Category: The Citizen

Young Africans (Yanga) are expected to hand Stephane Aziz Ki his long-awaited Mainland Tanzania Premier League return when they face Coastal Union at the KMC Complex in one of three matches scheduled for today.

The encounter, scheduled for 6.30pm, could mark Aziz Ki’s first appearance in the competition since leaving Yanga at the end of the 2024/2025 season.

The Burkina Faso international spent the 2025/2026 campaign away from Tanzania, initially joining Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club before later moving to Libyan side Al-Ittihad Tripoli. His return adds another dimension to a Yanga attack already strengthened by the arrival of Namibian striker Peter Shalulile and winger Albert Kangwanda. The combination could give coach Manqoba Mngqithi different attacking options, with Aziz Ki capable of operating between midfield and attack, Shalulile providing a powerful focal point and Kangwanda offering width and penetration.

The trio as Yanga seek to raise their level domestically and in continental football. Aziz Ki’s previous record provides the strongest argument for the excitement surrounding his comeback.

During his three-season spell at Yanga, he established himself as one of the league’s most productive attacking midfielders. Available career records credit him with 94 appearances and 48 goals for Yanga, while his defining Mainland campaign came in 2023/2024, when he scored 21 league goals in 27 matches to win the Golden Boot.

He was also named the league’s Player of the Season and Midfielder of the Season. That record makes Aziz Ki more than just another new signing. His ability to score from midfield could relieve pressure on Shalulile while creating space for the Namibian to exploit. Kangwanda, meanwhile, can stretch defences from wide areas, potentially giving Aziz Ki the pockets of space he prefers around the penalty area.

Coastal Union will, however, provide a useful early examination of that attacking structure.

Yanga won both league meetings last season, defeating Coastal Union 1-0 away and 3-0 at home, but the visitors remain capable of frustrating opponents through a compact defensive approach.

The match therefore offers more than three points. It is an opportunity for Mngqithi to assess how quickly Aziz Ki can reconnect with Yanga’s attacking rhythm and whether the chemistry between him, Shalulile and Kangwanda can become one of the defining features of the champions’ title defence.

Elsewhere, Polisi Tanzania face JKT Tanzania at 4pm, while Azam host TRA United at 9pm.

More than 20 households in Saeni Street, Misugusugu Ward, Kibaha Municipal Council, have started benefiting from free water after Fortune Paper extended water pipes from its premises to nearby residential areas.

The project covers about three kilometres and is intended to provide residents with a more reliable source of water for domestic activities, including bathing and washing utensils, as well as agricultural activities. The water is supplied to residents free of charge.

Speaking at a handover ceremony held at Zogowale Primary School on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Fortune Paper business manager, Mr Colin Yang, said access to a reliable water supply is particularly important for households because it reduces the time and effort spent travelling long distances to fetch water. More than 20 households in Saeni Street, Misugusugu Ward, Kibaha Municipal Council, have started benefiting from free water after Fortune Paper extended water pipes from its premises to nearby residential areas.

The project covers about three kilometres and is intended to provide residents with a more reliable source of water for domestic activities, including bathing and washing utensils, as well as agricultural activities. The water is supplied to residents free of charge.

Speaking at a handover ceremony held at Zogowale Primary School on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Fortune Paper business manager, Mr Colin Yang, said access to a reliable water supply is particularly important for households because it reduces the time and effort spent travelling long distances to fetch water.

A signing ceremony in Morogoro last week tells a story far bigger than one graphite mine. Henan Yudi Mining, a Chinese firm few outside the sector would recognise, committed Sh 266 billion, roughly $100 million, to develop a deposit at Mbwade village, with government taking a 17 percent non-dilutable free-carried interest under Tanzania’s now-standard equity structure for strategic minerals.

Minister for Minerals Anthony Mavunde noted it was the fourteenth such framework agreement his ministry has signed with critical minerals investors. The deal closed in the time it takes many Western-backed juniors merely to confirm a feasibility study.

That contrast is the story worth telling to anyone allocating capital toward Africa’s mineral wealth.

