Tanzania: Conservationists Say Large-Tusked Elephants On Kenya-Tanzania Border Are Endangered

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Tanzania: Conservationists Say Large-Tusked Elephants On Kenya-Tanzania Border Are Endangered

Nairobi, Kenya — Scientists and conservationists in Kenya are sounding the alarm over the killing of elephants with large tusks. According to scientists, the elephants were killed by trophy hunters in Tanzania. They say other elephants in the group are in danger if they cross into Tanzania where hunting is allowed.

In a news briefing Monday, conservationists and scientists said five large-tusked elephants were targeted and killed in the last eight months by trophy hunters in Northern Tanzania.

They added that only 10 of the elephants, with tusks weighing 45 kilograms (100 pounds) each, remain in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, which has the highest density of the animals.

Conservationist Paula Kahumbu is the chief executive officer at Wildlife Direct.

“This is bigger than Kenya, this is bigger than Tanzania. It’s actually a global issue because elephants cannot speak for themselves. We as the people of the world have to speak for these elephants. They cannot go to court; they cannot go to the east African court,” she said.

In March, Tanzanian authorities issued controversial hunting permits for the large-tusked elephants, known as “super tuskers,” in the greater Amboseli-West Kilimanjaro border area.

Festus Ihwagi, a research scientist for conservation group Save the Elephants, called on Kenya to raise the issue with Tanzania.

“They may not overhaul it immediately but for the interest of cross border conservation initiatives it would be very good if our president engaged [with] his counterpart in Tanzania and we come up with an arrangement whereby no more hunting blocks are allowed within the defined range,” said Ihwagi.

To mark the August 12 World Elephant Day, the group of scientists say they have handed the Tanzanian government a global petition with over 500,000 signatures, calling for an end to trophy hunting along the country’s border with Kenya in Tanzania’s portion of the park.

In a telephone interview, Conservation Commissioner Mabula Misungwi Nyanda of the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority said the hunters are required to follow protocol.

“Hunting depends on whether the procedure has been followed or not. If you found them, they would explain whether they follow the procedure or not, but the animals should be protected as required.” said Nyanda.

Kenya is home to over 2,000 different species of elephants. About 600 of them, conservationists say, cross over to Tanzania regularly.

Kenya has banned elephant hunting for more than four decades. Authorities hope the campaign to stop hunting the “super tuskers” in Tanzania will help save the remaining elephant families.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: End Mass Arrests and Arbitrary Detentions of Political Opposition

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

The Tanzanian authorities must urgently halt the mass arrests and arbitrary detention of government critics, Amnesty International said today, as intimidation of members of the political opposition intensifies in the run-up to local government elections in December and the general election in 2025.

On 11 August, Tanzanian police arrested and detained leading figures from Tanzania’s Party for Democracy and Progress, the main political opposition party known as Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), including former presidential candidate Tundu Lissu and more than a hundred youth supporters, as well as five journalists for violating a ban on holding a youth conference. They were arrested during a meeting at Chadema’s Nyasa zonal office in Mbeya, southwest Tanzania, ahead of International Youth Day on 12 August.

The Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), the bar association of mainland Tanzania, said police also arrested 107 Chadema party members the same day in Iringa region in Nyasa zone, in the country’s southern highlands.

“The mass arrests and arbitrary detention of figures from the Chadema party, as well as their supporters and journalists, is a deeply worrying sign in the run-up to local government elections in December 2024 and the 2025 general election. The Tanzanian authorities must urgently respect people’s rights to freedom of expression and association,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

Two eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that those arrested include Chadema vice chair, Tundu Lissu, secretary general, John Mnyika, Nyasa regional leader, Joseph Mbilinyi, and leaders of the party’s youth wing, Baraza la Vijana Cha Chadema (Bavicha). According to a party official, the leading figures were taken by police to unknown locations, while other party members and journalists were transported to various police stations in Mbeya.

