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Arusha. Four bird species native to Tanzania’s grasslands are in the running for the coveted title of Tanzania Bird of the Year 2026, with voting now open to citizens, the diaspora, tourists and global bird enthusiasts.

The contenders are the Common Ostrich, Red-necked Spurfowl, Kori Bustard and Southern Ground Hornbill. They are competing to succeed the Superb Starling, which currently holds the 2025 title until December.

The campaign, coordinated by Nature Tanzania, is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about bird conservation. Marketing Officer Gaudensia Mariki said students from Manyara Ranch Primary, Tumaini Senior Secondary and Edward Lowassa Secondary School have already voted.

“We also conducted a community campaign at the Makuyuni marketplace to familiarise residents with the voting process and to promote appreciation of birds and environmental protection,” Ms Mariki noted. According to Programme Officer Edwin Kamugisha, the voting exercise began on September 7 and will run for four weeks.

The 2026 winner will be officially announced in December after more than 10,000 votes are tallied both online and in person. Each species brings unique ecological value.

The Kori Bustard is celebrated as a heavyweight grassland ambassador, crucial in controlling insects and dispersing seeds. The Common Ostrich, symbolic of Tanzania’s savanna, contributes to ecological balance but faces threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting.

The Red-necked Spurfowl supports both grasslands and farmlands by dispersing seeds and regulating insect populations, though it is vulnerable to overhunting and habitat destruction. The Southern Ground Hornbill, known for its booming calls and slow breeding cycles, plays an important ecological role but is highly endangered.

Outgoing titleholder, the Superb Starling, with its dazzling plumage and social traits, remains a reminder that even familiar species face growing conservation challenges. Nature Tanzania Director Emmanuel Mgimwa said the Bird of the Year campaign, launched in 2023 with the Secretary Bird as the first winner, seeks to inspire citizens to protect “everyday nature” before it is too late.

“We want Tanzanians to understand that even common species are under threat. This year, we encourage everyone to take part and make their voices count, either face to face or online,” he said.

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Dar es Salaam. Presidential candidate Doyo Hassan Doyo of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has identified five major challenges in Geita Region that he says he will address if elected in the October 29 General Election.

Speaking during his campaign tour in Sengerema District at Zamani Bus Terminal and Buseresere Ward yesterday, Mr Doyo said poor roads and high transport costs remain the region’s biggest problems. He also highlighted shortages of medicines and medical equipment in health centres, limited access to clean water, and farmers’ struggles to sell their produce in profitable markets.

“If citizens grant me their mandate, I will ensure farmers can sell their produce in markets that offer fair prices,” Mr Doyo said. “Currently, many are forced to sell in exploitative markets that perpetuate poverty.

If you trust me and vote on October 29, I will ensure farmers receive fair and motivating prices for all their crops.” Mr Doyo criticised the ruling party, CCM, for fixing prices that he says prevent farmers from earning fair returns, describing such policies as a way to keep citizens in poverty.

He also raised broader infrastructure and social service challenges, noting that despite the country’s rich mineral resources, including gold, diamonds, and Tanzanite, many citizens still lack access to clean water, health services, and quality roads. On transport, Mr Doyo said operators face high running costs due to poor roads and excessive taxes, limiting business growth.

“These problems have persisted for decades. Citizens are again asked to trust promises that were never fulfilled.

Tanzanians, choose NLD for real development,” he said. Campaign Manager Pogora Ibrahim Pogora urged voters to support Mr Doyo, noting that he had studied the challenges before seeking office.

“It is time for citizens to elect Mr Doyo, a leader committed to addressing the issues he has already researched,” Pogora said. He added that the NLD manifesto focuses on three principles: patriotism, justice, and development–values Mr Doyo promises to uphold if elected.

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Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has officially announced that the general elections for the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) will take place on November 29, 2025, in Dar es Salaam.

The announcement was made by TFF Election Committee Vice-Chairman, Advocate Benjamini Kalume, who confirmed that the full election schedule has been finalized and urged all eligible candidates and stakeholders to prepare for the process. The nomination process will run from tomorrow to October 6, 2025. Positions up for election include chairman, vice-chairman, and representatives from various leagues: three from the Mainland Premier League, two from the Championship League, and one from the First League.

