Tanzania, Cuba to Forge Stronger Bilateral Ties

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PRIME Minister, Kassim Majaliwa has reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Cuba, focusing on advancements in education, health, agriculture and tourism.

His remarks came during a meeting with Cuban Vice-President Salvador Mesa at the Revolutionary Square in Havana on Tuesday.

Mr Majaliwa was in Havana for a two-day official visit aiming to strengthen the bilateral relation between Tanzania and Cuba.

He highlighted on-going collaborations between Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology and its Cuban counterpart, particularly a long-term agreement allowing Tanzanian students to pursue medical degrees in Cuba.

In the health sector, Majaliwa noted that Tanzanian medical institutions have benefited significantly from Cuban expertise. Cuban specialist doctors have frequently visited Tanzania, contributing to skill exchanges and providing critical care across various regions.

“We have seen Cuban doctors making a tangible difference in Tanzanian hospitals, including Muhimbili National Hospital, Mloganzila, Bugando, KCMC and Dodoma. Their dedication and patriotism have been exemplary,” Majaliwa said.

The Prime Minister also expressed Tanzania’s interest in learning from Cuba’s successes in tourism. He praised Cuba’s advancements in beach tourism, which include world-class hotels, well-developed infrastructure and a robust car rental system.

“Cuba’s achievements in tourism are impressive and Tanzania looks forward to adopting similar strategies to enhance our own sector,” Majaliwa noted.

“I assure the honourable Vice-President that together we will continue to embrace such friendly bilateral cooperation,” he added.

ALSO READ: Tanzania-China friendship force to reckon with in health sector

Additionally, the two leaders discussed the promotion of Kiswahili in Latin America. Tanzanian Ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, has been tasked with advancing Kiswahili education and usage in Havana and beyond.

Kiswahili is already taught at Cuban universities, including the University of Havana.

Ambassador Polepole emphasised that the Prime Minister’s visit has significantly boosted political, economic and biotechnology relations between the countries.

He also highlighted preparations for the Kiswahili International Symposium, scheduled to take place in Havana from November 7 to 9, which President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to attend.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Has Tanzania’s Protest Crackdown Dented Democratic Gains?

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

When President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office, her easing of opposition restrictions was praised. But a recent protest crackdown shows that progress on political freedom under her leadership has been inconsistent.

A recent crackdown on opposition party activities in Tanzania has left many political observers and analysts concerned about the East African country’s democratic space and the lack of competitive politics.

Ahead of International Youth Day on Monday, police arrested prominent politician Tundu Lissu and four other officials from his Chadema party. Authorities had banned a youth rally organized by the party on Sunday, citing concerns that it would incite chaos and violence.

Those arrested were subsequently released on bail — but the incident seems to have cast a slur on Tanzanian President Samia Hassan’s promise to allow her political opponents to freely operate.

Tanzania’s constitition guarantees the liberties of citizens, granting them free speech and freedom to peacefully asssemble, but opposition politicians have hardly enjoyed this, Godwin Gonde Amani, a political analyst, told DW.

What is the issue?

“The problem comes to the definition of freedom of speech and how those in government want people to express themselves. And it has been seen that few people are enjoying more freedom than the others,” Amani said.

“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,” Amnesty International said in a statement.

A year ago, President Samia Hassan ended a ban on opposition rallies imposed by her strongman predecessor, John Magufuli.

She also promised to restore competitive politics in the country, a practice that had been absent during Magufuli’s presidency.

Inconsistent progresss

But progress hasn’t been consistent under Hassan’s leadership.

Beatrice Bandewa, a Tanzanian citizen resident in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam, told DW that the president has demonstrated good faith so far and can’t be faulted for recent turn of events.

“In 2021 when President Samia came into power, she allowed all political activities to take place in the country, on condition that [political] parties observe rules and regulations,” she said.

Bandewa said that hasn’t been the case. “In any political demonstrations, not all partakers are in good will. Some are taking advantage of displayingn hate speech and inciting violence.”

Police reportedly cracked down on Monday’s planned rally because organizers had asked people to come out like the “youth in Kenya” — a reference to Gen-Z protests against Kenya’s now-scrapped finance bill which demonstrators said would raise taxes on already overtased Kenyan workers.

Kenyan President William Ruto refused to sign the Finance Bill 2024 into law following the significant public unrest and calls for his resignation.

