Tanzania to Tap Into Huge Potential in Horticulture

Arusha — TANZANIA intends to spearhead horticulture as the country’s reliable vehicle for achieving future agricultural development goals.

Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Mr Stanislaus Nyong’o, revealed that since horticulture predominantly employs women and youth, it is a key sector for job creation, boosting exports and ensuring food security.

“Horticulture grows at an annual rate of 11 per cent, while the entire agricultural sector grows at 12 per cent, highlighting the potential of the former,” he said.

Mr Nyong’o spoke at Nduruma Ward, Meru District, during the inauguration of the expansion project for Enza Zaden, an organic seeds growing farm in Arusha that develops high-quality kernels for export.

It was revealed that the horticulture sector in Tanzania has an export value of 668.7bn/- from a total production of 175,000 tonnes of produce shipped overseas in the current fiscal year.

ALSO READ: Tanzania horticultural exports company wins global accolade

The Director of Crop Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Enock Chimagu, pointed out that Tanzania’s reliance on imported seeds has been decreasing year by year.

“We now produce 78.6 per cent of the kernels used in the country, having produced 71,356 tonnes of agricultural seeds in the fiscal year 2023/2024,” he said, praising the Dutch company for further contributions to horticultural seed production.

Mr Chimagu noted that the horticulture sector has an export value of 668.7bn/-, a significant increase from the 340bn/- recorded in 2021.

Ambassador Wiebe de Boer, envoy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tanzania, stated that Enza Zaden is an exemplary Dutch company, employing over 3,000 people with more than 45 subsidiaries and three joint ventures across 26 countries.

“We are pleased that this Dutch company is collaborating with Tanzanians to achieve the goal of feeding the world healthily,” said the Ambassador.

Jaap Mazereew, Chief Executive Officer of Enza Zaden, revealed that the vegetable seeds produced by the establishment provide meals for over 100 million people.

“Today, we operate in 26 countries, employing over 3,000 people, with 1,000 involved in research projects. Developing a new vegetable variety takes about seven to ten years,” he explained.

Operations Manager at Enza Zaden, Mr Gerald Matowo stated that their products adhere to Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP), ensuring quality management, work methods and information supply comply with international standards.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Who Is Tundu Lissu? Tanzania’s Opposition Leader Is Fighting for Change in the Face of Fresh Attacks On Political Freedoms

Tundu Lissu has become the face of opposition in Tanzania following his defiant and unrelenting criticism of the government. Since he came into the national limelight in 1995 when running for a parliamentary seat, Lissu has been a champion of democracy and human rights. He has taken on the ruling elite, exposing corruption and demanding accountability. This almost cost him his life in 2017.

In September 2024, new evidence presented at a London tribunal revealed that the telecommunications company Tigo had shared Lissu’s mobile phone data – including his location – with the Tanzanian government. The implication was that the company was assisting the government in its harassment of the politician. Tigo’s owners have distanced themselves from these reports.

The revelations coincided with a resurgence in government crackdowns on opposition figures.

In the most recent developments, leaders of the country’s main opposition party Chadema (Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) – including Lissu, who is the party’s vice-chairperson, and chairman Freeman Mbowe – were arrested in September 2024. This followed their attempt to organise mass protests, which were foiled by the police. The protests had been organised to demand government accountability after the killing of a senior Chadema official and the disappearance of other party members believed to have been abducted by state operatives.

I have studied Tanzania’s political party dynamics for a decade and interviewed Lissu as part of my PhD research on the country’s democracy. Lissu’s persistence in tackling democratic backsliding in Tanzania has made him a formidable force, challenging the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party.

Lissu spent about three years in exile in Belgium after the 2017 shooting. He staged a comeback as a presidential candidate in the 2020 elections. He lost to John Magufuli in a poll marred by violence and allegations of rigging.

There have been changes in the country since Magufuli’s death in March 2021 and a string of political reforms under President Samia Suluhu. This has created the space for Lissu and his party Chadema to establish an opposition that now threatens the ruling party’s six-decade hold on power. Presidential elections are due to be held in 2025.

So who is Lissu? What’s his history and how did he became involved in politics?

Early years

Lissu’s political activism began during his university years in the early 1990s. This marked the start of a career that would later shape Tanzania’s political landscape. Lissu studied law at the University of Dar es Salaam before going to the UK for a master’s degree in law.

