Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
CSOs raise ‘serious reservations’ about proposed COSTECH Act
A coalition of fifteen civil society organisations (CSOs) has written to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs informing it of their “serious reservations” on particular sections of the proposed amendments to the Commission for Science and Technology Act.
The CSOs fear that if the amendments will be adopted as they are, the proposed law will have “adverse effects” on the production of knowledge, capacity to innovate and ultimately Tanzania’s potential to prosper in the twenty-first century.
The organisations have raised concerns over the language used in the proposed amendments which they consider to be “debilitatingly intrusive and punitive rather than enabling.”
“By placing tight boundaries with strong enforcement around research we risk imprisoning our own intellectual curiosity and capacity within the cage of political interests,” the organisations said in their joint submission.
“The long-term effects of stunted knowledge creation and use for the country are incalculable,” they added.
Full story here.
Wasoko not planning to leave Kenya for Zanzibar
Retail-tech start-up Wasoko is not planning to relocate its headquarters from Nairobi, Kenya for Zanzibar, according to Kenya’s Capital FM reports, quoting the firm’s CEO Daniel YU.
It followed reports that the firm was planning to move its operations to the semi-autonomous archipelago.
In August 2022, Wasoko set up an innovation centre in Zanzibar to support its African operations. The hub comprises engineers, product managers, UX designers and researchers.
“Wasoko remains headquartered in Nairobi Kenya, after the launch of Zanzibar Innovation Hub,” Mr YU was quoted as saying. “We are aware of growing reports which claim that Wasoko, Africa’s largest B2B e-commerce network has relocated to Zanzibar and has failed in Kenya.”
YU confirmed that the firm’s headquarters is still located at the Senteu Plaza in Kilimani, Nairobi.
“Our operations in Kenya continue to be largest with 936 employees, supporting a local customer base of over 48,000,” he added.
Wasoko first entered the Kenyan market in 2016, before expanding its wings to Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Cote d Ivoire and Senegal.
Early this year, it said it will be investing at least $20 million (Sh2.29 billion) in Kenya to provide more small shop owners with fast-moving consumer goods.
Tanzanians can now apply for an online Indian visa
Tanzania citizens can apply for an Indian visa online through the website Indian visa online, a statement released Wednesday by India Visa Online, an authorized portal for visa application to India.
According to the company, the website provides a convenient and easy-to-use online application service for those seeking Electronic Travel Authorization to travel to India.
“Assisting our users in completing their applications is our top priority, and we are committed to providing the best possible service,” the company said in a statement.
“Our team of experts are on hand to offer assistance and guidance throughout the process, ensuring that your application is submitted successfully,” the company added.
“We are delighted to be able to offer our services to Tanzania citizens, and we look forward to helping you with your Indian Visa application,” it said in a statement.
The service has also been extended to Taiwanese, Vietnamese and South Koreans.
“All they need to do is fill out the online form and submit it, along with the required documents,” the company said. “We are pleased to offer this new service to Tanzania citizens and hope that it will make travelling to India easier and more enjoyable.”
This is it for today and we hope you enjoyed our briefing. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter (see below) or following us on Twitter (here) or joining us on Telegram (here). And in case you have any questions or comments, please consider dropping a word to our editors at editor@thechanzo.com.
