Category: The Citizen

The family of Hollywood actor Bruce Willis has made a deeply moving decision to donate his brain for scientific research after his death, a step aimed at advancing understanding of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the condition that forced the celebrated actor to retire from acting. Willis, best known for iconic roles in films such as Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, and The Sixth Sense, stepped away from his career after being diagnosed with FTD, a degenerative brain disorder that affects language, behavior, personality, and cognitive abilities.

The disease is considered one of the most challenging forms of dementia, often striking people at a relatively younger age and placing a heavy emotional burden on families. His wife, Emma Heming-Willis, said the decision to donate his brain was not easy and came with significant emotional weight.

However, she emphasized that the family believes the contribution could play a vital role in helping scientists better understand the disease and develop more effective treatments in the future. According to medical experts, brain donations are crucial for research into neurodegenerative diseases such as FTD.

Studying brain tissue allows scientists to examine changes at a cellular level, offering insights that cannot be fully captured through scans or clinical observation alone. Such research is considered essential for improving diagnosis, treatment, and, eventually, prevention.

The Willis family has long been open about the actor’s health journey, using their platform to raise awareness about frontotemporal dementia, a condition that remains less widely understood than Alzheimer’s disease. By sharing their experience publicly, they have helped bring global attention to the realities faced by patients and caregivers alike.

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Dodoma. The government has urged communities with children under the age of 18 and other vulnerable groups facing inheritance-related challenges to report such cases to the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (Rita) to obtain legal guidance and protection of their fundamental rights.

The Deputy Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Ms Zainabu Katimba, made the call on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in Dodoma. She was speaking on behalf of the docket’s Minister, Dr Juma Homera, during a ceremony to introduce Ms Anna Zambi, who received legal assistance through Rita’s public trusteeship services.

Ms Katimba said many citizens in need of legal support on inheritance matters remain unreached due to limited awareness of where such services can be accessed, resulting in the loss of their fundamental rights. “Communities, particularly children under the age of 18, continue to face numerous challenges that lead to the loss of their legal right to own and inherit their parents’ property after death,” she said.

She noted that such challenges are often caused by greedy family members who use force or manipulation to unlawfully seize property from rightful heirs, especially children, an act that is against the law. Citing Ms Zambi’s case, Ms Katimba said the legal support she received from Rita through a court order reflects the reality faced by many young people in society.

“The assistance provided to Ms Anna demonstrates the commitment of the Sixth Phase government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan to ensure beneficiaries of public trusteeship services are protected and receive their lawful entitlements through Rita,” she said. She added that children, people with disabilities, individuals with mental health conditions, and other vulnerable groups continue to lose their rights due to a lack of awareness about where to obtain proper legal assistance in managing inherited property.

The Deputy Minister, therefore, called for enhanced public education on public trusteeship services to prevent inheritance-related disputes within communities. “It is time for communities to take action against the unlawful grabbing of heirs’ property by making use of the services offered by Rita, as seen in Ms Zambi’s case,” she said.

In another development, Ms Katimba directed Public Trustees to implement a comprehensive public awareness programme in collaboration with stakeholders to strengthen the delivery of public trusteeship services nationwide. “The Public Trustee must continue to strengthen cooperation with stakeholders to ensure citizens receive justice promptly,” she said.

She also called for the establishment of a special mechanism to enable citizens and stakeholders to report property that should be managed under the Public Trustee in accordance with the Public Trustee (Powers and Duties) Act, Chapter 31. Rita, Chief Executive Officer, Mr Frank Kanyusi, said the agency, in addition to its other functions, implements public trusteeship responsibilities under the Public Trustee (Powers and Duties) Act, Chapter 31, under which the Chief Administrator of Estates serves as the Public Trustee. He said the law recognises the Public Trustee as a legal entity with the capacity to sue or be sued in the best interests of beneficiaries.

Mr Kanyusi said Rita faces several challenges in delivering public trusteeship services, including low public awareness, failure by some citizens to report property that should fall under public trusteeship, and cases where institutions continue to manage property that should legally be handled by the Public Trustee. He said the agency is intensifying public awareness campaigns and strengthening stakeholder collaboration to address these challenges.

