Category: The Citizen

Every graduation ceremony follows a familiar script. We have the: proud parents are beaming, doing that thing where they’re determined not to cry, but every few seconds they have to blink suspiciously at the sky as if the weather, is responsible for their glistening eyes, the graduates straightening gowns excitedly as their name is called, relatives competing in the photography Olympics, taking 47 nearly identical pictures and somewhere between the applause and the celebrations, someone says, “Finally! Congratulations”

In honour of International Students’ Day on 17 November, a day that celebrates education, access to learning and the extraordinary potential of young people, I want to write this article for the caregivers and parents. After all, long before a student walks across a graduation stage, it is you who sacrificed, ensuring they could get there.

Caregivers and parents shape how success is defined long before children enter a lecture hall. This year’s celebration also gives us an opportunity to ask whether we’ve unintentionally mistaken graduation for preparation.

For decades, earning a degree was often enough to transform a young person’s future. Today, it is the beginning of a very different journey. Jobs are scarce at times and employers are no longer just asking what graduates know. Increasingly, they want to know what graduates can solve, build, communicate and adapt to.

Perhaps this means parents need to redefine what success looks like too.

Good grades still matter, but they cannot be the only measure of whether our children are ready for the world they are entering. If a student graduates with excellent marks but has never solved a real world professional problem, worked with different people, communicated an idea confidently or learned how to keep learning after university, have we really prepared them for life beyond the graduation stage?

The world of work is changing far faster than many of us realise. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 identifies analytical thinking, resilience, curiosity, technological literacy and lifelong learning among the fastest-growing skills employers now value. What’s striking is that these qualities are difficult to develop through memorisation alone. They grow through experience, uncertainty and the habit of tackling problems that don’t come with model answers.

Artificial intelligence has accelerated that shift. It hasn’t made knowledge less valuable. It’s made judgement more valuable. When information is available within seconds, the real advantage belongs to the people who can ask thoughtful questions, evaluate competing ideas and apply knowledge wisely.

We’ve all met the student who always knew the right answer in class but struggled to explain it outside the classroom. Communication has become just as important as competence because good ideas rarely change anything if they remain trapped inside someone’s notebook. Graduates who can articulate clearly and confidently will often create opportunities for themselves long before they receive a job title.

We’re already seeing what this looks like in practice. Rwanda’s Kepler-Southern New Hampshire University partnership redesigned higher education around employer needs by combining academic study with internships, project-based learning and career coaching. According to research presented at the African Development Bank’s African Economic Conference, their graduates were twice as likely to find employment immediately after university and went on to earn roughly twice as much as comparable graduates from more traditional programmes.

The lesson wasn’t that these students studied harder, it’s that they practised differently.

So instead of asking, “What grade did you get?” maybe we should also ask, “What problem did you solve this semester?” “What challenged your thinking?” “What did you build?” “Who did you help?” Those questions encourage young people to see education not simply as collecting marks but as developing the habits that will serve them for decades.

A degree may open the first door, but the journey beyond it is a hallway of unopened rooms, each one asking for something no examination could ever fully measure. Character turns the handle, judgement chooses the path and the humility to keep learning is what carries us from one threshold to the next.

I think I hate Natalie. OK. Hate is a strong word. I don’t like Natalie one bit, and don’t let me get started with Caleb, either. This book left me angry. I finished it on Friday. It is Sunday, and I am still fuming.

Natalie, the protagonist in Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, is raised in a conservative Christian home. She drops out of Harvard after marrying Caleb and becoming pregnant with their first child at 20.

From the get-go, she feels better than other people because she doesn’t behave like the other ‘modern girls’ who don’t know what they are doing. When she bumps into her university roommate, Reena, she makes sure Reena knows she has won by being married.

But Natalie realises that her husband is neither as smart as she had hoped nor as ambitious. ‘I’d mistaken a man’s wealth for his intellect,’ she thinks after the birth of their first child, Clementine.

