Monday 30 June 2014

Ng’wanakilala to be buried in Dar tomorrow

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Emmanuel Chacha

Mwanza. Messages of condolence poured in yesterday for veteran journalist Nkwabi Ng’wanakilala who died in Mwanza on Friday night.

His body will be flown today to Dar es Salaam, family members said yesterday.

The deceased, who was a senior lecturer at St Augustine University (Saut) and former director general of Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam (RTD), will be buried tomorrow at his Kibamba family home.

His son, Lugendo Ng’wanakilala, said in Mwanza that members of the Saut community would pay their last repects to the fallen journalist today morning at his residence at Malimbe. A number of people including lecturers and students, gathered at his home soon after news of his death spread in Mwanza.

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Saturday 28 June 2014

'I love Mwanza' film launched in Mwanza

From IPP Media/The Guardian, Dar es Salaam
By Joseph Mchekadona 

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Bernard Membe (photo) launched a film entitled ‘I Mwanza in the lake Victoria sprawling city Mwanza yesterday.


During the launch the Minister said the government has put in place measures to mitigate challenges faced by artists and related entertainment industry in the country.

He urged artists to work closely with the government so that they can benefit from the sports diplomacy program, saying the program will link local artists with their foreign counterparts.
‘The government knows that there are many challenges which artists in the country are facing, let me assure you that we are committed to solve them and soon you will start enjoying benefits of your hard works’, he said.

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Tuesday 24 June 2014

Lost student leader found unconscious

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Aidan Mhando

Mwanza. A student government president of the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (Cuhas) at Bugando, Mr Musa Mdede, who went missing since June 17, has been found while unconscious at Usagara area.

Mr Mdede, who doubles as chairman of the Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Students’ Organisation (Tahliso), allegedly disappeared as he finalised his application for candidacy in a bid to seek re-election. The student government election was scheduled for June, 29.

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Cotton price up as buying season starts

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

Mwanza. Cotton price has increased from Sh700 per kilogramme last buying season to Sh750 as the new 2014/15 season starts.

Cotton stakeholders agreed on an indicative price for this season which commenced from June 18, 2014, to be pegged at Sh750 per kilogramme of the traditional product, saidMr Gabriel Mwalo, Acting Managing Director for Tanzania Cotton Board (TCB).

The stakeholders included cotton buyers through Tanzania Cotton Association (TCA), Tanzania Cotton Growers Association (TACOGA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives and the Tanzania Cotton Board, he said.

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Wednesday 18 June 2014

Experts discover rare mouth disease

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Syriacus Buguzi

London. A rare disease affecting the eyes and the mouth has been diagnosed in a 31-year-old man in Mwanza but medical experts fear there could be more patients with this condition.

Known as Behçet’s Disease (BD), the condition has no specific cause but is believed to arise when small blood vessels underlying the soft skin of the mouth and eyes get a reaction that is associated with disorders in the body’s defence system.

Victims of BD suffer itching mouth ulcers which may gradually involve the tongue and lips. It also affects the private parts but it can be cured, according to medical reports.

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Friday 13 June 2014

Police in bloody clash with hawkers

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Emmanuel Chacha

Mwanza. The city centre here yesterday was once again rocked by violence as small traders commonly known as machinga, fiercely protested authorities’ decision to demolish their stalls along Makoroboi Street.

Anti-riot police responded with teargas to calm down the situation. The violence erupted around 9pm and it lasted five hours, compelling business activities to stop as many shops were closed and people vacated the areas in fear.

The popular Nyerere Road in the central business district was temporarily closed and the whole Makoroboi Street was evacuated as police tried to disperse the machinga by firing teargas while the traders resisted with stone throwing.

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Sunday 8 June 2014

Magu, where elderly women are labelled witches

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Esther Mngodo

In Mwanza Region’s Magu district, you cannot avoid being called a witch if you are a woman. When your husband dies, you are the one who killed him. And if his wife dies, then it is his mistress that killed her.

Blandina Lucas, 42, a traditional healer in Kahangala village says it scares her that she is a woman; it scares her that she is getting old; it scares her even more that her husband might die before she does. The thought of this terrifies her.

“I am afraid of what might happen to me when I get old, or if my husband dies before I do – God forbid. They will call me a witch of course. And then my life will be over. Even now, when my children go to draw water nearby, people call them names saying that ‘your mother is a witch’. It will worsen when I get older and that scares me,” she says.

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Thursday 5 June 2014

400m/- set aside for war on illegal fishing

From The Guardian/IPP Media, Dar es Salaam
By Correspondent 

At least 400m/- has been set aside to fund the war against illegal fishing and almost 400 illegal nets along with other banned fishing gear were destroyed over the weekend in Lake Zone as the government beefs up efforts to curb illegal fishing in Lake Victoria.

The exercise took place at the Buhongwa dumping site on the outskirts of Mwanza following the confiscation of the gear from various fishing sites around Lake Victoria.

Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development, Dr Titus Kamani, who witnessed the exercise, said the government will no longer condone illegal fishing that is severely harming marine life at the lake and warned that legal action would be taken against fisheries officers who protect uncertified fishermen.

Dr Kamani said the destroyed nets pose great threat to aquatic life and went on to call on investors in the industry to supplement government efforts in its endeavours to curb illegal fishing by among other things, buying fish from suppliers who use illegal methods.

He said the government would ensure that fishing on Lake Victoria and elsewhere is conducted in a sustainable manner that guarantees availability in all the country’s water bodies at all the time.

Sunday 1 June 2014

Meet Bahati, the 2014 lucky winner of Mama Shujaa wa Chakula Award

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Devotha John

It is widely believed in Africa that a person’s name determines their destiny. And this seems to be true for Bahati Muriga, 40, a resident of Ukerewe in Mwanza whose name Bahati, means good luck in Swahili.

The mother of three recently scooped the 2014 Female Food Hero Award (Mama Shujaa wa Chakula) and went home with Sh 30 million in total.

Bahati, who believes that every opportunity that comes in life gives one a chance to win, beat 19 other contestants in the highly contested Mama Shujaa wa Chakula reality competition TV show. She won the Sh 25 million prize offered by the organisers of the competition, Oxfam, definitely saying goodbye to poverty.

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City life is about to get a major facelift

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Sturmius Mtweve

Dar es Salaam. The World Bank has approved a $50 million (Sh80 billion) credit line from the International Development Association (IDA) to support Tanzania’s efforts to improve the quality of life for urban residents.

This is expected to be achieved through better management of finances and improved infrastructure.

The project will benefit some 1.4 million Tanzanians, nearly half of them women. It will be implemented through the Tanzania Strategic Cities Project that focuses on eight urban centres--Mwanza, Arusha, Mbeya, Mtwara, Kigoma, Tanga, Dodoma and Ilemela.

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