Nomination fees are set at Sh200, 000 for candidates vying for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman positions, while other board member candidates are required to pay Sh100, 000. Advocate Kalume clarified that candidates for the top leadership roles must currently hold positions as Chairman or Vice-Chairman in their respective clubs, ensuring that league leadership is composed of individuals with direct experience in team and competition management. The election timeline has been carefully scheduled to ensure transparency.

A preliminary screening of all candidates will take place from October 7 to 9, followed by a period from October 12 to 14 for appeals against approved or disqualified candidates. Candidate interviews are scheduled for October 18 and 19, while the official campaign period will run from October 23 to 28. Advocate Kalume stressed that the TFF Election Committee is committed to conducting elections that are free, fair, and transparent, involving all key football stakeholders.

He urged club leaders and stakeholders to maintain professionalism and avoid any actions that could compromise the integrity of the process. The upcoming elections come after the resignation of former TPLB Chairman, Steven Mguto, in June 2025. Since then, the board has been under the leadership of Acting Chairman Nassoro Idrissa, who will oversee the transition to the newly elected board.

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Kilimanjaro. President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday launched her election campaign in the Kilimanjaro Region with a strong emphasis on infrastructure, healthcare, water supply and education, pledging to build on her administration’s achievements of the past four years.

Speaking in Same District, President Hassan told residents and party supporters that the government had laid a foundation for nationwide reforms aimed at extending services to rural and underserved communities. She said electrification remained a top priority.

“Our manifesto promised to electrify every village but we have gone further. We have reached hamlets too.

Already, we have brought electricity to half of all hamlets in Tanzania. At our current pace, the whole country will have power within the next year and a half,” she said.

The President also spoke of her early memories of campaigning in Same in 2004, recalling a visit to a rural dispensary where women were giving birth in poor conditions. “Even though I was only a running mate at the time, I made a silent promise to work for change.

Today, I thank God that we have been able to deliver,” she said. She listed six new health centres constructed in Same, three more nearing completion and five dispensaries under construction.

These facilities, she said, form part of wider national healthcare reforms to equip hospitals and health centres with essential medicines, staff and supplies. On maternal health, President Hassan cited recent reports from Pangani District in Tanga Region where no maternal deaths had been recorded for several months.

She said such results reflected the government’s focus on protecting mothers and children. Water access also featured in her address.

She said urban coverage had grown from 64.5 percent in 2020 to 89.5 percent, while rural areas were steadily catching up. She confirmed that phase one of the SameMwangaKorogwe project had been completed, with phase two under preparation to cover the rest of Same and parts of Korogwe.

“Our pledge to the people of Same and to all Tanzanians is to ensure every citizen has access to clean and safe water close to where they live,” she said. On education, the President reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to free schooling, classroom construction, expansion of technical education and investment in infrastructure.

She also promised to continue increasing allocations to TARURA to improve feeder roads and rural connectivity, noting that several roads raised by Same leaders were already on the government’s list of priorities. The President addressed humanwildlife conflict in Kisima, Same Mjini, Stesheni, Joro, Vumari, Ruvu, Bangalana and Makanya wards.

She said a wildlife control centre had been established in Maore Ward and was being equipped with tools and rapid response systems to support farmers and communities affected. Parliamentary candidates joined the rally to share their records and priorities.

Same East CCM parliamentary candidate Anne Kilango-Malecela highlighted the expansion of healthcare, saying the number of health centres had grown from one when she first entered office to four today, with more under construction. She also cited the ongoing construction of the 100-kilometre MkomaziSame road, with 36 kilometres already complete, and pledged to continue lobbying for gravel and tarmac roads in highland areas where ginger farmers face challenges transporting produce.

In Same West, CCM parliamentary candidate David Mathayo outlined projects implemented under the current administration, including a Sh300 billion water initiative and Sh306 billion allocated to related projects. He also pointed to Sh8.7 billion set aside for schools and Sh10.6 billion for rural electrification, with only 110 villages remaining without power.

He promised further work to address humanwildlife conflict and to support compensation schemes for farmers. Both Ms Kilango-Malecela and Dr Mathayo stressed that road infrastructure remained the biggest concern in highland communities where seasonal rains render many routes impassable.

