Mwanza RC pushes for aggressive anti-illiteracy drive

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

The Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Dr James Msekela, has urged primary school committee members in the region to prepare themselves well for registration of Standard One pupils. He made the call to the committees when addressing a public rally to mark 'Adult Education Day' at regional level here over the weekend.

Speaking in his capacity also as the regional Adult Education Sensitization Committee Chairperson, Dr Msekela said the number of Std VII leavers in the region, over the last three years, had been on the rise and that the committees should handle the exercise efficiently.

Read full story in Daily News.

Gangsters go no rampage in Mwanza

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Damian Darius in Geita

Gangs of suspected armed bandits have put Geita district in Mwanza Region under siege, staging bold raids at the weekend injuring scores of people.

The latest raid on Friday occurred a few days after a fatal incident in which passenger vehicle was hijacked two days earlier at Lubala village in which a driver was shot dead and other victims robbed of personal items.

Mwanza regional police commander Jamal Rwambow said it is believed the same of the suspects are behind the growing crime rate in the area.

Read full story in The Citizen.

Mwanza RC's office under expansion

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

MWANZA has embarked on a multi-billion shilling project on the expansion of its Regional Commissioner's office block.

The work, undertaken by China Railway Jianchang Engineering Company Limited, will give a new look to the existing structure which was built during the colonial era.

It is one of a number of development projects to be implemented here during the current financial year. Others include rehabilitation of the Regional Administrative Secretary's (RAS) residential house.

Read full story in Daily News.

Ministry to revive literacy education broadcasting programmes

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training plans to resume its literacy education programmes on radio, through Mwanza's Adult Education Centre in an attempt to tackle problems of widespread illiteracy in the country.

An Acting Director of the Adult Education department, Mr Salum Mjagila, acknowledged here yesterday that the national literacy campaign for which Tanzania was reputed in 1970s is seriously dropping.

"For that reason the government has already devised a write-up project aimed at reviving the Adult Education Broadcasting programmes," he disclosed when greeting Mwanza City residents on 'Adult Education Day' marked in the city at the regional level.

Read full story in Daily News.

Thadeo named new Sports Director

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter

LEONARD Thadeo has been appointed the new Director of Sports in the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports effective September 1.

Before the appointment, Thadeo was the General Secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC). He takes over from Henry Ramadhani who has retired.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports yesterday said Thadeo, among other duties will be responsible to formulate and ensure smooth implementation of the national sports policy.

He is also expected to coordinate and evaluate the curriculum of the country’s sole sports college in Malya, Mwanza Region. Thadeo was born in 1962 in Ngara District, Kagera region.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from the University of Dar es Salaam which he attained in 1989 and has also attended various sports administration and technical courses.

Mwanza City to get World Bank support

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

IMPRESSED by the cleanliness of Mwanza City, the World Bank has pledged to support the council maintain the status.

The City Council Health Officer, Dr Danford Kamendya, said here yesterday that the support possibly will come through the bank’s arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

He, however, did not give details of the financial boost including the amount involved. This year Mwanza was pronounced for the third consecutive year, the ''cleanest" city on Tanzania Mainland.

Read full story in Daily News.

‘Mapanki’ trade benefits Mkolani residents

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

BUSINESS in skeletal remains of Nile Perch popularly known as ‘mapanki’ has improved the welfare of residents of Mkolani, Nyamagana District in Mwanza region.

The business has been booming after securing markets both within and outside Tanzania, the Secretary of the businessmen’s cooperative society, Mr Said Isandula, said.

Some 300 people engaging in the business, including those who have formed the co-operative society have managed to build homes, pay school fees and become self-reliant.

Read full story in Daily News.

Govt warns against invading sport grounds

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter

THE government has warned individuals and municipalities against selling and building on empty spaces preserved for sport activities.

The remark was made by the Minister for Information, Culture and Sports, George Mkuchika, yesterday during the commemoration of the National Sports Day at the Mnazi Mmoja grounds in Dar es Salaam.

Mkuchika said the tendency by few people who are driven with personal gains to misuse playing grounds, impedes the development of sports in the country.

He gave an example of Nyamagana Stadium in Mwanza, which was on the brink of being sold to an investor, but was rescued after good efforts from the ministry.

Read full story in Daily News.

TRA is yet to recover Sh14bn from US firm

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Polycarp Machira

Six months since the whistle blower revealed the tax evasion in Mwanza city, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) is yet to recover Sh14bn/- in tax arrears from Alstom Power Rentals Limited LLC, The Guardian on Sunday has learnt.

Last month TRA seized properties and bank accounts belonging to the American company that had been contracted to supply the Lake Zone with 40 megawatts of electricity.

Speaking to The Guardian on Sunday this week, the Director for Taxpayer Services and Education, Protas Mmanda, said that the assets (Electricity Power Generating Plant) have been held under walk-in-possession.

