Category: The Citizen

The agreement was reached during a Tripartite Commission meeting in Lubumbashi, where Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Ayoub Mohammed Mahmoud said the exercise would prioritise the safety, dignity and voluntary choice of refugees.

vMr Mahmoud said Tanzania would neither encourage nor pressure refugees to return to the DRC, insisting that those choosing to go back must do so freely and through an orderly process.

‘Tanzania will continue to ensure that refugees who decide to return to their country do so voluntarily, while the repatriation process takes into account their safety and dignity,’ he said.

He said refugees who were not yet ready to return would continue receiving protection and assistance at Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Kigoma Region, subject to available resources.

Mr Mahmoud said the start of the voluntary repatriation programme would not affect Tanzania’s commitment to receiving new asylum seekers fleeing insecurity in parts of the DRC.

The agreement comes as Tanzania, the DRC and UNHCR seek to facilitate safe and dignified returns while ensuring continued protection for refugees who remain unable to return home.

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.

When President Samia Suluhu Hassan switched on the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project in Rufiji last weekend, most coverage fixed on the obvious number: 2,115 megawatts, nine turbines inside a dam wall over a kilometre long, a Sh7.45 trillion price tag, roughly $2.9 billion, funded entirely from the government’s own domestic budget rather than a foreign loan.

That matters, but it is not the number that should shape a Tanzanian investment decision. The number that matters is smaller, and far less flattering for a press release: which substation, on which line, is your project actually connected to.

Start with the financing, because it deserves the credit it is getting. The Sh7.11 trillion paid to contractors came from treasury allocations, not a loan or a multilateral facility with conditions attached.

No sovereign loan and no foreign guarantee sit on the government’s books for this dam. The Egyptian contractor’s own financing is separate: Elsewedy Electric and Arab Contractors drew on a $500 million Afreximbank facility in 2023, their arrangement, not Tanzania’s sovereign debt.

For a country defending its fiscal discipline to rating agencies this year, that distinction is the whole point. Still, this may not a repeatable model.

The part that determines whether this dam changes anything for the investor across the table is that generation capacity is not the same asset as delivered capacity.

Tanzania’s own transmission planners have said the network needs to roughly double before the grid can absorb what Rufiji now produces. The 400kV Chalinze-Dodoma line is complete and live; the Chalinze-Mkuranga-Kisarawe line and the Ibadakuli upgrade in Shinyanga are not.

That is the difference between a site that can draw on this power today and one still waiting on a wire. National capacity headlines flatten that distinction and corridors do not.

This is the diligence question I press on every industrial client before we get near a term sheet, and it is not one most legal opinions are built to ask.

A lawyer reviews the power purchase agreement, tariff, term, force majeure, termination rights, correctly and necessarily. What it will not tell you is whether the corridor feeding your site has the headroom to deliver, or whether you are buying paper capacity on a line still queued for an upgrade with no completion date.

That is a market intelligence question before it is a legal one, and it belongs inside the deal structure: conditions precedent tied to transmission completion dates, captive backup generation clauses for corridors still in preparation. A beautifully drafted PPA on an undelivered line is not an asset. It is a liability with a signature on it.

The same logic scales up regionally, where Tanzania now sits on a genuine surplus, roughly 2,375 megawatts once peak demand of 2,271 is netted against installed capacity of 4,646. A power purchase agreement with Zambia for 1,000 megawatts is concluded, and talks are underway with Kenya and the DRC.

Economist Zitto Kabwe’s estimate of over a billion dollars a year in forex dovetails with the trade and minerals corridor Tanzania and the DRC agreed to deepen in Zanzibar this month.

Every cross-border agreement, though, lives or dies on the same physical question: which interconnector, on what redundancy, exposed to whose currency and grid stability.

None of this should overshadow what the project survived to get built. The dam sits inside what was, until 2019, the northern section of Selous Game Reserve, since renamed Nyerere National Park; UNESCO’s own listing still runs under the Selous name.

In 2021 Tanzania spent real diplomatic capital persuading the World Heritage Committee not to strip that listing over the dam’s footprint in Stiegler’s Gorge and won. The ESG lens investors apply to infrastructure has only sharpened since, and one win does not exempt the next project in the Rufiji basin.

So here is the honest read: not the ribbon-cutting version: Tanzania has proved it can finance and deliver infrastructure at genuine scale on its own terms, buying real credibility with lenders it has not yet had to spend.

