Category Archives: Issue 97

FAITH NEWS

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Presidents Kikwete and Museveni attended prayers for Mwalimu Nyerere’s proposed beatification in Kampala on June 1. President Kikwete thanked Ugandans for ‘owning’ the process of beatification, a vital stage towards canonisation or his proclamation as a saint by the Catholic Church. Kikwete said that by doing so, the Catholics in Uganda had “in actual fact owned a process that was essentially Tanzanian”.

President Museveni said that Tanzania was the only peaceful country in the whole of East Africa, thanks to the good foundations laid by Mwalimu Nyerere. He pointed out that good people would always be judged by their deeds and not words, giving as an example a reference to the injured person who was helped by a Good Samaritan after a priest and a Pharisee passed him without offering any help.

The Association of Imams in Zanzibar (JUMAZA), with 18 other Muslim organisations, called upon people to vote ‘yes’ in the Zanzibar referendum on a government of national unity. It was the only way in which the people of the Isles could get rid of the political animosity that had been dogging the islands for decades – Nipashe.

Following news that a conference organised by the American Political Science Association (APSA) might be held at Dar es Salaam University, and that gay people would be attending, several Muslim clerics were quoted as saying that this would be tantamount to provoking disorder. They said that the people would not sit quiet while their country was turned into a ‘centre of debauchery’. “If this protest is ignored we shall stop them physically” they said – An-Nuur.

The Association of Imams in Zanzibar (JUMAZA) has called upon Muslims to protest at the Child Act 2010, as it contradicts the Islamic Sheria. JUMAZA Secretary General Maalim Zubeir issued a statement saying that the Act would not be applicable as it was contrary to the ‘customs and traditions’ of Muslims in the Isles. For example, he said, “The Act criminalises corporal punishment while in Islam it is allowed as long as it doesn’t cause physical injury to the child. Caning a child is allowed when he/she refuses to pray” – An-Nuur.

NEW MINING BILL PASSED

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Parliament passed the new Mining Bill following heated debate in the National Assembly in April. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, Attorney General, Frederick Werema, and Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja, had to hear hours of critical contributions by MP’s. The Citizen reported that CHADEMA MP Zitto Kabwe, Speaker Samuel Sitta, newly nominated Zanzibar CUF MP Ismail Jussa, and Bumbuli CCM MP William Shelukindo were among those who kept the front bench on its toes, constantly seeking clarification on issues.

The MPs took issue with the inadequate compensation paid to villagers whose land is acquired for mining and also called for more transparency in operations in the industry. Some 84 MPs contributed to the Bill which became the most debated Bill during the 19th parliamentary session.

The Bill provides for:
– the setting up of a new Mining Authority
– the government to effectively manage and supervise the sector
– five year reviews of mining contracts
– setting aside specific areas for small-scale miners to avert conflicts between artisanal miners and big mining companies.
– gemstones to be processed locally; foreigners wishing to mine gemstones will be required to enter into joint ventures with locals.

The Africa Report (No 23 of 23.06.10) commented that this Bill marked an attempt to increase government revenue and ease fierce public hostility towards foreign mining companies. New investors in Tanzania’s mining sector will now be charged 4% rather than 3% royalties for precious and base metals (gross rather than net); they will have to list on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange; and, the government will have a stake in any new mining project. Gemstone companies will have to be at least 50% Tanzanian.

The proposed changes are expected to raise mining revenue from $57m in 2009 to $110m in 2010.

THE CONTROVERSIAL HUNTING BLOCK

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For many months Tanzanian Affairs has been receiving a great deal of information from environmentalists, human rights activists and others concerning the allocation, in 1992, of a large block of land (4,000 sq kms) in Loliondo, Arusha to a game hunting firm. This firm, the Ortello Business Company, is owned by the Deputy Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates and his associates, some of whom are believed to be members of the royal family of the UAE. Much of the information alleges that these foreign leaseholders are guilty of various hunting malpractices.