She has to find something that will interest her husband enough to get him working. Her father-in-law, Doug, gives her money to start a farm on one condition: to have more babies with his son. This is where the messiness starts, in my opinion.

Living on a 500-acre farm, Natalie wants to live like the women in the pioneer days. Grow her own food. Cook everything from scratch. And share her daily life on the internet as a ‘tradwife’ (traditional wife). If you are chronically online, you might have some influencers in mind who do exactly what Natalie does.

The author makes us question what we assume to be the reality of these tradwife influencers’ lives. I started questioning some of the influencers I follow online. Of course I know part of it is curation. I do that too, curate my content, but now I wonder if any of it is true at all. To live such a life, you need money and a lot of workers. Natalie intentionally leaves that aspect out of the picture.

Things are not looking good at the Yesteryear ranch. Something happens that makes it impossible for Natalie to continue living her pretend life. One day, she wakes up in 1855, where she has to live the actual life she has been pretending to live for years. Will she like it now that her wish to turn her farm into a time machine has come true?

The book points to how women, especially Christian women, are expected to behave in a marriage. Raise your children, serve your husband and do it with a wide smile on your face. You are never meant to say how hard it is. You need to endure as a woman, a Christian woman.

‘It is lonely, you know. Housework. But it felt a bit less lonely when I pretended I had a little audience sitting on the couch with me,’ Natalie’s mother tells her when she asks how she managed the housework with a smile.

From then on, Natalie goes through life believing there is always someone watching.

In both timelines, Natalie tries to show that she is a good Christian wife to Caleb. Perhaps for many women, these expectations haven’t really changed, and that is worrying. Natalie has internalised what it means to be a good Christian woman. In her eyes, any woman who lives differently is angry and jealous of her marriage and children.

Natalie is aware of how mean and angry she is. Yet she has mastered the art of performing to the point where she can’t tell which Natalie is operating: the online or the offline Natalie. She herself is the angry, jealous woman she imagines those other women to be. She still compares her university roommate’s life to her own while believing she chose a better life.

She is angry that her eldest daughter doesn’t want to be part of her online life, yet continues to include her. Building an online image of a perfect family comes at the expense of her children’s safety and privacy. How can children freely consent to being photographed and posted online when they are dependent on you? Have our laws caught up with the changing world?

In this satire, Burke raises many themes, but some get little room to develop. I wanted more exploration of the contradictions between what Natalie’s mother teaches her daughters about marriage and her own choices. The same goes for how the manosphere affects Caleb’s beliefs and marriage. Even when Caleb cheats and abuses his wife, he faces few consequences. It is a man’s world.

I think my dislike of both characters was the author’s intention, and she succeeded. This anger made me look at them with a critical eye. But throughout the book I was rooting for the children because they never chose that life to begin with.

Dodoma. The Mzangwa family of Chinangali II Village in Chamwino District here has recounted the horrifying moment their father was killed by his own son in front of family members, in a tragedy that has left the community in shock.

“Our father said, ‘Saimoni, if you say you are unwell, what is this hengo [a traditional machete-like tool] for at night? Put the hengo down and tell me properly what is troubling you, my son, even if it means asking us to take care of your children,” recounts the deceased son, Mr Ndolei Mzangwa

His 57-year-old son, Mr Saimoni Ndalu, killed the 81-year-old Ndalu Mzangwa in the early hours of Saturday, October 31, 2026, by striking him at the back of the neck with a traditional cutting tool locally known as a hengo.

After the attack, Saimoni fled as his children pursued him but escaped in the darkness.

He later went to the outskirts of the village, near a hill, where he hanged himself from a tree using a piece of cloth.

Recounting the incident, Ndolei said the deceased was attacked while seated with six family members.

“When the decision to carry the traditional cutting tool was questioned, his wife referred him to the who has lost his mind,’ said Mr Ndolei.

‘However, Mr Saimoni said he had not lost his mind, rather he carried the tool only because it was nighttime, adding that since they had a livestock enclosure, the weapon was need for self defence. Little did we know he had already identified his target,” he added.