William Maduhu, a Tanzanian who disagrees with the actions of the police said, the latest move points to a return to the dark days in Tanzania when opposition parties and their supporters faced significant crackdowns, arbitrary arrests and other forms of political persecution — particularly during Magufuli’s rule, which lasted from 2015 until his death in 2021.

“Those dark days of 17 years are like coming back,” he said as he expressed concerns about how other Tanzanians seem to be worried.

At a public event earlier this week, Emmanuel Nchimbi, the secretary general of Tanzania’s ruling center-left Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), expressed concern about the actions of the police. He fears they could thwart efforts to reduce tensions between the opposition and the ruling party.

“Give us politicians the chance to address these matters through dialogue,” he said. “Not everything should be handled through legal channels. Some issues are inherently political.”

Achieving political reconciliation

Amani suggested that the recent crackdown could hinder reconciliation efforts aimed at reducing political tensions.

“A lot has been changing with the president compared to the previous times under President Magufuli and the other presidents,” the political analyst told DW.

“Now there are issues of reconcilation, there are issues of resolving the conflict between the opposition and the ruling party.”

Amani criticized the police and other governmental agencies for excessively exercising their powers and mandates in response to the potential replication of youth protests from Kenya and Nigeria in Tanzania.

“What happened in Nigeria and what happened in Kenya can affect any country and Tanzania has a lot to learn from it,” Amani said.

Bandawe said the recent crackdown shouldn’t be considered irrelevant since they only seem to prevent any act of violence ahead of the elections.

“As we know, this year the country is going for local government elections. This is the reason why the government organs are not allowing these political demonstrations and protests of any kind,” she said.

Human Rights Watch said in a report on Wednesday that Tanzanian police arbitarily arrested 375 members and supporters of the country’s main opposition party.

Amani said Tanzania must free up its democratic space and allow for divergent opinions and activities if it is to deepen its democratic system.

Tanzania must allow for “tolerance within the field of politics because people cannot think the same all the time,” he said.

“Using pressure or force trying to limit the [opposition] in exercising their freedom seems to be a threat towards sustainable peace.”

Edited by: Keith Walker

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Freed Tanzanian Opposition Leaders ‘Beaten’ During Mass Arrests

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

Top leaders from Tanzania’s main opposition Chadema party and other senior officials were freed on bail Tuesday following their arrests ahead of a planned youth event in the southwestern city of Mbeya. Chadema said they had been badly beaten during their detention.

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe and his Deputy Tundu Lissu – both former presidential candidates – were “seriously beaten during the arrest” on Monday, the party’s deputy secretary general Benson Kigaila said on Tuesday.

Secretary general John Mnyika and the head of the party in the southern Nyasa region Joseph Mbilinyi were also beaten, Kigaila said.

Lissu, who survived an assassination bid in 2017 and had previously lived in exile for several years, “was dragged by the officers before he was thrown to the vehicle”, Kigaila told reporters.

Mbowe, 62, was detained on Monday at the airport in Mbeya, the day after Lissu and other officials were arrested.

Tanzania arrests top opposition figure Lissu in mass round-up

The detained opposition leaders had been escorted from Mbeya to Dar es Salaam where they were released on Tuesday, Kigaila said.

“After their release this morning, they individually went to hospital and we will give their health status in future,” he added.

Over 500 arrests

As many as 520 people were arrested across the country, according to a police statement, before the Chadema youth wing’s rally that had been expected to draw thousands of young people.

Rights groups and government opponents have raised fears the arrests could signal a return to the authoritarian policies of Tanzania’s late president John Magufuli, who died suddenly in March 2021.

His successor President Samia Suluhu Hassan had vowed a return to “competitive politics” and eased some restrictions on the opposition and the media, including lifting a six-year ban on opposition gatherings.

Samia Suluhu Hassan sworn in as Tanzania’s first female president

Awadh Haji, police chief of operations and training, confirmed the Chadema releases but warned that police would “take strict legal action against any individual or group involved in disrupting peace”.

Officers will continue to closely monitor the situation, he said, and will “strengthen security in the city of Mbeya and all other regions of Tanzania to prevent any planned acts of violence”.

Hundreds of youth supporters were also rounded up by police as they travelled into the city, according to the party. About 10,000 had been expected to meet in Mbeya to mark International Youth Day on Monday.