What it has not proved is that the surplus reaches the people meant to pay for it, at home, before it is sold abroad. Ask which corridor your project sits on. Everything else follows from that answer.

Her Excellency, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, officially inaugurated the 2,115-megawatt Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant on August 22, 2026, in the Rufiji District of the Coast Region.

This was a moment for all Tanzanians to jubilate, given the fact that this is a project, which has been mooted by various governments in the past, but which has always been seen as too daunting a task to undertake.

We now have the dam, ‘habemus dam’, it is time to rejoice and enjoy the fruits of this gargantuan piece of a power generation project. As a person interested in financing development infrastructure, I turned to finding out what the capital structure for this project was.

I expected to see terms like equity, syndication, concessional and commercial loans, hybrids, grants and so on, and how these were put together to finance the project. Nothing of the sort.

The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station was fully funded and owned by the Government of Tanzania through public domestic financing, costing an estimated total of $2.9 billion. The financing therefore, was entirely from internal revenue sources, mainly taxes; from the national budget’s development expenditure.

This is certainly a good case study for students and practitioners of financing infrastructure, that big projects can be accomplished using internal revenue. It is a case demonstrating that where there is determination, there is a way; where there is will, there is a dam.

The contractors for this dam were a joint venture of Egyptian firms, The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman and Co.) and Elsewedy Electric. The contract type was what is known as Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract. It was signed in December 2018. Hopefully, our engineers garnered a lot of experience therefrom.

The owner and operator for this project are the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO), the state-owned utility company, which is also the off taker.

Between rejoicing, however, we must remember that the dam needs looking after. Let us remember the Swahili adage of the old translated to mean that, once a child is born, one hard task stands accomplished; but there is a harder task of upbringing the newly-born.

Maintaining infrastructure is a big problem in African countries; a problem which drags back our development.

We see this in road infrastructure; and in buildings, in water and energy supply networks. Dams have their own particular problems, a good number of which are in the realm of engineering and it is thus, imperative to have a maintenance schedule.

There are structural and geotechnical issues to reckon with. Some are related to dam foundation stability: Massive weight and high-water pressure can cause sliding or seepage at the dam base or abutments, requiring complex grouting and drainage. Structural failure of dams is rare but if it does it can cause catastrophic flooding downstream, and engineers must always be on the look-out.

Some problems are related to slope stability, For example, surrounding reservoir hillsides can experience landslides when water levels fluctuate, risking sudden waves or blockage.

A major problem is what is known as sedimentation: Silt and sand carried by rivers erode turbine runners and fill up reservoir storage capacity, lowering plant efficiency and lifespan.

This was experienced in the past with regard to the Kidatu Hydroelectric power plant, when the reservoir capacity became smaller as a result of sedimentation which moreover contributed to higher levels of water evaporation, leading to serious inefficiency of the plant.

Dredging is possible, but it is very expensive, and sustainable steps need to be taken to reduce the flow of sediments from the rivers that feed the dam.

Dams also face operational and environmental constraints like hydrological variability when extended droughts or seasonal low-flow periods drastically reduce power generation capacity. On the other hand, too much water may taunt the capacity of the dam, leading to jettisoning some of the water, which can lead to floods downstream.

Dams also cause ecosystem disruption when they block fish migration and alter downstream river morphology, requiring expensive engineering fixes like fish ladders.

Those who are old enough may remember the saga caused by the Kihansi hydroelectric power station, constructed between 1995 and 2000. The dam reduced natural river flow, threatening the endemic Kihansi spray toad.

This led to artificial sprinkler systems to mimic the natural mist spray habitat for conservation. Some of the toads were taken abroad for breeding, to save the species.

In most cases, dams create artificial lakes which displace communities, settlements forests, agricultural lands and natural eco-systems.

Stagnant reservoir water creates breeding grounds that may facilitate the spread of certain ailments. On the other hand, reservoirs offer opportunities for economic activities such as fishing and irrigation.

Hydroelectric power plants are a major source of renewable energy, but they also have problems and challenges, which our engineers and other related experts always need to keep in mind. In particular, is the question of regular maintenance.

For years, cash has been at the centre of everyday transactions in Zanzibar. From paying for a bus ride and buying food at a neighbourhood shop to settling bills and sending money to family, notes and coins have remained a familiar part of daily life. But a quiet shift is taking place.

