Friday 31 December 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year from Mwanza Guide 'online'

We are looking forward to update you in 2011.

Joseph Laurent, director
Hans Kristoffersen, editor
Jane Larsen, webmaster

Police gun down two after fire exchange

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, Citizen Bureau Chief

Police in Mwanza Region on Wednesday afternoon killed two suspected armed robbers, while one escaped after a three-and-a-half hour exchange of fire between the groups at Kanyama Village in Kisesa Ward, Magu District.

Speaking to journalists at his office yesterday morning, the region’s police commander, Mr Simon Sirro, said they suspected that the robbers are from a neighbouring country and well trained soldiers.

Sirro, who led the fire exchange, said the robbers had at 1.30pm conducted a highway robbery on a saloon car driven by Mr Elias Swai where they managed to get away with Sh4.2 million.

“Few minutes later, they invaded another car driven by Davis Ashok but found nothing to steal,” he said.

According to Sirro, the Police was informed of the incident by wananchi and immediately went to the scene. The robbers were seen hanging around a small shop in the village from around 10am.

He said when the police arrived the robbers ran away and hid at a bush near Kanyama Primary School where the fire exchange started.

Read full story.

MV Kalangala finally reaches Mwanza for inspection

From Daily Monitor, Kampala, Uganda
By Martin Ssebuyira

MV Kalangala ship that has been grounded for four months has been taken to Mwanza for the annual inspection and renewal of its licence.

Ministry of Works and Transport public relations officer, Mr Susan Kataike, said they are done with the repairs of the engines and had taken the vessel for the mandatory intermediate docking survey in Mwanza, Tanzania.

“I can’t say the vessel has been inspected by now or not because there are many vessels that go for the same inspection but what I am sure of is that, the vessel will resume operations before the end of January,” Ms Kataike said in an interview. “We urge our people to be patient because the inspection is for their own safety.”

Read full story.

Wednesday 29 December 2010

Address educational hurdles

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam

Keeping a 16,000-strong force of newly graduated secondary school teachers idle while thousands of schools around the country face a critical shortage of teaching staff would puzzle every right-minded person.

But the question that comes up immediately is why should resources be wasted to train teachers and abandon them at the time they are anxious to put their skills to work?

All primary and secondary schools in the country are literally understaffed and, at the end of every academic year, hordes of students pass out while they are still illiterate.

Mwanza Region has illustrated the pathetic situation of its schools with statistics that could tell the same story in other regions about the deficit of both teachers and classrooms.

Read full story.

Food prices go up despite ample supplies

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, Citizen Bureau Chief

Despite an abundant supply of food in markets this month, food prices here have continued to rise.

According to the region’s agricultural engineer, Mr Alphonce Chotta, food prices rose from about 60 to 70 per cent from July this year.

Presenting a report on the food status at the Mwanza Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) over the weekend, Mr Chotta said in July this year, a kilogramme of rice was sold at between Sh500 and Sh700. But this month the same quantity was sold at between Sh800 and Sh900.

“The challenge the region faces is the tendency by farmers to sell all their farm produce without regard to their household needs, while those with food shortages do not cultivate crops that mature early to fill the gap,” he said.

He said this has to a large extent contributed to the rise of food prices in the region.

Read full story

Friday 24 December 2010

Tanzania on alert after Nairobi blast

From CapitalFM, Nairobi, Kenya

Tanzanian police urged vigilance during the festive season after a Tanzanian citizen detonated a grenade on a bus in Nairobi, killing himself and two other people.

"We have to be very careful and avoid crowds. People should exercise utmost care, since terrorists tend to target huge crowds," Robert Manumba, director of criminal investigations, told reporters late Wednesday.

Kenyan police identified the man who set off his Russian-made grenade while boarding a Uganda-bound bus in central Nairobi Monday as Albert John Olando Mulanda, a native of the northern Tanzanian city of Mwanza.

Read full story.

Monday 20 December 2010

Saanane Changes Status First National Park in the City

From AllAfrica/Arusha Times, Arusha

After playing in the shadows of the vast Serengeti as an added destination for tourists on the former's program the Saanane Island of Mwanza is about to play its own fiddle.

The rocky island located on Lake Victoria is on the verge of becoming a full fledged National Park and according to the Arusha-based Tanzania National Parks Authority, the new status will take effect anytime in 2011.

Saanane which is being upgraded from its previous status as forest reserve and wildlife aclimatization zone, will increase the number of National Parks from the current 15 to 16 next year. It will be the second National Park to stride Lake Victoria, Africa's largest water body after Rubondo Island.

Read full story.

Monday 13 December 2010

Furniture dealer eyes production

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

The Living Room, one of the largest home and office furniture dealers in the country, is set to start a workshop that will manufacture office furniture locally, a senior official of the company has said.

Mr Nishit Kanibar, the executive director of the Living Room, said the company was prepared to expand its furniture production and distribution, to target private and government offices. “We have seen the potential…Beginning next year, we shall be able to produce high quality office furniture locally, which will be suitable for government offices,” he said. Recently, the government announced that all of the furniture in its offices should be bought from the local market, to stimulate the local furniture industry while avoiding importation costs.

