Tanzania: PM Orders Search for Building Owner After Deadly Collapse

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Tanzania: PM Orders Search for Building Owner After Deadly Collapse

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has directed police to locate the owner of the building that collapsed last Friday (November 15th), resulting in the tragic loss of 16 lives. While 86 individuals were rescued, several others remain unaccounted for.

During a tribute ceremony for the victims at the Mnazi Mmoja grounds in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam, Mr Majaliwa underscored the importance of identifying the owner to uncover the reasons behind this tragedy.

“The owner’s presence will aid the police in understanding the circumstances that led to the building’s collapse. Critical questions will be posed, and he will be expected to provide answers,” the Prime Minister stated.

Additionally, Mr Majaliwa announced that the government is in the final stages of investigating the cause of the collapse, with a detailed report expected soon.

In related news, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has ordered a comprehensive inspection of all buildings in the Kariakoo area.

Speaking via video from Brazil, where she is attending the G20 Summit, President Samia instructed authorities to provide a detailed report on the structural integrity of the buildings in that area.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Emergency Crews Continue Rescue Ops in Deadly Dar es Salaam Building Collapse

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Tanzania: Emergency Crews Continue Rescue Ops in Deadly Dar es Salaam Building Collapse

Cape Town —

November 16 building collapse leaves 13 people dead

The four-story building collapsed at about 9am in the Kariakoo area of Dar es Salaam on November 16, and emergency teams are rescuing survivors, reports Crisis24.

At least 13 people were killed, with several others still trapped inside the building. It’s unclear how many people were injured, and the cause is still being investigated.

Crisis24 reports that: “Heightened security and localized transport and business disruptions will likely continue in the affected area into at least Nov. 19. Authorities will probably restrict access to nearby roads to facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles. Officials may also mandate building evacuations in the vicinity as a precaution until clearance operations and investigations end.”

Source: allafrica.com

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Siku tisa kuelekea uchaguzi, zinahitaji haya

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In: Swahili News

Dar es Salaam. Wakati sekunde zikizidi kuyoyoma, saa zikikimbia na siku tisa tu zikisalia kabla ya Watanzania kuelekea kupiga kura katika uchaguzi wa serikali za mitaa, kila mmoja ana wajibu wa pekee kuhakikisha anashiriki kikamilifu kwenye mchakato huu wa kidemokrasia.

Uchaguzi huo, uliopangwa kufanyika Novemba 27, 2024 una nafasi kubwa ya kubadili mustakabali wa jamii zetu kwa miaka mitano ijayo.

Hii ni nafasi ya kuandaa daraja la maendeleo au kujiweka katika mahangaiko na changamoto za kijamii na kiuchumi.

Kwa siku tisa zilizosalia kuelekea uchaguzi huo, kuna mambo ya msingi unayopaswa kuzingatia.

Ulijiandikisha

Ni muhimu kila mpiga kura kuhakikisha majina yake yameorodheshwa kwenye daftari la wapiga wakazi.

Daftari hilo, ndilo linalotumika kuorodhesha majina ya wakazi wa maeneo husika na ndilo linalokuhalalisha kushiriki kupiga au kupigiwa kura.

Kwa mujibu wa Tume Huru ya TaiFa ya Uchaguzi (INEC) mwaka 2019, zaidi ya wapiga kura milioni sana walijiandikisha, lakini takriban asilimia 15 hawakujitokeza kupiga kura kwa sababu ya changamoto za kutothibitisha majina yao mapema.

Katika siku hizi chache, ni jukumu la kila mmoja kuhakikisha hana vikwazo vya kiutaratibu na sheria vinavyomzuia kushiriki mchakato huo.

Wagombea na sera zao

Kwa siku zilizobaki Ofisi ya Rais, Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa (Tamisemi) na vyama vya siasa vina jukumu la kuhakikisha wananchi wanapata taarifa za kina kuhusu wagombea.

Kwa sababu tayari uteuzi umeshafanyika na pazia la kampeni linaenda kufunguliwa, sera ndizo zitakazoamua ushindi wa mgombea.

Uchaguzi si sherehe ya majina maarufu bali ni mchakato wa kuchagua viongozi wenye uwezo wa kuleta maendeleo.

