Category: The Citizen

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.

Sister Betina, Brother Joshua, please retire from the Ministry of Sexual Promotion.

Not every successful woman slept her way to the top. Sometimes, she actually worked her way there.

Because apparently, the moment a woman is pretty, competent and happens to have a good working relationship with a male boss, the office gossip department immediately opens an investigation.

She gets a promotion? ‘Hmm.’

The boss praises her work? ‘Aha!’

They laugh together in the corridor? ‘We knew it!’

She gets assigned an important project?

‘Anabebwa…’

At this point, can people please remember that a woman can be attractive and actually be good at her job? Revolutionary, I know.

She can have a pretty face, a sharp brain, excellent communication skills, discipline, ambition and an impressive work ethic, all in the same smoking-hot body.

There is no law saying beauty and competence must take turns. But somehow, when a beautiful woman is doing well, people struggle to process the possibility that she may simply be qualified.

If she is friendly with her male boss, the rumours begin.

If she is comfortable around him, people start connecting imaginary dots.

If he trusts her with important work, suddenly her entire career history is being investigated by people who have never even worked on the project.

And if she gets promoted?

Congratulations. You have officially activated the Office Conspiracy Department.

The funny thing is that people rarely apply the same suspicion to men. But let a woman have the same professional relationship, and suddenly everybody becomes a relationship expert.

‘They are too close.’

‘Something is going on.’ ‘She knows how to play her cards.’

Maybe she does. Maybe her card is called competence. Maybe she knows her job. Maybe she delivers.

Maybe she brings ideas to the table.

Maybe she has spent years developing skills that people never bothered to notice because they were too busy noticing her face and body.

I know, I know. We have had kina Matipa. We have seen situations where office relationships and power dynamics have crossed professional boundaries.

But not every boss is Jonasi.

And not every woman sitting next to the boss is there because she knows which buttons to press, professionally or otherwise.

Sometimes, she is simply the best person for the job.

Here is the thing… being pretty does not cancel out being hard-working.

A woman does not become less intelligent because she is beautiful.

She does not become less qualified because her boss happens to like working with her.

And she certainly does not owe people an explanation every time her career moves forward.

Of course, workplace favouritism exists. But there is a difference between questioning unfairness and automatically assuming that a successful woman must have slept her way into the room.

That assumption is not only lazy. It is deeply disrespectful.

Because while people are busy whispering about how she supposedly got the job, she might actually be the person doing the job.

And sometimes, ironically, the woman everyone says ‘anabebwa’ is the one carrying the entire project.

Carrying the meetings.

Carrying the team.

And somehow, still carrying the office gossip too.

So, Sister Betina, Brother Joshua, next time you see a pretty woman who is close to her male boss and doing well at work, perhaps pause before writing your own Nollywood screenplay.

‘I know my limit’ is one of the common reasons people who consume alcohol give themselves when deciding to drive after drinking. The statement can create a false sense of confidence, and what happens thereafter may, at times, cause lifelong regrets. Other reasons include saying they ‘do not feel drunk’ or that they are ‘only a few minutes from home’.

These arguments may sound convincing in the moment. The problem is that they turn a serious road safety decision into a judgement based largely on how a person feels, and that is where the danger begins.

Drink-driving is not only about how much alcohol someone believes they can handle. It is about the decision to get behind the wheel after drinking and the risk that decision can create for everyone else on the road.

A driver may be confident that they can make it home. The passenger sitting beside them, the pedestrian crossing the road or another driver coming from the opposite direction has no say in that decision. Yet they can all be affected by it.

This is why responsible drinking has to include what happens after the last drink. If you have been drinking, the safest decision is not to drive. Leave the car, choose a designated driver, arrange another form of transport or wait until you are fit to drive. The important thing is not to test whether you can make it home, but to make sure you can.

This is the message Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) is reinforcing during Road Safety Week as part of its commitment to responsible drinking and safer roads.

For SBL, the responsibility does not stop at encouraging consumers to make safer choices. The company also believes safety has to be reflected in its own operations. SBL conducts vehicle safety checks every month, covering key areas including brakes, tyres, lights, seatbelts, mirrors, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, licensing and insurance cover, among others.

Driver requirements, including valid licences and defensive-driving certification, are also checked, alongside the company’s zero-tolerance approach to drink-driving.

The checks are part of the company’s regular safety practices rather than measures introduced specifically for Road Safety Week.

‘Responsible drinking is about making the right choice, particularly considering the fact that choices taken can affect other people. If you have been drinking, do not drive. Within our own operations, we also take safety seriously through regular vehicle checks every month. For us, the checks are not something we do only during Road Safety Week; they are part of our operations,’ said Juanita Mramba, SBL’s Director of Corporate Relations.

