‘Albinos still live in fear despite decline in attacks’

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By HILDA MHAGAMA

ATTACKS against people with albinism, those living in rural areas continue to live in fear amid presence of root causes that led to violence against them in the past.

The remarks were made yesterday in Dar es Salaam by the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, Ms Ikonwosa Ero, at the end of her 11-day visit to Tanzania.

“People with albinism continue to live in a very fragile situation as the root causes of the attacks against them remain rampant and the effects of over a decade of violations have taken their toll,” she noted.

Ms Ero said more work must be done to address witchcraft and sensitize community members on the importance of protecting people with albinism instead of harassing, killing or raping them.

She further praised the government for its effort to tackle the issue, which is rooted in the mistaken belief that certain body parts of people living with albinism bring good luck and prosperity. Albinism is a rare genetic condition, which affects the pigment in the eyes, hair and skin.

In the US, about 1 person in 17,000 has albinism. In Africa the prevalence is estimated to range between 1 in 1,100 to 1 in 15,000. But in Tanzania, the rate is much higher - about 1 in every 1,400.

Read more.

PCCB nabs 11 TFF election aspirants

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DAILY NEWS Reporter

PREVENTION and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) is holding Shafi Dauda, one of the aspirants for the posts in Tanzania Football Federation ahead of its general election on August 12.

His arrest and more than ten other regional officers seems to be part of the bureau’s move to ensure the coming election picks clean candidates.

PCCB spokesman Mussa Misalama confirmed yesterday that Dauda, who is vying for the federation’s Executive Committee post, has been arrested and being held at the bureau’s Lake zone headquarters in Mwanza.

“It true that Shafii Dauda, who is among the candidates for the eagerly awaited TFF elections and other ten people have been arrested and are in our custody in Mwanza,”

According to Misalama, Dauda who is also the coordinator of the popular football tournament dubbed as ‘Ndondo Cup’ was arrested yesterday in Mwanza by PCCB officials charged with corruption allegations.

Read more.

TRA tightens screws on fuel trade cash system

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By SAULI GILIARD

TANZANIA Revenue Authority (TRA) has said the decision to close fuel stations whose owners didn’t comply with its directives of issuing electronic fiscal device (EFD) receipts, was a last resort after fines imposed on defaulters didn’t yield results.

However, the Director for Taxpayer Services and Education, Mr Richard Kayombo, told ‘Daily News’ in an exclusive interview that the aim wasn’t to punish traders or the public, but to “cultivate a culture” of paying taxes as the country was gearing towards a full electronic economy.

He said the system was supposed to be implemented since 2014 but for the sake of making it workable for all, including one EFD serving four pumps, the system and its operations were rescheduled to September, 2016.

“This is why big firms in the industry have already complied with the system and are comfortable with it,” Mr Kayombo noted, citing Total, Engen, Puma and Gapco, as among the big players who had set the tone.

On why some traders are reluctant to use the fuel specialized electronic devices, he responded: “Some traders are hiding their incomes because they have made under-declarations in order to deny the government the deserved taxes.”

The decision, according to him, had pushed traders to pay for the EFDs while others had pledged that they would use the system. Mr Kayombo exonerated the government from blame, remarking: “The traders are to blame because it was easy for them to evade tax. Some had already installed the machines but were not using them; but after the operation, they have started using them.”

Read more.

Optimism high as Magu town project advances

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By MOSES MATTHEW in MAGU

MAGU District Council, in collaboration with Landspecs Developers Limited, are undertaking the Kisesa-Isangijo satellite town project, under which informal settlements in Magu district council in Mwanza Region would be eliminated.

Under the flagship project that started in July 3, 2017, over 500 plots in Isangijo village in Kisesa Ward would be allocated. The project has total of 4,000 plots. The Magu district land officer; Mr Damas Mwakindingo, told the ‘Daily News’ over the weekend that the project is located about 20 kilometers from Mwanza City.

“With the project size of 4,000 plots developed for mixed use, it is expected that the project will raise Mwanza’s profile as far as urbanisation and modern town planning is concerned,” Mr Mwakindingo said.

He said the projected satellite town located within Ilendeje, Bukandwe and Busangijo villages, located 500 plots in the past and would locate over that figure. He elaborated that the plots were in surveyed and serviced residential areas and the recipients would be given title deeds.

Read more.

Tour operators told to be more proactive in tourism promotion

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By MOSES MATTHEW in Mwanza

LAKE Zone based tours operators have been urged to be more proactive in promoting tourism in the area so as to record desirable economic impact as well as creating a vibrant tourism industry.

Speaking during the stakeholders’ meeting attended by about 40 companies here over the weekend, the Swahili International Tourism Expo (SITE) coordinator, Mr Philip Chitaunga, said that local

companies have a major role to play to increase their economic contribution in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the subsector.

“Mwanza has a lot of tourism destinations that are not well promoted and in my view the Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB) need to be more proactive in making sure the tour attractions are known particularly domestic tourism to both local and foreign tourists and then increase the income substantially,” said Mr Chitaunga.

He said that Mwanza Tour operators in the Lake Zone in collaboration with TTB should work entirely in promoting domestic tourism in a bid to improve their economy, the local community and the nation at large.

Read more.

KOICA lends hand to street children

From Daily News. Dar es Salaam
MOSES MATTHEW in Mwanza

ALL over the world, education provides children and adults with the skills they need to address social issues, break the cycle of poverty, and improve the health and well being of communities.

This can be done through two ways. One is in the Millennium development goals which targeted children to complete a full course of primary schooling by the end of 2015.

The second method uses the term to highlight organizations undertaking education projects to benefit

the community. This includes disease prevention, health education, skills training and social change.

Recently Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with Hands on Science Organisation Tanzania (HSOT), Tanzania Rural Health Movement and Mwanza regional Library is implementing vocational education project to 130 street children in Mwanza City.

The KOICA country’s director, Tanzania Office, Mr Joonsung Park says the objective of the education project is to create ability to street children to sustain themselves. “These vocational skills will last for six months of training, as this class has only 10 months after it was established that more children have developed interest to join the training,” said Mr Park.

Read more.