Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
Tanzania, Mozambique mull strategies to curb cross-border crime
Authorities from Tanzania and neighbouring Mozambique held a joint consultative meeting in Mtwara yesterday as they consider developing joint strategies to curb cross-border crimes on their shared borders.
The meeting, which involved senior officers from the two countries’ security organs, focused on how Tanzania and Mozambique can renew their commitment to working together to curb crimes such as illegal human trafficking, motor vehicle theft, and arms supplies, among other crimes.
Two regions of Tanzania – Mtwara and Ruvuma – shares borders with Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado and Niasa regions, something which Mtwara regional police commander Nicodemus Katembo said forces the two countries to work closely together to ensure the security of their people.
“And this is exactly what forced us to gather here today to discuss ways through which we can up our cooperation on security issues,” Katembo briefed journalists on the sidelines of the meeting. “Many crimes occur at our shared borders, and we aim to end those criminal activities there.”
The security situation in the areas bordering Mozambique has been unstable owing to the terrorist activities that the latter has been forced to deal with for some time now. The situation forced the two countries to sign a deal in 2022 that would allow them t fight common security challenges.
Asked about the current security situation in the region, Mtwara regional commissioner Ahmed Abbas Ahmed told journalists that the situation remains stable, pointing out to people’s ability to do their daily activities as a testament to that fact.
“The security situation is stable, and you’re witness to that,” Colonel Ahmed said. “There are no security threats now. If there were, people would not be able to do their activities, like participating in several agricultural auctions that have been happening in the region.”
Tanzania and Mozambique are already actively working together to improve the security situation in their shared borders, including information sharing and police intelligence between the migration authorities.
In 2022, the two countries resolved to establish a special police unit responsible for drawing strategies to combat terrorism, a resolution arrived at during the Ministerial Meeting of the IV Session of the Permanent Joint Commission on Defence and Security Mozambique-Tanzania.
Mtwara immigration officer Dismas Mosha said the biggest challenge now remains in the management of cross-border migration, noting that it is relatively challenging considering how the people there are mixed, many of them belonging to one tribe, which makes their management relatively difficult.
“These people are very much related; you may find the uncle is in Tanzania, but the grandfather is in Mozambique,” said Mr Mosha. “It is not the goal of the Immigration Department to prevent these people from integrating. We are trying to make them aware of the laws and regulations governing such movement and the importance of observing them.”
Human rights defenders speak out in defence of detained DP World deal critics
Four human rights organisations Tuesday spoke out against authorities’ decision to detain several people who have been criticising the controversial Tanzania-Dubai intergovernmental agreement, calling for their “immediate and unconditional” release.
Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC), and Jukwaa la Katiba Tanzania (JUKATA) gave a joint statement in Dar es Salaam, condemning the “arbitrary arrests” of the deal’s critics.
“As human rights organisations, we firmly believe that every person is entitled to freedom of speech and opinion on everything happening in the country, including on the port deal because it involves national interests,” LHRC Executive Director Anna Henga said while reading the joint statement.
“People do not deserve to be threatened for exercising their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, backed by regional and international instruments to which Tanzania is a signatory,” Henga added.
Full story here.
Govt clarifies delays of SGR trials: ‘We are yet to receive the locomotives’
The government has clarified the delay on the first trial of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, which was scheduled to happen before the end of July this year.
Speaking exclusively to The Chanzo on Tuesday, Government Chief Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa repeated the same reason that led to the delay of the trial in May, which is the delay of locomotives from the German manufacturer.
“The trials never happened because we are yet to receive the two locomotives we expect from the manufacturer,” Mr Msigwa said during a telephone interview. “There has been a challenge concerning spare parts, leading to the late arrival of the locomotives to Tanzania.”
Full story here.
Journalists attacked in Ngorongoro
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has reported an incident that occurred yesterday in the Endulen village of Ngorongoro, involving the attack of several journalists and government officials.
According to a press release from the NCAA, a group of Maasai youth attacked journalists and government officials who were engaged in providing public education to Ngorongoro residents about the relocation process from the area.
Among those affected was Habib Mchange, a journalist who serves as the director of Jamvi la Habari magazine and also coordinates the Media Centre for Information and Resources Advocacy (MECIRA). MECIRA is a group of several journalists who have been advocating for the relocation of the Ngorongoro residents citing extreme environmental destruction in the area.
MECIRA has been working together with NCAA in amplifying the messages on the importance of relocation from Ngorongoro.
The issue of Ngorongoro’s relocation exercise has remained a topic of contention in the country. While less than 2 percent of the residents have voluntarily relocated, a majority of the population has expressed dissatisfaction, asserting that they have been deprived of essential services in an apparent attempt to compel them to move from Ngorongoro.
The government maintains that the relocation exercise is vital for the conservation of Ngorongoro, highlighting that the continued increase in population poses a threat to the area’s ecological well-being.
Unemployment’s lure: Why young people are vulnerable to bad influences
Unemployment among the youth is a pressing issue, with some graduates remaining jobless since 2015. The burden of high expectations from their families, who often sacrifice greatly for their education, adds to their stress.
As a result, many young people find themselves susceptible to negative influences, making decisions that might not align with their aspirations.
Every year, Tanzania witnesses many young people completing their education at various academic levels, from primary schools to universities and technical colleges.
According to statistics from the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), the number of graduates in higher education has seen a substantial increase from 213,829 in 2017/18 to 314,643 in 2022/23.
While this paints a hopeful picture, the reality is far from ideal for many young graduates who struggle to find meaningful employment.
Full analysis here.
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