Category: The Citizen

In my previous personal commentary published on May 25, 2026, titled “Can the Samia-Ruto $1 billion target finally break the structural wall?” I discussed the positive momentum generated by diplomatic engagements between our regional heads of state.

In that analysis, I highlighted the shared commitment of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and President William Ruto of Kenya to address long-standing trade blocks and target an ambitious $1 billion bilateral trade volume. Recently, I became keen to learn what progress has been made against the June 30th deadline for the Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) milestone. My research confirms some key positives.

Today, the early phases of that cooperation are yielding measurable operational shifts. According to data tracked by the East African Business Council, the cross-border business landscape has seen streamlined customs processes, easing trade lanes for over 300 registered companies across 49 key product categories such as iron, steel, cement, and furniture.

At major physical border posts like Namanga and Holili, joint administrative efforts have successfully reduced cargo dwelling times by over 60 percent, bringing clearance windows down to a matter of hours.

From a banking perspective, however, observing this physical infrastructure optimisation is only part of the equation. Long-term financial forecasting requires evaluating how these agreements interact with domestic fiscal frameworks.

While physical border checkpoints are operating with increased efficiency, the region’s current fiscal budget cycles are introducing new operational variables through national tax legislations.

This dynamic represents a broader regional trend where member states balance community-wide treaties with domestic revenue requirements. Following high-level discussions on trade barriers, East African Community (EAC) member states frequently update their national budget frameworks with fiscal measures designed to manage internal markets.

Consider these recent policy adjustments:

Kenya has introduced fiscal updates affecting regional trade, including a 35 percent excise duty on imported glass bottles and adjusted tariffs on furniture imports.

Uganda has expanded its sensitive products framework, applying import duties ranging from 36 percent to 60 percent on certain processed foods, household consumables, and building materials from neighbouring states.

Tanzania has similarly instituted targeted measures, adjusting local duties to 35 percent on imported doors, windows, and ceramic tiles to support local industrial capacity.

For the trade finance sector, these fluctuating tax models introduce vital parameters for credit risk evaluation. When a financial institution structures a capital expenditure loan for an agribusiness or manufacturing client, repayment models depend heavily on predictable market access and stable cash margins.

A sudden shift in import or export tariffs via a domestic Finance Act can compress a borrower’s net income, directly affecting their debt-burden ratio (DBR).

If trade cycles slow down due to cross-border tariff adjustments, healthy business accounts may experience liquidity pressures that increase the risk of non-repayment of credit obligations.

As commercial banks expand their cross-border participation across the EAC market, prudent risk underwriting must look beyond historical financial statements. Risk matrices must proactively stress-test corporate loan books against ongoing national regulatory and fiscal volatility.

While top-level political goodwill remains clear, the structural alignment of individual national tax legislations with regional treaties is an evolving process.

Until these frameworks reach complete synchronization, financial institutions must serve as proactive watchmen of cross-border risk. The trade gates may be swinging open at the physical borders, but on bank balance sheets, proper risk guardrails must remain an operational priority.

Edditrice Marco is the Senior Regional Manager at Stanbic Bank, Tanzania. The views expressed in this article belong solely to the author and do not reflect any position of her employer.

Security at a football stadium goes beyond checking supporters’ tickets and ensuring a match starts on time.

Under sports safety laws, regulations and guidelines, competition organisers, stadium managers and football authorities have a responsibility to create an environment that protects players, referees, officials, supporters and other people involved in the game.

Parliament on Friday unanimously approved Deogratius Ndejembi as Tanzania’s new Vice President, with all 324 lawmakers who voted backing his appointment.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan nominated Mr Ndejembi to succeed Emmanuel Nchimbi, who resigned from the position on August 25, 2026.

The approval was conducted in Parliament in Dodoma, with 324 MPs voting in favour. There were no votes against or spoilt ballots. In his acceptance speech after the vote, Mr Ndejembi said his performance would not be measured by his age, but by his loyalty to President Hassan, integrity in serving Tanzanians and commitment to carrying out assignments given to him by the Head of State.

‘I will strive, with great humility, to help the President serve as a link to all Tanzanians, according to her wishes, because I work under President Samia Suluhu Hassan,’ he said.

