Category: The Citizen

Rhythm, dances, food, community gathering and music have been part of AfrAican American celebration culture long before the electronics provided entertainment.

Black people in America would hum and sing while preparing their feast, celebrating freedom on Juneteenth, freedom that many of the enslaved Africans in Texas didn’t know they had after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1983.cIt took two years for the news of their freedom to reach African Americans in that state. The day was named Juneteenth.

There has been a school of thought among black scholars that local authorities in Texas had strong incentives to delay or suppress news of emancipation, as slaveholders wanted to continue profiting from their labor.

In 2021, then-US President Joe Biden made it an official national holiday after signing the legislation.

Today, with the growing number of African Americans spreading their wings across the world, especially returning to Africa for investment, holidays, or retracing their motherland, this holiday has now been celebrated by the American diaspora and Africans, with festivals, cultural events, community gatherings and, recently, more importantly, black business galas and summits.

In Zanzibar, where hundreds of African Americans reside, 2026’s commemoration took the form of a Pan-African Award, a Black 2 Africa Gala and an eventful party at The Box by Ashley restaurant, owned by an African American restaurateur, Ashley Marie Weston. Who had earlier won the Humanitarian Award at the Gala.

Juneteenth is a celebration of the remarkable resilience of a people, but it is also a celebration of culture, freedom and unity. ‘Juneteenth is an Emancipation Day.

Like, you know, America has July 4th, but Juneteenth is for us as black people. It is our Emancipation Day.

And yeah, we usually like to celebrate together: barbecues, dinners, dancing and everything. It’s just a very Black celebration,’ said Ashley.

A whole itinerary, called ‘Black to Zanzibar’, was organised, a complete eight-day trip. They did hip-hop and R and B karaoke at the restaurant.

More significantly, African Americans are consolidating their buying power to invest in Zanzibar and have a tangible impact on local communities and businesses.

Supporting people who align with their beliefs, other than putting dollars in people who have been detrimental to Black people. ‘At least 150 of us are on the island.

This is gonna be an annual trip they do every year for Juneteenth. There will be a group of African Americans here to celebrate for the whole week,’ she added.

This wasn’t just the hip-hop and R and B night; Black 2 Zanzibar, an investment summit, was a huge success.

Ashley sat on the panel to explain her journey in Zanzibar, from the initial launch of her restaurant in 2021 and how she navigated through the years.

‘So the trip isn’t just about sightseeing and partying. They want to make a conscious effort toward development on the continent,’ she added.

The summit brought together African Americans who have started businesses on the island or bought property there.

Their fellow visiting African Americans wanted to know the ins and outs; they were excited to share their experiences.

From how to get a business permit, how to obtain residency and what happens when one buys property under the freehold policy. ‘We went through it all, so people aren’t walking in blind.

A lot of people want to come here to live and have a better life, so we were able to shed some light on the situation,’ she explained.

Tourism in Zanzibar is central to influencing most of the investment decisions visitors make.

Most of them land on the island for a short getaway and end up with a business portfolio on the island that they never imagined would be possible.

‘They come on vacation and then say, ‘You know what?’ I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s something in the soil-but I’m not the only person who feels that way.

I just felt like there was a lot of opportunity,’ she said with a laugh.

She never felt that before. She always had dreams of entrepreneurship, but Zanzibar is actually the place where she felt like it was possible. It felt almost metaphysical for her.

African Americans in Zanzibar come from all walks of life and from all 50 states. Some of them sold everything back in the US and relocated to the Island.

Some are retired and living off their pensions. They bought property, some on the beach, some in Stone Town, each with their own lane and aspiration.

One thing they all agree on is that Zanzibar’s tranquillity is seldom exceptional.

Other nationals from Europe, Asia and the rest of the world have also seized the booming investment atmosphere in Zanzibar.

But they are confident that their unity and cohesiveness in business and personal lives, even in times of emergencies, will solidify their presence on the island.

Juneteenth in Zanzibar was all about vibration: ‘Juneteenth is the theme, it’s Black, Black, Black, it’s a party! If we were back home, we would have started during the day and been barbecuing all day,’ she said.

At The Box restaurant, music played till late into the night, the karaoke was electric, with glasses of wine in hand, R and B music played, from Joe Thomas, who recently visited the mainland, to Baby Face, ‘I did Whip Appeal by Baby Face. I’ve loved that song since I was a little girl.

I used to think he was saying ‘banana peel’,’ Ashley laughed. American, Caribbean, African and Creole cuisine, what they call Afrofusion, was in abundance; the kitchen remained open well into the night, longer than usual.

