Category: The Citizen

Tanzania has explained her strategy that seeks to build a more self-reliant nation by transforming education from a system focused mainly on academic knowledge into one that equips young people with practical skills, scientific knowledge and technological capabilities needed to solve local problems.

The strategy was outlined by Education, Science and Technology Minister Prof Adolf Mkenda during the opening of the 2026 National Education, Skills and Innovation Week in Tanga, where he linked ongoing education reforms to the country’s ambition to develop its own scientists, engineers, technicians and innovators.

Prof Mkenda said President Samia Suluhu Hassan had, soon after taking office, directed the ministry to improve education policy and curricula, with greater emphasis on skills. He said the reforms were already visible in the expansion of vocational education, science programmes, scholarships and innovation initiatives. ‘Our President is not a person of many words, but we see her through her actions, and the major results of those actions will not be seen today or tomorrow. We will see them much further ahead,’ Prof Mkenda said.

He said education reform required long-term thinking because, unlike roads and bridges whose results could be seen immediately, changes in education take years to produce their full impact. ‘A normal politician looks at the next election, but a great leader looks at the next generation,’ he said. The minister pointed to the expansion of vocational education, including the establishment of vocational secondary schools and the construction of VETA centres across districts, as part of the strategy to equip Tanzanians with practical skills.

Tanzania is also preparing to participate in the international WorldSkills competition in Shanghai, an opportunity Prof Mkenda said would allow the country to measure the skills of its young people against global standards.

The government is also using scholarships to attract high-performing students into science, technology, engineering, mathematics and health-related fields.

Prof Mkenda said the Samia Scholarship provides full government sponsorship for top-performing Form Six students pursuing priority science-related disciplines, while the expanded programme is supporting exceptional students to study advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, abroad.

The minister said, ‘this investment is necessary if we want to develop the capacity of our country to undertake major projects using our own experts rather than depending heavily on foreign skills and technology.’

He cited the history of the railway in Tanga as a reminder of the need to develop domestic technological capacity.

His message echoed the broader focus of the exhibition, which brought together about 90 institutions showcasing innovations, technologies and products developed to address economic and social challenges. Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Prof Calyne Nombo, said the annual week was created to bring together Government ministries, institutions, the private sector and development partners to share experience and develop joint strategies for strengthening education, skills, research and innovation.

She said this year’s theme, ‘Education, Skills and Innovation: A Pathway to Achieving the National Development Vision 2050,’ was timely as, ‘Tanzania begins implementing the Vision, which places education, research, science and technology at the centre of national development.’

The programme includes exhibitions, MAKISATU science and innovation competitions, WorldSkills Tanzania, a three-day conference and intellectual property clinics designed to help innovators protect and commercialise their ideas.

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Education, Culture and Sports Chairperson, Ms Husna Sekiboko, challenged the Government to take the next step by ensuring innovations do not remain exhibition models.

‘We do not want to continue seeing models. Models are enough. They can remain at the early learning stage. At major exhibitions like this, let us bring real things that we are producing in our respective areas,’ she said.

She called for stronger links between innovators, investors and sources of finance so that ideas could become businesses, create jobs and generate income for the country.

Land, Housing and Human Settlements Development Minister, Dr Leonard Akwilapo, also praised the reforms, saying the quality of innovations and practical skills displayed by young people showed that Tanzania was moving in the right direction.

‘I can see Tanzania moving in the right direction towards technological production,’ he said.

He pledged continued support from his ministry in helping education and research institutions secure title deeds for their land.

For Prof Mkenda, however, the ultimate test is whether the reforms can produce a generation capable of designing and building technologies that Tanzania currently imports.

‘The goal is to build our country’s capacity in science, technology and innovation,’ he said.

The week, running from August 15 to 24 in Tanga, therefore goes beyond celebrating education. It is emerging as a platform for testing whether Tanzania can turn knowledge and skills into productive capacity and, ultimately, greater national self-reliance.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over some creative tasks, but professionals remain confident that the technology will not completely replace their expertise, arguing that human creativity and technical skills will continue to determine the quality and originality of content.

The rapid growth of AI-powered tools has enabled users to create posters, videos, animations, music, photographs and other digital content within minutes, reducing the need for professional services in some areas.

The development has raised concerns among designers, editors, photographers and other creatives, with some reporting a decline in orders as clients increasingly turn to AI tools to produce basic content themselves. However, professionals interviewed by The Citizen said the disruption was forcing the creative industry to adapt rather than signalling the end of creative careers.

