Sunday 30 September 2007

Kigali - Dar railway in pipeline

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By PREMI KIBANGA in New York

TANZANIA and Rwanda will cooperate in constructing and expanding railway from Kigali to Isaka and from Isaka to Dar es Salaam.

President Jakaya Kikwete and his Rwandan counterpart, Mr Paul Kagame reached that decision on Thursday in New York after they had held talks.

“It is our responsibility to construct a railway line from Rwanda to Tanzania, it is imperative that we do that”, said Mr Kikwete.

He further said that after the construction of the railway line it would then be easy to connect it from Isaka to Mwanza and later Morogoro-Mikumi to Mrimba.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8885

Friday 28 September 2007

Lowassa blasts District Commissioner

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JOHN KULEKANA, Mwanza

THE Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa, yesterday rejected the Nyamagana District development report, saying it had false information.

“This is the worst report I have ever seen since becoming Prime Minister. It is a shame and in my opinion there is no leadership here,” Mr Lowassa told the District Commissioner, Mr Peter Madaha.

The prime minister is on a week-long tour of Mwanza region. The premier disagreed with the report on secondary school progress in the district. Pressed, the DC disowned the report saying education officials had misled him.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8855

Cotton fetches record price

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JOHN KULEKANA, Mwanza

PRODUCER price of cotton in Mwanza Region has reached 550/- a kilogramme, registering the all time record for the crop.

Mwanza Regional Commissioner James Msekela attributed the trend to fierce competition among buyers since the beginning of the crop buying season on June 25, this year.

“We are happy 26 cotton buyers were registered this season. At the beginning the price was 350/- a kilogramme, but it later peaked at 550/- a kilogramme,” he said.

The regional commissioner was briefing the Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa, who is on his eight-day tour of Mwanza Region.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8802

Thursday 27 September 2007

New VISA fee for American citizens

From Mwanza Guide 'online'
By Hans Kristoffersen, editor

With effect from September 20, 2007 the visa fee for the American citizens travelling to Tanzania shall be US$ 100.

The new visa fee shall apply for single, double and multiple entries. The changes have effect to American passport holders only - and not for any other nationality.

Read more:
http://www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org/visa/visa.html



PM concerned over growing number of orphans

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By PATI MAGUBIRA in Magu

THE Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa, has expressed concern over the growing number of orphans in the country and called for concerted efforts in supporting them.

Mr Lowassa said in Magu District on Tuesday that many of the orphans included those who lost one or both of their parents to the dreaded HIV/AIDS.

The premier said the growth in the number of orphans could be effectively curbed through prevention of further spread of HIV/AIDS.

Earlier last week, Mwanza Regional authorities had told the premier that HIV infection prevalence in some parts of the region, especially among the fishing communities, was as high as 30 per cent.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8851

Wednesday 26 September 2007

Cotton fetches record price

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JOHN KULEKANA, Mwanza

PRODUCER price of cotton in Mwanza Region has reached 550/- a kilogramme, registering the all time record for the crop.

Mwanza Regional Commissioner James Msekela attributed the trend to fierce competition among buyers since the beginning of the crop buying season on June 25, this year.

“We are happy 26 cotton buyers were registered this season. At the beginning the price was 350/- a kilogramme, but it later peaked at 550/- a kilogramme,” he said.

The regional commissioner was briefing the Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa, who is on his eight-day tour of Mwanza Region.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8802

Tuesday 25 September 2007

Mwanza City commuter bus `chairman` arrested

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By George Ramadhan, PST, Mwanza

The police in Mwanza Region have arrested the Chairman of the unregistered Transport Stakeholders Association in the region, Julius Malesi, for allegedly inciting a strike of commuter buses in the city, which took place on Friday.

As Malesi was being held for questioning last Saturday, the strike had been called off and services resumed.

When contacted by PST over the phone, Malesi said he had been arrested for the offence he did not know.

At the same time, the regional authorities in Mwanza Region called on commuter bus operators to continue rendering services to the public as per the agreement struck between the parties involved in transportation in the city and the region in general.

Read more:
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2007/09/25/99090.html

Monday 24 September 2007

Mwanza CCM members urged to promote solidarity

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
JOHN KULEKANA in Mwanza

MEMBERS of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in Mwanza Region have been urged to forget difference that existed before the party’s district and regional polls held earlier this month.