For her part, Ms Zambi, a beneficiary of public trusteeship services and a Bachelor of Laws graduate, thanked Rita for the legal support she received after facing inheritance-related challenges. She said the legal knowledge she has gained will enable her to guide others facing similar difficulties on how to access public trusteeship services to safeguard their fundamental rights.

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Unguja. Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi has called on citizens to embrace the transformation of the Isles’ urban landscape, urging them to set aside fears of unfair treatment during the redevelopment of historic neighbourhoods.

Dr Mwinyi made the call yesterday when inaugurating affordable residential and commercial housing units built by the Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF) in Dr Mwinyi’s town, Mombasa, in the Urban West Region. The event formed part of activities leading up to the Zanzibar Revolution celebrations scheduled for January 12, 2026. He said efforts to construct modern housing and upgrade urban areas often trigger anxiety among residents living in areas earmarked for redevelopment.

“When we want to build new houses in areas such as Michenzani, Kilimani, Kwahani and others, fears tend to arise. There is no reason for such fear.

No one will be treated unfairly; everyone will get their due rights. What is important is that we accept to give way for development and modernise our towns,” Dr Mwinyi said.

He said the government’s goal is to see the whole of Zanzibar developed in a modern way, in line with long-term plans, so that leaders leave behind a lasting legacy when they exit office. While commending ZSSF for its work, Dr Mwinyi urged the fund to venture into even larger investment projects, including in the energy sector.

“I would like to see ZSSF undertaking large-scale projects. Zanzibar faces challenges in electricity supply, so let us invest there as well.

I want to see Zanzibar changing through development. I see no reason why ZSSF should not venture into such areas,” he said.

Dr Mwinyi noted that globally, social security funds have played a major role in driving development by investing members’ savings in large-scale infrastructure projects. Citing countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, which have made significant progress through major building and infrastructure developments, he said there was no reason Zanzibar could not achieve similar milestones.

He also called on institutions that own land but lack the capacity to develop it to hand such land over to investment institutions, saying both the institutions and the country would benefit from large projects. “I commend the Zanzibar Association of Persons with Disabilities for providing this land.

They could have refused, but they saw the importance and agreed. They have benefited, and the country will also benefit.

This is the spirit we want, and I call upon other institutions with land to do the same,” Dr Mwinyi said. Presenting a technical report, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Dr Rahma Salim Mahfoudh, said 14 four-storey buildings comprising 276 housing units had been constructed at a cost of Sh34.163 billion.

She said the two-year project was implemented by China-based contractor CRJE. The contract began in 2022 and was initially scheduled for completion in December 2024, but the contractor was granted a six-month extension due to drainage challenges at the site.

The 22,500-square-metre plot was previously owned by the Zanzibar Association of Persons with Disabilities and was compensated Sh1.7 billion by ZSSF to enable implementation of the project. According to Dr Mahfoudh, the contractor has so far been paid Sh24.1 billion, equivalent to 82 percent of the total project cost.

The housing units range from two to four bedrooms. ZSSF Managing Director Mr Nassor Shaaban Ameir said the affordable houses have been sold through cash payments, instalments and bank financing.

He added that the houses were sold VAT-free, with the tax component covered by Dr Mwinyi. Meanwhile, Minister for Finance and Planning Dr Juma Akil said the government would continue to safeguard and build on the initiatives launched under Dr Mwinyi’s leadership to ensure the intended goals are achieved.

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Tanzanian music heavyweight Diamond Platnumz has added another major international milestone to his career after being officially featured on the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 album, released in line with the continent’s biggest football tournament currently being staged in Morocco. The official AFCON soundtrack is a 12-track album that brings together an impressive lineup of African and international music stars, reflecting the tournament’s spirit of unity, diversity, and celebration.

The project includes globally recognised artistes such as Ne-Yo, Davido, French Montana, Ayra Starr, Rema, Jason Derulo, Shenseea, Saad Lamjarred, Akon, Yemi Alade, Patoranking, Innos’B, and several others, making it one of the most ambitious musical collaborations linked to African football in recent years. Diamond Platnumz appears on the third track of the album titled “We Are Different,” a collaboration with American pop star Jason Derulo and Jamaican singer Shenseea.

The song blends international pop sounds with Afro-inspired rhythms, creating an energetic and uplifting anthem designed to resonate with football fans across the globe. Thematically, “We Are Different” centres on pride in African identity, cultural diversity, and unity, values that strongly align with the spirit of AFCON.