But police accused Chadema of planning violent demonstrations and made reference to widespread anti-government protests in neighbouring Kenya, led largely by young activists.

Worrying signs

Rights groups and government opponents voiced alarm at the developments as Tanzania gears up for local and national elections.

“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,” Amnesty International said.

Tanzania’s opposition rallies against ‘cosmetic’ electoral reforms

“The Tanzanian authorities must urgently respect people’s rights to freedom of expression and association.”

Tanzania’s Legal and Human Rights Centre also denounced the arrests, noting that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and another opposition party ACT Wazalendo had been able to hold youth day rallies at the weekend without any issues.

Lissu, 56, a fierce critic of the CCM, returned to Tanzania in 2023 after Hassan lifted the ban on opposition rallies. He had spent the previous five years largely in exile in Belgium, returning only briefly to run for the presidency in 2020.

Mbowe was also previously arrested in July 2021 ahead of a Chadema meeting to demand constitutional reforms but was freed the following March after prosecutors dropped terrorism charges against him.

(with AFP)

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania Set to Introduce the Ritz-Carlton Brand

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Tanzania Set to Introduce the Ritz-Carlton Brand

Tanzania is set to make history as the first Sub-Saharan African country to introduce The Ritz-Carlton brand, bolstering its position as one of the premier tourism destinations on the continent, The Citizen reports.

Tanzania to become first Sub-Saharan African country to introduce The Ritz-Carlton https://t.co/ZthErvVFqw— TheCitizenTz (@TheCitizenTz) August 12, 2024

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the luxury hotel chain known as The Ritz-Carlton. The company has 108 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories with 29,158 rooms, in addition to 46 hotels with 8,755 rooms planned for the future.

Currently, only Morrocco and Egypt have the brand in Africa, it is reported.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania Opposition Leaders Released After Mass Arrests

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Hundreds of leaders and supporters of the Chadema party had been arrested ahead of a planned youth day rally. Dissidents voiced concerns about a return to the repressive policies of President Hassan’s predecessor.

Most leaders of Chadema have been released as of Tuesday, officials said, a day after some 520 people connected to Tanzania‘s main opposition party were arrested.

In a post on social media site X, Chadema spokesman John Hrema said that party chairman Freeman Mbowe and his deputy Tundu Lissu “have been returned to Dar es Salaam by police and have bailed themselves out.”

Police chief of operations Awadh Haji said “all the top Chadema leaders who were arrested, after interrogation and other procedures, have been returned to where they came from.”

Chadema disputed that all of its officials had been released, but did not give any names.

The arrests came as young supporters of the party gathered for a rally meant to honor International Youth Day.

Fears of return to repression

Rights groups and dissidents have voiced concerns that the mass arrests signal a return to the repressive politics of the late president John Magufuli ahead of national elections next year.

Magufuli’s former vice president and successor Samia Suluhu Hassan had promised a return to “competitive politics” upon taking office, and in 2023 she lifted a six-year ban on opposition gatherings. She has also eased restrictions on freedom of the press implemented under her predecessor. However, Chadema leader Mbowe has still expressed significant distrust of her administration.

es/nm (AFP, epd)

Tanzania Opposition Leaders Released After Mass Arrests

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Mikakati yaandaliwa, tumbaku ikishika namba mbili mauzo ya bidhaa asili nje

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Dar es Salaam. Tumbaku ikishika nafasi ya pili katika mauzo ya bidhaa za asili nje ya nchi mwaka 2023, wadau wanashauri itafutwe njia mbadala ya kukausha zao hilo hasa kwa wakulima wadogo ili kuepusha ukataji miti unaoweza kuligharimu Taifa.

Hata hivyo, Bodi ya Tumbaku Tanzania (TTB) katika mazungumzo na Mwananchi imesema tayari kuna aina mbili za mbegu zinazotumia hewa na jua kukauka zimeanza kutumiwa na wakulima katika baadhi ya mikoa.

Ripoti ya Takwimu za Msingi Tanzania 2023 inaeleza kuongezeka uzalishaji wa tumbaku nchini ni moja ya sababu ya mauzo ya nje ya nchi kukua zaidi ya mara mbili, kati ya mwaka 2021 hadi 2023.

