Category: The Citizen

Dodoma. Unintegrated systems have been cited as one of the reasons forest resources are lost without accurate information, depriving the government of much-needed revenue.

The remarks were made on Saturday, August 22, 2026, by the Assistant Director of Forest Development in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Seleboni John, during a workshop organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to develop a strategy for integrating and harmonising existing systems.

The workshop brought together officials from forestry departments, councils, the Ministry of Finance and information technology experts, who agreed on the need to build an integrated system after identifying gaps in the existing arrangements.

Mr John said substantial revenue had been lost from forests because information systems were not integrated, adding that the matter could no longer be ignored.

‘We want to reach a joint decision that all forestry systems must be connected, from the central government through TFS, district councils and village governments to private operators. The goal is to ensure we control revenue,’ he said.

The forestry expert said the system being developed would bring significant benefits by helping authorities identify where problems exist and where government revenue has been leaking.

He said linking government systems would increase the rate of revenue collection and forests’ contribution to national revenue, while significantly reducing the destruction of forest products compared with the current situation.

The FAO project coordinator, Mr Diomedes Kalisa, said the meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) was organised to discuss the integration and harmonisation of revenue management systems derived from forest products, which have been affected by widespread leakages.

‘I am pleased to welcome you to this important meeting of the Technical Working Group regarding the integration and harmonisation of revenue management systems derived from forest products. For a long time, we have been losing revenue, but we decided to rethink our approach,’ he said.

Mr Kalisa said the strategy was being developed in collaboration with the European Union (EU), which provided funds to implement the plan.

He said FAO and its stakeholders were supporting efforts to strengthen forest governance, promote the sustainable management of forest resources and advance sustainable clean cooking energy solutions.

He said the meeting followed technical discussions held in Morogoro in July, during which stakeholders explored ways to strengthen and harmonise revenue management systems derived from forest products and value chains related to clean cooking energy.

According to Mr Kalisa, one key resolution of the meeting was that there was no need to develop a new standalone system.

Instead, stakeholders agreed that it was more important to strengthen, harmonise and connect existing government systems.

Mimi Mars is set to bring music, star power and a touch of celebrity glamour to Zanzibar this weekend as she takes centre stage at the fourth edition of Rangi za Mora, the growing fashion and creative platform hosted at The Mora Zanzibar.

The singer will serve as the event’s Guest of Honour and performer when Rangi za Mora returns on Saturday, August 22, under the theme ‘Woven. Worn. Reimagined.’

Set to begin at 8pm, the fashion showcase will bring together a curated mix of designers and models from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, placing African creativity, fashion and culture against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean.

This year’s designer lineup includes Mnazi, Maridadi Collection, M2MOKO, Asili by Naliaka, Ully and Nyuzi, offering audiences a mix of creative voices and design perspectives from Tanzania’s evolving fashion scene.

But while the runway will remain at the heart of the evening, Mimi Mars’ involvement adds another entertainment dimension to the event, continuing Rangi za Mora’s approach of blending fashion with music, performance and lifestyle.

The fourth edition is also expected to attract figures from across the entertainment, fashion and creative industries, including Seven Mosha, Head of Sony Entertainment East Africa; George Beke of GeoBek Entertainment; Zulfa Yazid, Miss Grand Morogoro and Miss Africa Golden Tanzania 2026; and Chi Temu, who will bring her experience as an MC and vocalist to the evening.

The event has steadily grown beyond the idea of a conventional hotel fashion show.

Earlier this year, the third edition brought together designers, performers, models and guests in a celebration of Zanzibar’s cultural identity, using contemporary fashion as a way of reinterpreting the island’s African, Arab, Indian and Swahili influences. The edition also opened the experience to a wider audience, signalling a new chapter for what began as a more intimate resort showcase.

The fourth edition continues that trajectory

According to The Mora, Rangi za Mora is now in its fourth edition and brings together designers and models for an evening designed around fashion and festivity, with the wider experience extending beyond the runway to include dinner and an afterparty.

That broader format reflects the event’s growing identity as a lifestyle and cultural platform rather than simply a catwalk.

At its core, ‘Woven. Worn. Reimagined” speaks to the relationship between heritage and contemporary expression. Previous editions have explored how traditional materials, craftsmanship and cultural influences can be translated into modern silhouettes and fashion narratives.

