Category: The Citizen

Kampala. Uganda will get up to $1.7 billion of US funding for its health sector over the next five years, making it the latest African country to agree a pact with the Trump administration since it overhauled its approach to foreign aid.

Kenya and Rwanda agreed similar deals in recent days under Trump’s “America First Global Health Strategy”. The strategy calls for poorer nations to play a bigger role in fighting infectious diseases in their countries and eventually transition from aid to self-reliance.

The US funds will support priority health programmes in Uganda on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health and polio amongst other things, the US embassy in Uganda said in a statement. Uganda’s government will increase its own health expenditure by $500 million “to gradually assume greater financial responsibility over the course of the framework,” its finance ministry said in a post on X.

“This collaboration will yield not only disease-specific outcomes but also significant improvements in national systems, institutions and workforce capacity,” Finance Minister Matia Kasaija said. The U.

S. has been a major donor to Uganda’s health sector, but financial support has fallen this year after Trump cut the foreign aid budget and shuttered USAID.

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Dodoma. Tanzania has been thrown into mourning following the death of Peramiho Member of Parliament, Jenista Joakim Mhagama, who passed away on Thursday in Dodoma.

The announcement was made in Parliament by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mussa Azan Zungu, who described her death as a profound loss to the nation. In the statement, Mr Zungu expressed deep sadness, noting that Mhagama’s passing had left a void not only in Parliament but also among the people of Peramiho, whom she had served with distinction.

“With great sorrow, I announce the death of the Honourable Jenista Joakim Mhagama, the MP for Peramiho, who passed away today in Dodoma,” the Speaker said. “I extend my sincere condolences to all Honourable Members, to her family, relatives, friends, and the citizens of Peramiho.

May God grant them strength and patience during this difficult period.” Mhagama, born on June 23, 1967, was a former school teacher and a prominent figure in Tanzania’s political landscape for more than two decades.

She served in several senior government roles, including Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, Labour, Youth and the Disabled) and later as Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Public Service Management and Good Governance. Her last cabinet position was as the Minister for Health.

She was a legislator known for her commitment to public service, had served in various capacities in government and Parliament. Her colleagues will remember her as a dedicated public servant whose contributions had shaped policy and influenced national debate.

The Parliamentary Office, working jointly with the family, has begun coordinating funeral arrangements. Authorities stated that detailed information on the burial programme will be released in due course.

As the nation awaits further updates, messages of sympathy have continued to flow, reflecting the widespread respect Mhagama earned throughout her career. “May her soul rest in eternal peace,” Speaker Zungu said, closing his announcement to a visibly shaken chamber.

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The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it had reached a staff-level agreement with Ethiopia on the fourth review of a $3.4 billion lending programme, paving the way for the next disbursement of $261 million once the Fund’s board signs off. That disbursement would bring the IMF’s total financial support to Ethiopia under its extended credit facility so far to about $2.13 billion.

The East African nation secured the bailout loan in July 2024 while the government was working to restructure its debts. “Maintaining reform momentum will be key to consolidating macroeconomic stability and supporting growth and poverty reduction in the medium term,” the Fund said in its review of Ethiopia’s economic programme, while recommending a tight monetary stance and encouraging private investment.

The IMF executive board must review and endorse the agreement before the next loan tranche can be disbursed. Ethiopia chose to overhaul its external debt under the G20’s Common Framework initiative, and it defaulted on its sole Eurobond in late 2023. It has since struck a deal to restructure its official debt with bilateral creditors but disputes with investors over the potential size of a debt writedown have snagged progress on reworking its $1 billion Eurobond.

On the restructuring process, the Fund said that efforts to secure debt treatment and restore debt sustainability were advancing. .

Nairobi. Tanzania has called for predictable and accessible financing to enable developing countries to meet their environmental obligations, as African leaders pushed for a fair and inclusive global economic transition.

