Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Monday, January 22, 2024.
Here is why Tanzania has an extra troop in Mozambique outside SAMMIM
Tanzania’s Commander in Chief of the Defense Force President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that the country has an additional troop in Mozambique outside the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) following a bilateral agreement between Tanzania and Mozambique.
President Samia cited two reasons for the agreement, first due to the presence of a foreign country troops near the Tanzania border and second due to the activities of the terrorist groups.
“When we went to Mozambique, we were under SAMMIM, but we still asked Mozambique that we go in on a bilateral agreement, knowing that within Mozambique, in that area, there is a foreign military presence near our border and terrorist from time to time crossover to do terrorism in our territory,” said President Samia during the annual meeting of the defense forces commanders.
Rwanda has sent about 2,500 soldiers in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, the deployment started in 2021, with about 1,000 soldiers.
Speaking about the impact of the SAMMIM forces and the Tanzania troops in the area, the Tanzania Chief of Defense, General Jacob Mkunda, said the groups has managed to curtail terrorists activities in the area, citing that the last attack where terrorist cross-over to Tanzania was on December 10,2021.
“Madam President, you had agreed to send in additional troop through bilateral agreement with Mozambique, this has had a positive impact in strengthening security in our Southern border,” said General Mkunda
General Mkunda has cautioned that there might be an increased risk in the area due to the scheduled withdrawal of the SAMMIM troops by July 15,2024.
Tanzania Police: No agreements were reached with CHADEMA over planned demos
After Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement with the Tanzania Police Forces regarding the demonstration planned for January 24, 2023, the Tanzania Police Forces have refuted such claim.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Jumanne Muliro told the state broadcaster TBC Digital during a phone interview that no agreements have been reached so far on the matter, and they will respond to CHADEMA in writing on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
“We have met and held discussions with the General Secretary of CHADEMA regarding the party’s intention to conduct peaceful demonstrations on January 24, 2024,” said Muliro. “We will respond to their demonstration notification.”
According to CHADEMA national chairperson, Freeman Mbowe, the meeting between party officials and Dar es Salaam special zone police commander Jumanne Muliro ended early today with the law enforcement agency blessing the planned demos, dispelling fears that the police would prevent such demonstrations from taking place.
“I laud the police force for this kind of wisdom,” Mr. Mbowe wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I welcome all Tanzanians to participate in the planned demonstrations where we’ll demonstrate peacefully.”
Reports of appointment of refugees in key govt posts: infiltration or human error?
Tanzania’s Chief of Defense Force (CDF), General Jacob John Mkunda said that several people who came in as asylum seekers or refugees were appointed to several decision-making posts after staying in the country for a while, a situation he described as a potential security risk.
In his address, Mkunda explained that between January 1 and December 31, 2023, about 138,149 asylum seekers were received in the country, mostly from DRC Congo and Burundi. Mkunda said most of them came in search of greener pastures, which he explained is not a valid reason for the admission of an asylum seeker.
“Some of the refugees or asylum seekers or their families have been employed in different positions in the government and some have been appointed to several decision-making posts in the government,” said Mkunda in his address during the meeting of the Defense Forces Commanders.
Read the full story here.
Barrick hails new airport terminal, mines revival in Tanzania
Barrick Gold has handed the government of Tanzania a new airport terminal built at the closed Buzwagi gold mine in the country’s north, which paves the way for scheduled airline service in and out of the mine’s Kahama airstrip.
The US$384,000 terminal, of which Barrick contributed 70 per cent and the Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA) the balance, will serve more than 200 passengers at a time, compared with 25 passengers previously. It will also serve to catalyse economic growth in the region, Barrick said.
Barrick said that its contribution to Tanzania’s economy also includes turning two run down mines, North Mara and Bulyanhulu, into a world-class complex producing gold at a Tier 1 level. The two assets are part of Twiga Minerals, a joint venture between Barrick and the Tanzanian government.
“The Twiga partnership has not only transformed Tanzania’s gold mining industry, it has also re-established the country, well-known as one Africa’s most popular tourism attractions, as a prime investment destination that has a wealth of metal and mineral resources,” Barrick’s president and chief executive Mark Bristow said.
Conversion drilling at both mines has again replenished their reserves after depletion, Bristow said. At North Mara, the potential for another underground operation is being explored while optimising its open-cast mine plan, which is expected to add years to its life.
At Bulyanhulu, there are near-surface opportunities with the potential for increasing production and mining flexibility. Since the world’s second-largest gold company took over both mines in 2019, they have contributed more than $3.4 billion to Tanzania’s economy, Bristow noted.
The Canadian miner said it was also progressing with its US$40 million pledge to build a 73km-road to the Kahama airport. The Buzwagi mine was officially closed in July 2022, having reached the end of its operational life.
Reports of its youth joining terrorist groups concern Tanzania
Tanzania is concerned about the recruitment of its youth, ranging from 15 to 35 years old, who join terrorist groups, including the Mozambique-based Ansar Al Sunna Wal Jammah.
Speaking on Monday during an annual meeting of the defence forces commanders, Tanzania’s Chief of Defense Force, General Jacob John Nkunda, said: “Terrorist networks have been recruiting our youth of age between 15 years and 35 years, and transporting them to join terrorist groups in countries including DRC, Mozambique, and Somalia.”
The Commander in Chief of the defence forces, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who officiated the gathering, echoed Nkunda’s sentiment, calling on relevant organs to build the capacity to identify, analyse the groups and assess the terrorist threat they pose to Tanzania.
Full story here.
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