Inaelezwa katika ripoti hiyo kuwa, kukua kwa mauzo kutoka Sh291.4 bilioni mwaka 2021 hadi Sh824.9 bilioni mwaka 2023 kunaifanya tumbaku kushika nafasi ya pili katika mauzo ya bidhaa za asili nje ya nchi na kuleta mapato mengi nchini, ikiipiku korosho ambayo mwaka 2023 ilishika nafasi hiyo.

Ripoti hiyo iliyotolewa na Ofisi ya Taifa ya Takwimu (NBS) inafafanua kuwa siyo mauzo tu ya zao hilo yaliyoongezeka, bali hata bidhaa zinazotokana na tumbaku nazo uzalishaji wake umeongezeka.

Uchambuzi unaonyesha uzalishaji sigara uliongezeka kutoka sigara bilioni 7.02 mwaka 2021 hadi bilioni 11.86 mwaka 2023.

Ongezeko la uzalishaji sigara unaifanya kuwa bidhaa ya pili miongoni mwa baadhi ya bidhaa zilizotengenezwa viwandani zilizoainishwa na ripoti upande wa Tanzania Bara kati ya mwaka 2019 hadi 2023 ikitanguliwa na bidhaa za rangi.

Agosti 8, 2024 Waziri wa Kilimo, Hussein Bashe alimweleza Rais Samia Suluhu Hassan kuwa, kama si mvua za El-Nino, Tanzania ingekuwa mzalishaji mkubwa wa tumbaku duniani kwa kuwa hivi sasa inashika nafasi ya pili ikitanguliwa na Zimbabwe.

“…Umechukua uongozi wa nchi yetu uzalishaji wa tumbaku ukiwa ni tani elfu 65 na malengo yetu kwa sasa ilikuwa ni kuzalisha tani 170,000 hadi tani 200,000 lakini tumefikisha tani 122,000,” alisema Bashe.

Mtaalamu wa Uchumi na Biashara kutoka Chuo Kikuu Mzumbe, Profesa Aurelia Kamuzora amesema Taifa linapaswa kuangalia namna linavyoweza kutumia zaidi fursa ya uzalishaji na uuzaji tumbaku nje ya nchi ili kujiingizia fedha za kigeni.

Amesema fursa hiyo inaweza kutumika zaidi hasa katika kipindi hiki ambacho baadhi ya nchi duniani zinapunguza uzalishaji kutokana na kampeni zinazofanywa kupiga marufuku matumizi ya sigara katika maeneo yao.

“Sisi tunaweza kuimarisha uzalishaji kwa kufanya utafiti kuangalia sehemu ambazo watu wanaweza kulima zaidi tumbaku na kufanya uzalishaji ili kutumia fursa iliyopo,” amesema.

Kuhusu uzalishaji wa sigara kuongezeka, Profesa Kamuzora amesema athari zake kwa watumiaji ni bayana na huainishwa hata kwenye pakiti, akisema kisanyansi kitu chochote kinapotumiwa kupita kiwango kinaweza kumuathiri mtu.

“Kama mtu unakunywa supu ya nyama yenye mafuta mengi kila siku utaishia kupata tatizo, kila kitu unapotumia kwa wingi kina madhara,” amesema Profesa Kamuzora.

Hata hivyo amesema ni vyema kuangalia kama nikotini inaweza kuwaathiri hadi wakulima, kwa kufanya tafiti katika moja ya mkoa unaozalisha kwa wingi tumbaku na kulinganisha na ule ambao hauzalishi.

Amesema moja ya kitu kinachoweza kuangaliwa ni umri wa mtu kuishi.

Ukataji miti

Ukataji miti kwa ajili ya kupata kuni za kukaushia tumbaku ni suala linalojadiliwa hapa na pale, kwamba kadri uzalishaji unavyoongezeka ndivyo nchi inakuwa kwenye hatari ya kuwa jangwa.

Profesa Kamuzora amependekeza kuwapo mipango ya njia zinazoweza kutumika kukausha zao hilo bila kutumia kuni zinazosababisha ukataji miti.

“Kuna baadhi ya kampuni niliona zinaotesha miti kwa ajili ya kufidia uharibifu nafikiri tunahitaji kujipanga zaidi kwa kuangalia wapi tunaweza kurekebisha, ikiwemo kupanda miti kwa wingi,” amesema.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi, Mkurugenzi wa Bodi ya Tumbaku Tanzania (TTB), Stanley Mnosya amesema njia pekee ya kuzuia ulimaji tumbaku kuathiri mazingira ni kuangalia namna ya kudhibiti ukataji miti.

