Category: The Citizen

Confusion spread in Shinyanga after reports emerged that the district secretary of the Council of Chadema Youth (Bavicha), Alfred Massanja, had been abducted by unknown people in the early hours of today.

The Citizen followed up on the reports circulating online since dawn and sought confirmation from party officials regarding the alleged abduction.

Speaking to The Citizen by phone on July 17, 2026, Chadema Serengeti Zone Secretary Jackson Mnyawami confirmed that the incident occurred, saying further follow-up had established that Mr Massanja was arrested by police and remains in custody.

‘The incident happened at around 4am when unknown people with covered faces stormed his home. They ordered him to come out and threatened to kill him if he refused. His wife then came out and opened the door, allowing them to enter before they took him away in a vehicle without registration plates,’ Mr Mnyawami said.

He added: ‘After the commotion at his home and among neighbours, we decided to follow up once day broke and discovered that he had been arrested by police. He is still there, although the reason for his arrest was not known at the time. People believed he had been abducted because of the manner in which he was taken and the threats he received.’

However, the Shinyanga Regional Police Command confirmed that it was holding Mr Massanja, 43, a resident of Ndala Ward in Shinyanga Municipality, over allegations of inciting demonstrations planned for July 7, 2026.

According to the police statement, Mr Massanja is accused of mobilising various groups from different parts of Shinyanga Region to participate in the planned demonstrations.

‘We are continuing with investigations and questioning the suspect. Once the investigations are complete, appropriate legal procedures will be followed,’ the police statement said.

For decades, the formula for creating a hit song in Tanzania was almost predictable.

An artiste would spend weeks moving between radio stations, meeting presenters, submitting songs to DJs and hoping that enough airplay would convince listeners to embrace the new release.

A song that received frequent rotation on radio had a better chance of becoming popular, while a DJ playing the song at clubs and entertainment events could determine whether it became a favourite among crowds.

However, the rise of social media has changed the way music travels, introducing a new group of influencers who were not traditionally part of the music industry but are now playing a major role in deciding which songs capture public attention.

Today, before some songs reach radio playlists or dominate nightclub sessions, they first find life on platforms such as TikTok, where content creators transform short sections of songs into challenges.

One example of how this new system works can be seen through the success of songs such as ‘Ngedere’ and ‘Nilipe’ by Click Master, a musician who is also a producer and content creator.

Although the quality of the songs played a major role in attracting listeners, their visibility increased significantly after becoming popular sounds used by different creators on TikTok, where users created challenges and videos that made the songs familiar to a wider audience.

For Click Master, the secret behind a successful digital campaign begins with the music itself before promotion takes place.

‘Personally, I like investing in TikTok challenges, but I also focus on the creativity that I bring into my music because the song itself must have something that attracts people,’ he says.

He believes that while social media has created new opportunities for musicians, it cannot replace the importance of producing quality music because audiences will eventually reject songs that fail to connect emotionally.

‘If the song is not good, people will not move with it. The music has to be strong, and then you support it with the right promotion. Promotion alone cannot make a weak song successful,’ he adds.

According to Click Master, the relationship between artistes and creators is not always based on financial agreements, as some creators participate because they genuinely enjoy a song and want to share it with their followers.

‘Sometimes you have to pay people, but sometimes it comes naturally because there are people who love your work,’ he explains.

The same trend has been experienced by hip-hop artiste Mussa Mabumo, popularly known as Bando Mc, whose songs including ‘Sir God’ and ‘Naomba Tuongee’ gained popularity among audiences through digital platforms.

For Bando Mc, the rise of creators has not changed the basic rule of making music, it has only changed how good music reaches people.

‘When a song is good, it becomes easier even for content creators to make challenges around it and help the song reach more people,’ he says.

He explains that although radio and DJs remain important parts of music promotion, creators provide artistes with quicker feedback because they can immediately see how audiences are responding through views, comments and streaming numbers.

‘We have not stopped taking songs to radio stations, but when you give your song to a creator, you can quickly see the response,’ he says.

The growing influence of creators has also changed how audiences discover music.

Instead of depending only on radio programmes, many young listeners now spend hours scrolling through TikTok, Instagram Reels and other digital platforms, where they often encounter songs without even knowing the artiste behind them.

