Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.

World Bank releases 19th Tanzania Economic Update focused on efficiency of fiscal policy

The World Bank on Tuesday released its 19th Tanzania Economic Update, revealing that authorities’ efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fiscal policies could help Tanzania boost revenue collection and increase public expenditure.

According to the report titled Enhancing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Fiscal Policy in Tanzania, the efforts could also pave the way for stronger human capital outcomes, inclusive economic growth, and prosperity of the citizens.

The report shows that Tanzania made some progress in expanding tax collection, with the tax-to-GDP ratio increasing from 10 per cent in 2004/05 to 11.8 per cent in 2022/23.

Meanwhile, public spending has increased from 12.6 per cent of GDP to 18.2 per cent of GDP, which is still lower than the average for Sub-Saharan Africa, low-income countries, and lower-middle-income countries.

Speaking during the launch of the report in the city on Tuesday, Nathan Belete, World Bank Country Director, said that Tanzania’s economy has been steadily expanding, and the fiscal policies have successfully reduced income inequality.

Full story here.

​​African women politicians decry ‘scourge’ of online gender-based violence

A high-level regional parliamentarians consultation on addressing online violence occurred here on Monday, where women politicians from across Africa shared their experiences of facing online violence, which they described as a “scourge” that needs to be eradicated.

Happening in the context of the International Day of Democracy, the consultation is a product of the collaboration between UNESCO and the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), where participants explored the similarities in experiences between online violence against women journalists and women politicians and suggested ways to curb the problem.

During the session, Graça Sanches, a representative from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organisation of national parliaments, shared findings from the study it conducted in 2021, which showed that 80 per cent of the respondents reported having experienced psychological violence, with 46 per cent reporting to have been the target of sexist attacks online.

Full story here.

Infographic: 329,918 students dropped out of schools in Tanzania in 2022

A total of 329,918 students dropped out of schools in Tanzania, boys account the largest share of drop-outs about 182,213 students equivalent to 55.2 percent.

A class with the is highest drop out rate is standard four, at primary school level, about 56,361 students. At secondary level, a class with highest drop-out rate is form two, 53,932 students. Full story here.

Speaker Tulia meets her Moroccan counterpart in Rabat

Speaker of Parliament Tulia Ackson Tuesday met and held talks with her Moroccan counterpart, Rachid Talbi El Alami, in the country’s capital, Rabat, where the two discussed ways to enhance the relations and cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries, particularly in the fields of agriculture, industry, and trade.

According to reports by Moroccan media, Speaker Tulia also took the opportunity to extend condolences to the Moroccan government for the earthquake that struck the country earlier this month, commending the efforts of King Mohammed VI to address the disaster.

On September 8, 2023, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Morocco at 18.5 km depth, killing at least 2,900 as of Tuesday.

In 2016, King Mohammed VI visited Tanzania. Since then, various agreements in agriculture, tourism, fisheries, and aviation have been signed and are expected to strengthen the relations between the two countries.

The meeting between the two speakers signifies a commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties and exploring opportunities for collaboration in vital sectors.

Both parties exchanged their points of view on several issues of common interest, especially on the African level, reports said, adding that the two officials expressed their concerns over the major challenges of African countries, in particular in the light of the worsening international crises likely to affect stability and security at the continental and international levels.

This meeting was also an opportunity to present the positions of the parliamentary institutions of the two countries and the roles they can assume in strengthening bilateral relations, developing parliamentary diplomacy and consolidating bonds between regional and continental parliaments.

Times have changed, and so must CCM

The ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) must focus on winning the support of the Tanzanian people rather than just winning votes. While winning votes is essential for a party to survive, CCM must also win the hearts and minds of Tanzanians.

More than half of Tanzanians are under the age of 18, and 70 per cent are under the age of 30. This means that CCM must focus on the youth if it wants to remain relevant in the coming decades.

The party should start by promoting young people within its ranks and government and by implementing policies that benefit young people by providing quality education, creating jobs, fighting corruption, and empowering young people by giving them a voice in decision-making.

Full analysis here.

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