The purchase by Tanzania in 2002 of a $40 million Radar system from BAE Systems, the UK’s biggest arms supplier, which caused so much controversy at the time has come back again to haunt the governments of both countries.
The London Guardian chose Monday January 16, the day on which President Kikwete began an official visit to London, to splash on its front page a dramatic new development in the case. Continue reading
Crime continues in Tanzania as it does everywhere else. But the single incident attracting most interest during recent months has been the fatal shooting on November 4 last year of a commuter bus conductor, Hassan Mbonde, at a road junction in Dar es Salaam by the former Tabora Regional Commissioner Ukiwaona Ditopile Mzuzuri. Continue reading
An Extraordinary summit meeting of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to review regional peace and security began on March 29 in Dar es Salaam. The meeting was called to discuss the situation in the Congo, the recent elections in Lesotho and especially the political situation in Zimbabwe. Continue reading
As this issue of TA goes to the printer, the National Assembly is debating an important new ‘Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bill, 2007.’ This replaces the previous ‘Prevention of Corruption Act’ and provides for wider investigative powers for a new ‘Anti-Corruption Bureau,’ with powers to deal with offences other than those stipulated in the current law. Continue reading
President Kikwete paid an official visit to Britain at the invitation of Tony Blair in January.
Speaking during a dinner on January 15 hosted by the Britain Tanzania Society in his honour, he commended the Society’s continued support to Tanzania’s economic development, terming the society members ‘ambassadors of goodwill.’ “One may be tempted to say that BTS is yet another Tanzanian mission in the United Kingdom. You have acted as our goodwill ambassadors, over and above your efforts to support the development activities of Tanzania”. He said the society’s senior members were not just working towards sensitising retired people to be active in the pursuit of economic stability in Tanzania by soliciting aid, but were also encouraging Tanzanian students in Britain to join in these efforts.
Mr Kikwete said he felt proud and encouraged to see BTS members so committed to helping out in key areas of service delivery in Tanzania, particularly in the education, health and other social service sectors. The President also briefed BTS members on current challenges facing Tanzania. A full account of the dinner is in the current issue of the Newsletter of the BTS – Editor.
President Kikwete in London (photos Issah Michuzi)
Continue reading
Using the properties of plants from Tanzania, companies in the western world are making huge profits while giving nothing to the local people. An example is the ‘Busy Lizzie’ or impatiens usambarensis, one of the most popular plants among British gardeners, providing instant colour in even the most challenging flower beds. It is native to East Africa; its centre of origin is in the Usambara mountains. Continue reading
The Tanzania Investment Centre has been named the world’s best Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) of the year 2007 by the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) during an investment conference in Geneva. WAIPA is under the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). More than 200 WAIPA members had competed for the award. Other winners were: ‘Invest in Portugal’ and South Korea’s ‘Trade IPA’. Continue reading
According to the Kenyan NATION a Tanzanian held in connection with the US embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998 has apologised to victims. Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani (33) told a US military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba on March 17 that he did not know about the bombing and was sorry for assisting the bombers. But he denied charges that he bought a lorry used to deliver the Dar embassy bomb. Continue reading
The Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB) has won the ‘Golden Europe for Quality and Commercial Prestige Award’ for offering quality services in the tourism sector. The award was given in Berlin on January 27 this year by France-based ‘Otherways International Research and Consultants Company’. Continue reading
The former Paramount Chief of the Wachagga, THOMAS LENANA MAREALLE (92), died on February 14 from pneumonia. He held the post from 1951 to 1965. After school he was first employed as a clerk by the colonial government at the office of the Moshi District Commissioner, before being transferred to Mbulu, Chunya, Mbeya, Tunduru and Lindi, respectively. From 1944 to 1946, Chief Marealle was in Britain to complete advanced studies. He was one of the first two from the then Tanganyika to be picked by the colonial regime to study in Europe. On return he was a Social Development Officer and in 1948 an Adult Education Officer at Usangi in Kilimanjaro region. In 1949, Marealle joined a welfare/recreation organisation – the Tanganyika African Association (TAA), which the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere later joined. He was the founder of the Tanganyika Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and the Editor of the Swahili newspaper, KWETU, between 1943 and 1951 – Daily News.
A veteran journalist, media executive and diplomat, SAMMY MDEE, died of high blood pressure at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Moshi on March 10. He was the first Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tanzania Broadcasting Services, Managing Editor of the Daily News and Sunday News, Chief Editor of Radio Tanzania, Dar es Salaam (RTD), Press Secretary to President Julius Nyerere and Managing Director of the Arusha International Conference Centre. He had also served in Tanzania`s Embassies in France and New York – Sunday Observer.