Increasingly, some of those transactions are moving from physical cash to mobile phones, digital wallets and smart cards, bringing cashless payments closer to the everyday routines of ordinary consumers.

One of the clearest examples is now visible on Zanzibar’s roads, where the newly introduced electric bus service has brought with it a payment experience significantly different from the traditional daladala journey.

Instead of handing money to a conductor, passengers using the ZanBus electric buses pay through smart cards integrated with the Mixx by Yas digital payment platform. A passenger boards, taps or presents a card, the fare is deducted and the journey continues.

The new system is also becoming a real-life test of how quickly consumers can adapt to a cashless way of paying for an essential daily service.

The electric buses began commercial operations on August 1, 2026, following the launch of the first fleet of 15 buses.

The wider public transport project is expected to expand significantly, making the payment system an important part of Zanzibar’s broader transport and digital transformation agenda.

A different way to pay for the journey

Under the current fare structure, regular passengers on the new electric buses pay Sh700 per journey, while students and senior citizens aged 70 and above pay Sh350, or half the regular fare. The initial electric bus routes include Malindi-Buyu and Malindi-Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.

‘On the first day, it was challenging to use the system or where to get the cards but as time goes on, passengers are learning from one another, while I and the bus drivers are guiding the passengers,’ said electric bus conductor Rajab Mohammed.

While the technology for cashless payments is already available, consumers are still learning how to incorporate it into their routines.

The first phase consists of 15 electric buses, but Zanzibar’s ambitions extend far beyond that initial fleet.

Mobile money initially became popular largely because it offered a convenient alternative to physically carrying cash or travelling to a bank to send money to another person.

The next stage of digital finance is increasingly about direct payments for goods and services.

Unguja resident Maryam Abdallah shared how the change has affected her own household.

‘Since the services started, I cannot recall giving cash to my four children who use these buses daily to and from school,’ she said.

For small traders, restaurants, shops and other service providers, accepting digital payments can provide an alternative to handling cash throughout the day.

For financial service providers, growing digital activity can create opportunities to develop services around payments, savings, merchant solutions and other financial products.

‘We are proud to work with the government, institutions and the private sector to facilitate digital payments for a range of services that directly affect people’s daily lives,’ Mixx by Yas said in a comment to the development in Zanzibar.

The projects include parking payments under the Stone Town Municipal Authority, payments to clove farmers through the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC), as well as the payment of traffic fines.

The firm said Mixx has also enabled the Kikoba savings service in partnership with the Department of Cooperative Development, SOS Children’s Villages, Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation, as well as various civil society and community-based organisations.

‘These projects demonstrate how Mixx is going beyond payment services to build a broader digital financial services ecosystem that makes people’s lives easier, enhances transparency and the efficiency of collections, and brings more people into formal financial services,’ it said in a statement, adding that Zanzibar’s journey to digital economy is growing rapidly.

‘We see Zanzibar moving more rapidly towards a digital economy over the next five to 10 years. Mobile payments will continue to evolve from being an alternative means of payment to becoming an integral part of everyday life-from transport and commerce to government services, tourism, healthcare, education and financial services.’

‘At Mixx, we believe this future will be built through systems that connect citizens, businesses, government institutions and the private sector within a single digital payments ecosystem.

The goal is not simply to facilitate payments, but to create an environment where every citizen and business, including those that have not been fully reached by banking services, can easily access and use financial services.’

A new technology developed by a young Tanzanian innovator is helping smallholder farmers in Manyara Region make planting faster, more precise and potentially more productive.

The innovation offers a homegrown solution to some of the challenges that have increasingly been driving farmers to look beyond traditional methods.

Dubbed; SmartShamba Multi-Crop Planter, developed by young Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) graduate Ibrahim Meshack, the technology was among the exceptional showcased during the National Education, Skills and Innovation Week in Tanga.

Mr Meshack became among the five innovators selected for commercialization support from the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH).

At its core, SmartShamba is designed to address one of the most important stages of crop production: getting seeds into the ground accurately, on time and at the right spacing.

‘Our main goal is to increase crop production and enable farmers to increase their income. That is why we have continued to improve this machine so that it can operate efficiently, reduce planting time and reach more farmers,’ Mr Meshack told The Citizen.

The planter is designed to place seeds at uniform spacing and depth, helping improve germination and crop establishment. It can be used with Guta two-wheel tractors (power tillers), which are already widely used by smallholder farmers.

