GF vehicle assemblers wins manufacturer award

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Dar es Salaam. GF Vehicle Assemblers has been honoured with the President’s Manufacturer of the Year Award (PMAYA) 2024, marking its second consecutive win of the prestigious award.

The accolade, presented by the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) in the category of Motor Vehicle Assembling (Medium Scale), underscores the company’s commitment to excellence in the automotive industry.

Speaking immediately after being handed the award, the company’s general manager, Mr Ezra Mereng, congratulated his employees for their unity, which has been the reason for the company to meet the criteria of quality in the production of trucks that succeeded in getting the award for the second time.

According to him, together with GF sister companies namely GF Trucks & Equipment and GF Automobile, it remains steadfast in its mission of serving and supporting the automotive sector in Tanzania.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to commend President Samia Suluhu Hassan for the visionary policies that have created a favourable environment for the private sector growth. These policies have played a vital role in facilitating our success;

“We also extend our deepest appreciation to our dedicated team, whose hard work and commitment continue to drive our progress. Our gratitude goes to our valued customers and stakeholders for their ongoing support, which has been instrumental in our business growth,” he said.

He asserted that at GF Vehicle Assemblers, the commitment is leveraging the local content initiative and working closely with the industry players to foster growth and development in Tanzania’s automotive industry.

GFA marketing and communications director Salman Karmali said the award is a sign of acceptance in the market for the trucks it assembles in its factory based in Kibaha district of Coast Region.

Mr Karmali said that the factory is entering the second phase of expansion and production of heavy vehicles, whereby it is expected in this expansion to have the capacity of assembling ten trucks a day from four trucks a day.

“The company’s strategy is to reach the domestic and foreign markets in order to bring in foreign currency by selling trucks in the regions of East and Southern Africa;

“We need to see people in these two regions using trucks from Tanzania, something that did not exist in the past. Among those trucks are FAW, HONG YAN and FOLAND,” he said.

He also commended the government for creating a good environment, especially for the aspect of local content, enabling local investors to secure contracts for various projects such as mines and government construction projects, which increased the income of many Tanzanians and afforded them the ability to buy trucks from GF.Continue Reading

DSE emphasises sustainable practices for sustainable capital markets

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Dar es Salaam. The Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) Members Awards made a comeback this year after a four-year hiatus caused by the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Focused on sustainable investment, the award event was held on Friday November 8, 2024, embracing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles for sustainable capital markets.

The DSE chief executive officer, Mr Peter Nalitolela, urged organisations to look beyond short-term profits and prioritise sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and society.

“Organisations should understand that we are also here to look towards the world of tomorrow, to protect the environment and to ensure we create a better society,” he said.

Mr Nalitolela further emphasised that the DSE awards aim to encourage meaningful actions across the business ecosystem, stressing the role of ESG principles in driving transformative changes.

“Around the world, and especially here in East Africa, embracing environmental, social, and governance principles is not only shaping investment choices but also driving the fundamental transformation of capital markets towards more sustainable, inclusive and resilient economies,” he added.

“We have been given this world as an heritage and it is our responsibility to leave it better for future generations. When we talk about sustainability, we are not only talking about the environment but also about the community. If you make profits and you do not give back to the community, then your profitability is meaningless,” he said.

On the other hand, International Finance Corporation (IFC) country manager, Ms Martine Valcin, highlighted Tanzania’s leading role in addressing climate change, acknowledging President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s commitment to an inclusive approach.

“Under President Hassan leadership, Tanzania is a leading voice on the importance of public and private response to climate change—a response that includes women, youth and rural populations, boosts food security, promotes clean energy transition, and preserves Tanzania’s considerable natural resources for future generations,” Ms Valcin said.

Financial Sector Deepening Tanzania (FSDT) chief executive officer, Mr Eric Massinda, also echoed the goals, describing FSDT’s work to strengthen the financial system as a pathway to economic empowerment.

“We’re dedicated to improving livelihoods and enhancing the resilience of underserved groups, particularly women, youth, farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises,” he said.

This year’s awards celebrated a wide range of contributions to sustainable capital markets, spanning ten categories.

Highlights included the Best Stock Broker of the Year, Best Upcoming Stock Broker of the Year, Best Custodian Bank of the Year, Best Listed Company in both the Main Investment Market (MIM) and Enterprise Growth Market (EGM) segments, and Best Bond Dealer of the

Year.His experience extends beyond commercial banking, as he also served as Treasury Registrar at the Ministry of Finance.

A recognised authority in banking and finance, Mafuru was sought after as a speaker on industry matters. He was passionate about leveraging his expertise to create value for clients and stakeholders.

Prior to his latest role at the Planning Commission, Mafuru played a pivotal role in shaping Tanzania’s economic policies when he served within the Ministry of Finance as commissioner of the Policy Analysis Division and subsequently as deputy Permanent Secretary for Economic Management Policies.

At the Planning Commission which he headed until his death, Mafuru was pushing ahead to prepare and subsequently oversee the Vision 2050 which Tanzania is now drafting.Continue Reading

African music at the Grammys: a long walk to recognition

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African music is on fire—like, hot-out-of-the-pan chips mayai (or zege, as the streets call it) kind of fire. Yet, when the 67th Grammy nominations dropped, the absence of TitoM and Diamond Platnumz, for example, was like discovering your favourite roadside chips mayai joint wasn’t on the “best restaurants” list. Tasty? Absolutely. Acknowledged? Not today.

Diamond’s Komasava and TitoM and Yupee’s Tshwala Bam were global sensations. But when it came to Grammy love, it seems someone forgot to invite the whole of Africa to the table this time around.

Sure, the Grammys gave us the shiny new Best African Music Performance category—like handing over a plastic fork while the others get silverware. It’s progress, but let’s hold off on the celebratory soda.

This year, Chris Brown’s Sensational landed a spot in the category, sparking mixed reactions. While it features Afro-inspired vibes, it raises the question: are we honouring African artistry or just borrowing the sound?

The issue? The Grammys still believe global success needs a Western accent. Forget the millions of streams on platforms like Boomplay and Audiomack; if it’s not viral on TikTok U.S. or playing at Coachella, it might as well not exist.

It’s like someone saying they “adore African culture” but only knowing two words: Hakuna Matata.

And honestly, what else does an African artiste have to do to get noticed? Diamond Platnumz has been running on turbo mode—world tours, bilingual hits, and collaborations spanning continents. TitoM and Yupee’s Tshwala Bam had clubs on lockdown across the continent and beyond.

Here’s the thing: African music doesn’t need validation to shine. It’s already redefining global charts, filling stadiums, and inspiring trends. But it would be nice if the Grammys stopped acting like they discovered African music yesterday.

Until then, we’ll keep vibing, munching on zege, and watching as Africa continues its global takeover—Grammys or not.

What do you think? Should we send the Grammys a sizzling plate of chips mayai with a side of hits, or wait for them to catch up on their own time?Continue Reading