Katika uchaguzi wa serikali za mitaa wa mwaka 2019, utafiti wa Repoa ulionyesha asilimia 45 ya wapiga kura hawakujua kikamilifu sera za wagombea wao, jambo lililochangia uchaguzi wa viongozi wasiowajibika kwa jamii.

Mpiga kura anapaswa kutumia siku hizi tisa zilizobaki kuhudhuria mikutano ya kampeni, zitakapozinduliwa, kusoma ilani za vyama na hata kuuliza maswali magumu ili kufanya maamuzi sahihi.

Amani na utulivu

Historia ya Tanzania imejaa mifano ya mafanikio ya kuendesha chaguzi kwa amani.

Lakini tunapaswa kuwa waangalifu dhidi ya kauli na vitendo vinavyoweza kuchochea vurugu.

Mwaka 2020, ripoti ya Kituo cha Sheria na Haki za Binadamu (LHRC), ilionyesha asilimia 20 ya vurugu za uchaguzi zilitokana na mivutano ya kidini na kikabila, hasa wakati wa kampeni.

Sasa ni wakati wa kudumisha mshikamano, kuelekeza mijadala kwenye hoja badala ya chuki na kuhakikisha tunaacha mfano bora kwa kizazi kijacho.

Hamasa kwa wapiga kura

Ushiriki wa wananchi katika uchaguzi ni ishara ya nguvu ya kidemokrasia.

Katika uchaguzi wa serikali za mitaa wa mwaka 2019, ni asilimia 65 tu ya waliojiandikisha walijitokeza kupiga kura.

Takwimu hizo zinaonyesha bado kuna kazi kubwa ya kuwahamasisha watu kushiriki.

Familia, marafiki na majirani wanapaswa kushirikiana kuhamasishana ili ifikapo Novemba 27 kila mmoja awe sehemu ya mabadiliko.

Kuimarisha maandalizi ya siku ya uchaguzi

Kwa wapiga kura, kuhakikisha wanajua vituo vyao vya kupigia kura ni hatua muhimu.

Hii husaidia kuepuka msongamano na kuchanganyikiwa siku ya uchaguzi.

Kwa mujibu wa ripoti ya INEC 2019, asilimia 10 ya wapiga kura walishindwa kupiga kura kwa wakati kwa sababu ya kushindwa kufika vituoni mapema.

Kwa mamlaka zinazohusika, hatua hizi chache zilizobaki ni fursa ya kuhakikisha vifaa vyote vya uchaguzi vipo tayari, watumishi wamepewa mafunzo ya kutosha, na mazingira ya vituo vya kura ni rafiki kwa wapiga kura wote, wakiwemo wazee, wanawake wajawazito na watu wenye ulemavu.

Kujiepusha na rushwa, uvunjifu maadili

Rushwa imeendelea kuwa changamoto katika chaguzi mbalimbali.

Transparency International iliripoti mwaka 2020 kwamba asilimia 18 ya wapiga kura walirubuniwa kwa njia ya rushwa ili kuwachagua wagombea fulani.

Wakati huu tunapokaribia siku ya uchaguzi, ni muhimu kuhakikisha maamuzi ya wananchi hayashawishiwi na zawadi za muda mfupi, bali yanatokana na utashi wa kweli wa mabadiliko.

Kulinda haki za wengine

Kila mmoja ana haki ya kupiga kura kwa uhuru na usalama.

Mikutano ya kampeni inapaswa kuheshimu sheria za uchaguzi na wapiga kura wanapaswa kuacha tabia ya kuwakatisha tamaa wengine kushiriki.

Kwa mujibu wa sheria za uchaguzi nchini, vitendo vya kuwatishia wapiga kura vinaweza kusababisha kifungo cha hadi miaka mitatu jela.

Kujiandaa kisaikolojia na kifamilia

Katika siku hizi chache, ni muhimu kuhakikisha kwamba familia zimetayarishwa kwa siku ya uchaguzi.

Hakikisha watoto wapo salama, na ratiba ya siku hiyo imepangwa vizuri ili kuepusha mizozo.

Uchaguzi ni suala la kijamii linalohitaji mshikamano wa kifamilia na kijamii.

