Wednesday 30 December 2009

Mobile phone dealer to open six branches

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Victor Karega

A dealer in mobile phones and accessories will open branches in Morogoro, Arusha, Mbeya, Mwanza, Iringa and Zanzibar.

Delta Communications hopes the expansion will enable it to serve more people, its communications and marketing manager Francisca Francis told The Citizen.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Sunday 27 December 2009

Journalist Attacked

From The Botswana Gazette, Gaborone, Botswana
By The Editor

The Mwananchi Communications Journalist in Mwanza region, Fredrick Katulanda (32) has been attacked by unknown people who thought to be gangsters, on 22 December 2009.

According to The Citizen newspaper, also published by Mwananchi Communications, the incident occurred just after midnight when five un-identified people broke into his house at Buhongwa Nyamatala on the outskirts of Mwanza City, and demanded that he hands over his document he had received from a source on the evening of 21 December 2009.

According to the newspaper, Katulanda had been chasing a story on funds that had been stolen from a government institution’s account with one of commercial banks in the city. In his process he managed to get hold of the bank statement at around 7pm on 21 December 2009.

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A/H1N1 flue cases reach 737 in Tanzania

From China View, Beijing, China

Positive A/H1N1 flue cases in Tanzania have reached 737 since the first case was reported in early July this year, Tanzanian senior medical official said.

Out of the above cases, 45 are fresh and quarantined at a special camp in Mwanza Region in northwest Tanzania, the Tanzanian Sunday News quoted Chief Medical Officer Deogratius Mtasiwa as saying.

Mtasiwa said the fresh patients are all inmates at Butimba Prison, who are under close monitoring and medical care.

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Saturday 19 December 2009

Kikwete Hopeful for Action On Climate Change, Optimistic On Africa's Future

From All Africa, Dar es Salaam

INTERVIEW:
Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete recently sat down for an hour-long interview with AllAfrica's Reed Kramer and Tami Hultman at State House in Dar es Salaam. In the wide-ranging conversation, he addressed issues of health, education, corruption, food security, regional integration, civil society and economic growth. Here are President Kikwete's observations, beginning with climate change.

What are you doing along with other African leaders, to make a difference on climate change?

First, let me express my deepest appreciation that there is now a greater awareness of the whole issue of climate change than there was in the past.

Read full interview >> - click on the headline.

Thursday 17 December 2009

RC orders miners out of Mwanza site

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

Small-scale miners will be evicted from the Mwanangwa diamond mine to pave the way for a large-scale investor, the Mwanza regional commissioner, Mr Abbas Kandoro has said.

He told the Mwanza Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) meeting here that a fresh arrangement was being made for them to secure an alternative mine in which to operate.

They were evicted a fortnight ago as a precaution against the swine flu outbreak in the area. They, however refused to vacate the mine unless the large-scale investor and his workers were also evicted.

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Sunday 13 December 2009

Mystery over refinery construction deal

From The East African, Dar es Salaam
By JOINT REPORT

Mystery surrounds the status of a firm granted a contract to construct $3.5 billion refinery plant on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam in 2005.

At that time of signing the deal — described by then planning minister Dr Juma Ngasongwa as “the largest single investment to take place in our country since independence’’ — Noor Oil and Industrial Technology was reported to be registered in Qatar.

It has since emerged that it was registered in the United States in 2006.

Noor Oil is currently incorporated under the laws of the State of California.

According to the company’s website, it leads a consortium whose members are Noor Oil & Industrial Technology Inc, OAO Stroytransgaz, 000 Prometey/ Sakneftegazstroy, Roneg AG, and Russia Union of Oil.

This newspaper has also been informed that Noor Oil has been given two parcels of land at Kisiju in Mkuranga district of Coast Region to build a refinery plant with a capacity to process 10,000,000 tonnes of crude oil per annum.

The company also intends to build an oil pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza and Kigoma.

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Saturday 12 December 2009

Dar institute to produce GM cassava


From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Al-amani Mutarubukwa

The Mikocheni Agriculture Research Institute will produce disease-resistant genetically modified cassava varieties.

Without specifically saying when they will be produced, researcher Joseph Ndunguru said the varieties would be resistant to cassava brown streak and mosaic diseases, which are reportedly threatening food security in Ukerewe, Mwanza.

He was speaking during a forum for agricultural science and technologies in Dar es Salaam. He said previous traditional ways to fight the diseases had little success.

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Read about GM Food (copy and paste URL): http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/

Thursday 10 December 2009

Security guards go five years without job contract

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporter, Mwanza

Over 50 employees of Bulwark Security Guard have been working without any formal employment contracts with their employer for five years, it has been learnt.

The security guards have been serving as labourers for all the five years without being provided with identity cards.

They have sometimes been assigned to do other activities out of their employment scope like cleaning over 200 residential houses at Kiseke area in Mwanza.

Read full Story >> - click on the headline.

Monday 7 December 2009

Business rivalry turns nasty as supplier receives threats

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

Some suppliers of goods and services to a gold mining company operating in the country (name withheld), have complained over alleged threats from a competitor, who accuse them of allegedly leaking key business information to the media.

The suppliers claim that information on cut-throat completition for contracts from the mine and dirty tactics including bribery used to win tenders, could cost their business millions of shillings in losess.

Some of the reports on foul play which last month dominated local press headlines, are said to be sources of the threats to the complaining suppliers. Some of them claimed to have received telephone calls telling them to keep away from the media.

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Mwanza students get rare music treat

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By Daily News Correspondent in Mwanza

HUNDREDS of students from various higher learning institutions here showed up at Bahigi Beach Resort on the shores of Lake Victoria over the weekend for the annual Str8Muzik Festival Inter-college Special.

A number of high-riding performers from Tanzania and Kenya were in attendance to colour the night.

Kenyans Nonini and Redsun with their hit songs , 'Kadhaa', 'Furahiday', 'Keroro', 'Nani Mwenza' and 'Wanipa Raha', 'Yule Pale', 'Leo ni Leo' and 'Nakutaka' stole the show.

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Charity holds Tanzanian Bongo Bash promoting doctors

From The State News, Michigan State University. Michigan, USA
By Marissa Cumbers

Mussa Maingu moved to East Lansing in 2000 with the goal of becoming a dentist. From Mwanza, Tanzania, he said the shortage of health care professionals in his home country was a primary influence on his career path.

“The health care system, the whole system in Tanzania, is a mess. And the government is not spending a lot of money to help,” Maingu said. “They are trying, but the income is not enough. They are poor.”