The Mora has described the initiative as an evolving platform created to give emerging and established creatives space to be seen, supported and celebrated, while encouraging collaboration between designers, artisans, performers and the wider creative community.

For Zanzibar, a destination already globally associated with tourism, heritage and hospitality, Rangi za Mora also adds another layer to the island’s growing creative identity.

The event places fashion directly within the visitor experience, giving local and Tanzanian designers a stage that reaches both residents and international guests. A previous edition demonstrated how the runway can become a meeting point between fashion, performance and destination storytelling, with designers using fabric, texture and silhouette to reflect contemporary East African identity.

This weekend, that conversation will continue with a new lineup of designers and a new entertainment element led by Mimi Mars.

With Flightlink and Sun Tours and Travel among the sponsors, the event also brings together fashion, hospitality, travel and entertainment under one programme.

And as Mimi Mars prepares to step into her dual role as guest of honour and performer, Rangi za Mora’s fourth edition is shaping up to be more than an evening of clothes and catwalks.

It is another statement about where Zanzibar’s creative scene is heading, a space where local talent, contemporary African fashion, music and culture can share the same stage.

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Association of Bus Owners (Taboa) has requested another meeting with Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba to address rising operating costs and a potential increase in passenger fares.

Taboa Secretary General Priscus Joseph said on Saturday, August 22, 2026, that the association intended to outline the extra expenses bus operators have incurred since relocating their operations to the Magufuli Bus Terminal.

‘We met the Prime Minister in April, and he instructed us not to raise fares despite higher fuel costs, aimed at easing the financial burden on Tanzanians. However, circumstances are changing as our operational expenses continue to escalate,’ stated Mr Joseph.

He explained that operators are now saddled with additional overheads, including purchasing shuttle buses to convey passengers from the terminal to various areas in Dar es Salaam and buying trucks to transport luggage.

‘We are appealing to the Prime Minister to grant us another audience so that we can deliberate on adjusting fares upward to help us absorb the fresh costs of acquiring shuttles and luggage trucks,’ he noted.

Taboa is also seeking authorization to offload luggage at operators’ offices and for upcountry buses to drop off passengers at designated locations nearer to their final destinations to curb supplementary transport costs.

Mr Joseph affirmed that the association supported the regional administration’s directive to shift bus operations to the Magufuli terminal, noting that all its members have complied with the order.

Nevertheless, he urged the regional authorities to urgently resolve ongoing operational bottlenecks at the terminal, specifically the overwhelming presence of unauthorized touts and ticket brokers.

Dar es Salaam. The government has finalised a comprehensive voluntary repatriation programme to bring back its citizens currently living in South Africa.

The initiative follows directives from President Samia Suluhu Hassan to enable individuals to return home and reunite with their families after having lived in South Africa for a long time.

Executing this large-scale repatriation exercise requires close co-operation between the Tanzanian High Commission and South African authorities.

According to a notice issued by the Tanzanian High Commission in Pretoria the programme will be executed in phases across different provinces.

The primary objective is to ensure that all returning citizens complete the necessary legal and logistical procedures to arrive safely in Tanzania, where they can continue participating in various social and economic activities, as well as nation-building.

The first phase of the repatriation will focus on 241 Tanzanians currently residing in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province.

This group is scheduled to return to Tanzania on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, aboard an Air Tanzania Company Limited aircraft departing from King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

Before embarking on the journey, the returnees will undergo a verification process on Tuesday, August 26, and Wednesday, August 26.

‘This processing will take place at the City View Mall, located at 10 Mathews Meyiwa Road in Greyville, Durban, with the centre opening from six o’clock in the morning,’ reads the statement.

The High Commission has laid out specific guidelines for Durban applicants, noting that the exercise will cover individuals without passports, those whose passports have expired or been lost, and children born in South Africa to Tanzanian parents.

To facilitate their return, those completing the process without passports will be issued Emergency Travel Documents.

Furthermore, the High Commission has urged registered Tanzanians to remain patient as arrangements are completed, specifically requesting those holding Asylum Seeker Certificates to remain at the designated processing centre until their Voluntary Repatriation Permits are processed.

Following the departure of the first group from Durban, the second phase of the programme will focus on approximately 300 Tanzanians residing in Cape Town, who are expected to return during the first week of September.