Events leading up to the tragedy

Mr Ndolei said that before the incident, his late elder brother had been complaining of severe stomach pains.

Around the same time, his son, Samweli, was also unwell, prompting their elderly father to sell a cow and give Saimoni Sh1 million to seek medical treatment for himself and his child.

“My brother went to hospital with his son for medical tests, carrying enough money. When he returned, our father asked how much he had spent. He replied that he had used about Sh400,000 on tests and medication for both of them. Father advised him to keep the remaining money so that he could return to hospital whenever their condition persisted,” recounts Ndolei.

On the night of the incident, Mr Ndolei was sleeping in the same room as his father, who was experiencing abdominal discomfort.

They planned to pursue further medical tests the following morning.

However, at around 2 am, Emmy, Saimon’s wife who asked them to go and speak to her husband, awakened them.

She said her husband had been asking the family to look after his children because he believed he was nearing the end of his life.

According to Ndolei, before they could reach him, Mr Saimoni arrived and repeated his concerns, saying he was unwell, his body ached, and his life was ending.

He pleaded with them to take care of his children.

During the discussion, Mr Saimoni’s wife suggested that he appeared to have lost his mind, but their eldest son, Samweli, defended his father, insisting that he was mentally sound.

“While we were discussing this, I heard a heavy thud. When I turned around, I saw father had already collapsed, and my brother was running away. His children tried to pursue him, but because it was dark, they became afraid and instead rushed to help the old man, who unfortunately died at the scene,” added Mr Ndolei.

Mother recounts son’s history

Mr Ndalu’s wife and Saimoni’s biological mother, Ms Agnes Mboto, said she was still struggling to understand what had driven her son, whom she described as his father’s favourite, to commit the killing.

She said Mr Saimoni had been particularly close to his father since childhood and was trusted to manage family money whenever livestock was sold.

This was among the reasons he had built his house next to his parents’ home.

“The one who hanged himself was my son. He loved his father deeply. He never drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes. I had never seen him involved in anything unusual until the day he hanged himself. He left behind seven children and two grandchildren, and we depended on and trusted him greatly,” said Ms Mboto.

However, she recalled that Mr Saimoni had experienced a brief episode of unusual behaviour during childhood, although the family did not consider it serious because it lasted only two days.

“I remember that when he was about 10 years old, he came to me crying, saying that many sheep were following him and that he did not want them. Whenever I looked, I could see nothing. He complained of a severe headache, so we gave him ordinary medication, and he recovered. That was when [Julius] Nyerere was fighting Idi Amin [the Kagera War of 1978-1979],” she said.

Ms Mboto, who witnessed her husband being struck, said the family had been questioning Mr Saimoni about his remarks concerning his children and why he was making such statements in the middle of the night.

She said both her husband and Mr Saimoni’s wife had been asking him questions when the attack occurred.

“He stood up as if he was stretching, and without any warning, I heard a heavy thud. Since we were sitting down, my husband fell onto my back. Suddenly, we saw Saimoni running away. I am not sure whether they pursued him at that moment, but in the morning, I heard that he too had been found hanged,” she said.

District Commissioner calls for dialogue

Chamwino District Commissioner Janeth Mayanja said the incident had left the community deeply shocked, particularly because of the family’s account of Mr Saimoni’s previously peaceful conduct.

She said the motive had not yet been established.

“It is true that this incident occurred, and tomorrow they will be buried in that village. The precise reason has not yet been established, but we indeed have this tragedy on our hands. It is deeply painful that children would choose to take the law into their own hands by killing their fathers. These are extraordinary and troubling circumstances, especially considering that he was a grown man,” said Ms Mayanja.

She condemned the killing of a parent, saying family disagreements should be addressed through forgiveness and reconciliation rather than violence.

As the District Defence and Security Committee chairperson, she urged families to strengthen communication with their children and encouraged religious leaders to continue promoting love, peace and reconciliation within communities.

Mr Saimon’s cousin, Mr Daud Mboto, shared similar sentiments, saying he had never witnessed his relative engage in wrongdoing throughout their years together until he received the shocking news that he had killed his father.