Graphic designer Katty Shabani said he had experienced a decline in orders as some clients opted to use AI tools to produce designs on their own.

‘Regarding taking jobs, it is true that orders have decreased because people can now create the designs they want on their own. But even someone using AI needs expertise in writing prompts to produce something of good quality,’ he said.

Mr Shabani said the development had created a need for creatives to acquire new skills, particularly the ability to use AI tools alongside their existing expertise.

He said designers who learned to use the technology effectively could remain competitive by producing quality work within a shorter period while applying their professional judgement.

‘What people want to see now is the output. If graphic designers learn these skills early, it will help them attract new clients,’ he said.

For Mr Shabani, failure to adapt could pose a greater threat to creative professionals than the technology itself.

‘If you decide not to learn, AI will eventually replace you because your competitors will be producing better and higher-quality work in a shorter time,’ he said.

The impact is also being felt in photography, where AI-powered editing tools are increasingly handling routine tasks that previously required professional photo editors.

Photo retoucher Samwel Jackson said AI was already affecting entry-level editing work, although he did not expect it to completely eliminate high-end professional retouching. ‘AI is rapidly eliminating entry-level and routine editing tasks, but it is unlikely to completely eliminate high-end professional photo retouching,’ he said.

Mr Jackson said professional creative work involved qualities that could not easily be replicated by automated tools, including emotional intelligence, artistic intention and an understanding of a client’s brand identity.

‘Some content will still require emotional intelligence, unique artistic intent or brand identity,’ he said.

He also warned that the widespread use of similar AI tools could result in creative content becoming less distinctive, particularly when different creators rely on similar prompts and platforms.

‘Sometimes we see many advertisements looking very similar, which makes it easy to tell that AI was involved. With human creativity, the work can be differentiated from others,’ he said.

He said this could give professional creatives an advantage as companies sought original content capable of distinguishing their brands in an increasingly competitive digital market.

Technology expert Dominick Dismas also dismissed the possibility of AI completely replacing creative professionals, arguing that businesses would continue to require human involvement in developing, reviewing and refining content.

‘AI cannot kill the industry completely because brands still need human editing,’ he said.

Mr Dismas, however, warned that increased use of AI could create legal and commercial challenges, particularly where generated content closely resembles existing work.

‘There are legal issues that AI can bring because content can become too similar, which can cause problems in the market,’ he said.

He said creatives should therefore focus on learning how to incorporate AI into their work rather than resisting the technology.

‘These generative AI tools are there to make things easier. People should move with the technology and look at how they can use it to improve their work,’ he said.

On the other hand, content creator Gladness Mungo said generative AI had helped her produce promotional content, making it easier to create advertisements for her work.

‘I have been using AI to create some of my advertisements and the videos turn out well,’ she said.

Ms Mungo added that the growing use of the technology had also prompted some video directors to learn how to incorporate AI into their work in order to remain competitive and improve the quality of their productions.

An 18-year-old resident of Isango Village in Rorya District, Mara Region, has died after allegedly being beaten by her uncle for attending a traditional circumcision ceremony.

The deceased, Ms Jackline Mteresa, was attacked alongside her 16-year-old friend, Ms Rhobi Werema, who is currently admitted to Kinesi Health Centre receiving treatment for severe injuries inflicted by her biological father.

Speaking by phone Tuesday, August 18, 2026, a relative who requested anonymity said the incident occurred over the weekend. She said the deceased’s body is being preserved at the Kinesi Health Centre mortuary pending burial arrangements.

The relative explained that on Saturday, August 15, Ms Mteresa and Ms Werema, who is the suspect’s daughter, attended a local circumcision ceremony.

Furthermore, the source said the suspect, identified as Sendi Mteresa, who fled the scene shortly after the attack, allegedly tracked the two teenagers down and began beating them on their way home.

According to the relative, Mr Mteresa intercepted the teenagers and repeatedly beat them until the deceased fell onto a stone and lost consciousness.

“They carried the deceased home and administered basic first aid. When she regained consciousness, he resumed the beating. The child begged for drinking water, but no help was given. Ms Werema managed to escape, so he focused the assault on the deceased,” said the relative.

The relative added, the teenager eventually became unresponsive, prompting neighbours to intervene and transport her to Kinesi Health Centre, where on arrival, doctors pronounced her dead.

The source added that the deceased had moved to Isango Village only a week prior to visit her paternal grandmother from Kahama District, Shinyanga Region, where she lived with her father following her parents’ separation.