Mr Ndejembi said his appointment demonstrated CCM’s commitment to nurturing young people to take up leadership roles in the country.

He said he was born and raised within CCM, where he had held various positions before joining the Government.

He pledged to serve all Tanzanians regardless of their political affiliation, saying the Vice President’s office was not exclusively for CCM members.

Mr Ndejembi also thanked Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba for mentoring him while he served under him and pledged to work closely with him.

He further promised to remain accessible to residents of Chamwino, whom he represents in Parliament, and called for unity to ensure Tanzanians benefit from Government development projects.

His elevation to the position of Vice President means that a by-election will have to be conducted to fill the vacant post a lagislator for Chamwino Constituency.

Tanzania’s U-20 women’s national team, the Tanzanites Queens, will face the United States in a World Cup build-up match in Poland on September 1, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) national teams director Almas Kasongo has said.

The match will provide coach Bakari Shime’s side with an important final test ahead of their historic appearance at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which kicks off in Poland on September 5.

Kasongo said the technical bench had planned to secure two international build-up matches before the tournament, but only the United States fixture had so far been confirmed.

Related’We had planned to play two matches before the World Cup, but we are still looking for the second opponent,’ said Kasongo. The Tanzanites Queens left the country yesterday for Poland, where they will complete their final preparations before beginning their Group B campaign.

Their participation marks Tanzania’s debut at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, with the country among six nations making their first appearance at the tournament. FIFA has confirmed that the competition will run from September 5 to 27 across four Polish cities. Tanzania face a demanding Group B campaign, having been drawn alongside former champions Brazil, Canada and England.

They will open their campaign against Brazil on September 5 at Bielsko-Biala Stadium before facing England three days later. Their final group match will be against Canada on September 11.

The United States, meanwhile, are in Group D alongside Japan, New Zealand and Italy. The Americans have won the U-20 Women’s World Cup three times, in 2002, 2008 and 2012, making them one of the tournament’s most experienced sides.

For Shime’s team, the September 1 encounter should provide valuable exposure against a side accustomed to competing at the highest level of youth women’s football.

The Tanzanites Queens qualified for the tournament after overcoming Cameroon in the final round of the African qualifiers. FIFA described Tanzania as a physically strong and well-prepared side during the qualifying campaign, highlighting the team’s progress ahead of their maiden World Cup appearance.

The timing of the United States match is also significant because Tanzania will have only four days between the friendly and their opening World Cup fixture against Brazil. The technical team will therefore be expected to use the game to assess the players’ readiness, work on tactical organisation and give the squad valuable experience of the conditions in Poland.

The tournament itself will feature 24 teams, with the top two sides from each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 16.

For Tanzania, the immediate focus is now on using the final days of preparation effectively as the Tanzanites Queens prepare to make history on the global stage.

Wearable art adds to the layers of what Zanzibar has become famous for, besides the pristine beaches, spices, and coral reefs. A necklace, earrings, headpieces, and body ornaments have become synonymous with the piece of Zanzibar that a tourist can physically take as a reminder of the Island.

A reminder that carries the tales of the archipelago long after the tourist has walked away from the white-sand beaches. Shiko Onyango is one of the artists making wearable art on the island.

Tanzania’s property sector is set to gain a new regional platform bringing together developers, investors, banks, regulators and professional service providers as the country seeks to unlock investment and address persistent housing and land-market challenges.

The inaugural Tanzania Real Estate Expo and Forum (TAREX) will be held from November 20 to 22 at the Superdome in Masaki, Dar es Salaam, featuring a three-day property exhibition and a two-day industry forum.

Developers from Tanzania Mainland, Zanzibar and Kenya are expected to participate, giving prospective buyers and investors an opportunity to compare residential and commercial developments while engaging directly with financiers and professional advisers.

TAREX Director Murtaza Ebrahim said the initiative seeks to bring together stakeholders across the property value chain and create opportunities for investment and collaboration.

‘TAREX is about bringing the real estate sector together. We want developers, investors, financial institutions, professionals and other stakeholders to have a platform where they can meet, showcase what they are doing, discuss the challenges facing the sector and, importantly, identify opportunities,’ he said.