Siku tisa zinaweza kuonekana kuwa chache, lakini zinaweza kuwa msingi wa kuleta mabadiliko makubwa.

Kama Taifa, tunapaswa kutumia kila saa iliyobaki kuhakikisha tunajiandaa kwa njia sahihi kushiriki katika zoezi hili muhimu.

Huu ni wakati wa kuonyesha uzalendo kwa kuchagua viongozi wanaostahili na kuhakikisha kuwa demokrasia yetu inazidi kuimarika.

Tukumbuke kwamba kila kura ina uzito mkubwa. Kwa kila mmoja wetu anayejitokeza kupiga kura, tunaandika ukurasa mpya wa historia ya Taifa letu.

Tafakari, jipange na uhakikishe siku ya Novemba 27 inakuwa ya kipekee kwa maendeleo yetu.

Vyombo vya habari pia vina nafasi muhimu ya kuhakikisha vinaripoti taarifa bila kuegemea upande wa chama chochote cha siasa.

Kwa mujibu wa Baraza la Habari Tanzania (MCT), uandishi wa uchaguzi unapaswa kuwa wa uwiano, kuzingatia maadili na kutoa fursa sawa kwa wagombea wote.

Katika siku hizi tisa, vyombo vya habari vina jukumu la kuelimisha wapiga kura, kufichua changamoto za kiutaratibu, na kupaza sauti za wananchi wanaotafuta mabadiliko.

Huu ni wakati wa kuonyesha uzalendo kwa kuchagua viongozi wanaostahili na kuhakikisha kuwa demokrasia yetu inazidi kuimarika.

Tukumbuke kila kura ina uzito mkubwa. Kwa kila mmoja anayejitokeza kupiga kura, anaandika ukurasa mpya wa historia ya Taifa.Continue Reading

Vandals target new Tanzania SGR infrastructure

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

Tanzania is scrambling to stop vandalism of its new electric standard gauge railway (SGR) infrastructure after two incidents in recent weeks disrupted train services from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.

The issue reached the floor of Parliament on Tuesday after legislators raised it as a matter of urgency to protect an asset that has lately become Tanzania’s selling point for regional trade.

The MPs demanded that the authorities, led by the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC), install surveillance systems in addition to regular patrols and general regulation of the scrap metal business to prevent the railway from falling into the hands of thieves.

In the past month, at least three bridges have been vandalised as thieves made off with metal equipment for scrap. 

Following the incident, the newly introduced electric multiple unit (EMU) train, which began commercial service last week to boost traffic on the SGR line between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, was held up for hours.

Preliminary investigations showed that vandals had cut vital electrical infrastructure, although officials termed it as an act of economic sabotage.

Police said they were holding four suspects to be charged with vandalising government infrastructure. George Katabazi, the Dodoma regional police commander, said the suspects were found with cables belonging to TRC.

The incidents were reported in Msagati, Mpwapwa District, Dodoma Region, where suspects last week cut off and stole copper cables from three railway bridges. Police said they arrested suspects who were found with some of the material.

The vandalism reflects the booming scrap metal business in Tanzania.

Experts have said adequate protection of the railway and other vital transport infrastructure should include regulation of the scrap metal trade, as sellers are not often required to provide proof of origin of the scrap, especially since thieves dispose of the metals on the cheap.

A road engineer, Dr Sylvester Mukasa, told The EastAfrican that while the acts of vandalism were not limited to the SGR, they could affect it more because the thieves were targeting the key pillars of the infrastructure.

He said he had observed vandals also cutting metal on bridges along major roads and also tampering with electricity pylons belonging to Tanesco.

In Parliament, the Budget and Infrastructure Committee members described the vandalism as sabotage, with the committee’s chairman Selemani Kakoso calling on authorities to act fast.

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Peer Power – How Youth-Led Outreach Can Transform PrEP Access in Tanzania #HIVR4P2024

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

Margareth Mwakilasa, an assistant research fellow at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania and a PhD student in Global Health at University College Dublin, presented her research findings at the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference (#HIVR4P2024) in Lima, Peru. Her study, titled “They are Not HIV Treatment Drugs; They are Preventive Drugs (PrEP): Experiences of Using PrEP Among Vulnerable Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Tanzania,” was part of the Oral Abstract session “Support Matters: You Are Not Alone!”

