Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.
Tanzania drops case against 24 Maasai leaders
The Arusha Resident Magistrate Court on Tuesday freed a total of 24 Maasai leaders from Loliondo who were facing charges of murder after the Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) withdrew the case, saying the state is no longer interested in pursuing it.
The leaders were first brought to court on June 16, 2022, after they were accused of murdering a police officer, Garlus Mwita Garlus, who was reportedly attacked with a spear during an altercation between security organs and indigenous Maasai of Loliondo division in Ngorongoro district that took place on June 10, 2022.
The altercation followed authorities’ plan to turn 1,500 square kilometres of 4,000 square kilometres of designated village land comprising the Loliondo Game Controlled Area into a game reserve.
The change would imply evictions from Ololosokwan, Oloirien, Kirtalo, and Arash villages, which could displace up to 70,000 indigenous Maasai, although Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said then that the exercise aimed at “evicting nobody.”
During the altercation that received wide-ranging reactions from both within and outside Tanzania, over 120 indigenous Maasai people were reportedly injured, according to a list of injured people published on social media then.
Full story here.
Nape in Oman for official visit
Oman’s Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy on Tuesday received Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology Nape Nnauye who is currently visiting the Middle Eastern country.
According to reports by the Omani press, the two sides reviewed areas of bilateral cooperation and means of enhancing them in all fields.
They also exchanged views on matters of mutual interest. The meeting was attended by officials from both sides.
Helium One Global signs agreement for drilling rig in Tanzania
Helium One Global Ltd. shares rose Tuesday after the company said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Exalo Drilling SA for the supply of a drilling rig for the Rukwa helium project in Tanzania.
According to a report by MarketWatch, shares at 0901 GMT were up 0.75 pence, or 13 per cent, at 6.65 pence.
The website quoted the helium-exploration company as saying that the change in contractor follows legal complications it believes would have affected the timing and availability of the previously announced Predator rig.
The target date for the first drilling remains the first quarter of 2023.
Helium said Exalo is a reputable drilling company, and it will be using an active rig and crew directly coming from a drilling campaign in the region with no need for length rig assessment processes.
The use of Exalo for the Phase 2 drilling program isn’t expected to materially increase costs relative to the prior choice of contractor.
“Exploration at Rukwa has demonstrated all the geological qualities of an outstanding primary helium prospect…with the Exalo Rig and Baker Hughes package secured, we look forward to a successful drilling campaign in 2023,” MarketWatch quoted the company’s Nonexecutive Chairman Ian Stalker as saying.
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