CCM regional leaders used the platform to reinforce the party’s unity. Regional Chairman Patrick Boisafi said the people of Kilimanjaro had benefited from the leadership of President Hassan and called for continued support in the October election.

Former Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye, who is overseeing CCM campaigns in the northern zone, said the party had made gains in areas where it had previously struggled. “The people of this region have recognised the changes brought about by CCM, and we are confident that they will turn out in large numbers to vote for us,” he said.

CCM Secretary-General Dr Asha-Rose Migiro urged voters to back President Hassan, stressing that continuity of leadership was key for sustainable progress. “CCM is committed to ensuring development in every corner of the country, including Kilimanjaro,” she said.

As the campaign season begins in earnest, the President called on citizens to remain united and to evaluate candidates based on their records and capacity to deliver. “With God’s help, and with your support, we will continue to transform this country village by village, ward by ward, and region by region,” she said.

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Musoma. Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Abdul Mluya has pledged that, if elected President of Tanzania, his first act will be to close the country’s borders to prevent those inside from leaving, saying the move aims to pursue corrupt individuals who have embezzled taxpayers’ money.

However, Mr Mluya did not specify how he intends to prosecute the corrupt, only clarifying that while borders would be sealed, those outside the country would still be allowed to enter. Speaking on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at a campaign rally here, Mluya said corruption has forced Tanzanians to endure hardship despite the nation’s vast natural resources.

“People of Mara, and Tanzanians generally, live as though your very birth is a curse. The resources God blessed us with have been turned into a curse by a few.

This will not be tolerated under a DP government. These resources are blessings and must benefit all of us,” he said.

Mr Mluya stated that the first group he will pursue once borders are closed includes those who allowed the importation of substandard fishing nets, which left many citizens, particularly fishermen, impoverished after the nets were seized and burned. “Nets are imported through ports and taxed, then sold to citizens, only for officials to seize and burn them.

The question is, how can the government collect revenue from these nets and then drive innocent citizens into poverty?” he asked. He stressed that in combating corruption, his government would consider no one’s status, saying even former Presidents, Prime Ministers, or senior leaders would be held accountable.

Mr Mluya also pledged that, if elected, his government would demolish Musoma Airport, arguing that its location in the middle of town endangers lives. The site would instead be used to build a university to give Mara residents access to higher education.

He promised a modern airport would be built outside the town to boost the regional economy and ease transport challenges. On pensions, Mr Mluya vowed to abolish the kikokotoo (pension formula) system.

Instead, he pledged to improve civil servants’ welfare before retirement. He explained that every civil servant would be entitled to a modern housing loan, deducted from their salary during service, enabling them to retire with dignity and without the hardships caused by the kikokotoo system.

“We will ensure civil servants work in comfort by improving their welfare. This will boost morale and, in turn, improve efficiency and service delivery,” he added.

Mr Mluya said social services would also be a priority, lamenting that access remains poor despite existing infrastructure. “For example, we are told hospitals have been built, but in reality, these are just buildings without proper services.

Elect me and I will improve delivery so ordinary citizens like myself can access quality healthcare,” he said. DP Mainland Vice-Chairman Chrisant Nyakitita urged all Tanzanians, regardless of party affiliation, to attend campaign rallies of every political party so they can compare policies and make informed decisions on Election Day.

He said campaign meetings are intended to publicise manifestos and policies, and citizens should seize the opportunity without regard to a party’s size. Mr Nyakitita further urged eligible voters to turn out on October 29, 2025, dismissing calls from some quarters urging people to boycott the election.

He emphasised that DP has long championed constitutional reforms, a struggle that cost the party its permanent registration for over nine years, during which its leaders were repeatedly arrested and jailed. “Others may be calling for constitutional reforms today, but we began this struggle long ago.

Our late founder, Reverend Christopher Mtikila, was arrested more than 40 times and served two years in prison. DP is the true pioneer of constitutional reform,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Nyakitita stressed that reforms cannot be achieved if citizens boycott elections, saying leaders capable of delivering them will only emerge through the ballot. “Tanzanians must be cautious of those urging them not to vote.

By doing so, you risk your lives for the next five years, as it allows a few people to elect poor leaders. To solve our challenges, we must vote for competent leaders who will act,” he added.