The mass arrests and arbitrary detention of figures from the Chadema party, as well as their supporters and journalists, is a deeply worrying sign in the run-up to local government elections in December 2024 and the 2025 general election. Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director, East and Southern Africa

The police later, on 12 August, arrested Chadema party chairman Freeman Mbowe and the Bavicha national leader John Pambalu at Songwe airport after they arrived from Dar es Salaam to follow up about other party leaders and members who had been arrested.

Chadema lawyers told Amnesty International that they had not been allowed by the Mbeya Regional Police Commander to know the whereabouts of the arrested individuals or information regarding the charges against them. The lawyers were however able to independently confirm that Joseph Mbilinyi was detained in Iringa Central Police Station.

The authorities have been restricting activities of the political opposition while allowing politicians from the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party to meet unhindered.

“The Tanzanian authorities must urgently release all of those detained or charge them with a recognizable criminal offence, in line with international standards. If there are legitimate charges against any of the detainees, authorities must respect their rights to a fair trial, in line with international human rights law and standards, such as informing detainees of the reasons for their arrest, presenting them promptly before a judge, and granting access to legal counsel,” said Sarah Jackson.

The Tanzanian authorities must urgently release all of those detained or charge them with a recognizable criminal offence, in line with international standards.Sarah Jackson

“Ahead of the upcoming elections, Amnesty International calls on the Tanzanian authorities to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all people, including the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. They must end arbitrary arrests and detention of political opposition members and reverse the escalating crackdown on civic space,” said Sarah Jackson.

Background

Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as Tanzania’s first female president following the death of President John Pombe Magufuli on 17 March 2021.

While President Magufuli was in power, opposition politicians faced arbitrary arrest and detention — a trend that has continued under President Hassan.

On 21 July 2021, the police arrested opposition leader Freeman Mbowe and 11 other Chadema party officials and staff members at a hotel in Mwanza, northwestern Tanzania. They were arrested hours before a planned conference, in which party members would discuss demanding a new Cconstitution for the country. Although seven of them were released days after their arrest, Mbowe was only released more than seven months later, after the Director of Public Prosecution dropped terrorism charges against him and three others.

On 14 July 2023, lawyer and activist Boniface Mwabukusi and political activist Mdude Nyagali were arrested days after holding a press conference in Dar es Salaam, where they criticized a port deal between Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On 12 August 2023, they were re-arrested while travelling to Dar es Salaam and taken to the Central Police Station in the city of Mbeya. The next day, police arrested Willibrod Slaa, a former parliamentarian and diplomat, at his home in Dar es Salaam and took him to Mbweni Police Station. They faced treason charges but were released on 18 August 2023 under strict reporting conditions.

On 10 September 2023, police arrested Tundu Lissu for holding an “unlawful assembly” after he attended a political rally in Loliondo division, northern Tanzania.

On 11 August 2024, Tanzanian police raided a meeting at Chadema’s zonal office in Mbeya shortly after 6pm, during which party members were reportedly making plans for a youth rally the following day to mark International Youth Day.

Source: allafrica.com

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Jeshi la Polisi lakanusha taarifa ya Polisi

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In: Swahili News

Dar es Salaam. Sakata la kuzuiwa mikutano ya hadhara na ile ya ndani ya vyama vya siasa limechukua sura mpya, baada ya Jeshi la Polisi Tanzania kukanusha zuio la Polisi Wilaya ya Mbagala, Mkoa wa Dar es Salaam.

Kanusho hilo la Polisi Makao Makuu linatokana na taarifa ya Polisi Mbagala kwenda kwa chama cha ACT-Wazalendo kuzuia kufanyika kwa mkutano wa hadhara waliopanga kufanyika leo Jumatatu, Agosti 12, 2024 katika Kata ya Charambe, Wilaya ya Temeke, Dar es Salaam.

Barua ya Polisi Wilaya ya Mbagala kwenda kwa ACT-Wazalendo ya leo Jumatatu, pamoja na mambo mengine imesema: “…napenda kukujulisha kuwa mikutano yote ya hadhara na ya ndani imezuiliwa hadi hapo yatakapotolewa maelekezo mengine.”

