The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) issued a statement on Saturday, March 1, 2025, refuting claims that weapons were being shipped from Kigoma Port to Kalemie in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“The information circulating on social media and discussion groups in audio form is not credible; it is misleading, and the source of this information has shared it with malicious intent to mislead the public in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the statement reads.
“The correct information is that there is no shipment of weapons passing through Kigoma Port to Kalemie in the DRC. The trucks seen at Kigoma Port are cargo trucks transporting a shipment of clinker, which is delivered to the port by ships from Great Lake Cement (GLC) and then transported to a factory in Rwanda,” the statement continued.
The TPA clarified that this type of cargo transportation had taken place before, including at the end of 2024, making it a routine operation for the company.
The statement also dismissed claims that the vessel MV Amani had been seized by Tanzanian authorities. On social media, some users linked MV Amani to former DRC President Joseph Kabila, alleging that the ship was impounded on suspicion of transporting supplies, arms, and fuel to M23 through Kalemie. Several users have shared this claim across various platforms (see here, here, and here).
“Additionally, there has been misinformation regarding the arrival of the MV Amani ship at Kigoma Port. The MV Amani docked at Kigoma Port carrying 14 vehicles belonging to the World Food Programme (WFP), which are being transported to Dodoma for other operations of the organization,” the statement continued.
In a video message, senior TPA official Abdulrahaman Kaponta showed footage of the 14 WFP vehicles at the port, including 10 trucks and four smaller vehicles. The Port Authority reiterated that no weapons consignment had been transported to the DRC through Kigoma Port recently.
“Tanzania’s ports, including Kigoma Port, handle a large volume of cargo going to and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, there are currently no shipments of weapons entering or leaving Congo through Kigoma Port. Furthermore, the Tanzania Ports Authority would like to assure the public that Kigoma Port is secure, and security and inspections of port users have been strengthened,” the authority emphasized.
The TPA further stressed that it does not provide services for any shipment entering or leaving the country without verifying and ensuring the legitimacy of the cargo in accordance with the law.
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