From across the street, laughter, cheers, Feet pounded the floor in rhythm. ‘Our menu is Afrofusion. We mix Zanzibari, Caribbean and African American dishes.

For example, our escovitch fish is one of our most popular items. Escovitch is a Jamaican dish, but we serve it with ‘Mchicha’ amaranth greens too.

It’s really good. Everybody loved everything. People kept telling me, as they were leaving, how impressed they were with the food. We also have a Haitian dish on the menu,’ she said.

This is the island that has been visited by Dave Chappelle, the famous Black American Comedian and Lenard Larry McKelvey, aka Charlamagne Tha God, the blunt-spoken radio host.

Zanzibar has attracted the biggest stars from across the world, but for African American celebrities, visiting the island feels like returning home and they like to enjoy their time on the island away from photographers, camera flashes and intrusive American media.

All of them set foot in Stone Town, which is the epicentre of tourism in Zanzibar. Ashley feels like she is setting a precedent; her restaurant is the only black American-owned dining establishment in Stone Town.

Ashley urges African Americans to come to Zanzibar and invest. She points at lucrative construction or industrial services.

Zanzibar is under constant construction and renting out equipment to these companies is also profitable, from trucks to move bricks, sand and materials.

So, as one comes to lie down by the white sand beaches, having a plan to explore the island could lead to embarking on high-yielding ventures.

‘This place is going to be amazing over the next five to ten years,’ she added. ‘Learning the culture and doing a little research before boarding the airplane could come in handy, as is being a quick learner and adapting.

Remember what Bruce Lee said: ‘Be like water’,’ she said.

A total of 79 youth engaged in agribusiness from five regions have completed a two-week financial education training and been certified as Certified Financial Education (CFE) trainers, in a move aimed at strengthening financial management skills among farmers, livestock keepers and small-scale entrepreneurs.

The graduates are expected to pass on the knowledge to their communities to improve financial discipline, increase productivity and contribute to national food security.

The training was delivered under the Vijana Kilimo Biashara (VKB) programme implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP), funded by the Mastercard Foundation, in collaboration with the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Academy.

Speaking during the closing ceremony on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Arusha, BoT Academy Principal Nicas Yabu said the participants from Arusha, Dodoma, Singida, Morogoro and Manyara regions had now been certified as financial education trainers.

He said the initiative is designed to create a pool of community-based trainers who will return to their local areas to educate farmers, livestock keepers and small entrepreneurs on effective financial management.

‘We have equipped them with skills on how to earn ethically, control spending, save and invest. The goal is to ensure they empower communities to use financial services effectively and build stronger local economies through agriculture and business,’ he said.

He added that the training covered key areas including financial service usage, savings culture, investment opportunities, insurance for crops and livestock, as well as access to credit for business expansion.

Experts from the Bank of Tanzania, UTT AMIS, insurance companies and commercial banks also participated in delivering the training to enhance participants’ understanding of investment and formal financial systems.

WFP Deputy Country Director Christine Mendes said the programme forms part of the VKB initiative, which aims to equip young people with decent employment opportunities, entrepreneurship skills and improved access to financial knowledge.

She said since its launch in 2023, the programme has reached more than 77,000 young people across eight regions.

One of the graduates, Shedrack Minja from Manyara, said the training had changed his mindset, enabling him to understand the importance of early investment even with small income levels.

Another participant, Mzizi Rashid from Kilosa District in Morogoro Region, said the training had transformed his perception of agriculture, now viewing it as a business with strong income-generating potential.

He also highlighted the importance of working in groups to improve access to capital and financial opportunities.

The VKB programme continues to be implemented through a partnership between WFP and BoT Academy, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, aimed at building a financially literate and self-reliant youth population engaged in agribusiness.

For many young Tanzanians, making it onto the prestigious Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list feels like a distant dream reserved for those with extraordinary connections, deep pockets, or access to opportunities beyond reach.

Yet, it is precisely their ability to solve meaningful problems at scale and create value in often overlooked sectors that earned Tanzanians Cyprian Makongoro, Hussein Dewji, and Rosemary Kimaro a place on the 2026 Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list.

Dar es Salaam. Before introducing regulations that would require professional boxers to undergo MRI and CT Scan examinations, authorities have been urged to first address the issue of health insurance coverage for all professional fighters.