The lyrics celebrate individuality while emphasising togetherness, a message that mirrors the competition itself, where nations with different languages, traditions, and histories come together through football. Over the years, the Bongo Flava star has steadily expanded his reach beyond the region, collaborating with international artistes and positioning African music prominently on global platforms.

His participation in a project of AFCON’s magnitude places him firmly among African artistes shaping the continent’s cultural narrative on the world stage. The soundtrack project also highlights the growing relationship between music and sport in Africa, where major tournaments increasingly rely on high-profile musical collaborations to amplify their global appeal.

By featuring artistes from different regions and musical backgrounds, the album aims to reflect Africa’s cultural richness while appealing to international audiences. .

By Richard Lamu When news broke a few weeks ago that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, had resigned from parliament amid allegations she lured young men into Russia’s war on Ukraine, it sent shockwaves across Africa, with conversations about where else such schemes could be rampant. Seventeen South African men, aged between 20 and 39, believed they were travelling abroad for high-paying jobs, but ended up on the front lines of a foreign war they neither understood nor had any stake in.

Their own government later confirmed they were victims of deceptive recruitment by agencies in the habit of advertising enticing jobs that never truly exist. That this case reaches so close to the political elite of one of Africa’s strongest democracies should terrify all of us as it destroys the old assumption that trafficking networks operate only from the shadows.

Sadly, these schemes can now involve people with political connections, media power, and public influence. And this is no longer a story about South Africa; it is a warning to Tanzania.

A new era of exploitation We like to believe that foreign mercenary recruitment is a fringe activity. But the Zuma case shows that trafficking has evolved.

It is smarter, faster, and far more organised than what East Africa faced a decade ago. The recruiters are no longer shady middle-aged men in bus stations.

Now involved are public figures, online influencers like what we saw recently where some South African influencers apologised for marketing the Alabuga, business networks and fake recruitment agencies that are making a killing out of their schemes. If someone as prominent as Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is now under criminal investigation, it means these networks have become embedded in public life.

And Tanzania is a prime target. Tanzania has all the conditions that exploiters look for.

The truth is uncomfortable, but it must be said. Tanzania today has a large and restless youth population, rising unemployment, high cost of living and limited pathways for mobility.

For thousands of young people, the idea of a foreign job is not a dream–it is an escape plan. When hope at home is fragile, opportunity abroad feels like the only way out.

And that desperation is exactly what traffickers rely on, hence promising free tickets to Europe, guaranteed jobs in places like Dubai and training programmes in Russia. Most of these enticing opportunities sound legitimate and feel achievable, until the day someone realises they are holding a weapon in Donbas or assembling weapons in a factory in Tatarstan.

This is a serious violation of human rights. If it happened in South Africa, it can happen here South Africa is not a fragile nation.

It has strong institutions, laws, and media. Yet 17 young men were deceived and sent to war and now are calling for help to get back to their country.

And now, the daughter of a former president is implicated. If a country with all those safeguards can be infiltrated by this new wave of recruitment, then Tanzania must accept a harsh reality that we are even more vulnerable.

The warning since are already there. The death of Tanzanian student Nemes Tarimo, who went to study in Russia but was sent to fight a war against Ukraine after a prison sentence for a drug related offence, was dismissed as an isolated tragedy.

Now we know it was part of a larger pattern — one that links Nairobi, Pretoria, Dar es Salaam and Moscow. It is bigger than anyone thinks.

These traffickers are not guessing anymore; they are targeting specific countries at specific political moments. Tanzania must act before we face the same headlines The Zuma scandal should force Tanzanian leaders to rethink how we protect our youth.

We need to: 1. Tight regulation of foreign recruitment agencies 2.

Public campaigns warning about online job traps 3. Cross-border intelligence sharing 4.

Investment in domestic job programmes and training This is not about restricting migration. Our people have every right to seek better opportunities abroad whenever they feel like.

The danger is forced migration disguised as employment — the kind that ends with someone trapped in another country with no money, no passport and no way back. The real test after elections: Will Tanzania protect its youth? The world has changed.

War is now marketed like a job. Mercenary service is advertised like a scholarship.