Let us consider Nachu. Magnis Energy Technologies arrived in Ruangwa District over a decade ago promising 240,000 tonnes a year of high purity graphite and, eventually, a binding offtake agreement with Tesla itself.

Compensation payments were made, a resettlement village was built, environmental certificates were secured. Then came a default notice on the special mining licence, subsequently lifted, followed by a corporate reorganisation into Ryzon Materials.

This year the project changed hands again: its Tanzanian subsidiaries were folded into Sow Good Inc, a Nasdaq listed company whose core business, until now, has been to freeze dried candy.

A decade of promise ended in a reverse takeover by a snack manufacturer. Whatever one thinks of that outcome, it is not the trajectory sophisticated capital allocators point to as a model.

Let us also consider Mahenge, the world’s second largest graphite reserve, held by Black Rock Mining with government retaining a 16 percent free-carried stake.

The project has assembled an enviable syndicate: POSCO International as strategic partner and offtaker, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation, and CRDB Bank locally. Early works are essentially complete.

Yet the company has, again, extended its credit facility deadline, this time to November 2026, still short of the final investment decision that would unlock construction. Years of institutional grade financing architecture, and the mine has yet to produce a tonne.

None of this reflects a lack of geological promise. TISEZA’s data for the first quarter of 2026 shows why global capital should be paying closer attention regardless: $1.14 billion in registered investment, with China again the largest single source of FDI at $227 million, ahead of the UAE, Mauritius, India and South Africa.

Widen the lens to the FDI stock accumulated since 1997 and China accounts for close to a third of the total, more than double the United Kingdom in second place.

This is not a new phenomenon. It is a structural feature of how capital currently reaches Tanzania’s resource sectors, and the graphite pipeline illustrates precisely why.

The uncomfortable question for Western companies, DFIs, sovereign funds and private equity houses eyeing the critical minerals opportunity is not whether Tanzania’s graphite is investable.

Government has been consistent: standardised free-carried interest terms, a published order of priority sectors, and, as of this year, a Critical and Strategic Minerals Strategy moving through stakeholder consultation to govern the shift from raw export to domestic beneficiation.

The real question is whether Western capital structures, built for shareholder consensus, layered ESG due diligence and public market scrutiny, can move at a pace that competes with a state-directed Chinese counterparty willing to sign, fund and break ground within a single financial quarter.

There is a version of this argument that ends in resignation, that China has simply won the race and the rest should adjust expectations accordingly.

I would push back on that. Tanzania’s own posture, styled sovereign pragmatism by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, explicitly invites diversified capital rather than a single dominant partner, and Mahenge’s backers continue to cite supportive American and European critical minerals policy, not resignation to Chinese primacy.

Amne Suedi is the Managing Director of Shikana Investment and Advisory, Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Zanzibar, and Chair of the Switzerland-Tanzania Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed are strictly Amne Suedi’s only.

Former Zambian Transport and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was killed during a security operation at a property linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile, police have confirmed, adding a new and disturbing dimension to tensions following last week’s presidential election.

Zambian police said Kafwaya was fatally wounded during an exchange of gunfire between security forces and unidentified people during the joint operation in Lusaka on Friday, August 14, a day after the country went to the polls. His death was confirmed by police on Wednesday after days of uncertainty over his whereabouts.

Police said security forces came under fire and returned fire during the operation. The authorities had earlier said the raid was targeting individuals suspected of involvement in militia activities and posing a threat to State security. The Government said 11 people were arrested during the operation and that security forces recovered high-grade military weapons, ammunition and other materials allegedly intended for an armed insurrection.

However, Mundubile, who was at the property during the raid, has rejected the Government’s allegations, saying his political alliance was not involved in insurgency or militia activities.

He has also described the operation as an attack on his life and went into hiding afterwards, citing security concerns.

Kafwaya’s death had remained unclear for several days, with his family and opposition figures demanding information about his whereabouts.

Earlier reports that he had been admitted to Maina Soko Military Hospital were rejected by Government officials, who said there was no patient by his name at the facility. Police have now confirmed that he died during the security operation.

Kafwaya’s political career

Kafwaya was a senior member of the Patriotic Front and represented Lunte constituency in Parliament for nearly a decade.