Amesema kwa sasa wamebadili majiko ya kukaushia tumbaku kwa kuondoa yenye uwezo wa kuingiza magogo na kuweka yanayotumia matawi matawi ya miti pekee.

Amesema wameingia mkataba wa miaka mitatu na moja ya kampuni itakayokuwa ikiwajengea wakulima majiko.

“Lakini ukiacha hili, tuna mbegu mpya aina mbili za tumbaku ambazo zitakuwa hazihitaji moto kukaushia, badala yake zitatumia hewa na mwanga wa jua,” amesema Mnosya.

Amesema mbegu inayokaushwa kwa kutumia hewa huhitaji kivuli, hivyo mkulima atafunika na nyavu na kuacha sehemu ya kupitisha hewa.

Pia kama mtu ana miti ya kivuli ana uwezo wa kuweka tumbaku chini yake na ikakauka vizuri.

“Mbegu hizi tayari zimeanza kutumika katika maeneo ya Iringa, Singida na baadhi ya sehemu ya Tabora, lengo letu ni kuona mwaka huu asilimia 30 ya tumbaku yote itokane na mbegu hizi na tutakuwa tukiongeza kidogokidogo hadi zao hili nchi nzima litakapokuwa linatokana na mbegu hizi,” amesema.

Kutokana na baadhi ya tumbaku kuendelea kukaushwa kwa moto amesema kupitia Mfumo wa Usimamizi wa Misitu unaotegemea Jamii (CBFM) wanalinda watu kutoingia kiholela kukata misitu, bali kwa kufuata utaratibu ambao unaenda sambamba na watu kufundishwa namna ya kuvuna misitu.

Amesema kuna kampeni maalumu inayowataka wakulima kupanda miti 500 anapolima hekta moja, huku vikundi vya kinamama na vijana vimeundwa kusimamia na kutunza miti inayopandwa.

Mikakati mingine

Wakati hayo yakifanyika, bajeti ya Wizara ya Kilimo ya mwaka 2024/2025 inataja mkakati katika zao hilo ni kuratibu upatikanaji wa tani 127,316 za mbolea na kusambaza kwa wakulima kwa mpango wa ruzuku.

Hilo litaenda sambamba na usambazaji wa viuatilifu lita 236,329 na pakiti 1,664,286, vifungashio belo 11,709 na nyuzi 166,429 kwa ajili ya kuimarisha uzalishaji wa tumbaku.

Mbolea ya NPK (10:18:24) itaagizwa na Kampuni ya Mbolea Tanzania (TFC) na kusambazwa kwa wakulima wa tumbaku.

“Bodi ya Tumbaku Tanzania itajenga mabani ya kisasa 2,353 katika mikoa ya Tabora, Shinyanga, Geita, Kigoma, Ruvuma, Katavi, Mbeya, Songwe, Iringa, Morogoro na Mara. Mabani hayo yatasaidia kupunguza upotevu wa majani, kuongeza ubora wa tumbaku na kutunza mazingira,” imeeleza wizara katika bajeti hiyo.Continue Reading

Kenya’s food insufficiency highest in East Africa region – Agra report

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Kenya has the highest number of people skipping meals or surviving without essential diets in East Africa, and is second only to South Sudan in the number of people classified as food insufficient.

This is according to a new report by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra), which shows that of the 33 million people classified as food insufficient in the five East African countries, 13.6 million are Kenyans.

The report by Agra and its partners, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), found that by June 2024, South Sudan will have the highest proportion of its population living in food insufficiency (32.73 percent), followed by Kenya with 26.46 percent of its population living in food insufficiency.

The report analysed the prevalence of food insufficiency in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan within the East African region.

“As of June 30, 2024, the number of people across five selected East African countries who did not have sufficient food for consumption was 33 million, a 100,000 more people over May. This signifies a deterioration in the food insecurity situation across these select countries, driven mainly by South Sudan,” the report notes.

In June, 21.14 percent of the Rwandan population was classified as food insufficient, while 18.74 percent of Ugandans and 9.24 percent of Tanzanians were also living in difficult conditions, having to skip meals or survive on limited diets.