He said Mr Saimoni had always been responsible for taking care of his father’s livestock.

Mbeya. Motorists and other road users along the Tanzania-Zambia (Tanzam) Highway are beginning to experience relief from prolonged traffic congestion following the opening of 106 upgraded access points under the ongoing road expansion project.

The development coincides with the commencement of tarmac laying along a 1.3-kilometre stretch from Uyole towards Kabwe, forming part of the 29-kilometre Nsalaga-Songwe dual-carriageway project being implemented by the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads).

Road users say the changes have significantly reduced travel time, enabling them to reach their destinations more quickly.

They expect the completed project to improve transport infrastructure and stimulate economic activities.

Speaking to The Citizen’s sister newspaper Mwananchi, several drivers said opening the access routes had eased long-standing congestion, particularly along steep sections of the highway.

Commuter bus driver, Mr Bajani Issa, said the government’s directive requiring Tanroads to open alternative access routes in heavily congested areas had brought considerable relief to motorists.

He said opening the routes in high-traffic sections, including the steep Simike slope, had also created opportunities for economic activities by reducing travel time.

‘Before the intervention, traffic jams could leave vehicles stranded for hours, increasing the risk of accidents involving heavy lorries experiencing brake failures,’ he said.

He expressed optimism that the ongoing construction would further address challenges facing road users.

Similarly, a minibus driver operating between Soko Matola, Kabwe and Uyole, Mr Emily Emily, said opening the alternative routes and commencing tarmac laying marked a positive development for Mbeya’s transport infrastructure.

He commended Tanroads management for supervising the contractor around the clock, saying the 106 access points had significantly reduced traffic queues.

Traders are also beginning to benefit from the improved traffic flow, saying time previously wasted in congestion can now be devoted to their businesses.

A household goods trader, Ms Salome Aloyce, said travelling between Soko Matola and Igawilo to purchase supplies used to take her between three and four hours by public transport because of traffic congestion.

However, she said the situation had improved over the past three days following the opening of the alternative routes, enabling her to complete the journey much faster and concentrate on other business activities.

‘Completion of the project will bring further benefits to traders, transport operators and other members of the public who depend on the highway for their livelihoods,’ he said.

Other residents have urged the government to ensure timely disbursement of funds to enable Tanroads to sustain construction activities until the project is completed.

They noted that Mbeya is an important commercial and transport hub linking different parts of Tanzania with countries in Southern Africa.

Explaining the progress, Tanroads Mbeya Regional Manager, Mr Seleman Bishanga, said construction had accelerated following directives issued by Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi during his inspection tour of the region.

He said the Vice President had expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation and directed the immediate opening of alternative access points in congested areas to improve traffic flow while construction of the main highway continued.

Mr Bishanga confirmed that 106 access points had been opened and made available to road users.

He added that the Vice President had also directed the contractor to accelerate construction.

‘Although some sections had yet to receive tarmac, the first phase of asphalt laying had now covered 1.3 kilometres,’ said Mr Bishanga.

Following the directives, the Tanroads Chief Executive Officer and the Ministry of Works instructed the contractor to increase construction activities and operate around the clock.

Mr Bishanga said three kilometres of road remained to be completed within Mbeya Town, with construction progressing through various stages to ensure timely delivery.

He explained that laying tarmac would help control dust, improve travelling conditions and ease traffic congestion during construction.

He further said the Vice President was closely monitoring implementation and receiving daily progress updates.

Mr Bishanga assured him that construction teams were working day and night to complete the remaining three-kilometre section within Mbeya Town as scheduled.

He added that Tanroads had established mechanisms to monitor all 106 opened access points and promptly address emerging challenges to ensure the safety of road users as work on the main highway continued.

According to Mr Bishanga, the 29-kilometre project, stretching from Nsalaga to Ifisi in Songwe, worth over Sh138 billion, is expected to improve transport, reduce congestion and boost economic productivity across the region.

