Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. Long-distance bus operators in Dar es Salaam face regulatory action for picking up or dropping off passengers outside designated terminals, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) has warned.

Latra Acting Manager for Passenger Vehicle Regulation and Dar es Salaam Regional Officer Patel Ngaiza said the authority would enforce licence conditions requiring operators to use Government-approved terminals for the start and end of their journeys.

The warning follows a directive by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila for upcountry bus operators to return to their designated terminals as part of measures to ease traffic congestion and improve the management of passenger transport in the city.

Mr Ngaiza said the use of designated terminals was not a new requirement, but a condition already attached to bus operating licences.

‘Every bus we license is given a schedule showing the station where it should start its journey and the station where it should end. Operators are required to follow that arrangement,’ he said.

Under the existing arrangements, buses travelling to Dar es Salaam from the Northern, Central, Southern Highlands and Lake zones are required to terminate at the Magufuli Bus Terminal in Mbezi Luis.

Buses operating on routes from the Southern Zone are required to use the Mbagala Bus Terminal.

‘There is no other location that we have authorised for these buses to terminate their journeys. They are required to follow the conditions set out in their licences,’ Mr Ngaiza said.

He warned that Latra would take action against operators who breach their licence conditions and approved schedules once the period given by the regional administration expires.

Mr Ngaiza said enforcing the use of designated terminals was also critical for road safety because it enables authorities to conduct mandatory inspections before buses begin their journeys.

Latra works with other institutions responsible for road safety and passenger transport regulation to inspect buses before they leave for their destinations, he said.

‘These inspections cannot be properly conducted if buses are parked or operating from unofficial locations. The designated terminals are the places where these inspections are supposed to take place,’ he said.

He urged bus owners operating between Dar es Salaam and other regions to ensure their vehicles comply with the conditions of their licences, while calling on drivers and bus managers to cooperate with owners to restore operations to designated terminals.

Mr Ngaiza said operators had been given sufficient time to reorganise their services and return to terminals constructed and designated by the Government for long-distance passenger services.

‘We are calling on all owners of buses providing services between Dar es Salaam and other regions to ensure their buses operate from the designated terminals. Drivers and managers should also cooperate with the owners to make sure the buses comply with the arrangements,’ he said.

The enforcement is expected to return long-distance bus operations to designated terminals while strengthening vehicle inspections, road safety monitoring and traffic management in Dar es Salaam.

e. A 10-year-old primary school pupil married off by relatives to a 20-year-old youth in Ruvu Jiungeni Village, Same District, has been rescued by government authorities after missing classes for an extended period.

The Standard Two pupil at Jiungeni Primary School, the first-born child in her family, was withdrawn from school by relatives to be married off. The exact dowry paid remains unknown.

Speaking about the incident on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Same District Commissioner Kasilda Mgeni said authorities launched an investigation after receiving reports of the child’s absence, leading officers to the location where she was being kept. DC Kasilda said officers found the minor living with the 20-year-old youth as husband and wife.

Both were taken into custody and handed over to law enforcement authorities.

“The government strongly condemns this illegal act by relatives to marry off a 10-year-old child and deprive her of basic rights, including education and a safe environment,” said DC Kasilda.

She added that the suspects remained in police custody awaiting further legal action, while urging residents to report similar crimes.

“I urge citizens of Same to continue providing confidential information regarding such inhumane acts occurring in our communities,” DC Kasilda said.

The district commissioner issued a stern warning to parents involved in such practices, announcing a crackdown to identify all pupils withdrawn from school for forced marriages.

She emphasised that the State had ensured access to education for all children.

“The stance of the Sixth Phase Government, led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is to ensure all school-age children attend school. We shall deal firmly with parents who defy government directives,” said DC Kasilda, adding that security organs were actively investigating the matter.

Ruvu Ward Councillor Yaigongo Mrutu confirmed that police officers had detained those involved in the incident for legal processing.

“They were living as husband and wife in a remote area. This is a truly shocking incident within our local pastoralist community. A 10-year-old child is far too young,” said the councillor.

A Page 1 story on Bongo’s senior-most broadsheet is carrying a story whose headline reads, ‘PM: Sugar surplus now within reach,’ and therein, the scribbler writes in his intro: ‘Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba has said Tanzania is on course to eliminate the sugar supply deficit as local factories expand production capacity, paving the way for the country to ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND GENERATE SURPLUS FOR EXPORT.’

