Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
Minister says Tanzania’s position on wildlife exports has not changed
Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources Pindi Chana said Sunday that Tanzania’s position on exporting wildlife has not changed, stopping any export of wildlife from Tanzania that was about to take place.
“As a minister responsible for tourism and natural resources, I’d like to take this opportunity to immediately stop any transportation of wildlife [from Tanzania],” Dr Chana said in a video that circulated on social media on Sunday.
The decision comes a day after the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), a government agency tasked with conserving wildlife resources in protected areas, announced the lifting of a ban previously imposed on exporting wildlife.
In 2016 the government banned the export of live wild animals, citing, among other factors, illegal permits that were causing a massive loss of government income and resources.
“The government has been assessing the business of exporting live wild animals since the ban was imposed and now it has lifted the ban,” TAWA said in a statement.
It added that traders will have six months from June 6 to December 5 to clear stocks of animals that they were unable to sell under the ban.
But Dr Chana said Sunday that the government’s position over the matter has not changed.
“The government is banning all export of wildlife from Tanzania until it receives an official statement from the respective institution [TAWA],” Dr Chana said. “The exercise is immediately stopped until the government decides otherwise.”
Tanzania to sign the Sh70 trillion LNG project this week, Samia says
President Samia Suluhu Hassan revealed on Saturday that the government is planning to sign initial agreements with exploration companies next week to construct the much-anticipated S70 trillion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant.
Tanzania resumed negotiation of the long-awaited project last year. The negotiation team had said earlier this year that the government could sign the agreement in May.
To be constructed in the natural gas-rich region of Lindi, the parties in the project include five oil and gas firms –Shell, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Pavilion and Ophir.
President Samia told Engineers and Contractors on Saturday in the capital Dodoma that the government was going to sign the LNG agreement in “three-day.”
“I want to assure you that the government will give special attention to local contractors in the name of local content,” the government-owned Daily Newspaper quoted the Head of State as saying.
Torture of suspects, corruption top watchdog’s inquiries into the conduct of police
The chairperson of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) Judge (retired) Mathew Mwaimu revealed on Friday that beating and torture of suspects during arrest or while an investigation is underway is among Tanzanians’ top complaints against the Police Force.
Other issues include the existence of corruption allegations against some police officers, in the fact that some officers provide inaccurate information about issues brought up by the public.
CHRAGG is an independent government department, acting as the national focal point for the promotion and protection of human rights in Tanzania. In its assessment of the police force’s performance, the commission conducted ten inquiries into claims against the law enforcement agency.
The inquiry also involved visiting police stations in various parts of the country. The inquiry followed complaints against the police from suspects, the general public and human rights activists.
“Some suspects have been detained by the police for an extended period of time without being taken to court or given bail,” Mwaimu told journalists on Friday.
“Offences committed by police officers with criminal orientation should first be investigated by other independent public institutions or bodies that may be created in accordance with the law,” he said.
Mwaimu however pointed out that generally, law enforcers were doing good with regard to adhering to laws, rules, regulations and human rights, crediting them for the present peace and order in our communities.
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