Monday 18 February 2008

Dar resumes rail freight services on central line

From The East African, Dar es Salaam
By CHRISTINE AFANDI

Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) has resumed freight services on the central line from Dar es Salaam to upcountry stations after restoring vandalised sections of the track at a cost of $2 million.

The Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Tabora and Kigoma route forms the central line of the country’s railway system and runs just about the middle of the country.

The services resumed on February 5 from Dar es Salaam port/Ilala via Mwanza, Kigoma and on to Isaka in the country’s northwest.

Hassan Shaaban, principal commercial manager of TRL, told The EastAfrican in Dar es Salaam that the freight services, which will use containers as well as covered and open wagons, will initially be limited.

Read more:
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Business/biz1802200810.htm

Friday 8 February 2008

Cabinet dissolved

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Angel Navuri, Dodoma

President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has dissolved the cabinet, a terse State House press release said yesterday. The move follows Premier Edward Lowassa`s resignation yesterday, which the President had accepted.

Earlier, Lowassa had told the National Assembly that he had tendered his resignation to the President, hardly a day after a damning report of a parliamentary select committee implicated him in the Richmond scandal.

Lowassa told the House that due to the fact that he had been linked to the allegations, he had asked the President to allow him to step down.

Read more:
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/02/08/107959.html


RECENT UPDATES on the issue:

http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/02/15/108433.html

Thursday 7 February 2008

Crisis Ripple Effects Felt Across the Region

From UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, Nairobi

Unrest in Kenya threatens humanitarian and commercial operations throughout the Great Lakes region, potentially affecting more than 100 million lives, according to analysts.

Southern Sudan, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have experienced shortages of fuel and other essential supplies because of insecurity along the Kenyan section of the Northern Corridor, one of the most important transport routes in Africa. It runs from the Kenyan port of Mombasa westwards through Uganda and the Great Lakes.

Among aid agencies, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) faces the greatest challenge, feeding seven million vulnerable people in East Africa and the Great Lakes.

Read more:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802060705.html

Monday 4 February 2008

Witch killings among the Sukuma

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Simeon Mesaki

Witchcraft is intrinsic to the Sukuma system of belief and way of life. It is rooted in their whole system of knowledge and morality.

The Sukuma recognise various types of witchcraft, which are always thought of as deliberately planned.

The most prevalent and most feared form involves the insertion of poison, i.e. harmful medicines (bulisiwa) into food and drink as DR. Simeon Mesaki explains.

Bupandya is another notorious variety of witchcraft, which involves placing harmful substances where an intended victim will come into contact with, road or paths.

Read more:
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/observer/2008/02/03/107606.html


Friday 1 February 2008

Standing on the roof of Africa

From VITAL, UK
By nature.com


Chichester based dental charity Bridge2Aid, which works in Mwanza, Tanzania, took 38 brave individuals to Africa recently to scale the heights of the famous 5,895 metre high Mount Kilimanjaro.

The 38 climbers, ranging in age from 18-65, have raised over £40,000 for the charity, which is vital to support their ongoing dental and social care programmes. Fundraising events organised by participants ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. 'People stretched their imaginations to the limit on our behalf – they organised curry nights, murder mystery parties and even went to work in fancy dress!' said Operations Director Mark Topley. 'We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and achievement of those taking part.'

Read more:
http://www.nature.com/vital/journal/v4/n4/full/vital674.html