“We all know there were groups supporting different candidates at that time. “Now the elections are over. The results should be regarded as part and parcel of any democratic process.

Let us unite and work in solidarity,” Mwanza Regional CCM Chairman Clemence Mabina repeatedly said at different rallies.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8796

Sunday 23 September 2007

PM lays foundation stone for Nyakato Hospital

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter in Mwanza

PRIME Minister Edward Lowassa yesterday laid the foundation stone for a 5bn/- Nyakato Hospital in Ilemela District, Mwanza Region.

Bishop Nehemia Bomani of the Eastern Lake Victoria Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) said most of the funds have already been secure and construction was underway.

He said under the project at least eight maternal and labour wards would be built.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8772

Saturday 22 September 2007

Mwanza Airport to cater for CHOGM delegates

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By Pati Magubira, Mwanza

MWANZA Airport will be ready for use by high profile delegates to the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Uganda in November, after completion of some rehabilitation work, it was said here yesterday.

“A new parking bay for at least 20 business class jets will be ready in November,” Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA) Chief Executive Officer Prosper Tesha told the Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa at the beginning of his eight-day tour of the region.

Mr Tesha said the construction of the new parkiang bay was part of the 14-million US-dollar in the first phase rehabilitation and expansion of Mwanza Airport .

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8769

HIV infection in Lake Victoria islands alarming

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JOHN KULEKANA in Mwanza

HIV infection in some parts of Mwanza Region is as high as 30 per cent, it was announced here yesterday.

Mwanza Regional Commissioner James Msekela said the reports are in deed alarming. “We are really worried with those statistics, ” Dr Msekela said in a report to the Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa, at the start of the eight-day tour of the region.

Dr Msekela said the most affected were fishing communities in islands and islets on the Lake Victoria.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8770

Entrepreneurs share 1.821bn/- from JK fund

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
DAILY NEWS Reporter in Mwanza

ENTREPRENEURS in Mwanza Region have received over 1.821bn/- loans under the national economic empowerment scheme, the Minister for Labour, Youth Development and Employment, Mr John Chiligati, said here yesterday.Minister Chiligati told the Prime Minister 1,068 entrepreneurs who included members of Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS) and individuals benefited from the scheme, popularly known as “JK’s billions.”

Mr Chiligati said the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) disbursed 1.177bn/- to the entrepreneurs, while the CRDB Bank issued loans worth 644.4m/- under the scheme.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8771

Friday 21 September 2007

SPORTS NEWS: Toto, Serengeti Breweries seal 150m/- deal

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter

NEWLY promoted Toto African FC has signed a 150m/- deal with Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) in which the brewers will sponsor the Mwanza team in the Vodacom Premier League this season.

SBL Director of Sales and Marketing Shantanu Chitgopkar said yesterday that the contract would runs for three years.

Chitgopkar said the sponsorship aimed at supporting the team to compete effectively in the league. He said the package would cover sports kit, allowances, transport and other administrative costs.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8752

Thursday 20 September 2007

Four children clubbed to death

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Emmanuel Chacha, Mwanza

Four children of the same family were on Tuesday clubbed to death by unidentified people as they slept in their house at Igumagombo in Kwimba District, Mwanza Region Mwanza Regional Police Commander Zelothe Stephen said yesterday that the children were left alone in the house after their mother, Mektrida Anthony, went to a neighbouring village to take part in a traditional dance.

The father, Daudi Lusindiga, was in his second wife`s house kilometers away as the children were murdered.

The RPC said the murderers invaded the children`s hut and clubbed them to death one after another before disappearing without trace.

Read more:
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2007/09/20/98758.html

Teachers caught cheating in exams

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporters

POLICE in Mwanza and Shinyanga regions are holding six primary school teachers allegedly for misconduct and writing papers on behalf of candidates during the just-ended national Standard seven national examinations.

Four primary teachers are being questioned in Mwanza and two are in police custody in Shinyanga.