The national statement was delivered during the third day of the Seventh Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi on December 11, 2025 by Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, Coordination and People with Disabilities), Mr William Lukuvi, speaking on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. He emphasised that Tanzania’s environmental agenda is anchored in Vision 2050 and the country’s efforts to expand access to clean energy.

“Predictable financing is essential for many developing nations, including Tanzania,” Mr Lukuvi said, noting that despite strong policy frameworks, financial gaps continue to limit the pace and scale of implementation. “Countries continue to outweigh our capacities, and we call on all partners to honour their commitments.

Let this assembly be a turning point where we choose cooperation over competition.” He further stressed Tanzania’s commitment to work with all Member States to build a stronger multilateral environmental system capable of supporting national development while protecting ecosystems.

The African message of fairness was echoed by President of Kenya, William Ruto, who warned that the continent continues to bear the harshest consequences of a climate crisis it did not cause–from failed harvests to destructive floods and intensifying storms. 0 Kenyan President William Ruto during the opening of the high-level segment at UNEA-7 on Thursday, December 11, 2025. “Behind each statistic is a farmer, a small business, a community uprooted,” he said, cautioning that rapid technological and economic shifts risk reproducing old patterns of extraction, exclusion and pollution unless environmental safeguards are applied.

Executive Director of UNEP, Ms Inger Andersen, also stressed the urgent need for fairness and financing, noting that developing countries will require between $310 billion and $365 billion annually for climate adaptation by 2035–around twelve times current international public flows. 1 Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Ms Inger Andersen, at UNEA-7 in Nairobi, Kenya.

UNEP. She welcomed African-led initiatives such as the Africa Climate Innovation Compact (ACIC) and the African Climate Facility (ACF) as crucial mechanisms for mobilising innovation and local climate solutions.

UNEA-7, the world’s highest decision-making body on environmental matters, continues this week with negotiations on resolutions addressing climate resilience, biodiversity protection, pollution control and emerging technologies. While non-binding, its decisions have historically shaped global environmental priorities and informed national policies worldwide.

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Dar es Salaam. The Vice Chancellor of Kampala International University in Tanzania (KIUT), Prof Peter Msolla, has cautioned that the growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) among university students risks eroding essential critical thinking skills, which form the cornerstone of higher education.

Addressing graduates at KIUT’s eighth graduation ceremony on December 10, 2025 where 1,484 students received academic awards, Prof Msolla stressed that universities must urgently reconsider how they guide students in adopting emerging technologies. While recognising AI’s transformative potential, he warned that unregulated use is already undermining intellectual development.

“We live in a digital age, but excessive reliance on AI is concerning. When students can simply click a button to complete assignments, their capacity to think independently diminishes.

Technology offers both opportunities and challenges, and it is our duty to ensure it is used responsibly,” Prof Msolla said. Highlighting the role of universities as incubators of knowledge and innovation, he emphasised that graduates must be creators, not mere consumers, of information.

“Sustainable economic progress depends on individuals capable of analysis, evaluation, and original thought. Society expects your achievements to reflect genuine understanding, not shortcuts,” he added.

Prof Msolla’s remarks come amid global concerns over the surge in generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, used by students for assignments, text summarisation, and problem-solving. Education technology expert Dr Neema Mwakalinga supported the Vice Chancellor’s warning, noting that AI misuse, rather than the technology itself, is the primary risk.

“AI should be a learning companion, not a shortcut. Universities must implement robust digital literacy programmes, modernise assessment methods, and train faculty to integrate AI responsibly,” Dr Mwakalinga said.

Beyond the AI debate, Prof Msolla announced plans to complete KIUT’s teaching hospital by the end of 2026, which will enhance practical learning for health sciences students and improve medical services for the community. Acting Deputy Vice ChancellorAcademic, Prof Honoratha Mushi, highlighted ongoing efforts to modernise laboratories, teaching equipment, and student facilities, with a view to expanding admissions in line with national education priorities.