The relative appealed to law enforcement officers to track down Mr Mteresa, alleging that some relatives are hiding the suspect to help him evade legal accountability.

Isango village chairman, Mr Kichere Magesa, confirmed the incident, stating that the suspect remains at large.

“This tragedy indeed occurred in our village, and the alleged perpetrator has fled. The burial is likely to take place tomorrow,” said Mr Magesa.

He also expressed concern over delays by the deceased’s father in arriving from Kahama, despite being notified on the day of the incident.

“He promised to arrive early, but his whereabouts remain unknown, though initial reports indicated he had reached Musoma,” he said.

Efforts to reach Tarime/Rorya Special Zone Police Commander Mark Njera were unsuccessful, as his phone went unanswered and he did not respond to text or WhatsApp messages.

The world’s present disorder is often described in the language of separate crises: war, climate change, inequality, loneliness, and political polarisation.

But these are not simply failures of diplomacy, economics, or technology. They also reveal a failure of relationship, a growing willingness to pursue security, wealth, and power while treating the lives of others as distant, negotiable, or disposable.

Africa has no monopoly on humane living, and it would be dishonest to present the continent as one harmonious village. We know ethnic violence, domestic abuse, corruption, and the exclusion of those who do not belong to the dominant tribe, party, or social group.

Yet, beneath these contradictions, many African societies retain a demanding moral idea that the contemporary world urgently needs: a person’s life is made possible by other people, and, therefore, carries obligations beyond the self.

I recognised this idea not from philosophy books, but from ordinary life. In the communities that formed me, bereavement is rarely left to the immediate household.

People arrive with firewood, food, chairs, money, and labour. Women organise the cooking; young men prepare the burial place; neighbours receive visitors; relatives travel through the night because absence at such a moment would be understood as a moral failure.

The family may be grieving, but it is not expected to grieve alone. The same ethic appears when relatives pool money for a child’s school fees, when a household takes in an orphaned niece or nephew, or when members of a village clear a road or repair a water source through communal labour.

The popular summary of Ubuntu, ‘I am because we are’, can sound sentimental. Properly understood, it is not. It asks uncomfortable questions of the successful professional who forgets the teachers and relatives who carried him; of the politician who invokes community during elections but abandons it once in office; and of the wealthy society whose comforts depend on labour and resources extracted from places it prefers not to see.

African relational thought restores that missing connection. It insists that the object in my hand is linked to somebody else’s labour, that my consumption may carry another person’s burden, and that prosperity cannot be judged only by what it delivers to the buyer.

This is also why the philosophy matters to climate change. A drought in Karamoja, flooding around Lake Victoria, or failed harvests in the Horn of Africa cannot be treated as unfortunate local events when the warming that intensifies them has been driven largely by consumption elsewhere.

Yet Africans should resist turning relationality into a flattering story about ourselves. Community can protect, but it can also suffocate.

The extended family that raises an orphan may pressure a woman to remain in a violent marriage.

A clan network that helps members find work may become nepotistic when public jobs are distributed as private favours.

Respect for elders may preserve memory, or it may shield leaders who have long ceased to serve.

Africa can contribute a different account of achievement: not the denial of individual excellence, but its placement within a wider moral debt. A degree, a public office, or a profitable business should enlarge one’s capacity to improve other lives.

Success that severs every obligation to the community that made it possible is not complete success.

The world does not need an idealised Africa. It needs an Africa confident enough to name the wisdom in its traditions and honest enough to expose its corruption.

At a time when nations, corporations, and individuals increasingly behave as though they can prosper behind walls, Africa can restate a truth learned in courtyards, village meetings, burial gatherings, and family councils: nobody becomes fully human alone.

The Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (Tira) is moving to connect insurance companies to its electronic complaints system, a step expected to speed up dispute resolution and improve transparency for policyholders.

The e-complaints system was initially introduced to allow insurance consumers to lodge complaints with the regulator electronically instead of travelling to Tira offices or relying on paper-based submissions and email.

Tira director of Legal Services Ponziano Lukosi said the regulator was now working to integrate insurers into the platform because some complaints require information or action from insurance companies before they can be resolved. ‘The system will reduce the time taken to handle complaints and also reduce costs,’ Mr Lukosi said yesterday during a management tour of insurance companies.

He said linking insurers to the platform would allow complaints to move more efficiently between the regulator and companies, enabling consumers to receive responses faster and with greater accuracy. The system would also allow policyholders to track the progress of their complaints from submission to resolution, reducing the need for repeated visits or phone calls to establish their status.