High Commissioner, Mr James Bwana said early this week that the official date for this second journey will be announced by the Embassy as soon as preparations are finalised.

‘The remaining citizens, who will complete the overall total of 669 repatriated Tanzanians, will form the final group departing from Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, on a date to be announced in due course,’ said Mr Bwana when outlining the plan.

This national assistance program was mobilised after the citizens themselves formally requested government support to return to their homeland.

Reflecting on the President’s commitment, Mr Bwana emphasised that the government received the request with the intention of enabling its citizens to return to their country.

“The Honourable President has welcomed them back home and has directed me, as her Ambassador here in South Africa, to ensure that Tanzanians who are ready to return voluntarily are enabled to do so,” said Mr Bwana.

He added that the government had arranged all transport logistics to make the transition as smooth as possible for the returning citizens.

“We welcome them home to reunite with their relatives, families, and friends, and to continue with nation-building activities,” he said.

Lusaka. The East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) has launched a six-month cross-border emergency intervention at 33 priority points of entry (PoEs) along the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border to prevent the spread of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) to neighbouring countries.

The initiative targets high-risk transit countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Angola, Malawi and Mozambique, along 16 major trade and migration corridors.

Through the World Bank-funded Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPRR) programme, ECSA-HC is equipping frontline border health teams with digital surveillance systems, safe isolation protocols, rapid laboratory transport networks and cross-border notification systems.

The measures are intended to help detect and contain imported cases at land borders, river ports and airports.

According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the outbreak has recorded 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 47 percent across 55 health zones in six provinces of the DRC.

At day 81 of reporting, case trajectories showed that the outbreak was nearly nine times larger than the 2014-16 West Africa Ebola outbreak and 18 times larger than the 2018-20 Zaire outbreak at the same stage, making it the second-largest and fastest-growing Ebola outbreak recorded.

ECSA-HC Director General Dr Ntuli Kapologwe said the regional response was necessary because disease outbreaks did not respect national borders.

‘Today, ECSA-HC stands in profound solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo and all affected communities,’ Dr Kapologwe said.

‘Pathogens do not respect national boundaries. As this outbreak expands, our defence systems must be as fluid and interconnected as the populations we serve.’

He said the World Bank funding under the HEPRR programme would enable ECSA-HC to deploy a standardised package at 33 key points of entry to ensure frontline teams could detect cases early, isolate patients safely and notify authorities rapidly.

Seven-point intervention package

The six-month intervention focuses on seven operational areas:

Baseline readiness assessments: Using standardised WHO point-of-entry evaluation tools to identify and address operational gaps.

Simulation exercises and contingency planning: Conducting cross-border drills to test referral systems and communication procedures.

Harmonised standard operating procedures: Aligning workflows involving port health, immigration, customs and transport operators for safe screening and referral.

Event-based surveillance: Training frontline personnel and community informants at transit hubs to identify early warning signals.

Digital surveillance and 21-day tracking: Linking electronic screening at border posts with district Rapid Response Teams for automated follow-up.

Safe border infection prevention and control (IPC) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): Strengthening safe triage, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment compliance and decontamination.

Laboratory readiness and biosafety: Improving safe sample collection, triple packaging, rapid transportation and diagnostic links with reference laboratories.

Dr Mohamed Mohamed, Senior Medical Epidemiologist at ECSA-HC and coordinator of the HEPRR programme, said the intervention was designed to address gaps in preparedness along busy trade and migration routes.

‘Cross-border Ebola risk is highest where people, goods and services move rapidly across connected corridors,’ Dr Mohamed said.

‘Our focus over these six months is operational readiness. We are harmonising SOPs so that a port health officer, a bus driver or a border agent knows exactly who to notify within minutes when a suspected case arrives.’

The operational rollout began in Lusaka, where technical teams are aligning cross-border protocols for critical corridors, including the high-volume Zambia-DRC crossings at Kasumbalesa and Sakania.

Dr Malungwe Kalaluka, a public health specialist responsible for simulation exercises in Zambia, said regional cooperation was critical in responding to public health emergencies.

‘Alone, Zambia may be able to carry the load, but collectively, with our neighbouring countries, the load is lighter and the implications are less,’ he said.