The University Council, chaired by Prof Yunus Mgaya, commended KIUT leadership for upholding professional standards and ensuring good governance in a science- and technology-focused private institution. Of the 1,484 graduates, 772 were men and 712 women, with 821 earning diplomas, 641 obtaining bachelor’s degrees, and 22 receiving master’s qualifications.

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Iringa. The University of Iringa (UoI) has lauded the High Court of Tanzania, Iringa Division, for its sustained contribution to improving access to justice and bringing judicial services closer to communities across the region.

Addressing a delegation from the Iringa High Court Division on December 11, 2025 during a visit to the institution–part of the court’s 20th anniversary celebrations–the representative of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Advocate Kaleb Lameck Gamaya, said the establishment of the division in 2005 had significantly eased the burden previously faced by citizens and legal practitioners who were required to travel long distances to seek judicial services. Advocate Gamaya noted that the presence of the High Court in Iringa has not only reduced costs and waiting times for litigants but has also enhanced practical training for law students.

He revealed that more than 70 per cent of UoI’s law students rely on the division for their clinical legal education, a development that has reduced the need for students to travel to Songea or Mbeya for court exposure. “In the past, both citizens and students had to undertake long journeys to access judicial services.

Today, cases are heard locally, expenses have decreased, and the backlog of cases has reduced considerably,” he said. He added that the visit formed part of a series of activities marking the court’s 20th anniversary, urging members of the public to take advantage of free legal clinics jointly offered by UoI and judicial stakeholders.

He further highlighted that the university has recently expanded its Legal Aid Unit, which now supports residents dealing with a wide range of legal challenges, including land disputes, inheritance matters, child maintenance issues, employment concerns, and family-related conflicts. “We are committed to ensuring that citizens receive legal education and that those unable to afford legal representation are not denied access to justice,” Advocate Gamaya said.

The Iringa High Court Zone’s 20th anniversary celebrations are ongoing, featuring community outreach initiatives, public legal awareness programmes, and engagements with legal and academic institutions aimed at strengthening collaboration and enhancing justice delivery. .

Dar es Salaam. Commercial activity across Tanzania began to slowly rebound yesterday, with businesses expressing cautious optimism after a dramatic slowdown on December 9, when streets in major urban centres–including the normally bustling Dar es Salaam–fell silent over protest fears.

There had been potential protest on Tuesday that coincided with Tanzanian Mainland Independence Day although the police banned the move, calling it unlawful. The government further advised that all citizens who do not have pressing obligations on December 9, 2025 should use the day for rest.

“The citizens are encouraged to celebrate the day at home, except for those whose duties require them to be at their workplaces as directed by their respective leaders,” Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announced on Monday. Following such circumstances, the Independence Day saw streets of major cities largely empty as police and soldiers blocked the planned anti-government demonstrations.

Retailers, transporters and market operators said that although the one-day paralysis had caused significant financial strain, the swift resumption of movement and trading on December 10 has restored confidence that normalcy will return ahead of the festive period. The disruption, driven by reduced transport services, the absence of upcountry shoppers and a general decision by the public to stay at home, had impacted both retail and cargo operations.

But business owners reported an immediate improvement once streets reopened. Kariakoo traders, who had seen their busiest commercial district come to a standstill, said the return of customers yesterday offered relief after a day of heavy losses.

“We were told to stay home unless our duties required us outside,” said trader Mwinyi Abdalah. “However, banks will not understand that we closed for a day because the whole country stayed at home.

Today, we have opened, and customers have begun coming back. It gives us hope that business will stabilize,” he said.

Mr Abdalah noted that December is usually a peak sales period ahead of Christmas, and traders were concerned that a longer disruption would have affected their ability to meet both business and household commitments, including school expenses in January. “The good thing is that people are returning, and transport is improving.

That means our customers from outside Dar es Salaam will also start coming back,” Mr Abdallah added. Dar es Salaam Business Community chairman Yusuph Omari Yenga said activity yesterday rose noticeably compared to the previous day, when traders stayed away from the city centre.