According to the report, people with insufficient food consumption are those with poor or borderline food consumption according to the Food Consumption Score (FCS), which measures the diversity of household diets and the frequency with which food is consumed.

The FCS looks at the frequency with which a household consumes eight food groups in the week prior to the survey to classify households as having ‘poor’, ‘borderline’ or ‘acceptable’ food consumption. A household is considered to have a poor diet if it does not consume staple foods and vegetables every day and never or rarely consumes protein-rich foods such as meat and dairy products, while a household is considered to have a borderline diet if it consumes staple foods and vegetables every day and oils and pulses a few times a week.

While the organisations note that the current level of food insecurity across the region is lower than in June last year, when 42.9 million people were food insecure, they point out that Kenya has seen a huge increase in the number of people affected over the past two years.

“Except for Kenya, all other East African countries have registered declines in the prevalence of people with insufficient food consumption over the past year,” Agra notes.

Within the region, the report notes, Kenya has seen a 74.36 percent increase in the number of food-insufficient people, while countries such as Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda have seen a decrease in the number of food-insufficient people compared to the situation in 2022.

The main drivers of hunger and food insufficiency in East Africa remain conflict – which is rampant in South Sudan – seasonal dynamics such as floods and droughts, and macroeconomic shocks such as trade disruptions.

“Above average rains in some parts of the region may have affected the ease of movement of crops impacting prices,” the report notes.

In Kenya, the report notes that food insufficiency remains critical across the country, with flood-affected areas, particularly Garissa, Tana River and Mandera counties, facing crisis levels.

“In South Sudan, emergency phase outcomes persist in 28 counties and catastrophe phase outcomes are likely in Pibor County of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) and among returnee households due to low seasonal food supplies, insecurity affecting ground transportation and the suspension of UNHAS airdrops in April, and deteriorating economic conditions,” the report said.

The reports of food shortages within Kenya come even as the Ministry of Agriculture continues to report improved harvests of maize, rice, beans, potatoes, sorghum, millet and avocados for the 2023 harvest season, and predicts further increases in production of some key food crops this year.

The ministry expects maize production to reach 50 million 90kg bags this year, up from 47.6 million bags last year and 34.3 million bags in 2022.

According to the latest data from the Central Bank of Kenya, the ministry also expects wheat production to grow by 55.8 percent to 5.35 million bags in 2024, sorghum by 48.1 percent to 3.26 million bags and potato production to reach 29 million bags this year.

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Tanzania: Youth Key Players in Digital Economy, Says Dr Kusiluka

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THE government will ensure the Tanzanian youth become key players as it implements the Tanzania Digital Economy Strategic Framework, Chief Secretary Ambassador Dr Moses Kusiluka, pledged here over the weekend.

He made the assurance as he was shedding light on key resolutions of the 15th meeting of the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) held at the State House in Dar es Salaam recently.

Dr Kusiluka said the meeting was emphatic about making the Tanzania youth central in implementing the strategy.

He said the global trend is towards digital transformation. “We cannot afford to lag behind. The government has the strategy in place.

We want the private sector to grab and make use of this opportunity and promote our planned national digital economy.

Something of huge importance is to ensure our young people are deeply involved in this effort so that they become part and parcel of the emerging global digital economy,” he said.

He said members of the business community feel local capable people are not given a fair opportunity to become central players in building the national economy.

The meeting noted that the impediment is lack of action on local content policy law. The meeting called for immediate action, he explained.

The meeting also resolved that efforts must be made to ensure Tanzania has stable and predictable policies and laws.

ALSO READ: Samia graces TNBC meeting today as Tanzania basks in peace, tranquility

Following the meeting’s resolution on the tax system, he explained, President Samia Suluhu Hassan appointed a team of experts to look into the issue and recommend to the government the kind of steps to be taken.

The meeting also called for continued efforts aimed at improving conditions for doing business and investment based on the Blueprint for Regulatory Reforms.

The meeting also called for strengthening of TNBC district and regional meetings because, he said, the forums are important in identifying and solving challenges relating to doing business and investment at those levels.

“We shall work on this because the meetings bring together government and private sector leaders. Problems that will be forwarded to us, if any, will have been jointly acted upon and processed by public and private sector leaders,” he said.

He also said regions that have done well in promoting business and collecting public revenue were recognised by President Samia and given awards.

Source: allafrica.com

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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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