Its design also allows it to operate on sloping, uneven and moderately rough terrain, according to the product profile.

That matters in a country where access to large tractors remains beyond the reach of many small-scale farmers.

Mr Meshack said the machine has already moved beyond the prototype stage. ‘It has been tested on more than 50 acres and, since 2025, has been used to plant more than 150 acres. It can plant an acre in about 30 minutes, compared with roughly one and a half hours using a tractor under the conventional arrangement.’

The cost advantage is also significant. Mr Meshack estimates the cost of planting with SmartShamba at about Sh35,000 an acre, compared with over Sh60,000 using a tractor. He, however, is careful not to attribute higher yields to the machine alone.

Seed quality, rainfall, soil conditions, fertiliser and general farm management all influence production. In one trial cited by the innovator, a field planted with SmartShamba produced an average of 25 bags, while an area planted traditionally produced about eight bags under similar conditions.

According to experts, agriculture remains central to livelihoods, food security and the wider economy. Yet increasing productivity will require more than expanding cultivated land.

Farmers will need technologies that reduce production costs, improve efficiency and make better use of available inputs.

SmartShamba illustrates how that transition can begin from a problem identified on the farm rather than from technology looking for a problem to solve.

COSTECH’s support is intended to help innovations such as SmartShamba move along the difficult path from prototype to commercial product. Of 261 applicants for the programme, 34 reached the pitching stage and 12 passed it, with five ultimately selected for support. The assistance includes grants and technical support aimed at helping the innovations develop commercially.

COSTECH Director General Amos Nungu has repeatedly stressed the importance of taking innovations beyond ideas and into applications and markets.

‘Our role is to support innovators through incubation, capacity building and links with the private sector,’ he said, adding that the government’s current initiatives were also placing greater emphasis on turning youth innovations into companies, jobs and economic value.

That commercialisation pathway could be particularly important for agricultural technologies, said an Agritech expert, Ms Agness Mbowe. ‘An innovation can demonstrate that it works, but its wider impact depends on whether it can be produced at scale, sold at an affordable price, maintained locally and supported with the inputs farmers need.’

Meshack says there is already demand for SmartShamba, but increasing production remains a challenge.

‘We already have customers who need this product and we expect to continue selling to them as production increases. Our goal is to ensure SmartShamba reaches more farmers and helps increase their production,’ he said.

He also points to seed availability as another challenge. This highlights a broader reality: technology can solve one part of the agricultural value chain, but its full benefits depend on the strength of the wider system.

The Mainland Tanzania Premier League resumes today with two round four matches, as Simba seek to maintain their perfect start to the 2026/2027 campaign when they face struggling Coastal Union at Major General Isamuhyo Stadium.

The Msimbazi Street giants will kick off at 7pm, shortly after Mashujaa host Kagera Sugar at Lake Tanganyika Stadium in a 4pm encounter. The two matches present contrasting battles, with Simba looking to strengthen their position at the top while Coastal Union and Kagera Sugar fight to move away from the lower reaches of the table.

Simba go into the match in second place with nine points from three matches, having won all their games. Young Africans lead the table on the same number of points but have a superior goal difference of plus nine, compared with Simba’s plus four.

The Reds have also been efficient rather than spectacular, scoring six goals and conceding two. Their campaign began with a 2-0 victory over Kagera Sugar before they followed it with a 2-1 win against Pamba Jiji and another 2-1 success away to Singida Black Stars.

A fourth consecutive victory would therefore take Simba to 12 points and put further pressure on Yanga, who currently enjoy the advantage in goal difference. More importantly, it would underline Simba’s early title credentials under coach Steve Barker.

Barker has already stressed the importance of collecting maximum points if Simba are to remain among the leading sides.

‘Our goal is to get a lot of points in these games. We want to win our games and that will give us a good chance. This is a good start for us and we have to continue to build from here,’ said Barker.

The coach, however, will expect greater discipline from his players after three Simba players have been sent off in their opening three league matches.

David ‘Duchu’ Kameta was dismissed against Kagera Sugar, Ibraheem Jabaar saw red against Pamba Jiji, while Anthony Mligo became the third player to be sent off in the 2-1 victory over Singida Black Stars.

Coastal Union arrive in Dar es Salaam under pressure. They have collected just one point from three matches, leaving them 14th with a minus-four goal difference. They have conceded six goals while scoring only two.