He reminded citizens that voting is their constitutional right and a means of choosing capable leaders based on manifestos and policies. “I have no doubt our manifesto and policies are superior to those of other parties.

Do not make mistakes, turn out in large numbers to vote for DP so we can deliver meaningful development for our country,” he said. Opening the rally, DP Mara Regional Chairman, Mr Bagaile Konjo, urged Tanzanians to vote for DP to bring progress to the nation.

“The country has problems, citizens have problems, and even our presidential candidate shares your struggles. As our party says, the time for liberation is now.

Do not make mistakes, elect councillors, MPs, and a president from our party,” he said. .

Dar es Salaam. The Mainland Premier League resumes with two high-profile fixtures today, October 1, 2025 as heavyweights Simba and Azam FC take to the field in pursuit of crucial points.

Azam FC will travel to face JKT Tanzania at the Major Isamuhyo ground in Dar es Salaam, with kickoff scheduled for 6pm. The game carries historic significance, as it will be the first league match ever played under floodlights at the venue.

Azam, fresh from advancing in the CAF Confederation Cup, are eager to translate their continental momentum into domestic success. Later in the evening, attention will shift to Dar es Salaam, where Simba host Namungo FC at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in an 8:15pm clash.

Simba, buoyed by their progression in the CAF Champions League after eliminating Gaborone United with a 2-1 aggregate, will be looking to impose their dominance at home. For both sides, three points tonight are vital for setting the tone early in the campaign.

Simba’s assistant coach, Seleman Matola, expressed confidence in his squad while stressing caution. “The players are in good spirits, and we are fully focused.

We expect a tough game because Namungo have quality players and can be very competitive. We need to stay sharp and disciplined,” said Matola.

Namungo, under the guidance of head coach Juma Mgunda, are determined to cause an upset. Mgunda, who once served as Simba’s caretaker coach, acknowledged the scale of the task but remained optimistic.

“Simba are a big club and deserve respect, but we have prepared well. The team is ready for the challenge, and our target is to come away with a positive result,” he noted.

Namungo’s hopes will largely rest on their attacking duo of Heritier Makambo and Fabrice Ngoy from DR Congo, both of whom carry the responsibility of breaking down Simba’s experienced defense. Their sharpness in front of goal could be decisive if Namungo are to claim points at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Meanwhile, Azam FC’s trip to JKT Tanzania is expected to test their resilience away from home. Fresh off a comfortable 3-0 aggregate win over El Merriekh Bentiu in continental competition, Azam will be seeking to extend their strong run.

JKT, however, will count on home support and the landmark atmosphere of the floodlit clash to inspire them. With both fixtures carrying weight for the title race and team confidence, today promises to be an electrifying day in the Mainland Premier League.

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Mark Twain, the great American writer and humorist, is reported to have said that “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Twain was responding to media reports of his demise.

He died in 1910 at the ripe age of 74 — by the life expectancy of the time. This year, the United Nations, the first truly global organisation, turned a neat 80. In the life a human being, even in developed countries, living to be 80 is considered a long life.

So is the life of a global organisation in a turbulent century. This is especially true for an organisation with ambitions and aspirations of grandeur.

The UN tried to reach for the heavens. But now we must wonder whether it has sunk to the pits of hell.

Let’s understand that the UN was born in 1945 right in the thick of Empire and the colonial project when White people subjugated all other races Black African, Asian, Arab, Latin Americans of native descend, and Pacific Islanders. To capture the sense of White European hegemony, the English often said the sun never set on the British Empire.

The rest of the planet chafed under the French, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the Dutch, and other assorted White peoples. I often wonder what it must feel in your veins to be a member of this “master race.

” Adolf Hitler, he of the German Third Reich, tried to take these feelings to a cataclysmic climax. He failed, but not for want of trying.

It was out of Hitler’s ashes that the UN was born. Ironically, the United Nations, born out of the wreckage of the League of Nations, reproduced some of the same racial and demonic hierarchies that were central to Hitler’s Aryan hegemony.

Let’s reprise a few of these norms and structures of the subjugation of Black, Brown, and Asian peoples by a global White American and European power structure. The first was the physical location of the centre of the United Nations activities in New York and Geneva.

This in itself was deeply symbolic of locational superiority of White over “the other.” To go to the United Nations, “the rest of the world” had to travel to America and Europe.

