Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. Patience, perseverance, and hard work are the pillars of success in business.

This is the key message from veteran businessman and Chairman of Bakhresa Group of Companies, Said Salim Bakhresa, to young entrepreneurs who often face early setbacks and feel discouraged. Bakhresa, one of Africa’s leading businessmen, said success does not come overnight or by luck, contrary to what many expect.

He reminded young people that the journey of life, especially in business, is long and full of challenges that cannot be avoided. Speaking in an exclusive interview with the program Fahari Yetu aired on UTV on Friday, January 30, 2026, the 78-year-old entrepreneur shared how he started from humble beginnings and rose to the peak of business success.

Bakhresa said his family’s difficult circumstances forced him to leave school at the age of 14 and venture into business to support himself. “I started selling urojo and mishkaki.

It was a small food business, but I believed in it. Even when I left Zanzibar and moved to the mainland, I continued with the idea of opening a restaurant, though things were not easy at all,” he recalled.

From that modest start, Bakhresa has built a business empire comprising more than 17 companies operating in Tanzania and nine other African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and South Africa. He said the secret to his success was not luck but a deliberate decision to persist despite the obstacles he faced.

“Nothing worth achieving comes easily, and challenges are part of everyone’s life,” he said. “Life is a long journey.

Problems are inevitable. You cannot start today and expect to succeed tomorrow.

Young people should not expect overnight success. Progress comes step by step.

What matters is effort and the determination to keep moving forward,” Bakhresa emphasized. He recalled that when he entered business, the environment was not friendly to private entrepreneurs because many economic sectors were state-run.

Yet, that did not stop him from pursuing his dream. “I started business during a very tough period.

I tried many ventures, and there was no small business I didn’t attempt. Many of my efforts failed.

The beginning was truly difficult because almost everything I tried seemed to hit a wall,” he said. Despite repeated failures, Bakhresa said he never considered giving up or turning back.

Instead, he chose to learn from his mistakes and double his efforts. “I never lost heart.

I told myself the journey is long and requires extreme patience. I went through very difficult times, which is why I tell young people that reaching this point is not a matter of one or two days,” he said.

For Bakhresa, work was the top priority. He dedicated almost all his time to his business, foregoing comfort and leisure.

“The key is to work hard. I worked around the clock.

I had no form of leisure. I would go from work to home.

At one point, I did this for three consecutive months without stepping away from my work schedule. I gave my all, and God granted me success,” he said.

However, Bakhresa acknowledged that alongside his personal efforts, government support has been important in the growth of his companies. He said a favorable investment environment and business-friendly policies have enabled his companies to expand both domestically and abroad.

He admitted he never imagined his business would grow to its current size, but his hard work and readiness to seize opportunities contributed greatly to his success. To young people starting or continuing their entrepreneurial journey, Bakhresa urged patience, discipline, hard work, and faith as indispensable tools on the path to genuine success.

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Dar es Salaam. As opposition party Chadema distances itself from allegations of misappropriation of contributions raised for its chairman, Mr Tundu Lissu, sources have told The Citizen’s sister publication Mwananchi, how the funds were allegedly distributed among party operatives.

On Friday, January 29, 2026, members of Mr Lissu’s family said senior party leaders should not be implicated in the controversy, insisting that only a few lower-ranking members acted contrary to agreed arrangements. A day earlier, on January 28, 2026, the Arusha Regional Police Commander, Mr Justine Masejo, announced the arrest of Mr Fredrick Mbwambo over allegations of misappropriating funds collected to support Mr Lissu.

Mr Masejo said Mr Mbwambo was detained on January 27, 2026, following complaints lodged by Mr Lissu’s brother, Mr Alute Mughwai, who reported that some of the contributions had been mishandled. When contacted yesterday, January 30, 2026, Mr Masejo said investigations were ongoing.

Although police did not disclose the amount allegedly misappropriated, sources told Mwananchi that of the S1 million raised, Sh22 million was handed to Mr Lissu’s family, while the whereabouts of the remaining Sh19 million remain unclear. Mr Vincent Mughwai, Mr Lissu’s younger brother, said the fundraising drive–organised by Chadema youth members and friends to support Mr Lissu–was coordinated by Mr Mbwambo, who is currently in police custody.