His first foray into national politics came in 1995, when he vied for a parliamentary seat. He was 27. The election was Tanzania’s first under a multiparty system. It introduced Lissu to the arena of opposition politics following his defeat.

A year later, Lissu was one of the lead investigative lawyers for a public interest environmental law organisation investigating abuses and irregularities at a World Bank-backed gold mine in northern Tanzania. His early work focused on environmental and human rights.

Lissu and his colleague Rugemeleza Nshala were investigating the killing of 62 small-scale miners and the evictions of thousands at the mine in 1996. They were charged with sedition over these investigations. The government eventually stopped following up on the case.

Lissu thereafter worked on community land rights at the World Resources Institute, a global organisation focusing on policy research.

Parliamentary years

In 2010, Lissu won the parliamentary seat for Singida East under the opposition party Chadema. As a first-term member of parliament, he gained prominence by exposing significant state corruption scandals, particularly in the energy sector.

Lissu and other Chadema opposition figures became a formidable force, openly naming corrupt government officials and exposing grand theft.

They also began making calls for constitutional reform. These were aimed at addressing excessive presidential powers and the power imbalances of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar. This push culminated in then president Jakaya Kikwete initiating a constitutional review process in 2010.

Lissu’s legal acumen played out in the constituent assembly, the body convened to deliberate on constitutional reforms. However, the assembly, dominated by members of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi, rejected many of the key provisions of the draft constitution. It had been widely regarded as the “people’s draft” because it included citizen participation. Its key provisions included reduced presidential powers and the establishment of independent state institutions.

The process was to culminate in a referendum in 2014. This prematurely aborted and Tanzania went into the 2015 election without a new constitution.

In these elections, Lissu successfully defended his parliamentary seat. As a second-term legislator, he focused on strengthening Chadema’s presence. This included door-to-door conversations with the public and grassroots mobilisation to build the party.

The party’s momentum, however, was halted by a repressive regime under Magufuli, who became president in 2015. He cracked down on critics and instituted a partial ban on political rallies.

Lissu became very critical of Magufuli’s economic policies. In a public address in 2017, Magufuli admitted to the government’s tapping of Lissu’s phone and described those who opposed his own economic reforms as traitors. Soon after this, Lissu was shot 16 times after leaving parliament buildings in the capital, Dodoma.

Exile

Lissu officially went into exile in Belgium after the shooting. In 2020, he published Remaining in the Shadows: Parliament and Accountability in East Africa, a critical examination of the presidentialist systems in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, which he argued had undermined democratic consolidation in the region.

Through this publication, Lissu continued his activism, challenging political structures.

His brief return to Tanzania to contest the presidency in 2020 was marked by repeated arrests and intimidation during the electoral campaign. After his loss to Magufuli, Lissu went back to Belgium.

He announced his return home in 2023.

Tanzania today

It’s important to understand why Lissu and Chadema are viewed as a current threat in Tanzania.

The country is entering an election period. Local government elections are scheduled for November 2024 ahead of general elections in 2025.

The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, has in the recent past relied on state violence to secure electoral victories. The last general election in 2020 was marred by violence, as well as intimidation of the opposition and censorship.

It looks likely that Chadema will once again nominate Lissu to contest the presidency in the 2025 general election against president Samia. Lissu’s fearlessness and defiance make him the best candidate to take on the ruling party. Samia has already described Lissu as a troublesome character.

With the ongoing opposition clampdown, it looks clear that the ruling party is once again willing to do whatever it will take to hold on to power. Even if Tanzania’s democracy suffers.

Nicodemus Minde, Researcher, United States International University

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania opposition cries foul over ‘skewed’ polls process

Tanzanian opposition parties are raising the alarm over the conduct of the upcoming local elections, citing flaws in registration of voters and supervision of the entire exercise.

The parties say the process was tactically organised to suppress their candidates in favour of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) contestants.

Leading opposition parties, ACT-Wazalendo and Chadema, have said that the process has been tailored to suppress political rights and democracy in Tanzania at the grassroots level, targeting to clear a way for CCM leaders to sail smoothly in next year’s general election.

ACT-Wazalendo secretary-general Ado Shaibu said earlier this week said that the swearing-in of parties’ agents and the involvement of political parties was limited to meet demands for the opposition candidates to fully participate in the election.