A person may first hear a song through a comedy video, a dance challenge or a lifestyle clip before later searching for the full version on streaming platforms.

For content creator Asha Mallya, choosing music for online content has become part of storytelling because the right song can determine how audiences respond to a video.

‘When I use the right song, people stay longer. If people love the sound, they ask about it in the comments, and before you know it, thousands of others are using the same audio,’ she says.

This influence has turned content creators into important music promoters despite many of them having no direct connection to the recording industry.

Their choices increasingly influence which songs people dance to, quote, stream and even adopt as part of everyday conversations.

Recognising this shift, artistes and record labels have started changing their marketing strategies by allocating resources towards digital campaigns and collaborations with creators who already have strong relationships with audiences.

Music marketer Brian Steven says the advantage of creators is their ability to reach specific communities faster than traditional advertising methods.

‘It is simply about where the audience is. You can spend millions buying radio airtime, or you can work with creators whose combined audience reaches millions of followers,’ he says.

The impact of social media has even reached the creative process itself, with some artistes and producers now thinking about how songs will perform online before they are released.

Bongo Flava artiste Atan says musicians have started paying more attention to memorable lyrics and sections of songs that audiences can easily use in videos.

‘Sometimes we ask ourselves, ‘Which lyric is going to become the caption?’ That is something artistes never used to think about before,’ he says.

Despite the growing influence of digital platforms, DJs believe their role has not disappeared because online popularity does not always guarantee success in real-life entertainment spaces.

Radio DJ Salam Salmin says the industry has experienced a major transformation because many songs now become popular online before reaching traditional platforms.

‘Before this digital era, radio used to break almost every major hit. If a song was not on radio, many people did not know it existed,’ he says.

However, he admits that today he often discovers songs through social media before receiving them from promoters.

‘I open TikTok and hear one sound everywhere. Then by the weekend people are requesting that song in clubs and on radio,’ he says.

Although trends can create excitement, Salam believes DJs remain important because they test whether a song can truly connect with audiences.

‘A trend makes people curious, but the dance floor tells you whether it is actually a hit,’ he says.

As the music industry continues to evolve, the creation of a hit song is no longer controlled by one group of people.

Across Africa and the wider global economy, sustainability is no longer a corporate accessory or branding exercise. It has become a defining measure of leadership, trust, and long-term value creation.

The age of broad claims such as ‘green,’ ‘environmentally conscious,’ or ‘socially responsible’ is rapidly fading. Today, stakeholders-regulators, investors, customers, employees, and communities-are asking harder questions and expecting evidence, not rhetoric.

They now want to know:

Where did this product come from?

Who made it?

What is it made of?

What happens to it after use?

Can these claims be verified?

Sustainability has shifted from storytelling to testimony. In many African markets, where growth is fast and infrastructure is evolving, this shift is especially significant. Trust is fragile, resources are finite, and accountability is increasingly non-negotiable. Organisations are being called to move beyond compliance into conscious stewardship-balancing growth with responsibility and success with service.

The Corporate Sufi SPARK framework offers a grounded way forward

Service: Sustainability begins with care

At its core, sustainability is an expression of service. It asks a fundamental leadership question: Who benefits from our growth-and who carries the cost?

In Africa’s emerging economies, where communities are deeply interconnected with business activity, this question is not theoretical. It is practical and visible.

Organisations that extract value while quietly transferring environmental, social, or economic harm eventually weaken the very ecosystems they depend on.

Sustainable leadership recognises that long-term success is inseparable from shared value. When leaders operate from Service, sustainability stops being a compliance requirement and becomes an ethic of care.

Purpose: Turning intention into discipline

Without purpose, sustainability becomes fragmented-reduced to isolated projects, reports, or branding exercises.

Purpose provides coherence. It turns intention into disciplined decision-making across sourcing, packaging, labour practices, energy use, logistics, and product design.

Across Africa’s fast-growing consumer and industrial sectors, stakeholders are no longer satisfied with labels or slogans. They want clarity and specificity.

Purpose-driven organisations replace vague commitments with measurable actions and transparent outcomes. They understand that credibility is built not on what is said, but on what is consistently done.

