Dodoma. Shirikisho la Vyama vya Ushirika Tanzania Bara (TFC) limezungumzia changamoto kubwa wanazokutana nazo kutokana na kukosa uwakilishi bungeni na Wizara ya Ushirika na kuomba kurejeshwa kwa wadhifa huo kama ilivyokuwa miaka ya nyuma.
Akizungumza kwenye Mkutano Mkuu wa 29 wa TFC, Mwenyekiti wa Shirikisho, Charles Jishuli, alisema kuwa, licha ya umuhimu wa ushirika katika maendeleo ya uchumi wa taifa, hakuna uwakilishi wa moja kwa moja wa sekta hii bungeni wala kuwa na Wizara ya Ushirika.
Jishuli alikumbusha historia ya ushirika kama sehemu muhimu ya Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) kabla ya kuanzishwa kwa mfumo wa vyama vingi mwaka 1992, ambapo ushirika ulikuwa ni mojawapo ya jumuiya za CCM, pamoja na jumuiya za Vijana, Wazazi, na Wanawake.
Hata hivyo, alisema kuwa baada ya mfumo wa vyama vingi kuingia, jumuiya za wafanyakazi na ushirika zilitengwa kutoka CCM, na wafanyakazi sasa wana uwakilishi bungeni, jambo ambalo halipo kwa ushirika.
“Katika hali hii, tumeona kuwa tunahitaji kurejeshwa kwa Wizara ya Ushirika, kama ilivyokuwa awali. Hii itasaidia kuleta mpango maalumu wa bajeti kwa ajili ya vyama vya ushirika na kuhakikisha tunapata msaada wa kisera utakaosaidia kutatua changamoto zinazotukabili,” alisema Jishuli.
Jishuli aliomba kupitia Naibu Waziri wa Viwanda na Biashara, Exaud Kigahe, ambaye alikuwapo kama mgeni rasmi kwenye mkutano huo, ombi hili lifikishwe kwa Rais Samia Suluhu Hassan, ili kutoa msukumo wa kurejeshwa kwa Wizara ya Ushirika na kupewa uwakilishi wa vyama vya ushirika ndani ya Bunge.
Hata hivyo, Kigahe ambaye alimuwakilisha Waziri wa Viwanda na Biashara, Dkt Selemani Jafo aliyekuwa mgeni rasmi, alisema ombi hilo wamelipokea kama Serikali.
Mrajisi wa Vyama vya Ushirika nchini, Dk Benson Niege, amebainisha kuwa wameanzisha mfumo mpya wa kuviweka vyama vya ushirika katika madaraja kulingana na utendaji wao.
Dk Niege alisema kuwa madaraja haya yatapimwa kwa kuzingatia vigezo vya utendaji wa menejimenti, usimamizi wa wanachama na ufanisi wa usimamizi wa hesabu za vyama kupitia vitabu rasmi.
“Kwa mfano, kuna vyama vikubwa vinavyokuwa na mtaji mkubwa, lakini vikiwa na hati chafu za kifedha. Hivyo, kila chama kitawekwa katika daraja kulingana na utendaji wake. Chama kitakachokuwa kwenye daraja la kwanza kitakuwa na utendaji bora na usimamizi mzuri,” alisema Dk Niege.
Aidha, Naibu Waziri wa Viwanda na Biashara, Exaud Kigahe, aliwataka viongozi wa vyama vya ushirika kujenga utamaduni wa uadilifu na kuondokana na vitendo vya dhuluma kwa wakulima, hususan katika masuala ya vipimo wakati wa msimu wa ununuzi wa mazao.
“Tusimamie kwa uangalifu vipimo wakati wa ununuzi wa mazao kutoka kwa wakulima. Vitendo vya udanganyifu kama vile lumbesa, kangomba, na future, ambavyo vinahusisha kupima kwa kufungasha, ni ukosefu wa maadili na ni kuwadhulumu wakulima,” alisisitiza Naibu Waziri Kigahe.
Pia, waliwataka kufanya ushirika ni biashara kama walivyoamua wenyewe na kwamba Serikali itawaunga mkono shabaha yao ya kuanzisha benki ya Ushirika.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
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Tanzanian insurance firms upbeat after first quarter business growth
Total gross written premiums for the insurance industry have increased by 13.68 percent in the first quarter of 2024, with small and medium-sized companies showing higher growthContinue Reading
Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.
The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.
In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.
Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.
“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”
Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Source: allafrica.com
Britam half-year net profit hits Sh2bn on higher investment income
Insurer and financial services provider Britam posted a 22.5 percent jump in net earnings for the half-year ended June 2024, to Sh2 billion, buoyed by increased investment income.
The rise in half-year net profit from Sh1.64 billion posted in a similar period last year came on the back of net investment income rising 2.5 times to Sh13.27 billion from Sh5.3 billion.
“We are confident in the growth and performance trend that Britam has achieved, supported by its subsidiaries in Kenya and the region. Our business is expanding its revenue base while effectively managing costs,” Britam Chief Executive Officer Tom Gitogo said.
“Our customer-centric approach is fueling growth in our customer base and product uptake, particularly through micro-insurance, partnerships, and digital channels.”
The investment income growth was fueled by interest and dividend income rising 34 percent to Sh9.1 billion, which the insurer attributed to growth in revenue and the gains from the realignment of the group’s investment portfolio.
Britam also booked a Sh3.79 billion gain on financial assets at a fair value, compared with a Sh1.8 billion loss posted in a similar period last year.
The increased investment income helped offset the 12.7 percent decline in net insurance service result to Sh2.13 billion in the wake of claims paid out rising at a faster pace than that of premiums received.
Britam said insurance revenue, which is money from written premiums, increased to Sh17.8 billion from Sh16.6 billion, primarily driven by growth in the Kenya insurance business and regional general insurance businesses, which contributed 30 percent of the revenue.
The group has a presence in seven countries in Africa namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Britam’s insurance service expense hit Sh13.6 billion from Sh11.3 billion, while net insurance finance expenses rose 2.6 times to Sh12.3 billion during the same period.
“Net insurance finance expenses increased mainly due to growth in interest cost for the deposit administration business driven by better investment performance. This has also been impacted by a decline in the yield curve, which has led to an increase in the insurance contract liabilities. The increase has been offset by a matching increase in fair value gain on assets,” said Britam.
Britam’s growth in profit is in line with that of other Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed insurers, which have seen a rise in profits.
Jubilee Holdings net profit in the six months increased by 22.7 percent to Sh2.5 billion on increased income from insurance, helping the insurer maintain Sh2 per share interim dividend.
CIC Insurance Group posted a 0.64 percent rise in net profit to Sh709.99 million in the same period as net earnings of Liberty Kenya nearly tripled to Sh632 million from Sh213 million, while Sanlam Kenya emerged from a loss to post a Sh282.2 million net profit.