According to the National Sports Council (NSC), it is working with the Tanzania Professional Boxing Regulatory Commission (TPBRC) on a framework that would make health insurance mandatory for every professional boxer.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre praised his team’s mentality on Wednesday ?after they upped the tempo in the second half to secure a 3-0 victory against the Czech Republic in their final ?Group A match of the World Cup.

With ?the victory, Mexico advance to the ?knockout phase as group winners.

“I didn’t ?like the first 20 minutes, but then ?we settled down, the team recovered, and that’s where we showed the power of mental strength,” ?he said at a press conference.

The ?Mexican coach, who led the side at the ?and 2010 World Cups, said that while the performance was good “we always have a few things to work on”.

Aguirre, 67, ?said his ?team’s ?mentality is essential to keep progressing at the World Cup, ?where they will look to move ?beyond ?the quarter-finals for the first time.

“I think we’ve improved in that area, that ?mentality ?of ‘Well, that’s it, we’ve ?done our part.’ This group has character,” he said.

Morocco confirmed their progress to the World Cup last 32 but twice had to come from ?behind to get the better of plucky Haiti with a 4-2 win in an action-packed game on Wednesday and fell short of topping Brazil the Group C standings.

Morocco finished level on seven points with the five-times world champions, who beat Scotland 3-0, but are runners-up on goal difference and will play the Group F winners, Netherlands, Japan or Sweden, on Monday in the first knockout round.

Haiti, the first side eliminated from the 48-team tournament after losing their second group game, went ahead early thanks to an ?own goal, but African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi equalised in the 39th minute.

Wilson Isidor’s thunderbolt restored Haiti’s lead in the 43rd but the ?match was soon level again as Ismael Saibari scored his third goal in as many World Cup appearances.

It took until ?the 78th minute for Morocco to take the lead when substitute Soufiane Rahimi thrashed the ball home from close range after Haiti failed to clear a corner and ?20-year-old Gessime Yassine made it 4-2 in the last minute.

“It was a crazy game, too many goals but we are really delighted to qualify for ?the next round and now we have to keep going,” said Hakimi.

“Haiti were already out of the competition but showed great spirit and made us suffer but in the end we did it.”

Haiti had only pride to play for but made Morocco work for their victory and despite losing all three games at the tournament — their first in 52 ?years — will depart with their reputation enhanced.

“We were up against a quality team and I hope we gave our fans something to relish,” said ?Haiti coach Sebastien Migne. “We have to keep working hard to come back again four years from now.”

Vociferous support

With vociferous support willing them forward, Haiti opened the scoring after 10 as ?Josue Casimir calmly shielded the ball, waiting for Jean-Kevin Duverne to support him on the wing and carry it into the box before a square pass was audaciously backheeled goalwards by Lenny Joseph.

FIFA initially awarded the goal to the Haiti striker even though his effort looked to be going wide, deflecting in off the back of Morocco goalkeeper Yacine Bounou, but it was later changed to become yet another own goal in this tournament.

Haiti’s 38-year-old goalkeeper Johny ?Placide, playing his last international after ?15 years in the national team, ?produced a series of sharp saves to twice deny Ayoub El Kaabi and Hakimi.

But when he parried Bilal El Khannouss’s cross, Hakimi was quickest to bundle it over the line for the equaliser.

Duverne set up Isidor for his ?rasping strike from outside the area to put Haiti ahead again.

Morocco’s response was much quicker the second time, ?with Sofyan Amrabat setting ?Hakimi off down the right flank and the captain dragging the ball back for Saibari to slot home and leave the teams deadlocked at 2-2 by halftime.

Vehement protests

Haiti’s defence was eventually breached again late in the second half from a set-piece although they protested vehemently for a foul after Rahimi had controlled the ball before turning and slamming ?home.

Rahimi then set up the ?baby-faced Yassine for a tap-in after Haiti’s defenders stopped playing, believing the ball had gone ?out of play, but VAR confirmed the goal.

“We’d have loved to top our group but I don’t think we played well enough to do so,” said Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi.

“We had ?to go all out in the second half and had so many chances to score.’

The Arusha Sub Registry of the High Court of Tanzania has resolved a long-running dispute over church property ownership in Elerai, declaring the Registered Trustees of Evangelistic Assemblies of God Tanzania (EAGT) as the lawful owners of the land and all buildings on it.

In a ruling delivered on June 22, 2026, Justice Frank Mahimbali upheld EAGT’s claim that the property had been transferred to the church through a deed of gift executed in 1996 by the late Cleopa Lotakajaki for religious purposes.