“Local government officials have deliberately limited the voter registration process, which is a major flaw, especially in Dar es Salaam, where involvement happens only one or two days before the swearing-in of agents,” Shaibu said.

Registration of unqualified voters was the other flaw designed in favour of the CCM candidates, he claimed.

ACT-Wazalendo says the 2020 election flaws have remained unresolved while officials responsible appear unwilling to engage in meaningful dialogue.

National chairman Othman Masoud Othman said opposition parties wanted electoral reforms that would bring about democratic changes through elections.

Chadema director for parliamentary affairs John Mrema claimed that unqualified voters, including primary schoolchildren aged below 18 years, have been registered to vote. The EastAfrican could not independently verify the claims.

Voters registration centres have been established in CCM offices, with other centres in premises owned by CCM local leaders, Mrema said.

Three citizens have lodged an application at the High Court in Dar es Salaam seeking to stop the 2024 local government elections expected on November 27. 

Bob Wangwe, Ananilea Nkya and Buberwa Kaiza sought orders to open a judicial review case to challenge the 2024 local government election regulations and requested that the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) oversee the election in accordance with the 2024 Independent Electoral Commission Act.

But the respondents, Minister of State, President’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government and the Attorney-General, filed a response asking the court to dismiss it.

The case is still pending.

Tanzania started voter registration for local government elections on October 11, 2024. President Samia Suluhu registered in Chamwino area near State House, Dodoma and encouraged Tanzanians to turn in big numbers for registration to vote for their local leaders.

The election will be under supervision by the Ministry of State, President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government and will be conducted at village and ward levels.

Eligible voters are Tanzanian citizens of sound mind, aged 18 years or older, who live in respective villages in rural areas and streets in urban areas.

The government has allocated Tsh17.79 billion ($ 6.5 million) to fund the elections.

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Tanzania’s External Sector Sees Impressive Recovery

TANZANIA’S external sector has shown remarkable improvement, driven by strong export growth and slowed import costs, as the global economy continues its recovery.

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) latest monthly economic review for August shows that the favourable global commodity prices have played a key role in boosting the country’s trade balance, signalling a positive outlook for economic growth.

Thus, the current account deficit narrowed to 2.56 billion US dollars in the period ending August from 3.84 billion US dollars in the corresponding period last year.

The exports of goods and services surged to 15.06 billion US dollars in the year ending August up from 13.29 billion US dollars in the same period last year.

“The growth was largely driven by higher service receipts, particularly from tourism, increased exports of gold and traditional goods including tobacco, cashew nuts and horticultural products,” Bank report stated.

ALSO READ: AMDT calls for concerted efforts to improve agriculture

Traditional exports amounted to 1.09 billion US dollars during the year ending August higher than 807.9 million US dollars in the previous year.

Much of the increase was recorded in the exports of tobacco and cashew nuts, on account of both volume and price effects.

Non-traditional exports were 6.56 billion US dollars compared with 6.34 billion US dollars with the increase largely driven by gold exports which rose by 8.2 per cent from a similar period in the preceding year to 3.18 billion US dollars largely explained by volume and price effects.

Horticultural products increased by 35.3 per cent to 454.4 million US dollars backed by higher shipments of edible vegetables.

On a monthly basis, exports of goods amounted to 934.3 million US dollars in August compared to 785.3 million US dollars in August last year.

Service receipts surged to 6.94 billion US dollars in the year ending August from 5.71 billion US dollars in the previous year, largely driven by travel (tourism) and transport services.

The increase in travel receipts reflects the sustained good performance of the tourism sector, with tourist arrivals increasing by 21.7 per cent to 2,051,404.

ALSO READ: BoT: Few Tanzanians access banking system

Transport earnings, primarily freight charges, amounted to 2.59 billion US dollars up from 2.18 billion US dollars. On a monthly basis, service receipts were 663.2 million US dollars in August this year compared with 694 million US dollars in August last year.

Looking ahead, the BoT remains optimistic about maintaining this growth trajectory, emphasising the importance of diversifying export products and expanding into new markets.

By capitalising on the positive trends in the global economy, Tanzania aims to bolster its external sector further, ensuring sustained economic resilience and development for its citizens.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Zanzibar Expands Access to Affordable Homes – Mwinyi

Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR is significantly addressing the housing demands of its growing population, with a firm focus on affordability and sustainability, President Hussein Mwinyi said on Wednesday.

