Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.
Heated debate ensues in parliament over dual citizenship
A heated debate occurred in the parliament on Tuesday over whether or not Tanzania should allow duo citizenship, with members of parliament exchanging emotionally-charged arguments over the issue that has been debated for a while in the country.
The debate followed the presentation in the parliament by Foreign Affairs Minister Stergomena Tax’s budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, where the fate of Tanzanians living outside the country emerged.
During her speech, Dr Tax informed the parliament that the government would give ‘special status’ to Tanzania’s diaspora, allowing them to enjoy various services and opportunities available in the country.
She said the arrangement, expected to come into force in the coming financial year, was designed in consultation with the diaspora, whose members shared their recommendations on how the arrangement could work best.
“The arrangement would allow Tanzanians living abroad to contribute to the country’s development but also benefit from the opportunities that the country offers,” Dr Tax told lawmakers.
Full story here.
LHRC wants ‘rogue’ park rangers held accountable
A new investigation by the Legal and Human Rights Organisation (LHRC) has found officers from Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), and Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) complicit in violating the human rights of people living near conservation areas.
Anna Henga, LHRC’s Executive Director, told journalists on Tuesday that the organisation’s investigation has found officers from the three agencies responsible for “beating and murdering” people from those communities as well as confiscating the livestock belonging to the community members.
LHRC’s investigation also found that officers from the three agencies have also been forcing people off their land, Henga said during a press conference.
Tuesday’s revelations by LHRC contradict authorities’ assertions that their agencies do not use force when enforcing conservation laws in neighbouring communities.
Minister of Tourism and Natural Resources Mohammed Mchengerwa, for example, said last week that the government has been reminding officers responsible for natural resources conservation in the country not to use force while carrying out their duties, something he was thankful is currently the case.
Mr Mchengerwa, who doubles as Rufiji MP (Chama cha Mapinduzi – CCM), was referring to the rangers from TANAPA whose decision to arrest fishermen in Lake Manyara, a protected area, set off clashes with community members from Arusha’s Mto wa Mbu area, leading to the death of two people.
Full story here.
Faru Graphite to supply natural graphite to South Korea’s POSCO International
Faru Graphite, a subsidiary of Australian-based mining company Black Rock Mining Ltd, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korean-based construction company POSCO International that would see the former supplying the latter natural graphite to strengthen its battery raw materials unit.
According to South Korea’s Kedo Global, POSCO International will spend US$10 million to import 750,000 tons of natural graphite over the 25 years of the mine’s expected operation.
The graphite will go to the global cathode materials plant of POSCO Future M, a POSCO Group affiliate.
Faru Graphite is operating the Mahenge mine, considered the world’s second-largest for natural graphite in reserves. Global demand for graphite, a key raw material for manufacturing battery cathode materials, is highly dependent on China.
“This is an example of supply that can confirm business synergy among group affiliates,” POSCO International said of its deal with Faru Graphite.
The contract with Faru will enable POSCO Group to respond to the US Inflation Reduction Act by diversifying its suppliers, Kedo Global reported.
The report cited market research from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence which said global demand for natural graphite by 2035 is expected to jump 6.5 times from last year’s supply.
Funding shortage forces WFP to slash food rations for refugees in Tanzania
More than 200,000 refugees in Tanzania will soon receive only half the food rations they need due to a critical funding shortage for the World Food Program’s (WFP) food assistance, the UN agency said Tuesday.
WFP provides monthly in-kind food assistance to people living in refugee camps through food baskets. While the food assistance has been designed to meet the minimum recommended 2,100 kilocalories, chronic funding shortfalls have forced WFP to provide reduced rations since 2020, the organisation said.
In March this year, WFP made further reductions by dropping the ration from meeting 80 per cent of the food needs to 65 per cent. In June, the ration will go further down to 50 per cent, which could leave thousands of refugees struggling to meet their nutritional needs.
Sarah Gordon-Gibson, WFP’s Country Director in Tanzania, said a few contributions have arrived on time, and the organisation is now forced to make the difficult decision to reduce food rations at a time of increased needs.
“We urgently need US$21 million to provide food assistance to more than 200,000 refugees for the next six months and avoid implementing deeper cuts as hunger bites in refugee camps in Tanzania,” she said.
“WFP is deeply concerned that drastic cuts will force refugees into further vulnerabilities. We urge the international community, governments, donors, and the private sector to step up and respond to this crisis to ensure vulnerable people can meet their basic food and nutrition needs,” Sarah added.
Tanzania hosts more than 200,000 refugees who rely on WFP’s assistance. About 70 per cent of these refugees are from Burundi, while the remaining 30 per cent come from the DRC.
The country has recently witnessed a surge in new arrivals fleeing the unrest in the North Kivu region. The rise in numbers and increased food prices have exacerbated the current situation, with needs far outstripping available resources.
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