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.
Edited by John Cooper-Poole (UK) and Marion Doro (USA)
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, edited by Jim Igoe and Tim Kelsall. Durham NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2005 xvii + 309 pp. ISBN 1 59460 017 1
This book is a collection of essays on the changed political landscape in Africa, more specifically on the interactions between government, NGOs and the international aid community. NGOs have everywhere become significant political actors, albeit that they may deny political aspirations. There are two contributions on Tanzania, one being by Ben Rawlence who wrote a sensitive article on the Jamiani Development Committee (JDC). This was spawned from a Danida school maintenance/ rehabilitation program. Teachers had formed a School Extension Group that capitalised on using Danida’s services on a wider scale. When these teachers were transferred, it was renamed JDC. Rawlence shows well how novel this form of organization was and how it operated in the interstices of power. Continue reading
The President has been making speeches on an almost daily basis during the last few months. The following extracts from some of his recent speeches give an indication of the flavour of Tanzania’s present policies:
Speaking at an Eid Baraza in Arusha: “The government cannot tolerate stubborn clerics. We will be keen to restrict the operations of these people …I want to warn potential preachers of hatred.” He said the government would continue protecting the freedom of worship. Continue reading
After Prime Minister Edward Lowassa had rejected reports presented to him by district commissioners in Kigoma region, Tanzania Daima reported that DCs in Iringa region were very worried because their region was next in line for a visit from the PM. It was said that some of the DCs had shredded the reports they had already written and were burning the midnight oil rewriting them. The Kigoma DC, who was said to have had a tongue lashing, was said to be receiving phone calls from his colleagues in Iringa asking for advice. Commenting on this, the Prime Minister said “I am told DCs in Iringa have lost sleep since hearing that I am coming their way. They might as well lose sleep, because they might end up losing their jobs.”
After only ten months in office, on October 15, President Kikwete changed the portfolios of ten of his ministers and eight deputy ministers. No reasons were assigned for the changes, but MP’s had begun to complain about delays in executing development projects, uneven allocation of funds to the regions and careless negotiation of important contracts. There had also, according to the Daily News, been criticism of the handling of specific issues such as the power crisis; the food deficit; the management of forest resources and wildlife and the distribution of communication projects. Continue reading
Newly appointed High Commissioner in London, Mrs Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar, has said that she would not disappoint President Kikwete on his decision to appoint her to the post. In a talk with the press at her Bond Street office, Maajar said: “I will do my best to fulfil the responsibility entrusted to me by President Kikwete, keeping in mind that this is a senior post in a country with which we have special ties.” She insisted that she has no political ambition and upon retirement she would like to go back and help women in legal matters. She said she would be implementing Tanzania’s the new foreign policy of economic diplomacy. To start with she would relocate the Tanzania Trade Centre and bring it under the High Commission. It would be allocated a better budget to enable it to function well – Majira.
The picture above shows Mrs Maajar presenting her credentials to the Queen. Continue reading
The CUF opposition continues to press for change in the isles and in particular, for new elections under international control. The party organised peaceful mass demonstration in Dar es Salaam and Pemba in early November to press for talks with the government. The party is still hoping that President Kikwete will intervene as he promised to do after his election in 2005. Meanwhile Zanzibar President Amani Karume, whose election is not accepted by CUF, said that there was no question of a new election nor a coalition government but that he was prepared to meet and talk with the National Chairman of CUF, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba. Karume said “By admitting that CCM got 53% in the last elections, Lipumba is in fact conceding defeat and recognising my government. There is now no reason why we can’t meet and talk” – Nipashe. Continue reading
Mizal Khalfan featured on the front cover