“Through the Zanzibar Housing Corporation (ZHC), the government spearheads key initiatives to expand access to affordable homes, especially for low- and middle-income families,” Dr Mwinyi told the African Union for Housing Finance and International Secondary Mortgage Market Association’s joint conference, yesterday.

He said provision of affordable, safe and sustainable homes that meet the needs of both present and future generations is the fundamental challenge faced across the African continent.

“It speaks to the fundamental challenge we face across the continent how to ensure that we provide affordable, safe and sustainable homes that will meet the needs of both present and future generations,” he said.

President Mwinyi said construction of large-scale housing projects designed to meet the demands of urbanisation while ensuring affordability through innovative financing models and public-private partnerships is critical.

He said the government has also prioritised development of sustainable communities, incorporating green building practices and ensuring access to essential services like water, sanitation and electricity.

“Zanzibar’s broader vision is to create well-planned, environmentally friendly and livable urban areas that can support long-term economic growth,” he said.

ALSO READ: Zanzibar unveils major plan to preserve Stone Town

The president cited for praise the crucial role that the International Secondary Mortgage Market Association (ISMMA) plays in the global housing finance ecosystem through connection of institutions that provide secondary market liquidity for mortgage lenders.

“This liquidity is essential in enabling lenders to offer long-term and affordable mortgage products to homebuyers, expanding access to housing finance.

“ISMMA’s expertise in secondary markets brings a wealth of experience and innovative financial models to the table, which is why their partnership in this conference is critical,” President Mwinyi told the meeting.

He further explained that co-hosting the African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) and ISMMA is bridging the gap between global best practices and Africa’s unique housing market needs.

“Your involvement signals the increasing global recognition of Africa’s housing potential and underscores the importance of cross-border collaboration in building sustainable and resilient housing finance systems that will support affordable housing efforts not just in Africa, but around the world,” he said.

AUHF is celebrating its 40th anniversary through the conference whose theme is: ‘Building to Last: Realising a sustainable and affordable housing sector in Africa and beyond.’

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania Commits to Universal Electricity Access in Africa By 2030

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko on Wednesday assured that Tanzania is fully committed to supporting realisation of universal electricity access in Africa by 2030.

Briefing journalists on the side-line of the 9th Africa Energy Market Place meeting in Dar es Salaam, Dr Biteko said the country will leverage on its excess power generation to complement neighbouring countries’ demand.

The government assurance echoes its on-going implementation of different major electricity projects including the Julius Nyerere Hydro Power Project (JNHPP), which upon completion will add 2115 Megawatts to the National Grid, significantly making the country attain energy self-sufficiency.

The 9th Africa Energy Market Place meeting which is co-organised by the government through the Ministry of Energy and the African Development Bank (AfDB) intends to boost the country’s effort to clean cooking and electricity access countrywide.

Dr Biteko said the meeting is part of the country’s preparation towards hosting the forthcoming Africa Heads of State Energy Compact Summit which will be held in the country in January, 2025 with the objective of raising about 190 billion US dollar (about 517.498tri/-) to provide electricity to 300 million people in the continent by 2030.

He said Tanzania has been picked by the AfDB to host the two-day 9th Africa Energy Market Place and the upcoming Africa Heads of State Energy Compact Summit due to the sixth-phase government’s strategy to rapidly extend electricity access to rural and peri-urban areas.

As a result, he said Tanzania offers best practice to other African countries when it comes to rural electrification by considering the fact that currently almost all villages are connected with electricity.

ALSO READ: Electricity prices remain the same for 10 years

“The country stands as the role model when it comes to rural electrification in the continent. As we embark on ensuring 300 million people in Africa have access to power by 2030, Tanzania is at the driving seat of transformation by ensuring first it gets connected with neighbouring countries’ electricity infrastructure,” he said.

To advance universal electricity access in the continent, he said the country has been entering into partnership with neighbouring countries including Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Zambia to facilitate supply of electricity to them.

In another development, he said the government’s implementation of the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy is on track with 400,000 subsidised gas cylinders set aside to be distributed across the country.

Under the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy, the country targets to ensure 80 per cent of households use clean cooking energy by 2034 from the current approximately 10 per cent.

The clean cooking initiative also seeks to prevent deforestation thereby cutting carbon emission and conserving the environment by switching to eco-friendly cooking energy including gases and electricity.