The contract was signed on February 14, 2023, with a 24-month implementation period awarded to China Henan International Cooperation Group Co Ltd (CHICO), under Tanroads’ supervision.

Unguja. More than 100 medical professionals from Zanzibar and India are expected to provide free healthcare services to residents during a five-day medical camp in Kinduni, North Unguja, as the Afya Bora Maisha Bora (Good Health, Better Life) campaign enters its second phase.

The campaign, led by the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation (ZMBF), has reached more than 30,000 people across all five regions of Zanzibar since its launch in 2023.

The sixth medical camp will run from November 3 to 7, 2026, and is being organised by ZMBF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

Speaking at a press conference at the North Regional Commissioner’s Office on Monday, November 2, 2026, ZMBF Chief Executive Officer Rehema Tukai said the Kinduni camp marked the beginning of the initiative’s second phase, which aims to establish at least two medical camps annually through to 2029.

She said that following the success of previous camps, the foundation was targeting 50,000 beneficiaries during the new phase.

Ms Tukai said residents would access specialised services in ophthalmology, dentistry, dermatology, cardiology, orthopaedics, maternal and child healthcare, ear, nose and throat (ENT), and urology.

‘The camp will also provide screening for non-communicable diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, as well as cervical and breast cancer screening for women,’ she said.

‘Other services will include routine immunisation, antenatal care, youth-friendly reproductive health services, mental health support, life-skills education and counselling,’ she added.

Furthermore, she said the initiative will further provide diagnostic services and psychological support for survivors of gender-based violence, nutritional education, including the use of seaweed as a sustainable food source, and blood donation services to support local hospitals.

Chairperson of the organising committee and ZMBF board member, Mr Makame Machano Haji, said the camp would bring together more than 100 healthcare professionals certified by the Ministry of Health, including specialists from India.

He said services would be available daily from 8 am to 4 pm, free of charge.

Mr Haji added that the foundation would use the Ministry of Health’s electronic medical records system, Zan-EMR, to collect and store patients’ information while safeguarding their privacy and confidentiality.

‘Patients diagnosed with conditions requiring specialised treatment would receive fully funded referrals arranged by ZMBF to major hospitals within the country or abroad, depending on their medical needs,’ he said.

North Unguja Regional Commissioner Galos Nyimbo urged residents of North B District, the wider North Unguja Region and neighbouring regions, including South and Urban West, to turn out for the camp.

He encouraged residents to take advantage of the opportunity for early screening, noting that diagnostic services, medicines and prescription glasses would be provided free of charge.

‘The camp was open to all Zanzibar residents, regardless of where they lived,’ he insisted.

Yas Manager-the campaign’s main sponsor, Mr Mohamed Wakid Mohamed, said the company’s participation was driven by its commitment to promoting positive social change and giving back to the community.

Zanzibar’s Minister for Health, Mr Ahmed Nassor Mazrui, will officially open the camp on November 3.

It will conclude on November 7 with a five-kilometre walk starting at 6 am at Kitope Grounds, led by First Lady Mama Mariam Mwinyi and Second Vice-President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla.

Geneva. Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to strengthen cooperation within multilateral institutions in Geneva, including the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Dr Hoyce Temu, and her UAE counterpart, Ms Shahad Matar.

The meeting, held at the UAE Mission in Geneva, focused on cooperation and mutual support within international organisations and mechanisms, including humanitarian and development bodies.

Ambassador Temu briefed Ms Matar on Tanzania’s preparations for its upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and national efforts to promote and protect human rights.

The UPR is a Human Rights Council mechanism through which the human rights record of each UN member state is reviewed every four and a half years.

Ms Matar reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to constructive engagement and expressed her country’s support for Tanzania during the review.

The two diplomats also discussed cooperation on water and sustainable development, including preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, which the UAE will co-host in Abu Dhabi in early December.

Ambassador Temu commended the UAE for hosting the conference and confirmed Tanzania’s participation in a high-level meeting.

She said water and sanitation remained priorities for Tanzania as it accelerated implementation of its national development plans.