How the funds were distributed A reliable source said the campaign, dubbed Funga Mwaka na Tundu Lissu, was managed by Mr Mbwambo and a small group of party operatives whose identities have been withheld, as they are said to reside in a neighbouring country. The campaign was promoted through social media platforms during the final week of December 2025. On the night of December 31, 2025, organisers announced that Sh26 million had been raised.

However, records later showed that the total amount collected was S1 million. After the campaign, Sh22 million was handed over to Mr Mughwai.

Suspecting discrepancies, he reviewed transaction records and established that the amount collected exceeded what he had received. It is alleged that Sh6 million was transferred to a mobile number registered in a neighbouring country, reported to be Nairobi, Kenya, while Sh2 million was sent through a Tanzanian mobile number.

In a statement, Mr Masejo said: “Preliminary investigations show that funds were collected through two different mobile numbers belonging to separate companies, one in Tanzania and another in a neighbouring country.” Further allegations indicate that Sh700,000 was sent using the same channel through which the initial Sh2 million was received.

Following police intervention, the Sh2 million was returned to Mr Mughwai’s account. Another Sh3 million was reportedly transferred to a separate Tanzanian mobile number.

These transactions form part of the funds currently under investigation. Chadema responds Meanwhile, Chadema said all contributions for Mr Lissu were coordinated through Mr Mughwai’s phone number and were neither received nor handled by the party secretariat or any party official.

“There have been misleading reports circulated by ill-intentioned individuals linking party leaders to alleged mismanagement of recent online fundraising for Mr Lissu. We urge Tanzanians and the international community to disregard these false claims, which are intended to tarnish the party’s image and its leadership,” said Chadema Director of Communications and Publicity, Ms Brenda Rupia, in a statement issued on January 29, 2026. Ms Rupia added that Chadema upholds principles of integrity, transparency and ethics, and does not permit its name or leaders to be used in activities that contravene the law or established procedures.

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Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed several senior government and public institution leaders, naming new heads at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), Muhimbili National Hospital and the Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TEITI).

In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 29, by the Chief Secretary, Ambassador Dr Moses Kusiluka, the President announced the appointments as part of ongoing leadership changes in key institutions. Dr Rahma Salim Mahfoudh has been appointed Deputy Governor in charge of Administration and Internal Control at the Bank of Tanzania.

She replaces Mr Julian Banzi Raphael, whose term has come to an end. The appointment places Dr Mahfoudh among the top leadership at the central bank, which plays a critical role in the country’s monetary and financial stability.

At the Tanzania Meteorological Authority, Dr Ladislaus Benedict Chan’ga has been confirmed as Director General after serving in the position in an acting capacity. His appointment formalises his leadership at the agency responsible for weather forecasting and climate services.

President Samia has also appointed Prof Muhammad Bakari Kambi as the new Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Muhimbili National Hospital. Prof Kambi takes over from Dr Ellen Mkondya Senkoro, who has completed her term.

Muhimbili is the country’s national referral hospital and a key pillar of the health system. In the extractives sector, Ambassador Wilson Kajumula Masilingi has been named Chairperson of the Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency and Accountability Initiative (TEITI), which oversees transparency and accountability in the management of mineral, oil and natural gas resources.

He replaces CPA Ludovick Utouh, whose term has also ended. The appointments were announced by the Director of Presidential Communications, Mr Bakari S.

Machumu. .

Dar es Salaam. For years, Tanzania’s education debate has focused on classrooms, teachers’ welfare and examination results.

Yet beneath all these lies a quieter but more decisive question: can children actually read, write and count well enough in their early years to cope with learning later on? It is this concern that has pushed the government to launch a new national strategy aimed at strengthening reading, writing and arithmetic for children in pre-primary, Standard One and Standard Two. Launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday, the strategy seeks to fix learning gaps early before they become permanent obstacles.

At the launch, President Hassan was clear that no country can build a skilled workforce on weak foundations. “We can invest in infrastructure, knowledge and technology, but if we fail to strengthen the early foundation of teaching our children, we will be building on weak ground,” she said.