And traffickers no longer hide from the light; they thrive in it. What happened in South Africa has already exposed the next phase of exploitation: political insiders, influencers and respected names being used to legitimise dangerous recruitment.

And the Zuma resignation proves one thing beyond doubt: Africa is entering a new era of transnational exploitation and therefore, Tanzania must not wait for its own citizens to become the next headlines. Richard Lamu is a seasoned political analyst/journalist with interest in investigative and feature reporting .

Dar es Salaam. Every year, the government reiterates its commitment to end water shortages and rationing in Dar es Salaam.

Ministers tour projects, billions of shillings are announced and timelines are set. Yet for many residents, the reality remains unchanged, that is dry taps, long queues at boreholes and water bills for services never received.

Despite repeated assurances and heavy financial investment, water scarcity continues to define daily life in large parts of Tanzania’s commercial capital. According to the Ministry of Water, Dar es Salaam’s daily water demand stands at about 770 million litres, while the production capacity is 534 million litres per day.

In practice that is approximately 66.7 percent of the demand, on average, for 16 hours per day. More than 40 percent of the city has no access to the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Dawasa) pipeline network, forcing residents to depend on boreholes, vendors, or rationed supply.

According to Dawasa, only about 20 percent of residents, largely in parts of Kinondoni, Ilala and Ubungo, receive water for 20 to 24 hours a day. The majority rely on a rationed supply lasting between eight and 16 hours or none at all.

“The water demand for residents of Dar es Salaam averages 770,000 cubic metres, while the production capacity is 534,000 cubic metres per day, so you see there is a difference of around 200,000 in that,” Ministry of Water Permanent Secretary Mwajuma Waziri told The Citizen by telephone. Data from the ministry shows Temeke District remains the most underserved, with only 10 percent pipeline coverage, largely due to the distance from Ruvu water sources and decades of unplanned settlement growth since the 1980s.

Residents are asking: Why does the crisis persist despite years of investment and planning? Ms Waziri added that the government is currently implementing both short-term and long-term plans, including maintenance of Kimbiji Phase Two and rehabilitating 12 wells in Kigamboni and expansion of production at Lower and Upper Ruvu, among others. “Some of the boreholes, 12 in total, are not operational right now and these boreholes produce between 10,000 and 40,000 cubic metres of water,” she added.

Long-term plans include the Rufiji River project, where the government is now seeking funding to extract and distribute water from there. During a recent inspection tour of several areas, including Kimara, Bunju, Kawe, Mwananyamala and the University of Dar es Salaam, Water minister Jumaa Aweso acknowledged uneven access.

“We have seen areas where tanks are full and water is available, but there are still places where services have not reached. All areas will be reached,” he said.

Similar assurances have been made year after year. On national television, the minister outlined familiar solutions, including completion of the Kidunda Dam, expansion of production at Lower Ruvu, drilling of boreholes, rollout of Phase Two of the Kimbiji project and implementation of a National Water Grid.

These strategies are not new. What remains unclear is why their impact on ordinary households has been so limited.

In March 2025, Dawasa announced that Sh1.19 trillion had been invested in water and sanitation projects over four years under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration. The authority reports Sh796.19 billion invested in clean water projects, S00.91 billion in sanitation, Sh344.67 billion worth of projects completed and Sh852.43 billion worth of projects ongoing.

Dawasa also reports gains such as increased production capacity, expanded pipeline networks, higher storage capacity and a rise in water access from 89 percent to 93 percent. In the 2021/2022 fiscal year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan allocated Sh25 billion for the implementation of a project to drill 10 boreholes in the Kigamboni area, of which seven boreholes by then supplied 70 million litres of water per day.

Yet these improvements have not translated into consistent water access for a large share of the city’s population. For residents in areas such as Sinza, Mbagala, Ubungo, Tegeta and Temeke, water rationing remains routine.

Speaking on national television on Friday, December 19, Dawasa Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mkama Bwire, said the authority is managing rationing schedules and educating residents on supply days to allow planning. But rationing itself has become normalised, not temporary.

Residents report water failing to reach homes even on scheduled days, while monthly bills remain unchanged. The contradiction is stark, rationed water, unreliable delivery and standard billing, leaving citizens wondering if it is climate change or governance gaps.

