Good morning!The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on August 20, 2024.

Tanzania delists all wards and villages in the contested Ngorongoro area. Stakeholders warn the plan is unconstitutional

Critics have slammed the proposed government plan to delist all wards, villages and sub-villages within the contested Ngorongoro conservation area as unconstitutional, warning that the move would seriously impact the rights and livelihoods of dozens of Maasai communities that have refused to relocate to other designated areas.

The plan contained in Government Notice 673 and made official by Government Gazette No. 32, Vol.105 dated August 2, 2024, involves the delisting of 11 wards, 25 villages and 96 sub villages as part of the government’s restructuring of the administrative areas in the country.

The plan comes two years since authorities have been implementing what they term a voluntary exercise to relocate Ngorongoro residents, many of them of Maasai tribe, to other areas, such as Msomera in Tanga, under the pretext of conservation. 

On the other hand, residents have described the exercise as an eviction, pointing to the cut of essential services such as water and health to prove their argument that authorities do not carry out the exercise voluntarily but are systemically forcing people out of the UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage Site.

The latest evidence that the exercise is not voluntary is that electoral authorities had reportedly transferred the names of residents who chose to remain in Ngorongoro to Msomera, preventing them from participating in the local government elections in November and general elections in 2025.

The development, alongside other serious hardships the Maasai in Ngorongoro had been enduring since the relocation attempts started, triggered demonstrations on August 18, where members of the community decried alleged state-backed persecution, calling for their mistreatment to stop and authorities respect their land and human rights.

The Chanzo asked the Minister of State in the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Governments, Mr Mohammed Mchengerwa, what might have necessitated delisting all villages from Ngorongoro but said he’d put us in touch with the responsible officer for comment. He hadn’t done so until we published this story.

Prof Issa Shivji, one of Africa’s leading experts on law and development issues, said in an X post that the villages’ delisting will have far-reaching legal and democratic implications for the people of Ngorongoro, urging authorities to rethink their plan.

Read the full article here

One witness testifies in a gangrape case that sparked national outrage 

The rape and sodomy case No. 23476 of 2024, involving four individuals, including members of the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) and the Prisons Service, began its hearing at the Dodoma Resident Magistrate’s Court on August 20, 2024, with one prosecution witness heard.

The accused in this case of gang rape and sodomy of a young woman residing in Yombo Dovya, Dar es Salaam, include TPDF officer MT.140105 Clinton Damas, Prisons Service officer C.1693 Praygod Mushi, Lord Lema, and Nickson Jackson. They were brought before Chief Magistrate Zabibu Mpangule on Monday, August 19, 2024, at the Dodoma Resident Magistrate’s Court, and the trial is expected to continue consecutively until Friday, August 23, 2024.

The accused are being defended by a team of four lawyers led by Godfrey Wasonga, with other members including Sadiki Omari, Boniventura Njeru, and Meshaki Ngamando. Speaking to reporters who were stationed at the court on Tuesday, Ngamando stated that the prosecution had five witnesses, but due to time constraints, only one witness was heard.

“We managed to hear from one witness, but we haven’t concluded his testimony due to time. Overall, the case is proceeding well, and no party has raised any issues about the conduct of the trial,” said lawyer Ngamando on behalf of the defense team.

He further explained that the case is being heard without the presence of media or other unauthorized individuals due to the nature of the case, which involves sexual assault, and thus, the law requires the court to conduct the trial while concealing the identity of the witnesses and keeping the evidence confidential.

“Cases like this are often heard in camera, especially in instances involving sexual assault. Even we, the lawyers, are not allowed to disclose or discuss anything we hear in court because the trial must be conducted ‘in camera’ [meaning public and press are not allowed to observe processes]. The public and the press should remain calm and follow the case… I believe that justice will be done, and not only done but seen to be done,” Ngamando stated.

The proceedings in camera or concealment of identity provisions under the Criminal Procedure Act, Chapter 20, revised edition of 2022, are observed depending on the circumstances of the case. The law, under section 186, subsection 03, states that in all trials involving sexual offenses, the proceedings shall be conducted in camera, and the evidence and witnesses involved shall not be published by or in any newspaper or other media.

Tanzania to connect 3,060 hamlets in a new electrification drive

The government, through the Rural Energy Agency (REA), has signed a new project to extend electricity to 3,060 hamlets, covering 15 hamlets in each of the 204 constituencies across 25 regions of mainland Tanzania. This project, which costs over 300 billion Tanzanian Shillings, aims to be completed within 24 months as part of the government’s plan to ensure all areas in the country have access to electricity.

Speaking during the signing ceremony on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, REA’s Director-General, Hassan Saidy, stated that the signed project will involve the construction of 258 kilometers of medium voltage power lines and 6,118 kilometers of low voltage power lines.

“The implementation of this project will be divided into 25 lots across 25 regions of mainland Tanzania. Due to procurement reasons, 23 lots have been awarded to contractors, except for the regions of Singida and Tanga, where the tender will be announced on August 22, 2024.

“The execution of this project will expand the electricity network in hamlets, thereby enabling electricity access in areas with social activities such as schools, health centers, and business areas,” Saidy explained.

Saidy also mentioned that the project will involve the installation of 3,059 transformers and the connection of approximately 100,000 customers, a move that will increase the number of citizens connected to electricity services.

Additionally, while witnessing the signing of these contracts, Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko said that the signing of these agreements would enhance transparency, as there have been complaints from the public that contracts are often signed without their knowledge.

Out of the approximately 64,000 hamlets in the country, 31,532 still lack electricity, representing 49% of hamlets without access to electricity.

 Uchawa Vs. Professional networking: Understanding key differences

Chawa is a Swahili word for lice. Prefix “U” in the noun Chawa, makes it an adjective. Lice are small, wingless parasitic insects that live on the skin of mammals, including humans.  The parasitic nature of lice has made the word Uchawa being used with a symbolic meaning, which refers to the practice of gaining favour through flattery rather than merit. It focuses on praising those in power for personal gain. This slightly differs from the literal Chawa, which does not praise the host.

The word Chawa, for Sycophancy, started less than ten years ago and is now getting stronger. It started with celebrities, and it is now in politics. Uchawa had a negative connotation when it started. It is now taken positively, and people are fine being called Chawa. 

In the political arena, there was a group dedicated to praising President Samia Suluhu Hassan called Chawa wa Mama. Chawa wa Mama can be directly defined as Mother’s Lice, which is Mother’s Sycophants. The Swahili word for mother in Tanzania’s political arena means President Samia, which is a compliment for her. Chawa wa Mama was launched in January 2023.

Uchawa is now getting stronger and stronger. Some more people relate it to being connected to people or expanding networks. It is for this reason that I have taken the initiative to differentiate the concepts. 

Expanding your network is always recommended in a professional setting. But there is a difference between being connected to people who can help you grow and being a Chawa. Now, let’s break this down.

It is important to connect to people when expanding your professional network. But when connecting with people, you always tell them how good you are in your profession, your accomplishments, and achievements, and how ambitious you are about your goals. This is contrary to what Chawa is doing. They tell what the person they want to connect to has accomplished and how good they are in their professions.

Read the full analysis here

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