The Head of State warned that poor mastery of basic skills at an early stage often explains why some graduates struggle later despite years spent in school. The initiative comes against the backdrop of curriculum reforms that extended compulsory education to 10 years.

According to the President, these reforms would mean little if children fail to grasp basic literacy and numeracy in their first years of schooling. “That is why this strategy is critical,” she said, adding that it also fulfils Tanzania’s commitments under global and regional frameworks such as SDG 4, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and SADC and EAC education guidelines.

At its core, the strategy is science-driven and inclusive. It draws on years of research, much of it conducted since 2015, which revealed that while many pupils perform well, a significant number fall behind early and never fully catch up.

Rapid technological change has only widened this gap, especially between urban and rural schools. Education minister Adolf Mkenda said the strategy fulfils a promise made by President Hassan during the 2025 General Election campaigns and later in Parliament.

“Today, the government has delivered on that promise, even before the first 100 days have ended,” he said. Prof Mkenda explained that the strategy rests on five pillars.

The first is improving classroom teaching through continuous professional development and closer supervision of how early grades are taught. The second focuses on teachers’ preparation and involvement, particularly in developing teaching and learning materials.

Third is ensuring that learning tools are accessible in all areas, including remote communities. The fourth pillar is assessment.

“Assessment is part of science,” Prof Mkenda noted. “We must regularly measure how well learners are mastering these skills so we can intervene early.

” The fifth pillar emphasises parental and community involvement, recognising that learning does not stop at the classroom door. He also stressed that reforms would fail without strong quality assurance, promising to strengthen education inspection systems.

Data from the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) highlights why early intervention is urgent. NECTA’s Executive Secretary, Prof Said Mohamed, said assessment results from the 2023 national assessment show mixed progress.

While 78.92 percent of pupils performed well in reading, only 69.63 percent met the required writing standards and just 62.56 percent did so in arithmetic. “This shows that a significant number of pupils are still not reaching the expected competence, especially in writing and numeracy,” Prof Mohamed said.

He added that between 2021 and 2023, more than a third of pupils fell below expected levels, with clear disparities between urban and rural areas. Without early action, he warned, these gaps persist into Standard Three and beyond, making learning more difficult and costly to fix later.

“Investment in early grades yields the highest educational, social and economic returns,” he said. The strategy therefore promotes proven approaches such as Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), play-based learning and continuous assessment, supported by data and ICT tools.

It also encourages partnerships with development stakeholders and stronger engagement of parents and communities in supporting children’s learning and wellbeing. Challenges remain.

Teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and uneven access to learning materials could slow implementation. Sustained funding, coordination across local governments and effective monitoring will be crucial.

Still, education experts agree that shifting focus to early learning is a step in the right direction. As President Hassan put it, “A child who masters reading, writing and arithmetic early develops the ability to understand new knowledge, think critically and participate fully in learning.

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Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has expanded domestic financing and district-led delivery for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) following the sudden withdrawal of external funding in early 2025. As a result, 130 district councils are now independently implementing Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaigns, with a national drive underway to raise council-level domestic financing to 80 percent in 2026, according to the country’s NTD Programme Manager, Dr Clarer Mwansas.

Speaking on the reforms, Dr Mwansasu said the funding disruption became a turning point, strengthening government ownership, improving accountability, and increasing local responsibility across Tanzania’s health system. “The abrupt change in the NTD funding landscape was a wake-up call.

It showed how powerful domestic efforts can be, especially in difficult moments,” she said. She explained that the government’s response built on earlier fiscal reforms that steadily expanded national resources for NTDs.

Tanzania’s NTD budget rose from Sh1.8 billion in 2021 to Sh16.9 billion by 2024, while the domestic financing share increased from 25 percent to more than 60 percent in 2025. Looking ahead, Dr Mwansasu said many councils are expected to strengthen their allocations further in 2026, pushing domestic contributions even higher, supported by a clear upward trend over recent years. The funding shift came at a sensitive moment, with more than 17 million Tanzanians at risk of NTDs, including approximately 10 million children vulnerable to schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths, making continuity of prevention and treatment a public health priority.