We skip two paragraphs, then we read Para 4 in which our scribbling colleague writes: ‘Dr Mwigulu said increased investment and expansion of sugar factories provided a strong indication that the country would soon ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND GENERATE SURPLUS FOR EXPORT.

Need we explain why we have put in capitals sections of the two paragraphs we cite above? Well, let us do it.

The reason is, we are bugged by the monotony! In case the scribbler felt a great need to reiterate in Para 4 what the PM is reported as saying in Para 1, rephrasing would be apt so as to avoid blatant monotony.

Below is our suggested rewrite: ‘Dr Mwigulu said increased investment and expansion of sugar factories provided a clear indication that the country would soon BE PRODUCING MORE THAN ITS DOMESTIC REQUIREMENTS AND BECOME AN EXPORTER OF THE SWEETERNER.’

We move to Page 3 where the lead story reads: ‘Tanzania, Eswatini pledge stronger economic ties.’

In Para 3 of the story, the scribbler pens, ‘During a private meeting with King Mswati III…Ambassador Hamad conveyed greetings and goodwill from President Samia and reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to further strengthen the HISTORIC, friendly and brotherly relations between the two nations.’

We have noted it in this space before, let us repeat it: Something ‘historic’ is that which has happened today and we are certain it will, for certain, be remembered thereafter, perhaps for ever and ever!

Then, ‘historical’ is something that happened-or has been there in the past-and still remembered and cherished to date because of its significance.

Like the good and amicable relations that has been there even before independence between the people of Eswatini and those of Tanzania. These are HISTORICAL relations.

And now, some linguistic gemstones from Page 6 of Bongo’s huge and colourful broadsheet of Monday, August 10.

In this one, there is a story entitled, ‘NGO partners with journalists to combat ongoing child marriage in RURAL villages.’

Hello! A ‘village’, by its very nature, is located in a ‘rural area.’ You indulge in tautological nonsense if you qualify it with ‘rural.’ Which is to say, the headline chief should have simply penned, ‘…in villages’ or ‘…in rural areas.’

In Para 5 of this human interest story, our colleague reports further: ‘Despite ongoing efforts by the government…child marriage continues to occur in secret…Many girls are withdrawn from school and FORCED into marriage WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT…’

When you say ‘forced into marriage without consent,’ you are overtly suggesting that a young woman can be coerced while, at the same time, agreeing (consenting) to becoming some crooked man’s wife. Nonsensical, isn’t it?

Which is to say, our fellow scribbler’s sentence should have ended with, ‘…and FORCED into marriage.’ Period! However, if you are keen on verbosity, you may say: ‘…Many girls are withdrawn from school, then GET married WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT…’

Finally, colouring this page is a photo whose caption reads: ‘Stephen Michael, director of production and marketing at the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, briefs journalists FOR Tanzania’s plans to become a net milk exporter, with expected exports valued at US$231 million…’

Hello! Mr Michael was not briefing journalists ‘for’ Tanzania’s plans to become this or that; rather, he was briefing journalists ON Tanzania’s plans to…

Ah, this treacherous language called English!

Those who read this crap, which I refer to as ‘my column”, know that this son of a peasant from the slopes of Mount Kamwala loves music. You, the sceptic reader, will most likely not believe that in my younger days, I was a member of our secondary school’s boy band. I was especially adept with Atomic Jazz Band songs; my rendition of hits such as Stella Yapunguze, Njoo Mpenzi Njoo or Tanzania Yetu ni Nchi Ya Furaha would have given Stephen Hiza a run for his money. That is, we’re to share a stage (ahem!).

I prefer live music to the DJ’s stuff any day, but the trouble is, on my side of Dar City, we hardly get bands coming to perform at venues close enough to where I live. However, my wider neighbourhood has a few bars in which karaoke shows are often staged.

Today, they are having a karaoke show at one of my most conveniently situated bars, which, were it not for the management and most of its patrons’ penchant for very loud, nay, very noisy music, would have made it my dearest drinking haunt.

Well, the bar is very noisy this evening, but that is justifiable because there is a karaoke show. It is something close to live band music because you have live individuals taking up the mike and singing for real along the beats of a song whose lyrics have been filtered out. I prefer it to some of these Bongo Flava ‘live shows’ in which what we get on stage is some ridiculously attired fellow, masquerading as a vocalist, simply moving his lips without doing any singing. The voice the audience hears is actually from a tape operated by a pompous DJ. Lip-synching fraud!