He was appointed Minister of Works and Supply by then-President Edgar Lungu in 2018 before moving to the Ministry of Transport and Communications in 2019. He served in the position until the Patriotic Front lost power in the 2021 general election.

He remained active in opposition politics after leaving government and was among figures associated with Mundubile’s political alliance.

His death therefore comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Zambia, where political tensions have risen sharply following the August 13 presidential election.

Election tensions

President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner of the election with about 60 percent of the vote, while Mundubile received about 38 percent, according to the Electoral Commission. Mundubile has rejected the outcome and announced plans to challenge it in court.

The election was already marked by incidents of violence and disruptions to vote counting. The Electoral Commission temporarily suspended counting after reports of attacks on polling officials and theft of marked ballot papers.

The arrests during the security raid have since drawn international concern.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Trk called on the Zambian authorities to respect due process and ensure that arrests comply with international human rights standards. He also urged authorities to stop arbitrary arrests and bring detainees before courts promptly.

The Government has denied allegations that it is using the security operation to suppress political opposition, maintaining that the raid was conducted because of concerns over threats to State security.

Kafwaya’s death is now likely to intensify scrutiny of the operation and raise further questions about what happened during the exchange of gunfire.

With Zambia emerging from a closely watched election, the case has become a test of the Government’s handling of political dissent, security threats and the rule of law.

The circumstances surrounding Kafwaya’s death, including the events that led to the exchange of fire, are expected to remain a major issue as authorities face growing calls for transparency and accountability.

Ghent University in Belgium has suspended US academic Nathan Cofnas pending a preliminary disciplinary investigation after he raised plagiarism allegations against late Cambridge professor Jason Arday, who was found dead in London last week.

Cofnas announced the suspension on Thursday, saying he was being investigated for allegedly discriminating against Arday.

‘I was just suspended by Ghent University. They will almost certainly fire me,’ Cofnas wrote on X. Ghent University confirmed that Cofnas had been suspended as a precautionary measure while it conducts a preliminary disciplinary investigation, but said it would not disclose details of the case because of confidentiality requirements.

The university said it supports academic freedom and open debate, including when views are controversial, but stressed that such freedom comes with responsibility.

‘Ghent University stands for respect for human dignity and opposes discrimination, hatred and racism,’ Rector Petra De Sutter and Vice-Rector Herwig Reynaert said in a joint statement.

The university said it was assessing whether there were sufficient grounds to refer Cofnas’s case to the competent disciplinary body.

The development comes days after the death of Arday, 41, who resigned from his position as professor of sociology of education at the University of Cambridge earlier this month following intense scrutiny of his academic work and other claims about his career.

Arday, who became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor when he was appointed in 2023, denied allegations that he had plagiarised another academic’s work. His alma mater, Liverpool John Moores University, had previously investigated the allegations and upheld its decision to award him a PhD.

The controversy intensified after Cofnas published a post on his Substack page in July saying he had been contacted by a source at Cambridge about allegations concerning Arday’s doctoral thesis.

Cofnas said he had run Arday’s thesis through plagiarism-detection software and identified passages he claimed were copied with minimal editing. The allegations subsequently received widespread media coverage.

The Guardian reported that more than 100 passages in Arday’s PhD thesis had been identified as similar to another thesis by Paula Zwozdiak-Myers, a former Brunel University student. However, Arday maintained that several investigations had cleared him of plagiarism or academic misconduct.

Cambridge initially defended Arday, describing the allegations as a ‘vile smear campaign to undermine his credibility’. The university later said it had received new information and announced a fresh investigation into his qualifications and career. That investigation was subsequently paused following his death.

Arday was found dead at his home in Battersea, south London, on August 14, days after resigning from Cambridge. His family said he had faced a sustained campaign of abuse and misinformation for more than three years and that the pressure had become overwhelming.

His death has prompted widespread debate over academic standards, racism, media scrutiny and the treatment of Black academics in Britain. Thousands of people attended a vigil in central London on Monday to remember him, with speakers criticising the media coverage surrounding the controversy.

