Category: The Citizen

The first time I spent the night in the newsroom, it was not out of fear, but ambition. It was in 2005. I was a young business writer, hungry to prove myself in a busy newsroom that produced three business pullouts weekly, namely BusinessWeek, Maritime Guide, and Property Guide.

Those days, missing a deadline meant someone else would fill the gap, rendering you irrelevant. Without ChatGPT, writing was a craft preserved for a stubborn few who were capable of sharpening their skills sentence by sentence.

Seeing your byline after an editor had gone through your copy was something every scribe craved for. Fast-forward to 2011, I found myself spending the night in the office again while editing a 40-page supplement for the first Tanzania Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Awards.

There was no overtime allowance for the effort, no special recognition except a letter of appreciation from the then managing editor, Bakari Machumu. But complaining never crossed our minds.

We worked long hours not because we were forced to, but because journalism was a calling, not a job. It was a profession where passion and duty often counted more than rest.

Then came Wednesday, October 29, 2025. I spent the night in the newsroom again but this time, not out of passion or professional pressure. This time, it was safer to stay indoors than attempt to drive home.

The day began innocently enough. Tanzanians turned up at polling stations early, determined to cast their votes peacefully.

There was a palpable sense of calm, convincing you that everything will remain orderly. I visited a polling station as usual, exchanged pleasantries with colleagues on the ground and later drove towards the office to coordinate coverage.

Then came the call. A trusted friend from Chanika, her voice heavy with urgency, told me to turn back and go home immediately.

“They are approaching (Mabibo) External (a suburb in Dar es Salaam). Soon they will be near your office.

Leave now. Please.

You will thank me later,” she insisted. I hesitated.

Journalists often witness events long before the public reads about them. And editors, by nature, do not abandon their desks when reporters are scattered across the city gathering news.

The instinct to stay was stronger than the instinct to flee. Yet instinct also told me to take off my media coat and remove my accreditation badge.

That simple act felt like shedding armour in unfamiliar territory. It was necessary but unsettling.

Within minutes, signs of tension surfaced. A motorist stopped abruptly at the Mwananchi bus stop near the railway crossing, motioning other drivers to turn back.

Some did. Others hesitated.

Moments later, a daladala stopped and passengers spilled out, confusion etched on their faces. Then came two police vehicles, loaded with Field Force Unit officers moving with urgency and intent.

Shots fired into the air. Panic spread.

A man dropped tyres on the road. Another splashed liquid.

Fire erupted. It all happened in seconds.

A blur of smoke, shouting, burning rubber and the sharp crack of live ammunition. The police post was set ablaze.

A fuel station suffered damage. The road was blocked.

People ran. Others froze.

It was chaos without warning, violence without form and danger without clear direction. You could not tell who was a protester, who was a bystander, or who was simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Inside the building, the atmosphere shifted from newsroom focus to survival instinct. Doors were shut.

Phones buzzed with alerts. And when the Inspector General of Police declared a curfew later in the day, the decision was made for us: home would have to wait.

Some colleagues called their families to reassure them. Others quietly accepted the night ahead.

Chairs became beds. Office jackets doubled as blankets.

And as mosquitoes staged their own midnight conference around our ears, one thing became painfully clear: journalism, for all its glamour on the outside, sometimes demands that you simply endure. People often assume journalists exist only behind keyboards, on television screens, or standing beside cameras.

But sometimes we are trapped in the very stories we cover. Sometimes we face the same uncertainty as the public we serve, with no luxury of retreat.

That night in 2025 reminded me of a truth we rarely voice: journalism is not always about chasing deadlines, earning bylines, or out-writing your peers. Sometimes it is about staying alive long enough to tell the story.

I have told mine and will keep telling. Samuel Tindwa is the News Editor of The Citizen .

Dar es Salaam. As President Samia Suluhu Hassan begins her first 100 days in office, Tanzania stands at a delicate crossroads, a moment defined by grief, expectation and the urgent need for unity after a divisive election season.

Her swearing-in ceremony earlier this week reaffirmed her leadership but also reflected a nation still mourning. The October 2025 elections, though marking a democratic milestone, left behind scenes of unrest in several cities, with protests leading to loss of lives, injuries and destruction of property.

The challenge before the Head of State is immense: to reconcile a divided nation, restore public confidence, and lay the foundation for the country’s recovery, politically, socially and economically. In her inaugural address at State House in Dodoma, President Hassan adopted a conciliatory tone, urging Tanzanians to embrace peace and unity.

“We were divided by ideology and rivalry during the campaign,” she said. “But after the election, the one chosen by the majority becomes the choice of the nation.

We must now rebuild and make tomorrow better than yesterday.” Her words struck a chord with many citizens who have endured weeks of anxiety and loss.