Read full story in Sunday Observer.

Revealed: The dark side of Mwanza street children

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Reinier Carabain


The scene is common and painfully familiar; a busy street lined with shops displaying the latest fashion of electronic equipment, well-dressed people going in and out, the sound of vehicles whizzing by, expensive cars, and the flash of neon lights.

At night, the city comes alive and urban life reaches its peak. But, in the background, children huddle in corners, or walk about aimlessly, dirty, disheveled - a pitiful sight.

Some are selling cigarettes, peddling lottery tickets or flowers; some are just loitering and others are asleep in city arcades.

Read full story in Sunday Observer.

Historical Nyamagana in dire need for repairs

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JOHN NCHIMBI

If you take a glimpse of the current state of Nyamagana Stadium in Mwanza Region, you will not believe that in the early 1970s it hosted teams like Sunderland and West Bromwich from England. Legend has it that the now desolate stadium with shattered perimeter walls and only one small ramshackle pavilion was an ideal field for international matches.

Nyamagana is a Sukuma word which means scattered pieces. It is said during the time when Tanzanians were fighting for their independence people used to convene meetings at the venue. And on one fateful day, colonialists reportedly lobbed a bomb into the crowd and killed scores of people whose parts scattered allover the place and hence Nyamagana (meaning pieces scattered everywhere).

Read full story in Daily News.

Mwanza sport status eroded

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JOHN NCHIMBI

FAMOUSLY known as amountainous city and a region with plenty of cheap fish, Mwanza has also been remarkable over the past years for hosting a couple of big sports events.

The region successfully hosted the East and Central Africa amateur boxing tournament last year but its reputation as a sport icon city is suffering threats from the waves of modernization and expansion.

Shortage of space to construct skyscrapers and five-star hotels is forcing Mwanza City Council to sacrifice playing grounds and fields in the name of modernization which is injurious to the development of sports.

Read full story in Daily News.

Vaccination campaign successful in Mwanza

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

A total of 1,767,480 children aged under five years have been vaccinated against measles and given Vitamin A and de-worming drugs in Mwanza Region, surpassing the target of 1,699,448.

Briefing the press here yesterday on the national vaccination campaign, held here from 30 August to September 1, Acting Regional Medical Officer, Dr William Wayalla described this year's performance as 'highly satisfactory'. He said 1,095,270 children had measles jabs, Vitamin A was administered to 92,026 children while 577,184 others had de-worming drugs in all eight districts of the region.

Read full story in Daily News.

Ex-CCM chairman writes after brush with death

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Patty Magubira in Mwanza

A survivor of the Lake Victoria boat accident in which former Cabinet minister Anthony Diallo and nine others narrowly escaped has written a book on their experience. Mr Pius Ngeze, former Kagera CCM regional chairman, was in the ill-fated boat that capsized in May last year.

He says he learnt the folly of allowing banned vessels from operating, putting the lives of people using them in danger. In his book, he says the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) banned the said vessel from operating in 2005.

Read full story in The Citizen.

Over 20 coaches arrive from India for cozier TRL trips

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By GODWIN MYOVELA


Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) yesterday received 23 passenger coaches from India to be in use by October 15 this year. TRL Managing Director, Mr Narasimhaswami Jayaram, said in Dar es Salaam that the coaches would be used for Kigoma and Mwanza routes.

“We expect to finish offloading the coaches by next week and after going through customs clearance there will be commissioning examinations that will be conducted in collaboration with a technical team from India,” he said.

Read full story in Daily News.

Fire destroys 100 huts at fishing camp

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Patty Magubira in Mwanza

Fire has razed over 100 shelters of fishermen on a Lake Victoria island in Sengerema District, police confirmed yesterday.

Mwanza regional police commander Jamal Rwambow said cause of the fire is yet to be established, as police officers deployed to the island to assess the situation were yet to present their report.

"Sengerema officer commanding of the district called me this morning (yesterday) to inform me of the inferno, saying he was heading to the island," Mr Rwambow said.

Scores of grass thatched shelters were reduced to ashes at the camp, adding that no life was lost.

Read full story in The Citizen.

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Correspondent Felister Peter and agencies

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have condemned the killing of albinos, vowing to support local efforts to protect them.

The parliamentarians said in a recent press statement that the killings were socially and morally unacceptable and called on academics, religious leaders and human rights' activists to address the problem.

The statement said that the Parliament was shocked at reports that a number of albinos had been killed in Tanzania, addding that, reports confirmed by the government showed that at least 25 albinos, including children, were killed and mutilated since March this year in the Lake Zone.

Read full story in The Guardian.

Three ATCL planes grounded

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By CHARLES KIZIGHA

Three out of five Air Tanzania Company's Limited (ATCL) planes have been grounded due to major technical faults, a factor which has disrupted its domestic schedules. Sources within ATCL's told the 'Daily News' yesterday that the planes have been grounded at different airports in the country.