Mr Nishat was speaking yesterday at the launch of the new luxury Italian furniture brand, Softalia, which will now be available at the Living Room stores in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and Arusha.

“Sofitalia brand, which is known in the world for its perfect synthesis of innovation, design and style through affordable prices, will now be available in the Tanzanian furniture market,” said Mr Vincenzo Tito, the Sofitalia Sales manager for the Middle and Far East.

Read full story.

Thursday 9 December 2010

Forum advises EAC on attraction of investment

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, Citizen Bureau Chief

The East African partner states have been urged to devise mechanisms with clear incentives for attracting investors in the energy sector in Lake Victoria basin.

This has been listed as one of the resolutions reached at the end of the three day first lake Victoria Basin Investment Forum yesterday in Mwanza.

The forum which brought together 500 participants from the East African partner states said this is in cognisant with the fact that the EAC partner states in general and Lake Victoria Basin in particular has a major energy deficiency yet energy is key in driving socio economic development.

Reading the resolution on behalf of the delegates, Dr Doreen Okero, an HIV/Aids specialist said the EAC governments together with the private sector should make agriculture a viable enterprise by infusing the use of science and technology.

Read full story.

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Lake Victoria Investment Forum Kicks Off in Mwanza

From East African, Nairobi, KENYA
By Gashegu Muramira

The first ever Lake Victoria Basin Investment Forum begun yesterday in Mwanza, Tanzania with delegates emphasising the need to fight poverty in the region through investing in the Lake.

The four-day forum being held under the theme; "Realizing Economic Benefits in the EAC Common Market through the Lake Victoria Basin," was opened by the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Hafsa Mossi.

It has brought together over 300 investors and potential investors from within and outside the region.

The Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC) Juma Mwapachu said that if the region is to overcome the increasing unemployment challenge, there is need for social entrepreneurs, arguing that the Lake is a public good.

Read full story.

Kategaya challenges donors to invest in EA

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, The Citizen Bureau Chief

Mwanza. The Ugandan Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister in charge of East African Affairs, Eriya Kategaya, has criticised the European Union and United States for demanding African democratisation for investment.

Speaking during the first Lake Victoria Basin Investment forum yesterday, Mr Kategaya said same countries which demand African countries to be democratic are fighting for investment space in China.

“Among the countries known to be undemocratic is China but they go there regardless,” he said.

Mr Kategaya told delegates from the five East African States that the European Union has set aside Euro 168 million for training and financing election observers throughout the continent while they know well that African villages have no electricity.

“What will these election observers be able to observe at the time when areas and places they should be observing are dark?” he quipped.

He said the Lake Victoria basin is among the richest in resources and investors should first consider opportunities available in investment which will eventually help in economic growth and poverty alleviation.

Read full story.

Monday 6 December 2010

RUBONDO - The Jewel of Lake Victoria

Mwanza Guide 'online' update
By Hans Kristoffersen, editor

Rubondo Island, in the southwest of Lake Victoria, is Tanzania's tenth National Park. The island provides an unforgettable experience for visitors, combining the breathtaking natural beauty of a forest refuge with the relaxing tranquillity of sandy lake-shore beaches.

Mwanza Guide 'online' is now providing a low-cost 3 days/2 night's safari to the National Park - as an alternative to Serengeti NP.

Enquiries and further information: safari#6@mwanza-guide.com

Visit Rubondo Island online.

Visit Rubondo Island in pictures on Facebook.

Jetlink gets licence to fly globally


 From Daily Nation, Nairobi, Kenya

A local airline has been given the go-ahead to start international flights.

Jetlink Express received a three-year licence from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to operate scheduled flights for both passengers and freight.

Consequently, the company is mapping out new routes in the region in a strategy that will put it in competition with national carrier Kenya Airways.

Apart from the four routes, including Mwanza and Hargeisa, that it has already launched, the airline is engaging governments in talks to get landing rights.

“We are driven by a vision to become one of Africa’s best regional Airlines by delivering customer satisfaction to our growing client base,” Jetlink managing director Captain Elly Aluvale said.

Read full story.

Thursday 2 December 2010

Build roads to promote tourism - players

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, The Citizen Bureau Chief

Mwanza. Investors in the hospitality industry are happy with President Jakaya Kikwete’s creation of the ministry of Works.

They say since the ministry will be involved in developing roads and airports, more investors will be attracted in the Lake Zone.

One of them, Mr Manoj Mehta, told The Citizen during the first anniversary of Malaika Beach Resort (photo), the only five-star hotel in the Lake Zone, that lack of a reliable airport had been an obstacle to the growth of tourism.

Mr Mehta, who is the resort’s managing director, said the tapping of enormous economic potential of Mwanza would require the improvement of infrastructure.

“There is no easiest way of exposing the enormous tourism and hotel industry this region can now offer if the airport isn’t developed,” he said.