“This really makes me so angry to the point that my chest hurts. What kind of lies are thesewhat is the real problem? The water does not come out at all, yet I have been given a bill that is exactly the same as the usual month, Sh35,000,” shared Leilah John, a Sinza E resident.

“Honestly! Do you know how it feels to carry water buckets in this heat? Some of us are already exhausted. I am tired, truly I am tired,” another added.

Government officials increasingly cite climate change, drought and environmental degradation in the Ruvu River catchment as key drivers of water shortages. These factors are real and documented.

However, climate change alone does not explain decades-long underinvestment in pipeline expansion, delayed completion of flagship projects, reliance on short-term borehole solutions or even lack of accountability when targets are missed. According to the water minister, the Kidunda Dam, now presented as the permanent solution, is expected to start receiving water by April 2026, years after water rationing cycles became routine.

Valued at over Sh329 billion, the Kidunda Dam is expected to store 190 billion litres and stabilise supply to Upper and Lower Ruvu plants, which serve more than 80 per cent of Dawasa’s service area. The dam is projected to support a population of 11.39 million people by 2032, when daily demand could exceed 1.

028 billion litres. But residents are asking why must the city wait decades for permanent solutions while temporary fixes fail year after year? “There are times I feel like crying.

I carry water while also carrying a small child on my back, my whole chest hurts and I’m just waiting for them to bring their bill,” noted Nasra Juma, a resident of Kimacha, Changanyikeni. Beyond statistics and speeches lies public frustration.

In many neighbourhoods, residents describe exhaustion carrying water long distances, waking at night to fill containers and paying bills that do not reflect actual service delivery. .

Dar es Salaam is preparing to welcome the New Year in a bold and redefined style, as the city joins a groundbreaking regional celebration set to unite East Africa in a single, synchronised countdown. Traditionally, end-of-year festivities in the commercial capital have revolved around beach parties, nightclub revelry, fireworks displays and scattered countdown events across the city.

This year, however, revellers can expect a transformed experience with the introduction of Midnight East, a premium New Year’s Eve concept that will simultaneously connect Dar es Salaam with Nairobi, Kampala and Kigali. The initiative was officially unveiled on December 21, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro, during an exclusive launch attended by influencers, micro-influencers, members of the media, and key stakeholders from the creative and entertainment industries.

Designed around the themes of unity and shared celebration, Midnight East blends music, culture, nightlife and digital storytelling to deliver a single New Year’s Eve moment across four East African capitals. While each city will showcase its distinctive cultural energy, all will converge in a synchronised midnight countdown, symbolising the region’s growing cultural and creative interconnectedness.

Speaking at the launch, the organisers described Midnight East as a reimagining of how East Africa marks the transition into the New Year — shifting from isolated city-based events to a collective, cross-border celebration. “Our core idea is to celebrate our unity as a region, share our culture through music and entertainment, and welcome the New Year in style,” representatives from Play Media and Buzz Activate said.

Influencer and entertainment stakeholder Gabrielle Chams highlighted the role of creatives in shaping the future of the industry. “Our responsibility is to shape and share our culture through such platforms, connect with fellow creatives, and push the industry towards innovation, inclusivity and growth, which will ultimately expand its reach,” she said.

Midnight East is scheduled to take place on New Year’s Eve in Dar es Salaam alongside the other participating cities. The celebration will feature top DJs from across East Africa, reinforcing the spirit of regional collaboration and cultural unity as the clock strikes midnight.

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Dar es Salaam. Passenger uptake of the online bus fare payment system remains low, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) has said, prompting renewed calls for travellers to use digital platforms to curb ticket touting and ensure fares paid are properly captured in the system.

Latra director general Habibu Suluo said that between December 1 and 20 this year, total fare collections amounted to Sh71 billion, of which nearly Sh8 billion was paid through online platforms, while about Sh63 billion was paid in cash. “This means only about 20 percent of passengers are buying tickets online, while the majority still pay in cash,” Dr Suluo said.

He encouraged passengers to adopt online ticket purchases to prevent overcharging and to guarantee accurate fare payment. “If you can send money to a relative through your phone, why not buy your ticket online? This ensures you pay the correct fare and are not overcharged,” he said.

