Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
Sengondo Mvungi remembered for his ‘untiring’ efforts to demand New Constitution
Amidst national demands for the New Constitution, concerned citizens gathered virtually on November 10, 2023, to remember the life and times of Dr Sengondo Mvungi, a politician and intellectual who died on November 12, 2013, and his unwavering support for constitutionalism in Tanzania.
Gathering under the auspices of the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), which organised a virtual meeting via X Space, long-time human rights activists, intellectuals, politicians and ordinary citizens reflected on the life of the avowed constitutionalists and what lessons it can teach the current generation of social justice activists.
Friday’s gathering of people who knew and worked with Dr Mvungi, who died nine days after robbers attacked him when they invaded his home in Kibamba, Dar es Salaam, occurred against the background of a renewed momentum for the New Constitution, influenced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s promise to deliver the document to Tanzanians.
Full story here.
Ethiopia’s Oromo rebels in Tanzania for second round of peace talks
A second round of peace talks between the warring Ethiopian government and the Oromo Liberation Army is underway in Tanzania as efforts to end decades of fighting between the two intensify.
Rebels from Ethiopia’s Oromiya region said on Monday they were in Tanzania for peace talks, adding in a statement, “We remain committed to finding a peaceful political settlement.”
The first round of peace talks between the two parties kicked off on April 25, 2023, following an announcement by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who said that both his government and the people of Ethiopia “greatly want this negotiation.”
In its statement on Monday, OLA said it had delayed announcing the negotiations to make sure its team could get safely from what it called the frontlines in Oromiya to the venue.
Full story here.
Immigration officers in Kigoma in spotlight over death of 20-year-old man
Police in Kigoma are investigating an incident involving the death of a 20-year-old man identified as Enock Elias Sebakwiye, who reportedly died at the hands of the region’s immigration officers, causing a public uproar.
In his statement on Tuesday, police spokesperson David Misime said reports of the incident started to emerge on October 29, 2023, when villagers from Chilambo village in Kigoma’s Kakonko district reported a dead body they found.
Misime said an investigation carried out by the police and other criminal justice actors was underway to get to the bottom of the matter, including what exactly led to the loss of Sebakwiye’s life.
“On top of the forensic evidence that police has already collected so far, we welcome anyone else with additional evidence to present it to us to help with the investigation,” Mr Misime said in a statement.
Full story here.
New report warns of deteriorating food security at Nyarugusu, Nduta refugee camps
A new report released Tuesday urges important stakeholders to “strongly” advocate with donors on the need for resources to support food and nutrition security of the refugees and asylum seekers at Nyarugusu na Nduta refugee camps as food security in the camps continue to worsen.
The report, named ‘Community and Household Surveillance North-Western Tanzania – Programme Outcome Monitoring in Nyarugusu and Nduta Refugee Camps,’ said increased support for food at the camps is critical until practical and durable solutions, which include voluntary repatriation and resettlement, are implementable.
As of July 31, 2023, Tanzania hosted 213,426 refugees, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The refugees reside in Nyarugusu camp (Kasulu District) and Nduta camp (Kibondo District) in North-Western Tanzania.
Renewed civil unrest in the eastern DRC caused by fighting between non-state armed groups and government forces saw a new wave of asylum seekers fleeing their homes, mainly from North Kivu, in search of safety from the beginning of the year.
Full story here.
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