I enter the bar and order a beer, drinking from the vantage comfort of the counter. I swing this way and that to the beat of some good old songs. That is what impresses me most, listening to oldies. It amazes me that even youthful patrons who must have been born not earlier than the mid-1990s are getting mesmerised by cover songs of Les Wanyika, Mbaraka Mweshehe Mwaruka, Msondo Ngoma and Dar Jazz. My friend John Kitime would have loved to be in attendance.

I wish I could step forward to the limited dance floor and put my best foot forward, but good sense tells me not to. This bar is too near home, and I assume some chaps consider me too honourable to dance in drinking establishments. Who knows, one such chap might dash to my place and advise Mama Watoto to come and drag me home because I have gone mad-mzee amekuwa wazimu!

In the course of the karaoke show and drinking, this young lady appears out of a crowd and rushes to me. ‘Oh, my husband; I am happy to see you again after such a long time!’ she says, jumping to my lap. It is Lucy, you realise after a few seconds of confusion.

Lucy is an accomplished mhudumu known for her charm and notoriety. She had worked at a certain bar where we got close because I was intrigued by her peculiar health condition. I would offer her a drink, tell her to have lunch on my bill, things like that. I soon learnt she was expectant, something that triggered her peculiarity.

I politely remove her from my lap, then she says we should dance. I tell her I am too tired to dance. ‘But, I will buy you a beer,’ I tell her.

. More than 200 secondary school teachers in Kilimanjaro are being trained to use digital resources in teaching as the education sector responds to the growing use of smartphones, artificial intelligence and online platforms among students.

A total of 215 teachers from across the region are attending a week-long training at Stefano Moshi Memorial University College (SMMUCo) in Moshi Municipality, running from August 10 to 15, 2026.

The training is jointly organised by SMMUCo and Switzerland-based Teaching and Learning Advisory Group (TALAG) and focuses on helping teachers integrate digital tools into classroom instruction. Opening the training, Kilimanjaro Regional Education Officer Abel Mtupwa told teachers that they risked falling behind their students if they failed to embrace emerging technologies.

‘Your students are far ahead of you in the use of emerging technologies such as mobile phone applications, social media, artificial intelligence and even computers, but some of you have no clue,’ he said.

Mr Mtupwa said teachers needed to continually upgrade their skills to ensure students received quality education and were prepared to navigate a rapidly changing world.

‘We want our children to receive the best from their teachers, which will enable them to navigate the ever-changing world,’ he said.

The training covers English Language, Biology, Mathematics, Textile Design, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Open and Blended Learning, with artificial intelligence also featuring prominently.

Lead facilitator Prof Karl Fleischmann said teachers did not necessarily need sophisticated equipment to incorporate technology into their lessons.

‘Even when a school has only a few computers, teachers usually have smartphones that can be utilised for teaching and learning. We teach them how to use these devices effectively to enhance the learning process,’ he said.

Prof Fleischmann said the programme was designed to help teachers improve their teaching methods, prepare learning materials and find innovative ways of engaging students.

The impact of the programme is already being seen among teachers who attended previous sessions.

Mark Lyimo, a teacher at Mboni Secondary School in Mamba Ward, Moshi District Council, said the training had helped him overcome his fear of emerging technologies and improve his classroom teaching.

‘I feel more confident in using emerging digital technologies in teaching and learning. In addition, the training helped me create visual teaching aids and greatly improved my teaching,’ he said.

Mr Lyimo has also established an online group to improve communication and engagement between the school and parents and caregivers.

For Mpirani Secondary School teacher Holiness Kaduma, the training provided an opportunity to introduce practical skills to students.

After attending the programme last year, Ms Kaduma established a Textile Design class at the school, which now has 15 girls.

She also secured five sewing machines through support from well-wishers, allowing the students to gain practical skills that could help them pursue employment or entrepreneurship opportunities.

‘After the training last year, I was able to solicit five sewing machines from well-wishers, and now 15 girls are learning practical skills that will definitely have an impact on their future careers,’ she said.

The initiative comes as efforts continue to incorporate practical and vocational skills into secondary education.

SMMUCo Provost Prof Andrew Mbwambo said the university college was committed to supporting government efforts to strengthen teachers’ capacity and improve education outcomes.

He urged teachers to view the internet, artificial intelligence and social media as teaching tools rather than distractions.