In 2006 some of the Maasai resident in the area were said to have started constructing new biomass farming and bringing in large numbers of cattle during the hunting season. In 2009 it was reported that the government had evicted up to 3,000 Maasai villagers with their cattle.

The original hunting licence has now expired and the company is preparing an application to renew it.

According to the East African, quoting the company, Ortello has been paying its annual dues of $560,000 to the government, plus $150,000 to the villages around the Loliondo Game Controlled Area as well as $109,000 to the Ngorongoro District Council. The article concludes by saying that no other district in Tanzania containing hunting areas received this level of funding for community development from the hunting business.

TORTOISE SMUGGLING UP

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Illegal trafficking of live tortoises, snakes and lizards is on the rise according to an article in the Guardian: “After finding it difficult to deal with elephant tusks, leopard skins and rhino horns, poachers have now shifted their attention to smaller animals that can be moved in briefcases or sent as mail,” said Theotimos Rwegasira, a senior conservation official. “Last year 300 live tortoises from Tanzania were seized in Hong Kong.” They had been sent via the Post Office’s ordinary mail, something said to have been going on for years.

Mr Rwegasira said that apart from live tortoises and turtles, other creatures targeted by poachers were frogs and their eggs, snakes and lizards. He said there were also insects that were in demand abroad.

TANZANIA IN THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

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Compiled by Donovan Mc Grath

Tanzania: Mixing elections with gold mining – New African (July 2010, No. 497)

According to reporter Sakina Zainul Datoo, ‘President Jakaya Kikwete’s ruling CCM party . . . is facing (in the elections) its stiffest electoral competition.’ Apparently, civil servants have ‘threatened to go on strike if their minimum monthly wage of Tsh60,000 ($43) is not increased to Tsh315,000 ($224).’ They also ‘threatened to shift their voting allegiance elsewhere too.’

The President responded with a harsh tone, saying that the country could not afford such a demand, and the minimum salary could only be increased to Tsh105,000 ($75) this year. Furthermore, ‘he warned the civil servants that they would be replaced if they went on strike.’

There is the feeling that if the government tightened the loopholes in the mining contracts it issues to foreign companies, through the substantial revenue incurred, it would be able to afford its civil servants a reasonable salary.

Extract continues: ‘Tanzania is endowed with riches beyond imagination under its soil [gold, diamonds, silver, tantalite, coltan, steel, iron ore, emeralds and sapphires. There are also deposits of cobalt, copper, natural gas, nickel and titanium]. . . ‘But despite all this wealth, which has made foreign mining companies super-rich, most Tanzanians still live in the agony of poverty.’

As a response to media criticism at the way the mining sector has been handled, President Kikwete formed a commission in 2007 ‘chaired by Judge Mark Bomani to probe accusations of “theft” of natural resources and human rights violations. This Commission found that Tanzania did not benefit sufficiently from the multitude of natural resources under its soil.’ A new Mining Act was passed on 23 April 2010 as a result of the Commission’s findings. ‘However, for all the goodwill that went into reviewing the mining sector, the new law still does not offer any significant changes. One major component absent from the new law is an extremely important “windfall tax” clause. . ‘Of the seven gold mining companies operating in Tanzania, only one, Geita Gold Mine (GGM), owned by Anglo Gold Ashanti, has paid any corporate tax. . .’

In what can be described as a ‘lost opportunity’, a joint 2008 report titled: “A Golden Opportunity” by the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), the National Muslim Council (BAKWATA) and the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) in collaboration with Christian Aid (UK) and Norwegian Church Aid showed that the government had incurred great losses of tax revenue from mining. “We calculate that Tanzania has lost at least $265.5m in recent years as a result of an excessively low royalty rate, and government tax concessions that allow companies to avoid paying corporate tax”…’

The report also shows that ‘over the last five years, Tanzania exported gold worth more than $2.5bn but only received $21.7m a year in royalties and taxes while the expectation was to get $100m annually.’