For the President, the next 100 days will be a test of leadership, balancing the demands of a grieving nation with the urgent need to restore stability and progress. Many analysts believe that her 4R philosophy; Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms and Rebuilding, will serve as the guiding compass in this crucial period.

Political analyst and governance consultant Dr Paul Mbani told The Citizen that the President’s approach provides a realistic path for recovery. “The first 100 days will be crucial in restoring trust among citizens and political actors.

President Samia’s 4R framework offers a strong basis for healing wounds and uniting Tanzanians around shared goals,” he said. Dr Mbani added that genuine progress will depend on political stability and economic revival.

“People voted with high expectations. They want jobs, lower living costs and an economy that works for everyone.

The government must move quickly to address inflation, stabilise the shilling and restore investor confidence,” he noted. President Hassan’s re-election campaign centred on industrialisation, digital transformation and empowering women and youth, priorities that now form the benchmark for her administration.

During her address, she reaffirmed her vision for inclusive growth. “Our economy must grow in a way that touches every citizen — from the youth in our urban centres to farmers in our rural communities.

That is the essence of our development vision,” she declared. An economist and researcher, Dr Fatma Mndolwa, said reconciliation must go hand in hand with tangible economic delivery.

“Reconciliation without progress cannot sustain peace. The President’s immediate task is to implement policies that stimulate small and medium enterprises, attract investment and create jobs.

If done well, the 4R framework could become a model for inclusive growth in Africa,” she said. Faith leaders have also rallied behind the call for national healing.

The Rev Alex Kaligirwa of the Council of Pentecostal Churches of Tanzania (CPCT), urged Tanzanians to embrace peace and forgiveness. “This is the time to set aside anger and bitterness.

President Samia has shown humility and compassion-qualities that can guide the nation towards lasting unity,” he said. At the University of Dar es Salaam, political analyst Dr Amina Mohamed described President Hassan’s inclusive leadership as “what the country needs most right now”.

“If she maintains her dialogue-driven approach, the next 100 days could lay a strong foundation for national renewal,” she said. The convening of the newly elected Parliament in Dodoma next week symbolises the beginning of a new chapter in Tanzania’s governance.

It also gives the President an opportunity to anchor her reform agenda through fresh legislative action. But as the government resumes full operations, the weight of public expectation remains heavy.

Citizens want peace, accountability and visible change. President Hassan’s mission is therefore twofold: to console a grieving nation and to rebuild its confidence; politically, economically and morally.

If she succeeds, analysts believe Tanzania will not only heal from its divisions but also re-emerge as one of Africa’s most stable and forward-looking democracies. “Let us choose hope over fear, dialogue over division, and progress over stagnation,” Dr Mbani concluded.

“Together, we can make Tanzania shine again.” .

Dar es Salaam. International observers of Tanzania’s October 29, 2025, General Election have issued recommendations for improving future polls, including reforming the electoral system to enhance fairness and strengthen democracy.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observation Mission (SEOM) and the European Union (EU) were among the international observer groups that released their preliminary reports after the election. In their statements, the observers said they had closely monitored the conduct of the polls and proposed several measures, including an overhaul of the electoral framework.

However, the government maintained that the election was conducted transparently and in full adherence to democratic principles. It emphasised that Tanzanians peacefully exercised their constitutional right to vote.

In a statement issued by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, the government reaffirmed this stance. In her inaugural address on November 3, President Samia Suluhu Hassan echoed the late former President Benjamin Mkapa, saying: “We thank international observers for witnessing how our election was conducted.

When they praised us, we accepted their commendations with humility. We have also noted their concerns, and some of these issues have been apparent to us as well.

We have rejected their directives, but we will consider their advice so that we can do better in the future,” he said. In its preliminary report, SEOM highlighted the need for electoral reforms, noting that Article 41(7) of the Constitution, which governs presidential elections, stipulates: “When a candidate has been duly declared by the Electoral Commission to have been elected under this Article, no court shall have jurisdiction to inquire into the election of that candidate.

” SEOM observed that this provision denies courts the power to hear petitions challenging presidential election results, contrary to the principles of electoral justice outlined in Article 4.1.

5 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. The mission also noted that several stakeholders it consulted expressed doubts about the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that its commissioners are appointed by the President, who also serves as chairperson of the ruling party and a presidential candidate.

SEOM further reported concerns raised about early voting by security officers, which occurs only in Zanzibar. Stakeholders feared the practice could undermine the integrity of the election and create room for malpractice.

“Given these concerns, the Government and Parliament are encouraged to prioritise an inclusive process for reviewing the national constitution to allow public input on the best current and future approaches,” reads the preliminary statement posted on the official SADC website. The observers’ proposed reforms include allowing independent (non-party) candidates, enabling the filing of presidential election petitions, and permitting judicial review of specific decisions made by election management bodies.

