Category: The Citizen

Sugar prices have risen sharply across Tanzania, driven by shortages among major distributors and a temporary slowdown in industrial production, sparking concern among consumers who say the increases are deepening the cost-of-living crisis and disrupting everyday household spending.

Across the country, the retail price of sugar has climbed from between Sh2,800 and Sh3,000 per kilogram to as high as Sh5,000 in some regions.

Yanga’s march towards another Mainland Tanzania Premier League title has been built as much on defensive resilience as attacking brilliance, and no player embodies that better than goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.

With one match still remaining, the Mali international has already wrapped up the league’s Golden Glove award after recording an unmatched 17 clean sheets this season, underlining his status as the division’s most dependable goalkeeper.

Diarra reached the milestone in Yanga’s 3-0 victory over TRA United, extending a remarkable run that no other goalkeeper can match. His closest challenger, Simba’s Mahamadou Tanja Kassali, can finish with a maximum of 16 clean sheets even if he shuts out his opponents in the final round, leaving Diarra beyond reach. The achievement is particularly satisfying for the Yanga shot-stopper, who endured heartbreak last season despite also recording 17 clean sheets. On that occasion, Simba goalkeeper Moussa Camara claimed the Golden Glove with 19 shutouts in his debut campaign after joining from Guinea’s Horoya AC.

This season, however, Diarra has turned consistency into silverware. His clean-sheet record has been the cornerstone of Yanga’s campaign, with the goalkeeper producing crucial saves in tight contests while marshalling one of the league’s most disciplined defensive units.

Whether dealing with aerial balls, one-on-one situations or long-range efforts, Diarra has repeatedly delivered when his team needed him most.

The award also reflects the defensive chemistry between Diarra and Yanga’s backline, which has frustrated opponents throughout the season and laid the foundation for the club’s push towards a fifth consecutive league title.

Yanga’s final league match against JKT Tanzania presents Diarra with the opportunity to raise his clean-sheet tally to 18, setting a new personal best and surpassing the mark he established in the 2024/25 campaign.

If he manages another shutout, Diarra will not only finish as the league’s undisputed best goalkeeper but also cap one of the finest defensive seasons by any player in recent years, adding another chapter to his growing legacy at the Jangwani Street club.

NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air by 5:00am local time on Sunday after an overnight security crackdown at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises in Namuwongo and Kampala Serena Hotel, following a shutdown order by first son and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba against the media group’s outlets.

NTV Uganda and Spark TV viewers were met with blank screens displaying the message ‘video unavailable’, while uncertainty surrounded the operations of NMG’s other platforms, including the Daily Monitor, which Gen Muhoozi had also targeted in his late-night declarations.

The security operation began shortly after midnight, with personnel deployed at the NMG premises and staff reporting “that no one was being allowed to enter or leave the compound.” The deployment followed a series of posts on X by Gen Muhoozi in which he declared that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be shut down amid a long-term ban from covering his father, President Museveni.

“NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” Gen Muhoozi wrote in a 1:07am post.

Gen Muhoozi, who is well-known to Ugandans for his incendiary social media posts, followed with another post stating: “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.”

In another post earlier, he said: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”

The remarks marked an escalation of threats made over the past week, during which Gen Muhoozi repeatedly claimed he was awaiting permission from his father, President Museveni, before moving against the media house that employs hundreds of people.

In Uganda, NMG owns the 20-year-old NTV Uganda, the Daily Monitor, The East African, Spark TV, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper and the Nation Courier, among other media platforms and investments.

Spark TV and NTV Uganda remained on air even as an unprecedented attack on Uganda’s leading independent media house continued through the early hours of Sunday during a prolonged security operation.

At 4:45am local time, nearly four hours after the siege began, the broadcaster was still carrying an Al Jazeera simulcast despite the security presence around the media group’s premises.

Shortly afterwards, NTV Uganda and Spark TV went off air.

90.4 Dembe FM and 93.3 KFM also appeared to have gone off air during the operation with no reason immediately given by Ugandan authorities.

By daybreak, security personnel remained deployed at the NMG premises in Namuwongo and Serena Hotel, with staff inside reporting they were unable to move in or out as the operation continued.

Neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda Communications Commission had immediately issued a formal statement explaining the operation or announcing any legal order affecting the broadcaster or newspaper.

It’s not yet clear how long the State-enforced blackout will last and NMG Uganda, which employs more than 500 people in the country alone, had also not issued an official statement by the time of publication.