‘The customer can see directly through the system how the complaint is being handled and know what is happening,’ he said.

Mr Lukosi also urged insurance companies to consider settling genuine disputes with customers before resorting to court proceedings, particularly where cases could be resolved through out-of-court settlements.

‘If a case has merit, the company should sit down with the customer and settle it early,’ he said.

He warned that prolonged litigation could increase costs through legal fees and other expenses, potentially affecting funds belonging to policyholders. Mr Lukosi said insurance disputes were required to follow established dispute-resolution procedures before being taken to court, but some consumers ended up in litigation because they were unaware of the mechanisms available to them.

The push to improve complaint handling comes as Tira seeks to position the insurance industry to contribute more to Tanzania’s development agenda.

under Vision 2050.

Commissioner of Insurance Baghayo Saqware, who is touring insurance companies to discuss their contribution to the national development agenda, has challenged the industry to expand its reach and develop products that respond to emerging economic needs.

Dr Saqware said insurers needed to align their business strategies with Vision 2050 by expanding insurance coverage, investing in technology and reaching Tanzanians who remain outside the formal insurance market.

He urged companies to develop products targeting key sectors, including agriculture, mining and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

He also called for greater use of technology while strengthening measures against insurance fraud as digital services expand.

Dr Saqware said Tira would work with insurers to increase public awareness and help companies reach communities through its zonal offices and other Government structures.

He said the industry should take greater responsibility for educating the public about insurance instead of attributing low uptake solely to consumers.

‘If there is a lack of public awareness, it is not necessarily because people do not want to know about insurance; it is because we have not done enough to educate them,’ he said.

The Court of Appeal has set free Mr Daud Juma, alias Nkimbili, who was sentenced to hang for murdering his aunt, Ms Christina Juma, over witchcraft allegations related to his wife’s reproductive complications.

Mr Juma was acquitted after the appellate court ruled that his extrajudicial caution statement was improperly admitted, alongside irreconcilable discrepancies in the dates listed on the charge sheet.

The judgment setting him free was delivered on Monday, August 17, 2026, by a three-judge panel comprising Justices Panterine Kente, Dr Paul Kihwelo, and Juliana Masabo. Justice Kente noted that after evaluating the trial proceedings, the court found procedural flaws that severely undermined the prosecution’s case, failing to satisfy the threshold of proof beyond reasonable doubt.

In the primary trial, the prosecution called the appellant’s father, Mr Juma Nkibiri, who testified that on February 6, 2023, he received news that his sister had been killed in Kinaga Village, Kahama District, Shinyanga Region.

Upon arrival, he found her body with a severe neck wound.

A relative, Mr Kashindye Juma, testified that Mr Juma had confided in him that his aunt was using witchcraft to cause his wife’s stillbirths and neonatal complications, claiming two traditional healers had confirmed the suspicion.

Medical evidence confirmed the deceased died from massive haemorrhage caused by a deep cut across her throat.

Following Mr Juma’s arrest on March 30, 2023, police recorded two caution statements.

The second statement, containing an alleged confession, was admitted as an exhibit and formed the cornerstone of the High Court’s conviction.

In his defence, Mr Juma denied committing the murder, testifying that he was tortured at Kahama Police Station and forced to sign unknown documents.

On appeal, Mr Juma argued the case was not proved beyond reasonable doubt and that his caution statement was admitted unlawfully.

State counsel conceded to the second ground, requesting the appellate court to expunge the exhibit.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the trial judge improperly heard the contents of the caution statement before determining its admissibility, breaching mandatory statutory procedure.

“It was irregular for the trial Judge to hear the contents of an extrajudicial statement before its formal admission in court, and this was gravely prejudicial to the appellant,” stated Justice Kente.

The bench also cited irreconcilable date variances, where witness testimony referenced February 6, 2023, while court records stated April 6, 2023, without the mandatory charge sheet amendments required under Section 234 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

The appellate court quashed the conviction, set aside the death sentence, and ordered Mr Juma’s immediate release.

It always starts innocently enough.

‘Let’s create a quick WhatsApp group so we can coordinate faster.’

Fair enough. One group for the team. Quick updates. Easy communication.

Then six months pass and your personal phone has basically become an extension of the office.