Presidents support Nyerere beatification – The Tablet 12.06.10

‘Two African leaders have voiced support for the canonisation of Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding president . . .’

Extract: ‘On 1 June, speaking at the Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine at Namugongo, in Uganda, the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni paid tribute to the man known in neighbouring Tanzania as “Mwalimu” (teacher) or “Baba wa Taifa” (Father of the Nation). . . “We should continue praying that [Nyerere] reaches a stage where he could be declared a blessing of God” [said Mr Museveni].

‘President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania echoed Mr Museveni’s words…

‘The campaign to canonise Nyrere began on 26 January 2006 when the Vatican accepted a request from the Bishop of Musoma in northern Tanzania to consider his cause. The Vatican then granted him the title of “Servant of God”.’

Sea Turtles: Tanzania – The [London] Guardian 22.05.10

‘Sea turtles on Tanzania’s Mafia Island have surged since local people were paid to stop eating them. Anybody who finds and reports a nest gets payment up front, followed by a second payment depending on how many eggs hatch. When the scheme began in 2001, every one of the 150 nests on the island of 41,000 people suffered poaching – a figure which fell to less than 1% in 2004. Over that time the number of hatchlings increased from 1,200 to more than 10,000, although this probably includes the effect of higher discovery rates too.’

Game for anything: safari that thinks it’s a beach holiday – The Observer 14.02.10

As East Africa’s only coastal game reserve, Saadani National Park is in a unique location. Nicola Iseard entices readers to experience the excitement and beauty of the surrounding area, and the warmth of the local people.

Extract: ‘. . . The beauty of the Saadani Safari Lodge: it is as much about the people, the locals, as it is the wildlife. . . [here] you live with the locals. . . When national parks are proclaimed, communities are often resettled outside the park in an endeavour to control human/wildlife conflict. But at Saadani the wildlife and the village, which is one of the oldest settlements in Tanzania (dating from the sixth century), manage to co-exist. . . The lodge . . . the only safari camp inside the park . . . is considered part of the community . . .’

Tanzania: [Commercial Bank Launch] – The Tablet 10.04.10

Extract: ‘The Catholic Church in Tanzania has officially launched its Mkombozi Commercial Bank in a bid to alleviate poverty and boost its own self-sufficiency . . . The bank, which operates from the premises of St Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral . . . Dar es Salaam, pledges to accept clients of all faiths, with an emphasis on “the lower income segment” of society. . . The bank, which has been operational since August [2009], offered financial education and business management training, and pledged to make loans available to small-scale farmers. . .’ Thank you Doreen E. Woodford for this item – Editor.

HIV prevention – Martlet (Spring 2010) [Pembroke College, Cambridge, newsletter]

The following is a short extract of a report by Francesca Woodburn, who founded the charity Empuaan which aims to reduce the spread of HIV in northern Tanzania.

‘. . . In East Africa the Maasai are now experiencing the early stages of what is likely to be a catastrophic epidemic. To the Maasai, HIV is a “new” disease and a new threat, and most remain uniformed, unprepared and unprotected. . . When I took a job at a newly established secondary school for Maasai students in Tanzania . . . I saw . . . lovely young people enjoying all the pleasures of youth completely unaware of the danger to which they were exposed. . .’ As a result, Woodburn founded Empuaan (‘Survival’ in Maasai). ‘A key element of Empuaan’s work is to provide reliable, up-to-date information on HIV in a culturally accessible way and to provide forums for critical thinking and decision-making through discussion of social issues relating to HIV, its transmission and impact. . . Empuaan liaises with both governmental and non-governmental agencies to distribute condoms in rural areas. . . Empuaan’s most recent initiative is [their] Youth Literature Project [HIV awareness booklets distributed freely] . . . written in both Swahili and Maasai. . .’

Tanzania: The illegal trade in ivory

March 29 issue of The East African included two articles by Mike Mande highlighting the March 2010 report issued by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Journalists’ Environmental Association of Tanzania following a joint investigation into poaching and the illegal trade in ivory.