There are fewer than 1,000 doctors for 42 million people in the entire country of Tanzania, and Maingu and others came together Saturday at Lansing’s X-Cel Lounge-Dance Bar, 224 S. Washington Square, for Bongo Bash, a benefit for the Touch Foundation, a national charity that works to improve medical infrastructure in Tanzania.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Watch related video: http://www.statenews.com/index.php/multimedia/36554 (Copy and paste URL)

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Act to tame epidemic

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam

The grim news coming out of the Lake Zone on the swine flu epidemic is that what the local health officials are confronted with is an enormous challenge that calls for a serious national response.

According to the Mwanza regional medical officer, Dr Meshack Massi, of the 221 swine flu patients, 30 have signs indicating that they may have contracted the new strain of the influenza 'A' virus, subtyped H1N1.

The epidemic has continued to spread around the world, with devastating consequences since it was first detected in March in Mexico, where it has claimed hundreds of lives.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Tanzania swine flu crackdown at diamond mine

From BBC News, London, UK

The authorities in Tanzania have told about 3,000 workers at a diamond mine to stay at home because of swine flu - but the miners have refused.

Few workers have contracted the illness at the mine in Mwanza region but Tanzania is trying to contain the spread from elsewhere in the region.

Dozens of schools and businesses have already been closed down.

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Tuesday 1 December 2009

District closes all schools as swine flu spread

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Frederick Katulanda, Mwanza

The Government has closed down all 150 primary schools and 27 secondary schools in Kwimba district, Mwanza region, to prevent a further spread of swine flu. This was after 221 residents tested positive for the scourge.

Kwimba District Commissioner Ryoba Kangoye, told the visiting Mwanza Regional Commissioner Abbas Kandoro, who was on a tour of the most affected Ilula Primary School yesterday, that the closure of schools follows tests indicating that some 120 pupils have been infected with the H1N1, the virus that causes swine flu.

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Monday 30 November 2009

A new Richmond is coming...


From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam
By ThisDay Reporter

CERTAIN businessmen-cum-politicians implicated in the infamous Richmond deal are now chasing up two brand-new contracts worth more than $100m (approx. 140bn/-) from the state-run Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) for the construction of power generating plants in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, THISDAY can reveal today.

The two separate energy contracts involve the procurement of a 100-megawatts, gas-fired power plant at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam, and the purchase of a 60MW power plant in Nyakato, Mwanza, which will run on heavy fuel oil.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Sunday 29 November 2009

Region’s Internet and mobile-savvy youth changing meaning of poverty

From The East African, Nairobi, Kenya
By JOHN GITHONGO and JAMES NDUKO

A month ago we spent a few days in Mwanza’s giant informal settlement of Mabatani and Bulamba, a rural fishing village in Bunda District.

Our host in Mabatani was a gregarious primary school teacher, let’s call her Mama Machapu, still mourning the passing of her husband six months earlier; and in Bulamba, Mzee Soja, an elderly ex-serviceman in the Tanzanian army, and his middle-aged wife, Mama Taifa.

Mama Machapu was a mother of seven children, five of them living in various Tanzanian cities.

She lived with her two teenage schoolgoing sons, a shy, polite granddaughter and a young house-help.

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Saturday 28 November 2009

More villagers diagnosed with swine flu as fears rise


From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Frederick Katulanda, Mwanza

Fears of a swine flu spread are rising after eight more villagers were diagnosed with H1N1 at Ilula in Kwimba District on Thursday, bringing to 150 the number of people infected with the virus at the village.

It is also feared that the disese which is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people will reach other areas of Shinyanga, Mwanza and Mara regions.

Most Ilula villagers are unaware of the impact of the disease.

They travel freely in and out of the village using public transport due to lack of a surveillance mechanism. "We will all be infected should one commuter bus conductor contract the disease,"said a Kilima Hewa resident in Mwanza City, Mr Emmanuel Masato.

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Be accountable and transparent, civil servants urged

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam
By Pendo Ndovie

Civil servants have been challenged to perform their duties accordingly and ensure they are accountable and transparent whenever citizens are in need of basic services and or information.

Managing Director of a non-governmental organization (NGO), Twaweza Rakesh Rajan, made the statement here yesterday during a monthly Policy Forum breakfast debate on : Are policies put into practice? Reflections from nine villages.

From the study carried out in Sengerema, Maswa, Bunda, Mwanza, Kahama, among other districts, the findings have shown that most of the civil servants and particularly those in leadership tend to behave as gods and goddesses, a state of affairs that denies people’s right to information and the right to be served.

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Friday 27 November 2009

142 contract swine flu in single village

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Frederick Katulanda, Mwanza

Panic has gripped Mwanza as 142 primary school pupils, teachers and villagers have tested positive to swine flu infection at Ilula village in Kwimba District in the region.

This is the only large sample to be infected at a go since the first case of the disease, that has killed at least one person in Manyara Region, was discovered earlier this year.

Ilula Primary School, where the disease reportedly first broke out before spreading into the surrounding village, has been closed indefinitely.

It has since been quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus to other areas, the Mwanza regional medical officer, Dr Meshack Massi, said yesterday.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Mwanza college intends to train more doctors

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam
By Sitta Tumma

A COLLEGE of health sciences, Weill Bugando, in Mwanza has requested the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to allow the college to use Lake Zone regional hospitals' buildings in training medical doctors.

The college Principal, Prof. Jacob Mtabaji, said this during the second graduation ceremony of the college, adding that the move will enable the country to get many medical doctors to minimise the existing scarcity.

The request has also been floated to the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), to allow the college to use buildings owned by hospitals under the Catholic Church for the same purpose.

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Wednesday 25 November 2009

Tourism tops agenda as stakeholders set to meet

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

Mwanza tourism stakeholders will tomorrow converge at Bank of Tanzania (BoT) conference hall to deliberate on strategies to promote tourism in the region whose 68 per cent is constituted of the Lake Victoria water body.

Despite being part of the second largest freshwater body on earth and close to Serengeti National Park, tourism is still at its nascent stage in the region, acting Mwanza regional commissioner, retired Col Serenge Mrengo, admitted yesterday.

Mr Mrengo who doubles as Ilemela district commissioner, said the region is now determined to invest heavily in sustainable tourism to generate more revenue from the emerging sector.