Dr Mwansasu noted that reforms were reinforced by deliberate political and fiscal prioritisation. These included accelerated steps towards full government ownership of NTD programmes and measures to institutionalise NTD financing and delivery within routine health planning.

Key decisions included integrating NTDs into the Health Sector Strategic Policy Priorities for 2025/26, incorporating NTD medicines such as Praziquantel and Albendazole into the Universal Health Insurance Package, and decentralising financing and delivery responsibilities to all 184 district councils. The decentralised approach has brought budgeting and implementation closer to affected communities, enabling councils to plan, execute, and account for interventions locally.

This supported 130 councils in successfully delivering MDAs for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in 2024. “We are moving away from blanket treatment to what we call ‘Smarter Spending’. We no longer treat entire districts; instead, we target the ecological limits of disease transmission.

For schistosomiasis, treatment is now delivered at ward level to reach high-risk communities,” she said. Performance and financing gaps are being monitored through tools such as the NTD Scorecard, while integration into DHIS2 has improved the visibility and use of NTD data for planning, budgeting, and gap identification.

Dr Mwansasu also highlighted efficiency gains from integrating campaigns, noting that combining deworming with Vitamin A distribution in 2025 reduced costs and saved staff time. The use of teachers as drug distributors in school-based campaigns further improved coverage and strengthened community trust.

She praised domestic medicine donation programmes, describing them as the backbone of the Preventive Chemotherapy strategy, which reduced the population requiring treatment by 76 percent between 2021 and 2025. However, she cautioned that any decline in domestic financing could threaten sustainability following donor withdrawal, as the elimination framework now relies on co-financing under a devolved model of ownership and delivery. According to Dr Mwansasu, Tanzania is increasingly viewed as a practical example for other African countries navigating donor transitions, demonstrating how strong political will, decentralised systems, and data-driven accountability can turn a funding shock into long-term health-sector reform.

Neglected tropical diseases are a diverse group of conditions caused by various pathogens and toxins, often leading to long-term disability and social and economic loss when untreated. They disproportionately affect poorer communities in tropical regions.

In Tanzania, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, trachoma, and several zoonotic diseases remain endemic, with many communities facing overlapping risks. .

By Katare Mbashiru Dodoma. President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s second term has begun on a strong note, with the government announcing an unprecedented wave of job creation set to generate more than 53,000 employment opportunities within the first 100 days.

The initiative includes 41,500 new positions that are expected to be advertised soon, a move observers describe as a clear demonstration of the President’s resolve to translate policy commitments into tangible benefits for ordinary Tanzanians. Addressing journalists in Dodoma on Friday, January 30, 2026, the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Mr Ridhiwani Kikwete, said President Hassan had already approved employment permits allowing ministries, departments and agencies torecruit 41,500 Tanzanians across various sectors.

Mr Kikwete was outlining key achievements recorded by his ministry within the first 100 days since President Hassan was sworn in for her second and final term. He revealed that between November 2025 and January 2026, the government had already announced 12,000 job vacancies, including 5,000 positions for health professionals.

The remaining posts target teachers, with a particular focus on science subjects. “So far, 8,416 newly recruited employees have reported to their respective duty stations, while 735 have already received their January salaries after completing all required documentation,” Mr Kikwete said.

With the additional 41,500 recruitments in the pipeline, he noted that Tanzania is on course to create at least 53,500 jobs within President Samia’s first 100 days in office. He said that preparations to advertise the new vacancies were at an advanced stage and that official announcements would be made shortly.

Mr Kikwete emphasised that the massive recruitment drive reflects President Hassan’s firm commitment to addressing unemployment, strengthening public service delivery and ensuring that key sectors such as health and education are adequately staffed. Analysts say the aggressive employment push signals a robust economic and governance agenda, positioning job creation as a central pillar of President Samia’s second-term legacy.

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Timea Hillender was captivated by the TV series “This Wild Life,” set in the East African wilderness, featuring the Douglas-Hamilton couple. She saw that, despite challenges, someone can pursue science, research, and adventure simultaneously and even have a family.