Dr Biteko requested the AfDB to support financially the Tanzania efforts to achieve its ambitious energy strategy.

For his part, the AfDB’s Vice-President of Energy, Power, Climate Change and Green Growth, Dr Kevin Kariuki assured Tanzania of the continental financial body’s back up to realise transition to clean cooking targets.

Dr Kariuki stated that the AfDB has selected Tanzania to host two energy events as a recognition of its ongoing efforts to modernise energy use, which positively impact not only the nation but the entire continent.

Earlier, during the panel discussion at the 9th Africa Energy Marketplace, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Energy, Eng Felchesmi Mramba asked participants to share experiences, explore opportunities and forge partnerships that aim at simplifying the affordability and availability of clean cooking technologies in the country.

The meeting which started yesterday will be concluded today.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania Hints On Leading Africa in Mining Industry

Tanzania Hints On Leading Africa in Mining Industry

Tanzania is gearing up to become a leading player in Africa’s strategic mineral industry, as global demand for these critical resources is expected to massively increase by 2050.

The announcement was made the Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, during a discussion with key stakeholders in the sector.

The minister emphasized Tanzania’s strategic advantage in this race, highlighting the country’s rich reserves of minerals essential for clean energy, such as nickel, lithium, and graphite.

ALSO READ: STAMICO hails State for revamps in mining sector

According to the minister, the global demand for graphite is 6.5 million tonnes per year, while the current global production stands at 1.2 million tonnes with China leading by contributing to 64 percent of the world’s graphite production.

Additionally, he said that in Africa, the leading country is Madagascar which contributes 13 percent followed by Mozambique (10 percent).

He stated that Tanzania holds the third position by contributing 0.6 percent..

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Address Rights Ahead of Local Elections

Nairobi — The Tanzanian government should take urgent steps to reverse the deteriorating human rights situation in the country ahead of forthcoming local elections in mainland Tanzania on November 27, 2024, Human Rights Watch said today.

Since June, the authorities have arbitrarily arrested hundreds of opposition supporters, imposed restrictions on social media access, banned independent media, and have been implicated in the abduction and extrajudicial killing of at least eight government critics.

“The Tanzanian authorities have shown increasing intolerance for free speech by clamping down on their critics and the political opposition,” said Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The government should urgently stem the tide of repression or risk escalating an already tense political environment.”

On June 23, four unidentified men in civilian clothes abducted Edgar Mwakabela, a social media commentator known as Sativa, in Dar es Salaam. Mwakabela said the abductors took him to Oysterbay Police Station in Dar es Salaam, where they interrogated him overnight while he was handcuffed about his role in mobilizing a traders’ boycott and his relationship with political opposition leaders.

The next day, the police drove Mwakabela to a police station in Arusha, where they beat him over several hours. Four days after abducting him, they shot him in the jaw and dumped him in a swamp in Katavi National Park, 1,000 kilometers away.

On July 15, police confirmed they had detained Kombo Mbwana, an official of the main opposition party, the Party for Democracy and Progress (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, Chadema), in Handeni district, Tanga region, after his disappearance on June 15. The authorities brought charges against him on July 16 for allegedly failing to provide sufficient information regarding his SIM card account, under section 126 of the Electronic and Postal Communications Act.

Mbwana’s detention without charge for 30 days after his family reported his disappearance far exceeds the 24-hour limit required by law, constituting an enforced disappearance. On September 5, a court denied Mbwana bail, and he remains in detention pending trial.

Chadema has reported the apparent enforced disappearance of at least two additional officials, including Dioniz Kipanya, an official in Sumbawanga district, Rukwa region, reported missing on July 26, and Deusdedith Soka, a youth leader whom a group of men reportedly abducted on August 18 alongside his secretary, Jacob Godwin Mlay, and Frank Mbise, a motorcycle taxi driver.

A week earlier, police had arrested and released Soka alongside hundreds of Chadema supporters and several journalists, ahead of an International Youth Day celebration organized by the party in Mbeya.

On August 2, Shadrack Chaula was reported missing by his family, one month after his conviction for “insulting” President Samia Suluhu Hassan and burning a photo of her in a video posted on his TikTok account. Chaula has been released on July 8 after paying the court-imposed fine.

On September 7, the body of Ali Mohamed Kibao, a Chadema party official who was reported missing a day earlier, was found beaten and doused with acid. President Suluhu Hassan ordered an investigation, but no arrests have been made.