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Activist's plea on albino body parts

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

A human rights activist has asked the Government to trace customers of albino organs in order to end witchcraft-associated killings of melanin deficient persons mostly rocking Lake Zone regions.

Addressing a press conference last weekend after visiting families which lost their beloved ones to the killings, Mr Peter Ash also appealed to the Government to give priority to the remaining 52 cases piled up in courts.

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Saturday 14 November 2009

Residents lynch 4 for illegal fishing

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

Residents of Sengerema District, Mwanza Region, have lynched four anglers allegedly found using a poisonous chemical known as thionex for fishing in Lake Victoria.

The anglers, who were also caught with banned slot-size nets at Kashea village in the district on Wednesday morning, threatened to kill local guards during interrogations.

Mwanza acting regional police commander Elias Kalinga named the slain anglers, all from Geita District in the region, as Magono Butuba, 35, Mgeta Butuba, 28, Merumba Mahagani, 35, and Mtoka Mchele, 47.

They had travelled to the lakeside village aboard two canoes laden with the chemical and the prohibited slot-size nets to use in fishing, Mr Kalinga explained.

Local guards patrolling the lake suddenly emerged as the illegal anglers poured the poisonous chemical into the lake to kill fish.

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Members of Eala raise concern

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Zephania Ubwani, Arusha


How old is the vessel purchased by the East African Community three years ago for millions of dollars but has since docked at Mwanza port?

This was the concern of almost all members of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) on Wednesday when discussing the EAC audited accounts for the financial year ending June 2008.

The legislators, currently meeting in Arusha, took to task the EAC secretariat for apparently hiding vital information on the ship which once plied Lake Nyasa waters.

Dr Amani Kabourou from Tanzania told the Eala on Wednesday evening that the vessel has remained idle and wondered if ever it was seaworthy.

"How old is it? How and when will it become operational?" he asked as he debated the EAC financial report.

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Friday 13 November 2009

I heard my albino daughter being hacked to death for her legs

From The Sun, London, UK
By DAVID LOWE

WAKING with a start, Mary Mathias watched in horror as a stranger burst through the darkness and thrust a machete to her husband's throat.
Pleading for him to be left unharmed, the mum-of-seven's thoughts quickly turned to their three vulnerable albino daughters sleeping in the room next door.

The sickening thuds from the other side of the wall made her blood run cold.

In recent years a wave of albino killings has swept Tanzania, fuelled by witch doctors who make potions from the body parts of people with the condition.

After the gang had fled, Mary's worst fears were confirmed - she found her beloved daughter Eunice, 14, lying dead in a pool of blood with both legs hacked off.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Thursday 12 November 2009

Over 157,000 need food relief

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Hassan Mghenyi

Over 1.57 million people in 63 districts in 15 regions need free and subsidized food from the government beginning this November, revealed by the September 2009 Rapid Vulnerability Assessment.

According to the report published last October by the Famine Early Warning System Network says that the affected population expected to need food assistance amounting to 56,740 tonnes, from available in-country stocks.

Out of this amount, 5,674 tonnes are recommended for free distribution to 156,989 poor people, and the remaining 51,066 tonnes are for subsidized sales beginning in November 2009 to 1,412,901 people who cannot buy food at market prices.

The most affected regions include Arusha (277,653 people), Manyara (166,093), Dodoma (259,190), Tanga (177,460), Kilimanjaro (122,427), Mtwara (90,135), Mara (98,233, Shinyanga (79,866), Mwanza (71,620) and Morogoro (63,399).

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Diseases affecting cassava production

From New Vision, Kampala, Uganda
By Reuben Olita

Diseases have affected the production of the cassava in the East African region.

A training session on cassava virus that ended in Dar es Salaam last Friday heard that for the past 10 years, white flies that cause cassava mosaic disease had increased in the Lake Zone region.

Tanzania’s daily, the Guardian, recently reported that about 80% of cassava in Ukerewe district, Mwanza region, was affected by the disease.

A researcher from the Lake Zone Agriculture Research and Development Institute, Innocent Ndyetabura, said the major diseases that affected cassava in the region were brown streaks and cassava mosaic.

Ndyetabura said cassava growers needed to be sensitised on preventive measures.

A trainer from the International Institute of Tropical Research, James Legg, said the organisation was supporting locally initiated efforts to stop the spread of the diseases in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Body ends Swissport monopoly

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Samuel Kamndaya

The monopoly of Swissport Tanzania on the ground handling services industry is officially over following the licensing of three new players by Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) last month.

The authority formally announced the development early this month naming the new service providers as Precision Air Ground Handling Company Limited, African Ground Handling Company Limited and Zanair.

Companies with the class I licence serve JNIA and those with a class two one can serve Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar International Airport and Mwanza Airport.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Sunday 8 November 2009

Brewery to invest $62m in new plant

From The East African, Nairobi, KENYA
Written by EABW Correspondent

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) has announced an expenditure of about US $62 million (Tsh 82 billion) for the construction of a modern facility which is set to boost production capacity by 22 percent.

The construction of TBL's modern facility in Mbeya will make this Tanzania's fourth SAB Miller factory. SAB Miller is now ranked second among the largest beer producers in the world.
Other plants owned by SAB Miller, a South African company, which are operated by its local subsidiary Tanzania Breweries Ltd, are located in the lake zones of Mwanza and Arusha. The main plant is located in Dar es Salaam.

Speaking to East African Business Week in Mbeya last week during the event where President Jakaya Kikwete laid a foundation stone to symbolize the construction of the facility, Mr. Robin Goetzsche, TBL Managing Director, said that construction of the modern facility will not only add the number of factories in the country but it would be used to boost the production capacity of beer to 350 million hectolitres per year.

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$20m plan to improve Tanzania’s key airports

From The East African, Nairobi, KENYA
By PHILIP NGUNJIRI

Tanzania will benefit from a $20 million, multi-airport systems integration project that will bring many world class services to its three major airports.

The project will be undertaken by the Tanzania Airports Authority and aviation IT giant SITA.

The company specialises in air transport, communication and information technology solutions.

For the first time, Tanzania will witness self-service check-in, baggage reconciliation, sophisticated flight information displays and other improvements.

In the seven-year deal, SITA will provide systems for Terminals 1 and 2 at Julius Nyerere International Airport and at Mwanza and Arusha airports.