Mwanza Regional Police Commander, Zelothe Stephen, said the teachers had locked themselves in a room of a house near a school from where they copied answers to another piece of paper.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8732

Monday 17 September 2007

Mwanza bus operators resist new fares

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By PATI MAGUBIRA in Mwanza

ABOUT half of over 800 city buses operators here have given newly introduced routes and fares a cold shoulder, contending that they were neither involved in, nor given sufficient time to comply with the changes.

They agreed with the long routes' idea, they said, arguing, however, that the fares don't tally with the routes and that groundwork was required before adhering to the routes.

The Zonal Transport Inspector of the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA), Mr Alfred Waryana, nonetheless, maintained yesterday that the long routes would push through as scheduled and that state organs were directed to enforce the routes effective mid next week.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8684

TRL to overhaul central railway line

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By TITUS KAGUO

TANZANIA Railways Limited (TRL) plans to overhaul 645-kilometre central railway system, by replacing new 80 pounds trunks that will create standard weight and width for all central rails from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza and Kigoma.

The TRL's Managing Director, Mr Narasimhaswami Jayaram, told the 'Daily News' over the weekend that currently TRC's rail system has different weight and width which needs replacement of 80 trunks rail to form uniform standard.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8691

Friday 14 September 2007

Tanzanian Royalty Begins Drilling at Itetemia Gold Project

From The Earthtimes, Vancouver, Canada

PressRelease

The Company is pleased to announce that a drilling program has commenced on its Itetemia Gold Project in the Lake Victoria Greenstone Belt of Tanzania.

The Itetemia property is located some 90 kilometers southwest of Mwanza adjacent to Barrick's Bulyanhulu Mine property, one of the largest underground gold producers in the world. Itetemia is currently the subject of an option agreement with a private United Kingdom based company, Sloane Developments Ltd. which can earn a percentage interest in prospecting licenses aggregating 54 square kilometres.

The drill program will include at least 2,000 metres of Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling and 3,000 metres of infill diamond drilling which is designed to improve the confidence level of the gold grades encountered in previous drill programs within the Golden Horseshoe Reef (GHR) down to the 200 metre level.

Read more:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,177668.shtml

Thursday 13 September 2007

Transport woes frustrate Lake zone progress

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By PATI MAGUBIRA in Mwanza

MARINE transport hitches undermine socio-economic development in the Lake Zone, the Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Dr James Alex Msekela, said here yesterday.

Dr Msekela said unreliable transport on the lake was also making the government's dream of turning Mwanza into the Great Lakes hub an uphill task.

He challenged Marine Services Company (MSC) Limited to boost and avail its services at reasonable charges for residents in the zone to effectively utilize the world's second largest freshwater body.

"Increased transport services on the lake will also create employment opportunities," he said, advising the parastatal to consider paying its staff, particularly captains, handsomely to avert brain drain.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8614

Wednesday 12 September 2007

One killed as cops foil robberies

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By PATI MAGUBIRA in Mwanza

POLICE have foiled two robbery attempts that were to take place in Mwanza and Shinyanga regions, the Mwanza Regional Police Commander, Mr Zelothe Stephen, revealed here yesterday.

Mr Stephen said police acting on a tip-off from law abiding citizens, nibbed in the bud the missions by four bandits from Bunda district in Mara region at the weekend. The bandits were arrested just as they were returning from a traditional healer at Igoma in Mwanza to get good omen charms that would have enabled them to carry out the robberies without being arrested.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8605

Tuesday 11 September 2007

MISS TANZANIA 2007: Debating race and national identity

From Global Voices Online
By J. Nambiza Tungaraza

“It’s sad that people have raised such an issue. I don’t see why they should, because I am not the only Asian born in this Country. In fact both my parents were born here in Tanzania. My mother in Pemba and my father in Morogoro. I was born here in Dar and grew up in Mwanza so what does that make me?
Definitely not an American nor a British not even an Indian. I am proudly Tanzanian and I know no other country but Tanzania. May be I am Afro Indian (Indo-African) but I am still a born Tanzanian.”

Those are the words of Richa Adhia in an interview with Bongo Celebrity blog soon after she was crowned as the Vodacom Miss Tanzania 2007.