The first article is headed: ‘Organised poaching, illegal trade – why Tanzania lost out at Cites meet’.

Extract: ‘A new investigation by a panel of international and local experts that implicated senior government officials in the illegal ivory trade and the rise of elephant poaching in Tanzania is believed to have led to the country being denied permission for a one-off sale of its $20 million ivory stockpile [see TA No 96 for a related article]. ‘The report . . . says the illegal international trade in ivory is conducted by organised criminal syndicates with the collusion of corrupt Tanzanian officials. . .

The report . . . says the most recent Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) analysis reveals that the country’s scale of its involvement is second only to that of China . . .’

Mande’s second article is entitled: ‘Tusks flooding out of Selous during the rainy season’. Extract: ‘. . . Investigations conducted by the [EIA and the Journalists’ Environmental Association of Tanzania] have found that the price for raw ivory at the village level at Mloka stands at $19 per kilogramme, with buyers often being retired army, police and government officials, who also help provide firearms to the poachers. . . The Executive Director of the association, John Chikomo said that local villagers told them that from Mloka, the ivory is transported to Dar es Salaam in small consignments, sometimes by public bus but also concealed in government vehicles that are never stopped at checkpoints . . . The investigations confirm that ivory is flowing out of the Selous, with the connivance of rangers working in the reserve. . .’

Press handouts can save the lives of children – The Independent 12.04.10

‘Western subsidies help Tanzanian reporters expose health risks to babies and the fight against Aids . . .’

Extract continues: ‘Over 1.8 million adults in Tanzania are infected with HIV and when the government declared Aids a national disaster Simon Kivamwo set up AJAAT [Association of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania] which was founded in 2003 with the primary objective of improving reporting about Aids. . . With a grant from the newly established Tanzania Media Fund , AJAAT has organised training workshops for journalists and is now publishing a weekly newsletter. . .

‘For Pendo Ndovie a grant to hire a car was the means to exposing a scandal involving fake baby food affecting babies throughout Tanzania. . . A small grant gave her the means to develop the story and she eventually accumulated sufficient evidence to publish a series of articles which led to the product being banned from sale. One of the objectives of the media fund is to encourage independent journalism which roots out corruption in public life. ‘ Thank you Elsbeth Court and Julian Marcus for this item – Editor.

BG Group buys into 3 Tanzania offshore gas blocks in Mtwara – The East African (14-20 Jun 10)

Extract: ‘British energy firm BG Group, has acquired a 60 per cent stake in Ophir Energy Ltd, a company licensed to explore and produce liquefied natural gas in Tanzania. The Tanzania government has approved the deal . . . The three blocks cover more than 27,000 square kilometres of the Mafia Deep Offshore basin and the northern portion of the Ruvuma basin located in water depths ranging from about 100 metres to 3,000 metres. . . Alan Stein, the managing director of Ophir Energy plc told The EastAfrican . . . that after completion of the initial work programme, BG Group may withdraw from each of the production sharing agreements or it may assume control and continue to fund 85 per cent of all costs through to the completion of an extended work programme which will involve drilling several more wells.’

Dar bans export of raw tanzanite – The East African (14 June)

Extract: ‘Tanzania has banned the export of raw tanzanite gemstone. Minister of Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja announced the embargo saying the action was taken to spur development of the local processing industry, thereby boosting the economy and recouping profits. . . This is a blow to India’s second largest city of Jaipur, the main importer of the mineral. Tanzanite accounts for one-third of the annual gem imports of Jaipur and employs nearly 250,000 people in cutting and polishing the raw gem for re-export. Industry players in India fear Tanzania may extend the ban to the export of all raw material including diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, turquoise and topaz. . . According to Jagdish Tambi of KL Tambi of Jaipur, Tanzania’s move is ill-advised as the country does not have the capacity to cut and polish the gemstone.

