Good morning!The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania December 02, 2024.
Chinese investors takeover of small-scale mining in Tanzania raises concerns over employment, revenue loss, and environment
The Mwakitolyo Number 5 mine, home to over 10,000 miners, stands in turmoil. Its main office remains closed after being destroyed during escalating tensions between small-scale miners, their leaders, and Chinese investors. The conflict highlights growing unease over Chinese miners’ takeover of small-scale mining operations, particularly in Mwakitolyo, a town of 38,000 in the gold-rich Shinyanga region.
“Tension over the sale of mining operations to Chinese investors is high here, and this mainly affects small-scale miners who have no other alternatives,” said Leonard Waziri, a small-scale miner and manager of the Mwakitolyo 5 mine.
Waziri recounted how local miners were forced into smaller operations after nearby mines were sold to Chinese investors.
“Since most of the mines in this area were taken over by Chinese miners, small miners from those areas migrated to this mine. So, when we had a meeting with Chinese investors, they thought we were entering an agreement, but it was not true, they just panicked and decided to beat the investors, and also destroyed this office,” Waziri explained.
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Tanzania eyes WHO Africa Director’s role as Ndugulile body is laid to rest
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has assured Tanzanians that the government will front a qualified candidate to represent the nation when the process for finding the new African director for the World Health Organization (WHO) resumes.
Speaking on Monday, December 2, 2024, during a farewell to the late Dr. Faustine Ndugulile, the President praised Dr. Ndugulile’s remarkable contributions and expressed her determination to uphold Tanzania’s representation on the global stage.
“Human plans often differ from divine will. Dr. Ndugulile positioned Tanzania well, but God had His plans,” President Samia said. “We will return to the competition for that position, we will seek Tanzanians with the required qualifications that can allow for international competition and we will compete with the same vigor as we did, for our nation’s integrity.”
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Mbeya Court dismisses Mdude’s plea, bail process for the activist hit a snag in Dar
The High Court of Tanzania, Mbeya Zone, has rejected an application by lawyers representing activist Mdude Nyagali, who remains in police custody after his arrest on November 22, 2024. The lawyers, Boniface Mwabukusi and Philip Mwakilima argued that Mdude’s detention was unlawful and alleged that he had been assaulted while in custody.
However, Justice Musa Pomo dismissed the application citing that the claims of assault and unlawful detention were not sufficiently substantiated.
The lawyers had petitioned the court on November 28, 2024, to order the police to present Mdude in court if there were any charges against him. They insisted that holding him without trial was a violation of his constitutional rights and the Criminal Procedure Act. However, Justice Pomo stated that no concrete evidence, such as medical records or the presence of Mdude himself, was provided to support the allegations of mistreatment.
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Opposition youth leader Abdul Nondo released by his abductors after 18 hours
Abdul Omary Nondo, the Youth Wing Leader of the opposition party ACT Wazalendo, was released by his abductors around 11 p.m. on December 1, 2024, approximately 18 hours after his abduction at the Magufuli Bus Station in Dar es Salaam.
According to the police report, Nondo was abandoned by his abductors at Coco Beach, where he managed to seek help and was transported to the party headquarters in Magomeni. In an initial statement issued that night, ACT Wazalendo confirmed that Nondo had sustained injuries and was taken to Aga Khan Hospital for treatment.
“I believe that once he recovers, he will be able to recount the incident, which will serve as a lesson for the future on how we can address such occurrences,” said Zitto Kabwe, former party leader and a member of the ACT Wazalendo Central Committee, while speaking to reporters at the hospital.
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