“People were very cautious on December 9, especially those from outside the city who postponed their trips,” he said. “But today we have seen movement picking up, and that is encouraging.

” Ports and cargo flows regain momentum At the port, operations continued uninterrupted, and officials confirmed that the slowdown on December 9 stemmed from reduced cargo collection rather than any operational shutdown. “Ships continued to be served and cargo handling was active,” said Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) director general Plasduce Mbossa.

“The disruptions came because some people did not come to pick up their cargo. It was not because the port was closed,” he said.

The Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA) also affirmed that Independence Day did not halt planned activities. Executive secretary Liston Goodluck said port operations had been pre-arranged and moved ahead as scheduled.

“There were no restrictions for anyone without outstanding obligations, and storage-charge waivers were available where appropriate,” he said. Shipping agent Daniel Malongo, however, noted that the brief slowdown in cargo movement created immediate losses along the supply chain.

“Vessels operated as usual, but clearing agents did not release cargo. That pause affected everyone,” he said.

He added that agents had resumed work yesterday, and movement was slowly returning to normal. Signs of recovery At Mabibo Fresh Food Market–one of Dar es Salaam’s busiest produce hubs–traders reported that supply disruptions seen on December 9 were easing as transport resumed.

Avocado broker Juma Mshamu said produce remained plentiful at farm level, but transport delays had temporarily pushed retail prices up to Sh3,000 per fruit, from Sh1,500. Wholesale prices also rose but are expected to stabilise as more trucks resume deliveries. “Trucks are now on the road again, and we expect more produce to arrive today and tomorrow,” he said.

Banana broker Joyce Emmanuel reported similar trends. Supply dropped as farmers and truck owners hesitated to transport produce, but she confirmed that deliveries resumed yesterday.

“A bunch that normally sells for S0,000 went for Sh30,000Sh35,000 during the disruption because buyers were few,” she said. “But now we are seeing both supply and demand picking up.

” The market manager Geoffrey Mbamba said trading activities were returning to normal. “I encourage the public to visit the market.

Security is stable and produce continues to arrive daily,” he said. Normally, Mabibo receives more than 20 banana trucks daily, alongside potatoes and other produce, according to the manager.

Traders believe that with transport stabilising, supply and pricing will normalise quickly. Short-term impact Independent economic analyst Oscar Mkude said the biggest impact of the one-day shutdown was felt by self-employed individuals who rely on daily earnings.

“For them the effects were immediate,” he said. “But as long as activity continues to improve, the economic impact will be short-lived.

” He warned, however, that repeated disruptions could have long-term consequences for supply chains and government revenue. “The good news is that businesses are reopening and people are returning to work.

If this continues, the economy will absorb the shock quickly,” he said. .

Dar es Salaam. Every December, as the year bends towards its final days and the first winds of the festive season begin circling through Tanzania’s cities, a quiet but powerful movement takes shape.

It starts softly, an air of anticipation in markets, early bus bookings, whispered plans between colleagues about travel dates, but soon gathers into something unmistakable. Within days, it spreads across highways, airports, train stations and ferry ports, drawing thousands towards the villages and homesteads that shaped their earliest memories.

It is the annual homecoming, an unwritten tradition so deeply rooted that it feels almost instinctive. For many families, it is the one moment of the year when life, which often feels scattered and rushed, finally gathers itself into something whole again.

In Dar es Salaam, preparations begin long before the journey. Families shop for relatives upcountry, supermarkets fill with people searching for last-minute gifts, and children chatter excitedly about going ‘nyumbani.

‘ The hint of the coming migration is visible everywhere: stacked luggage in living rooms, parcels being wrapped, and parents negotiating leave days at work. And then comes the great departure, roads leading out of the city thick with buses and private cars, each one carrying travellers returning to places they may not have seen since last December.