The event comes as Dar es Salaam grapples with rapid urbanisation and rising demand for housing, commercial property and industrial facilities.

Mr Ebrahim said the city faced an estimated shortage of about three million housing units in areas around the central business district, while significant opportunities remained in industrial warehousing and Special Economic Zones.

The forum will therefore focus not only on property developments but also on structural constraints affecting the sector, including access to finance, land disputes, taxation, regulation, construction, technology and market pricing.

Access to finance is expected to be among the key issues discussed, with commercial banks set to engage developers and prospective buyers.

Mr Ebrahim said participating lenders would use a digital pre-vetting system through the TAREX platform to assess potential borrowers.

One of the proposed changes is to allow the property being purchased to serve as collateral, reducing the need for buyers to provide separate assets as security.

The approach could widen access to property finance for middle-income households and investors who have regular incomes but lack substantial alternative collateral.

The initiative also seeks to improve confidence in the property market by screening developers before they participate in the exhibition.

Mr Ebrahim said the verification process was intended to reduce the risk of buyers dealing with fraudulent or unverified property sellers.

‘TAREX is not merely about selling exhibition space; it is about building a secure, trusted environment for real estate investment,’ he said.

Property prices are another issue likely to attract attention, particularly amid concerns that homes and other properties in major urban centres are becoming increasingly unaffordable.

Deo Masawe, representing the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), said the solution lay in greater market transparency rather than government-imposed price ceilings.

‘In a free market, you cannot simply impose a ceiling on prices,’ he said.

Mr Masawe said accurate market information would enable buyers and sellers to negotiate based on factors such as location, quality, demand and prevailing market conditions.

Land ownership disputes and property fraud will also feature in the discussions.

Mr Masawe said conflicts often arose either from dishonest sellers or buyers failing to conduct proper due diligence before purchasing land or property.

Representatives from the Ministry of Lands and the Tanganyika Law Society are expected to provide guidance on title searches, ownership verification and other legal procedures.

TPSF also plans to use the forum to push for practical policy changes.

Issues raised during the discussions will be compiled into a policy document for submission to senior government officials, potentially providing a channel for private-sector recommendations on regulation, taxation, land administration, financing and other constraints.

Prof Kitila Mkumbo has been invited to serve as guest of honour, while organisers have requested Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila to officially open the forum.

Beyond Tanzania, speakers and experts from Kenya and Uganda are expected to contribute to discussions on property investment, construction, finance, technology and the future of the East African real estate market.

The executive forum will be limited to 450 participants, while the exhibition will be open to the public.

Mr Ebrahim said participation by developers from Tanzania, Zanzibar and Kenya would allow investors to assess opportunities across the three markets.

‘Someone interested in real estate will be able to come to one place, see different developments and understand the opportunities that are available for investment,’ he said.

The organisers aim to establish TAREX as an annual platform linking property investment with finance, regulation, professional services, technology and innovation.

A friend once told me about a story he read in a book. He couldn’t remember the title, but honestly, the story stayed with me….

So, there was this family: Mum, Dad and their 12-year-old son.

One day, the boy comes sprinting into the sitting room looking terrified.

‘Mum! Dad! There is a dragon in my room. Under my bed!’

Now, any reasonable parent would probably grab a torch, a broom, maybe a slipper for backup and go and investigate.

But these parents?

They looked at each other and basically said, ‘Please.’

‘That cannot be. This is a safe house. There are no dragons here. Go back to sleep.’

Excuse me? Sir. Madam.

Your child has just reported a dragon and your response is ‘go to sleep’?

At least check under the bed! But no.

The boy goes back to his room. And the dragon stays.

The boy tries to tell them again.

They dismiss him. Again.

They dismiss him. Apparently, the parents had decided that if they didn’t acknowledge the dragon, the dragon would get the hint and leave.

Unfortunately, dragons do not work like that.

The dragon kept growing.And growing. And growing.

Meanwhile, Mum and Dad were busy living their best lives, convinced that everything was perfectly fine because, according to them, ‘This is a safe house.’

Then one day, the dragon had grown so big that it broke through the house.

And guess what?

The parents were eaten.

The boy?

He escaped.