“This Wild Life” sparked something in her, and she began to wonder why she was not living much closer to nature, why she was not actively seeking adventure, especially if she could do something good for the animals she loves so much. Timea, President of Africa Stories for the African Wildlife Association, based in Hungary, is dedicated to supporting wildlife conservation and humanitarian efforts in East Africa.

With support from the Hungary Helps Agency. They financed the studies of young Kenyan girls at the Kenya Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Academy located in Tsavo National Park so that after training, the girls could have a chance at a better life while working in wildlife protection.

They turned their focus to Tanzania with plans to replicate the same initiative. “Our interest turned toward Tanzania about three years ago, and we started searching for project sites and project ideas with my team.

In 2025, we also tried to connect with local organisations in Zanzibar regarding several projects. We also visited the Apopo,” she said.

Located at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, it is known for training African giant rats that have been deployed around the world, from detecting landmines and explosives in Cambodia to detecting tuberculosis. The centre has produced famous rats like Magawa.

“Apopo had such a profound impact on me that for my second master’s degree, which I completed in June 2025 (obuda University, Budapest Humanitarian Response Manager Faculty), I wrote my thesis on the following topic,” she explained. They are currently writing a grant application to support Apopo, within which they would like to cover the costs of their internal training programmes and contribute to getting more Morogoro women into the Apopo team so that they can provide a better life for their families and become role models in their communities.

“Although supporting the giant rat training programme operating in Tanzania is not the same as wildlife conservation, it is still connected to it,” she said. “Perhaps after the Russia-Ukraine conflict ends, we may hear more about the Morogoro mine detecting rats; these animals may participate in surveying the territories.

However, this is not straightforward, as the climate significantly complicates the year-round deployment of the animals, among other things,” she added. Besides their work in Morogoro, Timea and her team have worked in wildlife conservation in East Africa, with the ranger training support program, among others.

They helped female members of the local community obtain ranger qualifications, thereby providing the national park with a trained workforce who can protect various species with their expertise. Lately, conservationists have been speaking about curbing the number of tourists at national parks.

Timea thinks the over-tourism phenomenon has partly been caused by the media because it over-advertises a particular national park, and suddenly, that one park attracts everyone. Pointing her finger at the annual great migration of more than 1.

5 million wildebeests, along with zebras and gazelles: “It’s almost unenjoyable because of the safari vehicles bumper to bumper. From jeeps packed with tourists, you can’t take photos or just admire the landscape and animals without hearing the engines of 30 other cars or the tourists’ hooting,” she elaborated.

As a conservationist, this aspect of tourism is unsettling for her. “I think the crowd takes away part of the enjoyment value, and on the other hand, it must have an impact on the animals and nature as well.

Although the animals are used to the cars and their noise, it surely makes a difference whether the cars move in almost convoys or appear nicely dispersed,” she pointed out. She urges examining this from various perspectives and undoubtedly finds pro and con arguments and answers to every question.

She has been visiting the national parks of the East African Community since 2020. Initially, she was not consciously observing and had no research intentions; she only discovered the most obvious differences and similarities between the parks, like any traveler. She made notes for herself about how much different it is to return to a national park in a completely different season of the year, how much the wildlife changes, how parks empty during drought, and how animals migrate towards greener areas.

From 2024, she started to observe the parks more consciously, keeping in mind their operational functions and tasks, mainly because her MA programme had begun. Focusing on what the existence of parks means not only for the wildlife but also for the surrounding locals.

Noting the role of National Parks not only to gather animals and show them to tourists but also to take care of nature conservation, biodiversity preservation, and acts against poaching and environmental damage. National Parks have an increasingly important role in cooperating with local communities, supporting sustainable livelihoods (e.

., ecotourism, crafts, community projects), and reducing conflicts between people and wildlife.

An area in which Timea and her organization have been involved. Timea’s research in East Africa and the Sahel region is profound.

From water resource conservation in Tanzania National Parks, the ‘watershed’ zones in Kilimanjaro and Udzungwa. How forests regulate the water cycle, reduce erosion, and ensure year-round river flow.

And how important water systems are connected to the parks (e.g.