That approach is important because road safety is not only about what happens when a vehicle is already on the road. It also starts before the journey. A vehicle needs to be fit for use, a driver needs to be in a position to drive safely, and decisions about alcohol and transport need to be made before someone takes the wheel.

For people who drink, planning ahead can remove the temptation to drive. It is easier to make the right choice when there is already a plan for getting home.

The same thinking applies to businesses. Companies that operate vehicles have a responsibility to ensure those vehicles are maintained and that drivers meet the required standards. For SBL, the regular checks are one way of making that responsibility part of everyday operations.

Road Safety Week provides a useful moment to bring the issue back into public attention, but the message is not limited to one week. The next time someone thinks, ‘I know my limit,’ the better question is whether knowing that limit is really enough reason to drive.

The answer is no. If alcohol is part of the evening, the journey home should be planned without the driver’s seat.

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.

There are festivals you attend for the artistes, and there are festivals you experience as a destination.

Kizimkazi festival turned out to be both.

My first Kizimkazi Festival began with a simple plan, follow the music and cover the stars. But somewhere between the journey to South Unguja, the crowds, the ngalawa races and the cultural displays, that plan quietly changed.

As an entertainment journalist, I had done the homework, checked the line-up, followed the announcements and marked the artistes I wanted to see.

Alikiba, Harmonize, Nandy, Mbosso, Marioo, Frida Amani and Uganda’s Jose Chameleone were all part of the attraction.

But somewhere between the road to South Unguja, the ngalawa races, exhibition stalls, old-school Bongo Flava memories and the sight of a community celebrating its culture and ambitions, I realised the music was only one part of the experience.

I may have arrived a few editions late.

The 2026 edition, held from August 12 to 14 at Dimbani grounds under the theme ‘Shangwe na Fursa ‘, celebration and opportunity.

The further we travelled, the clearer it became that Kizimkazi was not trying to separate the festival from the community around it.

The community was the festival.

People moved between activities, businesses displayed their products and visitors explored the area.

Cultural and sporting activities, food and business exhibitions formed part of the programme, while development projects added another dimension to the celebrations.

That was one of my biggest surprises.

I had expected a festival. I did not expect to spend part of the experience thinking about schools, water, housing, recreation and vocational training projects.

Suddenly, Shangwe na Fursa made sense. There was definitely shangwe.

But there were also fursa.

The more time I spent at the festival, the more interesting its history became.

What is now a major event did not begin with a star-studded stage and a national audience.

Its roots trace back to a community celebration that began in 2015, later evolving into Kizimkazi Day and eventually becoming the festival it is today.

That history is still visible. Even with major artistes, government leaders, businesses and visitors now part of the programme, there remains a strong sense that the festival belongs to the people of Kizimkazi.

It is about bringing people together, preserving traditions, supporting development and showing visitors what the area has to offer.

The stage delivered one of the festival’s strongest ideas, there was room for different generations.

The line-up moved between some of the biggest names in contemporary East African music and artistes whose songs carried the memories of an earlier era.

Seeing Shirko, Berry Black and AT take the audience down memory lane was one of those moments that reminded me how powerful nostalgia can be.

Once the familiar songs started playing, the crowd did not need an introduction.

People remembered.

Shirko and Berry Black’s reunion brought back memories of songs including ‘Najua and Na Wewe Tu’, while Shirko’s collaboration with AT, ‘Kumbe ni Mwizi’, added another layer to the throwback.

Then there was Luiza Mbutu. If the old-school Bongo Flava performances brought back memories through sound, Mbutu did it through movement.

Known for her years with Twanga Pepeta, where she built a reputation as both a vocalist and dancer, Mbutu brought her signature moves and presence to the festival.

It was a reminder that an artiste’s legacy is not always measured by how frequently their name appears on today’s playlists.

Then the festival shifted gears again.

Mbosso brought his romantic Bongo Flava sound. Alikiba had the crowd locked in. Harmonize arrived with the big-stage energy his fans expect, while Nandy brought her own star power.

Dulla Makabila represented the raw, high-energy world of singeli.

There was no attempt to make the festival sound like one thing.

Instead, Kizimkazi became a musical conversation.

Old school met new school. Bongo Flava met singeli. Romantic anthems met dance records.

Zanzibar’s musical history met sounds coming from beyond Tanzania.

For me, that was one of the festival’s smartest moves.

It did not ask the audience to choose between the past and the present. It gave both a microphone.

The further I moved around the festival, the more convinced I became that the headline artistes were only part of the story.

There was food, traditional art, business exhibitions, sport, community activities and then there were the ngalawa races.

Watching the traditional boats move across the water as people gathered to cheer was one of those moments that forced me, at least mentally, to put down the journalist’s notebook and simply watch.

It felt connected to the place. The race was sport, heritage and entertainment happening at the same time.