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Barclays Tz employees give back to the community

From East African Business Week, Nairobi, Kenya
Written by JAMES MWAKISYALA

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Barclays Bank Tanzania employees and customers on October 31st participated in 23 projects in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Mwanza, Mbeya, Arusha and Zanzibar as they marked the 14th year of 'Make a Difference Day', organized globally by Community Service Volunteers (CSV). SCV is an international charity set up to promote volunteering action in the communities they serve.

Barclays has been involved in the campaign as an integral part of the employee community programme since 2000. It is the single biggest driver of the Bank's employee volunteering initiatives globally.

Barclays Bank Managing Director Rished Bade said the aim of 'Make a Difference Day' is to encourage people to devote time to volunteering.

"It is not about donations or fundraising. It is all about choice and volunteering their time,” he said.

Friday 6 November 2009

Red Cross moves to address humanitarian aftermath of albino killings

From Reuters, London, UK
By Alex Wynter in Dar es Salaam and Stella Marealla Masonu in Kasulu, Tanzania

It was the news all Tanzania had dreaded - especially the country's albinos and their families, supporters, neighbours and friends who live near the Great Lakes of Victoria and Tanganyika.

After a three-month hiatus in the occult-based killings in the north-west, hunters seized a ten-year-old albino boy, Gasper Elikana, in the Geita district of Mwanza region last month and hacked him to death in front of his black father and neighbours, who had risked their lives to try to save him.

The men fled with Gasper's severed leg having first beheaded him to stop him screaming.

Read more - click on the headline.

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Tanzania’s albinos celebrate death sentences for body part killers


From The Times, London, UK
By Jonathan Clayton, Africa Correspondent and Erick Kabendera Mwanza in Tanzania

Ngeme Luhagula has not had a peaceful night’s sleep since she saw her daughter hacked to death before her eyes two years ago.

“I have endured the torture of living with that pain ever since. The images come and haunt me every night,” she told The Times at her village home on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Yesterday she could not suppress a smile when informed that four men had been sentenced to hang for killing a 50-year-old man - an albino who had the same condition as her 18-year-old daughter, Vumilia.

Read more - click on headline.

Tuesday 3 November 2009

High court sentences for to death over murder of albino

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam

By Herman Meza, Shinyanga
The High Court of Tanzania Shinyanga yesterday sentenced to death four residents of Bariadi district after convicting them of first degree murder of a 50-year old albino.

The four suspects were Mboje Mawe, 49, Nchenyenye Kishiwa, 65, Sayi Gamaya, 48, and Sayi mafizi, 33. They were found guilty of murdering Lyaku Willy at Kidamlinda River situated at Nkindabiye village between November and December last year.
Reading the four-hour judgement in a packed courtroom, Justice Gadi Mjemas, said the evidence given at the court had proven beyond doubt that the convicts had murdered the melanin deficient person, who was also mentally retarded.

Amongst 14 key witnesses on the prosecution side led by state attorney Edwin Kakolaki from Mwanza City included the Government Chief Chemist; police officers; sub-village, village and ward executive officers and Mwaubingi ward councilor.

Read more - click on the headline.

Monday 2 November 2009

Gunmen stage daring raid on petrol station

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam

By Patty Magubira
Armed robbers raided GBP petrol station at Nyakato are on the outskirts of Mwanza City and made away with unspecified amount of daily sales of the station on Saturnday night.

The armed bandits opened fire in the air eight times to scare away passers- by at around 7:00 pm when it was raining cats and dogs in the city, Mwanza region police commander, Jamal Rwambow, confirmed yesterday.

Rwambow, who could not divulge details on the incident because he is in the Vice-President's entourage, said the police force in the region was holding five suspects in connection with the incident.

Read more - click on the headline.

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Development of the central corridor route to the sea

From The Independent, Kampala, Uganda


Uganda depends for over 90% of its seaborne (import/export) traffic transport on the Northern Corridor that is through the Port of Mombasa. Less than 1% of her seaborne traffic volumes are through the Port of Dar es Salaam. This over dependency on the Northern Corridor makes the Country’s trade vulnerable to the socio-economic environment in Kenya, the route monopoly and the transport logistic limitations. The Government policy is therefore to strengthen the use of Central Corridor as a second route to the sea and mitigate such undesirable effects to the economy.

The Central Corridor Route comprises: The Rail/Marine/Rail: Kampala - Port Bell/Mwanza - Dar es Salaam Route 1229 km. Rail/Marine/Road: Kampala -Port Bell - Mwanza/Dar es Salaam route 1503 km.
All Road Kampala: Mutukula - Bukoba - Isaka - Dodoma - Dar es Salaam 2012 km. New Rail/Marine/rail - Kampala - Port Bell - Musoma - Arusha - Tanga.
New Road/Rail/Marine/Rail or Road Kampala - New Park - Mwanza - Dar es Salaam 1235 km to be developed.

The most feasible alternative route to Dar es Salaam is therefore via Lake Victoria to Mwanza connecting by rail or road to Dar es Salaam.

Read more >>

Monday 26 October 2009

Wirral woman's life-saving mission to Tanzania

From Wirral Globe, Birkenhead, UK


THE FORMER deputy headteacher of Wirral Girls' Grammar School is on a mercy mission in Tanzania.
Jenny Schwarz (picture) joined an international group of 24 Rotarians is helping to renovate a hospital on a remote island in Lake Victoria.

"I never imagined that I would experience such a magical moment, witnessing the birth of a baby to a complete stranger".

"I would treasure the memory and keep the image of her contented face alongside that of her baby in my mind for ever," says Jenny Schwarz, former deputy head, of Wirral Girls’ Grammar School.

Read more >>

Sunday 25 October 2009

Rotarians send aid to Tanzania

From Craven Herald, Craven, UK

Settle Rotarian Sandy Tod is part of a team of 24 Rotarians and non-Rotarians, including doctors, engineers and education specialists, who have travelled at their own expense to the island of Ukerewe in Tanzania.

Group members - including two Rotarians from Sweden - are refurbishing the island’s hospital and installing surplus medical equipment from the UK worth a quarter of a million pounds.

Read more >>

Thursday 22 October 2009

Papers now teaching aids

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Jane Kajoki, Mwanza

Netherlands Development Organisation, SNV, has trained 36 primary school teachers from Mkolani, Buhongwa and Sangabuye wards in Mwanza City in using newspapers as a teaching aid.

SNV communication official, Ayeta Anne Wangusa, said the objective of the training was to inculcate the reading culture in pupils for them to become conversant and inquisitive about local and foreign affairs.