Cofnas has previously faced controversy over his views on race. He was associated with the University of Cambridge’s Emmanuel College before the college ended its association with him in 2024 following concerns over blog posts about race and academic merit.

A subsequent Cambridge investigation concluded that, although his views were considered offensive by many, they did not amount to discrimination or harassment under the university’s rules, according to the Guardian. Cofnas has said he is not racist and is involved in a legal dispute with Emmanuel College.

Cofnas is currently a postdoctoral researcher in philosophy and moral sciences at Ghent University.

Ghent University said its decision to suspend him was precautionary and did not amount to a finding of misconduct.

The institution said it had been ‘shocked’ by Arday’s death and extended its condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and students, while stressing that it would allow its disciplinary process to take its course without prejudging the outcome.

WaterAid Tanzania (WAT) and Farm Africa have formalised a strategic partnership to address the link between poor sanitation, malnutrition and low agricultural productivity in rural Tanzania.

The organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday, seeking to integrate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services with sustainable agriculture and livelihood programmes.

The partnership recognises that safe water and hygiene are foundations for productive and resilient farming communities, particularly as climate change intensifies pressure on rural households. WaterAid Tanzania Country Director Anna Mzinga said the partnership would combine the organisation’s WASH expertise with Farm Africa’s experience in sustainable agriculture.

‘Water connects health, dignity, food security and livelihoods,’ Ms Mzinga told journalists during the event. She said the collaboration would help create resilient solutions for communities most affected by limited access to essential services.

Farm Africa Tanzania Country Director, Dr David Ojwang, said sanitation and hygiene were also central to improving food security and nutrition.

‘Improved sanitation and hygiene are key to improving food security and good nutrition,’ said Dr Ojwang.

He said access to water had moved beyond being solely a health concern, becoming essential for smallholder farmers seeking to produce food amid changing environmental conditions.

The partnership will focus on joint planning, resource mobilisation and projects where WASH services are critical to improving livelihoods.

Ms Mzinga said the agreement reflected the organisations’ shared commitment to helping communities adapt to climate change. ‘This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that communities… have the services and opportunities they need to thrive in the face of a changing climate,’ said Ms Mzinga.

Dr Ojwang said combining improved hygiene with better agricultural practices could enable more communities to build climate-resilient livelihoods by 2030.

The partnership brings together WaterAid’s 43 years of experience in Tanzania and Farm Africa’s 35 years of operations, creating an integrated approach to rural development.

WaterAid says it has reached 1.9 million people with water services and 4.3 million with hygiene services since 1983.

The organisations also plan to strengthen community management of natural resources, improve farmers’ access to profitable markets and share lessons with other development partners.

The initiative is expected to support efforts to reduce poverty by linking water security with improved agricultural productivity, incomes and nutrition.

Both organisations said collaboration would help ensure investments in water and sanitation contribute directly to stronger livelihoods and more resilient rural communities.

A total of 80 goats are expected to take part in the Rotary Goat Races, which will be held on September 19 at the Posta grounds in Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam, with organisers aiming to raise Sh200 million to support youth education.

President of the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay, Paul Muhato, said the goats will be divided into eight groups and compete in different races, with the winner of each group receiving Sh400,000.

Muhato said preparations for the event are progressing well and that organisers expect to attract about 5,000 participants. He said the funds raised will be used to support the education of students in need at universities and vocational training colleges. ‘Our goal is to bring joy to the community while contributing to its development. Through these races, we want to ensure that talented young people facing financial challenges have an opportunity to continue with their education,’ said Muhato. He said the event has continued to grow through the support of various stakeholders, naming Vodacom Tanzania PLC as one of its key partners. ‘For the third consecutive year, Vodacom Tanzania PLC has sponsored the races with Sh150 million annually. This is a three-year sponsorship, bringing the total contribution to Sh450 million. This is evidence of its long-term commitment to supporting communities and enabling projects that benefit citizens,’ Muhato said. Vodacom Tanzania PLC Head of Marketing and Enablement for Vodacom Business at Vodacom Tanzania PLC, Joseph Sayi, said the company believes its sponsorship will help the event achieve its set objectives.