Because eventually he realised something very important:

If the people in the house refuse to deal with the problem, you better find the exit.

When someone says, ‘There is a problem.’

We say, ‘No, there isn’t.’

They say, ‘But I can see it.’

We say, ‘You’re imagining things.’

They say, ‘Something needs to be done.’

We say, ‘Stop creating unnecessary drama.’

And everybody goes back to scrolling.

Meanwhile, the dragon is eating protein, going to the gym and getting bigger.

By the time we finally admit there is a problem, the problem has upgraded from a small inconvenience to a full-blown monster with its own postcode.

And that is the danger of denial.

Sometimes the person who notices the problem first is the person we least expect to listen to.

A child. A young person. A junior employee. A neighbour. Someone without a title.

Someone without power.

Someone who doesn’t have the ‘right’ credentials.

But being young does not make someone’s eyes defective.

Sometimes the person at the bottom can see what the people at the top cannot.

And no, that does not mean we should believe every ‘There is a dragon!’ announcement we hear.

People can misunderstand things. People can panic, people can exaggerat, people can also be confidently wrong. Very confidently wrong.

But there is a difference between questioning a warning and dismissing it.

You don’t have to believe the dragon is real.

Just look under the bed.That is the whole point.

Check. Investigate. Ask questions.

Because if there is nothing there, congratulations! Everybody can go back to sleep.

But if there is something there? Deal with it while it is still small.

Because problems, unlike wine, do not necessarily get better with age.

The 2026/2027 Mainland Tanzania Premier League enters another demanding round today, with three matches on the program, but all eyes will be on the KMC Complex where defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) face Pamba Jiji from 9pm.

On paper, the encounter appears heavily tilted in Yanga’s favour. In reality, it presents coach Manqoba Mngqithi with another opportunity to prove that his side can maintain its intensity while dealing with opponents who are likely to sit deep and defend in numbers.

Peter Cullen, the legendary Canadian voice actor best known for giving life to Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise, has died at the age of 85. Cullen died on August 26, 2026, at his home in Los Angeles, according to his agent. His cause of death has not been disclosed.

Cullen’s career spanned more than six decades, but his deep, commanding voice became inseparable from Optimus Prime. He first voiced the heroic Autobot leader in the original Transformers animated series in 1984 and later returned to the character for numerous animated projects, video games and the live-action movie franchise, including Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023.

Beyond Transformers, Cullen was also beloved as Eeyore, the gloomy but lovable donkey from Winnie the Pooh. He voiced the character across several television shows, films and other projects, demonstrating his remarkable range as a performer.

His other notable work included providing the voice and vocal effects for The Predator in the 1987 film Predator, voicing KARR in Knight Rider, and appearing in animated productions such as DuckTales, G.I. Joe and Voltron. He also provided the iconic roar of King Kong in the 1976 King Kong film.

Cullen’s contribution to animation and voice acting earned him a lifetime achievement award in 2023. For generations of fans, however, his greatest legacy will remain the unmistakable voice of Optimus Prime a voice associated with courage, leadership and compassion.

Tanzanian businesses importing from China can now pay suppliers directly from their Tanzanian shilling accounts in Chinese yuan, eliminating the need to first convert funds into US dollars.

The payment solution was showcased at a Tanzania-China business forum hosted by Stanbic Bank Tanzania at Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

The forum brought together Tanzanian traders, Chinese business representatives, government agencies and trade institutions to discuss opportunities for strengthening trade and investment between the two markets. The direct shilling-to-yuan payment solution, launched on August 12, makes Stanbic the first bank in Tanzania to enable customers to pay Chinese suppliers directly from a shilling account and receive payments from China through the same route.

The service is enabled through the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS). By eliminating the need to convert shillings into US dollars before converting to yuan, the solution removes one currency conversion and reduces the number of parties involved in a transaction.

Eligible transactions can settle within minutes, subject to normal banking requirements and operating hours.

For traders, the service is expected to address some of the challenges associated with exchange-rate movements and informal payment arrangements.

Dar es Salaam businesswoman Lulu Kheri, who has imported goods from China for several years, said exchange-rate fluctuations and informal payment arrangements had affected traders’ costs and profit margins.