Citing challenges encountered during their mission, SEOM urged INEC and security agencies to ensure that international observers are promptly granted accreditation in the future. For its part, the European Union expressed concern over incidents that occurred during and after polling day, including violence, internet shutdowns, and reports of irregularities in parts of the country.

In a statement issued on November 1, 2025, Foreign Affairs Minister Kombo said the integrity of this year’s election stemmed from reforms jointly identified and implemented by all stakeholders, including political parties and civil society organisations. He said key reforms included the establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the review of existing electoral laws and systems.

“In an unfortunate incident reported towards the end of the voting process, a few cases of disturbance and lawlessness occurred in some areas of the country. To maintain stability, our security organs acted swiftly, professionally, and effectively to contain the situation, ensuring those isolated incidents neither spread nor disrupted the overall electoral process,” he said in the statement .

Dar es Salaam. Denmark-based striker Kelvin John has been recalled to the Tanzania national football team (Taifa Stars) ahead of their FIFA international friendly match against Kuwait, set for November 14 in Cairo, Egypt.

John, who plays for Aalborg BK in Denmark, has been out of the Taifa Stars setup for several years. His return marks a significant moment for the 21-year-old forward, whose once-bright international career had stalled due to inconsistency and limited playing time.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) announced the squad, which will be led by interim head coach Miguel Gamondi, who also manages Singida Black Stars, assisted by Ahmad Ali and physical trainer Mohamed Mrisho Mohamed, popularly known as Xavi. The team is scheduled to enter camp on November 10 before flying to Cairo for the friendly.

John made his senior debut for Taifa Stars in 2018 against Kenya at just 15 years old. He was once hailed as one of Tanzania’s most promising young talents after excelling in the national youth teams.

However, in the six years since, he has earned only five more caps, underlining a career that has yet to reach its full potential. Gamondi’s decision to recall him suggests a renewed belief in his abilities and an opportunity to reignite his international journey.

“Kelvin is a talented player with great potential. We believe this is the right time for him to rejoin the team and contribute,” a source within the technical bench said.

Among the notable inclusions in the squad are Yakoub Suleiman (Simba SC), Hussein Masalanga (Singida Black Stars), and Zuberi Foba (Azam FC). The defensive unit features several experienced names, including Ibrahim Abdulla “Bacca”, Dickson Job, Bakari Mwamnyeto, and Mohamed Hussein (all from Yanga SC), as well as Shomari Kapombe and Wilson Nangu (Simba SC), Haji Mnoga (Salford City, England), and Pascal Msindo (Azam FC).

This blend of local and foreign-based defenders offers balance, composure, and depth. In midfield, Gamondi has opted for a strong mix of creativity and control.

The lineup includes Mudathir Yahya (Yanga), Feisal Salum (Azam), Alphonse Mabula (Shamakhi, Azerbaijan), and Tarryn Allarakhia (Rochdale AFC, England). They are joined by Novatus Dismas (Galztepe FC, Turkey), Habibu Idd (Singida Black Stars), Morice Abraham (Simba), and Charles M’mombwa (Floriana FC, Malta).

The attacking department is spearheaded by Abdul Suleiman (Azam FC), Suleiman Mwalimu (Simba SC), Paul Peter (JKT Tanzania), and Kelvin John. John’s inclusion adds pace, flair, and finishing instinct and qualities that could prove vital against Kuwait.

Overall, the squad represents a balanced blend of experience, youth, and versatility that attributes Gamondi will rely on as Taifa Stars prepare for upcoming competitive fixtures. The inclusion of several foreign-based players reflects TFF’s intent to strengthen the team’s international exposure and tactical range.

Gamondi, appointed interim coach following the departure of Hemed “Morocco” Suleiman, is expected to use the Kuwait friendly as a testing ground to assess his team’s readiness and chemistry. Taifa Stars’ most recent international outing ended in a narrow defeat, and the side will be eager to rebuild momentum and confidence with a strong showing in Cairo.

For Kelvin John, the match offers a chance at personal redemption and an opportunity to remind Tanzanian fans of the prodigious talent he once was, and perhaps, to reclaim his place among the national team’s future stars. With a fresh sense of optimism and an exciting mix of local and international talent, Gamondi’s Taifa Stars will head to Egypt not just seeking a result, but aiming to rediscover belief, cohesion, and pride in the national jersey .

Nairobi. It is mid-morning in Mbale, Vihiga County, Kenya, the atmosphere is bustling with activity.

Women are arranging bundles of sukuma wiki and tomatoes into crates while three men inspect the beehives that buzz softly at the farm’s edge. Once a midsized solar pump is activated, it transports water via narrow tubes that wind between columns of vegetables.

