".
"We will prove them wrong through our deeds, not just our words," he added.
Mr Juncker also said that he was "totally opposed" to a Greek exit from the eurozone.

Continue reading the main story

Greece discussions timetable

• 22 August: Greek PM Antonis Samaras meets Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker
• 23 August: Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande meet
• 24 August: Chancellor Merkel and PM Samaras meet
• 25 August: President Hollande and PM Samaras meet
• Early September: Troika staff go back to Greece
• 14-15 September: Gathering of European finance ministers in Cyprus
• Troika's review of progress to be published by the end of September
• 8-9 October: Finance ministers attend two days of meetings in Luxembourg

Welfare spending

Later this week Mr Samaras will also meet Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.

At issue during the week of talks is whether Greece will receive its next instalment of loans worth 31.5bn euros that it needs to avoid defaulting on its vast public debts.
Under the terms of the bailout agreement, Greece needs to demonstrate it can find 11.5bn euros in public spending cuts within two years in order to qualify for the money.
There are also reports that due to the worsening state of the economy, which affects tax receipts and welfare spending levels, Greece may now need to find savings of up to 13.5bn euros, 2bn more than thought.
Eurozone leaders have so far resisted any move to soften the bailout conditions, especially in Germany, where the government is under pressure not to make any more concessions.

 source bbcnews

 

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HUYU NDIE ALIEVULIWA UBUNGE NA MAHAKAMA LEO.

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Stori imeandikwa na issamichuzi.blogspot.com

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Obama warns Syria chemical weapons use may spark US action

Obama: "It doesn't just include Syria. It would concern allies in the region, including Israel, and it would concern us."

US President Barack Obama has said the use of chemical weapons by Syria would be a "red line" that would change his thinking on intervention in the crisis.

He said he had "at this point not ordered military engagement".
But he added: "There would be enormous consequences if we start seeing movement on the chemical weapons front or the use of chemical weapons."
Earlier the new UN special envoy to Syria faced criticism for refusing to say whether President Assad must quit.
President Obama, speaking to reporters at a White House briefing, said the deployment or use of biological weapons would widen the conflict in the region.
He said: "It doesn't just include Syria. It would concern allies in the region, including Israel, and it would concern us."
He warned President Bashar al-Assad and "other players on the ground" about the use or movement of such weapons.
He said: "A red line for us is [if] we see a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around, or being utilised. That would change my calculus."
Syria holds the world's fourth-largest stockpile of chemical weapons. Last month a Syrian foreign ministry spokesman said the weapons would never be deployed inside Syria.
However, the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington says the US has seen unconfirmed reports recently that the Syrian authorities have been moving the country's chemical arms stockpile.
Mission ends Earlier on Monday, the UN's new envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi told the BBC that he was "not in a position to say yet" whether President Assad should go, but was "committed to finding a solution".

Lakhdar Brahimi has said he so far has no concrete ideas on how to end the conflict

Mr Brahimi, a former Algerian foreign minister, last week succeeded Kofi Annan who resigned after both sides largely ignored his peace plan.
On Sunday, UN observers ended their mission to verify its implementation.
Their departure came after the UN Security Council agreed to allow their mandate to expire at midnight, and instead set up a new civilian office in Damascus to pursue political contacts that might lead to peace.
Since being confirmed as the new UN and Arab League envoy to Syria, Mr Brahimi has acknowledged that he has no concrete ideas of how to end the conflict, which he believes has been a civil war for some time.
On Monday, he told the BBC that he was not ready to say whether President Assad should step down despite widespread international condemnation of his government's crackdown on dissent since protests erupted in March 2011.
"I am not in a position to say yet, because I was appointed a couple of days ago. I am going to New York for the first time to see the people who I am going to work for, and I am going to Cairo see the Arab League," he explained.

After announcing his resignation, Mr Brahimi's predecessor, Kofi Annan, said: "It is clear that President Bashar al-Assad must leave office."
The main opposition coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), said Mr Brahimi's stance showed "disregard for the blood of the Syrian people and their right of self-determination" and demanded he apologise.
Mr Brahimi stressed that he was "committed to finding a solution full stop".
"I am a mediator. I haven't joined any Syrian party. I am a mediator and a mediator has to speak to anybody and everybody without influence or interest," he added.
"Then I'll make up my mind about what to say and what to do."
'Shellfire' On the ground in Syria, seven UN vehicles drove out of the capital on Monday morning, carrying some of the last members of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), all of whom are expected to leave the country by the end of the week.

Fighting continued in Aleppo on Sunday despite the start of Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr

As they departed, government forces were trying to retake the Damascus suburb of Muadhamiya from rebel fighters, opposition activists said. One report said seven people had been killed by shellfire.
The UK-based opposition activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said fighting in the southern city of Deraa had left 15 people dead, including two children.
Shelling by tanks and warplanes also caused houses to collapse in the northern city of Aleppo, killing at least 14 people, activist Mohammed Saeed told the Associated Press. The buildings were in the Sakhour and Qadi Askar districts, he said.
The UN says more than 18,000 people have been killed in the conflict, 170,000 have fled Syria and 2.5 million need aid within the country.