Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.
Tanzania clears arrears in Shelter Afrique boosting stake to 1.72pc
Tanzania has paid outstanding capital contribution amounting to Sh938.8 million to the pan-African housing development financier Shelter Afrique, bringing the total contribution to Sh6.907 billion, raising its stake in the company to 1.72 per cent from just 1.54 per cent.
Shelter Afrique is a partnership of 44 African governments; the African Development Bank (AfDB); and the Africa Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re) that offers a host of products to support the delivery of affordable housing and commercial real estate in the respective countries. Being one of the 44 African countries that are members of the company, Tanzania is considered a shareholder of the Nairobi, Kenya-based housing financier.
“We are grateful to the Government of Tanzania for becoming a fully paid shareholder with no capital arrears,” the Kenyan public broadcaster KBC quoted Shelter Afrique Group Managing Director Andrew Chimphondah as saying. “We would also like to recognise the Minister of Finance Mwigulu Nchemba for making this happen despite the prevailing economic circumstances with countries shifting their budgets to fight COVID-19.”
According to the KBC, within the last six months of this year, Shelter Afrique has received more than $20million in additional capital contributions from Kenya, Cameroon, Tanzania, Mali, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Swaziland, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The latest contribution by Tanzania makes the country the first East African country to fully pay its capital subscription in Shelter Afrique, joining Morocco, Mali, Lesotho, Namibia, Togo and Zimbabwe.
Among other East Africa member countries, Kenya’s capital arrears stands at $17.6 million, Uganda $4.98 million and Rwanda $1.03 million.
“We wish to show our indebtedness to the seven shareholders who have fully paid their capital subscriptions and to those who continue to increase their stakes in the company,” Chimphondah was quoted by the KBC as saying. “It is a huge vote of confidence in our strategy as an organization.”
According to the KBC, Tanzania has committed 50 acres of land for alternative building materials as it seeks to plug a housing deficit estimated at three million units. Shelter Afrique has so far approved financing of more than $52.2 million to Tanzania.
Catholic Bishops launch USAID-funded project to fight against COVID-19
The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) on Wednesday launched a new project to strengthen the capacity of health facilities, health workers, religious leaders and people with disabilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania, a statement by the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam said yesterday.
Named Pambana na UVIKO-19, the $550,000 (about Sh1.2 billion) project seeks to support Tanzania’s national response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic, which involve facilitating procurement of medical equipment such as oxygen cylinders, patient monitors, and oxygen concentrators in 12 hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Kagera, Bukoba, Kigoma, Mbeya, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Singida, Mtwara and Iringa.
During the launch event that took place in Dar es Salaam and graced by Prime Minister Kasim Majaliwa, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Donald Wright reaffirmed the U.S government’s commitment to mitigate COVID-19 through a coordinated approach.
“While mitigating the effects of COVID-19 is critical, the best way to address the pandemic is to get the virus controlled before it infects people,” Mr Wright said, urging those present to get vaccinated, calling it “the best hope” of defeating COVID-19 both in Tanzania and globally. “The widespread administration of vaccines globally is the most effective way of ending the pandemic.”
The Pambana na UVIKO-19 project is expected to enhance the skills of health workers to improve COVID-19 patient management and support administration of COVID-19 vaccines across the 12 regions in line with the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
“We commend USAID for extending their support to raise awareness on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in saving people’s lives,” the Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam said. “The project will ensure many people are educated and get vaccinated.”
Tanzania Issue Special Mining License to Tembo Nickel Corporation
Tanzania has granted a special mining license to Tembo Nickel Corporation, a joint venture company between the Tanzania Government and Kabanga Nickel.
The special mining license will pave a way for Tembo to start mining operations at the Kabanga mineral deposit in Ngara Northwest of Tanzania.
The license was granted yesterday, October 27,2021, by the Ministry of Mining during the launching of the TEITI annual report. Kabanga deposit is one of the largest Nickel deposit in the world containing 1.52 million tonnes of Nickel, 0.19 million tonnes of Copper and 0.12 million tonnes of Cobalt.
With the expected USD 122 million investment in the deposit, Tanzania is expecting to reap directly over 17 trillion in the estimated 30 years lifetime of the project. Nickel and cobalt are important elements in electric cars’ batteries.
Missed Wednesday’s updates on Mbowe’s case? Allow us to keep you updated
On October 26, 2021, a terrorism case against CHADEMA national chairperson Mr Freeman Mbowe and his three other co-accused namely Halfan Bwire Hassan, Adam Hassan Kasekwa, and Mohamed Abdilahi Lingwenya resumed following the appointment of a new Judge, Joachim Charles Tiganga.
The case was halted for a while following the withdrawal of the second judge Principal Judge Mustapha Siyani who cited new commitments.
On Tuesday, prosecution witness Kinondoni regional police commander (ACP) Ramadhani Kingai was in the witness box and was being questioned by the team of defence lawyers.
The key line of questioning was around statements received from the accused as well as the arrest. The case resumed on Wednesday and The Chanzo was at the court to bring you everything that took place there. You can read the full text of the proceedings that we compiled here.
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