The authorities have also cracked down on those raising concerns about these enforced disappearances, Human Rights Watch said.

In August, after Chadema announced a rally in Dar es Salaam to protest the government’s inaction following the abduction of its supporters, the police banned the demonstrations, threatening to “deal with” people who did not comply. On September 23, police arrested and later released on bail the party leaders Freeman Mbowe and Tundu Lissu, as well as other party members, ahead of the planned rally.

In early September, the monitoring organization Netblocks confirmed that Tanzania had restricted access to the social media platform X. The site was blocked as Tanzanians engaged in social media discussions around the disappearances.

On October 2, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority suspended the online license of Mwananchi Communications Ltd, the publisher of Tanzania’s primary English and Swahili newspapers, after it published an animated video depicting President Suluhu Hassan watching news reports about the abductions. The authority claimed the video “threatens and is likely to affect and harm national unity and social peace” in Tanzania.

These oppressive measures mirror the pre-election climate ahead of the October 2020 general elections, when there was a marked deterioration in freedoms of expression and association and other human rights. The authorities arbitrarily arrested scores of opposition party leaders and supporters, suspended media outlets, censored mobile phone communications, and blocked social media.

On the eve of those elections, police fired live ammunition into crowds in Zanzibar, killing at least nine people, while security forces, alongside a government-aligned militia, beat and harassed residents and arbitrarily arrested opposition supporters, detaining and torturing them for weeks. The next general elections are scheduled for late 2025.

President Suluhu Hassan, who assumed office following the death of President John Magufuli in March 2021, took some initial measures to respond to rights concerns and to open up the space for the political opposition and media. The Tanzanian authorities, however, have yet to seriously investigate or prosecute anyone for those abuses, especially in Zanzibar.

“At this critical time, the Tanzanian authorities should take urgent steps to uphold human rights and ensure that the forthcoming elections are free and fair,” Nyeko said. “President Samia Suluhu Hassan should ensure a prompt and impartial investigation into the disappearances of her critics and put an end to the ongoing clampdowns on her political opponents and independent media.”

Source: allafrica.com

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Mbonyi Takes Regional Music Tour to Tanzania

Rwanda’s gospel star Israel Mbonyi is not planning to rest anytime soon this year as he already set Tanzania as his next stop for his East African music tour.

This comes weeks after the ‘Nina Siri’ hit maker put up big shows both in Kenya and Uganda that attracted tens of thousands of worshipers including top government officials and celebrities.

ALSO READ: Israel Mbonyi lights up Brussels

This time around, the artiste has confirmed two major concerts in East Africa’s largest city, Dar es salaam, slated for November.

According to Mbonyi’s management, the first show of the tour will be held at Mlimani City on November 2, before staging another at the Leaders Club the following day.

Organized by Wakati wa Mungu society, one the biggest gospel events promoters in Tanzania, the events will also attract local musicians including the likes of Rehema Simfukwe, Halisi Ministry, Joel Lwanga, among many others.

Mbonyi’s decision to sing in other languages, especially Kiswahili, has expanded his ministry’s reach to other East African countries including Tanzania.

ALSO READ: Israel Mbonyi confirms concert in Kenya

He recently staged concerts in several countries including Belgium in western Europe where the demand for tickets surpassed expectations, forcing organisers to move the event from Birmingham Palace to a bigger venue, Dome Event Hall.

Admission to Mbonyi’s concert in Tanzania at Leaders Club is 20 Tsh (about Rwf10,000) and 50 Tsh (Rwf 24,000) for VIPs.

Tanzania becomes Mbonyi’s next stage in Africa after Burundi where he performed in Bujumbura in early 2023, Kenya in August 2024, and Uganda where he entertained big crowds in Kampala and Mbarara in the same month.

Apart from the East African tour, The New Times understands that the singer plans to perform in other African countries including South Africa.

Israel Mbonyi, 32, is arguably one of the best Rwandan artistes of his generation. His work has been recognised in the gospel music industry, following his nominations in the African Entertainment Awards USA besides winning various prizes at the Groove Awards Rwanda.

His music recently received nominations from African Entertainment Awards USA and recognition from the Groove Awards Rwanda and Isango Na Muzika Awards.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania’s Regulator Bans Media Outlets As Journalists Harassed

Kampala — Instead of providing the latest news updates, the homepages of three leading Tanzanian newspapers are focused on their own suspension over a video seen as critical of the president, as concerns mount over deteriorating press freedom ahead of elections.