, Rufiji – Nyerere National Park, Lake Manyara, certain protected shorelines of Lake Tanganyika). “Preserving natural habitats helps maintain water quality and water supply for surrounding communities,” she noted.

Aside from her research and conservation work, Timea makes time for herself and friends when she visits Tanzania. To her amazement, she discovered a substantial Tanzanian-Hungarian community in Dar es Salaam, with which she has connected.

The Tanzanian-Hungarian community in Dar gets together regularly; among them are Tanzanians who studied in Hungarian universities. They speak Hungarian fluently; not only do they remember the language, but they also know how to cook Hungarian food.

They talk about Hungarian cities where they went on trips. It’s quite amazing what an impact Hungary and the Hungarian people had on them.

She said, Last year in Morogoro, when they were going home coming from APOPO, they sat down for coffee at the train station, and suddenly a local gentleman greeted them in Hungarian. They were amazed and overjoyed.

They later met him in Dar and had a longer conversation and got to know each other. She already plans to come back to Tanzania and get to use her visit for work and adventure.

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Picture this: It’s 2032. You’re driving past a massive, gleaming stadium built for Afcon 2027. The gates are padlocked. The grass is overgrown.

The only activity is a few goats grazing in what was once the VIP parking lot. This isn’t a hypothetical–it’s what happened to Gabon’s $500 million Afcon 2017 stadiums, now sitting largely abandoned.

Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda are betting $587 million on stadium infrastructure that this time will be different. After facilitating over $300 million in capital deployment across African markets, I can tell you the real test isn’t hosting 24 teams for six weeks–it’s whether these facilities generate revenue for twenty years afterward.

Kenya is building the 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium at $344.5 million–potentially $500 million with financing costs over 15 years, creating monthly debt service of approximately $33 million. Tanzania is constructing the 30,000-capacity Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium in Arusha for $112 million.

Uganda is developing the 20,000-seat Hoima National Stadium at $131 million. Over two million visitors are expected during the tournament.

But here’s the question that will determine success: what happens on July 19, 2027–the day after the final whistle? From structuring deals across African markets, I’ve learned that bankable infrastructure projects answer three critical questions before construction begins: 1. Who’s paying to use this after the tournament? Benjamin Mkapa Stadium needs pre-sold multi-year contracts with Tanzania’s Premier League, regional tournaments, concerts, and business conferences.

Without contracted revenue streams covering operations and debt service, these facilities become budget black holes. 2.

Who bears the risk if things go wrong? Kenya’s $500-million bond financing creates real fiscal pressure if stadium utilization disappoints. In cross-border transactions I’ve facilitated, deals collapse when governments retain risks they cannot hedge while operators assume risks they cannot price.

3. Are we building local capacity or just importing it? When South Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup, projects with significant local content generated higher employment and lower operating costs.

Tanzania employs 1.2 million in construction–Afcon should multiply that capacity, not bypass it.

In truth, the revenue opportunity is real because the demand exists. Tanzania’s tourism generated $4 billion in 2024 from 2.

14 million visitors. Uganda’s tourism earned $1.28 billion, a 25.9 percent increase from 2023. The MICE sector is growing–Uganda’s business and conference visitors rose from five percent to eight percent of arrivals between 2022 and 2023, with Kampala achieving 68.3 percent hotel occupancy.

The diaspora opportunity is equally tangible. Kenya received $4.8 billion in remittances during 2024, Uganda $1.49 billion, Tanzania $757 million.

Nearly $7 billion flows home annually–yet we’ve never systematically targeted diaspora tourism. Afcon should launch a decade-long strategy converting remittances into sustained tourism spend.

On the side of fund managers, they are asking one question: Can East Africa execute complex infrastructure programs on time, on budget, with credible post-event utilization? The answer determines whether we’re viewed as Tier One investment destinations or remain aspirational markets. What investors need: transparent procurement timelines, standardized PPP frameworks across all three countries, independent quarterly monitoring, and pre-negotiated international arbitration.

These aren’t bureaucratic boxes to check–they’re the difference between attracting productive capital versus recycling limited concessional financing. Afcon 2027 is our best opportunity in a generation to demonstrate we can deliver world-class infrastructure that serves citizens long after the cameras leave.