The 2026 conference will follow the 2023 UN Water Conference and aims to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation, as well as other water-related goals.

Both sides agreed to maintain close communication ahead of the UPR session and the Water Conference, with a view to securing successful outcomes for their countries and the wider multilateral system.

The meeting reaffirmed Tanzania and the UAE’s commitment to multilateralism, international solidarity and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Dar es Salaam. Growing demand for construction materials, driven by investment in housing, commercial properties and hospitality facilities, is attracting foreign businesses to Tanzania, with Kenya-based company entering the Tanzanian market to tap into the expanding opportunities.

The company, which deals in tiles, sanitaryware, taps, kitchen fittings and other home-finishing products, already opened a showroom in Dar es Salaam, where it plans to sell products sourced locally and internationally.

Its entry comes amid increased construction activity in residential, commercial and hospitality properties, creating opportunities for suppliers and domestic manufacturers seeking access to a growing market. Speaking yesterday during the opening of the Tile and Carpet Living in Style showroom, Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) Architectural Section manager Mr Godfrey Mwakabole said rising demand for accommodation, including hotels, guest houses and short-term rentals such as Airbnb, was creating investment opportunities in the construction industry.

He said the relocation of government operations to Dodoma and preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) had also contributed to investment interest in accommodation facilities and related infrastructure.

Mr Mwakabole said more people were investing in property development, converting residential houses into Airbnb accommodation and building hotels to capitalise on opportunities arising from tourism and international conferences.

He said the growing demand for construction materials was exceeding local production capacity, creating room for additional suppliers while offering local manufacturers opportunities to expand their market reach.

‘Currently, demand for construction materials exceeds local production capacity. Therefore, the entry of the Kenyan company will help complement the efforts of existing suppliers and manufacturers in meeting market demand,’ he said.

‘We are pleased to see many companies gaining confidence in the country and investing in this sector, given the growing demand for housing, residential properties and commercial buildings,’ he said.

Tile and Carpet Living in Style director Mr Chirag Sanghrajka said the company intended to work with Tanzanian manufacturers by giving them an opportunity to sell their products through its showroom.

The arrangement could give local producers access to customers through an established retail outlet, while expanding the range of products available to buyers.

Mr Sanghrajka said the company already worked with manufacturers in other markets, including businesses producing goods under its brand, and was interested in exploring similar partnerships in Tanzania.

He said the company first wanted to understand the local market and customer requirements before considering further investment in production.

‘We need to learn the ropes; we need to crawl before we can start walking,’ he said, adding that establishing manufacturing operations in Tanzania could be considered as the business develops.

‘Once we learn the Tanzanian market and its requirements, we will definitely look into manufacturing,’ he said.

The company has operated for more than 100 years and has a presence in Kenya, Rwanda, Dubai and Zanzibar.

For his part, Tile and Carpet Living in Style director Mr Chirag Sanghrajka said the company intended to work with Tanzanian manufacturers by giving them an opportunity to sell their products through its showroom.

The arrangement could give local producers access to customers through an established retail outlet, while expanding the range of products available to buyers.

Mr Sanghrajka said the company already worked with manufacturers in other markets, including businesses producing goods under its brand, and was interested in exploring similar partnerships in Tanzania.

He said the company first wanted to understand the local market and customer requirements before considering further investment in production.

‘We need to learn the ropes; we need to crawl before we can start walking,’ he said, adding that establishing manufacturing operations in Tanzania could be considered as the business develops.

‘Once we learn the Tanzanian market and its requirements, we will definitely look into manufacturing,’ he said.

The company has operated for more than 100 years and has a presence in Kenya, Rwanda, Dubai and Zanzibar.

However, Mr Sanghrajka raised concerns about the quality of building materials in African markets, arguing that consumers could be exposed to substandard products when purchasing goods based mainly on price.

Imagine entering a newsroom in 2030. There may be fewer desks covered with papers. Some reporters may work from different cities or countries. Artificial intelligence could be assisting with research, transcription, translation and data analysis. Audiences may consume news through video, audio, personalised digital feeds or platforms that have not yet become mainstream.