The World Bank-supported HEPRR programme will be rolled out in phases across 10 priority countries: Zambia, DRC, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Angola.

Phase One will focus on the highest-risk corridors directly linked to areas with active transmission.

Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) has launched its comprehensive Digital Media Rate Card.

The new rates offer highly competitive and flexible advertising solutions across MCL’s leading digital platforms: Mwananchi, The Citizen, and Mwanaspoti.

To ensure seamless cross-device rendering, standard display banners such as the Leaderboard (728×90 px), Square Banner/MPU (300×250 px), and Billboard Banner (970×250 px) are priced at a flat CPM rate of Sh4,000.

Advertisers seeking premium placement can access Sticky Banners and Brand Buttons at CPM Sh6,500, or engage audiences with Pushdown Banners and Interstitials at Sh480,000 per hour.

The high-impact Homepage Side-kick is available at Sh7,400,000 (Desktop) and Sh5,300,000 (Mobile) per campaign.

MCL’s native advertising options cater to corporate communications, offering Jobs, Tenders, and Notices at Sh1,500,000, and Sponsored Op-Eds between Sh1,500,000 and Sh1,600,000.

For deeper integration, the Premium Branded Content package provides a generated article, media assets, and social posts for Sh2,550,000.

For social media amplification, MCL offers targeted campaign packages.

The Starter Package is priced at Sh3,500,000, while the comprehensive Premium MCL Network Package offering cross-platform exposure across Mwananchi, The Citizen, and Mwanaspoti is available for Sh9,000,000.

On individual platforms, feed posts across Facebook, Instagram, and X are standardized at Sh400,000. Furthermore, MCL provides state-of-the-art live streaming, with full production starting at Sh7,000,000 per hour.

Businesses looking for high-quality storytelling can leverage the Creative Studio, which offers Mini Documentary production (2-10 minutes) for Sh27,000,000 and Full Documentary production (30 minutes) for Sh40,000,000.

For top executives, the prestigious “Executive Interview” packages, offering unmatched print and digital branding are priced at Sh15,000,000 for the Authority tier and Sh30,000,000 for the Influence tier.

To facilitate smooth commercial transactions, MCL has outlined key operational terms and conditions. All listed rates are strictly exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) and invoices will be issued and settled in Tanzanian Shillings (TZS).

While standard rates apply uniformly across the Mwananchi, The Citizen, and Mwanaspoti digital ecosystems, booking for premium inventory positions remains subject strictly to real-time availability.

Additionally, standard agency commissions are reserved only for accredited media buying agencies, though corporate volume discounts are negotiable for annual retainer contracts.

Bunda. Six teachers at Makongoro Secondary School in Bunda District are being held by police following the death of a Form Six student who allegedly collapsed and later died after being beaten over poor performance in a mock examination.

The deceased, identified as 23-year-old Peter Marire, was studying Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) at the school.

Mara Regional Police Commander Pius Lutumo confirmed the incident to Mwananchi on Friday, August 21, 2026, saying police and medical experts were investigating the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.

‘Indeed, the incident occurred and we are already holding six teachers. Investigations are ongoing, so we urge students and members of the public to remain calm,’ Commander Lutumo said.

He said police were conducting a thorough investigation, with medical experts working to establish the exact cause of Marire’s death.

Police were also deployed to the school to strengthen security after students became distressed and reportedly threatened to cause unrest.

According to information from the school, Marire was among students who performed poorly in the mock examination and were subjected to corporal punishment.

A source who asked not to be named said individual subject teachers punished students who had performed poorly before other teachers also joined in.

The source said Marire complained that he was feeling unwell and asked to rest, but his request was allegedly ignored. He later collapsed and lost consciousness while the punishment was continuing.

‘His fellow students were later instructed to take him to the dormitory, but his condition continued to deteriorate,’ the source said.

The students subsequently took him to Bunda District Council Hospital, located near the school, where he later died, according to the source.

Family receives devastating news

Marire’s father, Everest Marire, told Mwananchi that the incident occurred on August 19 and that the family was informed that his son had been admitted to hospital after allegedly being assaulted by some teachers.

He said he and other relatives travelled from Musoma to Bunda, but on arriving at the hospital, they were told that Marire was in critical condition and was being prepared for referral.