Built on the shores of Lake Victoria at a cost of Sh4 billion, Malaika Beach Resort is wholly owned by locals. It has 100 employees - 97 per cent of them Tanzanians.

Read full story.
Photo by Hans Kristoffersen (Copyright 2010)

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Ethiopian Airlines adds more flights to Tanzania

From eTurboNews, Dar es Salaam
By Apolinari Tairo

Ethiopian Airlines has increased its flight frequencies to Tanzania, targeting the northern tourist circuit regions of Kilimanjaro and Arusha and the Lake Victoria city of Mwanza.

The airline has announced its 12 departures per week from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), which connects Tanzania's northern tourist sites with the rest of the world.

Read full story.

Monday 22 November 2010

Delays, cancellations irk Precisionair passengers

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By MASATO MASATO

AIR travelers using Precision Air services have for the last two weeks experienced hard times as they had to cope with flight delays, reschedules and cancellations that marred the airline’s service provision.

Aggrieved customers in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and Arusha called the 'Daily News' in almost the entire of last week, complaining over the poor services that the airline was subjecting them to.

A traveller from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, Mr Damas Mwita, for instance, said he was booked to depart at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) on November 11, this year, at 5:40pm but the journey never materialised.

Read full story.

MPs call for govt action on banditry

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Beatus Kagashe

The NCCR Mageuzi MPs have urged the government to form a special police zone comprising Kigoma and Kagera regions as a way of curbing incidents of armed robberies which threaten lives and the economic development in the two regions.

They also called on the Police Force to increase patrols in forests through which roads pass in Kigoma, Mwanza, Kagera and Tabora regions, where most of the robbery incidents have been taking place.

The Kasulu Urban MP, Mr Moses Machare, told reporters at the party’s headquarters yesterday that should the two suggestions be implemented, they would help to end the acts, blamed on the influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries.

“As MPs from Kigoma Region we have been saddened by a recent robbery incident in which two people lost their lives and several others were injured. The acts continue to create fear among residents whose economic activities are interrupted because of lack of security in the area. We need the government to take the situation seriously,” he said.

Read full story.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

12th Annual Mwanza Grand Charity Ball 2010

Mwanza Guide 'online' information
By Nina Hjortlund

This year’s Mwanza Grand Charity Ball will be held on Saturday 27th November 2010. The venue is as last year the Nyumbani Hotel in Mwanza.
The Ball is an evening where the people of Mwanza gather together for a night of fun and entertainment as well as raising money for various charities within the Mwanza & Lake Zone area.

Thanks to generous contributions last year the Mwanza Charity Ball raised an incredible 43 MILLION SHILLINGS which was given to charities representing orphans, women and the homeless in education and health.

This year we are bringing an international DJ who has previous played in New York, Berlin and UK to entertain on the evening.

And of course we have our usual auction, silent auction and raffle with some incredible itmes and prices.

You can still donate to this years Mwanza Grand Charity Ball - please contact Nina Hjortlund to get further details.

Visit the 'Mwanza Grand Charity Ball' event on Facebook.

Monday 15 November 2010

International Flights Start At Kisumu Airport

From Daily Nation, Nairobi, Kenya

Kisumu Airport starts offering international services on Monday (today) when an airline launches flights to Tanzania.

Currently being upgraded to meet international standards, the airport has been offering domestic flights.

With the launch of a direct flight to Mwanza in Tanzania, Jetlink Express Airline will be seeking to realise its ambitious expansion programme.

Read full story.

Thursday 11 November 2010

Bugando's heart surgeries

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, The Citizen Bureau Chief

Mwanza. The Bugando Medical Centre is now performing heart surgery for children whose body weight does not exceeding 10 kilograms, it has been learnt.

Speaking during a press conference on International Medical Students’ Scientific Conference scheduled to begin today, Prof William Mahalu said the hospital has so far performed 91 closed heart operations and another 13 since 2007.

“These operations have been made a success under the supervision of one doctor and two nurses, we are currently recruiting more staff in order to be able to perform more operations,” he said.

Under the available staff, the hospital conducts only one operation a week.

Prof Mahalu told journalists that the beginning was not easy as patients believed that such operations cannot be done within the country.

Read full story.

Sunday 7 November 2010

Poverty major concern in rich Lake zone area

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, Citizen Bureau Chief

The strong showing of opposition parties during the just ended elections in the Lake Zone reflects popular disenchantment with CCM government’s mineral policies.

There is abundance of minerals wealth in the Lake Zone but the majority of people remain poor, a factor that seems to be driving many to join opposition ranks to seek policy change.

Speaking at different times with The Citizen on Sunday residents and political analysts in Mwanza concurred that the issue of wealth distribution remains a major political concern.

Mwanza Anglican church priest and political analyst Mr Godfrey Salum said that many villages surrounding mining sites in the Lake Zone have no basic infrastructure.

He mentioned communities like Karumwa in Geita district where electric cables pass over the village sky to the mines but the local people have remained for centuries without reliable power.

Read full story.