Not the first time

The latest operation is not the first time NMG Uganda operations have been targeted by State agents. In May 2013, police raided the Daily Monitor and Dembe FM over the publication of a letter allegedly linking senior government officials to a succession plan dubbed the “Muhoozi Project.”

The premises remained sealed for more than a week before the outlets were allowed to resume operations after signing police search certificates and other documents.

In February 2007, barely two months after NTV Uganda launched in December 2006, the broadcaster was forced off air by the government following accusations that its news coverage was negative.

Over the years, Museveni has also repeatedly criticised the Daily Monitor, at one point referring to it as an “enemy and evil newspaper” over its critical journalism.

Despite repeated confrontations with the authorities, NMG-Uganda has consistently maintained its commitment to independent, public-interest journalism, describing itself as “Uganda’s Bold Voice” ahead of the disputed January 2026 presidential polls.

Past raids drew widespread condemnation from local and international media freedom organisations and rights groups.

About NMG

The Nation Media Group (‘NMG’ or the ‘Group’) is the largest independent media house in East and Central Africa with operations in print, broadcast and digital media which attract and serve unparalleled audiences across East Africa.

Today, NMG has operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, and is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, the Uganda Securities Exchange, and Rwanda Stock exchange.

Tanzania will have a solitary swimmer, Collins Saliboko, representing the country at the 2026 Commonwealth Games scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Saliboko will compete under the guidance of coach Kanisi Mabena, according to reports received by The Citizen. Tanzania will also field amateur boxers, judoka and runners.

The 24-year-old swimmer is currently based in South Africa, where he is also in camp preparing for the global event while continuing with his studies as a second-year student at Nelson Mandela University. His training environment in South Africa has provided him with consistent exposure to high-performance swimming programs and competitive training partners, helping him refine his technique and endurance ahead of major international assignments.

Saliboko is no stranger to top-level competition, having steadily built his profile on the international stage over the past few years.

He represented Tanzania at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, competing in the men’s 100m freestyle event. In Paris, he gained valuable experience at the highest level of the sport, clocking 53.38 seconds in the heats.

He finished seventh in his heat and did not advance to the next round, but the race marked an important milestone in his development as one of Tanzania’s leading sprint swimmers.

Beyond the Olympic Games, Saliboko has consistently featured in World Aquatics competitions, where he has tested himself against some of the world’s best swimmers.

At the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in 2024, he delivered one of his strongest performances to date, setting a national record of 51.10 seconds in the men’s 100m freestyle. In the same championship, he also competed in the 100m butterfly, where he posted a time of 55.45 seconds, further demonstrating his versatility in sprint events.

In long-course competition, Saliboko has also made appearances at the World Aquatics Championships (50m pool), competing in both freestyle and butterfly sprint events. One of his standout performances came at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships held in Fukuoka, Japan, where he recorded 24.43 seconds in the 50m freestyle.

His participation across multiple events at this level has helped him gain valuable race experience and measure his progress against elite international competition.

Over time, Saliboko’s performances in both short-course and long-course formats have established him as one of Tanzania’s most consistent international swimmers. He has regularly set national records and continues to push the boundaries of Tanzanian swimming on the world stage, particularly in sprint freestyle events where competition is extremely intense.

His journey to Glasgow will once again place him on one of the sport’s biggest stages, where he will be aiming to improve on his previous international performances and continue building Tanzania’s presence in global swimming.

Minister for Works Abdallah Ulega has directed contractors constructing roads linked to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to operate around the clock to ensure key infrastructure is completed within the required timelines.

The directive targets strategic road sections in Arusha, one of the cities expected to host activities during the tournament, which Tanzania will co-host with Kenya and Uganda.

Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar has urged taxpayers to continue paying taxes voluntarily, on time and in full, saying domestic revenue remains critical in financing major development projects and improving social services.

Speaking during the Taxpayer Appreciation Run and Walk held at the Gymkhana Grounds in Dar es Salaam ahead of the President’s Best Taxpayer Awards and celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Mr Omar said the government continued to rely heavily on domestic revenue to drive the country’s development agenda.

He said TRA is expected to collect approximately Sh36 trillion in the 2026/27 financial year as part of projected domestic revenue of Sh46 trillion to pary finance the government’s Sh62.3 trillion budget. Mr Omar said revenue collection performance in the 2025/26 financial year reflected strong cooperation between the government and taxpayers.

