Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Monday, August 23, 2021.
Samia in Zambia to attend Hichilema’s swearing-in ceremony
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is among the foreign dignitaries who will grace the swearing-in of Zambia president-elect Mr Hakainde Hichilema, an event that is expected to take place in the country’s capital of Lusaka, a statement by the director of presidential communications Mr Jaffar Haniu said yesterday.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Mr Hichilema, 59, winner of the presidential election held on August 12, 2021, beating incumbent President Edgar Lungu.
Mr Hichilema managed to pass the 50 per cent-plus-one requirements for a presidential winner with 2,810,757 of the votes while Lungu got 1,814,201.
Apart from President Samia, other leaders that are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony include Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera, and Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Others in President Samia’s entourage are Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Ambassador Mbarouk Nassor M’barouk, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Secretary for Ideology and Publicity Mr Shaka Hamdu Shaka, and CCM Secretary of Organization Department Maudline Cyrus Castico.
Others are Retired Prime Minister and CCM Central Committee Member Mizengo Pinda, CCM Central Committee Member Kombo Hassan Juma, CCM Tanga Regional Chairman and CCM Central Committee Member Elder, Henry Daffa Shekifu, and Member of Parliament for Mtera constituency and Executive Committee Member Livingstone Joseph Lusinde.
From Tanzania also, former President Jakaya Kikwete will be present at the swearing-in occasion by virtue of his capacity as the leader of the Commonwealth Election Observer team. ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe, Mr Hichilema’s close friend, has also flown to Lusaka to attend the function.
Mbowe’s case moved to High Court
The case against CHADEMA national chairperson Mr Freeman Mbowe, and his three others co-accused, was on Monday moved to the High Court after the prosecution read committal proceedings to the defendants at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court. The prosecution is expected to present 24 witnesses 19 exhibits against the accused.
Mr Mbowe was brought before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court for the first time on July 26, 2021, accused of taking part in conspiracies to blow up fueling stations and other public gatherings as well as funding terrorist acts.
He was arrested in Mwanza together with eleven other CHADEMA cadres — who have since been released — ahead of a New Constitution conference that the party’s Youth Wing (BAVICHA) had called and which Mr Mbowe was expected to be the guest of honour.
Others involved in the case against Mr Mbowe are Mr Halfan Hassan, Mr Adam Kasekwa, and Mr Mohamed Lingwenya.
CHADEMA and other pro-democracy activists have dismissed the terrorism charges against Mr Mbowe as “trumped-up” and “politically motivated”; they have since then called for authorities to drop them. They have said the charge sheet on Mr Mbowe’s case “lacks any legal basis” and would have been “immediately dropped under any competent criminal justice system.”
Five TRA officials die following fatal road accident
Five Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) employees died on Monday after being involved in a road accident that occurred after a car they were travelling in hit the back of a Fuso truck.
According to The Citizen newspaper, the deceased are Benard Mushingi 40, Azaria Sivonike 42, the driver, Joel Mitondwa 36, Fahadi Haji 26 and Said Buddy 34. They were all TRA officers attached to the Tunduma office.
Songwe Regional Police Commander Ms Janneth Magomi confirmed the accident to the paper on Monday, saying that it occurred around 5 AM along the Mbeya-Tunduma Road at Hanseketwa in Mbozi District, Songwe Region
“All the vehicles were in Tunduma and were in TRA owned vehicle which was chasing a car that was believed to be carrying smuggled goods,” The Citizen quoted Ms Magomi as saying.
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