Africa Diary

April 7, 2011:
For all those fed up of VVIP security drills upsetting their daily routine in India, Tanzania may be a good alternate country to live in as security for VVIPs, be it the President or Prime Minister, is virtually non-existent. Recently, a group of visiting Indian journalists were travelling in a bus for an appointment when suddenly a traffic cop appeared and waved all traffic to a halt.

Within seconds a motorcycle with its sirens blaring zoomed past followed i by two Pajero jeeps, one carrying the Tanzanian President. By the time one had batted an eyelid, the Presidential convoy had gone.

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Meet Indians who are settled in Dar Es Salaam and while they will tell you how peaceful and easy going Tanzanians are, they will also hint at rules not being really favourable for investing. But for new Indian entrepreneurs, like Kamal Industries, Tanzania is the place to be. Mr Gupta, a first generation entrepreneur from Aurangabad, is setting up the first Export Processing Zone here on 300 acres even as Tanzanian Indians complain about how no land is available.