‘We traders look at the rate because we look at profit. Someone can quote you one rate in the morning and by midday the rate has changed. Sometimes you take a lower informal rate and then you are left worrying whether the money will reach your supplier. Many traders have lost money that way,’ Ms Kheri said.

She said the direct shilling-to-yuan solution offered traders a simpler and more predictable formal payment route.

‘What matters to us is the rate, the cost and knowing the supplier will be paid. If I can put my shillings into my Stanbic account and the Chinese supplier gets paid without an additional transfer charge, that speaks directly to the needs of traders,’ she said.

‘When money is being reduced at every stage of a transaction, eventually it affects your profit.’

Stanbic Bank Tanzania Head of Business and Commercial Banking Fredrick Max said the new payment route addressed a longstanding challenge for businesses trading with China.

‘For businesses trading with China, the payment process has traditionally involved converting shillings into US dollars and then into yuan. Our direct shilling-to-yuan solution removes that extra step, helping customers save time, manage costs and transact more efficiently,’ Mr Max said.

He said direct settlement also gave businesses greater control over foreign exchange planning while reducing reliance on informal money-changing arrangements, cash handling and unnecessary travel to make payments.

Stanbic will charge no transfer fee on direct yuan payments through December 31, 2026.

Mr Max said the bank’s ambition extended beyond facilitating payments.

Stanbic is part of Standard Bank Group, which has a strategic relationship with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). Through the network, the bank helps Tanzanian businesses identify credible suppliers, establish direct commercial relationships in China and access Chinese buyers, including through platforms such as the China International Import Expo.

‘We want to do more than move money to China. We want to help Tanzanian businesses build the right connections, find credible suppliers and reach new buyers for Tanzanian products,’ he said.

The theme was also explored during a panel discussion titled ‘Fursa Kati ya Soko la Tanzania na China’, or Opportunities in the Tanzania-China Market, which examined how traders, exporters and investors could use the payment solution alongside existing trade and investment support.

Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) Head of China Desk Alfred Ngelula said reducing the cost of moving capital between yuan and shillings would strengthen Tanzania’s proposition to Chinese investors.

‘When an investor brings capital in yuan, it has traditionally had to pass through the dollar before becoming shillings. Take away that additional cost and you reduce the cost of investing,’ Mr Ngelula said.

‘That is important for an investor because it improves competitiveness and gives us another strong reason to tell Chinese investors that Tanzania is the right place to invest.’

Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) senior trade officer Benson Nkini said Tanzania should use its growing relationship with China to increase exports while placing greater emphasis on locally processed products.

‘We buy from China, but we also want to sell so that we improve the balance of trade,’ Mr Nkini said.

‘We do not want to see our crops exported mainly in raw form. When we export raw products, we lose income, jobs and the value from by-products. We want to see more finished products carrying the Made in Tanzania mark reaching international markets.’

Stanbic Bank Tanzania Head of Trade Anthony Kimambo said the scale of trade with China underlined the importance of making payments simpler and more efficient.

‘For every 10,000 shillings Tanzania spends importing goods, about 3,000 shillings goes to China. That is not a small trading partner,’ Mr Kimambo said.

‘CIPS gives our customers a more direct bank-to-bank payment route into China by removing the need for the transaction to first pass through the US dollar.’

He said Stanbic’s role extended beyond facilitating payments, including helping Tanzanian businesses establish direct links with Chinese manufacturers.

‘We connect customers directly with manufacturers in China, including the factories themselves rather than relying only on middlemen. A customer provides the specifications and agrees the commercial terms, and we help strengthen the link between the two parties,’ Mr Kimambo said.

‘On the exporter side, we also support businesses so that when they send their goods, they have greater confidence around how they will be paid.’

Stanbic has taken Tanzanian customers to the China International Import Expo for four consecutive years. The next expo is scheduled for November 2026, with registration closing in October.

The event will provide Tanzanian businesses with an opportunity to engage Chinese buyers, manufacturers and potential commercial partners.

Businesses can access the direct shilling-to-yuan payment service at any Stanbic Bank Tanzania branch. Existing customers can also transact through the bank’s digital channels after completing the required documentation and regulatory processes.