This is the Vihiga Mixed Farmers’ Cooperative, composed of 24 families overseeing 12 hectares of diverse crops and bee species. They cultivate vegetables, maintain beehives, and care for passion fruit vines that ascend the hills behind their houses.

“We keep everything running by ourselves,” explains Maryanne Waswa, the cooperative chair, flipping through a small ledger covered in neat handwriting. “For example, we recently experienced a water pump breakdown and you see when that happens, the vegetables die.

Nobody else pays for such.” Every season, the team pools resources to sustain their irrigation systems, purchase drought-resistant seeds, and upgrade equipment harmed by erratic weather.

It is expensive, yet they have limited options. “When a season does poorly, we forfeit not just our harvest, it drops down to us delaying to pay school fees, others opt for short-term loans.

It becomes an additional expense that directly impacts our finances,” Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the group’s secretary general, explained. Throughout Africa, millions of farmers similar to Waswa and Wanyonyi’s group are funding their own climate resilience.

They allocate resources to water tanks, soil restoration, and innovative seed types with minimal or no outside assistance. The extent of that self-financing is now apparent in recent research by Climate Focus, created by the Family Farmers for Climate Action coalition, which represents 95 million small-scale producers throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.

The report estimates that smallholders worldwide need about $443 billion every year to adapt to climate change. Yet, current global spending that actually reaches them covers less than one percent of that need.

Most adaptation finance is routed through big international agencies, and very little trickles down to the farms where the real work happens. In Africa alone, the financing gap is stark.

According to the report, smallholders in East Africa require $34.6 billion annually to strengthen a sector that supports over 75 percent of the region’s employment. In West Africa, US$11.1 billion is needed each year to protect the livelihoods of nearly 2 million cocoa farmers, whose output underpins Europe’s $50 billion chocolate industry.

In Southern Africa, an annual $13.2 billion is required to avert drought-driven crop failures that left 21 million children malnourished in 202324, while North Africa needs $8.9 billion to safeguard food production from climate shocks such as the 202223 drought that slashed Tunisia’s cereal harvest by 70 percent. Central Africa faces its own challenge, requiring $2.9 billion each year to restore and protect the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, through sustainable and resilient farming.

The scale of these figures underscores the burden shouldered by farmers who receive little support but remain vital to food security across the continent. Instead, smallholders are filling the gap themselves.

According to the same analysis, they already spend about US$368 billion a year from their own income on adaptation measures. For many, this means giving up between 20 and 40 percent of what they earn to stay productive.

The numbers show a clear imbalance. In the same year that smallholders spent $368 billion on adaptation, governments around the world paid out $470 billion in farm subsidies that often harm the environment.

(Bird story agency) The contradiction is striking. “Farmers are already paying for resilience,” says Elizabeth Nsimadala, president of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation.

“What we need is not sympathy but investment.” That is the message Africa’s farmer federations are taking to COP30 in Brazil, where adaptation finance will dominate the agenda.

Led by the Pan-African Farmers’ Organisation (PAFO), which brings together regional bodies from across the continent, they are demanding a system that sends climate finance directly to those who need it. Less than two percent of global climate funds currently reach African farmers, and the federations want that to change.

According to Babafemi Oyewole, the CEO of PAFO, their proposal is to create a Farmers Resilience Fund that channels money directly to farmer organisations and cooperatives. “We also want to build in transparency, gender inclusion, and flexible risk-sharing tools Pair grants with low-interest loans so that farmers can invest without sinking into debt and make farmer groups part of the decision-making and monitoring process, not just the end beneficiaries.

” PAFO aims to have this fund initiated at COP30, commencing with $100 million in initial capital from donors, development banks, and African nations. The fund would support hands-on, farm-based initiatives such as small-scale irrigation systems, seed repositories, community insurance schemes, and soil rehabilitation projects.

The goal is to transform farmers from being borrowers into partners within the climate finance framework. Across the continent, small examples already point to what direct access could achieve.

Close to the border with western Kenya, Vihiga and Kisumu county governments are setting up community seed banks and small-scale irrigation projects meant to boost local agricultural value chains. Vihiga County was also involved in funding a seed bank and processing plant in 2024 under its new policy on agroecology, creating an official market for native seed varieties and local processors.

Today, there are certified seed sources for over 8,000 smallholder farmers in Kisumu, through the Kabudi-Agoro and Nyando seed banks, funded by county resources and research partners. In Nigeria, such programmes as the Pay-at-Harvest model of Leadway Assurance supported by AGRA and index-based livestock insurance by Africa Re provide small-scale farmers with financial security against floods, drought and crop failures.