Wednesday 3 November 2010

CCM loses over 20 seats

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Florence Mugarula

The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) had lost over 20 parliamentary seats to the opposition in the election results released by yesterday. The 26 seats the ruling party failed to win in Sunday’s General Election were among the 105 constituencies, whose results had been announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) in Dar es Salaam by last evening.

There was still a possibility of the top four opposition parties - Chadema, Civic United Front (CUF) and NCCR-Mageuzi - grabbing a few more seats when the results for all the 239 constituencies on the Mainland and Zanzibar, are announced.

Among the key constituencies CCM lost are in the Lake Zone. They include two seats in Mwanza City, where the minister for Home Affairs, Mr Lawrence Masha, was beaten in Nyamagana by Chadema’s political newcomer, Mr Ezekiel Wenje, and Ilemela, where a former Cabinet minister, Mr Anthony Diallo, also lost. Another Chadema newcomer, Mr Highness Simon, won the Ilemela seat.

Read full story.

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Tanzania Police Battle Protesters Over Delayed Poll Results

From NASDAQ/Wall Street Journal, New York, United States
By DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Tanzanian anti-riot police battled protesters in major cities across the country late Monday, after results for the Oct. 31 presidential and parliamentary poll results were delayed, officials said Tuesday.

Speaking by phone from the gold mining region of Mwanza, a police officer told Dow Jones Newswires that anti-riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse thousands of opposition protesters in the city of Mwanza.

"The police also dispersed similar protests in Dar Es Salaam and Arusha, the situation is still tense," he said.

Election observers said Tuesday that although the Oct. 31 polls were largely peaceful and orderly, tensions are mounting as people await the results of the hotly contested polls.

Read full story.

Chaos reign as NEC delays releasing results

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

Chaos reigned in Mwanza city and some other lake zone districts as impatient youths protested the delay in announcing election results by Electoral Commission officials.

Two vehicles, a Nissan Patrol and a saloon car said to belong to the Ilemela Deputy Returning Officer Paulo Masangu was burnt using a petro bomb and as many as 10 other cars had their windows smashed by stones as thousands of opposition supporters in Ilemela and Nyamagana constituencies demanded immediate release of results.

Anti riot police were forced to fire teargas canisters to disperse the crowds that however overwhelmed them, leading to nearly 40 minutes of cat and mouse chase along the streets. Police feared the rioters had hidden petro bombs around the building.

Read full story.
SEE RECENT UPDATE: The long, agonising wait for results (From The Citizen Daily)

Tanzanians protest at delay announcing election results

From BBC World News, London, UK

Opposition supporters have held protests in several parts of Tanzania at the slow pace of announcing the result of Sunday's general election.

Police fired tear gas in Mwanza, while there have also been protests in parts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

The head of the election commission told the BBC that the problems have occurred in a small number of areas and overall, the vote passed off smoothly.

Read full story.

Monday 1 November 2010

NMB opens business club in Mwanza

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By Daily News Reporter

THE National Microfinance Bank (NMB) has opened more business clubs in a bid to create a platform for its customers to share knowledge and skills.

The initiative dubbed NBM Business Club also intends to equip its micro, small and medium entrepreneurs with opportunities and linkages to improve their businesses.

Speaking at the launch of a new business club in Mwanza recently, the Bank’s Head of Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr Filbert Mponzi, said that the idea has helped majority of the customers.

“We are excited that the idea has proved to be of big importance to our customers”, he said.

Read full story.

Sunday 31 October 2010

Jetlink begins flights to Mwanza

From Daily Nation, Nairobi, Kenya
By NATION Reporter

Regional airline Jetlink has introduced two new direct flights from Nairobi to Mwanza in Tanzania.

“Clients have been travelling by road for over seven hours and we are introducing a new means through which they will take 30 minutes to be in Mwanza, starting on the 15th of November,” said managing director Elly Aluvale.

He said another flight will also depart from Kisumu to Mwanza.
Visit Jetlink's website - and book your ticket online:

Saturday 30 October 2010

Meeting seeks to boost use of Lake Victoria resources

From Saturday Nation, Nairobi, Kenya
By KABURU MUGAMBI

East African Community will hold a three-day investment meeting at the beginning of December to look for ways of increasing investment in Lake Victoria basin.

Lake Victoria Basin Investment Forum to held between 5th and 8th, 2010 in Mwanza, Tanzania, is aimed at promoting increased trade and investment in the lake basin as well as encouraging knowledge exchange.

The event will bring together regional, international and business leaders to discuss opportunities in transport, tourism, fisheries, trade and investment.

East Africa Community’s Lake Victoria Basin Commission executive director Tom Okurut on Friday said the basin has a market potential of $40 billion (Sh3.2 trillion) and a wealth of resources of economic importance.

Read full story.

Thursday 28 October 2010

Man held for killing wife

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By NASHON KENNEDY in Mwanza

POLICE have arrested Lete Rubeleje (31), a resident of Kisabo in Magu District for allegedly killing his wife, Mwanza Regional Police Commander (RPC), Simon Sirro has said.

The RPC told reporters on Wednesday that the incident happened on October 20 at around 7.00 pm in the house of the suspect.