Never mind the vast majority of persons of colour lived, and still do, outside America and Europe, and were then held in colonial vassalage. By Charter and law, the UN’s most powerful body is the Security Council.

Only it can make decisions binding on the members. This tiny club has five permanent members, who wield the veto power.

No resolution can be passed even if the other 10 non-permanent members outvote the veto five. In effect, the veto five the United States, Britain, Russia, France, and China control what the UN can say and do.

A veto of one of the five kills a resolution. Nothing can pass if the US, or Russia, say nyet.

Ditto for Britain, China, and France. I am sure you have noticed that four of the veto five are European or majority White nations.

Race is the calling card at the UN. The UN General Assembly, or UNGA, is the world’s biggest talking shop.

In there, even little Belize or Djibouti can say anything. They can insult the mighty US with the filthiest of languages.

But it’s all “hot air.” That’s because breathing fire doesn’t produce one.

Even if all 193 states of the UN badly want something within UNGA, their wishes or votes are nugatory so long as one of the veto powers doesn’t want it. One often negates 193 in the UN system.

To make matters worse, the UN Charter which cast this inequity in stone, cannot be amended if one of the veto five says no. It doesn’t matter that matrix is blatantly racist, obsolete, and indefensible.

Since 1945, the power dynamics of the globe have changed. But the victories of World War II allies have kept the UN’s obsolescence in place.

Africa, the fastest growing continent by population and economy, doesn’t have a voice at the UN. Asia, the new centre of the global economy is out, except China.

That’s why Kenyan President William Ruto, in his prime time address to the UN this year, argued that equity demands that Africa gets at least two permanent veto-power seats in a long delayed reform of the institution. His speech was cheered over and over by a majority of members.

It is this structure of the UN that’s at the centre of its irrelevance and possible death. It is these archaic, racist, and calamitous structures and normative inequities that stand in direct contradiction to the purposes for which the United Nations was founded in the first place to outlaw war, protect human rights, and foster equitable development.

The UN watches helplessly as Israel commits genocide in Gaza and Sudan descends into hell. Will the UN die with Sudan and Gaza? It just might in its 80s.

Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at Buffalo Law School, The State University of New York.

@makaumutua .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s agricultural exports to China are expanding, with sesame seeds, dried chillies, cotton seed cake, dried cassava, avocado, honey and marine products all finding growing demand in the Chinese market.

Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo made these remarks on Monday, September 29 during celebrations marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. He thanked China for granting duty-free access for African goods, saying the move has opened new opportunities for Tanzanian farmers and traders.

“We are seeing real results, with our products finding pathways into the Chinese market. Beyond avocado and honey, sesame, cassava, cotton seed cake and chillies are now in demand,” he said.

Mr Kombo highlighted that sesame seeds are widely used in Chinese foods, including bread, sweets, and Beijing duck. He also noted that cotton seed cake is increasingly popular for mushroom cultivation.

“We need to learn from China how they use cotton seed cake for mushroom farming. It is an area we could develop locally,” he said.

He added that chillies are especially popular in Sichuan Province, while sunflower seed cake and marine products are also entering the Chinese market. Mr Kombo described the growing exports as proof that Tanzania-China relations are delivering tangible results.

“This year, our relations have focused on deepening cooperation, coordinating on bilateral and multilateral issues, and accelerating joint initiatives,” he said. Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said China has made remarkable progress in innovation, including artificial intelligence, supercomputers, deep-sea exploration and new energy technologies, contributing nearly 30 percent annually to global economic growth.

“China has always placed its development within the broader framework of human development and solidarity with the Global South,” she said. “We have lifted 850 million people out of poverty and advanced global cooperation.

” Ambassador Chen added that China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade hitting almost $300 billion in 2024. Under the zero-tariff arrangement, 53 African countries now enjoy duty-free access to the Chinese market, boosting exports from the continent. “China has expanded imports of Tanzanian products, including honey, avocado and aquatic goods.

We have also invested in health projects such as the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute and medical training programmes,” she said. She further added that agricultural cooperation has advanced as well, with the use of satellite and digital technologies to boost production.

“China stands ready to work with Tanzania to deepen cooperation across all sectors, strengthen our all-weather friendship, and advance modernisation together,” she said. .