‘This training aims to change the way our teachers view emerging technologies such as the internet, AI and social media-from seeing them as disruptive extras to recognising them as critical teaching aids,’ he said.

Participants are being trained to identify relevant educational materials, prepare lessons and case studies, develop learning resources and use technology to engage students.

The programme, which has been running since 2014, has so far trained 1,710 teachers from more than 400 secondary schools in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions.

It is jointly funded by SMMUCo, Switzerland-based Bachschuster Foundation, Globe Trotte Group, Walo Kamm Foundation, the Municipality of Hnenberg in Switzerland and other well-wishers.

The training comes as digital technology becomes increasingly embedded in students’ daily lives, placing greater pressure on teachers to acquire skills that enable them to use smartphones, online resources and artificial intelligence effectively in the classroom.

For the organisers, strengthening teachers’ digital skills is therefore essential to ensuring that technology supports learning rather than widening the gap between students and educators.

The NBA released its 2026-27 regular-season schedule Thursday, confirming dates for a Finals rematch on Christmas Day and a series of homecomings involving some of the biggest names to change teams this offseason.

The defending champion New York Knicks will host the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 25 in their first meeting since New York won last season’s NBA Finals. The teams will meet again March 7 in San Antonio.

Their noon ET matchup opens the traditional five-game Christmas slate. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat visit the Boston Celtics at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Philadelphia 76ers visiting the Los Angeles Lakers at 5 p.m. in LeBron James’ first game back in Los Angeles since joining Philadelphia.

The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Minnesota Timberwolves ?at 8 p.m. before the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors close the day at 10:30 p.m.

Jaylen Brown will return to Boston when the 76ers visit the Celtics on Jan. 21, bringing the former NBA Finals MVP back to TD Garden after he was traded to Philadelphia in the offseason. The Sixers will host Boston on Nov. 10, giving Brown his first chance to face the team he spent his first 10 NBA seasons with.

Antetokounmpo will make another significant return Jan. 28, when Miami visits Milwaukee. The two-time MVP spent his first 13 seasons with the Bucks and led the franchise to the 2021 NBA championship before being traded to the Heat this summer.

Other familiar faces will also ?make trips back to their former homes. Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant returns to Memphis on Feb. 6 after being traded by the Grizzlies, while Minnesota’s LaMelo Ball visits Charlotte on Feb. 15.

Opening night on Oct. 20 features another marquee collection of games. Boston visits Detroit before the Knicks raise their championship banner against the revamped 76ers, as James and Brown make their ?Philadelphia debuts. San Antonio then hosts Oklahoma City in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals.

The following night features Antetokounmpo’s Heat debut against Ball and the Timberwolves.

On Feb. 5, the Indiana Pacers visit Oklahoma City in a rematch of the entertaining 2025 ?NBA Finals. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 in Oklahoma City and missed all of last season. He’s healthy now.

The league also set Feb. 27 for the first regular-season meeting between the top two picks ?in the 2026 draft, with No. 1 AJ Dybantsa and Washington visiting No. 2 Darryn Peterson and Utah.

Each team received dates for 80 of its 82 games. The remaining two will be determined by the results of NBA Cup group play, with those games filling the Dec. 4-10 portion of the schedule.

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) plans to construct 49 new offices across the country as part of efforts to bring tax services closer to taxpayers and reduce the time they spend travelling to access government services.

TRA Commissioner General Yusuph Juma Mwenda said the expansion would make it easier for individuals and businesses to access tax services, allowing them to spend more time on productive economic activities.

Mr Mwenda made the remarks on August 13, 2026 during the laying of the foundation stone for a new TRA office at Kizimkazi, Zanzibar, which will serve taxpayers in Kizimkazi and Paje.

‘The aim of bringing services closer to citizens is to save their time so they can concentrate on their economic activities,’ he said.

The initiative comes as TRA continues to strengthen revenue collection while improving taxpayer services and enforcement against tax evasion.

Mr Mwenda said the authority would continue providing services fairly while taking action against taxpayers who evade their obligations.

‘We will continue providing quality services to all taxpayers without favouring or victimising anyone. At the same time, we will continue taking action against those who evade taxes,’ he said, urging members of the public to report tax evasion.

During the Kizimkazi Festival, Mr Mwenda also visited the TRA pavilion, where the authority was registering taxpayers, issuing Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates and providing tax education.