Empirical evidence has indicated that the use of newspapers for teaching pupils boosted the pupils intellectually as well as their reading culture, confidence and vocabulary, she said.

Read more >>

Saturday 17 October 2009

Bringing albino-killers to justice

From Maclean's Magazine, Toronto, Canada
By Katie Engelhart

In the past two years, 53 albinos have been killed in Tanzania. No one has been brought to justice for committing these murders. Until now.

Last Wednesday, a Tanzanian court sentenced three men to death for killing a 14-year-old albino boy, Matatizo Dunia from Shinyanga, in brutal fashion - they kidnapped him, then cut his body into pieces. An equally barbaric case is also garnering national attention: Mariam Emmanuel, a five-year-old girl, was butchered by a group of machete-wielding men in Mwanza.

The culprits divided the girl’s body up among themselves and drank her blood while her siblings watched. Murdered albinos are usually sold at high prices to witch doctors, who grind up the body parts and brew them into potions that they believe carry magic powers.

Read more >>

Fund dishes out Sh6bn in Aids support

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporter

The Rapid Funding Envelope (RFE) has announced the release of Sh6.3 billion to fund HIV/Aids activities by civil society organizations in Tanzania. The 30 grant awards will be implemented in collaboration with the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (Tacaids) and the Zanzibar AIDS Commission.

According to a statement issued by the RFE office, the 30 grants awarded will target activities for combating the spread of the HIV epidemic in the population.

It said the grants will support activities focusing on prevention, advocacy and IEC, care and support, impact mitigation as well as institutional strengthening.

The grants were selected through a competitive process responding to a call for proposals issued in the media from May 11-13 this year.

Regions that will benefit from the grants have been named as: Morogoro, Zanzibar, Mara, Mbeya, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Tabora, Tanga, Dodoma, Iringa, Pwani, Kagera, Kigoma, Mtwara, Rukwa, Manyara and Mwanza.

Read more >>

Wednesday 14 October 2009

Kikwete: No rift in CCM

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporter

President Jakaya Kikwete has played down reports of wide rifts within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi which he heads as its national chairman.

Addressing Mara CCM regional leaders in Musoma on Monday evening, President Kikwete said what was happening in the party was wrangling pitting two camps made by different Members of Parliament.

In the event held at regional commissioner's residence, President Kikwete said, however, that he was not happy with the MP's camps.

"There is no rift in CCM. Let me ask you, are you divided in Mara? Is there a rift in Mwanza? Or are there divisions in Tanga? Or have you heard that there are divisions in Singida? What is seen as division is portrayed by newspapers only and within Parliament," said President Kikwete.

Read more >>

Monday 12 October 2009

Police arrest SAUT employee over robbery

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

An accountant with Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) is among two suspected armed robbers in police hands allegedly for hijacking a bus and robbing two passengers of Sh24.6 million.

Mwanza regional police commander Jamal Rwambow said last weekend two other robbers escaped on a motorcycle immediately after the carjacking incident that took place at dawn at Kalebezo village in Sengerema District in the region last Thursday.

He said the law enforcers had also impounded a shotgun used in the incident, but the two armed robbers at large had escaped with a machine gun and the stolen money.

Read more >>

Revealed: JK’s health in detail

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam

PRESIDENT Kikwete is in ”excellent” health and has no history of AIDS, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or any other illness, his personal physician elaborated yesterday.

The state of the president’s health has hitherto traditionally been a closely-guarded secret in Tanzania. But in an unprecedented move, State House yesterday laid bare a comprehensive statement on Kikwete’s entire medical history and current status.

Addressing a news conference at the State House premises in Dar es Salaam, Dr Peter Mfisi - one of two personal physicians assigned to the president on round-the-clock basis - said he had been obliged to breach normal doctor-patient confidentiality at the request of the president himself, to allay spreading public speculation and fears on the actual state of Kikwetes health.

Read more >>

Saturday 10 October 2009

Eight killed in accident

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

Eight people died and three others were seriously injured in a road accident at Buharahara village in Geita on Thursday. Mwanza regional police commander, Jamal Rwambow, said the fatal accident happened when two passenger-laden cars collided head-on along Geita-Mwanza road.

"It's a grisly accident that was actually not supposed to happen," Mr Rwambow said, adding that the spot contained no dangerous features as it was a flat tarmac road.

Blaming the accident on reckless driving and overspeeding, Mr Rwambow called on passengers to report drivers, who drive recklessly.

Read more >>

Friday 9 October 2009

Doctors explain President's health

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Samuel Kamndaya

The State House yesterday allayed fears on President Jakaya Kikwete's health status, saying a thorough medical examination on him has proved beyond any doubt that he does not have any serious ailment.

"He is in an excellent condition... Dr Mohamed Janabi and I are in no way worried about his health... we're happy with his health status," President Kikwete's personal physician, Dr Peter Mfisi, told the press at the State House yesterday.

The press conference came just a few days after the President was forced to temporarily suspend his speech when addressing thousands of African Inland Church of Tanzania (AICT) believers in Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza during celebrations to mark 100 years of the church in Tanzania.

Read more >>

Power supply set to increase

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Paul Dotto, Kidatu

The deputy minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr Adam Malima, announced yesterday that during the next 18 months, some 240MW of power will be added on the national grid.

He told reporters at Kihansi hydroelectric power generation station that plans were underway to purchase two turbines that would add at least 160MW.

One of the turbine, with capacity to produce100MW will be installed in Dar es Salaam, while the second 60MW turbine will be installed in Mwanza, to cater for lake zone regions.

Read more >>

Thursday 8 October 2009

Hope as Bugando hospital performs maiden open hearth surgery

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporter

The Weil Bugando Medical Centre (WBMC) in Mwanza successfully conducted its first open heart surgery three weeks ago and the patient has already been sent home.

Professor William Mahalu who led a team of three doctors and five nurses to conduct the five-hour operation, identified the patient as a young man of about 21 years old. He developed the condition about five years ago, he said.

However, Prof Mahalu declined further details saying he was bound by ethics to protect the confidentiality of the patient. Prof Mahalu, elder brother of Ambassador Costa Mahalu, graduated from Makerere University in 1969.

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Monday 5 October 2009

Fatigue 'to blame over JK collapse'

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

President Jakaya Kikwete collapsed yesterday after delivering a speech during the African Inland Church of Tanzania (AICT) centenary anniversary at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.

He, however, recovered swiftly and continued to preside at the well-attended function. Both President Kikwete and State House later attributed the collapse to fatigue.