Their combined efforts now cover less than 50,000 farmers in the country of some 35 million, which highlights the fact that coverage is still minimal despite an increasing demand for climate-risk protection. For Waswa and her cooperative in Mbale, those large global figures feel remote, yet their significance is palpable.

Each season, they document their income, their expenditures, and their losses due to unpredictable weather. Each receipt demonstrates that smallholders are investing in climate action, by fixing one broken pipe and one repaired pump at a time.

“More money for us will mean we will concentrate less on survival and more on expansion,” Waswa expressed. The bees would continue to buzz and the vines would persist in climbing.

The COP 30 (30th Conference of the Parties) will be held from 10 to 21 November 2025 in the city of Belem in the state of Para, Brazil. (Bird story agency) .

Dar es Salaam. The persistence of exam irregularities, particularly cheating and the use of abusive language on answer sheets, continues to raise serious concerns among education stakeholders in Tanzania.

The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta) announced yesterday that it has nullified the results of 38 candidates, including 31 for cheating and seven for writing abusive words on their exam scripts. This announcement comes despite the overall improvement in national performance reflected in the 2025 Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results.

The punishment, issued under the Necta Act and Examination Regulations, prohibits the affected pupils from using their results for any purpose and requires them to retake future examinations. Although the number of nullified results may seem small compared to the 1.

1 million pupils who sat for the PSLE, experts argue that this trend indicates deeper moral and psychological issues affecting learners and the education system as a whole. tml-embed Loading “When a pupil writes insults or irrelevant messages instead of answers, it indicates more than just indiscipline; it points to stress, frustration, and inadequate preparation,” said Dr Ruth Mwaluko, an educational psychologist.

“Such behaviour often arises from fear of failure and a lack of guidance, both at school and at home.” Dr Mwaluko added that the competitive nature of national examinations, combined with parental and societal pressure to succeed, can lead to anxiety that manifests in destructive ways.

“We must begin addressing the mental and emotional well-being of pupils as seriously as we address their academic performance,” she said. Teachers and school administrators have also expressed concern that these incidents reflect a decline in moral values among some pupils and insufficient mentorship within schools.

Mr Abdallah Mhando, a Standard Seven teacher from Mwanza, told The Citizen that although the number of cheating cases has decreased over the years due to stricter supervision, the occurrence of defiance, such as writing abusive language, has become alarming. “You would expect a child at that level to understand exam rules, but when they decide to write insults, it shows a breakdown in character-building,” he explained.

“Moral education must start early, not when pupils are about to sit for national exams.” He noted that some pupils view exams as punishment rather than an opportunity to showcase their learning, especially when they feel ill-prepared.

“Some pupils lose confidence due to inadequate support in the classroom or poor home study environments,” he added. “When they encounter difficult questions, they react emotionally, and unfortunately, that sometimes manifests as abusive language.

” This year’s cases add to a series of similar incidents in recent years. In the 2024 PSLE results, Necta canceled the results of 61 pupils for both cheating and offensive writing.

In 2023, pupils at various levels, including Standard Four, Form Two, and Form Four, were also found guilty of similar misconduct. While Necta continues to condemn these acts, its Executive Secretary, Prof.

Said Mohamed, emphasized the institution’s commitment to maintaining examination integrity. “The Council will continue to enforce strict measures against any form of cheating or misconduct,” Prof Mohamed said during the results announcement.

“Writing abusive language or engaging in dishonest acts undermines not only the credibility of examinations but also the moral foundation we are trying to nurture in our education system.” He urged schools and parents to strengthen moral guidance and discipline among learners, highlighting that academic success should be accompanied by ethical behaviour.

In terms of exam results, out of 1,146,164 candidates who sat for the exam in September 2025, a total of 937,581 pupils–representing 81.80 percent–achieved passing grades of A, B, or C. In 2024, the pass rate was 80.87 percent, indicating an increase of 0.

93 percent this year. During the results announcement in Dar es Salaam, Prof Mohamed stated that the performance reflects ongoing efforts to improve the delivery of primary education.

“The overall pass rate has increased to 81.80 percent from 80.87 percent recorded in 2024. This shows a positive trend and improvement in learning outcomes at the basic education level,” he said. Of the successful candidates, 429,104 were boys (82.51 percent) and 508,477 were girls (81.21 percent).

The girls’ pass rate increased by 1.16 percent from last year, while the boys’ rate improved by 0.

66 percent. Prof Mohamed noted that the quality of performance, measured by the proportion of candidates scoring grades A and B, also improved from 36.90 percent in 2025, an increase of 1.

07 percent compared to 2024. “The improvement in performance, especially among girls, demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing inclusive and equitable access to quality education,” he added. .