‘At Vodacom, we believe in supporting communities and creating an environment where people can achieve their goals. Our sponsorship of the Rotary Goat Races is part of that commitment because we want to see this event have a positive impact on the community, particularly by enabling young people to access education and build their future,’ said Sayi.

He said Vodacom will continue working with stakeholders on projects aimed at bringing about positive change and promoting community development.

The races are expected to feature various forms of entertainment, with organisers stressing that the event is not only about competition but also serves as a platform for bringing communities together and supporting development projects.

Yas Fiber has expanded its high-speed internet services to Dodoma, targeting growing demand for reliable connectivity as the capital attracts new businesses, institutions and residential developments.

The service is initially available in Ilazo, Ipagala, Swaswa and Mjini Kati, with the expansion expected to improve connectivity for households, businesses and institutions while supporting online learning, remote work, digital business operations and access to online services.

Speaking during the launch on August 19, Dodoma District Commissioner Jabir Shekimweri said investment in digital infrastructure was increasingly important as the city continued to grow. ‘Dodoma is growing rapidly, and this growth needs to be supported by reliable infrastructure, including digital connectivity. Investments such as Yas Fiber can help our residents, businesses and institutions take advantage of opportunities in the digital economy,’ Mr Shekimweri said.

He said improved internet connectivity would particularly benefit young people and entrepreneurs by giving them greater access to education, information, markets and digital services.

Yas Fiber chief executive officer Maxime Woimant said the expansion was part of the company’s efforts to provide digital infrastructure to support Dodoma’s changing economic and social landscape.

‘We are not simply bringing faster internet to Dodoma. We are bringing infrastructure that can help people work better, learn better, do business better and access opportunities in an increasingly digital world,’ Mr Woimant said.

He said reliable fibre connectivity could help entrepreneurs market their products and reach customers online, enable students to access digital learning resources, and support businesses and institutions that increasingly depend on cloud services, digital systems and online platforms.

Mobile benefits for fibre customers

As part of the expansion, Yas Fiber has introduced an additional benefit that combines home internet with mobile connectivity.

Customers will receive mobile data and all-network voice minutes on their Yas numbers as part of their monthly fibre plans at no additional cost.

Depending on the fibre package selected, customers will receive between 5GB and 30GB of mobile data and 50 to 350 all-network minutes, while continuing to pay the normal monthly fibre price.

Mr Woimant said the benefit was designed to give customers greater value and keep them connected both at home and while on the move.

‘It is not only about speed. It is about what that speed enables people to do. Every home we connect can become a place to learn, work and access digital services, while every business we connect has an opportunity to become more productive and reach more customers,’ he said.

Yas Fiber plans to progressively expand its network to more areas of Dodoma as demand grows.

Mr Woimant said the expansion reflected the company’s wider ambition to become a digital ally to Tanzanians by using reliable connectivity to support businesses, expand access to digital opportunities and contribute to the country’s digital transformation.

‘As Dodoma grows, Yas Fiber will grow with Dodoma. We will continue to invest, innovate and expand because we believe reliable connectivity should be an enabler of Tanzania’s development,’ he said.

In this digital era, public opinion is formed in newspaper columns, television studios, political meetings and on social media platforms, where millions of people react to an event within seconds. Behind this enormous flow of public expression are artificial intelligence systems and algorithms that decide, often invisibly, what people see, discuss and which voices become dominant.

This largely unregulated and fast changing environment makes me wonder: what happens when digital crowds begin to act as judges?

The rise of social media has given ordinary citizens unprecedented power. A single post attracts thousands of comments, while a video travels across borders before traditional media organisations have even confirmed the facts. People such as the late Prof Jason Ardey, whose public profile and actions became the subject of online discussions that resulted in the end of his life, are evidence of the dangers of digital visibility.

Algorithms are designed to keep users engaged. They analyse behaviour, including what people click on, share, comment on and watch. Content that generates strong reactions is often given greater visibility. Unfortunately, controversy, anger and outrage always attract more attention than balanced explanations.