Midway through his speech, President Kikwete asked thousands of AICT followers converged at the stadium to allow him to speak while seated, saying he felt exhausted.

Read more >>

Picture: President Jakaya Kikwete is welcomed to CCM Kirumba Stadium by Bishop Daniel Nungwana of the African Inland Church Tanzania.

Saturday 3 October 2009

Rains Cause Havoc Around Mwanza Streets..!








In about 30 minutes continually rains are pouring around Mwanza.
Due to poor sewerage system to some areas, it has turn to be flood all around the major street of Mwanza city.
People, cars, trucks, bicycles, wheelbarows etc are in trouble to connect from one side of the street to the other. We do know yet if they will stop soon, but we encourage for the ones about to go out, please take gears that will support you that you don't end up wet and cut with sharp edges and all manner of things collect by running water.

VODACOM MISS TANZANIA 2009









Miriam Gerald (20 yrs) from Mwanza on Friday 2nd October 2009 at Mlimani City Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam has captures the attention of judges, Tanzanians, and fund as she was announced "Miss Vodacom Tanzania 2009" contester no 3 out of 29 from around Tanzania Marked Mwanza again to the beauty pageant and retained the title for the second time in history of this competition in the Country.

Friday 2 October 2009

Bumper entry for Rock City half marathon

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam

A BUMPER entry of runners has been recorded for the Rock City Marathon set for Sunday in Mwanza.

Event coordinator Phillipo Simon told reporters here yesterday that the 21-kilometre race has attracted over 700 runners while over 5,000 participants have enrolled for a 5km fun race.

"We have also received a good response for the 3km corporate classic race as well as the 2km event for people with physical disabilities" he said. He said the winners in the men’s and women’s half marathon will each get 1m/-, the runners-up will take home 500,000/- while the third placed winners will receive 300,000/- each.

Read more >>

Monday 28 September 2009

MRBA set to hold general election

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Fadhil Iddy, Mwanza

Mwanza Regional Basketball Association (MRBA) has called upon members to pick nomination forms to contest for various posts in the general election pencilled for next month.

The elections take place following a directive made by the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) to all affiliate regional associations.

The aim is make the associations being eligible voters for the federation's planned election towards to the end of this year.

Read more >>

Mwanza marathon winners to get 1m/-

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam

WINNERS of the men’s and women’s Rock City Marathon planned for Sunday in Mwanza will each walk away with a 1m/- cash prize.

Event coordinator Philipo Simon said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the runners-up in both categories will each get 500,000/- while the third placed winners will be given 300,000/- each.

He said the 21kilometre race will start at the Kirumba Stadium while the other races will start in town, pass through several streets and end at the stadium.

Other events on the day include a 5km fun race, 3km classic corporate race and a 2km race for people with physical disabilities.

Read more >>

Friday 25 September 2009

High Court sets free three jailed minors

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Mussa Juma, Bunda

The High Court in Mwanza, has pardoned three children, including a Standard Seven pupil jailed for three years last year, after being convicted of grazing in the Grumet Game Reserve area leased to a foreign investor.

The children, Juma Sylvester, 15, who was studying at Mariwanda B. Primary School, Ndamo Wambu, 16, and Hurushi Wambu, 17; were sentenced on August 4, last year, by the then district magistrate, Mr Joseph Maganga. They had pleaded guilty to the charges.

Read more >>

Wednesday 23 September 2009

Three men to hang for Tanzania albino murder

From Reuters Africa, Dar es Salaam
By George Obulutsa

Tanzania's high court on Wednesday sentenced three men to hang for the murder of a 13-year-old albino boy, killed for his body parts in the country's northwest, local media and a rights group said.

At least 53 albinos have been killed since 2007 in the east African nation and their body parts sold for use in witchcraft, especially in the remote northwest regions of Shinyanga and Mwanza where superstition is rife.

Read more >>

Read also:
Three sentenced to hang for murder of an African 'ghost' - from The Independent, London, UK

Monday 21 September 2009

Loans scheme benefits SMEs

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporter

Five businesses owned by budding entrepreneurs have received loans from Twiga Bancorp through the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Credit Guarantee Scheme (SMEs-CGS), the bank's CEO has said.

Mr Hussein Hassan Mbululo said during the launch of Ekama Suites Lodges at Kijitonyama in Dar es Salaam that four of the businesses were in Mwanza while one was in Dar es Salaam.

Read more >>

Friday 18 September 2009

Team to probe embezzlement allegations

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Beatus Kagashe

Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) has sent auditors to Mwanza in a move to ascertain the loss that three top officials have allegedly caused the state firm.

Read more >>

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Tanzania Moves to Build Laboratory Capacity

From PBS NewsHour, Washington D.C., United States
By Talea Miller

Shortages in laboratory supplies and trained technicians in Tanzania cause delays and gaps in diagnosis that can put patients' health at risk.

At Mwanza's Bugando Hospital, one of the largest in Tanzania, laboratory workers sometimes must wait months for necessary supplies to run common medical tests.

Omany Kapande, a lab technician, said delays in the supply line and a lack of training slow productivity.

"We will perform tests but be waiting for the reagents for up to three months" said Kapande.

The CD4 count machine used to determine the level of an HIV infection couldn't be used for a month because the chemicals were not available. The hospital and surrounding facilities that rely on the lab had to make treatment decisions without knowing CD4 counts of patients during that period.

Read more >>

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Controversy brewing over airport plans in Greater Serengeti

From eTurboNews Group, Haleiwa, USA
By Wolfgang H. Thome

Old plans, brought down by committed conservationists and angry area residents a few years ago, seem to rear the ugly head again, as efforts to build a major airport in the Serengeti district region are apparently once again being tabled.

Whatever ulterior motives the promoters may have could neither then nor now be established with certainty, but suspicion is well advised when dealing with such grandstanding.

But what more level headed and well informed individuals from Tanzania have pointed out to eTN is the fact that there are international airports between Arusha and Moshi (Kilimanjaro International) and in Mwanza at Lake Victoria offering enough spare capacity for international flights into the country for years to come.

Read more >>

Monday 14 September 2009

Canadian group vows to fight Tanzania albino murders

From Canada.com Network, Ontario, Canada
By George Obulutsa, Reuters

A Canadian rights group says it will not rest until there is an end to the murder of albinos in Tanzania - a minority often hunted down for their body parts to be used in witchcraft.