Mr Sirro said that Rubeleje killed his wife after a brawl. She died on the spot. “Preliminary investigations showed that jealousy was behind the killing as the couple often fought each other,” narrated Mr Sirro.

Read full story.

Monday 25 October 2010

Lake Victoria forum to showcase EA potential

From East African Business Week, Kampala, Uganda
By Mark Muhumuza

The EAC will host the inaugural Lake Victoria Investment Forum in Mwanza Tanzania to present investment opportunities around the world’s second largest fresh water lake.

The forum to be held under the theme “Realizing Economic Benefits in the EAC Common Market through the Lake Victoria Basin” is another effort to attract investment in the Lake Victoria Basin.

The Lake Victoria basin is an investment hub within the East African Community for its market of an estimated 30million an estimated annual GDP of $40m covering an area of about 194,000 square kilometres.

“The focus of the Lake Victoria Investment Forum will be to highlight the investment opportunities around the basin to delegates from around the world,” says Tom Okurut the executive director East African Community Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC).

The potential of the Lake Victoria Basin is vast especially in the area promoting trade within the East African Community.

Water transport is the cheapest mode of transport but with the EAC it is predominantly road and air transport. These forms of transport are much more expensive compared to rail and water transport.

Read full story.

Sunday 24 October 2010

Police shoot dead 6 suspected robbers

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Anthony Gervas

Police in Mwanza Region have shot dead six suspected gangsters in their hideout at Samina forest, 20 kilometres from Geita town.

The gangsters had laid huge stones across the Katoro-Geita road on Thursday night with intent to rob passengers on vehicles plying the road, according to the police.

Speaking to journalists at his office in Mwanza yesterday, the regional police commander, Mr Simon Sirro, said the suspects were found at their hide out by a special unit after a tip-off from the members of the public.

Read full story.

Friday 15 October 2010

Mwanza to spend almost 20 million on tourism promotion in Tanzania

From eTurboNews, Haleiwa, USA
By Wolfgang H. Thome

The Mwanza municipality and some of its neighbors has committed nearly 20 million Tanzania Shillings (US$13,324) to promote their area more aggressively in Tanzania, aimed to attract more visitors coming to spend time on the shores of Lake Victoria. Located on Africa’s largest lake and being a potential springboard into the Serengeti and other parks, Mwanza is still largely unexplored by visitors, leave alone foreign tourists, who often have little idea about the location of the municipality nor added facts about nearby attractions.

Read full story.

Thursday 14 October 2010

Vodacom boosts Mwanza cycling

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By LYDIA SOLOMON

THE fifth edition of the Vodacom Mwanza Cycling Challenge will take place on November 12 and 13 in the rocky city region, revealed the event organizers.

Briefing reporters in Dar es Salaam, Vodacom’s Head of Sponsorship and Communication George Rwehumbiza said sponsors has dished out about 50m/- to facilitate the competition, which is expected to attract hordes of participants.

The money would cater for promotion of the event, preparations and prizes. Again this year, the tournament would have three categories as last year. The categories are men, women and disabled.

Read full story.

Wednesday 13 October 2010

TCB wants more effort on coffee farming

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By MUGINI JACOB in Musoma

LACK of supervision from District Commissioners (DCs) and District Executive Directors (DEDs) on coffee farming has been cited to be one of the major obstacles hindering the development of the cash crop in Mara and Mwanza Regions.

"Coffee is state's foreign earner and if DCs do no know any thing about it or DEDs who are the directors of development plans, what do you expect?", the chairman of Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), Mr Pius Ngeze, wondered when speaking at a high profile coffee stakeholders' crucial meeting that met to chart strategies meant to promote the cash crop in the two lake zone regions in Tarime late last week.

Mr Ngeze urged the DCs and DEDs to be in front line in promoting coffee in their working places.

Read full story.

Friday 8 October 2010

Ten feared dead in mine pit, two bodies recovered

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAVID AZARIA in Mwanza

TWO Gold Miners died on Thursday when they were buried alive while mining at Geita Gold Mine in Mwanza Region.

According to report released to the media, about ten gold miners are feared buried but one of the miners was rescued alive.

Only two bodies had been recovered. The deceased were identified as Musa Malele (25), a resident of Mhama village and one who was identified by one name only as Mashimba, a resident of Bugarama District in Shinyanga Region.

Police in Geita District confirmed the incident saying that it occurred on Thursday at around 8 in the morning at Nyaruyeye village in Nyarugusu ward. The mine pit is owned by Masasi John (37) a resident of Nyarugusu village.

Read full story. http://www.dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=13638

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Tap Lake Victoria tourism potential

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam

One of the most remarkable things about our country’s tourism is its vast potential that still remains unexploited. The northern circuit is, of course, the most popular, as it includes the Ngorongoro Crater, Mt Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, which have legendary reputations worldwide. But this is only a fraction of what this huge country has to offer.