A message comes in at 9:00 PM asking for ‘quick thoughts.’ Someone sends a task on Sunday morning. Your manager drops something in the group and expects everyone to respond. Then comes the classic: ‘Sorry to disturb you over the weekend, but…’

Because it is WhatsApp, the work chat sits right alongside messages from your family and friends. The same phone you use to relax, catch up with people and switch off from the day is also where your boss can reach you.

For many people, that has made switching off from work a lot harder.

What the community had to say

When we asked our community whether being reachable after working hours is part of being a committed employee or whether people should be able to switch off, the response was pretty clear.

A lot of people have already found their own ways of creating some distance from work.

1. Different app, same rules

One of the comments captured a simple point: moving work communication from email to WhatsApp does not automatically change when you are expected to respond.

‘Only respond during work hours just the way you would on email. Different app, same rules!’

It is a useful distinction. A message being delivered to your phone at 9:00 PM does not necessarily make it an urgent message.

If it could have waited until Monday morning on email, it can probably wait until Monday morning on WhatsApp too.

2. Mute and archive

The mute button seems to have become something of a survival tool.

One person simply said:

‘Group is archived and on mute’

Another kept it even simpler:

‘SIMPLE… MUTE ALL WORK GROUPS ON WEEKENDS’

And someone else suggested archiving the group and blocking out work contacts over the weekend altogether.

There is something telling about how many people have had to create these little systems just to get some peace from their own phones.

3. Work hours mean work hours

Another response focused on the importance of keeping communication within the hours people are actually employed to work.

That sounds simple, but it becomes harder when the workplace culture quietly rewards people who are constantly available.

Someone responds at 10:00 PM. Another person replies five minutes later. Before long, being online after hours starts looking normal, even when nobody officially said that employees were required to be available.

Why is it so difficult to switch off?

There is a psychological reason work can follow you home even when you have stopped responding.

One important concept is psychological detachment. Your brain needs some distance from work in order to properly recover from it. That means having time when you are not thinking about tasks, deadlines, colleagues or what needs to be done tomorrow.

A work notification can interrupt that process.

You might not even open the message. You might see the preview, think ‘I’ll deal with that tomorrow,’ and put your phone down.

But now the task is sitting somewhere in the back of your mind.

There is also the pressure of availability. When colleagues are constantly responding outside working hours, it can create an unspoken expectation that everyone else should do the same.

Nobody has to explicitly tell you that you should answer.

You just start noticing who is online.

You see your manager sending messages at night. You see colleagues replying. You begin wondering whether ignoring the group makes you look less committed.

That is where a simple WhatsApp group can start affecting how people experience their own free time.

The issue is not always the message itself. Sometimes it is the feeling that you are never completely away from work.

So, how do you get some of that time back?

There are a few simple things employees can do without turning it into a major workplace confrontation.

Mute the group. You do not have to receive an alert every time someone sends ‘Good morning team’ at 7:12 AM or drops a message late at night.

Archive it. If seeing the group sitting at the top of your WhatsApp is enough to tempt you into checking it, remove it from your immediate view.

Respond during working hours. If a message is not urgent, responding the next morning can quietly establish your availability without having to make a big announcement.

Be clear about genuine emergencies. Some jobs do require after-hours availability. If that is part of the role, everyone should know what actually counts as urgent and when people are expected to respond.

And sometimes the conversation does need to happen. If messages outside working hours have become constant, employees should be able to raise that concern without being labelled difficult or uncommitted.

A WhatsApp group is useful. It can make work easier and communication faster.

It can also make it very easy for work to follow you everywhere.

Your phone is still your phone. Your evening is still your evening. Having a job does not mean every notification deserves an immediate response.

Disclaimer: This column is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice. While exploring these psychological concepts can provide helpful insight, it is not a replacement for professional therapy. If you are struggling with deep family conflict, burnout, or mental health challenges and want to dive deeper, please consider reaching out to a licensed therapist or mental health professional for personalized guidance.

Then six months pass and your personal phone has basically become an extension of the office.

A message comes in at 9:00 PM asking for ‘quick thoughts.’ Someone sends a task on Sunday morning. Your manager drops something in the group and expects everyone to respond. Then comes the classic: ‘Sorry to disturb you over the weekend, but…’

Because it is WhatsApp, the work chat sits right alongside messages from your family and friends. The same phone you use to relax, catch up with people and switch off from the day is also where your boss can reach you.

For many people, that has made switching off from work a lot harder.

What the community had to say

When we asked our community whether being reachable after working hours is part of being a committed employee or whether people should be able to switch off, the response was pretty clear.

