A couple of weeks ago, Elias Hamisi Mbamo (47), received a weird phone call from an unknown number. A resident of Tabora region, western part of Tanzania, he was not sure of the intention of the other guy speaking to him over the phone.
Seeing is believing, no one keeps this English adage at heart than Elias Mbamo, the proud winner of a brand new Bajaj recently.
It was around 1pm local time, he remembers. The guy asked me a lot of questions before telling me that I have won, the tri-cycle commonly known as Bajaj through the ongoing “Start Your Own Business” win a Bajaj promotion by a local mobile phone company operator known as Tigo.
A once in a lifetime opportunity in mid July this year landed on the feet of Tigo subscribers in the country where they can win an auto rickshaw, popular as Bajaj, through a lucrative promotion.
At the launching of the promotion dubbed ‘Start your own business’, Mr Mpinga was quoted to have said that 60 auto rickshaws had been issued for a competition to run through eight weeks.
Tigo Tanzania wanted to change the lives of Tanzanians through that they have recognised the importance of Bajaj in improving the lives of Tanzanians and its aim was to enrich and impact peoples’ lives, he said.
“We believe that this promotion will give our customers another reason to smile where 60 lucky winners each will walk away with a brand new Bajaj that they can use to start their own businesses,” he said.
Mr Mpinga said that Bajaj transportation was a lucrative business where the owner makes a conservative figure of 25,000/- to 30,000/- per day earning him around 900,000/- a month and roughly 10.8m/- a year.
Tigo customers stand a chance to win one Bajaj every day by recharging with 1000/- on a daily basis and this doesn’t have to be in lump sum as long as by the end of the day, it credit totals 1000/-.
“I thought someone was playing pranks on me. How could a man living in Tabora, more than 460 miles from Dar es Salaam, win a promotion by a mobile phone company? “You know, I thought that promotion like these were for people who live in major towns like Dar, Arusha, Mbeya, Tanga, Mwanza and the likes. Not for us who live so far away from the centre of attention.
“But they called again, on another day and asked if I had any document verifying that I am the real Elias Hamisi Mbamo. They wanted to be sure of that and I told them I did have them.
“Then came the day of reckoning. I was having a drink with my friends around town and the phone rang. I was told to go to the main bus stand area where the handover ceremony for the winners was to be held. “My Bajaj was brand new.
It was so new that even the oil was so light. It smelt of newness. I couldn’t believe that. It was at that moment that I believed I won it. Thanks to Tigo!” said Mbamo who is a civil servant. That was the day when his life changed.
After Tigo gave him the Bajaj, Mbamo is now a different man. He said he has not decided to do business with it because he fears whoever will be driving it, will not take a good care of it.
He said he now works as Ward Executive Secretary in Ng’ambo Ward, a famous area in Tabora Urban, which has made him to venture into his Bajaj business in a very unique way. “What I do now is do business during wedding ceremonies.
I get brides or grooms who want to use my Bajaj during their weddings. In a very short time, I can get 10,000/-. After wedding, I can also take some people to their homes. So apart from the daily routine of earning 15,000/- per day it means more money.
Tigo has made me an entrepreneur. “Apart from making money, it has also given me transport to and from work. I am saving some money I was using to move here and there.
“I will give you a secret; I am now building my house. I am carrying a lot of my building materials in my Bajaj. Without it, it means I would have to pay transport costs. To be honest, I am better off now with my Tigo Bajaj, said Mbamo –a healthy looking man. Born on the fifth of November, 1966, in Ujiji town, Kigoma, Mbamo is married with two kids. He has a secondary education which enables him to do his government job properly.
On what he had learned after winning in Tigo’s promotion, Mbamo had one word of advice;” The difference between trying and not trying is Day and Night.” “You see, if there is a prize to be won and it doesn’t cost you a thing, go for it. How can you compare using 1000/- in your Tigo mobile phone and getting a Bajaj in return? “It is unthinkable. If you win, you win it big.
But even if you don’t, your money is still with you. The difference between a person who tries and the one who doesn’t is day and night. “My Tigo Bajaj brought happiness even to my co-workers.
They now have somebody in the office that can provide them with transport. Remember, our country is still poor and those with transport are very few. I also help some people who happen to walk past me when am driving.
I am lucky to be among the few who own a Bajaj,” he said. Mbamo is also advising people to have all the proper documents with them because they help in identifying the winners. Saying using simcards which are not registered is not good and that one has to have at least something to identify him or her. Mr William Mpinga said the promotion is meant to give a chance to all his customers regardless of where they are and Mbamo is proof to this. “We are not selective of whether the winner is a village or town dweller.
We are not picking men over women or wealthy over poor. It is an opportunity for all and that’s why we encourage our customers to participate fully,” he said. He said the promotion that started two months ago, has provided a total of more than 50 Bajaj to customers all over the country and there are still some few more to be dished out before the end of this month.
Source Tanzania Daily News