Another major site is Lake Victoria, which this country shares with Kenya and Uganda, though it has the bulk of the waters. Not enough has been done so far to exploit the tourism potential of this third largest fresh water lake in the world. For a start, the lake is endowed with a variety of fish species. They include the tilapia, sangara, ‘furu’, ‘ningu’, ‘nembe’, ‘mbumi’, and the richly delicious ‘kamongo’.

Tourists and business people could be enticed to visit Mwanza to view the enchanting waters and the magnificent afternoon waves in boat rides and sample the fish either cooked, fried or charcoal-roasted. The lakeside city is easily accessible by air, train, tour van or regular bus service.

It’s, therefore, disappointing to note that the city has been losing tourism revenue because of the prevalence of bilharzia in the lake. Although the disease is not a major killer, it can damage internal organs and, in children, impair growth.

Read full story.

IRS project to combat malaria in Lake Zone

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By NASHON KENNEDY in Mwanza

MALARIA remains a serious pandemic, affecting some parts of the world including the Eastern and Central Africa and continue to claim lives of millions of people. It is a major Public health problem for the Sub-Saharan Africa countries.

About one million people are dying annually and more than 400 million cases of malaria reported every year. It also causes one third of deaths among children under five years of age. According to the HIV/Malaria Indicator Survey for 2008/09, the disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among outpatient and inpatient admissions in Tanzania.

It accounts for up to 40 per cent of all outpatient attendances in the country. Many parts of the mainland, including the uplands, report malaria transmissions throughout the year although it occurs more frequently during and after rainy season. Malaria pandemic is caused by four species of plasmodia parasites that are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes.

Plasmodium falciparum is the most common for the transmission of the disease. It causes severe malaria, and is fatal if not diognised promptly and properly managed. The most severe cases occur among persons who have not yet developed sufficient immunity to malaria through previous exposure. Children under five years of age are at highest risk, followed by pregnant women because of their reduced natural immunity levels, where one fifth of deaths reported are of the pregnant women.

Malaria causes loss and economic burden in the country, ranging from school nonattendance to low productivity at workplaces. It also reduces agricultural production and other economic output; additionally, the accumulated effect in the long term may decrease national economic capacity and development.

In Mwanza region, it contributes to 39.4 per cent and 48 per cent of all outpatient attendances in less than 5 yrs and above 5yrs of age. It also contributes to 33.4 per cent of children under five and 42.1 per cent for 5 yrs and above of all admissions in health centres.

Mwanza Region Commissioner (RC) Abbas Kandoro says the disease killed more than 1500 people in 2009.

Read full story.

Uganda gets passenger ship to ply East Africa

From The New Vision, Kampala, Uganda
BY PATRICK JARAMOGI

The first passenger ship to link Uganda to Kenya and Tanzania will start operations next month, New Vision has learnt. Anthony Esenu, the chairman, board of directors of EarthWise Ferries Uganda, which will man the ship, told New Vision that the 150-passenger ferry would reduce the current travel time on Lake Victoria by at least 60%.

“People travelling to Kalangala have been spending three hours on water from Entebbe on the MV Kalangala. This new ship will spend 45 minutes,” said Esenu.

“In fact, by the time the MV Kalangala docks Kalangala, we shall have made four trips from Port-Bell in Luzira,” he said.

It will also take the ferry three hours to reach Kisumu compared to the 10 hours small boats take, while travelling to Mwanza will be reduced from 20 hours to 10 hours.

The ship is currently being re-assembled at Garuga along the shores of Lake Victoria. Built in the US, the ferry will ply Port-Bell, Mwanza, Kisumu and Bukoba in Tanzania.

Read full story.

Monday 4 October 2010

Mwanza in tourism promotion bid

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By NASHON KENNEDY in Mwanza

MWANZA Region has reserved some 19m/- for the promotion of its tourist attractions within and outside the country.

Addressing the region’s Second Tourism Forum here recently, Mwanza Assistant Administrative Secretary (Planning and Co-ordination) Ms Isabela Mariki, said the move was in line with their 2010 - 2013 Strategic Plan.

In 2004, the region organized an investors’ forum which charted strategies aimed at making the region a leading tourist destination that would outshine Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Kilimanjaro.

She said the forum looked into a possibility of investments in the hotel industry, preferably upgrading it to between 3 and 5 star hotels and expansion of Mwanza Airport.

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Mwanza set to boost Lake Victoria tourism

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Sheilla Sezzy

Mwanza Region has been losing tourism revenue from Lake Victoria attractions due to high prevalence of bilharzia.

Scientifically known as schistosomiasis, bilharzia is a parasitic disease caused by several species of tremotodes a parasitic worm of the genus schistosoma.

Although it has a low mortality rate, schistosomiasis often is a chronic illness that can damage internal organs and in children, impair growth and cognitive development.

According to a medical researcher, Mr Nicholas Lwambo, from the Mwanza Medical Research Institute, the disease has caused tourists to avoid swimming or doing water sports in Lake Victoria.

“Tourism is money. I advise Mwanza regional authorities to address the matter seriously in order to reverse the lost opportunity from tourism income,” he said.