On October 2, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) issued a 30-day suspension order for Mwananchi Communications Limited’s (MCL) online publications affecting the websites of its newspapers — the English-language daily The Citizen, the Swahili-language Mwananchi and the sports-focused Mwanaspoti — and their social media pages. The TCRA accused MCL of publishing prohibited content on social media that “aimed to ridicule and harm the reputation, prestige and status” of the country. The three newspapers’ print editions continue to hit the newsstands.

The one-month ban is part of a series of recent press freedom violations in Tanzania, as human rights organizations have warned of narrowing civic space ahead of November’s local elections and next year’s presidential and parliamentary elections, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan will stand.

The Citizen’s October 1 animated video showed a woman resembling the president flipping through television reports in which people complained about abductions and killings. Tanzanians have been shocked by September’s murder of opposition politician Ali Mohamed Kibao, after being taken off a bus, beaten, and doused in acid — the latest in a wave of high-profile opposition figures to “disappear.”

On October 2, MCL said it had removed the animation because “it depicted events that raised concerns regarding the safety and security of individuals in Tanzania.” However, the deleted video has been shared widely online.

Separately, on October 9, the TCRA accused the privately owned YouTube-based Jambo TV, of breaking the law in its broadcast of criticism of two telecoms companies.

The regulator objected to the news channel airing a claim by Tundu Lissu, vice chairperson of the opposition Chadema party, that Tigo shared his location data with the government prior to a 2017 attempt to assassinate him, as well as journalist Erick Kabendera’s claim that Vodacom Tanzania shared his data with security personnel who arrested him in 2019.

A British court heard this month from Tigo’s former parent company Millicom that it had concerns “about a local politician’s mobile phone data being passed to a government agency.” In court filings responding to a former Tigo employee’s claim that he was dismissed for raising concerns about surveillance, Millicom said the individuals involved had been disciplined.

The TCRA said that Jambo TV should “submit a written defense” and appear before its Content Committee on October 17 “to explain why legal action should not be taken against it.”

Kabendera had sued Vodacom, alleging that the company “facilitated” his arrest, but his case was dismissed in September. He intends to appeal.

Samia, who succeeded President John Pombe Magufuli after his death in 2021, initially lifted media bans and promised to improve conditions for the press. However, her government has fallen short of overhauling restrictive laws, such as the 2020 online content regulations cited in this month’s ban on MCL and the case against Jambo TV.

In violations reminiscent of the anti-press tactics used under Magufuli, at least eight journalists have been arrested while covering opposition events in recent weeks:

● August 11

Journalists Ramadhan Khamis and Fadhil Kirundwa of privately owned Jambo TV were arrested while covering a Chadema event in the southern city of Mbeya. Kirundwa and Khamis told CPJ they were released the following day on condition that they did not publish footage of the youth rally, in which more than 500 people were arrested.

● September 23

Police assaulted MCL journalists Lawrence Mnubi, Michael Matemanga, and Baraka Loshilaa and detained them for hours in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam while covering a banned Chadema protest over alleged killings and abductions.

Police also briefly detained reporter Mariam Shaban of privately owned East Africa TV, and privately owned Nipashe newspaper’s Jenifer Gilla and Jumanne Juma, Shaban and Gilla told CPJ.

On October 7, government spokesperson Thobias Makoba told CPJ by phone that he could not immediately respond to questions and did not answer subsequent calls and messages. Makoba previously told the U.S. Congress-funded Voice of America Africa that the Tanzanian government supports freedom of speech and encourages responsible journalism, while noting that freedom comes with responsibility.

TCRA spokesperson Rolf Kibaja told CPJ via email that the regulator had invited MCL to a hearing on October 10 “after which further regulatory actions would follow.” He did not respond to requests for clarification or subsequent queries about Jambo TV.

CPJ requested comment via email and messaging app from Vodacom Tanzania; and via email from its South Africa-based parent company Vodacom Group; Tigo Tanzania; and Luxembourg-based Millicom, which owned Tigo Tanzania in 2017, but did not receive any replies. Police spokesperson David Misime did not respond to CPJ’s requests for comment via messaging app.

Source: allafrica.com

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