Attraction: Trust is the new competitive advantage

In an increasingly noisy marketplace, trust has become the most powerful form of attraction.

Consumers and partners do not expect perfection. They expect honesty, consistency, and accountability.

Organisations build trust when they communicate openly-especially when progress is incomplete or challenges arise. Transparency attracts loyalty. Humility builds credibility. Truth creates lasting confidence.

In Africa’s relationship-driven business environment, this principle is amplified. Reputation travels quickly through networks, communities, and markets. Trust, once earned, becomes a strategic asset that cannot easily be replicated.

Resilience: Designing for the long-term

Sustainability cannot be treated as a reporting exercise added at the end of a process. It must be embedded in design itself.

Resilient organisations consider durability, efficiency, repairability, and end-of-life impact from the outset of innovation.

This is particularly relevant in African contexts, where resource constraints, climate variability, and infrastructure challenges demand practical, adaptive thinking.

When responsibility is designed into systems, sustainability becomes more than compliance-it becomes a source of operational strength and long-term resilience.

Knowing: Seeing the full system

The final dimension of SPARK is knowing-the discipline of understanding the full lifecycle of what we produce and consume.

Leaders must ask: What do we truly know about our supply chains? Where are the blind spots? Are we willing to uncover what we do not yet see?

In today’s global economy, traceability is no longer optional. Organisations that cannot understand their sourcing, production impact, or environmental footprint cannot credibly claim responsibility.

Knowing requires curiosity, humility, and continuous learning. It is not about certainty; it is about awareness and the willingness to improve.

From intention to evidence

The future of sustainability will belong to organisations that can translate intention into measurable impact. Not perfect organisations-but honest, disciplined, and accountable ones.

Within the SPARK framework:

Service reduces harm and expands shared value

Purpose gives direction and discipline

Attraction builds trust through transparency

Resilience embeds sustainability into design

Knowing strengthens awareness and accountability

Ultimately, sustainability is not only an environmental agenda. It is a reflection of consciousness in action.

Across Africa and beyond, the organisations that will endure are those that move beyond green slogans and rekindle their inner Spark-leading with responsibility, clarity, and purpose to create value that serves people, protects the planet, and benefits generations to come.

Concerns over the return of banned plastic bags have resurfaced in Dodoma after the government suspended operations at a factory in Chang’ombe Ward accused of producing plastic packaging materials without approval.

Deputy Minister in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) Reuben Kwagilwa ordered the factory to stop production after an unannounced inspection found large quantities of plastic bags being manufactured without the required permits.

‘I direct that this factory stops production. NEMC, working with the police, should seal the premises and ensure production activities stop.

We must prevent the production, distribution and use of these bags,’ Mr Kwagilwa said. He said plastic bags pose a serious environmental threat because they can take between 350 and 500 years to decompose.

The government banned plastic bags on June 1, 2019, to reduce pollution and promote environmentally friendly alternatives. However, residents in Chang’ombe say the bags have returned and are now common in many areas.

Charles Moto, a resident of Mtakuja Street, said the ban was a positive step but called for stronger enforcement against illegal production and greater promotion of environmentally friendly packaging.

‘Plastic bags are difficult to decompose. The government should continue promoting alternatives that are safer for the environment,’ he said.

Mr Moto warned that plastic waste can create breeding grounds for insects, make urban areas dirty and pose risks to livestock that may accidentally consume the bags.

Another resident, Yassin Daud, said citizens must also take responsibility by disposing of waste properly.

He said even permitted packaging materials can become a source of pollution if they are not collected and disposed of correctly.

Mtakuja Street Chairman Hemedi Hemedi urged authorities to conduct thorough assessments before allowing plastic bags into the country, saying only environmentally safe materials should be approved.

He said although the plastic bag business contributes to the economy, its environmental impact is significant.

Mr Hemedi said the 2019 ban initially improved urban cleanliness, but the situation has worsened as plastic bags have gradually returned to circulation.

Plastic waste that would otherwise end up polluting rivers and the ocean is being transformed into economic opportunities for young Tanzanians, following an initiative that has seen 120 students convert discarded materials into marketable products through innovation and recycling.