Dodoma. The Clerk of the National Assembly has officially summoned all newly elected Members of Parliament to attend the first sitting of the 13th Parliament in Dodoma, marking the formal start of a new government following Tanzania’s recently concluded general election.

A statement issued yesterday by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Baraka Leonard, registration and administrative procedures for the elected lawmakers will take place at the Parliament offices in Dodoma from November 8 to 10, ahead of the official opening session set for November 11, 2025. “The first meeting of the 13th Parliament will be held on November 11, 2025, as declared in the Presidential Proclamation,” said Mr Leonard in a public notice released through the Government Gazette, Special Supplement No. 11 of November 4, 2025. “The activities to be conducted during that meeting will include reading the Presidential Proclamation, election of the Speaker, oath-taking by all Members of Parliament, confirmation of the Prime Minister, election of the Deputy Speaker, and the formal opening of the new Parliament by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania,” reads part of the notice.

The notice comes just days after Tanzanians went to the polls to elect their leaders, setting the stage for the swearing-in of both the legislature and the new executive government. Analysts say the convening of Parliament signifies the transition into the next phase of governance, as the ruling party and opposition prepare to assume their respective roles.

The Clerk also confirmed that guidelines for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker have been officially released. “The election procedures to fill the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker have been announced in Government Notices No.

14824A and 14824B, also published in the Special Supplement of November 4, 2025,” said Mr Leonard. He further directed all elected MPs to report in formal attire for registration and official photographs.

They are also required to present key identification and personal documents, including their certificate of election or appointment, national identity card, bank details, marriage certificate (for those married), children’s birth certificates, verified academic and professional certificates, and an updated curriculum vitae. “It is emphasised that all elected Members of Parliament must report properly dressed for registration and the photo session, accompanied by the necessary documents,” the notice reads.

The convening of the 13th Parliament is expected to draw national attention as the newly elected MPs take the oath of office, elect their parliamentary leaders, and confirm the Prime Minister to be appointed by the President. The official opening by the Head of State will symbolise the beginning of the new administration’s legislative agenda.

The 13th Parliament will therefore not only mark a constitutional formality but also a political transition, setting the tone for Tanzania’s next five years of governance and policy direction. .

Global sporting events have grown beyond entertainment; they’re economic powerhouses that encapsulate national growth, tourism, and international recognition. For Tanzania, now a sporting country with passionate fans and rising stars, the economic contribution of events such as the FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games, or World Athletics Championships is unprecedented.

From tourism revenue to sponsorship through brands, such events rock industries. The sporting industry also intersects with gambling, as fans utilize gambling websites to stay engaged in competitions.

This growing trend circles back to regional economies in terms of sponsorship and taxation. Global bookmaker offers free bets, promotions, andMelbet first deposit bonus to lure fans who want to combine passion with prediction, creating a parallel economy with global sport linkages.

In the case of Tanzania, therefore, sport, gambling, and tourism together form part of a wide ecosystem behind short-term and long-term gain. Tourism And International Exposure One of the most obvious economic benefits of global sports tournaments is tourism.

Even when Tanzania does not host a tournament, a large event has international visitors coming to regional centers since tourists tend to visit nearby destinations. Tanzanian safari tours, beaches in Zanzibar, and cultural festivals receive more bookings during global tournaments.

The connection between tourism and sports betting also applies. Visitors to international events are usually using mobile platforms to track odds and scores, supplementing the domestic operators.

This trend is observed in East Africa, where users prefer such easy-to-use tools from app bet to track their wagers in real time while watching live games on the go. Traveling and gaming create twin streams of economic activity — spending leisure time and participation in gaming markets.

Tourism also increases Tanzania’s image in the global sphere. Exposure through press coverage of African fans and cultural stories builds the country’s brand, attracting investments and strengthening its role as a destination for sport tourism.

Sponsorships And Corporate Partnerships Sponsorship from corporations is also a crucial element through which Tanzania benefits from foreign sports. Foreign companies realize the benefit of tapping into passionate fan bases from Africa.

Sponsorship deals give more exposure to local businesses, marketing, and event promotion employment, and deepen economic ties with multinationals. Tanzanian banks, breweries, and telecommunication companies commonly sponsor events surrounding global competitions.

Besides the revenue they get in terms of advertisement, the sponsorship also raises customer engagement by connecting brands to sporting energy. The spillover benefits then spill over into the hospitality, transport, and media sectors.

For the athletes, sponsorship creates opportunities for professional and financial advancement, opening doors that spill over into communities and inspire youngsters to engage in sports. Job Creation And Infrastructure Improvement While Tanzania still is not home to the largest international games, domestic games associated with international events provide jobs and stimulate infrastructure improvement.

Stadium renovations to expanded transport systems, the push to improve facilities is benefiting sport as well as overall economic activity. Jobs are not only found in construction.

