Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
Samia reassures foreign investors of Tanzania’s readiness for investment
President Samia Suluhu Hassan wants Tanzania to have as many foreign investors as possible, touting the East African nation’s stable security situation as well as its commitment to achieving economic development as factors why prospective investors should prioritise Tanzania.
Speaking on Saturday while officiating the Tanzania day at the Expo Dubai 2020 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Head of State said that the country has “opened doors for everyone to visit and explore the available opportunities [for investment].”
February 26, 2022, was designated as the Day of Tanzania by the organisers of the Expo Dubai 2020. Tanzania gained an opportunity to promote its products and opportunities to participants of the event who come from almost 190 countries worldwide.
And it seems like President Samia’s pitch did not fall on deaf ears. The State House announced on Saturday, for instance, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Emirates “on political and diplomatic consultations.” It was never reported, however, what these consultations really constitute.
On Sunday, also, Tanzania signed another 36 MoUs with the Emirates as well as members of Emirati members of private sectors worth Sh17.8 trillion, which is expected to create a total of 204,575 jobs over the next four years, according to a statement by the director of presidential communications Zuhura Yunus.
The agreements cover such investment areas as energy, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, transportation textiles, ICTs, and construction.
Among those who accompanied President Samia to Dubai was Energy Minister January Makamba who, while speaking during a symposium organised by Tanzania on promoting the country as an energy hub, also pitched for investors to come and invest in Tanzania’s energy sector.
“Tanzania is strategically located to serve East and Central Africa, and we are determined to make this desire a reality,” Mr Makamba was quoted as saying. “One way of doing so is by attracting high calibre investors in the energy sector.”
Tanzanian nationals in Ukraine now to be evacuated
A spokesperson with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Emanuel Buhohela announced on Sunday that the government was now working on a plan to safely evacuate about 300 Tanzanians stuck in Ukraine.
Sunday’s announcement will be a relief to Tanzanian nationals in the Eastern European country as well as their loved ones in the country who were earlier told to plan evacuation plans on their own.
The announcement comes as the security situation in Ukraine is reported to be deteriorating day after day with the hope of a ceasefire appearing very thin. Thousands of Ukranians have been reported to seek asylum in neighbouring countries as the crisis is spilling over the country.
Determined to block what he called “NATO’s expansionism” in Eastern Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the attack against Ukraine, laying the foundation of the ongoing crisis that analysts think can only be resolved through diplomatic means.
Mr Putin orchestrated the attack under the pretext of “maintaining peace” in the Donbas area days after recognizing the independence of two separatist “republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk against the background of global condemnations coupled with sanctions from a number of Western countries.
In his statement about Tanzania’s evacuation plan, Mr Buhohela said in a statement: “This move will provide an opportunity for our citizens to return home safely.”
In his statement to the press, Buhohela assured that so far no Tanzanian among the 300 hundreds of them who are reportedly in Ukraine has been harmed by the ongoing crisis in the country.
Majaliwa receives report by committee investigating Mtwara, Tanga killings
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said Friday that the committee he had formed to investigate the killings in Mtwara and Tanga regions has finally submitted its report, noting that he will submit it to President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The committee, which began work on the matter on February 4, 2022, was due to complete its report within 14 days, or February 17, 2022. But it requested an additional seven days, citing the magnitude of the assignment to complete it efficiently.
On February 4, 2022, President Samia Suluhu Hassan directed Mr Majaliwa Majaliwa to form a team that will independently investigate an alleged murder of a police officer in Mtwara, saying that the police cannot investigate itself.
Businessman Mussa Hamisi, 25, in Mtwara was reportedly killed by seven police officers after the law enforcers had allegedly robbed him of Sh70 million. The officers have since been arrested and arraigned in connection to the murder.
The committee was also tasked to investigate an incident at Kibirashi and Elerai villages, Kilindi District, Tanga where five people were reportedly shot dead and slaughtered while three more were injured in a fracas between herdsmen and farmers that took place on Sunday, January 30, 2022.
“President Samia wants an objective report that will hold culprits into account,” the government-owned Daily News newspaper quoted the premier as saying.
Over 4,000 contractors blacklisted in Tanzania
The Contractors Registration Board (CRB) announced over the weekend that it had revoked the registration of 4,000 contractors for different reasons including abandoning sites.
CRB registrar Engineer Rhoben Nkori revealed this during the closing of a three-day training for local contractors on contract management.
He said the decision to revoke the registration of the contractors was made after the CRB tried its best to issue warnings to the contractors on bad practices during the execution of construction projects.
“When we are not satisfied with the performance or trend of the contractor,” said Nkori, “we take the responsibility to call them and give a warning so that he rectifies his behaviours. But if they do not change we revoke the registration.”
According to Nkori, any contractor whose registration gets revoked is not allowed to practice anywhere in the country.
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