Get it right, and we unlock a decade of institutional investment. Get it wrong, and we build monuments to missed opportunity.

Having structured transactions across Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Zambia worth hundreds of millions, I know the capital exists, the demand exists, and the talent exists. What’s being tested is our willingness to execute with discipline.

The teams winning Afcon will lift a trophy on July 18, 2027. The real winners will be countries that turn six weeks of football into twenty years of economic infrastructure. Here’s what you should watch: Are stadium contracts being published with clear post-tournament revenue models? Are PPP frameworks being standardized across borders, or is each country negotiating separately? Is local content being mandated, or quietly waived? These answers will tell you whether we’re serious about sustainable infrastructure–or just building expensive photo opportunities.

The decisions being made in boardrooms and government offices right now will determine whether our children inherit productive assets or fiscal liabilities. The clock is ticking, and the world is watching.

Amne Suedi is Managing Director of Shikana Investment and Advisory, Honorary Consul of Switzerland to Tanzania, and Chair of the Switzerland-Tanzania Chamber of Commerce. You can contact her at [email protected] .

By Katare Mbashiru Dodoma. The Government has unveiled a wide-ranging strategy aimed at expanding employment opportunities for university and college graduates through large-scale strategic projects, small and medium-sized industries, and innovation programmes.

The Deputy Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations), Ms Rahma Kisuo, revealed the measures in Parliament on Friday, January 30, 2026, while responding to a question from Special Seats Member of Parliament (MP) Regina Malima on how the government plans to create more jobs for graduates. Ms Kisuo said thousands of jobs have already been generated through major national development projects implemented in recent years, many of which have absorbed graduates from diverse academic backgrounds.

She told Parliament that more than 35,000 jobs were created during the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), while over 10,000 jobs were generated under the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. Another 10,000 jobs were provided through the construction of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, alongside more than 1,500 jobs at the Msalato International Airport project in Dodoma.

In addition, she said more than 1,500 jobs were created through the construction of the JPM Bridge (KigongoBusisi), while over 3,000 jobs resulted from the expansion of the Dar es Salaam Port. Beyond infrastructure projects, Ms Kisuo said the government is strengthening employability through skills development and work-experience programmes.

She revealed that 29,902 graduates of different education levels have benefited from internship opportunities, while 19,075 workers have received skills upgrading in sectors such as hospitality, mining, transport, agriculture and agro-processing under the National Skills Development Programme. “These initiatives aim to equip beneficiaries with skills that match labour market demands,” she noted.

He further said the government has developed National Guidelines for Practical Training for Graduates to standardise the provision of internships and workplace training across both the public and private sectors. In addition, a 2025 Public Service Volunteering Guideline has been prepared to establish a formal framework for recruiting and managing young volunteers in public institutions.

Other measures, she added, include the provision of low-interest loans and grants through empowerment funds to graduates starting businesses, as well as entrepreneurship training to promote self-employment. .

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has alleged that the National Unity Platform (NUP), led by his two-time challenger Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, manipulated the 2021 General Election by introducing 2.7 million fake votes, one million locally and 1.

7 million imported from Dubai. Museveni, 81, who was declared winner of the January 15 presidential poll with 71.65 per cent of the vote, credited the use of biometric voter verification kits (BVVKs) for blocking the alleged fraud.

“When you hear there is opposition, there is none in Uganda. It is just cheating,” he said, describing how the kits helped secure his victory.

The long-serving leader, in power since 1986, raised concerns over technical failures during the election, including his own verification difficulties, suggesting some Electoral Commission (EC) staff may have sabotaged the process. Opposition leaders rejected the results as fraudulent.

Joel Ssenyonyi, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, questioned why the expensive machines failed nationwide, while Kyagulanyi accused the government of deliberately causing chaos in opposition strongholds, citing the internet shutdown and the switch to manual verification as facilitating irregularities. Museveni received 7.

95 million votes, while Kyagulanyi garnered 2.74 million.

Following a military raid on his home on January 16, Kyagulanyi’s whereabouts remain unknown, though Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, stated authorities were seeking him “dead or alive.” .