Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on February 19, 2025.
Battleground social media: How M23 Is using social media to muster legitimacy as DR Congo struggles to push its narratives
The Rwandan-backed M23 has continued its rapid advances taking over two major cities with millions of residents. First, it was Goma in January, and now Bukavu. This is aside from the vast territory the group has controlled since early 2024, including mineral-rich areas like Rubaya. Reports indicate that the group is now looking to take Uvira.
Most of M23’s advances are widely shared and strategically amplified by the group and its supporters on social media, making this one of the armed conflicts in East Africa with heavy strategic use of social media. A close analysis of the communication shared online reveals various objectives behind this approach. Read the full analysis here
UK Minister for Africa Lord Collins in Dar: Discussed DRC Crisis, visited Dar port
UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, is in Dar es Salaam for an official visit. On February 19, 2025, he met with Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Cosato Chumi.
According to the ministry, the discussions covered a wide range of topics, including trade, health, and minerals, with a particular focus on the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Regarding the DRC issue, Lord Collins sought updates on the progress of the EAC-SADC meeting. The ministry informed him that the process is still in the implementation stage and that official information will be released by the relevant authorities.
The discussion took place a day after the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office summoned the Rwandan High Commissioner following advances made by the Rwandan Defence Force and M23 in eastern DRC.
The Rwandan High Commission in the UK has shared its response to the summon where it emphasized, “Rwanda Defence Forces has always maintained defensive measures in response to genuine security threats along our border.”
The commission further urged the UK to “align with and support the AU-backed EAC/SADC peace process and avoid emboldening the DRC’s position to seek a military-only solution.”
During his visit, Lord Collins also toured the Dar es Salaam port and met with port leadership. The UK has contributed approximately £10 million to port improvement programs.
40 Days of Dr. Slaa in detention: Prosecution fails to present him in court
Lawyers representing Dr. Willibroad Slaa, an opposition politician and activist, have condemned the prosecution’s handling of his case, accusing it of failing to comply with multiple court orders, including the directive to present him in court.
“What happened is that the court had previously issued an order for a ‘removal order’ to be prepared so that Dr. Slaa could be present in court and be informed about the proceedings of his case. However, that court order was not implemented,” Advocate Melikiori Sanga explained.
He added: “Our greatest concern is that the court is also failing to enforce its orders. Because if the court issues an order, what we understand is that such orders must be executed. Today is neither the second nor the third time that the accused has not been brought to court, even when the court has ordered that he must be present.”
Slaa, 76, was arrested on January 10, 2025, and is facing charges of disseminating false information in violation of Section 16 of the 2015 Cyber Crimes Act. He has remained in remand since his arrest, despite his case being bailable.
The charges stem from an online conversation in which Dr. Slaa claimed he had received intelligence information that government funds were being funneled to support CHADEMA’s then-chairperson, Freeman Mbowe, in his bid to retain his seat during an internal election.
The court has scheduled March 4, 2025, as the next hearing date and has reiterated that the accused must be physically present in court.
UK’s manufacturing Africa project to boost Tanzania’s mineral value addition
The United Kingdom’s Manufacturing Africa initiative is set to support Tanzania’s efforts in mineral value addition by establishing industries for processing, refining, and manufacturing mineral-based products, according to Tanzania’s Minister of Minerals, Anthony Mavunde.
Mavunde made these remarks during a meeting with the UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, who is on a two-day visit to Tanzania to strengthen cooperation between the two nations. The meeting was also attended by the British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Marianne Young, and Tanzania’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mbelwa Kairuki.
The minister emphasized Tanzania’s commitment to ensuring that all minerals produced in the country undergo value addition through processing and manufacturing. This, he said, would maximize economic benefits for Tanzania.
To support this goal, the Tanzanian government has designated a special zone in the mineral-rich Kahama district of the Shinyanga region for the construction of mineral processing plants, aiming to attract more investors.Lord Collins expressed his admiration for Tanzania’s initiative, noting that the UK has a long-standing economic partnership with Tanzania, particularly in the mining sector.
“I am impressed by Tanzania’s strategy to increase value within the country, a strategy that the United Kingdom fully supports. We are ready to assist in its implementation through the ‘Manufacturing Africa’ project, which has allocated £2.1 billion to help six African countries, including Tanzania, manufacture intermediate and final mineral products,” said Lord Collins.
This collaboration is expected to boost Tanzania’s mining sector and create new opportunities for economic growth.
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