He said newly registered traders would benefit from a one-year tax exemption, describing the initiative as part of efforts to formalise businesses, widen the tax base and support business growth.

TRA has also adopted an approach of taking services to taxpayers at their places of business rather than waiting for them to visit government offices.

‘We follow taxpayers to their business areas, listen to their challenges, provide solutions and help facilitate their businesses,’ Mr Mwenda said.

Finance Minister Khamis Omar praised TRA for exceeding its monthly revenue collection target, saying the authority collected Sh3.245 trillion in July 2026 against a target of Sh2.971 trillion, equivalent to 109 per cent of the target and a 21 per cent increase.

Ambassador Omar said tax revenue was central to financing development projects and improving public services, urging Tanzanians to view tax compliance as a contribution to national development.

‘Paying taxes should be a source of pride because through taxes, citizens contribute to the development of their country,’ he said.

He said the Kizimkazi office would reduce the burden on residents who previously had to travel longer distances to access tax services.

One of the beneficiaries, Yusuph Juma, welcomed the initiative, saying bringing tax services closer had made it easier for residents to obtain information and comply with tax requirements.

He said the tax education he received would help him understand his obligations, while guidance on running his business would help improve its performance.

. The Court of Appeal of Tanzania has quashed the death sentence by hanging imposed on Mr Kulwa Langi after finding that, during the preliminary committal proceedings, he was neither read nor informed of the witness statements and substance of exhibits the prosecution intended to rely on to prove the murder of Kundi Shija.

The Court said failure to inform Mr Langi of the evidence breached statutory requirements and compromised his rights.

It therefore quashed the proceedings and ordered the case to be retried before another magistrate with extended jurisdiction to hear murder cases. The appellant had been sentenced to death by the High Court, Tabora Sub-Registry, after being convicted of murdering Kundi in Kaloleni Village, Urambo District, Tabora Region, on September 7, 2020.

In Criminal Appeal No. 495 of 2023, a three-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Justices Gabriel Ndika, Benhajj Masoud and Dr Yose Mlyambina, found that the procedural defect vitiated the entire committal proceedings and subsequent trial judgment.

The Court noted that the trial record did not show that Mr Langi had been read or informed of the witness statements or the substance of the exhibits the prosecution intended to rely on.

According to the Court, Section 263(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) places a mandatory duty on the court to ensure an accused person is informed of the charge and the essence of the evidence intended to be used against them.

The Court emphasised that the requirement is fundamental to ensuring an accused person knows the case they face and can adequately prepare their defence fully before trial begins, fairly.

‘Under this section, the primary duty imposed on the court is to read, or cause to be read and explained, the charge to the accused in a language they understand. This requirement aims to ensure the accused understands the nature and particulars of the charge facing them, thereby placing them in a position to answer to it,’ stated the Judge.

‘This section also serves to prevent trial by ambush. Criminal proceedings should not be a contest of surprises. Justice demands transparency, and early disclosure ensures that the prosecution does not gain an unfair advantage by withholding evidence until the trial,’ added the Judge.

Justice Mlyambina said this duty promotes equality between the prosecution and the defence, a principle at the heart of a fair criminal justice process.

He noted that, in this appeal, the Court was satisfied that ordering a retrial was not intended to assist the prosecution in filling gaps in its evidence, but to afford the appellant his right to a fair hearing.

‘We therefore quash the committal proceedings conducted in the Urambo District Court on February 27, 2023, along with all subsequent proceedings in Criminal Case No. 25 of 2022 of the High Court at Tabora,’ stated Justice Mlyambina.

The Justices concluded by quashing the judgment against the appellant and ordering a retrial, with Mr Langi remaining in custody pending the fresh trial.

Background to the Appeal

On the day of the incident, September 7, 2020, Kundi was allegedly killed with a machete.

The second prosecution witness told the trial court that he received news of a break-in at his mother’s house.

He said that upon arriving at the scene and taking cover, he saw a person enter the house and later emerge carrying a sack of rice.

When the intruder spotted him, he dropped the sack and fled.

The witness, assisted by his younger brother, pursued and apprehended the man, whom he later identified as Langi.

Upon returning to the crime scene, they found Kundi severely injured with machete wounds. He later died at a health centre.

After hearing evidence from eight prosecution witnesses and Langi’s defence, the High Court found him guilty and sentenced him to death.