The movement stretches across the entire country. Though the reasons for travelling may differ, reunions, family meetings, the introduction of newborns, or simply the desire to breathe the calm air of home, the underlying truth remains the same: year-end journeys are one of the strongest threads holding Tanzanian families together.

Across regions, there is a shared acceptance that the December journey is far more than a festive tradition (Christmas and New Year season). It is the one time when families meet without the heaviness of funerals or the demands of big celebrations.

It is a gathering defined by warmth, laughter under verandas, long conversations stretching late into the night, shared meals, quiet reflections, and the rediscovery of bonds that city life often leaves neglected. In many households, it is during these reunions that families remember what it means to belong to each other.

Delayed issues find space for discussion, siblings reconnect, and advice is offered without hurry. Elderly parents and relatives seize the moment to remind younger generations of the values that define their lineage, respect, discipline, generosity, humility, and hard work.

These lessons are not taught through formal speeches, but through simple acts: the way elders speak, the rituals around meals, the stories told before sunrise, and the unspoken expectations that have guided families for generations. A sociologist from University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Margaret Rugambwa, says these reunions sustain the continuity of families in ways urban life cannot.

“When people return home, they are not just visiting. They are reconnecting with the roots that shaped them.

Identity is strengthened there, among relatives, history, and familiar traditions,” she says. For children raised far from their ancestral homes, the December pilgrimage is often transformative.

It is in the village that they hear their mother tongue spoken fully, taste traditional dishes cooked in their original form, and learn family histories they might otherwise never encounter. “It is also where relationships with extended family members take shape, granrents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, connections that rarely find space in busy urban routines,” she shares.

Another sociologist from Saint Augustine University of Tanzania, Mr Alfani Mduge, describes year-end journeys as a ‘quiet but powerful glue’ that keeps families aligned. “Urban life moves fast.

People get consumed by work and survival. But the village resets the compass.

That reset is essential for holding families together,” he notes. This reset also helps counter the subtle drift that comes with modern lifestyles.

“In the village, the pace slows. People sit, talk, listen, and reflect in ways that seldom happen in cities.

It is this slowing down that opens space for healing, reconciliation, guidance, and rediscovery,” he adds. .

Iringa. As the world embraces Generation Z, a new cohort is already shaping the future–Generation Alpha, children born between 2010 and 2025. In Tanzania, this generation is emerging as the most technologically immersed, globally influenced and educationally demanding yet.

Experts note that while Gen Z grew up alongside smartphones and social media, Generation Alpha is the first to be born entirely into the digital world, where touchscreens, artificial intelligence and on-demand content are part of daily life. “Gen Alpha is the generation that will not adapt to Tanzania; Tanzania will adapt to them,” says an education analyst in Dar es Salaam.

“They learn differently, think differently and communicate differently.” Born into technology Unlike Gen Z, which saw the shift from analogue to digital, Generation Alpha has known only a connected world.

Many Tanzanian children today open learning apps before school notebooks, communicate through short videos, voice notes and emojis, use mobile money before traditional banking and acquire skills via AI-powered platforms and YouTube tutorials. Across Iringa, Dodoma, Mbeya and Dar es Salaam, children as young as five navigate gadgets more confidently than adults.

For them, technology is not a tool–it is an environment. Teachers report that post-2010 children prefer visual, interactive content, digital quizzes and short, fast-paced explanations.

By 2035, when the oldest Gen Alpha members turn 25, Tanzania’s education system will face pressure to adopt robotics, coding, AI-assisted teaching, hybrid learning and skills-based assessments, or risk a widening digital gap. In the marketplace, Generation Alpha responds to visual advertising, values brand ethics, relies on online reviews and prefers digital payment options.

Socially, they are emotionally expressive, environmentally conscious and less bound by traditional norms, shaping a generation demanding transparency and inclusivity. With Generation Alpha concluding around 2025, Generation Beta (20252039) will follow, with deeper AI, automation and immersive technologies.