The newsroom of the future may look very different. But one thing should remain unchanged: the responsibility to tell the truth.

Predicting the future of journalism is difficult because technology changes faster than institutions. Yet several trends are already clear. Audiences are becoming more digital, news is increasingly consumed through mobile devices, video continues to grow, artificial intelligence is entering editorial workflows and social platforms remain powerful distributors of information.

The question is not whether journalism will change. It is whether journalism can change without losing its purpose.

The traditional newsroom was built around newspapers, radio bulletins and television schedules. The digital newsroom operates continuously, with audiences expecting immediate updates.

This creates opportunity but also pressure. Speed can encourage premature publication. The newsroom must redefine what speed means. Being first matters, but being right matters more.

Artificial intelligence will probably become one of the biggest changes. AI can help journalists search large documents, analyse datasets, identify patterns, translate material and automate repetitive tasks. It could allow small newsrooms to perform work that previously required large teams.

But the technology will not eliminate the need for journalists. Instead, it may change what journalism values.

If machines can produce routine reports, journalists will need to concentrate more heavily on investigation, analysis, verification, interviewing and original reporting. The journalist may become less of a content producer and more of an investigator, interpreter and trusted guide.

That could actually strengthen journalism. There will also be greater competition for attention. A traditional article will compete with podcasts, videos, livestreams, newsletters and creators. Media organisations using only one format may struggle to remain relevant.

The answer is not to turn every journalist into an entertainer, but to understand audience behaviour while protecting journalistic standards.

The newsroom will also become more data-driven. Editors will have access to detailed information about what audiences read, watch and share. This can help media organisations understand their communities. But data should inform editorial decisions, not control them.

If journalists publish only what generates clicks, important stories that attract little immediate attention may disappear. Some of the most valuable journalism concerns issues that are complex, slow-moving or uncomfortable.

Another major change will be the relationship between journalists and audiences. Audiences will increasingly expect interaction rather than one-way communication. They may ask questions, provide documents, challenge reporting and contribute information. This can make journalism more responsive, provided newsrooms maintain verification standards.

The future newsroom will need stronger media literacy. Journalists must understand technology, algorithms and digital behaviour. Audiences must understand journalism and distinguish professional reporting from unverified content.

African media organisations have a particular opportunity. The continent is experiencing rapid growth in mobile connectivity, digital platforms and young audiences. Media organisations can build innovative journalism around local needs rather than simply copying models developed elsewhere.

But technology alone will not save journalism. A newsroom can have the most advanced artificial intelligence system and still produce poor journalism. It can have millions of followers and still lack credibility. It can publish hundreds of stories every day and still fail to explain the issues that matter most.

The essential values remain accuracy, independence, fairness and accountability. By 2030, the journalist may work alongside machines, publish across several platforms and reach audiences in ways that are difficult to imagine today. Yet the fundamental question will remain remarkably old-fashioned: Is this true?

That question cannot be automated away. The future newsroom should not be feared as a place where technology replaces journalism. It should be built as a place where technology gives journalists more time to do the work machines cannot do well: ask difficult questions, understand human experiences, challenge power and provide context.

The newsroom of 2030 may look different. The tools will differ.

But if journalism is to survive, its purpose must remain the same: helping society understand reality in an age increasingly crowded with information.

Arusha. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has sent condolences to the families of three Mringa Secondary School students who died after being struck by a vehicle while returning home from school, Arumeru District Commissioner, Ms Neema Lugangira, has said.

Ms Lugangira said President Hassan has asked her to convey her condolences to the families of Jessica Ngotiek, Catherine Mosha and Bianca Mgongo, who died in the accident on Friday, October 30, 2026.

The district commissioner was speaking on Monday, November 2, 2026, during a special farewell service held before the students were buried in their respective homes in Kilimanjaro and Mara regions.

Ms Lugangira said she was shocked to find cargo being transferred from the vehicle involved in the accident into another lorry when she arrived at the scene.