The students, drawn from eight primary and secondary schools in Dar es Salaam and Lindi regions, displayed chairs, decorative items and other practical products made from recycled plastic waste, illustrating how environmental conservation can go hand in hand with youth employment and entrepreneurship.

The Tanzania Civil Society Forum on Climate Change (FORUMCC) says the initiative demonstrates that addressing plastic pollution can simultaneously create sustainable livelihoods for young people.

Speaking during an awards ceremony held in Dar es Salaam on July 17, 2026, FORUMCC Executive Director Sarah Ngoy said the programme was intended to inspire students to view recycling not only as an environmental solution but also as a viable economic opportunity.

‘Our objective was not only to teach young people about environmental conservation. We want them to see recycling as a viable livelihood and a pathway to self-employment after completing their studies. Schools can also develop income-generating projects from these innovations,’ she said.

Ms Ngoy said participants first received training on the impact of plastic pollution on rivers, coastal areas and marine ecosystems before developing innovative ideas that were later converted into products with commercial value.

She noted that the initiative had shown how materials commonly regarded as waste could instead become valuable economic resources.

‘We want young people to understand that environmental innovation is not just about protecting nature. It can also create jobs, generate income and support community development,’ she said.

The competition was organised under the Bahari Yetu (Our Ocean) project, funded by the European Union and coordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in collaboration with WWF, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

According to Ms Ngoy, the project aims to strengthen the conservation of Tanzania’s coastal and marine ecosystems by improving marine resource management, encouraging community participation in conservation efforts and reducing plastic pollution.

She added that FORUMCC has also been implementing public awareness campaigns and supporting the development of plastic waste management strategies in Kinondoni, Ilala, Temeke and Mafia districts.

Former Ilala Mayor and Vingunguti Ward Councillor Omary Kumbilamoto commended the students for demonstrating that waste can be transformed into a valuable resource.

‘You have shown that plastic waste is not merely rubbish. It can be transformed into valuable products and become a source of income. This is how we build a generation that protects the environment while creating its own economic opportunities,’ he said.

He urged the students to continue promoting recycling within their schools and communities, stressing that wider public participation would be essential in reducing indiscriminate plastic disposal.

‘Do not let this initiative end with the competition. Continue educating your peers and communities that protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility,’ he said.

Meanwhile, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Tanzania National Partnership Manager for Action Against Plastic Pollution, Flavian Mgeni, announced that Kilindoni Primary School in Mafia District emerged as the overall winner among the eight participating schools.

Kitomondo Secondary School finished second, followed by Ilala Primary School in third place and Mtongani Secondary School in fourth.

The remaining positions were taken by Juhudi Secondary School, Kibasila Secondary School, Mbweni Teta Secondary School and Kitomondo Secondary School.

The participating students exhibited a wide range of products made from recycled plastic waste and used cardboard, including chairs, decorative items and household products, showcasing the potential of recycling to reduce pollution while creating economic opportunities for young people.

More than Sh2.2 billion has been raised to support life-saving kidney treatment and bone marrow transplants for underprivileged patients at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, exceeding the Sh1.5 billion target set by organisers.

The fundraising gala, organised by the Women’s Wing of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, popularly known by its Kiswahili abbreviation as UWT, is part of efforts to help the hospital mobilise Sh7 billion to finance specialised treatment for patients who cannot afford the high cost of care.

Cash donations and pledges pushed the total collection beyond the target, with the President’s Office contributing Sh50 million and the Prime Minister’s Office donating Sh30 million.

Benjamin Mkapa Hospital executive director Prof Abel Makubi said the funds would help address a growing backlog of patients requiring specialised treatment.

He said 50 children are waiting for bone marrow transplants, while another 50 patients are awaiting kidney treatment.

According to Prof Makubi, a bone marrow transplant costs Sh75 million per child, requiring Sh3.75 billion to treat the 50 children. Kidney treatment costs Sh40 million per patient, bringing the total for the 50 patients to Sh2 billion. Altogether, the hospital requires Sh5.75 billion to treat the 100 patients.

He said although the procedures are highly specialised, they are significantly cheaper than seeking treatment abroad.