‘I was later called inside and asked whether my son had any underlying health problem. I told them he had none, and that was when I was informed that he had already died,’ he said.

Marire’s body was taken to Musoma for a post-mortem examination as the family awaits the findings.

His sister, Sherida Marire, said the family was devastated by his death, particularly because their mother died in April this year.

She said Marire appeared to have gone through a difficult period following their mother’s death, which the family believes may have affected his academic performance.

However, she said he had previously performed well at school, having completed Form Four with Division One and 11 points.

The investigation is continuing as police and medical experts work to establish the circumstances and cause of the student’s death.

Tanga. While many people rush home to rescue clothes left outside when it starts raining, young innovator Jumbe Mbwana has developed a technology system that detects rainfall and automatically moves clothes to a dry area.

Mbwana is among young innovators participating in the Education, Skills and Innovation Exhibition in Tanga, which brings together young people from different areas to showcase their ideas and inventions.

Speaking at the exhibition, Mbwana said he developed the system after identifying a common problem faced by people who wash and hang clothes out to dry before leaving home for work or other activities.

‘When it rains suddenly when no one is at home, the clothes get wet, causing inconvenience,’ he said.

The system, known as Rain Detector, automatically detects rainfall and moves clothes from the drying area to a sheltered location.

Mbwana said it can also return the clothes to their original position once the rain stops, reducing the need for someone to be at home to move them.

‘This programme can detect rain automatically and move the clothes to a place where they will not get wet. When the rain stops, the clothes return to where they were hanging. The aim is to solve a challenge people face in their daily lives,’ he said.

However, Mbwana said the innovation needs investment and capital to move beyond exhibitions and be adopted on a wider scale.

He called on the government and other stakeholders to support young innovators so their ideas can be developed and used to address challenges facing communities.

Another young innovator, Abdul Kobelo, showcased a Car Parking System designed to reduce congestion in areas where parking demand is high.

Kobelo said the system could be used at hospitals, institutions and other facilities with high volumes of vehicles, allowing drivers to know whether parking spaces are available before entering.

‘I developed this project to help reduce congestion. The system uses sensors to detect the availability of parking spaces. When an area is full, a red light comes on to show that there is no space and vehicles cannot enter,’ he said.

He added that when parking space is available in another section, the system directs the driver there, allowing the vehicle to enter and park.

Kobelo said the innovation could help reduce traffic congestion but requires support to enable it to be developed and deployed in different areas.

He thanked Tanga Yetu through Project Inspire for supporting young innovators through the Vijana Bunifu programme.

Mohamed Mohamed, coordinator of the STEM Park Tanga Innovation Centre, said Vijana Bunifu was established to help children and young people turn knowledge acquired in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) into solutions to community challenges.

‘After young people have been equipped with STEM knowledge and skills, the next step is to enable them to use that knowledge to develop projects that address challenges in their communities,’ he said.

Hadija Idirisa, a programme assistant at Tanga Yetu, said the innovators had reached the stage of showcasing their work because of support provided through the programme.

She said the young innovators still needed broader support to improve their inventions, take them to implementation and benefit economically from their work.

‘The main goal of this programme is to help young people move forward, whether in technology or economic activities, by supporting them in different ways.

We support them through education, funding and training so they can continue developing their ideas and achieve their goals,’ she said.

The innovations showcased in Tanga demonstrate how young people are turning everyday challenges into potential technological solutions, while highlighting the need for greater investment to help move promising ideas from exhibitions into practical applications.

The High Court has ruled that Chadema chairman Tundu Lissu has a case to answer in his treason trial, requiring him to present his defence.

The ruling was delivered on August 21, 2026, by Judge Dunstan Ndunguru, who chaired a three-judge panel comprising Judges James Karayemaha and Ferdinand Kiwonde.

Judge Ndunguru said the court had considered the prosecution’s evidence and the defence’s submissions before determining that the prosecution had established a case requiring an answer. Lissu faces a treason charge under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, Revised Edition 2023.

The charge stems from remarks he allegedly made during a Chadema meeting at the party’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam on April 3, 2025, concerning the party’s opposition to participating in the 2025 General Election and its alleged intention to prevent the poll from taking place.

The prosecution alleges that, as a Tanzanian citizen, Lissu incited the public to stop the election through statements intended to pressure the Government.