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Wednesday 29 September 2010

RE-OPENING of Wag Hill Lodge

Mwanza Guide 'online' welcomes back 'Wag Hill Lodge'

Dear All,

Bill & I are very excited to advise you of the long awaited RE-OPENING of Wag Hill Lodge.

We would also like to take this opportunity to introduce Andy Murray as our new Operations Manager for Wag Hill Lodge.

There are quite a few changes which have been made at Wag Hill and we are now offering the opportunity of self-catering at the Lodge as well as maintaining the “All Inclusive” offer.

Should you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Andy or myself.

Kind regards

Robyn Light
Marketing Manager
Wag Hill Lodge
P.O. Box 3088
Mwanza
Phone +255 754 917 974

Friday 24 September 2010

St Albans students’ African charity mission

From Advertiser24, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK
By Laura Roberts

The 36 students, who are members of the St Albans School Combined Cadet Force (CCF), travelled out to Mwanza in Tanzania during the summer holidays, and helped local craftsmen and builders construct two orphanages and a primary school.

Over the course of three weeks, the students painted classrooms at the Ilemela Primary School and Mt Zion Orphanage and helped plaster walls at the Watoto Wa Africa Orphanage. The cadets were prepared for the work with basic lessons in wall rendering from Seddon Property Services at Cheapside Farm, prior to their departure.

Derek Todd, bursar at St Albans School, who travelled with the students to Tanzania, said: “The boys did brilliantly. They had a great time and got quite competitive in their work.

“We achieved everything we hoped for – it was definitely an experience to remember.”

Read full story.
From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter

THE second edition of the Rocky City Marathon to be held at the CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza tomorrow is expected to attract 3,000 athletes, the race organizers said on Friday.

The event co-ordinator Raymond Kanyambo said all preparations ahead of Sunday’s showdown are well on place and that the registration exercise officially opened on Friday and will go on until today evening.

“There is a good response of people, we expect around 3,000 participants, we’re looking for a successful event,” Kanyambo said yesterday.

He said as of Friday, nine regions had already confirmed to participate in the race. He named the regions as Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Manyara, Mara, Mwanza, Singida, Kigoma, Tabora and Rukwa.

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TZ leads way in Ozone protection

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Ray Naluyaga, Citizen Bureau Chief in Mwanza.

Tanzania has been able to reduce the use of Cloroflourocarbons (CFC) chemicals which affect the Ozone layer by 86 percent from 254 tonnes in 1999 to 35.8 in 2009.

Speaking during the commemoration of the International Ozone Day which was officially marked in the country yesterday, the Mwanza Regional Administrative Secretary, Ms Doroth Mwanyika said the success was achieved as a result of the implementation of the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol.

Tanzania is a signatory to the Vienna Convention of 1985 and the Montreal Protocol of September 1987 together with its amendments of London in 1993.

To mark the day, Ms Dorothy through her representative Elias Makoyi, the Nyamagana District administrative secretary inaugurated the Refrigeration Recovery and Recycling Centre recently established at the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) centre in Mwanza.

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Wednesday 22 September 2010

Chief Chemist died of high blood pressure, wife reveals

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Alex Bitekeye

The departed Chief Government Chemist, Dr Ernest Mashimba has died of blood pressure, his widow said yesterday.

She made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday during the mass to bid her husband farewell before the body was transported to Kinamweri village in Kwimba district, Mwanza region for burial tomorrow.

Ms Rose Mashimba told reporters yesterday that his husband has been suffering from blood pressure for long time. She asked media to stop speculating as to what has killed her husband and give the family time to mourn the great loss.

At the same time, Kifungilo secondary school has offered to educate Ms Happy Mashimba, the late Chief Chemist daughter, who studies at the school.

Read full story.

Tuesday 21 September 2010

On The Road To Kigosi

From The Market Financial, Toronto, CANADA

My Dear Extended Family,

The sun has just risen over the magnificence of Lake Victoria. On one hand you can feel the excitement of the adventurers Burton and Speke as they first viewed this vast body of water on their march to declare it as the headwaters of the Nile.

You might think of the hallmark movie, “The African Queen,” as Bogart finally leaves the mango forest and wetlands to embark on Lake Victoria in search of the one German warship plying these waters in the early 1900s.

I, like Burton, am taken with the sincerity and friendliness of Tanzania, then Tanganyika people. I see the deep spirituality resident here, but almost destroyed by the missionaries. It was so for Burton then and is for those that care to see it now.

As the sun rises the multi-million dollar estates that dot the mountain ridges around Ryan’s Bay stand in stark confirmation of the economic explosion that has and is occurring here in Mwanza.

Read full story.

Monday 20 September 2010

12,000 Jobs at stake

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Damas Kanyabwoya

Tens of thousands of permanent and temporary jobs in the textiles subsector are at stake following an acute shortage of cotton currently facing the country, The Citizen has learnt. About 12,000 jobs could soon be lost in textile factories alone, while more than 5,000 seasonal jobs would be lost in ginneries in the cotton producing regions of Mwanza, Shinyanga and Mara.

