Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.
Ugandan MPs, staff who participated in EAC Games in Arusha test positive for COVID-19
The Parliament of Uganda announced on Tuesday that 50 Ugandan lawmakers and staff who participated in the just-concluded East African Inter-Parliamentary Games in Arusha tested positive for COVID-19, the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) reported.
The East African Inter-Parliamentary Games kicked off on December 6, 2021, and concluded on December 17, 2021, with the 11the EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games taking place in Arusha, Tanzania.
On December 11, 2021, the Ugandan parliament staff team opened the ground with two wins over Kenya and Zanzibar, with a concession to Tanzania.
According to the UBC, 50 of those lawmakers and staff are now being managed by the Ugandan Ministry of Health and Parliament health team after contracting COVID-19.
While the government denies the presence of the fourth wave of COVID-19 in the country, authorities admit that there has recently been a “resurgence of new cases,” urging citizens to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves against the deadly disease.
New Selander Bridge will be opened on Dec 27, says contractor
South Korean builder GS E&C said on Tuesday that it has completed its construction of the Dar es Salaam-located New Selander Bridge, the largest development project funded by the South Korean government in Africa, according to The Korea Herald newspaper.
The 670-meters long New Selander Bridge is also the first bridge project GS E&C has worked on in Tanzania, the paper said, and it will officially open for use on December 27, 2021.
It is a new type of bridge that has combined the characteristics of a girder bridge and a cable-stayed bridge to make it lighter. The technique enhances construction and economic feasibility, according to the builder.
This project was part of South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund project, which provided $107 million for the construction.
“GS E&C’s credibility has increased in Tanzania due to the successful completion of the largest project of Korea’s EDCF in Africa,” an official of GS E&C told The Korea Herald. “It will greatly help expand the market further in Africa.”
Luthern pastor brutally murdered in Iringa
Police in the southern highland region of Iringa are investigating the mysterious death of a pastor with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Iringa Diocese who was reportedly brutally murdered in the region’s district of Kilolo.
The thirty-six-year-old Elizabeth Ng’unga reportedly had her eyes gouged out, a manila rope wrapped around her neck while one of her hands was cut by a sharp object, her husband Aron Mkumbo explained to the Mwananchi newspaper.
Ng’unga was allegedly murdered in the mountainous village of Uhambingeto, Ilula neighbourhood where she had gone for family activities.
According to reports, the deceased’s body was initially buried because it was badly injured and her relatives were hard to find. But it had to be exhumed later and reburied at the Ilambilole village, in presence of the deceased loved ones.
Police are yet to locate those who might be responsible for the murder with the Iringa Regional Police Commander Alan Bukumbi telling Mwananchi newspaper that they were still investigating the case.
UN-Habitat organizes workshops on strengthening urban-rural linkages in Zanzibar
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme and the Zanzibar Commission of Land held a series of workshops recently as part of the UN Development Account (UNDA) funded project Leaving No Place Behind – Strengthening Urban-Rural Linkages in selected countries in Africa, a statement released on Monday stated.
Attended by a total of 115 participants from government, NGOs, Civil Societies, and academia, the workshops sought to validate the project’s outcomes on challenges, opportunities and recommendations for strengthening urban-rural linkages in relevant policy frameworks.
During the workshops – which took place in all five regions of Zanzibar – stakeholders shared their reviews and comments on the project outcomes, including making recommendations for Zanzibar urban policy that is currently under development.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Urban and Rural Planning from the Zanzibar Commission of Land Mr Muchi Ameir emphasized the relevance of participatory engagements in development initiatives, encouraging the participants to give their honest feedback to the project outcomes.
Ms Grace Githiri, UN-Habitat’s project coordinator, gave a brief overview of the Urban-rural linkages global program and thanked the stakeholders for their commitment and particularly the Zanzibar Commission of Land for its unfailing support in the project.
Leading travel agency dnata to recruit over 400 staff in Zanzibar
Dubai National Air Travel Agency (dnata), an Emirati airport services provider, plans to recruit more than 400 staff over the next month in Zanzibar, the company has said in a statement.
Operating across more than 30 countries, dnata plans to invest about $7 million in the local aviation industry and oversee the operations of Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport’s newly-built international terminal (T3) in strong cooperation with the Zanzibar Airports Authority.
According to the statement, dnata will recruit “customer-oriented talents for a wide range of both office and operational roles, each offering their own unique progression opportunities and career paths.”
Positions range from entry-level to supervisors and management, requiring varying levels of experience and education, the statement added.
Successful candidates will support dnata in providing quality and safe ground handling, cargo and airport hospitality, including meet and greet and lounge, services to airline customers and their customers at T3.
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