Since 2007 at least 53 albinos have been killed in various parts of the east African nation, with most incidents occurring in the remote northwest regions of Shinyanga and Mwanza, where superstition is deep-seated.

"We will not rest and we will not silence our voice until every single one of those 53 victims has received the vindication due to them ... We will not rest until albinos can walk safely in this country," - Peter Ash, founder and director of Under The Same Sun, told Reuters in an interview.

Picture text: Peter Ash, founder of the non-profit organization Under the Same Sun meets a little girl with albinism in the Mwanza region of Tanzania where the majority of the murders have occurred in this October 2008 handout photo.
Photograph by: Handout, Rick Guidotti/Positive Exposure

Read more >>

Saturday 12 September 2009

Minister queries status of ship

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


The minister for the East African Cooperation, Dr Diodorus Kamala has expressed dissatisfaction with failure by theCommunity (EAC) Research Vessel, RV Jumuiya to achieve its assigned tasks in time.

Dr Kamala said shortly he inspected the research vessel at Mwanza South Port on Thursday that the vessel has so far not recorded any meaningful work, as it had only surveyed Kisumu and Mwanza Ports instead of the entire lake.

RV Jumuia is equipped with a weather station to provide the EAC partner states with latest meteorological information to guide economic activities by about 30 million East Africans residing on Lake Victoria basin.

Dr Kamala said he would take the issue to the forthcoming meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers for deliberations.

The minister appeared surprised on noting that some parts of the research vessel were replaced with others immediately after the vessel arrived in Mwanza city, questioning the whereabouts original parts alleged to be faulty.

Read more >>

She will get to help youngsters

From The Evening Courier, Halifax, UK
By Colin Drury


A TEENAGER who spent two months doing voluntary work in Tanzania has been offered a full time job there.

Sophie Whittaker, 19, of Mytholmroyd, impressed so much during her time at the Mwanza City boys orphanage she has been asked to go back on a permanent basis.

The former Calder High pupil will start a job at Kuleana Street Children in December after she finishes a gap year travelling around South East Asia and Australia.

Read more >>

Thursday 10 September 2009

TCCIA: Make use of trade pact

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Jane Kajoki, Mwanza

Mwanza Region has benefited from EPA funds by improving the infrastructure and producing quality cotton, dubbed 'white gold' in the region.

Members of the business community here have been urged to exploit opportunities offered by the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to bolster their enterprises and invigorate the country's economy.

The private sector development advisor with Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), Mwanza chapter, Mr Tamim Amijee, said they are also entitled to support from the agreement.

He said they could obtain funds from the European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) trade regime if they devised reasonable business plans.

Read more >>


Poll 'a timely wake-up call for MPs'

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Mkinga Mkinga and Bernard James

The Synovate survey indicated that MPs from Iringa, Unguja, Dodoma, Manyara, Morogoro, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Mtwara, Mwanza and Tanga are more in danger of losing their seats than those in other regions.

A study indicating that over half of the serving MPs might lose seats were elections held today has been described by some intellectuals as a wake-up call to them before next year's polls.

In random interviews conducted by The Citizen yesterday, they indicated that the trend indicated narrowing chances for the ruling CCM to win next year's general election by landslide.

But others said the study can only be taken as a challenge and not the voters' verdict on their MPs.

Read more >>

3,000 set for Rock City Marathon

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporter

Over 3,000 runners have confirmed participation at the Rock City Marathon, which is set to take place on October 4 in Mwanza.

Mwanza Regional Athletics Association's (MRAA) chairman Silas Lucas said yesterday most of the runners were registering for the five-kilometre fun race.

Lucas expressed his satisfaction with the number of competitors who have so far confirmed participation, lauding Mara for a great response.

"It's amazing to have 250 participants from Mara, I'm quite impressed and hope that the runners from other regions will go on registering,'' he said.

He stressed: "So far the turnout is very encouraging. We're looking forward to having over 10,000 runners in all four categories."

Read more >>



Keep Fake Products Out

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
Editorial

The crackdown on fake and expired drugs that resulted in the seizure of 319 types of bogus malaria medicines and antibiotics worth Sh9.5 million is a great achievement.

It not only confirms the ability of those charged with ensuring that only safe medicines are sold in the country, but is also a healthy stroke against the deadly merchandise.

Although the value of the seized counterfeit drugs and cosmetics may appear little, of more importance to us is the removal of the risk posed to the health of the gullible users.

Interestingly, Directorate of Criminal Investigation boss Robert Manumba says the operation only covered Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Arusha, Mwanza, and Shinyanga. The problem could be much bigger, especially in the border regions of Kigoma, Sumbawanga, Kagera and Mara.

Read more >>

Wednesday 9 September 2009

Grounded MV Kalangala Renders Over 300 Jobless

From The Monitor, Kampala, Uganda
Al Mahdi Ssenkabirwa & Martin Ssebuyira

Over 300 employees have been made redundant after Uganda's only active vessel on Lake Victoria, MV Kalangala failed to resume operations. Employees of Mulowoza and Brothers, the firm that manages the ship on behalf of government, tour agents, restaurants and vendors were rendered jobless after the MV Kalangala failed to resume operations on August 31 as had been promised by government.

"People using the ship could always have lunch on the way, buy our crafts and hire youths to carry their luggage but all these people earn nothing now," Ms Nalongo Nalumyanso, a vendor at Nakiwogo waterway told Daily Monitor on September 5.

She said they now sell their merchandise to farmers from Buwaya who take them at a cheaper price, leading to losses. The ship suspended operations on August 17 to allow for its annual inspection and enable it get a new license after the existing one expired. Ms Susan Kataike, the Ministry of Works publicist said last week that when the ship returned from inspection in Mwanza, Tanzania, engineers noticed some mechanical problems which they ordered government to rectify before the ship is licensed to resume carrying passengers.

Read more >>

Monday 7 September 2009

Rites hits TRL with Sh14bn lease bill

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Beldina Nyakeke

On Saturday, angry TRL passengers temporarily paralysed activities at the Dar es Salaam railway station after their journey to Mwanza and Kigoma was cancelled following the strike.

Rail India Technical and Economic Services (Rites) is demanding $10.42 million (about Sh13.6 billion) from Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL), being payment for locomotives and passenger coaches it has leased the cash-strapped firm.

The debt has prompted the TRL management to write to the Government through Railway Assets Holding Company (Rahco), informing it that it will suspend indefinitely all services with effect from Thursday.