Baada ya barua hiyo mijadala imeshika kasi mitandaoni, huku wadau wa kisiasa wakikumbusha kile kilichotokea mwaka 2016 kwa mikutano ya hadhara kupigwa marufuku na kuruhusiwa ile ya ndani.

Zuio hilo la mikutano liliwekwa wakati wa utawala wa awamu ya tano, baada ya utawala wa awamu ya sita kuingia madarakani ukiongozwa na Rais Samia Suluhu Hassan uliliondoa na mikutano kurejea.

Mwananchi lilizungumza na Msajili wa Vyama vya Siasa, Jaji Francis Mutungi kutaka kujua undani wa zuio hilo la Polisi Mbagala ambapo amesema kinachojitokeza ni hali ya jeshi hilo kujichanganya, hakuna tamko rasmi lilotolewa la kufuta mikutano ya hadhara na ile ya ndani.

“Kilichotokea naona kama Polisi wamejichanganya, hakuna tamko rasmi lilotolewa la kuzuia mikutano ya hadhara na ya ndani kwa kuwa Jeshi la Polisi lina ngazi aulizwe msemaji wake anaweza kuwa na majibu sahihi,” amesema Jaji Mutungi.

Katikati ya mijadala hiyo, saa 8:20 mchana, Msemaji wa Jeshi la Polisi Tanzania, David Misime akatoa taarifa kwa umma akisema: “Jeshi la Polisi lingependa kutoa taarifa kuwa halijapiga marufuku kufanyika mikutano ya nje ya hadhara na ile ya ndani, ili mradi inafuata matakwa ya sheria za nchi.”

“Kilichopigwa marufuku ni mkusanyiko uliokuwa umeitishwa na viongozi wa Chadema huko jijini Mbeya, kwa kivuli cha kuadhimisha Siku ya Vijana Duniani,”ilieleza taarifa hiyo.Continue Reading

Tanzania: FM Looking Forward to Boosting Ties With Tanzania

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Tanzania: FM Looking Forward to Boosting Ties With Tanzania

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday he is looking forward to boosting relations between Egypt and Tanzania, scaling up the volume of trade exchange and promoting joint investments.

The foreign minister’s remarks came at a meeting with his Tanzanian counterpart Mahmoud Thabit Kombo on the sidelines of his current visit to the Rwandan capital Kigali.

Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid said that the meeting discussed bilateral ties between the two sides.

Abdelatty was keen on conveying the greeting of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to the Tanzanian leader, added Abu Zeid.

The spokesman noted that the foreign minister tackled cooperation projects between Egypt and Tanzania, topped by the Egypt-Built Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam in Tanzania.

Abdelatty said Egypt is very interested in removing any obstacles to the completion of the project for the sake of the Tanzanian people, said Abu Zeid.

The foreign minister invited his Tanzanian counterpart to visit Egypt soon.

MENA

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania police arrest senior opposition leaders, ban meeting

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By REUTERS

Police arrested senior leaders of Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema and hundreds of its supporters ahead of a meeting in the southwest of the country, the party said on Monday.

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe and the leader of its youth wing John Pambalu were arrested at a regional airport on Monday, the party said on social media platform X.

A day earlier, the party’s Vice-Chairman Tundu Lissu and Secretary-General John Mnyika were arrested, party spokesperson John Mrema told Reuters.

Since coming to power in March 2021 following the death of her predecessor, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has lifted a ban on political rallies and relaxed restrictions on media.

However, she has faced criticism from opposition parties and rights groups for arrests last year of those planning protests against a port management deal.

The latest arrests came hours after police banned a conference planned by Chadema’s youth wing Bavicha, saying the event was likely to breach the peace.

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Police said the party’s youth leaders planned to influence young people across the country to meet and demonstrate in Mbeya, a city in southwest Tanzania, which a party spokesperson denied.

Mrema said the conference was to celebrate International Youth Day, where top party officials, including Mbowe, were set to address the youth.

“There are more than 400 people who have been arrested by the police,” the spokesperson added.

Police spokesperson David Misime did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all our leaders, members and loved ones who were arrested in various parts of the country,” Mbowe had said late on Sunday on X.

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