TAZARA MAKES 50% MORE PROFIT
The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) realised a revenue of Shs 22 billion in 1992/93 compared with Shs 13.2 billion in the previous year. Shs 20.7 billion came from goods and Shs 1.05 billion from passenger services. The net profit of Shs 7 billion compared with a figure of Shs 3.1 billion in 1991/92. Total freight loaded was 1,238,962 tons, an increase of 18% over the previous year.
KUWAIT AND SAUDI ARABIA HELP ROADS PROJECT
Tanzania is to get loans totalling US$34 million from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund in support of the Dar es Salaam – Somanga road project. This is part of the multi-billion dollar Integrated Roads Programme (IRP). The project will include the repair and resurfacing of the Dar es salaam – Kibiti section linking it with the recently completed Kibiti- Ikwiriri section financed by the Saudi Fund for Development. The project also includes the construction of a new road traversing the Rufiji River flood plains and incorporates a 250 metre long reinforced concrete bridge across the river.
FACTS ON ILLITERACY
The Dar es Salaam ‘Express’ has been having a very close look at the 1988 census report – particularly at the figures indicating the rates of literacy. It has found that 34% of all male employees and 56% of all female employees were illiterate in the year 1988. The figures are also said to reveal that out of every 100 employees, assuming that 60% of them are men and 40% women, the men would be characterised educationally as follows: 20% would have received no education, 10% would have had four years of primary education, 26% eight years of primary education and only in four would have O’level certificates. The newspaper asks ‘why do we boast about our high rate of literacy?’
A SHINING EXAMPLE
‘A Shining Example’, ‘Remarkable’ ‘Exemplary Road Building’ – such are the comments being made by Dar es Salaam’s 2.3 million people as they witness the first phase of the city’s road rehabilitation programme. The Japanese company ‘Konoike’ is the recipient of the praise – it has now completed the reconstruction of some 21 kms of city centre roads – Daily News.
TROOPS IN LIBERIA
Tanzania has sent 800 troops to Liberia to join the OAU peacekeeping force. During a short ceremony held at Dar es Salaam airport, the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force Chief of Operations and Training, Brigadier Msuya, urged the group to portray a good image of Tanzania during the entire peacekeeping mission. The troops received a joyous welcome when they arrived at Monrovia’s Springs Payne airport on a plane of Air Gambia – Sunday News.
500 TONS OF COFFEE
The Tanzania Coffee Board has announced that between 1983/84 and 1992/93 Tanzania exported 503,223 metric tonnes of coffee worth US$1,077,350,000 or an average of US$107 million per annum. Seventy one per cent of sales were to EC countries followed by Finland (11.7%) Japan (9.3%) and the USA (1-2%).
JOAN WICKEN LEAVES
The Daily News revealed on its front page on April 28th that one of Mwalimu Nyerere’s closest and longest serving assistants and advisers, 69-year old Ndugu Joan Wicken, had left Tanzania for Britain after a 34-year stay. She said that she was leaving because of poor health. She added “I came to Tanzania as a socialist and I am leaving as a socialist”. She explained that she had always been paid a local salary and never paid as an expatriate. While in Britain she will continue to help Mwalimu in his duties as head of the South Centre which has offices in Geneva and Dar es Salaam. She denied that she intended to write a book.
NYAKYI RECALLED
Tanzania’s Ambassador to the UN in New York and former High Commissioner in London, Mr Anthony Nyakyi, has been recalled to Tanzania at short notice a few months before he was due to retire. A new ambassador, Mr Daudi Mwakawago, was formally appointed to the post apparently before Mr Nyakyi left.
BEAUTY CONTESTS
The White Sands Hotel and several beauty parlours in Dar es Salaam are hoping to revive beauty contests so that Tanzania can be represented in international beauty competitions. Tanzania was said to be the only country in the region that did not have such contests.
PROPOSAL ON FUTURE OF UNION
During an address to mark the 30th anniversary of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on April 26th, President Mwinyi said that draft proposals aimed at ironing out shortcomings and administrative problems would soon be tabled before parliament for discussion. “It is true that the Union has vexatious issues but there is a need to sort them out to enable Tanzanians to move in line with the constitution regulations and procedures” he said – Daily News.
SIX DUTY FREE SHOPS CLOSED
The government has closed down six duty free shops, leaving only three still open, in a move to plug loop-holes of foreign exchange leakage. Customs commissioner Masoud Mvuma said that duty free shops were originally intended to enable foreigners to buy items which were not available locally but, that in the wake of trade liberalisation, this was not so necessary as virtually everything was now available in shops – Daily News.