Richa’s victory has attracted criticism from some members of public and has ignited a national identity debate in the Swahili blogosphere. Those who embrace Tanzania’s cultural and racial diversity have endorsed Richa wholeheartedly. And on the other hand those who perceive ‘blackness’ as the crucial ingredient of Tanzanian national image, are questioning if a Tanzanian of Asian background can really represent Tanzania or whether she qualifies to become a symbol of Tanzanian beauty.

Read more:

http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/09/11/swahili-blogosphere-debating-race-and-national-identity/



Monday 10 September 2007

$240m historic bailout for Tanesco

From The EastAfrican, Nairobi, Kenya
JOSEPH MWAMUNYANGE reports

Alstom Power Rentals, from the US, will instal a power plant in Mwanza by the end of the year to generate 40MW.

History was made in Tanzania when a syndicate of the country’s own local commercial banks and pension funds raised a massive $240 million to fund the recovery of the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) in a deal that has illustrated just how deep the country’s capital markets have become.

It is the single largest corporate finance deal ever in East Africa -bigger even than the KenGen IPO in Kenya in 2004 and far surpassing Safaricom’s Ksh12 billion ($179 million) bond issue of 2005 in Kenya.

Arranged by Stanbic Tanzania Ltd, the six-year loan amortises after two years and has a government guarantee.

Read more:
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News0910071.htm




Sunday 9 September 2007

Rites finally takes driver’s wheel at TRL

From The EastAfrican, Nairobi, Kenya
By J. MWAMUNYANGE

Rites Consortium of India has finally taken over the running of the Tanzania Railways Ltd (TRL) on a 25-year lease after months of protracted talks between the group and the government.

However, the deal comes with several conditions including a moratorium on fare increases for the third class category -popular with passengers -and the investment of a $121 million in infrastructure over the next five years.

According to the agreement, a copy of which The EastAfrican has seen, $34 million will come from the sponsors while $77 million will come from the World Bank through the International Development Agency (IDA) -$33 million; and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) - $44 million.

TRL will be free to establish and revise tariffs with the exception of the third-class passenger fares.

Read more:
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Business/Business0910079.htm

Wednesday 5 September 2007

Lake zone leads in piracy, says PATA

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By MASEMBE TAMBWE

PERIODIC inspections conducted by the Publishers Association of Tanzania (PATA) have revealed that the Lake Zone regions have the greater magnitude of piracy in the country.

Speaking to the 'Daily News' at the ongoing National Book Festival in the city yesterday, the PATA Trade Promotions Officer, Mr Matoha Dumea, said that they drew to conclusion from inspections done between 2001 and 2005.

Mr Dumea said that probable reasons for this trend were due to a readily available market and the availability of many publishing companies in Dar es Salaam.

He added that piracy in the publishing industry was increasingly alarming to the point where a number of associations had ran bankrupt because their books were reprinted even before the actual company had reached the market.

Read more:
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=8493


Tuesday 4 September 2007

Step up war on dumping, counterfeits, govt told

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Felix Andrew

The government has been advised to take stringent measures against people found selling counterfeit products currently on the increase and threatening to retard the country`s development.

This was said at the weekend in Dar es Salaam by some city residents at a grand promotion conducted by Motorola Corporation which opened shop which would be selling Motorola products.

They said Tanzania had been a dumping site of counterfeit and substandard products and urged the government to take measures against people found involved in the business.

"We have various government authorities such as Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) and Customs, all of which could assist bring the situation under control," said Juma Mkusa, a city resident.

Read more:
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2007/09/04/97680.html

Sunday 2 September 2007

Kenyans for CDF Open golf tourney

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Hamis Kaffana

Nine Kenyans are among foreign golfers participating in an annual Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Open golf tournament which began yesterday at the Lugalo T.P.D.F golf course.

TPDF`s Golf Captain, Joseph Kitani said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the tournament involving 18-hole stroke play is open for both men and women. He said the tournament would also feature Ugandans who are yet to arrive.

Kitani said foreigners would start to play today after the locals` meet. He named the participating Kenyans as Anthony Njoroge, Dick Omondi, Wambughu Waghichohi, Victor Onyango, Peter Muchiri, Martin Ombura, Walui Mwangi, Jesse Mwangi and Tonny Mwangi.

Local golfers have been drawn from ten regional clubs which are Moshi, Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Mwanza and Iringa.

Read more:
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/observer/2007/09/02/97554.html