The case was filed by EAGT against the Registered Trustees of Revival Evangelistic Assemblies of God Tanzania (REAGT) and Pastor Marko Haule, who argued that the late Lotakajaki had orally granted him the land in 1986, before the deed was prepared.

The court ruled that the evidence presented by EAGT demonstrated that Lotakajaki intended to transfer the land to the church rather than to an individual.

According to the court’s findings, Christian worship activities began in the Elerai area in the mid-1980s after congregants relocated from Elerai Primary School.

Origin of the dispute

The dispute centred on ownership of church buildings located in Elerai, Bonde la Baraka area in Sakina, Arusha, where EAGT maintained that the property had belonged to the church since June 8, 1996 and was dedicated to religious activities.

Pastor Haule contested the claim, insisting that the land had been given to him personally through an oral agreement in 1986. He further argued that he initiated church activities on the property.

EAGT stated that the church had used the land continuously for worship since 1996 and had developed infrastructure including a church building and a pastor’s residence.

Among the four witnesses called by the claimant was Bishop Shadrack Mollel, who testified on the institution’s registration and ownership of its assets. Other witnesses described how the land had been transferred to EAGT and used over the years as church property.

EAGT also argued that Pastor Haule had served the church until 2019, when he was dismissed over allegations of misconduct. It claimed that after his removal, he continued occupying and using the property unlawfully in collaboration with REAGT.

REAGT denied ownership of the property, stating that it had never been registered in its name or legally transferred to it.

Court ruling

After reviewing witness testimonies, documentary evidence and arguments from both sides, Justice Mahimbali concluded that the late Lotakajaki intended to donate the disputed land to EAGT and not to an individual.

The judge said Pastor Haule’s claim that the land had been orally granted to him in 1986 was not supported by sufficient evidence and that no documents were presented to prove ownership transfer. The court also found inconsistencies in his testimony during various stages of the proceedings.

On REAGT, the court agreed that the institution had never been registered as the owner of the property. It further found that its religious activities on the land had been conducted through Pastor Haule, leaving it without legal grounds for ownership.

The court consequently declared EAGT’s Registered Trustees as the lawful owners of the property and ordered the defendants to vacate and hand over possession within 60 days.

It also issued a permanent injunction barring them from entering or conducting any activities on the property without the claimant’s permission and ordered them to pay Sh20 million in compensation for trespass and unauthorised use of the property.

Scotland coach Steve Clarke thinks his team are heading home from their first World Cup ?in 28 years after what he viewed as a largely self-inflicted 3-0 loss to Brazil in their final Group C match on Wednesday.

The Scots, with three points, still technically have a chance of progressing to the knockout stages at a World Cup for the first time as one of eight third-placed teams with the best records over the ?12 groups.

As things stand, Scotland have the sixth-best record but Clarke clearly believes that they will be ?overtaken by at least two other teams with 20 group matches remaining.

“Fair result,” he ?said. “You give a team like Brazil the chances that we gave them in the game, you expect to ?get punished. And that’s what happened. I think we’re probably going home.

“We know they’re deadly in the attacking third ?of the pitch, and we gave them for sure the first two goals, probably the third goal as well.

“So we gave them the goals, but on the counter of that, they also missed a few chances and Angus (Gunn) had to make a few ?good saves.

“We created one or two chances, but nothing really clean.”

Clarke’s frustration with his team’s performance on Wednesday ?was clear but he said he was not angry with the players who got Scotland to their first World Cup since in ?1998.

“I’m disappointed for them because they didn’t reach the levels that they can reach,” he said.

“I think we all know that. Anybody that’s watched this team over the last few years knows that we didn’t reach the levels that we can reach.”

The former Chelsea fullback said their campaign had also exposed structural issues in Scottish football ?that needed addressing.

“I think when ?you see the physicality, ?the power and the technique of both Morocco and Brazil, you can see that we have to do something about it,” he said.

“We have to try and be ?better at producing young players that can grace the world stage.”

Scotland’s Tartan Army of ?fans have ?lit up the tournament and while Clarke once again saluted their contribution, he said it was important supporters did not forget why they had been in the U.S. in the first place.

“Don’t forget that this group of players brought these ?fans ?to America. This group of players qualified,” he added.

“Otherwise, we’re doing what ?we always do. We’re sitting on the sofa and we’re watching the World Cup without Scotland.

“They’ve had a great time, great ambassadors for ?the country, but they wouldn’t be here without that group of players.”

Mexico continued their perfect start to the World Cup with a 3-0 romp against a hapless Czech Republic on Wednesday, finishing their group-stage campaign with ?a flourish and killing off their tame opponents’ hopes of making the knockouts.