She ordered the goods detained at Ngaramtoni Police Station until the driver was arrested, insisting that vehicle owners should also be held accountable for accidents involving their vehicles.

‘The police should also investigate drivers’ employment contracts, licences and professional competence to prevent situations in which drivers cause fatal accidents and flee, leaving vehicle owners claiming they do not know them,’ directed Ms Lugangira.

The commissioner also highlighted the difficult circumstances facing Catherine’s family, whose father is bedridden.

She said the student had previously declined a sponsorship opportunity that would have enabled her to study in a more conducive environment because she wanted to remain at home and help her mother care for her father.

Ms Lugangira directed the Council Executive Director to ensure the father was transferred to Mount Meru Hospital and that his wish to see his daughter’s coffin was fulfilled.

Arusha Regional Education Officer, Mr Vincent Kayombo, said the deaths were a major blow to teachers, who regarded their students as children entrusted to their academic and parental care.

He urged teachers to intensify road safety education while calling on authorities to strengthen driver training, vigilance and enforcement of traffic laws.

School reports indicate that the three students were standing by the roadside waiting for transport when the accident occurred.

Arusha District Council Chairman, Mr Baraka Ole Mesiaki, described the deaths as a devastating loss to the families, community and nation, given the students’ potential.

The school’s headteacher, Mr Salimu Makaka, said the institution had lost three disciplined, hardworking and caring Form Three students with promising futures.

Police Gender Desk head Tausi Mbaramwezi urged motorists to observe traffic regulations and vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles were roadworthy, warning that legal action would be taken against offenders.

Dar es Salaam. Growing demand for construction materials, driven by investment in housing, commercial properties and hospitality facilities, is attracting foreign businesses to Tanzania, with Kenya-based company entering the Tanzanian market to tap into the expanding opportunities.

The company, which deals in tiles, sanitaryware, taps, kitchen fittings and other home-finishing products, already opened a showroom in Dar es Salaam, where it plans to sell products sourced locally and internationally.

Its entry comes amid increased construction activity in residential, commercial and hospitality properties, creating opportunities for suppliers and domestic manufacturers seeking access to a growing market. Speaking yesterday during the opening of the Tile and Carpet Living in Style showroom, Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) Architectural Section manager Mr Godfrey Mwakabole said rising demand for accommodation, including hotels, guest houses and short-term rentals such as Airbnb, was creating investment opportunities in the construction industry.

He said the relocation of government operations to Dodoma and preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) had also contributed to investment interest in accommodation facilities and related infrastructure.

Mr Mwakabole said more people were investing in property development, converting residential houses into Airbnb accommodation and building hotels to capitalise on opportunities arising from tourism and international conferences.

He said the growing demand for construction materials was exceeding local production capacity, creating room for additional suppliers while offering local manufacturers opportunities to expand their market reach.

‘Currently, demand for construction materials exceeds local production capacity. Therefore, the entry of the Kenyan company will help complement the efforts of existing suppliers and manufacturers in meeting market demand,’ he said.

‘We are pleased to see many companies gaining confidence in the country and investing in this sector, given the growing demand for housing, residential properties and commercial buildings,’ he said.

Tile and Carpet Living in Style director Mr Chirag Sanghrajka said the company intended to work with Tanzanian manufacturers by giving them an opportunity to sell their products through its showroom.

The arrangement could give local producers access to customers through an established retail outlet, while expanding the range of products available to buyers.

Mr Sanghrajka said the company already worked with manufacturers in other markets, including businesses producing goods under its brand, and was interested in exploring similar partnerships in Tanzania.

He said the company first wanted to understand the local market and customer requirements before considering further investment in production.

‘We need to learn the ropes; we need to crawl before we can start walking,’ he said, adding that establishing manufacturing operations in Tanzania could be considered as the business develops.

‘Once we learn the Tanzanian market and its requirements, we will definitely look into manufacturing,’ he said.

The company has operated for more than 100 years and has a presence in Kenya, Rwanda, Dubai and Zanzibar.