Prof Makubi added that Benjamin Mkapa Hospital has increasingly become a referral centre for neighbouring countries, citing recent treatment of children from Burundi with heart conditions.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba urged Tanzanians to embrace a culture of giving to support healthcare services and help patients who cannot afford.

“Tanzania must reach a point where it becomes a referral destination for other countries, with patients coming here for treatment. But first, we need our own people to enjoy good health. I urge everyone to contribute because these donations will help save lives,” he said.

UWT chairperson Mary Chatanda said the fundraiser was launched after the organisation recognised the urgent need for financial support for patients requiring specialised treatment.

“A child requiring a bone marrow transplant would cost about Sh120 million if treated abroad, compared with Sh75 million in Tanzania. Kidney treatment abroad would cost around Sh90 million per patient. When we saw this, we felt compelled to act,” she said.

Ms Chatanda said UWT would continue the fundraising drive by engaging local and international partners to expand access to specialised treatment for vulnerable patients.

The long-held dreams of Songosongo island residents in Kilwa District, Lindi Region, to secure reliable transport will finally materialise following the commencement of a modern ferry construction project designed to provide safe travel and boost the local economy.

The Sh5.7 billion ferry, fully funded by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, is being constructed by the contractor Qiro Group Ltd.

Speaking on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, during the project’s official launch at the Malindi port slipway in the Urban West Region of Unguja, Lindi Regional Commissioner Zainab Telack said the ferry would bring immense relief to the islanders who have long endured severe transport hurdles.

She noted that despite the island’s critical importance to the national economy, driven by its natural gas reserves and luxury tourist hotels, transportation has remained perilously unreliable, with residents sometimes getting lost at sea while using makeshift vessels.

“This island is vital to our economy; it produces substantial natural gas and serves as a premium tourism destination boasting large hotels. Until now, our tourists have strictly relied on air travel,” Ms Telack stated.

“We are now confident that this modern ferry will offer tourists an alternative, safe route to explore our country. Tourism drives our economy. Therefore, alongside providing safe transit for Songosongo residents, we are unlocking the doors to accessible tourism on these islands, which will ultimately boost the economy for both the citizens and the nation at large,” said the regional commissioner.

Songosongo Ward councillor Hassan Mbai said the island’s 5,600 residents feel as though they have been reborn, noting that since independence in 1961, they have relied on highly unreliable and dangerous maritime transport.

“To tell the truth, if we were not in paradise, then we must be near its gates. God has miraculously protected us all these years, even though our local ferries were incredibly unsafe,” Mr Mbai reflected.

He added that the dire transport situation forced government experts and institutional officials to execute local projects remotely via phone calls, as reaching the island was considered too hazardous.

“On behalf of the residents of Songosongo and Kilwa, we are overjoyed today. We firmly believe our travel safety will drastically improve once this modern vessel is completed,” he said.

For his part, acting TPDC executive director, Mr Francis Mwakapalila noted that the corporation deeply recognises the immense economic and strategic contributions of Songosongo island through its continuous natural gas production.

“Consequently, this investment forms a core part of our CSR strategy to uplift the welfare and living standards of the communities surrounding our project areas,” said Mr Mwakapalila.

He revealed that TPDC allocated Sh5.76 billion for the project, with 100 percent of the funding derived from the corporation’s effective internal revenue management, ensuring that national energy resources directly benefit the citizens.

Furthermore, the Director of Ferries at the Tanzania Electrical and Mechanical Services Agency (Temesa), Mr Lukombe King’ombe, noted that alongside the Songosongo project, the agency is managing the construction of six other similar vessels to serve various regions across Mainland Tanzania.

“We are currently constructing a new ferry for the Mafia-Nyamisati route, which will serve as the second operational vessel there. Additionally, we are building five other ferries designated to serve communities across Lake Victoria,” explained Mr King’ombe.

A consulting engineer from the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI), Mr Lazaro Isaac, detailed that the new ferry will measure 28.8 metres in length and 8 metres in width.

It will boast the capacity to carry 54 seated passengers, two small vehicles, and an estimated 10 tonnes of general cargo.