A lot of people have already found their own ways of creating some distance from work.

1. Different app, same rules

One of the comments captured a simple point: moving work communication from email to WhatsApp does not automatically change when you are expected to respond.

‘Only respond during work hours just the way you would on email. Different app, same rules!’

It is a useful distinction. A message being delivered to your phone at 9:00 PM does not necessarily make it an urgent message.

If it could have waited until Monday morning on email, it can probably wait until Monday morning on WhatsApp too.

2. Mute and archive

The mute button seems to have become something of a survival tool.

One person simply said:

‘Group is archived and on mute’

Another kept it even simpler:

‘SIMPLE… MUTE ALL WORK GROUPS ON WEEKENDS’

And someone else suggested archiving the group and blocking out work contacts over the weekend altogether.

There is something telling about how many people have had to create these little systems just to get some peace from their own phones.

3. Work hours mean work hours

Another response focused on the importance of keeping communication within the hours people are actually employed to work.

That sounds simple, but it becomes harder when the workplace culture quietly rewards people who are constantly available.

Someone responds at 10:00 PM. Another person replies five minutes later. Before long, being online after hours starts looking normal, even when nobody officially said that employees were required to be available.

Why is it so difficult to switch off?

There is a psychological reason work can follow you home even when you have stopped responding.

One important concept is psychological detachment. Your brain needs some distance from work in order to properly recover from it. That means having time when you are not thinking about tasks, deadlines, colleagues or what needs to be done tomorrow.

A work notification can interrupt that process.

You might not even open the message. You might see the preview, think ‘I’ll deal with that tomorrow,’ and put your phone down.

But now the task is sitting somewhere in the back of your mind.

There is also the pressure of availability. When colleagues are constantly responding outside working hours, it can create an unspoken expectation that everyone else should do the same.

Nobody has to explicitly tell you that you should answer.

You just start noticing who is online.

You see your manager sending messages at night. You see colleagues replying. You begin wondering whether ignoring the group makes you look less committed.

That is where a simple WhatsApp group can start affecting how people experience their own free time.

The issue is not always the message itself. Sometimes it is the feeling that you are never completely away from work.

So, how do you get some of that time back?

There are a few simple things employees can do without turning it into a major workplace confrontation.

Mute the group. You do not have to receive an alert every time someone sends ‘Good morning team’ at 7:12 AM or drops a message late at night.

Archive it. If seeing the group sitting at the top of your WhatsApp is enough to tempt you into checking it, remove it from your immediate view.

Respond during working hours. If a message is not urgent, responding the next morning can quietly establish your availability without having to make a big announcement.

Be clear about genuine emergencies. Some jobs do require after-hours availability. If that is part of the role, everyone should know what actually counts as urgent and when people are expected to respond.

And sometimes the conversation does need to happen. If messages outside working hours have become constant, employees should be able to raise that concern without being labelled difficult or uncommitted.

A WhatsApp group is useful. It can make work easier and communication faster.

It can also make it very easy for work to follow you everywhere.

Your phone is still your phone. Your evening is still your evening. Having a job does not mean every notification deserves an immediate response.

Disclaimer: This column is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice. While exploring these psychological concepts can provide helpful insight, it is not a replacement for professional therapy. If you are struggling with deep family conflict, burnout, or mental health challenges and want to dive deeper, please consider reaching out to a licensed therapist or mental health professional for personalized guidance.

Former Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) parliamentary aspirant Godlove Mwakibete has thanked Kyela residents for their support after failing to secure the party’s endorsement to contest the constituency in the October General Election.

Mr Mwakibete, popularly known as Chief Godlove, told residents that his exclusion from the final stage of the party’s nomination process would not end his involvement in the constituency’s development.

Speaking at Kyelucu grounds in Ipinda, he said he would continue working with residents and other stakeholders to pursue opportunities that could improve livelihoods, particularly for young people, women and vulnerable groups. ‘The removal of my name cannot make me stop thinking about the development of the people of Kyela,’ he said.

‘I will continue working with friends, stakeholders and residents to seek out opportunities that can bring development to our constituency.’

Mr Mwakibete said improving access to quality healthcare, expanding health insurance coverage and investing in education and youth empowerment remained among his priorities.

He also urged CCM members to remain united and support candidates selected by the party as it prepares for the General Election.

‘I believe the leaders who have been approved were selected with the interests of the party and the people in mind. It is now our responsibility to support them and ensure that CCM secures a major victory,’ he said.