Read more >>


Thirty runners for Rock City half marathon

From ThisDay, Dar es Salaam

OVER 3,000 runners have confirmed participation in the Rock City Half Marathon set for October 4 in Mwanza.

Mwanza Regional Athletics Association (MRAA) chairman Silas Lucas said yesterday most of the runners will compete in the five-kilometre fun race.

Silas said 250 runners from Mara Region will also compete in the half marathon.

- 'The turnout has been very encouraging so far. We expect over 10,000 runners from within and outside the country in all four races,' he said.

Read more >>

Friday 4 September 2009

Magistrate Arraigned for Bribery

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam
By Patty Magubira

Mwanza - Aprimary court magistrate and a district court secretary have been arrested and prosecuted on corruption charges.

The two Judiciary workers, who were arraigned on Monday for soliciting and receiving Sh60 million bribe, are Misungwi Primary Court Magistrate Restuta Kamani, 40, and a stenographer with geita district court, Scholastica John, 40.

Read more >>

Thursday 27 August 2009

Pastor launches ferries in Africa

From Washington Times, Washington, United States
By Julia Duin

Evangelical Christians have been plowing money into Africa for decades, even before megachurch pastor Rick Warren made it fashionable with his development program in Rwanda.

One of the more unusual ideas that's come across my desk belongs to a South Africa-born Seattle resident who believes that Africa needs capital investment, not another handout.

So Rob Smith, the son of a Nazarene pastor, has begun EarthWise Ventures, which seeks to build a fleet of ferries on Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. Thirty percent of the Ugandan economy once depended on a water-transport service built by the British during colonial days but which Africans failed to keep up once the British left.

There are two untrustworthy ferries operated by the Tanzanian and Ugandan governments that have very limited service, but most of the 1,600 people who journey between the two countries instead choose a two-day grueling bus trip. EarthWise's ferries will move between Kampala, Uganda, and Mwanza, Tanzania.

Read more >>

Muslims cautioned over document on elections

From The Citizen, Dar es Salaam

Minister says guidelines to be released on Friday should not cause disharmony

By Paul Dotto from Dar and Patty Magubira in Mwanza
The Government yesterday cautioned Muslim leaders against issuing a document similar to the controversial Catholic booklet containing guidelines for voters on how to choose leaders in next year's General Election.

The State Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, Co-ordination and parliamentary Affairs), Mr Philip Marmo, advised the religious leaders to avoid anything that could create disharmony in the country. He cited the Catholic Church document, which he said had sparked heated exchanges among politicians, professionals and even ordinary citizens.

But speaking in Mwanza during a requiem Mass for Bishop Anthony Mayalla, which was also attended by President Jakaya Kikwete (see separate story Page 3), top Catholic Church leader Polycarp Cardinal Pengo told the Government not to meddle in religious affairs by censoring evangelical circulars.

Read more >>

Old women bear brunt of witchcraft murders

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


Over 90 per cent of elderly persons killed in witchcraft-related incidents in Mwanza Region were women, the Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Mr Abbas Kandoro, said on Tuesday.

Speaking during celebrations to mark the 90th anniversary of the Tanzania Police Force, observed at the regional level at Nyamagana Stadium, he said 56 out of 60 elderly persons killed in the region between January and this month were women.

Four melanin deficient persons were also brutally killed for similar beliefs during the period, he said. Assistant Commissioner of Police Alexander Mushi said the police force was educating primary school pupils on the impact of crime in the society, including the witchcraft-related killings.

Lessons taught to the pupils included security, which enlightened them on the impact of crime in their upbringing. Mr Mushi urged members of the public to refrain from harassing and discriminating children by caning, raping, sodomising or exposing them to child labour.

Read more >>

Wednesday 26 August 2009

Albino killers murder two accomplices

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


Unidentified people have killed two suspected contract killers of albinos who were being hunted by the police force in Mwanza Region.

Bodies of the suspects, Magessa Makala, 46, and Magole Nagabona, 35, were found abandoned in a bush at Ihebo village in Ukerewe District at around 10:00am on Sunday, Mwanza regional police commander, Jamal Rwambow, confirmed yesterday.

Sources in Ukerewe believe the duo were killed by their colleagues in the crime for fear of being named as was the cases with the deceased suspects who were named by their colleagues, who were nabbed with an albino organ, while scouting for a market for the bone in the city.

Read more >>

Monday 24 August 2009

Mayalla to be buried on Wednesday

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

Mwanza Archbishop Anthony Mayalla will be buried in Epiphany Church at Bugando Hill in Mwanza this Wednesday, a spokesperson of the archdiocese has said.

The Citizen yesterday witnessed the road leading to the church being rehabilitated ready for the funeral ceremony expected to attract several dignitaries from in and outside the country.

The body of the second local Roman Catholic Archbishop for Mwanza Archdiocese after the late Archbishop Renatus Butibubage, would on Tuesday be sent to his residence at Kawekamo Hill, also in the city for a requiem mass and for mourners to pay their last respects.

Read more >>

Friday 21 August 2009

NGOs, civil society said to lack negotiation skills

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


Most non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations in the country lack negotiation skills required to convincee the Government to buy their arguments.

Chairman of Mwanza NGOs Network Abubakar Karsan, observed that the majority of NGOs and CSOs are good at raising their voices, but failed to constructively present their arguments while negotiating with the Government.

It is high time the NGOs and CSOs leaders are trained in identifying issues and presenting constructive arguments to convince the Government to amend laws that hamper development programmes in the country.

Speaking during the launching of a resource centre in Mwanza City on Wednesday, Mr Karsan said the facility would provide NGOs and CSOs with information and impart to them negotiation strategies.

Read more >>

Wednesday 19 August 2009

Local firm emerges top at regional trade fair


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

The Kibo Seeds pavilion emerged the overall winner of the fourth East Africa Trade Fair being held in Mwanza. Kibo was closely followed by Tanica and Premium Food of Kenya.

The trade fair attracted exhibitors from Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, UK and Tanzania, according to the Mwanza regional chairman of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), Mr Joseph Kahungwa.

Kibo Seeds pavilion did not only steal the hearts of the judges, but impressed almost every visitor to the Saba Saba grounds show.

The seeds supplying firm, which spent about four months grown various demonstration crops in the pavillion, also emerged winner in Agriculture and Livestock category.

The pavilion manned by an exhibitor, Ms Lydia Mtani, is covered by a variety of crops like maize, water melons, okra, aubergines, onions, cabbages, spinach, sun flower and pasture for livestock.

Read more >>