He noted that the eight-month project commenced following an advance payment of Sh1.5 billion on June 16, 2024.

Execution has currently reached 31 percent, and the contractor is expected to complete the vessel by February 2027, as per the contract.

Wrapping up the launch, Qiro Group Ltd managing director, Mr Yang Hao, popularly known locally as ‘Makame Mchina’, assured stakeholders that his company is fully committed to delivering the ferry on schedule while strictly adhering to all stipulated quality and safety requirements.

More than Sh2.2 billion has been raised to support life-saving kidney treatment and bone marrow transplants for underprivileged patients at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, exceeding the Sh1.5 billion target set by organisers.

The fundraising gala, organised by the Women’s Wing of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, popularly known by its Kiswahili abbreviation as UWT, is part of efforts to help the hospital mobilise Sh7 billion to finance specialised treatment for patients who cannot afford the high cost of care.

Cash donations and pledges pushed the total collection beyond the target, with the President’s Office contributing Sh50 million and the Prime Minister’s Office donating Sh30 million.

Benjamin Mkapa Hospital executive director Prof Abel Makubi said the funds would help address a growing backlog of patients requiring specialised treatment.

He said 50 children are waiting for bone marrow transplants, while another 50 patients are awaiting kidney treatment.

According to Prof Makubi, a bone marrow transplant costs Sh75 million per child, requiring Sh3.75 billion to treat the 50 children. Kidney treatment costs Sh40 million per patient, bringing the total for the 50 patients to Sh2 billion. Altogether, the hospital requires Sh5.75 billion to treat the 100 patients.

He said although the procedures are highly specialised, they are significantly cheaper than seeking treatment abroad.

Prof Makubi added that Benjamin Mkapa Hospital has increasingly become a referral centre for neighbouring countries, citing recent treatment of children from Burundi with heart conditions.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba urged Tanzanians to embrace a culture of giving to support healthcare services and help patients who cannot afford.

“Tanzania must reach a point where it becomes a referral destination for other countries, with patients coming here for treatment. But first, we need our own people to enjoy good health. I urge everyone to contribute because these donations will help save lives,” he said.

UWT chairperson Mary Chatanda said the fundraiser was launched after the organisation recognised the urgent need for financial support for patients requiring specialised treatment.

“A child requiring a bone marrow transplant would cost about Sh120 million if treated abroad, compared with Sh75 million in Tanzania. Kidney treatment abroad would cost around Sh90 million per patient. When we saw this, we felt compelled to act,” she said.

Ms Chatanda said UWT would continue the fundraising drive by engaging local and international partners to expand access to specialised treatment for vulnerable patients.

Plastic waste that would otherwise end up polluting rivers and the ocean is being transformed into economic opportunities for young Tanzanians, following an initiative that has seen 120 students convert discarded materials into marketable products through innovation and recycling.

The students, drawn from eight primary and secondary schools in Dar es Salaam and Lindi regions, displayed chairs, decorative items and other practical products made from recycled plastic waste, illustrating how environmental conservation can go hand in hand with youth employment and entrepreneurship.

The Tanzania Civil Society Forum on Climate Change (FORUMCC) says the initiative demonstrates that addressing plastic pollution can simultaneously create sustainable livelihoods for young people.

Speaking during an awards ceremony held in Dar es Salaam on July 17, 2026, FORUMCC Executive Director Sarah Ngoy said the programme was intended to inspire students to view recycling not only as an environmental solution but also as a viable economic opportunity.

‘Our objective was not only to teach young people about environmental conservation. We want them to see recycling as a viable livelihood and a pathway to self-employment after completing their studies. Schools can also develop income-generating projects from these innovations,’ she said.

Ms Ngoy said participants first received training on the impact of plastic pollution on rivers, coastal areas and marine ecosystems before developing innovative ideas that were later converted into products with commercial value.

She noted that the initiative had shown how materials commonly regarded as waste could instead become valuable economic resources.

‘We want young people to understand that environmental innovation is not just about protecting nature. It can also create jobs, generate income and support community development,’ she said.

The competition was organised under the Bahari Yetu (Our Ocean) project, funded by the European Union and coordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in collaboration with WWF, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

According to Ms Ngoy, the project aims to strengthen the conservation of Tanzania’s coastal and marine ecosystems by improving marine resource management, encouraging community participation in conservation efforts and reducing plastic pollution.