Mwakilasa’s research focused on the practical and social dynamics of PrEP uptake among adolescent girls and young women at high risk of HIV in Tanzania. Data collected over two years via interviews with 52 participants allowed for a deep dive into the barriers and facilitators impacting PrEP use in institutional settings. In an interview with AllAfrica’s Sethi Ncube, she discussed her research paper, which has been accepted for publication  in PLOS  ONE, a peer-reviewed journal by the Public Library of Science, with expected publication in November or December 2024.

In Tanzania, despite remarkable advances in HIV prevention, adolescent girls and young women at high risk still face significant barriers to accessing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is a proven intervention that, when taken consistently, can prevent HIV infection. However, as PrEP is currently reserved for key populations, its availability is only restricted to young women identified as high-risk, including those with repeated STI history, HIV-positive partners, or those engaged in transactional sex. This narrow access leaves many young women in the dark about this prevention tool.

Research and conversations with adolescent PrEP users in Tanzania revealed that although PrEP awareness is growing among those in the program, misinformation and logistical barriers are impeding widespread access.

“For these vulnerable adolescent girls and young women, the ones that I’ve had an opportunity to sit down and talk to, there are some who really know what PrEP is and how HIV can be prevented. They have that knowledge. But if you go to a general population right now, if you go to school and ask adolescents or go to a secondary school, I bet you a very small number will have an awareness of what PrEP is and how it works. Also, misconceptions about PrEP are not only within users…what is been discussed within the community is that PrEP is not an HIV prevention drug. Maybe it causes cancer or infertility…,” says Mwakilasa. This gap in awareness is often due to limited outreach, as young people typically learn about PrEP from friends rather than healthcare providers.

To bridge this knowledge gap, Mwakilasa’s study used creative recruitment methods, placing informational flyers and brochures at health facilities where eligible adolescent girls and young women return for PrEP refills. Partnering with peer navigators – trusted figures in the community trained to share accurate health information — has been a key strategy. For many adolescents, speaking with a peer about PrEP was more reassuring than speaking with a healthcare worker.

Empowering Youth in Healthcare

According to the study, long wait times and a shortage of healthcare providers affect many countries, but expanding peer-led support networks could help. By training more young peer educators, we can reduce the burden on healthcare providers and enhance the adolescent patient experience. These peer educators can handle routine support tasks during refill appointments, allowing nurses to focus on prescriptions and testing. Additionally, hiring more young healthcare professionals can create a more comfortable environment for adolescents, encouraging open discussions about sensitive topics like reproductive health and contraception. Expanding both peer and young provider roles can make healthcare spaces more welcoming and reduce stigma, empowering adolescents to seek the care they need.

Operational and Structural Barriers Impacting Consistency

According to Mwakilasa, once young women start on PrEP, keeping up with refills and appointments brings further challenges. Tanzanian clinics operate from 9 to 5, hours that overlap with young people’s own working hours or business activities essential for their livelihoods. Many adolescents miss their scheduled refill dates or forego PrEP entirely, as the transportation costs are too high for those living far from clinics. While some regions have started using mobile clinics to bring services closer to communities, this solution is limited to certain areas, and many adolescents are left unsupported.

“The PrEP delivery model varies from region to region, we have some donors who have peer navigators or healthcare providers, or have mobile cars to go on a community service delivery. These are only available in certain areas. I think there are some measures that need to be put into place to consider these issues that adolescents are raising, that they are a challenge for them to be able to access service.”

Privacy issues in health facilities further deter young women from seeking PrEP. With clinics often located in visible areas, adolescent girls and young women fear being spotted by neighbours and being judged or labeled as HIV-positive. Moreover, PrEP services are often housed within HIV treatment centers, spaces that carry a stigma adolescents and young women have grown up wary of. “Seeing someone I know in the clinic can be uncomfortable,” one participant said.

She said separating PrEP services from HIV treatment areas could create a youth-friendly environment that fosters confidence and comfort in accessing PrEP.