We have seen accusations spread faster than evidence. People have been judged by thousands of strangers who have never met them and know little about the circumstances surrounding their particular incidents. Once a narrative becomes popular, correcting it can be extremely difficult, hence online content turned into digital courtrooms.

Public discussion has always been part of society. The deeper concern is that algorithms are amplifying particular opinions at enormous speed and scale, creating the impression that the loudest voices represent the majority.

Digital crowds easily become powerful forces. They support persons to destroy reputations, influence companies, or even pressure institutions into taking action. At ibest, this power can expose wrongdoing and give marginalised communities a voice. At worst, this power can encourage harassment, misinformation, online punishment and even death without due process.

Artificial intelligence adds another layer to the problem. AI systems have the power to identify trends, recommend content, generate summaries and produce convincing text, images and videos. These technologies help people understand complicated subjects, but they also make misinformation easier to create and distribute.

For public figures and private citizens alike, reputation is now being shaped by an unpredictable combination of human emotion and machine recommendation. Someone wakes up to discover that their name is trending, without understanding why. Within hours, thousands or millions of people have formed opinions about them based on fragments of information.

This creates a challenge for journalism as well. Professional journalists are expected to verify information, identify sources and provide context. Social media operates according to very different incentives. Speed often wins over accuracy, while emotional content outperforms careful reporting.

I am not suggesting that we silence digital crowds. Freedom of expression remains essential. Nor should algorithms automatically be treated as enemies. They help people discover information, connect communities and make sense of enormous quantities of data.

The real challenge is accountability. Technology companies need greater transparency about how recommendation systems work and how harmful or demonstrably false information is amplified. Users also need stronger digital literacy so that they can distinguish evidence from speculation and reporting from viral commentary.

Most importantly, society must resist the temptation to confuse popularity with truth.

If thousands of people believe something, that does not automatically make it true. If an algorithm repeatedly places a story in front of us, that does not mean the story is important or accurate. And if an online crowd condemns someone, that does not necessarily mean justice has been served.

The story surrounding the late Prof Ardey, viewed within this wider digital landscape, illustrates a much larger issue facing modern society, which is that who gets to decide the truth after technology has amplified millions of individual judgments?

A healthy society requires evidence, accountability, context and the willingness to reconsider an initial judgment. Digital platforms have given people extraordinary power, but with that power comes responsibility.

The internet has created a world where everyone is now a commentator and every controversy is a public trial. The task now is to ensure that the speed of digital judgment does not outrun the slower, but essential, processes of truth and justice.

Former Miss South Africa contestant and Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 first runner-up Chidimma Adetshina will have to wait until next year for clarity on her immigration status in South Africa after a court postponed her deportation case to February 2027.

The Cape Town Regional Court on Wednesday, August 19, postponed judgment on whether Adetshina should be detained pending possible deportation, saying it could not determine the matter before the Western Cape High Court rules on her separate review application challenging the decision to deport her.

The matter has been scheduled for February 27, 2027.

For now, Adetshina remains out of detention and has been ordered to stay at her current address and report regularly to an immigration officer while the legal proceedings continue.

The latest development follows months of legal uncertainty surrounding her right to remain in South Africa.

The 25-year-old was arrested in June after South African authorities alleged that she had entered the country illegally through the Lebombo border from Mozambique.

The Department of Home Affairs is seeking her detention pending deportation, arguing that she does not have valid immigration status.

Her legal team, however, has challenged the deportation process and argued that Adetshina was born in South Africa and has strong ties to the country.

Her lawyers are also challenging the decision to declare her a prohibited person through a separate High Court application.

The immigration dispute is the latest chapter in a controversy that began during the Miss South Africa 2024 competition, when questions were raised about Adetshina’s citizenship and eligibility to compete.

She eventually withdrew from the pageant amid intense public scrutiny and safety concerns before moving to Nigeria, where she won Miss Universe Nigeria 2024.

Representing Nigeria at Miss Universe 2024, Adetshina finished as first runner-up, becoming one of the country’s highest-placed contestants in the competition.

Her South African citizenship and immigration status have remained subjects of legal proceedings since then.

The latest court postponement means the dispute will continue into 2027, with the outcome of the High Court review expected to play a key role in determining what happens next.