Some residents who attended the meeting praised Mr Mwakibete for accepting the outcome of the nomination process and returning to thank his supporters.

They said his involvement in community initiatives had earned him the trust of residents and expressed hope that he would continue contributing to the constituency’s development despite not securing the party’s nomination.

Mr Mwakibete’s meeting with residents comes after CCM completed its internal process to select candidates for parliamentary seats ahead of the General Election.

His decision to publicly thank supporters and pledge continued involvement in community affairs was viewed by some residents as a sign that his political ambitions would not prevent him from remaining engaged in Kyela’s development.

The Information Services Department, popularly known in Kiswahili as Maelezo, has suspended MwanaHALISI’s publishing licence for six months over a story claiming that Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi had rejected a call to resign.

The suspension took effect on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 after Maelezo found that the newspaper had breached professional requirements on accuracy, balance and verification.

The department said the newspaper had also breached a licence condition requiring publications to comply with the Media Services Act, 2016 and its regulations. The disputed story, published on pages one, two and three of edition 571, dated August 6-12, 2026, was headlined ‘Nchimbi agoma kujiuzulu’, literally translated as ‘Nchimbi rejects calls to resign’.

According to Maelezo, the story was published ‘without fulfilling the obligation to ensure accuracy and balance before publishing and distributing information to the public’.

The decision followed a hearing at Maelezo’s Dar es Salaam offices on August 7, where the newspaper was given an opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the report. It was later given three days to submit a written explanation.

However, the department said the explanation did not absolve the newspaper of its responsibility to uphold professional journalistic standards.

‘Several shortcomings in journalistic standards were identified, including a lack of accuracy and care in editing the report,’ Maelezo said.

One of the errors involved a photograph published on page two. The newspaper used a photograph of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Minister Paul Christian Makonda, but the caption identified him as Dr Nchimbi.

Maelezo described the error as a failure by both the journalist and editors responsible for checking the accuracy of information before publication.

The department also faulted the story for lacking balance, saying it discussed Dr Nchimbi’s alleged resignation without showing that he had been contacted for comment.

‘The report focuses on the resignation of Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, but nowhere does it show that Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi himself was interviewed and made any statement on the matter,’ Maelezo said.

It further said the story attributed claims to Mr Makonda without directly quoting him to establish that he had made the statements.

Maelezo also questioned the verification of information attributed to a meeting of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

The department said the journalist had not demonstrated efforts to contact senior CCM officials or meeting participants, including the secretary-general, ideology and publicity secretary or information officer, to verify the claims.

The suspension also took into account previous disciplinary action against the newspaper.

In February, Maelezo sought an explanation over a story headlined ‘Samia wa 2021 atakutana lini na wa 2026?’ This is literally translated as ‘When will the 2021 Samia meet the 2026 Samia?’ The phrase apparently appears to contrast President Samia Suluhu Hassan as she was in 2021 with her political position or approach in 2026.

According to Maelezo, the article in question described President Hassan as a dictator. The matter ended with an oral warning after the newspaper’s editors met the department.

In May, the newspaper was again summoned over edition 557, which carried headlines including ‘ICC haikwepeki’ (ICC [the International Criminal Court] cannot be avoided), ‘Hawa kuchongewa’ (‘These ones are being targeted’) and ‘Watang’oka tu’ (‘They will be removed anyway).

Maelezo said the edition contained misleading content and other professional shortcomings.

On May 8, the department issued a written warning and cautioned that further violations could result in action under the law.

‘The warning stated that if such violations were repeated, the Information Services Department would not hesitate to take appropriate action in accordance with the law,’ Maelezo said.

The latest violations occurred three months after that warning, prompting the Director of Information Services to invoke Section 9(b) of the Media Services Act and suspend the licence for six months.

The suspension covers the newspaper’s print and electronic publication and distribution.

MwanaHALISI has the right to appeal to the minister responsible for information within 30 days of the decision.

I and M Bank Tanzania has crossed the Sh 1 trillion asset threshold and set its sights on joining the country’s top 10 banks within the next three to four years, as it turns to the capital market to finance its next phase of growth.

The bank’s expansion strategy will be supported by the I and M Hatua Bond, a Sh 100 billion Medium-Term Note Programme intended to diversi­fy funding, support loan growth and strengthen balance-sheet manage­ment.

Chief Executive Officer and Man­aging Director Zahid Mustafa said the bank could reach the top 10 through organic growth in about four years, while an acquisition could shorten the timeline to approximately three years.