The co-hosts had already booked their spot in the last 32 as Group A winners but showed no mercy at the Azteca stadium to complete a third straight victory that left the sorry Czechs bottom of the standings and out of the tournament.

The game looked to be drifting towards a drab draw before Mexico exploded in the second half, with Mateo Chavez opening the scoring before Julian Quinones grabbed his second of the tournament and substitute Alvaro Fidalgo dealt the final ?blow.

Mexico’s reward for a faultless opening stage will be a knockout clash on Tuesday with a third-placed side from Group C, E, F, H or I with ?the match again in front of their fans at the Azteca, where they are unbeaten in nine World Cup matches.

“I think the ?team played a good game, honestly,” Mexico’s hard-to-please coach Javier Aguirre said.

“Ultimately, we always have a few things to work on, but tonight is a good night for ?everyone.”

New hope

Mexico’s superb start to the tournament has kindled the fires of hope in their fervent supporters that this team could be the one to put to bed the so-called ?curse that has seen them fail to reach the quarter-finals since 1986.

The omens suddenly look auspicious – unbeaten in 11 games having sauntered through the group stage at a World Cup back on home soil, the hope is that this Mexico side could put years of turmoil and under-performance behind them.

The numbers are also starting to stack up.

This was their biggest World Cup win since a 4-0 ?victory over El Salvador in 1970, while at the other end their rock-solid defence ensured they became the first team with three clean sheets in the group stage since ?Uruguay in 2018.

This apparent new dawn is perfectly symbolised by 17-year-old midfield prodigy Gilberto Mora, who is the youngest player to start in the tournament since 2002, and produced a superb display with his ?every touch loudly appreciated by the crowd.

“To be honest, I believed I could achieve it, but not this soon,” he said when asked if he imagined reaching this stage so quickly. “Now that I’m here, I’m just trying to enjoy it, take it day by day and give my best whenever I’m on the pitch.”

Mexico spark into life

With their fate riding on the outcome, the Czechs were predictably more eager in the opening exchanges, with Denis Visinsky snatching at an early effort when space opened up in front of him.

It ?took 35 minutes for Mexico to conjure ?a shot and when they did ?it was a rather improbable overhead kick from centre back Israel Reyes that drifted harmlessly wide.

The game had all the hallmarks of a stalemate before Mexico sparked into life and found the breakthrough to bring the Azteca to its feet after 55 minutes.

Luis Romo ?emerged with the ball in midfield and slipped a pass through to full back Chavez who skipped past one challenge and ?bore down on goal ?before calmly opening his body up to sidefoot his finish past goalkeeper Matej Kovar.

The second goal six minutes later had Mora’s fingerprints all over it as the youngster dribbled deep into Czech territory before playing a delightful ball through to Jorge Sanchez.

He bundled his attempted finish over the keeper and after a brief scramble Quinones followed up to poke the ball home.

While ?the crowd ?needed little encouragement to turn up the decibels, probably the loudest cheer of the night was reserved ?for a late substitute appearance from 40-year-old keeper Guillermo Ochoa earning his 154th cap at his sixth World Cup.

There was time for a final flourish, however, as Mexico’s third goal arrived deep in stoppage time when ?Fidalgo blasted the ball into the top corner from 18 metres to complete a resounding win and another impressive display by the co-hosts.

Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek blamed “stupid mistakes” and exhaustion from heavy ?travel for his team’s World Cup exit after 3-0 defeat by co-hosts Mexico on Wednesday left them bottom of Group A.

Koubek said Czech football urgently needed to ?raise its technical standards to compete internationally following ?their return to the World Cup after ?a 20-year absence.

Koubek defended dropping striker Patrik Schick, ?saying Adam Hlozek was preferred for his physical ?condition and suitability to the team’s offensive strategy.

He cited a draw with South Africa as a critical missed opportunity, which ?left the Czech Republic with just one ?point from their opening two matches.

Koubek said heavy travel between , ?including flights to Mexico City, left players exhausted, questioning why Mexico were not required to travel to Dallas.

Midfielder Denis Visinsky was heavily affected by the ?high altitude ?in Mexico ?City, Koubek added, while many players arrived already fatigued from their club seasons.

“I ?have a contract and I don’t ?give up ?any fights… I will definitely fulfil my contract,” Koubek said when asked about his future.

“Czech football ?has ?been lagging behind, we need to ?improve our play… select players who can compete at this ?level,” he said.