Dr Suluo also called on bus owners to ensure payments are made through electronic systems so that revenues can be properly monitored by the regulator. He added that online ticketing captures passengers’ full details in the system, enhancing accountability and security in public transport operations.

Dr Suluo said Latra conducted a nationwide inspection exercise from December 8 to 22, during which 4,405 vehicles were inspected, most of them at the Mikese inspection station. The exercise, he said, was part of joint efforts with road safety stakeholders to support the government’s drive to reduce road accidents and ensure safe travel, particularly during the busy festive season.

“This is a critical period when all stakeholders must work together to reduce road accidents and ensure citizens travel safely to meet their loved ones,” he said. According to Dr Suluo, Latra has intensified inspections across the country to ensure the availability of safe and reliable transport services amid high travel demand.

Inspection centres have been established nationwide to verify compliance with licence conditions and assess the quality of services offered to the public. “From these inspections, we identified 349 offences.

The most common violations include failure to issue electronic tickets, non-compliance with licence conditions and some drivers operating without i-buttons,” he said. Despite the violations, Dr Suluo said the overall road safety situation remains relatively stable, with no major incidents reported so far.

He added that Latra continues to issue emergency permits where there are shortages of transport services, noting that 252 temporary permits have so far been issued by Latra offices across the country. Providing further data, Dr Suluo said that from the beginning of this month to date, 1,978,100 passengers have travelled using regulated bus services, equivalent to the number of tickets issued during the period.

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Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national football team, Taifa Stars, will tonight launch their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group C campaign with a daunting test against African heavyweights Nigeria, as the two sides meet at the Fes Stadium in Rabat.

The encounter is scheduled to kick off at 8:30pm East African Time, and it carries not only group-stage significance but also deep historical meaning for Tanzania, who are still searching for their first-ever victory over the Super Eagles in competitive football. This will be the second time the two nations meet in an Afcon group-stage match, with the first dating back 46 years.

On March 8, 1980, Nigeria edged Tanzania 31 in a Group A fixture played at the Lagos National Stadium in Surulere. Since then, the two sides have never crossed paths again at this stage of the continent’s premier football competition until now.

Despite the long gap, the rivalry has been rekindled intermittently through qualification campaigns for both Afcon and the FIFA World Cup, encounters that have largely favoured the West African giants. Overall, records show that Tanzania and Nigeria have met five times in all competitions, with Nigeria winning three matches, while two ended in draws.

Taifa Stars are therefore yet to register a victory against the Super Eagles, a statistic they are determined to overturn on Moroccan soil. The most recent meetings came during the 2017 Afcon qualification campaign.

The first leg, played on September 5, 2015, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, ended in a goalless draw that raised optimism among Tanzanian supporters. However, Nigeria secured a narrow 10 win in the return leg on September 3, 2016, on home ground to progress.

Earlier encounters also include the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where Taifa Stars earned a credible 11 away draw in Nigeria on December 6, 1980, before suffering a 20 defeat in the return leg at the National Stadium, now known as Uhuru Stadium, in Dar es Salaam. As the two sides prepare to face off once again, the stakes could not be higher for Tanzania, who are eager to make a positive start in what has been widely described as a challenging Group C.

Speaking ahead of the match, Taifa Stars interim head coach Miguel Gamondi expressed confidence in his squad, insisting the players are mentally and physically ready for the challenge. “We know it will not be easy because Nigeria are among the strongest football nations on the continent,” said Gamondi.

“But I believe in my players. They understand what is at stake and they are ready to give everything for the country.

We have prepared well, taken all necessary precautions, and we will play with determination and discipline.” Team captain Mbwana Samatta echoed his coach’s sentiments, dismissing any notion of fear as Tanzania prepare to face a side boasting a rich Afcon pedigree.

“It is an open fact that we are facing tough opponents,” Samatta said. “But we are here to compete, not to make up numbers.

Every player knows what Tanzanians expect from us. We are playing for the national flag and we are ready to fight until the last drop.

” The Taifa Stars camp has been buoyed by high morale and a strong sense of unity, with players aware that a positive result against Nigeria would significantly boost their chances of progressing from the group. Group C action continues later tonight when Tunisia take on fellow East African representatives Uganda at the Stade Olympique de Rabat, with kick-off scheduled for 11:00pm East African Time.