They said that the national flag carrier was now operating with an Air Bus and a Boeing 737 which are also due for major maintenance and overhauling termed "check C". The sources said that it would take several days for the three planes to be airborne, particularly the Boeing 737 which needed an engine change.

A Boeing 737 is stuck at Mwanza Airport and one of the two Dash 8 Q300 aircraft is grounded at Zanzibar International Airport, while the other at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam. Sources said that the Boeing 737 required engine change which had already been ordered from the lessee, who was in turn scouting for one in various markets.

Read full story in Daily News.

Raila calls for stronger EAC Community

From Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Nairobi, KENYA
By Nicholas Kigondu

Prime minister Raila Odinga has called for a stronger East African community to reinforce the region's economic capacity.

Speaking in Mwanza during a dinner ceremony, Raila said larger regional blocs have led to flourishing economies in other parts of the world.

A host of stumbling blocs among the East African community member nations have over the years challenged the vision to actualize the dream of a single united East African federation.

But speaking during a 3-day tour in Tanzania, Prime minister Raila Odinga called on the member countries to unite for a common cause to steer the region forward.

With a total population of over 100 million people and a common language Swahili Raila said the region's trading strength is evident.

And with smaller countries in other parts of the world forming larger trading blocs, the Prime ministers call couldn't have been more timely.

PM tours Tanzania

From Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Nairobi, KENYA
By Emmanuel Kola

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is in Mwanza, Tanzania for a three day tour to attend the 1st Anniversary Memorial Service for John Pombe, the father of Tanzania's Fisheries Minister John Magafuli.

Raila is accompanied by his wife Ida Odinga, East Africa Cooperation Minister Amason Kingi, Lands Minister James Orengo and Fisheries Minister Paul Otuoma.

Tanzania's former President Benjamin Mkapa will also join the late Pombe's family and friends for the service.

Read full story from Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

Misungwi faces water shortages

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
JACOB KAMBILI in Misungwi

MISUNGWI District in Mwanza Region is, for the first time in the district's history, facing a severe water crisis. The Minister for Water and Irrigation, Prof. Mark Mwandosya, has directed the district’s executives to implement an emergency project.

Initial funds to the tune of 1.2bn/- are required for rehabilitation work on an existing water supply network. The rehabilitation, which is likely to take five months, will relieve about 30,000 people of the severe shortages of water.

Read full story in Daily News.

Volleyball tourney attracts six

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Faustine Feliciane

Six regions have confirmed to send their teams in the national volleyball championship set to start on September 16 in Moshi.

The Tanzania Amateur Volleyball Association (Tava) assistant secretary-general, George John named the regions as Mwanza, Morogoro, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Kigoma.

He appealed for other regions to confirm as earlier as possible so as to give them rooms to draw the fixtures. John said the four-day tournament would end on September 20.

Source: The Guardian.

Lake fall to Nsumba in Schools basketball

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam
By JAPHETH KAZENGA

NSUMBA Secondary School bounced back to winning ways in the Moil Inter-Secondary Schools basketball league with 52-26 victory over Lake at CCM-Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza on Tuesday.

Nsumba narrowly lost to Mwanza Secondary School in the opening match held at the same venue on Monday.

The tournament’s coordinator Kizito Bahati told THISDAY from Mwanza yesterday that Nsumba, who controlled the proceedings for the better part of the game, took an 18-11 lead at half time.

Nsumba continued to keep their opponents under pressure during the third and last quarters, widening the margin at every opportunity.

Read full story in THISDAY.

Over 1000 cyclists to compete in Mwanza

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter

Over 1000 cyclists from across the country are expected to compete in this year’s National Cycling competition scheduled for Mwanza on October 19. The event dubbed ‘Vodacom Open Cycling Championships’ is sponsored by Vodacom Tanzania, who dished out some 40m/-.

Three top winners will represent the country in the East and Central Africa championships later this year. Cyclists Association of Tanzania (CAT) Chairman Nazir Manji said the association decided to stage the event in Mwanza because they wanted to capitalise on the abundant talent available in the Lake Zone region.

Read full story in Daily News.

Precision Air slashes business class fares by 12 %

From IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Edwin Agola

Domestic airline Precision Air has introduced a special business class fare for the Dar es Salaam to Mwanza route with effect from end of last month.

Abduel Elinaza, corporate and communications manager for Precision Air said Monday that a business class fares for the Dar-Mwanza route would now pay only 316,000/- down from 344,000/- for a return ticket.

"The offer was set to allow passengers experience traveling in the more luxurious business class of the Boeing 737-300 at a reduced cost" he said.

Read full story in The Guardian.