He noted that TRA exceeded its monthly revenue collection target by three percent last month and expressed confidence that the authority would meet its annual target by June 30.

‘Every financial year marks a new beginning. As we enter July, we embark on another journey with even greater goals. We wish business people and investors success in their economic activities, but such success should go hand in hand with fulfilling the responsibility of paying taxes voluntarily, on time and in full,’ he said.

Mr Omar said major projects currently under implementation, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), improvements to the TAZARA railway and the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), had largely been financed through tax revenues collected from citizens and businesses.

He said the SGR had transformed the transport sector by carrying thousands of passengers in a single journey, helping to reduce road congestion and improve efficiency in economic activities.

Mr Omar also urged Tanzanians to embrace a culture of regular physical exercise, noting that good health increases productivity at workplaces, reduces healthcare costs and boosts economic output.

‘I urge TRA staff, taxpayers and tax consultants to continue participating in physical exercise because a healthy body enhances decision-making and improves service delivery,’ he said.

The minister also stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and national unity, saying these remained essential foundations for business growth, investment and revenue collection.

‘Without peace and stability, economic activities cannot flourish. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard the country’s peace so that citizens can continue working, producing, earning income and paying taxes for national development,’ he said.

Mr Omar also congratulated TRA on its 30th anniversary and commended taxpayers for their contribution to national development through tax payments, while calling for stronger cooperation between the government, taxpayers and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, TRA Commissioner General Yusuph Mwenda said strong cooperation between the authority and taxpayers had remained a key pillar of revenue collection success.

He said the achievements had been driven by increased trust and collaboration between TRA and taxpayers, contributing to higher government revenue and supporting the implementation of development projects and essential public services.

‘TRA has continued implementing major operational, systemic and technological reforms aimed at simplifying service delivery and improving revenue collection efficiency. Digital systems have reduced bureaucracy, increased transparency and accountability, and enabled taxpayers to access services more quickly and conveniently,’ he said.

Mr Mwenda added that TRA would continue investing in innovation, technology and taxpayer education to strengthen the business environment, expand the tax base and stimulate sustainable economic growth.

Former Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume has said his decision to chair the Board of Trustees of the Edward Lowassa Foundation was driven by a long-standing friendship with the late former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa and their shared interest in education and conflict resolution.

Speaking during the foundation’s second Board of Trustees meeting in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, Mr Karume said he initially hesitated to take up the role, citing his reduced involvement in public duties.

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said officials should reassess the placement of pitch-side advertising boards at ?the World Cup after attacker Julio Enciso crashed into one the Australia goal during their 0-0 draw on Thursday.

Enciso came off second best as he fought for the ball with Australia defender Alessandro ?Circati in the second half at San Francisco ?Bay Area Stadium.

Enciso got to his feet gingerly after ?contact with the board but played out the remainder of ?the game.

“I think that maybe if there was more space ?that will be good because of course there’s a lot of intensity when we are playing, and sometimes if a player gets destabilised, ?he could fall and get injured and these things can ?happen,” Alfaro told the post-match press conference.

“So, maybe we have to think ?that and reassess.”

The result left Paraguay third behind Group D winners the United States and second-placed Australia, both of whom have reached the last 32.

Paraguay must wait for other ?results in the ?group phase ?to know whether they will advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

Alfaro said ?he was very optimistic Paraguay would continue at ?the ?tournament and praised his players for how they had reacted after their 4-1 opening defeat by the United States.

“Recovering from such ?a ?hard result was really hard for us, ?and in spite of that, our team has been very solid in ?the past two games.”

The Tanzania Mainland Premier League has officially evolved into a two-horse title race, with defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) and traditional rivals Simba SC now the only remaining contenders for the 2025/26 championship, as four clubs secure places in next season’s CAF interclub competitions.

With just two rounds remaining, the league has reached its decisive stage, where the battle for the title has narrowed exclusively to the country’s two most successful clubs.

Yanga currently lead the standings with 69 points from 28 matches, while Simba sit second with 67 points from the same number of games.

The two giants have created a gap that cannot be closed by any other team, mathematically eliminating the rest of the field from title contention.

As a result, both Yanga and Simba have also secured automatic qualification to the CAF Champions League, continuing their dominance on the domestic and continental stage. Behind them, Azam FC and Singida Black Stars have confirmed their places in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Azam sit third with 58 points, while Singida Black Stars follow in fourth place with 50 points. With only two matches left, teams positioned below them cannot overtake their tallies, effectively locking in the continental slots.