And in Kizimkazi, where the ocean is part of everyday life and livelihoods, it made perfect sense that conversations around the blue economy were woven into the festival.

The sea is not simply the backdrop for a beautiful Instagram post, here, it is opportunity.

That may be the biggest thing I took away from my first visit.

A festival can change the way you experience a destination. You might arrive because Alikiba is performing.

Then you stay for the culture, you discover the food, you watch a ngalawa race, you walk through an exhibition, you meet local entrepreneurs.

You learn something about the history of the community.

And before you know it, your concert trip has become something bigger.

Zanzibar does not need convincing as a tourism destination. The beaches, history, culture and coastline already do much of the work.

A festival like Kizimkazi gives them another reason to travel.

I arrived with curiosity. I was not comparing the 2026 edition with previous years.

I was simply experiencing what was in front of me.

What I found was a festival that could be loud when it needed to be, nostalgic when the moment called for it and traditional without feeling trapped in the past.

So yes, this was my first Kizimkazi Festival.

But I have a confession… I think I arrived a few editions late.

Next time, I will come knowing that the music is only where the story begins.

And I have a feeling Kizimkazi will still find a way to show me something new.

Tanga. Tanzania is replacing fragmented efforts with a coordinated national skills agenda as the government seeks to institutionalise policies, strategies and programmes to ensure education keeps pace with the changing world of work.

The shift reflects growing recognition that Tanzania does not lack frameworks to address the skills mismatch.

The challenge has been effective implementation, supported by stronger collaboration among government, universities, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions and industry.

This was the central message at the National Education, Skills and Innovation Week in Tanga yesterday, where policymakers and education leaders said the focus must shift from identifying problems to delivering measurable employment outcomes.

More than 800,000 young Tanzanians enter the labour market annually, yet only about 21 percent of the workforce has at least secondary education, while TVET enrolment stands at 4.2 percent.

The result is a persistent gap between the skills employers require and those possessed by graduates.

However, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof Carolyne Nombo, said Tanzania has already developed comprehensive frameworks to address the challenge.

‘The issue is no longer whether we have policies. We should see how we can implement the already existing frameworks which are well articulated to improve competence at all stages of education,’ she told delegates.

The government’s approach is anchored in six complementary instruments covering different parts of the skills ecosystem.

The Tanzania Development Vision 2050 positions human capital, science, technology and innovation as foundations of a competitive, knowledge-based economy.

The Education and Training Policy 2014, 2023 Edition, promotes competence-based learning and curricula aligned with national development priorities, employment and entrepreneurship.

The Second National Skills Development Strategy targets sectors with high employment potential, including ICT, construction, transport, tourism, agribusiness and energy, while strengthening links between training institutions and labour-market demand.

The National Framework for Academia-Industry Collaboration brings employers into curriculum design, internships, work-based learning and graduate assessment.

The Tanzania Qualifications Framework creates pathways between vocational, technical and university education, enabling learners to progress without unnecessarily repeating qualifications.

Meanwhile, the TVET Quality Standards 2025 require providers to strengthen industry partnerships, regularly review curricula and ensure instructors keep pace with technological change.

Together, the frameworks form what education experts describe as a single architecture for skills development rather than isolated initiatives.

At the Tanga forum, Tanzania Commission for Universities Executive Secretary, Prof Charles Kihampa, said relevance should become the defining measure of educational quality.

‘We have to balance local relevance with international competitiveness,’ he said, warning that an education system could meet domestic expectations while falling short of regional and global standards.

University of Dodoma Vice Chancellor, Prof Lughano Kusiluka, also called for structured collaboration that brings industry professionals into universities.

‘Collaboration should not depend on occasional meetings. It must become a continuous process through which curricula, teaching and graduate preparation are regularly reviewed,’ he said.

Implementation is being accelerated through the Second Education and Skills for Productive Jobs Programme (ESPJ-II), a six-year initiative worth Sh780 billion ($300 million).

According to ESPJ-II Coordinator, Dr Erick Mgaya, the programme is expected to benefit more than one million Tanzanians and is being implemented by 19 institutions in partnership with ministries and the private sector.

Prof Nombo said it would expand skills training for unemployed and vulnerable youth, strengthen TVET governance and increase private-sector participation.

The government has also launched the Mama Samia skills recognition and certification programme, targeting 80,000 artisans by 2027 through Recognition of Prior Learning.

The initiative recognises and certifies skills acquired outside formal education, enabling experienced workers to obtain nationally recognised qualifications.

High Court advocate Peter Madeleka has been charged with five counts of contempt of court at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Mr Madeleka appeared before Kisutu Resident Magistrate-in-Charge Hassan Makube on Thursday, August 20, 2026, where Senior State Attorney Clemence Kato, assisted by Mosei Kaima and Veronica Chacha, charged him in a criminal case.