Stadium set to be fenced

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Paulina David in Mwanza

The Nyamagana District Football Association is soliciting for funds to build a perimeter wall around Nyamagana Stadium in Mwanza. The move comes hardly two months after Mwanza City Council rescinded its decision to privatize the stadium following a directive by Information, Culture and Sports minister George Mkuchika.

The city fathers had earlier resolved to sell the stadium to a private investor for $20 million (about Sh24 billion) to allow him put up a tourist hotel and an indoor sports complex.

Read full story in The Citizen.

TCAA to hire 15 air traffic controllers

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Bethuel Kinyori

The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) will recruit 15 air traffic controllers this month. It is part of a drive to address the authority's personnel requirements. TCAA public relations officer Abel Ngapemba told The Citizen in Dar es Salaam that the recruitment would partly be aimed at preparing the new employees to replace those nearing retirement.

After the recruitment, the successful candidates will undergo training for two and a half years.

The last such recruitment was undertaken in 2006.Tanzania has 95 air traffic management officers (ATMOs). According to Mr Ngapemba, the number is sufficient in the prevailing national aerospace requirements.

Most of them are based in Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Mwanza where the country's major airports are.

Read full story in The Citizen.

Newton group finds challenging mission in Africa

From Newton Daily News, Newton, Iowa, United States
By JOHN JENNINGS NDN Staff Writer

When 22 members of the First Lutheran Church in Newton made a commitment to travel to Tanzania for a building project, the work that was waiting for them was not what they were expecting.

The First Lutheran Church had been working with a missionary couple in Tanzania, Paula and Dr. Dennis Lofstrom. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, East Lake Victoria Diocese, had asked the Lofstroms to help build a medical clinic there, and gave the building to the church for that purpose.

The vision was to construct an eye clinic on the medical clinic campus, because the area is much in need of critical eyecare. The local tribal people believe in witchcraft, and red eyes are a sign that someone is practicing witchcraft. Unfortunately, for many of the elderly women of the area, who tend to the fires, their use of dung for burning because of the scarcity of firewood, turns their eyes red, and they are at risk of being killed. In addition, many believe there is no cure for cataracts, so surgery has never been an option.
The Newton First Lutheran Church and one in Overland Park, Kan. began raising funds to build the eye clinic on the health center campus in Mwanza.

Read full story in Newton Daily News.

Oregon hospital, African nurses benefit from exchange

From Catholic Sentinel, Portland, Oregon, United States
By Ed Langlois

At bustling Bugando Hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania, nurses need nerves of steel. They handle problems like spear wounds, a man who drank battery acid in a suicide attempt, flesh scorched by burning garbage and a lad whose throat was slit by a machete.

Now, these talented and salty healthcare pros from East Africa are getting a chance to modernize their intensive care training and know-how, thanks to a program offered 10,000 miles away at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

The city of Mwanza and surrounding villages are home to about 800,000 people. Teams from Providence St. Vincent have been going there for several years to provide services and train Tanzanian staff. In 2005, Oregon nurses Deby Reilly and Pat Perry trekked to Mwanza to teach at Bugando Hospital’s new intensive care unit.

Read full story in Catholic Sentinel.

Azania Bank opens new branch in Mwanza

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By Daily News Correspondent

Azania Bank Limited has opened a new branch in Mwanza, raising the number of its branches to five in the country. The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Charles Singili, said at the opening ceremony that that bank’s capital has grown from 708.7m/- in 2000 to 7.8bn/- in December last year.

The new branch is located on the Nkrumah street in the lake Victoria Port city. He said, the bank which was formerly known as First Adili and later Azania Bancorp, has seen cash deposits growing from 3bn/- to 68.5bn/- between 2003 and last December.

Read full story in Daily News.

Mwanza residents resolve to solve school problems

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

Isamilo Ward Community, in the municipality of Mwanza, has decided to contribute material and financial support to Isamilo Primary School in order to ease some of the problems that beset the school and improve the quality of education.

Several parents, guardians and the general public made the resolution at a meeting which was convened here by the school's committee, to discuss measures to be taken in order to restore the school’s past glory.

Read full story in Daily News.

Obstetric fistula rife on Ukerewe islands

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By JACOB KAMBILI in Mwanza

At least 25 cases of pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, arising from prolonged and obstructed labour, have been reported in Ukerewe District amid growing fears that the problem could escalate if remedial measures are not taken promptly. The concern over the complications, known medically as 'obstetric fistula', is contained in a report compiled by Utu Mwanamke, a women's rights organization, which visited the district recently.

Acknowledging the increase in the prevalence of fistula cases among young pregnant women, the organzation's Planning Officer, Ms Anne Sawaka, attributed the problem to a lack of reproductive health education and a serious shortage of health workers. She said Ukerewe District (in Mwanza Region), whose territory also comprises a further 38 smaller islands, faces a severe shortage of trained midwife nurses and other health workers.

Read full story in Daily News.