Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Thursday, July 13, 2023.
Police on ‘death threats’ reports by critics of Tanzania-DP World deal: ‘They cause unnecessary panic’
Police spokesperson David Misime Thursday played down death threats claims reported by critics of the intergovernmental agreement between Tanzania and Dubai, noting that they have caused “unnecessary panic and questions” among Tanzanians.
In a statement, police said they have noticed several people coming out recently to report that they have received death threats for various reasons, urging anyone who feels that their lives are threatened to report to police.
“Report to the police station if you receive death threats so that law enforcers can investigate the claims and apprehend the suspect,” Misime said. “That’s the legal procedure [when reporting death threats].”
On Wednesday, the former Tanzanian ambassador to Sweden, Willibrod Slaa, became the latest critic of the controversial deal to report receiving death threats, a situation he associated with his criticism of the deal that would see DP World, an Emirati multinational logistics company, to take control of the operations of the Dar es Salaam’s port.
Full story here.
Remembering Justice Robert Kisanga: A giant of Tanzania’s legal profession
On this day, a quarter of a century ago, I appeared before the late Justice Robert Habesh Kisanga of the Court of Appeal of Tanzania. It was my first time to appear before a Court of Appeal Justice.
The late Kisanga had never seen me before; hence immediately after seeing me, he wanted to know whether I had ever appeared before a Court of Appeal Justice.
I will never forget that Monday morning. The late Kisanga, whose son, the now Architect Amini Mtoure, was my classmate at the prestigious Oysterbay Primary School back in the day, greatly assisted me. I later learnt that it was Justice Kisanga’s hobby to assist anyone in the legal fraternity.
“The first day I reported for work, together with retired judges Joseph Warioba and Barnabas Samata, we found Judge Kisanga at the office,” retired Justice Damian Lubuva said on January 24, 2018, after Justice Kisanga bid farewell to the world. “As the senior lawyer, he welcomed us and assisted us.”
Retired Honorable CJ Barnabas Samatta added: “The late Kisanga was always quick in assisting someone eager to get comprehensive details on certain issues related to the legal profession.”
Similarly, retired Judge Joseph Warioba stated: “The late Kisanga taught me how to practice the profession in 1966. He was an expert in the field, always ready and willing to mentor others.”
Full analysis here.
‘Without legislative backing, Samia’s reform efforts unlikely to stand test of time’
A leading observer of Tanzania’s affairs has noted with concern what he describes as a mismatch between President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s goodwill on reforms and actual legislative changes her administration has delivered, urging her to fast-track the reform project.
Deus Valentine, Chief Executive Officer of a Zanzibar-based think tank Center for Strategic Litigation (CSL), made the analysis during an interview with The Chanzo in Dar es Salaam on July 12, 2023.
It followed the release of the 5th R: Tanzania Civic Space Monitor 2022 – Achieving Meaningful Democratic Renewal in Tanzania. The report, a product of CSL, examines major civic space issues for 2022, excluding 2021, when Samia took the helm of the country’s leadership.
“Our analysis shows that President Samia has asserted her authority over the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), abandoned some of the worst anti-democratic practices of her predecessor, and established her credentials to lead the country for the remainder of her term,” Mr Valentine said during the interview.
But he noted that while these efforts are underway, the Tanzanian public is still in the dark about where the current reform efforts are headed.
Full story here.
Stanbic Bank Awarded Best Investment Bank in Tanzania
Capital market transactions might be few and far between in Tanzania, but when they do happen, Stanbic Bank Tanzania is often on the deal.
This is according to an analysis by Euromoney, the preeminent global financial markets magazine, at its annual Awards for Excellence dinner in London, held on July 12, 2023.
One of the standout transactions in the awards period was the sale of Millicom International Cellular’s Tanzanian operations to the pan-African Axian Group in April 2022 for $100 million in which Stanbic Bank acted as co-adviser on the sell side.
According to Euromoney, the bank also acted as arranger and sole lender to Mufindi Paper Mills for a $20 million medium-term loan.
Owned by the East African family enterprise Rai Group, Mufindi has a 60 per cent market share in Tanzanian paper manufacturing. The loan will go towards a project to use sugarcane bagasse as a more sustainable raw material for paper making.
Euromoney said that Stanbic Bank also funded a $20 million term facility for Shanta Mining Co, which owns two gold mines in Tanzania.
Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence were established in 1992 and were the first in the global banking industry.
This year Euromoney received a record number of submissions from banks in our regional and country awards programme, which covers more than 50 regional awards and best bank awards in 100 countries.
Stanbic is a full-service commercial bank specialising in providing facilities and services to public and private sector corporations, diplomatic missions and international organisations.
A member of the Standard Bank Group of South Africa, the bank was established in May 1995 when the Standard Bank Group acquired the operations of Meridien Biao Bank Tanzania Limited.
This is it for today, and we hope you enjoyed our briefing. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter (see below) or following us on Twitter (here), as that is the best way to ensure you do not miss any of these briefings. And in case you have any questions or comments, please drop a word to our editors at editor@thechanzo.com.