I and M Bank Tanzania has crossed the Sh 1 trillion asset threshold and set its sights on joining the country’s top 10 banks within the next three to four years, as it turns to the capital market to finance its next phase of growth.

The bank’s expansion strategy will be supported by the I and M Hatua Bond, a Sh 100 billion Medium-Term Note Programme intended to diversi­fy funding, support loan growth and strengthen balance-sheet manage­ment.

Chief Executive Officer and Man­aging Director Zahid Mustafa said the bank could reach the top 10 through organic growth in about four years, while an acquisition could shorten the timeline to approximately three years. I and M Bank Tanzania is part of I and M Group, which has operations in Ken­ya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Mauritius. Mr Mustafa said Tanza­nia’s position within the group gives the bank an advantage in serving busi­nesses with operations in more than one East African market.

A customer with an established banking relationship in Kenya who expands into Tanzania, Uganda or Rwanda can be assessed using exist­ing information and experience, rath­er than being treated as an entirely new borrower, he said.

The group’s cross-border proposi­tion includes Brisk, an instant-credit product designed to support cus­tomers operating across borders. Mr Mustafa said Tanzania was strategi­cally important to the group because of its large population, growing mid­dle class and opportunities in areas such as infrastructure, mining, ener­gy, oil and gas.

He said Tanzania currently ranks fourth among the group’s five mar­kets. Kenya remains the largest busi­ness, while Rwanda is the group’s oldest operation. Tanzania’s own business was established in 2010 fol­lowing the acquisition of CF Union Bank.

Digital-first growth

I and M Bank Tanzania entered the market primarily as a corporate and business bank before expanding into retail and consumer banking as the middle class grew and the economy became more digital.

Rather than competing for every retail customer, the bank has chosen selected segments in a market where the three largest banks control about 70 percent of retail banking revenue, according to Mr Mustafa.

The bank has nine branches, but has used digital channels to extend its reach. Mr Mustafa said I and M had the second-largest digital-lending port­folio in Tanzania and more than six million customers on a mobile-net­work-operator platform. The plat­form has originated more than bil­lions in digital loans over the past four years, he said. The bank is also the sec­ond-largest digital lender in Zanzibar despite not yet having a branch there. Mr Mustafa said a branch in Zanzibar was planned.

Another part of I and M’s strategy is allowing customers to move money between mobile wallets and bank accounts without a charge under the ‘Ni Bure’ compaign. Mr Mustafa said the decision reduced fee income in the short term but helped attract cus­tomers, deepen account balances and create a bridge between mobile-mon­ey users and formal banking services.

Focus on SMEs and last-mile finance

The bank also plans to expand lending to small and medium-sized enterprises through faster, technol­ogy-based credit assessment. Mr Mustafa said traditional bank pro­cesses often made it too costly to serve smaller borrowers because loans of Sh10 million were assessed using pro­cedures similar to those applied to much larger corporate facilities.

He identified last-mile financing as a major opportunity, particularly loans of between Sh1 million and Sh10 million for retailers, distributors and other businesses in supply chains that remain heavily cash-based.

I and M is piloting partnerships with companies in the fast-moving con­sumer goods and distribution sectors. Mr Mustafa said the partnerships would need to demonstrate viable business models, manageable credit risk, sound technology and a reliable customer experience.

The bank’s efforts to expand lend­ing will be accompanied by risk-based pricing and improved credit scoring. Mr Mustafa said earlier asset-qual­ity challenges were partly linked to concentration in a smaller number of corporate borrowers, where the fail­ure of one customer could have a sig­nificant effect on the bank’s non-per­forming loan ratio. Portfolio diversifi­cation, stronger recovery efforts and improved underwriting have since helped reduce the ratio, he said.

Growth through consolidation

Mr Mustafa said I and M Bank Tanza­nia would continue developing capa­bilities in sectors that support Tan­zania’s economic priorities, includ­ing infrastructure, energy, mining and manufacturing. The bank also intends to participate in syndicated financing for large projects while sup­porting the suppliers, contractors, engineering firms and distributors linked to those investments.

He said the bank remained open to acquisitions as Tanzania’s bank­ing sector moves towards possible consolidation. While organic growth could take I and M into the top 10 in about four years, he said the right acquisition could make the target achievable in roughly three years.

The bank’s immediate challenge will be to convert its asset milestone and new capital-markets access into sustainable growth while maintain­ing asset quality in a competitive banking market.