The gulf in early-season form makes Simba favourites on paper, but Coastal Union’s position could make them particularly dangerous. A positive result would provide a significant lift to a side already struggling for consistency.

The recent head-to-head record also favours Simba, who have four wins and one draw in the last five meetings. Earlier at Lake Tanganyika Stadium, Mashujaa, ninth with three points, will meet Kagera Sugar, who sit 15th with one point. Mashujaa have won once and lost twice, while Kagera have drawn once and lost twice.

The wider table shows an early battle forming behind the leading pair. Azam and Polisi Tanzania have seven points each, while Geita Gold and Mbeya City have six.

With only three matches played by most teams, the standings remain tightly packed, meaning every point gained or dropped could quickly alter the picture. For Simba, however, the immediate objective is straightforward: beat Coastal Union, move to 12 points and keep the pressure on Yanga at the summit.

Patients suffering from prostate problems, kidney and bladder conditions, urinary tract diseases and severe erectile dysfunction will have an opportunity to access specialist treatment at cost-effective rates during a four-day urology camp.

The camp, scheduled for September 3 to 6, aims to reach about 300 patients and will bring together specialists from Aga Khan Hospital and Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad, India, in collaboration with Turlink Medical Tourism Agency.

A major focus of the camp will be new treatment options for men with enlarged prostates, using technologies known as Rezum water vapour therapy and Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP).

Both procedures are minimally invasive and are designed to treat prostate enlargement while allowing patients to recover more quickly, with recovery typically taking from a few days to about a week, depending on the individual and the procedure.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Aga Khan Hospital urologist Dr Husam Uddin said the camp would cater for patients with a range of urological conditions, including kidney and bladder diseases, urinary stones, male reproductive health problems, erectile dysfunction and some paediatric urology cases.

‘Globally, prostate cancer is a major health concern, particularly among men aged 50 and above. About two in every five men are affected, yet many tend to ignore the warning signs.

This camp will therefore provide an important opportunity for Tanzanians to access specialist treatment at an affordable cost,’ he said.

Doctors will also assess men suffering from severe erectile dysfunction, particularly those who have not responded to medication and may require penile implants.

He said particular attention would be given to prostate enlargement, a condition that can make it difficult for men to pass urine and may interfere with their daily lives.

One of the new treatment options to be offered is Rezum, a minimally invasive procedure that uses controlled water vapour to treat enlarged prostate tissue.

‘The treatment is minimally invasive and can be suitable for patients with moderately enlarged prostates.The body gradually absorbs the treated tissue, which can help relieve the patient’s symptoms, ‘he said.

For men with larger prostates, specialists will assess whether HoLEP, a laser-based procedure, is appropriate.

While Rezum uses steam to treat and reduce enlarged prostate tissue, HoLEP uses a laser to remove obstructing prostate tissue, helping improve the flow of urine.

Turlink Medical Tourism Agency managing director Dr Fumagwa Hassan, said the initiative was aimed at bringing specialised treatment closer to Tanzanian patients who might otherwise have to travel abroad.

‘Many patients travel abroad to look for these services, and that comes with significant costs,’ he said. ‘We thought it was important to bring some of these technologies closer to the people who need them, he said.

According to him, patients would only have to pay consultation fees, if found with prostate will only be required at the usual price the procedures and those with health insurance are allowed to use their coverage.

He said patients from Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza and other parts of the country could travel to Dar es Salaam for specialist care instead of travelling long distances outside Tanzania.

Dr Hassan, said the initiative aims to support Tanzania’s ambition of becoming a medical tourism destination for patients from across the region. He said the camp was expected to attract patients from neighbouring countries, including Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Zambia and Malawi.

A specialist in urology and male reproductive health at Aga Khan, Dr Isaac Mawala, said men should not ignore urinary problems or simply assume that they were an unavoidable part of ageing.

‘Some of these conditions can be treated, and the right treatment depends on the patient and the nature of the problem,’ he said.

Dr Mawala said Rezum could provide selected patients with an alternative to more invasive prostate surgery, while laser treatment would be considered for patients whose condition required it after specialist assessment.

I urge people interested in the camp to register before September 3 at Aga Khan Hospital or at the Turlink Medical Tourism Agency offices at Harbour Plaza, Posta Mpya, Dar es Salaam.

The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has expelled Vice President Dr Emmanuel John Nchimbi from the party and endorsed Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi as its nominee for the position of Vice President.

The decisions were reached on Wednesday following an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Committee in Dar es Salaam.