Among the remarks attributed to him are: “If they say this position amounts to rebellion, it is true … because we are saying we will stop the election, we will mobilise rebellion … that is how we will bring change … we are going to make things happen … we will disrupt this election for real … we are going to make things happen very badly.”

Judge Ndunguru said the court’s task at this stage was limited to deciding whether the prosecution’s evidence, if left unchallenged, could sustain a conviction.

He said the court was not required to make a detailed assessment of the evidence or determine its credibility at this stage of the proceedings.

The judge said the court considered the key elements the prosecution was required to establish, including whether the accused owed allegiance to the United Republic of Tanzania.

He noted that this element was not disputed because Lissu had acknowledged being a Tanzanian citizen.

The court also considered testimony from prosecution witnesses, including the 17th witness, who was present at the meeting where the alleged remarks were made.

According to the judge, the prosecution’s evidence sufficiently linked Lissu to the allegations contained in the charge sheet.

“Therefore, this court finds the accused has a right to defend himself against the evidence presented by the prosecution,” Judge Ndunguru said.

The case will now proceed to the defence stage.

Tanzania is stepping up efforts to ensure local companies, workers and entrepreneurs capture a greater share of opportunities arising from major strategic investments, with the government urging businesses to prepare to meet the standards required by large projects.

The push will be a key focus of a conference on Tanzanian participation in strategic projects and investments, which will bring together government institutions, private-sector players, civil society organisations and beneficiaries to discuss opportunities in sectors including oil and gas, mining, construction, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture.

Deputy Secretary-General of the National Economic Empowerment Council Gwakisa Mapao said the conference is intended to connect Tanzanians with opportunities created by major investments, particularly jobs, procurement and the supply of goods and services. ‘The ultimate goal is to ensure that the billions of dollars entering Tanzania through strategic investments benefit Tanzanians,’ Mr Mapao said.

He said the conference would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share experiences from sectors that have made progress in promoting Tanzanian participation, with lessons expected to be applied in other areas of the economy.

‘Some sectors, such as mining, have advanced further in promoting Tanzanian participation. They have developed policies, legal frameworks, institutional systems and implementation mechanisms that have produced results,’ he said.

Mr Mapao said the lessons could be replicated in construction, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, livestock and other sectors.

He added that the conference would particularly target Tanzanians seeking information on employment opportunities and the chance to supply goods and services to strategic projects.

‘Most importantly, however, we will have Tanzanians themselves as the beneficiaries and the most important stakeholders. They need to understand where employment opportunities exist in investment projects and what benefits are available to them,’ he said.

The Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) said the oil and gas sector is among those where Tanzanian participation needs to increase as exploration and development activities expand.

PURA Director General Charles Sangweni said empowerment should not be viewed solely as financial assistance, but also as helping local businesses acquire the skills, capacity and standards required to compete for contracts.

‘Empowerment does not necessarily mean financial support. Financial empowerment is only one aspect. More importantly, it is about showing people the path and helping them reach the standards required to participate effectively,’ Mr Sangweni said.

He said the expansion of oil and gas activities would create opportunities across a wide range of businesses, including construction, transport, catering and other services.

‘We should not simply sit back and wait for jobs. We must understand what we need to do as Tanzanians to reach the standards required by these projects,’ he said.

Mr Sangweni said PURA had identified areas where local businesses needed greater capacity to enable them to participate effectively alongside international investors.

He said the authority was working to create an environment in which Tanzanian companies could compete with international firms and secure contracts in the petroleum industry.

According to Mr Sangweni, Tanzania has made progress in developing indigenous companies capable of undertaking work previously dominated by foreign firms.

He cited Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and other Tanzanian companies as examples of institutions that had developed their capacity to undertake activities in the sector.

He said local companies were increasingly participating in areas such as gas infrastructure, construction, equipment supply and other services.

The government has also introduced policies, regulations and guidelines aimed at increasing local participation in the sector.

Mr Sangweni said the country was preparing for increased exploration and development activities, creating an urgent need for Tanzanian businesses to position themselves to benefit.

‘We believe we will be involved in much more exploration activity than we have experienced in the past. This will involve developing many projects, and we will need Tanzanian suppliers and service providers,’ he said.

The conference, scheduled for September 2-3, will provide a platform for sharing information on opportunities available to Tanzanians.