He is represented by advocate Maduhu William.

The relationship between Tanzania and Uganda is certainly growing, what with the recent visit to Tanzania by the Ugandan President His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, where a number of issues on key economic undertakings were discussed with his counterpart, Her Excellency, the Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan.

In between these discussions, Uganda’s Minister of State for Urban Development, Margaret Muhanga Mugisa, has proposed reviving the idea of moving the country’s capital from Kampala to Nakasongola, where the authorities could build a new city from scratch. She made her remarks at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

My hunch feeling is that the Minister is impressed with the move by Tanzania, to shift its capital city from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma. Ipso facto, Uganda can learn from the Tanzanian and other countries’ experiences in relocating capital cities.

I personally love urban areas and the idea that Uganda has a Ministry of State for Urban Development is exciting and points to some institutional set up that Tanzania may want to take on board. The way our urban areas, are growing chaotically, be they small, medium-sized, large or mega-large, points to the need to have a strong political and economic push to salvage them.

Soon after Independence, a number of African countries embarked on relocating their capitals, although some, like Botswana, had to build new ones from scratch, in what came to be known as ‘necessary capitals’. Malawi, Nigeria, Côte D’Ivoire and Tanzania decided to abandon their old capitals of Zomba, Lagos, Abidjan and Dar es Salaam, for new ones of Lilongwe, Abuja, Yamoussoukro and Dodoma, respectively. By mid-1990s, only Tanzania remained entrenched in Dar es Salaam, despite the plan to have moved to Dodoma in 10 years from 1973.

Today, however, the government of Tanzania operates from Dodoma, the relocation having been accelerated from 2016, after many years of dilly dallying and U-turns. This is something the Ugandans may need to learn. You need a strong political push to realise the relocation, and to do so within a short time span. A long period increases the risks of the relocation movement getting thwarted by economic and political adverse circumstances.

The Ugandan Minister of State for Urban Development seems to have given up about Kampala, getting quoted as saying: ‘Kampala has become unlivable because of chronic traffic congestion, unplanned development and a lack of space for expanding road infrastructure’. She said the country loses around $1.6bn every day because of traffic jams and that residents are forced to leave for work as early as 4 am to arrive on time’. Sounds like Dar!

Last year we had an opportunity to go for a pilgrimage in Uganda, and yes, the traffic congestion in Kampala is out of this world. Yet, there is need to ponder whether moving government from a large city relieves traffic congestion.

Large cities have their own momentums driven by investments in various economic, social and cultural ventures and activities. Moving the capital from the city has limited and short-lived impact on relieving traffic congestion, as those living in Dar es Salaam will attest. ‘Foleni’ is everybody’s cry, and this is not an exceptional case. The following has been written about Lagos:

‘Lagos experiences some of the worst traffic congestion in the world, with commuters spending an average of two to three hours daily in gridlock. This massive congestion drains billions in productivity losses, elevates air pollution, and is driven by a high vehicle density squeezed into a limited road network’. You are reading right. Lagos is heavily congested, despite the relocation of the capital from there to Abuja in 1992.

Abuja too, despite being a well-planned city, is suffering from daily traffic congestion as a result of a growing population, heavy commuter movement from satellite towns, roadside trading, and high volumes of commercial traffic. These cause severe delays on major routes into the city center. Those who moved early in Dodoma were happy with easy movements. Today, traffic congestion is creeping in as well.

Kampala’s woes are, in part caused by huge infrastructure gaps, massive growth of motor vehicles and heavy through traffic to/from neighbouring countries.

The Ugandan Minister is pessimistic: ‘Kampala is unlivable, it can no longer be changed. We have to move out of it’. Yet, even if the government moves out, people and economic activities, will remain and, in order to improve their well-fare, as well as make the city work, heavy investment will still be needed in infrastructure: roads, drains, water, sewers, housing, electricity, public places, and what have you.

Late President Magufuli, while pushing for relocation to Dodoma, made it clear that the government was not abandoning Dar es Salaam.

Moving the government from a current capital city need not be justified on the grounds of the need to run away from existing problems.

Centrality has been often cited. Creating a new national psyche, in a green lush city, has been dreamed of. The earmarked site of Nakasongola for Uganda’s new capita is centrally located with easy access to different regions. The land is flat and open, making it cheaper to acquire large areas for a planned smart city. Planners (who have failed to protect Kampala’s wetlands on Lake Victoria) look at the shores of Lake Kyoga as a good spot for a new modern administrative center.

While moving Uganda’s capital city has been on the agenda for some time, the main problem with our cities is that of governance. A new capital may seem livable when the population is small, but problems in the old city will get replicated with time, in the new one. You cannot keep moving. You cannot keep on abandoning public property and investments. Important public records get misplaced or destroyed altogether in such movements.