The developments came a day after Dr Nchimbi announced his resignation as Vice President and retirement from politics and public service, effective September 4, 2026.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan accepted his resignation, with constitutional procedures for appointing his successor expected to follow.

Addressing journalists after the CCM meetings, the party’s Secretary-General, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, said the Central Committee had considered several matters, including disciplinary and ethical issues involving Dr Nchimbi, who was also a member of the committee.

‘After considering all the available information, it was established that the Constitution of Chama Cha Mapinduzi and its regulations had been violated,’ Dr Migiro said.

She said that, after extensive deliberations, the party’s National Executive Committee unanimously resolved to expel Dr Nchimbi.

‘We therefore wish to inform all CCM members and the public that, from this moment, he has been expelled from the party and is no longer a member,’ she said.

The decision marks a major turn in Dr Nchimbi’s political career. He previously served as CCM Secretary-General before becoming President Samia’s running mate in the October 2025 General Election.

He was sworn in as Vice President on November 3, 2025, meaning his resignation came 295 days after assuming office.

In his resignation statement, Dr Nchimbi said he had decided to leave after becoming convinced that President Samia wanted a change of Vice President.

‘I am satisfied beyond doubt that Her Excellency the President wants change, so I have decided to fulfil my promise,’ he said.

On his successor, Dr Migiro said CCM had unanimously approved Ndejembi’s name as the party’s nominee for the Vice Presidency.

‘The other important decision made by CCM is to receive and approve, at the initial stage, the name of the person to be proposed, in accordance with the procedures, for the position of Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania,’ she said.

Dr Migiro said Ndejembi’s nomination would now proceed through the required constitutional procedures before he could formally assume office.

Ndejembi, who currently serves as Minister for Energy, has held several senior Government positions and is the CCM Member of Parliament for Chamwino.

His nomination comes amid a major political transition following Dr Nchimbi’s unexpected departure, with Parliament expected to play a role in the constitutional process for confirming the new Vice President.

The Constitution provides for the appointment of a new Vice President when the office falls vacant.

Days after returning from Mozambique, MeTL Group president Mohammed Dewji, popularly known as Mo, has turned his attention to new investment opportunities in Botswana as he looks to expand the group’s operations across Africa.

Mr Dewji explored the opportunities during high-level meetings focused on Botswana’s economic transformation, investment climate and private sector growth.

During his visit to Gaborone, Mr Dewji met Botswana President Duma Boko, Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, the Governor of the Bank of Botswana and leaders of the Botswana Stock Exchange.

The meetings came as the government of President Boko advances the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), which seeks to diversify the economy beyond diamonds, attract new investment and create new areas of growth.

The discussions covered opportunities for greater private sector participation, as well as sectors that MeTL Group is considering for further investment, including renewable energy and financial services.

Mr Dewji said the meetings had given him a clearer understanding of Botswana’s economic direction and the government’s determination to use investment as a driver of growth.

‘Botswana has built a strong foundation. What impressed me was the focus the country is placing on its next phase of growth. There is a strong emphasis on attracting investment, building competitive industries and creating an environment where the private sector can thrive,’ he said.

The visit comes as MeTL Group continues to expand its businesses across Africa, with interests spanning manufacturing, agriculture, energy, transport and other sectors.

Mr Dewji said Botswana was among the markets offering investment and long-term partnership opportunities as MeTL Group expands its regional footprint.

‘As MeTL continues to grow across Africa, we are looking at markets where we can bring capital, experience and a long-term commitment to building. We see good opportunities in Botswana and look forward to exploring areas where we can invest and create value together,’ he said.

The visit also highlighted the potential for stronger commercial ties between Tanzania and Botswana as African businesses increasingly seek investment, partnerships and new markets within the continent.

Mr Dewji thanked Botswana Stock Exchange chairman Neo Mooki for his role in coordinating and facilitating the meetings, as well as his team, Oupa and Thapelo, for their hospitality and support during the visit.

The Botswana visit came just days after Mr Dewji left Mozambique, where he pledged to invest more than Sh661.93 billion.

His latest investment drive follows a call by President Samia Suluhu Hassan for Tanzanian businesspeople to continue pursuing investment opportunities in neighbouring countries.

President Samia made the call during a meeting with private sector stakeholders as Tanzania began preparations to implement Vision 2050, which seeks to grow the country’s gross domestic product to $1 trillion.