The international Anglican Church, a federation of 38 national churches, with 77 million adherents, chose Dar es Salaam, the ‘Haven of Peace’, as the gathering place to deal with the threat of schism facing it over homosexual priests and same-sex marriages as well as the issue of women bishops. Continue reading
Tanzanians felt proud when they learnt that the country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Asha-Rose Migiro, had been appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the UN. The Guardian wrote: This is a pointer to her personal skills and experience in world politics coupled with her country`s dynamic internal and foreign policies…indeed, she adds to the list of Tanzanian `super stars` on the international social, economic and political scene. President Kikwete named former Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals Bernard Membe as the new Foreign Minister.
Asha Rose Migiro, recently appointed Deputy Secretary General of the UN
President Kikwete and his ruling CCM party have lost none of their popularity on the mainland judging by the results of the parliamentary by-election held in Tunduru on March 18. CCM candidate, Mtutura Abdallah Mtutura, got 35,876 (64%) of the votes. Of the opposition parties CUF got 32%, CHADEMA 3.8%, the United Democratic Party (UDP) 0.22% and the Democratic Party 0.18 %. The by-election was held to fill the vacancy left by the death of the former MP who had died of injuries sustained in a plane crash in Mbeya.
The National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced in February that it would not allow private candidates to be nominated for elections in spite of a High Court ruling a year earlier which stated that this was unconstitutional. NEC Chairman Judge Lewis Makame said the High Court decision directed the government to prepare a legal system which would help private candidates to take part in elections. According to article 30 (5) of the country’s constitution, the rule which does not allow private candidates ‘shall remain in force until the time cited by the High Court is over’ – Guardian.
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)
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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