As Afcon fever grips the continent, all eyes will be on Rabat, where Taifa Stars hope to defy history, stun Nigeria, and announce their arrival in the tournament with a statement performance. .

Dar es Salaam. As Africa grapples with a cascade of health shocks, from infectious disease outbreaks to climate-induced emergencies, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said governments must substantially increase domestic health financing, warning that the era of heavy reliance on external aid is rapidly fading.

The alarm came yesterday in Dar es Salaam, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between WHO’s Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO) and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC). At the event, WHO Africa Regional Director Mohamed Janabi delivered a sobering message: African countries must now “recalibrate and build stronger health budgets” to withstand current and future crises.

“Funding support to WHO has dropped by about 70 percent following the withdrawal of major donors, including the United States,” Prof Janabi said. “What remains is for countries to reorganise themselves and allocate larger portions of national budgets to health so that they can respond effectively when these challenges arise.

” Prof Janabi, who assumed office on July 1, 2025, described his first five months as among the most difficult in WHO Africa’s history. On his first day, the organisation was facing a deficit of $1.5 billion.

That financial shock forced sweeping reforms, including a painful reduction of the workforce. “I was responsible for more than 2,500 staff across 47 African member states,” he said.

“We had to separate at least 25 percent of the workforce. About 420 employees, highly skilled professionals with Master’s and PhDs, are set to lose their jobs.

It has and still is, a very difficult time.” Yet even as WHO struggled internally, Africa faced relentless external pressures.

Within weeks of his appointment, Ebola resurfaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but contained within 90 days. Marburg virus disease in Ethiopia also is under control.

Cholera outbreaks are currently affecting at least 15 African countries, while polio persists in parts of West Africa. Climate-related disasters, including floods, droughts and even earthquakes, such as the recent one in Burundi, have further strained fragile health systems and displaced thousands.

“Before I could even recover, we were fighting Marburg in Ethiopia, cholera across the continent, Rift Valley fever in Senegal spilling into Mauritania and managing refugees in Burundi and Ethiopia,” Prof Janabi said. The call for increased health spending is deeply rooted in lessons learnt from Covid-19, which exposed Africa’s vulnerabilities and the current unpredictable donor-scenarios.

Many countries were caught off-guard, lacking intensive care capacity, surveillance systems and supply chains for essential medicines and vaccines. “We learnt the hard way during Covid-19,” Prof Janabi said.

“Africa imports about 99 percent of its vaccines and 85 percent of its medicines. That dependence left us exposed when global supply chains collapsed.

” Climate change is now compounding these risks. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are fuelling outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases, vector-borne illnesses and malnutrition, placing additional pressure on already stretched budgets.

At the same time, antimicrobial resistance, described by Prof Janabi as “a silent pandemic”, kills about one million people globally each year, further underscoring the need for resilient, well-financed health systems. Local manufacturing as a strategic response To reduce import dependency, WHO is strongly advocating for local pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing.

Under the new MoU, ECSA-HC has pledged to, among other things, support member states that are already laying the groundwork for domestic industries. Tanzania is among the countries positioning itself for this shift.

The government has outlined plans to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing through public-private partnerships, investment incentives and regulatory reforms, including strengthening the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA). Ongoing initiatives aim to attract investors into industrial parks dedicated to health products, building on lessons from Covid-19 when access to essential supplies became a matter of national security.

“We want to harmonise regulations so that a medicine registered in Kenya does not have to be registered again in Tanzania,” Prof Janabi said. “We are encouraging countries to work closely with investors and financial institutions to establish local industries.

” A timely partnership The WHOECSA-HC MoU comes at a critical moment. The agreement aligns with WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (20252028) and focuses on primary healthcare, disease prevention, health workforce development, digital health transformation and emergency preparedness.

“This MoU is not only about cooperation between institutions,” Prof Janabi said, “but about delivering better health outcomes for Africans, especially the most vulnerable.” ECSA-HC Director-General Dr Ntuli Kapologwe echoed the sentiment, noting that the partnership would help countries “build resilient, equitable and people-centred health systems” through coordinated regional solutions.

“This MoU strengthens our long-standing collaboration with WHO AFRO and enhances our collective ability to support countries in building resilient, equitable and people-centred health systems,” he said. .