Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Monday, May 29, 2023.
‘Enough with illegal immigrants’: Tanzania introduces visa on arrival for Ethiopian nationals
Minister for Home Affairs Hamad Masauni informed the parliament on Monday that the government will implement a visa-on-arrival arrangement for Ethiopian nationals as part of the national efforts to curb illegal immigrants from the Horn of Africa.
Mr Masauni announced the plan while tabling his ministry’s 2022/2023 financial year budget, noting that from now on, Ethiopians will be allowed into Tanzania when they possess a passport of their nation and a visa that would allow them to proceed with their travel outside Tanzania.
“This effort is part of the process to resolve a longtime challenge of illegal immigrants from that country,” Mr Masauni, who doubles as Kikwajuni MP (Chama cha Mapinduzi – CCM), told lawmakers.
He said in 2023/2024 financial year, his ministry will continue to combat immigrants trying to enter Tanzania through illegal means by ensuring that all the people entering the East African nation do so by complying with its laws and regulations.
A visa on arrival allows foreign travellers to securely enter another country without getting a visa approved before arrival.
Depending on one’s nationality, one may have to get a visa on arrival for tourism or business when visiting a country abroad.
Full story here.
Facing challenges in Kenya, a titanium miner eyes opportunities in Tanzania
Base Titanium, a subsidiary of Base Resources, an Australian-based mineral sands producer and developer, is shifting its exploration for new mineral resources to Tanzania as Kenya maintains a ban on issuing new licences.
According to a report by Kenya’s Business Daily, the company has said in an update that activities at the Tanzanian site of Umba South have resulted in the discovery of rutile and graphite deposits following the drilling of 122 holes in a three-kilometre stretch.
Umba South is located near the junction of the Umba and Bombo Rivers in northern Tanzania, approximately 75 kilometres west-south-west of Base Titanium’s Kwale operations in Kenya.
“With the company unable to carry out exploration activities in Kuranze (Kenya) due to its prospecting licence applications for that area being on hold following the government of Kenya’s ongoing moratorium on the issuance of new mineral rights, efforts were instead directed to the southern portion of the ridge in Tanzania,” the company said.
The report by Business Daily noted that Kenya’s moratorium on issuing new exploration licences took effect in 2019 to allow the East African country to complete a resource mapping exercise.
Base Titanium said exploration activities had been confined to areas south of Umba River as it seeks to obtain the necessary approvals from the Tanzanian government to explore the Mkomazi Game Controlled Area to the north.
WHO trains over 50 rapid responders in Zanzibar
The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, has trained 56 rapid responders to effectively respond to public health emergencies in the islands and beyond.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, the training is part of the efforts to ensure that each African country is equipped with knowledge and skills to respond to public health emergencies within 24 to 48 hours of an incident.
The training, which was held for four weeks, consists of four modules: the public health emergency operating centre module, humanitarian and health cluster coordination, gender-based violence and rapid response teams modules that aim to ensure that each African country is prepared for health emergencies and humanitarian crises.
Dr Fatima Mrisho, the Permanent Secretary at the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, said the semi-autonomous archipelago is prone to health emergencies hence it requires strong coordination and training for proper preparedness, prevention and, in the case of an outbreak, timely response.
“[The WHO’s training] has come at an opportune time when the country addresses some emergencies,” Dr Mrisho said. “With more trained rapid responders, Zanzibar is more than geared up to tackle and beat any outbreak or public health emergencies efficiently within the first 24 to 48 hours of confirmation.”
According to the WHO, every country in Africa currently has 1 to 4 public health emergencies and/or humanitarian crises that are ongoing at any time.
This includes outbreaks (about 80 per cent) such as COVID-19, Measles, Cholera, Yellow Fever, Meningitis, cVDPV, Monkeypox, Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease. Others are humanitarian crises (about 20 per cent), such as civil war, drought, destructive floods, and cyclones.
Puma Energy partners with Karume Institute of Science and Technology to develop science skills in Zanzibar
The oil company Puma Energy Tanzania is partnering with the Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Pamoja Zanzibar to develop skills in science and technology in Zanzibar, a press release stated on Monday.
KIST is a parastatal organisation promoting science and technology in Zanzibar, while Pamoja Zanzibar is a non-government organisation working around youth empowerment in the isles.
The deal with Puma Energy Tanzania investing up to Sh352 million towards skills development and, at the same time offering industrial practical training programmes to help graduates gain essential skills.
Zanzibar Minister of Education and Vocational Training Zanzibar, Lela Mohammed, commended the initiative, saying it was in line with the broad strategy of the Zanzibar government in developing the national economy.
“The collaboration between Puma Energy, KIST, and Pamoja Zanzibar proves the importance of public and private collaboration in bringing about sustainable development,” Ms Mohammed said.
“The government of Zanzibar appreciates and supports the private sector’s efforts in investing and cooperating with the government in achieving national development goals,” she added.
The KIST graduate programme offered by Puma Energy Tanzania will be open to three KIST graduate trainees.
The Pamoja Zanzibar programme will aim to develop vehicle service and maintenance skills for a further two graduates. Both programmes will be based at Puma Energy’s aviation depot in Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar.
Fatma Abdallah, Puma Energy Tanzania General Manager, said the partnership is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility commitment in Zanzibar, offering the graduate trainees an opportunity to be absorbed into their workforce.
“As part of the training schedule, the KIST trainees will learn about our daily depot operations and functions and maintenance activities at the airport and the Pamoja Zanzibar graduates will learn about vehicle maintenance,” Ms Abdallah said.
Initially, five trainees will be selected with guidance from KIST and Pamoja. The programme may be expanded to accommodate additional trainees and sites like the Mtoni Marine Terminal in Zanzibar.
The initial programme will run for three years with the option to extend.
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