Commodities
Tanzanian tycoon Rostam Aziz pledges cheaper cooking gas
Friday February 24 2023
PHOTO: President William Ruto and Taifa Gas Group chairman Rostam Aziz.
Tanzanian billionaire Rostam Aziz, who is building a multibillion-shilling cooking gas plant in Dongo Kundu, says he will tap innovative technologies to handle imports and supply chain, ultimately lowering consumer prices.
The entry of Taifa Gas, a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) firm, into the local market is expected to trigger price wars for handling and evacuating cooking gas from the ships to the mainland, allowing dealers to transfer the cost relief to consumers.
Construction of the 30,000-tonne facility at the Special Economic Zone in Dongo Kundu will pit Mr Aziz against Mombasa-based tycoon Mohamed Jaffer, whose 25,000-tonne Africa Gas and Oil Ltd (Agol) handles 90 percent of the cooking gas imported for the Kenyan market.
“We are determined to use innovative technologies to improve the efficiency of the LPG supply chain and to deliver it to consumers without high-up front costs,” Mr Rostam said on Friday during the ground-breaking ceremony attended by President William Ruto.
LPG prices have hit new highs, with the 13-kilogramme container retailing at an average price of Sh3,266 in Nairobi, while the six-kilogramme one has crossed Sh2,000.
The Tanzanian business magnate added that cooking gas in Tanzania, where Taifa Gas controls the market, is cheaper than in Kenya and further lower by up to 22 percent compared to the global average prices.
It is unclear what Agol charges oil firms for handling cooking gas, but the lack of other players in the business suggests a lack of significant competition that has kept the fees high.
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Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak – Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response
Addis Ababa, January 20, 2025</Strong> — Tanzania has declared a Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region of Northwestern Tanzania. The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is similar to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and monkeys. This outbreak marks the nation’s second encounter with the deadly virus, following the outbreak in Bukoba District of Kagera Region in March 2023, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths.
In response to this urgent threat, the Africa CDC is mobilizing strong support to help Tanzania contain the outbreak. A team of twelve public health experts will be deployed as part of an advance mission in the next 24 hours. The multidisciplinary team includes epidemiologists, risk communication, infection prevention and control (IPC), and laboratory experts to provide on-ground support for surveillance, IPC, diagnostics, and community engagement.
The Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya, has engaged with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Minister of Health to ensure coordinated efforts and secure political commitment for the response.
“Africa CDC stands firmly with Tanzania in this critical moment. To support the government’s efforts, we are committing US$ 2 million to bolster immediate response measures, including deploying public health experts, strengthening diagnostics, and enhancing case management. Building on Tanzania’s commendable response during the 2023 outbreak, we are confident that swift and decisive action, combined with our support and those of other partners, will bring this outbreak under control,” Dr. Kaseya stated.
Africa CDC has recently supported efforts to enhance the diagnostic and sequencing capacity of public health laboratories in Tanzania. PCR Test kits and genomic sequencing reagents have been dispatched, with additional supplies in the pipeline. To ensure rapid identification and confirmation of cases, the institution will also provide technical assistance to strengthen detection and genome sequencing for better characterization of the pathogen. Additionally, support will be provided to improve case management protocols and enhance the capacity to deliver safe and effective treatment.
Africa CDC is committed to working closely with the Government of Tanzania, regional partners, international organizations, and global stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, to stop the spread of the Marburg virus.
Source: allafrica.com