Navigating Misinformation and Enhancing Peer-Led Outreach

The young women Mwakilasa interviewed highlighted the need for education campaigns led by youth voices. Studies show adolescents are more likely to trust PrEP information delivered by their peers than by unfamiliar and older healthcare workers. Training peer educators with comprehensive PrEP knowledge and equipping them with informational materials could significantly boost outreach. Community-based PrEP programs could also offer practical solutions. Adolescents envision mobile units stationed in familiar spots, like community centers, where they can discreetly pick up refills without being in the public eye.

Community-based campaigns led by peer educators could clear up harmful misconceptions, and build awareness that PrEP is a safe, preventive tool, not treatment. PrEP delivery through community centers and partnerships with local leaders could also create safe spaces where young women feel comfortable seeking care.

Mwakilasa’s work highlights an urgent call for Tanzania’s healthcare system to enhance PrEP access for young women, stressing the importance of support networks and youth-centered spaces for HIV prevention.

Creating Stigma-Free Spaces for Adolescent Healthcare

True inclusivity in healthcare means designing spaces that respect the unique needs of every group served. In Tanzania, Care and Treatment Centers (CTCs) were originally built to provide HIV treatment. Still, as more services like PrEP prevention are integrated, the stigma around these centers can create barriers—especially for young people who don’t feel comfortable seeking preventive care in settings associated with HIV.

“I think from one of the recommendations of the study, adolescents said that they want even a separate room. Even if it’s hard to have a new building structure within the CDC, maybe they could just open another door, just facing the other direction, or a different room within the CTC or just one room within the healthcare facility that is for only PrEP preventive services,” said Mwakilasa.

allAfrica‘s Sethi Ncube attended the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, HIVR4P 2024, in Lima, Peru, reporting from the only global scientific conference focused on the challenging and fast-growing field of HIV prevention research.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania, AU Push Clean Cooking Agenda At COP29

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

Tanzania and the African Union (AU) jointly hosted a high-level side event at the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, aiming to place clean cooking at the forefront of the global climate agenda.

The event, titled “Addressing Clean Cooking Challenges in Africa: A Call for African Leadership,” aims to convene African leaders, policymakers, and international stakeholders to address the pressing need for clean cooking solutions across the continent, where 70 percent of the population still relies on traditional cooking methods.

The session underscored the importance of political commitment, innovative partnerships, and significant financial investment to advance sustainable, clean cooking technologies.

The African Union has prioritised clean cooking as a critical component of both climate action and sustainable development through its African Clean Cooking Programme (ACCP).

This initiative supports efforts to increase access to clean cooking solutions, reduce harmful emissions, and improve public health while driving technological innovation in cooking methods.

The ACCP aligns with the AU’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a prosperous, integrated, and sustainable Africa.

Tanzania has emerged as a leading advocate, highlighting gender-focused approaches to tackling energy and climate challenges. At COP28 in 2023, President Samia Suluhu Hassan launched the Africa Women Clean Cooking Support Programme (AWCCSP), which aimed to raise awareness, foster partnerships, and mobilise financial resources for scaling clean cooking solutions.

Several African nations have prioritised clean cooking in their national energy policies. Ghana has recorded a 36 percent increase in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) adoption and reports that 30 percent of households use improved cookstoves, advancing energy efficiency in domestic cooking.

Kenya has similarly expanded access, with 2.4 million residents now using LPG for safer, affordable cooking.

Clean cooking solutions are integral to climate strategies, potentially reducing emissions by up to 1.5 gigatons by 2030. The transition supports Sustainable Development Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy) and intersects with other goals, such as SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equality), and SDG 13 (climate action).

During the event, the African Union Energy Commission (AFREC) will unveil a report titled “Sustainable Scaling: Meeting the Clean Cooking Challenge in Africa.”

The publication outlines pathways to scale clean cooking technologies, emphasising the need for innovative financing models and policy frameworks. It underscores public-private partnerships as crucial to unlocking investments necessary for achieving universal access to clean cooking by 2030.

The report calls for enhanced political commitment and coordination among African governments to integrate clean cooking into national energy and climate strategies, setting the stage for greater innovation and sustainable development.

The COP29 side event will serve as a platform for African nations to engage with international partners and the private sector, showcasing Africa’s leadership in addressing global climate challenges.

Source: allafrica.com

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