Hotels, restaurants, security teams, and media all have increased demand during international sports events. Small vendors even profit by selling wares and services to the crowds gathering in viewing areas.

Such economic spin-offs give international sports events a multiplier effect many times larger than the sporting event itself. Tanzania’s Position In The Global Sports Economy Tanzania’s international sports positioning also extends, not merely through its participants but as a fan-driven market.

Participation in sports, at athletics, football, and boxing, has made the country internationally renowned, and follower culture adds to its economic linkage to international events. This table illustrates how strongly connected the effects are, to guarantee that global sporting events optimize several industries at a time.

Why Global Events Matter For Tanzania’s Future For Tanzania, global sporting events contribute positively in the short term, but the benefits go beyond that. It’s for long-term strategic development.

Tanzania positions itself with global sporting economic activities. Investing in sporting tourist activities, the development of sporting infrastructures, and the legalization of betting markets will make Tanzania thrive economically in the global sporting tournaments.

Among the main reasons such events are important to Tanzania’s growth are: Growing Tourism Revenue: Global events attract tourists who linger longer to explore Tanzanian destinations. Creating Jobs Across Sectors: From hospitality to retail, jobs are created in sectors across the board.

Creating International Partnerships: Sponsorships and partnerships give Tanzanian brands international market access. Facilitating Upgrades in Sports Infrastructure: Stadium, training facility, and transport development leave a legacy.

Tanzania’s passionate fan support promises consistent demand, and its natural sites offer an attractive extension for foreigners visiting nearby international tournaments. Sponsorship agreements secure foreign sponsors, and improved facilities and media coverage create legacies that last far beyond the events themselves.

From Stadiums To Safari: A Winning Combination For Tanzania, global sporting competitions are not merely about rivalry — they are growth accelerators. They boost tourism, attract sponsorships, generate jobs, and expand the digital economy of betting.

By combining the thrill of stadia with the thrill of safari explorations, Tanzania presents itself as a destination where sport, culture, and economy intersect. As the nation progresses, more integration of sports into its development agenda will ensure that every whistle, every race, and every match brings not only excitement but opportunity.

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Dar es Salaam. The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) has issued permits to 150 new for commuter buses, commonly known as daladala, in a move aimed to ease passenger flow and improve public transport services in Dar es Salaam, following election-related violence that disrupted the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operations.

The October 29 unrest saw vandalism of infrastructure such as the BRT stations, damaging of its buses, prompting the government to suspend their services until further notice. The Morogoro Road corridor was mostly affected by the vandalism while some parts of the Kilwa Road corridor was also affected.

Following the destruction, the government announced to temporarily suspend the BRT services after infrastructure on phases one and two of the system was damaged. Announcing the suspension, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Mr Albert Chalamila, directed Latra to issue temporary permits to ensure transport services continue along the two affected routes.

“Therefore, for all those who were expecting to use the BRT, we are suspending the service to assess the extent of the damage caused. As you can see, even the gate systems have been destroyed.

For this reason, we are directing Latra to issue temporary permits to ensure transport services continue along the two affected routes,” he said. Latra’s Head of Communications and Public Relation, Mr Salum Pazzy, said the 150 buses will add to the existing 148 buses on the Morogoro Road route, bringing the total number to 298. “A technical assessment conducted by the authority showed that 150 additional buses were necessary to supplement the existing fleet.

If demand increases, we will issue more permits to allow additional daladalas,” he said. Mr Pazzy explained that each minibus will have a seating capacity of 26 passengers.

According to him, Latra has always ensured that public transport continues uninterrupted, even when BRT routes are introduced or adjusted. “Even when Mofat’s (operator of Phase Two) buses were deployed to operate along Morogoro Road, we did not withdraw the 148 daladala that were already assigned to their respective routes.

They have continued to support passenger transport and complement BRT services,” he noted. The authority says the decision is part of ongoing efforts to ensure reliable and efficient public transport, especially during peak travel periods and route adjustments.

For BRT Phase Two, Latra’s Director General, Mr Habibu Suluo, said the authority was not considering issuing additional permits for daladala along the corridor, as the extent of infrastructure vandalism there was not as severe as in Phase One. “The Mbagala route has not been heavily affected, so we do not expect to issue new daladala permits since the only station that was slightly damaged is the one at Mbagala,” he said.

Mofat’s Managing Director, Mr Mohamed Abdallah Kassim, told The Citizen that he is hopeful the damaged infrastructure will be repaired soon so that their operations can resume and the company can continue servicing its bus loan. “So far, three of our buses have been completely burnt to ashes,” he said.

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What I learnt from not having access to the Internet for six days is that we survived. It was not easy, but we did.

