Thursday 28 January 2010

Social security body for Mwanza meeting

From IPPMedia, Dar es Salaam
By The Guardian Reporter

The East and Central Africa Social Security Association (ECASSA) is set to hold a second meeting in Mwanza Region by the end of this month.

A statement issued yesterday in Dar es Salaam said the meeting is to discuss pertinent issues on leadership and social security governance in Tanzania.

The meeting would bring together various stakeholders and social security policymakers to discuss and find solutions to issues and challenges that the sector faces.

The meeting is expected to gather 150 participants from eight countries and 45 institutes.

“Ministers responsible for social security from member countries, permanent secretaries and board members from social security institutions, chief executives and senior officers are expected to participate,” it said.

It said the theme of the meeting is “social security governance”, adding that some of the agenda items to be discussed include issues of leadership and social security governance, portability of benefits, microeconomic impact of social security and social protection floor.

The first meeting was held in Mombasa, Kenya in November 2008 which decided on the importance of having a department to deal with social security matters in the East African community, social security leadership and expansion of social security issues.

ECASSA was established in Kigali, Rwanda, on March 31, 2007 after 15 heads of social security institutions signed an agreement to establish the association.

Monday 25 January 2010

Reporter links raid to theft of Sh200m

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

A reporter with Mwananchi Communication Limited (MCL) based here, Mr Frederick Katulanda , was attacked and injured while chasing a story on the loss of Sh200 million from the Mwanza City Bank branch.

The money was stolen from the bank's account at the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) branch here towards the end of last year, said Mr Katulanda on Saturday. He is now recovering from wounds he sustained during the incident.

He was assaulted at around mid-night while asleep at his home on December 22, last year. The robbers made away with three mobile phone handsets, a file with documents, including a bank statement, and a briefcase.

Read full story - click on the headline.

Tuesday 19 January 2010

Two held in connection with Ukerewe Saturday killings

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

Police in Mwanza are holding two suspects for questioning in connection with the weekend killing of 14 people by armed bandits in Ukerewe District, it was announced yesterday.

Mwanza regional police commander Jamal Rwambow, confirmed the arrests, saying the suspects were among people who were hospitalised with injuries arising from sustained during the Saturday night incident, that left 17 other victims injured.

Mr Rwambow said an abandoned motorboat suspected to be linked to the attack, was also seized at Ilugwa island, Mara Region, as police intensified the search for members of the deadly gang estimated to number 10. Separately, in Dar es Salaam, Inspector General of Police Said Mwema, said a regional operation to track down suspected masterminds and those who took part in the heinous murder at Izinga island in Lake Victoria, is underway.

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Monday 18 January 2010

Armed gangsters kill 16 in night of terror

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Jovither Kaijage, Ukerewe, and Ahmed Makongo, Bunda

Gangsters killed at least 16 people in an orgy of violence in Mwanza and Mara region on Saturday.

Police confirmed yesterday that robbers shot dead 14 people and injured 17 others in Ukerewe District in Mwanza Region on Saturday, while an armed gang killed two guards in Bunda District, Mara Region.

Ukerewe District Commissioner Queen Mlozi said two suspected robbers were also killed during an abortive raid on an islet in Lake Victoria.

Reports from Mwanza said yesterday that the regional Peace and Security Council, headed by regional commissioner Abbas Kandoro, was travelling to the district

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Monday 11 January 2010

Cholera kills 60 in five months

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

Cholera has killed at least 60 people in Mwanza Region in the last five months.

Regional medical officer Mashack Massi said the deaths were recorded in Kwimba, Magu and Ukerewe districts from January, last year, to this month.

He said 35 out of 302 people who contracted the disease died in Kwimba District between August and October last year.

Of the 218 persons who contracted the disease in Ukerewe District, 20 died, while 15 out of 84 persons who contracted cholera in Magu also died.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Saturday 9 January 2010

Rail link collapse bad news for country

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam

The rains are here, which is both good and bad news. The good news is that the devastating consequences of the prolonged drought have been ameliorated, with dams, including those generating power supply, filling up. But the bad news is that the downpours are also wreaking havoc.

One of the worst consequences is the washing away of a key bridge on the central railway line linking Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.

That this line could remain closed for several months is horrendous news, considering its vital role in the ferrying of passengers and goods across the regions.

Flooding has also forced the suspension of rail services to Mwanza, Tabora and Kigoma. The bridge collapse is going to significantly raise the cost of doing business and inconvenience thousands of travellers.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Thursday 7 January 2010

Floods shut Dar-Dodoma part of Central Line

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Samuel Msuya, Kilosa

Passenger train services on the Central Line will now be operated between Dodoma and Mwanza/Kigoma, the government announced yesterday.

The decision follows extensive damage to the line, particularly in Morogoro Region, caused by floods.

Infrastructure Development permanent secretary Omar Chambo said floods had rendered the Kilosa and Munisagala stations in Kilosa District inoperable.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Wednesday 6 January 2010

Airline to increase operations in East Africa

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

Fly540 will from early next week link Mwanza with Nairobi with three weekly flights.

The services will start on January 11 and will be operated with the new 50-seater CRJ-100 jet aircraft on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

"The signing of the Common Market Protocol during the 10th anniversary of the East African Community heralds the increase in tourism and trade in the region.

There will be significant growth in air travel throughout the East African region and our airline is ready to meet this need,"
Fly540 operations director Nixon Ooko noted in a statement.

He said the recent acquisition of a CRJ-100 would be followed by an additional jet and turbo prop aircraft to support expansion of the airline's operations in the region.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Mwanza needs Sh53bn to build teachers' houses

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

Mwanza region needs Sh52.8 billion to construct 2,955 residential houses for secondary school teachers in the region, according to the regional education officer, Mr Ramadhan Chomola.

Mr Chomola said that lack of residential houses amongst secondary school staff in the region was one of the reasons behind the declining quality of education in the region.

Read full story >> - click on the headline.

Friday 1 January 2010

Fly540 sets eyes on TZ, Burundi

From Capital FM Kenya, Nairobi Kenya
BY EVELYNE NJOROGE

Local airline Fly540 will from next month commence flights to Tanzania and Burundi, the airline's Operations Director Nixon Ooko has disclosed.

Mr Ooko said on Thursday that they will have three weekly services to Mwanza and Bujumbura on a 50 seater CRJ-100 jet aircraft on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

"The departure time from Unit I at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will be 10.40am on each of the three days. The return flights from Bujumbura will arrive in Nairobi at 3.20pm. Passengers will pay an introductory one way fare of $199 (Sh14,000) plus taxes from Nairobi to Mwanza," he said.

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