However, Tanzania Mineral Dealers Association (Tamida) chairman Sammy Mollel disputes this, saying the country has over 400 qualified experts in cutting and polishing tanzanite. “Cutting tanzanite locally will minimise smuggling, create employment for local people, help the industry and contribute more to the government in terms of revenue he said. . . . It is estimated the tanzanite nets about $100 million annually while the finished gems are sold for over $500 million annually. . .’

Elections in Tanzania: What’s the hurry? – The Economist (05.06.10)

‘The president is trying, without much luck, to gee things up.’ Extract: The World Bank now ranks Tanzania a lacklustre 131st in the world, dropping steadily down the league as a place for doing business. Neighbouring Uganda comes in at 112th, with Kenya in 95th place. Tanzania is the laggard in a poor field. A local brand of socialism first promoted by Tanzania’s founding president, Julius Nyerere, helped give its 44m people a sense of unity but failed to equip them for the 21st century. The country still feels elephantine, its infrastructure is rickety, its electricity patchy, most of its roads unpaved and potholed. . . Tanzania’s economy is ticking along. This year it may grow by 6%. . .

President Kikwete has at least tried to give the appearance of curbing corruption. . . Visiting businessmen, however, say they are still deterred by red tape, a weak legal system and lack of skilled labour. Above all, they say, Tanzanians seem to lack a sense of urgency.’ Thank you David Leishman for this item – Editor.

Climate change heating up Lake Tanganyika, fish catches dropping – The East African (31 May-6 Jun 10)

Extract: ‘Lake Tanganyika, East Africa’s second biggest inland water mass, is at its warmest in at least 1,500 years, threatening its ecosystem. This is according to a new scientific study published in Nature Geoscience.

‘Scientists say the lake has been heating up in the past 90 years, which means that in future, the 200,000 tonnes of fish caught annually . . . could be under threat.

‘The lake, which straddles the border between Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo, is a vital source of protein for the thousands of people living on its shores. It is also a source of employment for the hundreds of fishermen who take their boats out each day.

‘The scientific journal says that there is already evidence that the lake has become less productive, while analyses of lake sediment show that the unprecedented warming could be attributed to climate change. . . Scientific experts also acknowledge that other factors, like excessive fishing, may be doing more harm than any global warming at present.’

MISCELLANY

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Submarine cable
Pemba Island in Zanzibar has been connected to the national power grid through a submarine cable installed in the Indian Ocean from Tanga Region. The project was co-financed by the governments of Tanzania and Norway. The 78-kilometre-long cable replaces three old diesel generators, to ensure reliable electricity supply in the island with much higher capacity and reliability than before. The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Hamad Rashid Mohamed, said that Pemba’s connection to the national grid was a step forward in strengthening the Union and the move would bring about better integration between the peoples of Pemba and Unguja – Guardian.

Douglas & Brad Pitt
According to the Citizen, cocoa producers in Mbeya Region will in future selling their produce directly to markets in the US through middlemen. This is the result of efforts by Tanzania’s honourary ‘goodwill ambassador to the US,’ Mr Douglas Pitt (the brother of the actor Brad Pitt) who is linking local farmers to US chocolate factories.

Switching to BP
A few days after five vehicles from the President’s Office broke down due to being filled with adulterated petrol at a Total filling station in Moshi, the government announced that the vehicles would in future be filled at BP filling stations– Mwananchi.

World Cup fever
While some World Cup matches were taking place in South Africa many MP’s skipped sittings of parliament. Deputy Speaker Anne Makinda had to adjourn the House on one occasion as it was virtually empty because most of the MPs were watching the matches on TV channels. Earlier, Speaker Samuel Sitta announced that the House would be dissolved on 20 July and so the sitting hours would have to be extended to evenings and Saturdays – Mwananchi.

Luxury vehicles
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda has banned importation of luxurious vehicles for government officials. Instead, emphasis would be put on the mechanisation of agriculture – Daily News.