The experience was a stark reminder that we have become slaves to technology. Back in the paper days, life did not grind to a halt when systems failed.

We found ways to adapt, to communicate, to move forward. There were alternatives, and we used them instinctively.

During the blackout, I was thankful that voice calls, SMS, and M-Pesa were still working. Word of mouth once again became the most powerful form of communication, something advertisers have always understood.

Messages travelled by phone, by conversation, by trust. I happened to be in Kagera, where life seemed deceptively normal.

I could drive across districts, attend events both sombre and festive, and connect with people in person. The air was calm, conversations lively, and the days full of motion.

Yet beneath that surface calm, the ripple effects of Dar es Salaam’s slowdown were beginning to show. Supplies were tightening, and whispers of uncertainty began to spread across towns.

People started making their own adjustments. Some passengers changed their flight tickets back to Dar es Salaam, preferring to delay their return until things stabilised.

Those with international connections chose to reroute through Entebbe. The vast majority of Dar es Salaam landers who hail from there chose to stay put.

After all, they were at home, surrounded by family and familiarity. They made peace with the fact that things were what they were and chose to wait it out.

The anatomy of interconnection The incident underscored just how deeply interconnected our country is. Dar es Salaam may be the nerve centre, but the signals it sends or fails to send determine how every other region functions.

The flow of goods, data, and confidence is not only economic but psychological. When communication is disrupted, so is commerce.

When information is blocked, uncertainty fills the void. In a digital economy, the Internet is not a luxury.

It is the oxygen that keeps businesses breathing. From mobile money transfers to e-commerce deliveries, academic research to hospital record systems, connectivity has become the invisible infrastructure that keeps society coherent.

Its absence reveals just how fragile that coherence can be. A cash economy reborn When the Internet went dark, the entire banking system fell silent.

ATMs were not functioning, mobile banking apps froze, and online transactions vanished. In a matter of hours, we were thrust back into a cash economy.

Those who had cash in hand became unexpectedly powerful, while those who did not were stranded. Businesses that once thrived on digital payments struggled to sell.

Shops, market stalls, and even hospitals began demanding cash only. As supplies dwindled, from medicines to basic foodstuffs, prices of essential goods skyrocketed.

Was it a shutdown or a system failure? We may never know for sure. What is certain is that the experience revealed just how deeply digital systems now shape daily life.

It was an uncomfortable reminder that convenience can quickly turn into dependence, and that our economic resilience must include the ability to function when digital access is restricted or unavailable. A test of resilience The six-day blackout was, in many ways, a national stress test.

It forced us to rediscover old muscles: to speak, to walk, to write, to listen. It showed that while technology connects us, it also exposes our fragility.

Those who had backup systems, whether business owners with offline ledgers or families who kept a little cash for emergencies, coped better. But for many, it was a paralysis of progress.

And yet, within that paralysis, there was a quiet awakening. Communities began to reconnect in person.

People shared information face to face. Strangers helped each other navigate challenges, share resources, and stay informed.

It was inconvenient, yes, but also humanising. Regional ripples and policy reflections Tanzania’s six-day blackout also exposed the regional vulnerabilities that come with shared systems and interlinked economies.

East Africa’s trade corridors, from the Central Corridor through Dar es Salaam to the Northern Corridor through Mombasa, depend on digital coordination. Transporters, customs agents, clearing firms, and logistics providers all rely on Internet-based platforms to process shipments and payments.

When one link falters, the chain slows across borders. The experience also highlighted how deeply digital tools, including mobile financial services and online platforms, have become woven into everyday life and commerce.

For years, these innovations have expanded inclusion, simplified payments, and accelerated regional trade. Yet the recent disruption reminded us that even the most transformative technologies require strong contingency planning to maintain continuity when systems are under strain.

Across East Africa, border communities and regional businesses would likely have felt the ripple effects of such a slowdown, given how much cross-border trade and cooperation now depend on real-time communication and digital connectivity. It was a quiet but powerful illustration of how regional systems can be both our strength and our vulnerability.

This is not just a Tanzanian story. It is an East African wake-up call.

The region’s ambitions, from the African Continental Free Trade Area to digital tax systems, rest on the assumption of uninterrupted connectivity. Policymakers must therefore move beyond convenience to resilience: Redundancy must be built into regional networks Data sovereignty should not mean isolation but continuity Backup channels for essential services, from banking to health and logistics, must be institutionalised, not improvised Digital transformation is irreversible, but it must be made shockproof.

A single point of failure should not bring a nation, or a region, to a standstill. In the end Perhaps these six days were not only an interruption, but an invitation: To rethink our dependence To value connection beyond screens And to remember that resilience, like signal strength, comes not from one tower, but from the network we build together .