The Appeal

In the appeal, the appellant raised four grounds, including that the case against him had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

During the hearing, it was the State that raised the legal defect, pointing out that although page 40 of the court record listed the witnesses and exhibits the prosecution intended to use, it did not show that these particulars had been read and explained to Langi.

On those grounds, the State asked the Court to quash the preliminary proceedings and order a retrial.

The application was not opposed by the appellant’s counsel, who only requested that the fresh trial be expedited, given the period his client had already spent in custody.

Dar es Salaam. American R and B star Trey Songz has urged Tanzanian youths to believe in their dreams, saying self-confidence, creativity and perseverance are key to turning ambitions into reality.

The singer delivered the message while speaking to university students participating in CRDB Bank’s iMbeju entrepreneurship programme, encouraging young people not to allow other people’s opinions to define what they can achieve.

‘Don’t sleep on your dreams. When you dream about something, it is something special to you. It may not be special to the people you tell because they cannot see what you see,’ he said.

Trey Songz, whose musical journey began when he was around 11 or 12 before he started recording at 15, recalled being mocked in his hometown after telling people he wanted to become a singer.

‘I tried to sing whenever I got the opportunity. I was laughed at and told I would not make it. I wondered, what if I had listened to those people?’ he said. He challenged young creatives to embrace new ideas and use their imagination to explore possibilities beyond what they have already seen.

His manager and business partner, Ro Williams, also encouraged creatives to understand the value of owning their work.

‘Talent fades, but ownership lasts,’ Williams said.

Beyond his engagement with young entrepreneurs, Trey Songz visited the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), where he met children receiving treatment for heart conditions.

Accompanied by CRDB Foundation Director Tully Esther Mwambapa, he learned that the children are among beneficiaries of a programme supported through the CRDB Marathon to facilitate treatment for children with heart problems.

During the visit, the singer called on influential people to support their communities, stressing that giving back does not always have to involve money.

‘When you cannot give money, give your presence. And when you cannot give your presence, give your ideas,’ he said.

Trey Songz is in Tanzania for the first time as a special guest at the CRDB International Marathon 2026 and headliner for Imbeju Sauti Moja concert on Friday, August 14.

CRDB Bank Foundation Managing Director Tully Esther Mwambapa (centre) poses with American R and B star Trey Songz (right) and Tanzania’s top Bongo Flava artist Diamond Platnumz shortly after his arrival in Tanzania ahead of today’s Imbeju Sauti Moja Concert.

Eight countries are expected to participate in the 21st East African Community (EAC) Trade Fair in Mwanza, with organisers projecting more than 600 exhibitors from Tanzania and abroad.

The 10-day exhibition will be held from August 28 to September 6, 2026, at Furahisha Grounds in Ilemela District.

Speaking to journalists at his office in Mwanza on August 14, 2026, Tanzania National Chamber of Commerce (TNCC) Mwanza Regional Chairman Gabriel Kenene said five of the participating countries would come from Africa, while three would be from outside the continent. The African participants are Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Egypt, while India, China and Singapore will represent countries outside Africa.

Mr Kenene said the exhibition would give businesses an opportunity to expand their markets, establish links with major distributors and learn modern approaches to packaging and marketing products for domestic and international markets.

‘Exhibitors at the fair are expected to find new markets, meet major distributors and learn modern ways of packaging and marketing their products for domestic and foreign markets,’ he said.

He said more than 600 exhibitors had been invited, including 500 from Tanzania and 100 from other countries.

This year’s fair will be held under the theme ‘Peace and Security as a Catalyst for Trade and Investment’, which Mr Kenene said underscored the importance of stability in promoting economic growth and attracting investment within and beyond East Africa.

He urged Mwanza residents and other members of the public to turn up in large numbers to explore innovations, learn about new products and make purchases.

Mr Kenene said organisers had worked with the regional security committee and regional authorities to ensure the safety of visitors and exhibitors throughout the event.

‘We have prepared well with the security committee and regional leadership to ensure everyone who attends the exhibition remains safe and returns home safely. There will be no entrance fee,’ he said.

Mwanza resident Joyce Makweba said the fair would provide an opportunity for traders to showcase their products while giving residents access to a wide range of goods in one location.

‘Such exhibitions help us get the products we need without any inconvenience. You go to one place and find everything you need,’ she said.

Another resident, Emmanuel Lwamwasha, said the exhibition would help stimulate economic activity in Mwanza and the Lake Zone, urging businesses to take advantage of the opportunities it would create.