Music School
A community based organisation in the UK, HDO, has launched a School of Music in Dar es Salaam. Professor John Howard from Thames Valley University told reporters that the school would run theoretical and practical classes. Training would start at certificate level and go up to degree level and the school would also record albums to be sent overseas – Majira.

London Congestion Charges
The Guardian, in an article written by Jaston Binala, reported that the Tanzanian Government had made it clear that it did not owe the Greater London Authority (GLA) anything for unpaid traffic congestion charges which the Authority was trying to recover. Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Permanent Secretary, Sazi Salula, expressed surprise that Tanzania was said to owe £753,520 (for 7,203 fines) for the period since the charge was introduced in 2003 and that a diplomatic vehicle could be charged any form of tax anywhere.

Tanzania is one of 57 diplomatic missions owing more than £100,000. The British government says that the charges are not taxes but are similar to highway tolls.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP

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Some 50 Tanzanians renounced their citizenship and acquired foreign nationality in 2009/2010 as the national laws do not allow dual citizenship, the Guardian on Sunday reported. The Citizenship of Tanzania Amendment Act No. 6 of 1995 prohibits dual and/or multiple citizenship and the time and manner to renounce foreign citizenship (in the case of a person with dual citizenship). Minister for Home Affairs, Lawrence Masha told Parliament in July that the government had decided it was not the right time for dual citizenship and was working on the possibility of establishing permanent residency instead. He added: “The country needs the Diaspora as much as they need the country, more so as their number continues to swell.” But the government has on several occasions recognised Tanzanians in the Diaspora as among the country’s economic development stakeholders, promising to support and facilitate their stay and return from abroad. The Diaspora community remittances last year were estimated at $14 million.

LEAST CORRUPT

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Tanzania is the least corrupt state in East Africa, according to Transparency Internationals East African Bribery Index published on July 22 and quoted in the Guardian. In Rwanda however, corruption was insignificant.

The agency declared Burundi the most corrupt nation in the region. The survey was conducted among 10,505 respondents selected through random household sampling across all the administrative provinces in the five countries between January and March 2010. Burundi had a ‘corruption prevalence’ of 36% with Kenya at third position (45% in 2009 to 32% in 2010). Uganda came second at 33% while Tanzania was fourth at 28%. Key governance and enforcement institutions such as the police, judiciary and defence featured prominently in the index, as did institutions offering key services like health, education, housing and finance.

In the Aggregate Index for Tanzania there were some new entries including the Tanzania Ports Authority, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, the Prisons Service and the Department of Defence.

FOOTBALL NEWS

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Nizar Khalfani and Kaka tussle for the ball

As part of their warm up for the World Cup, in June the Brazilian soccer team with super stars Ricardo Kaka and Robinho came to Dar for a friendly match with ‘Taifa Stars.’ Brazil won the exciting match 5 – 1. At one stage Nageri Kombo, a secondary student stormed onto the pitch and hugged Kaka. Further information had it that before dashing onto the pitch, Kombo handed over his shoes, wallet and mobile phone to a friend, aware that he would be arrested, and he was right! During the incident, Kaka remained calm as other players looked on astonished.

Some controversy surrounded the funding of the game, with some questioning whether the rumoured US$2.5m used to attract the Brazilian team could have been better spent. Finally, Minister of Sports George Mkuchika ended speculation by confirming that the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) had raised the money without government support.

After the match Brazilian coach Dunga commented “It was a good test for Brazil because Tanzania is a good team, very well organised.”

Tanzania have appointed a new coach for the national team, Jan Poulsen. The 64 year old Dane has had a promising start, leading the Taifa Stars to a 1-1 draw with Kenya and then a 1-1 draw with the powerful Algerian team at the start of their qualifying campaign for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations competition, a result which prompted the resignation of the Algerian coach Rabah Saadane. Tanzania last qualified in 1980.