As most factories remain with stocks of raw materials to last only a month or two, all the cotton harvested this season is reportedly sold out. This leaves textile mills with no option but to close down if they are not restocked with cotton.

Read full story.

Tanzania means well with Serengeti road

From The East African, Nairobi, KENYA

The plan by the Tanzanian government to construct a major highway through the Serengeti has elicited sharp reactions from varied quarters.

Critics are calling for a resolve of the “Serengeti row” without examining at length the reasons why the Tanzania government has taken that road.

Environmentalists have argued that the construction of a tarmac road would dent tourism earnings, destabilise the natural ecosystem of the Serengeti and Maasai Mara National Parks and most importantly, interfere with the wildebeest migration which has gained international recognition as the seventh new wonder of the world.

Read full story,

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Closure of Dar venue mars live broadcast

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Clara Alphonce

The closure of Uhuru Stadium has forced Star TV, a station that has exclusive rights to broadcast live Premier League matches, to televise Kirumba Stadium games only.

The Mwanza- based TV station secured the rights to broadcast the matches early this season after eclipsing its competitors.

Star TV director Samwel Nyala told The Citizen yesterday that the closure of the venue dealt them a blow since their Open Broadcasting Van (OB Van) could not travel long distances.

Read full story.

Sunday 12 September 2010

2010 Global Festival for Peace - 'Embracing All Traditions'


Mwanza Guide 'online' informs:

The HUGE party is coming up on the 18th of September 2010 - at Ilemela Beach.

EVERYONE’s invited between 2pm and 2am and it’s going to be wild bigger than anything Mwanza’s ever seen!

What’s it all about?
EarthDance is the world’s largest synchronised music and dance initiative for peace - it celebrates in festival style through music, dance and all forms of creative arts, bringing people of all backgrounds together - and it’s arrived in Mwanza!

Read more.

Friday 10 September 2010

Three drown in Lake Victoria

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By NASHON KENNEDY in Mwanza

THREE people have drowned in Lake Victoria on Wednesday when a canoe they were travelling in capsized.

The Mwanza Acting Regional Police Commander, Mr Nonosius Komba, told reporters here that the accident occurred at Isakuliko village, Sengerema district after the canoe was hit by strong winds.

He mentioned the deceased as John Saguye, a Misasi resident whose age could not be known, Fikiri Kafura of Kasomeko village whose age could neither be known and one who was identified by a single name as Keja (30).

Read full story.

14 arrested over Std 7 exam fraud

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By The Citizen Reporters, Mwanza and Songea

A total of 14 teachers and invigilators have been arrested in Ruvuma and Mwanza regions for alleged cheating during the just completed Standard Seven national examinations.

Five primary school teachers in Sengerema district, Mwanza were on Tuesday arrested by police in possession of answer sheets of the just ended examination while in Songea nine teachers and invigilators were arrested in two incidents on allegations of providing answers to the finalists.

Photo: Minister for Education and Vocational Training. Hon. Prof Jumanne Maghembe.

Read full story.

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Foreigner destroys banknote

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

Police in Mwanza are holding a Pakistani national allegedly for deliberately tearing up a Sh 5,000 note in public.

The 35-year-old Pakistani was about to board a plane at Mwanza Airport when he committed the offence.

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Sunday 5 September 2010

Nigeria louds Tanzania for successful preparation of fifth EA trade fair

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By NASHON KENNEDY In Mwanza

NIGERIA High Commission to Tanzania Dr Ishaya Majanbu has commended the country for its successful preparation of the 5th East Africa Trade Fair recently held here at Ilemela grounds.

The Ambassador gave the praise here when he toured various business stalls for both local and international companies which came from the East African member states. “It is really a great honour for me with my delegation to be here.

For sure, I am so much impressed with what you have done here as a country, to make this huge economic trade fair to be possible, this is not a little thing,” he said.

Read full story.

Saturday 4 September 2010

Disabled spell out their reasons for polls apathy

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Gerald Lumanyika

Disabled people in Mwanza Region say they have not participated in this year’s General Election by contesting in various posts because of being stigmatized.

They made the remarks recently through the Nyamagana district chairman of the Tanzania Society for the Disabled, Mr Anthony Chacha.

Speaking to The Citizen after receiving five wheelchairs and as many tricycles from the Mwanza City Council director, Mr Wilson Kabwe, he said the Tanzania society does not yet have confidence with disabled peoples’ ability to lead.

Read full story.

Thursday 2 September 2010

Tanzanians urged to buy local products

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By NASHON KENNEDY in Mwanza

TANZANIANS have been urged to buy locally-made products to boost the economy.

This was said here on Tuesday evening by the Permanent Secretary in the East African Co-operation Ministry, Dr Stergomena Tax Bamwenda at the official opening of the East African Trade Fair at Saba Saba grounds on the outskirts of Mwanza City.

She said that it is high time for Tanzanians and the other members of the East African Community (EAC) to be proud of their products.

“The East African people should be proud of what they produce instead of buying goods from abroad”, she said.

Read full story.