The development underscores the growing divide between the league’s traditional powerhouses and the chasing pack, with Yanga and Simba once again proving their superiority in a tightly contested season.

For Yanga, the equation is straightforward. The Jangwani Street giants need just four points from their remaining fixtures to officially secure a fifth consecutive league title, which would further cement their dominance in recent years.

Their consistency has placed them in a commanding position as the season approaches its conclusion.

However, Simba remain firmly in pursuit, keeping pressure on their rivals in what continues to be one of the most intense title races in recent memory.

Although Yanga hold a slight advantage, the championship is not yet mathematically decided, Under Tanzania Premier League regulations, head-to-head records are used as the primary tiebreaker if teams finish level on points.

This factor could prove decisive in determining the ultimate champion.

Earlier in the campaign, the two sides drew 0-0 in the first meeting played at Simba’s home ground, while the return fixture ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

These results give Yanga a marginal edge in the direct encounter record, which may become crucial if the title race goes down to the final day.

While the battle at the top continues to attract attention, the relegation fight is also intensifying as the season reaches its climax. KMC have already been relegated, but several teams remain in danger.

Tanzania Prisons, with 26 points, Mtibwa Sugar (27), Mbeya City (28), Fountain Gate FC (29), Namungo FC (30) and Mashujaa FC (30) are all fighting to avoid dropping into the Championship Division.

Meanwhile, Coastal Union and Dodoma Jiji FC, with 33 and 34 points respectively, are not yet safe.

Both sides remain at risk of slipping into the relegation playoff zone if they fail to secure positive results in their remaining matches. As the league enters its final stretch, attention now turns to the upcoming round of fixtures scheduled for Saturday, when all 16 teams will be in action across different venues nationwide.

Yanga will host TRA United at the KMC Complex, knowing that victory would move them within touching distance of a another league crown. Simba face a tough test against Singida Black Stars, a side already assured of continental football next season.

Elsewhere, Azam FC travel to Tanga to face Coastal Union at Mkwakwani Stadium in a crucial match for both ends of the table.

Other fixtures include Dodoma Jiji against Mbeya City, Mashujaa hosting KMC, Namungo welcoming Fountain Gate FC, Pamba Jiji taking on JKT Tanzania, and Tanzania Prisons meeting Mtibwa Sugar in what promises to be another decisive and competitive round of matches across the country.

With the title race, continental qualification, and relegation battles all still active, the closing stages of the season promise high drama and intense competition.

The government has directed public officials to do everything possible to remove obstacles facing investors, particularly in the industrial sector, to ensure factories operate without interruption, warning that production stoppages result in losses and discourage investment.

The call was made on Thursday, June 25, 2026, by the Minister for Industry and Trade, Judith Kapinga.

Minister Kapinga was speaking during a visit to Mainland Group Agro Process Tanzania, a sunflower and cottonseed oil processing factory in Veyula, Dodoma City.

Accompanied by her technical team, Ms Kapinga toured the facility to assess production and operations.

She directed officials to address challenges that can be resolved immediately and refer those requiring technical expertise or intervention from other authorities to the relevant government institutions.

‘We need to build a strong private sector. A time must come when we, as government officials, accept that we should spend more time solving investors’ problems. We should not become accustomed to these challenges because that is not a good thing at all,’ she said.

Commenting on production levels, Ms Kapinga said the factory’s infrastructure appeared underutilised because output remains below capacity, largely due to shortages of raw materials.

Furthermore, she said the factory receives only between 20 and 30 percent of its sunflower seed requirements during a production season, a situation that undermines productivity and limits employment opportunities that could otherwise be created.

The factory’s director, Jiawei Chen, said the company faces persistent difficulties in sourcing raw materials, particularly sunflower seeds, forcing it to diversify into cottonseed oil production to bridge the supply gap.

Mr Chen also identified inadequate electricity supply as a major challenge, saying it has repeatedly disrupted operations and prevented the factory from reaching its full production potential, even when raw materials are available.

Speaking on the shortage of seeds, the factory’s communications director, Ms Betty Mkwasa, said the plant requires 250 tonnes of sunflower seeds per day and about 80,000 tonnes annually, but at times receives only a quarter of that amount.

“Investment in the factory exceeds $60 million and that it has created employment for more than 400 people working in day and night shifts,” she said.

Furthermore, she said, besides producing cooking oil, the company purchases crude oil from other processors for refining to improve quality, while also expanding livestock feed production using by-products generated during the refining process.