The Twiga Stars celebrate after defeating the Ethiopian side (photo Rashid Zahor/Mohamed Rashid)

Also in the news were the women’s football team, nicknamed the “Twiga Stars” who have qualified for their first CAF Women’s Championship finals after defeating Ethiopia and Eritrea in June. The team is the subject of a documentary by Nisha Ligon entitled “Twiga Stars: Tanzania’s Soccer Sisters”. Despite a 6-0 defeat by South Africa, the team were upbeat as they started a tour of America in August as part of their preparations for the finals in October. The tour is sponsored by Tanzanian businesswoman Rahma Al-Kharoosi. Other teams that have qualified for the finals are defending champions Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Mali and South Africa.

OBITUARIES

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MARY BOYD, one of the stalwarts during the early and middle years of the Britain Tanzania Society died on August 19. Friends and colleagues have been paying tribute to her outstanding work for the Society:

Mary Boyd

Trevor Jaggar, former Executive Secretary, writes: ‘Mary did, indeed, contribute to the BTS in a major way over many years. I believe she was introduced to the society by Roger Carter, also a member of the Society of Friends. Archbishop Trevor Huddlestone used to joke that the BTS was run by a Quaker Mafia! She was instrumental in arranging the AGMs at Westminster Meeting House. One of her biggest contributions was the arranging of receptions for visiting Tanzanians at what was then the Quaker International Centre in Byng Place. She used to do several of these each year and was responsible for everything to do with them.’

Liz Fennell, former BTS Chairperson: ‘It is sad but she died peacefully, with relatives going to see her every day. The funeral was held at Swinbrook, a village in Oxfordshire. There will also be a memorial service at the Westminster Quaker Meeting House later in September.’

Elly Macha, now Executive Director, African Union of the Blind, in Nairobi writes: ‘It is with profound grief that I learned of the passing of Mary Boyd who was one of the most active persons in the BTS. I met her first at a BTS meeting in 1997 when I was studying in Manchester. From October 1998 to March 2003 I was at Leeds University pursuing a PhD degree. My living expenses in Leeds were a big challenge. Mary Boyd and Liz Fennell worked so hard to fundraise for my living expenses there. She coordinated all the donations from different people for me. She visited me in Leeds several times for moral support and encouragement. To me Mary was a friend, a mother and a mentor. She was an inspiration to all those who knew her. Last year Liz Fennel and I visited Mary in her nursing home in the South of England. She was so excited to see me again after six years. We remembered my graduation day at Leeds in July 2003. Mary was there to celebrate with me that great day. Mary’s life was the epitome of courage, vision and deep-faith in the human spirit, which transcends mere physical limitations and goes far beyond an individual effort in achieving what she believed in. To the members of her family and friends, I extend my profound condolences. May God rest her soul in peace.’

BTS Treasurer Betty Wells writes: ‘For the annual meetings and at other times she provided accommodation for people to stay. She arranged and organized a Garden Party during the early days. Her connection with Tanzania was through being guardian to two children who attended the Quaker school at Ackworth, because their mother was working in the German embassy in Dar es Salaam. Her main job was as a Social Worker in the London area. I am grateful to former BTS Treasurer Christine Lawrence for passing on this information to me.’

PROFESSOR JWANI MWAIKUSA (58), a leading constitutional lawyer who was also a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Dar es Salaam was murdered at his home in Salasala, Dar es Salaam in July.

His son, Baraka, said that moments after his father drove back home, two armed people forced their way through the gate and ordered the one who opened the gate to show them the father (Prof Mwaikusa). The professor’s nephew, who was also present, could not control his anger, and engaged one of the gangsters in a fight. The nephew was shot dead, and this prompted the second gangster, to shoot the Professor. A neighbour who came to find out what was happening was also killed. A few days later four suspects appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court charged with 11 counts, including the killing of Prof Mwaikusa.

His colleagues described him as a person who contributed immensely to the scholarly leadership of the University’s legal department. He was described as a fearless law academic – always an example to follow for all those who sought to pursue the political and human rights of individuals and the general sanctity and respect of constitutionalism.