Analysts say Generation Alpha offers Tanzania a chance to build a digitally skilled workforce and globally competitive talent–if the nation invests in education, connectivity and youth innovation. “If prepared well, Gen Alpha could be Tanzania’s most economically transformative generation,” says a youth expert in Dodoma.

As Generation Z fades, Tanzania faces a defining moment: keeping pace with Generation Alpha will determine the nation’s economic, political and cultural trajectory by the mid-2030s. .

Lusaka. A Tanzanian and pan-African energy and industrial conglomerate, Amsons Group, has entered into a major strategic partnership with Zambia’s Exergy Africa Limited to jointly develop 1,300 megawatts of new power generation projects at a combined investment of $900 million.

The partnership will see the two companies develop 1,000MW of solar power and 300MW of coal-fired generation, in what is positioned as a transformative boost to Zambia’s national energy security, industrial growth and cross-border energy cooperation within Southern and Eastern Africa. According to the parties, the collaboration brings together Exergy’s local expertise and Amsons Group’s extensive regional infrastructure platform to establish a strong, bankable pipeline of power projects aligned with Zambia’s long-term energy demand.

Speaking in Lusaka during the signing ceremony held on Tuesday, December 9, Amsons Group Chief Executive Officer, Edha Nahdi, said the agreement reflects the company’s commitment to supporting Zambia’s economic and industrial development. “Zambia is a strategic growth market for us and through this partnership, we are bringing our regional energy infrastructure, logistics capability and clean energy investments to support Zambia’s development, industrialisation and power stability,” he said.

Exergy Africa Limited director, Ms Monica Musonda, hailed the partnership as a significant milestone in Africa’s push towards stronger regional energy integration and improved power reliability. “This partnership represents a major commitment to Zambia’s power sector and industrial future.

By partnering with a group that already operates at scale across multiple African markets, we are positioned to move faster, reduce project risk, and deliver reliable power where it is needed most,” she said. Through the planned investments, the partners aim to boost Zambia’s generation capacity, enhance grid stability for key industrial sectors, unlock new manufacturing and mining opportunities and support long-term job creation and economic resilience.

Zambia’s Minister of Energy, Mr Makozo Chikote, who witnessed the signing, commended the initiative, saying it demonstrates investor confidence in the country’s energy sector and aligns with the government’s multi-source strategy aimed at strengthening both public and private sector participation. “This partnership will result in 500MW of new solar capacity added to the grid within 18 months.

In 24 months, the full complement of 300MW of coal and the entire 1,000MW of clean solar will have been installed, effectively moving Zambia into a surplus power generation status,” he said. Amsons Group currently operates across Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, supporting more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Its energy portfolio includes 60 million litres of petroleum storage capacity at the Port of Dar es Salaam, substantial bulk fuel trading operations across Southern Africa, and one of East Africa’s largest private logistics fleets comprising over 800 trucks. This extensive infrastructure, the company notes, will enable reliable fuel supply for thermal generation, rapid mobilisation of equipment for power plant construction, and long-term cross-border logistics security, while also supporting Zambia’s clean energy ambitions.

Beyond infrastructure development, the partnership is also designed to deliver sustained social and economic value to Zambian communities, alongside commercial returns. Amsons Group is a diversified energy and industrial conglomerate operating across Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia.

Its core businesses span fuel distribution, LPG, cement manufacturing, concrete production, flour milling, logistics, packaging, real estate, and electronics assembly. With over 10,000 jobs created and one of East Africa’s largest private logistics fleets, the Group plays a key role in regional infrastructure and economic development.

Exergy Africa Limited (EAL) is an investment holding and management company focused on the energy sector in East and Southern Africa. It invests in, develops, and supports the growth of energy companies across the value chain, including power trading, generation, distribution, and supply.

Initially established to leverage opportunities in the regional power trading market, the company has since shifted its strategy towards long-term development and ownership of foundational energy infrastructure to address persistent power shortages across the region. .