Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
UK minister for Africa is in Tanzania for three-day state visit
The UK Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Vicky Ford is in Tanzania for a three-day official visit where she is expected to launch the UK government’s new education initiative in the country known as Shule Bora (Quality School).
It is the first visit to Tanzania by Ms Ford, the MP for Chelmsford admitted in a Twitter post, and has so far met with a number of government officials, including President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Sunday.
“A real pleasure to meet President Samia again,” Ms Ford said in a Twitter post. “We discussed the UK-Tanzania partnership, which continues to go from strength to strength. Business, climate change, female empowerment [and] the Ukraine crisis are mutual priorities; we agreed to continue to cooperate on these [and] more.”
On Sunday also, Ms Ford met the social enterprise that deals in conservation Carbon Tanzania “to see first-hand how they are delivering landscape conservation in East Africa through innovative approaches to protecting forests and payments for ecosystem services,” Ms Ford said.
EWURA rules out possible shortage of petroleum products
The director-general of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) Godfrey Chibulunje said Saturday that the government was taking all necessary measures to ensure the availability of petroleum products in the country.
He was responding to concerns raised by members of the Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF) during a meeting over the weekend. The editors wanted to know measures that the government was taking to curb the possible fuel scarcity that may be caused by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
“Tanzania has petrol reserve which can be used for 27 days, diesel for up to 19 days and kerosene for 14 days, this is to assure you that there is no possibility of fuel scarcity any time soon,” Mr Chibulunje was quoted as saying.
He said the fuels are being stored in special deports in Dar es Salaam, Mtwara and Tanga region near the seaports.
Mr Chibulunje also noted that more ships loaded with fuel consignments were on their way to Tanzania, whereas the government has already placed orders from Arabian countries on more consignments that will arrive later on.
He however warned dishonest fuel traders who are planning to create a fake fuel crisis by hiding their stock waiting for the new price to be announced tomorrow.
“I’m reminding all dealers that they are under watch throughout the time, if they create a fake crisis, they will be subjected to strong measures as indicated by the law,” he cautioned.
Three killed, one injured as mine collapses in Dar es Salaam
Three people have died and one has been injured on Sunday after a mine they were working at in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam collapsed, The Citizen newspaper reported.
The deceased and the injured were loading pebbles onto a car at the Kikikaka Mjimwema mine when the tragedy happened.
Kigamboni District Commissioner Fatma Nyangasa confirmed the incident saying it occurred on Sunday at 9 am.
The incident occurred in the mines that were previously used by artisanal miners before the government shut them down in 2018, Nyangasa explained.
“Efforts have been made to remove the rubble to rescue those who are trapped and we were able to recover the bodies of three men,” The Citizen newspaper quoted the DC as saying. “Their bodies have been preserved at Vijibweni Hospital.”
The deceased include Ally Abdallah Fundi (18), Mohammed Maganga, and Kashinde Msigalo while the injured is Shinashana Ally.
“Anyone who will not see their relatives who were working at the mine please report to authorities so that further follow-up can be made,” Nyangasa was quoted as urging.
Program worth Sh11.6 billion to safeguard youth welfare in Tanzania in the offing
Tanzania in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Switzerland will launch a $5.1-million program aimed at safeguarding young people by improving their health and wellbeing, a UNFPA official said Sunday.
“Young people as a key driver for any sustainable development need to be nurtured and empowered to attain their full potentials in overcoming the many barriers which may hinder them from attaining set goals,” Fatina Kiluvia, a program analyst for the UNFPA, said.
Kiluvia told a press conference in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam that young people face many challenges ranging from gender-based violence and lack of sexual reproductive health rights and education, to sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Kiluvia said the UNFPA in collaboration with the government of Tanzania and the Swiss government has come up with the three-year program which will focus on interventions that create a conducive socio-economic, legal, policy environment and capacity development for adolescents and the youth.
The UNFPA Country Representative for Tanzania Mark Schreiner said the program to be implemented on mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar will start Monday.
“We are proud to support Tanzania in collaboration with the embassy of Switzerland in its effort to realize the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people,” said Schreiner.
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