Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on July 15,2024
Tanzania’s IGP: Police not involved in abductions
The Inspector General of Police Camillus Wambura said on Monday, July 15, 2024, that the Police force is not involved in the kidnapping of people in Tanzania.
“First, it should be known that we are not involved in the abduction of people. We are a force that protects the safety of people and their properties, so those who accuse us of abduction, it is a disrespect to us,” said Wambura during his working visit in Simiyu region.
Wambura remarked this at a time when there is a rise in incidents of abductions of people with many fingers pointing in the direction of the Police and other security apparatus.
One of the recent cases that raises eyebrows is the one related to Edgar Mwakabela, a 27-year-old who survived an assassination attempt, Mwakabela confessed that his kidnappers first took him to a workshop inside the Oysterbay Police.
Another case that raised suspicion and continues to be debated is the one involving a 29-year-old Kombo Twaha Mbwana, a local leader of the opposition party CHADEMA who went missing on June 15, 2024. On July 14, 2024, Police revealed that they had been detaining him for the misuse of social media.
Wambura explained the rise in incidents of abduction is the result of increasing crime in society and also some people kidnap themselves.
“But some people go away on their own and then they claim they have been kidnapped. Recently, we witnessed in Mwanza a young child 12 years old who kidnapped himself and his younger sibling and demanded money from their mother. Therefore, the critical thing is for our society to change to stop criminal acts, for our society to stop false reports due to self-kidnapping, and stop giving false information,” argued Wambura.
Government to secure loan from NMB for purchasing 100 rapid transit buses
The Government of Tanzania has decided to secure a loan to increase the number of rapid transit buses in Dar es Salaam, marking a significant step towards improving this essential transport service, which has recently been plagued by numerous complaints.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam on July 15, 2024, at a meeting with the Registrar of the Treasury and media editors, the Registrar of the Treasury, Nehemia Mchechu, stated that UDART, which is 85% government-owned, is in ongoing discussions with NMB Bank for a loan to facilitate the purchase of 100 rapid transit buses, which may take up to six months from the order placement to the arrival of the buses in the country.
“UDART is now 85% government-owned. When it started, it was run by the private sector with minimal government involvement, which led to a significant debt burden. Over the past two months, I have been holding meetings with DART, the company overseeing infrastructure, and UDART, which manages operations and buses,” Mchechu explained.
“At this stage, we need more than five or six service providers, not just one company. If the sole operator strikes or encounters issues, the entire city comes to a standstill. Having multiple operators also makes it easier to identify who is providing quality service,” he added.
In March 2024, the Minister of State in the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government Mohammed Mchengerwa, gave the Dar Rapid Transit Agency (DART) until October 2024 to secure a private investor to enhance the efficiency of the service.
Activist take government to court over 2020 internet shutdown
The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has been sued at the High Court of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam over the internet shutdown that occurred during the 2020 general elections.
According to a statement by lawyer Tito Elia Magoti, who represents the plaintiff, the lawsuit has been filed by Kumbusho Dawson Kagine, a social media user and the Executive Secretary of Reach Out Tanzania, a non-governmental organization based in Dar es Salaam that advocates against the impact of internet shutdowns.
Tito, alongside co-counsel Alphonce Lusako, explained that the lawsuit was filed under the directives of their client against the Minister of Information, Communication, and Information Technology, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), and the Attorney General.
“Our client’s claim is that the internet was intentionally shut down, violating several rights protected by the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania. Specifically, the right to receive, impart, and disseminate information (Article 18), the freedom of assembly and association (Article 20(1)), and the right to participate in public affairs (Article 21(1, 2)), along with the government’s duty to uphold the constitution and the laws of the country (Article 26),” Tito explained.
He further stated that these rights are also enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, as well as various declarations such as the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Resolution on the Promotion, Protection, and Enjoyment of Human Rights on the Internet, the 2017 African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Guidelines on Freedom of Expression in Africa.
Kumbusho, after filing the lawsuit, has called for the court to declare that the internet shutdown violated the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania and international treaties, thus infringing on human rights. He also seeks an injunction to prevent the government from repeating such actions, including during the upcoming Local Government elections in 2024 and the general elections in 2025.
According to lawyer Tito, the case is scheduled for its first mention before Judge David Ngunyale on July 17, 2024, at the High Court in Dar es Salaam.
Police in Singida drag Bishop Mwanamapinduzi to court, released on bail
The police force in Singida region has taken Bishop Maximillian Machumu (Mwanamapinduzi), the Bishop of the Coast Diocese and Senior Pastor of the Glory of Christ Church in Kibaha, to court on charges of incitement.
Bishop Mwanamapinduzi, an activist who has been tailing CHADEMA Vice Chairperson, Tundu Lissu in his public rallies was brought before the Singida Regional Court on July 15, shortly after reporting to the Singida Central Police Station as required, following allegations of incitement made during a public rally held by Chadema’s Vice Chairman, Tundu Lissu, in Mangda village, North Singida constituency.
On June 6 this year, the Bishop was questioned for eight hours over claims that he made inflammatory remarks during the Chadema rally. After being brought to court and hearing the charges read by the Resident Magistrate in Charge of the Singida Resident Magistrate’s Court, Allu Nzowa, he was released on bail and his case has been adjourned until August 14 of this year.
TCU opens university admission window for higher education
The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) has opened the application window for undergraduate admission for the 2024/2025 academic year starting today, July 15, 2024, outlining the required qualifications for students to study at various universities across the country.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, July 15, 2024, in Dar es Salaam, TCU Executive Secretary, Professor Charles Kihampa, urged graduates to review the application guidelines before applying. He also announced that the window will remain open until August 10, 2024, and emphasized that all applicants for the 2024/2025 academic year must ensure they meet the necessary qualifications before applying.
“Applications for undergraduate admission will be open to candidates who have completed Form Six, those with Ordinary Diplomas, and those with equivalent qualifications such as the Foundation Certificate from the Open University of Tanzania (OUT).”
To understand the appropriate qualifications for university admission, applicants are directed to read the criteria outlined in the TCU guidelines, and they are also required to submit their applications directly to the universities they have chosen. Specific instructions on how to submit applications are provided by the respective universities.
“We advise the public to avoid being misled by individuals who claim to be agents or consultants offering services on how to join higher education institutions in the country,” said Professor Kihampa.
Furthermore, he urged applicants to contact the universities for essential information regarding the applications, emphasizing that applicants with certificates issued by NECTA or NACTE should obtain equivalence verification of their qualifications before submitting their admission applications.
This is it for today, and we hope you enjoyed our briefing. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter (see left), following us on X (Twitter) (here), or joining us on Telegram (here). And if you have any questions or comments, please drop a word to our editors at editor@thechanzo.com
One Response
NMB loan? How much? What are the conditions like interest and maturity? You editors could not ask such questions? Or were you concerned only with your “sitting” allowances and food?