She added that FORUMCC has also been implementing public awareness campaigns and supporting the development of plastic waste management strategies in Kinondoni, Ilala, Temeke and Mafia districts.

Former Ilala Mayor and Vingunguti Ward Councillor Omary Kumbilamoto commended the students for demonstrating that waste can be transformed into a valuable resource.

‘You have shown that plastic waste is not merely rubbish. It can be transformed into valuable products and become a source of income. This is how we build a generation that protects the environment while creating its own economic opportunities,’ he said.

He urged the students to continue promoting recycling within their schools and communities, stressing that wider public participation would be essential in reducing indiscriminate plastic disposal.

‘Do not let this initiative end with the competition. Continue educating your peers and communities that protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility,’ he said.

Meanwhile, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Tanzania National Partnership Manager for Action Against Plastic Pollution, Flavian Mgeni, announced that Kilindoni Primary School in Mafia District emerged as the overall winner among the eight participating schools.

Kitomondo Secondary School finished second, followed by Ilala Primary School in third place and Mtongani Secondary School in fourth.

The remaining positions were taken by Juhudi Secondary School, Kibasila Secondary School, Mbweni Teta Secondary School and Kitomondo Secondary School.

The participating students exhibited a wide range of products made from recycled plastic waste and used cardboard, including chairs, decorative items and household products, showcasing the potential of recycling to reduce pollution while creating economic opportunities for young people.

Tanzania’s athletes heading to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, have been challenged to return home with medals as the country targets a strong showing at one of the world’s biggest multi-sport competitions.

The call was made yesterday by National Sports Council (NSC) secretary general Neema Msitha during the official flag handover ceremony held in Dar es Salaam.

Msitha said the government had fulfilled its responsibility by providing the team with the required support, including funding training camps, allowances and travel tickets, and now the responsibility had shifted to the athletes to deliver results on the international stage.

She reminded the athletes that they carry the hopes of Tanzanians, who expect them to justify the investment made in their preparations by producing impressive performances in Glasgow.

‘The government has done its part by ensuring that you receive all the support needed, including training camps, allowances and tickets.

The remaining responsibility is now with you as athletes to go out there and do your best for the nation,’ said Msitha. ‘You must understand that you have a debt to Tanzanians. People will be following your performance and expecting good results. Go to Scotland with confidence, compete with determination and fight for medals.’

Msitha also urged the athletes to maintain discipline, focus and commitment throughout the Games, saying representing Tanzania at such a prestigious event was a great honour.

‘Tanzania is not going there just to participate. We want to see our athletes compete strongly and show the world what we are capable of achieving,’ she added. Tanzania will be represented by a 12-member squad in Glasgow, comprising six athletes in athletics, three amateur boxers, two judokas and one swimmer.

The athletics team features Cecilia Panga, who will compete in the women’s 5,000m and 10,000m races, Hamida Nassoro in the 1,500m and 5,000m events, and sprinter Winfrida Makenji in the 100m and 200m races. The men’s athletics team includes Daniel Sinda in the mile race, Benjamin Fernandi Ratsim in the 10,000m, and Josephat Gisemo, who will compete in both the 5,000m and 10,000m races.In boxing, Yusuf Changarawe (80kg), Fai Issa Faki (55kg) and Zawadi Amos Kutaka (women’s 57kg) will represent Tanzania, while the judo team consists of Andrew Thomas Mlugu (81kg) and Ibrahim Mohamed Hamis (60kg). Swimmer Collins Saliboko, who competed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, will lead the team as captain and is currently training in South Africa under coach Kanisi Mabena.

Saliboko said the athletes understand the expectations placed on them and are ready to make the country proud.

‘We know Tanzanians are expecting good results from us. We have prepared well and we are ready to compete at the highest level,’ he said.

Head of delegation Henry Tandau said the team will depart on July 21, ahead of the Games scheduled from July 23 to August 2.

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will bring together around 3,000 athletes from 74 Commonwealth teams, with 215 medal events set to be contested across 10 sports.