Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s ambition to transition from lower-middle-income to upper-middle-income status will depend not only on government-led strategies but also on the strength of partnerships that enhance community resilience and unlock people’s potential.

Among the organisations walking alongside the country on this journey is Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), a faith-based humanitarian and development agency that has been part of Tanzania’s story since the 1960s. In her first 100 days as Secretary General of NCA, Anne-Cecilia Kaltenborn chose Tanzania for her first board field visit, underscoring the country’s importance to the organisation’s global strategy.

For her, resilience is the thread tying together livelihoods, health, gender equality, peace, and the environment. “Building a resilient society is kind of the basis for everything,” Kaltenborn said in an interview with The Citizen.

“It’s important for women, youth, and men. And since about 80 percent of the workforce is in agriculture, making this sector more climate-smart and productive will directly support Tanzania’s middle-income ambition.

” Climate-smart agriculture Agriculture remains Tanzania’s economic backbone, employing the majority of its people and contributing around a quarter of GDP. Yet, it is also one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change.

Erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and soil degradation threaten not just food security but also rural incomes. NCA has responded by investing in climate-smart agriculture, equipping smallholder farmers with tools to adapt.

In Mvomero, Morogoro, Kaltenborn observed farmers–especially women and youth–shifting to resilient practices such as improved irrigation, drought-resistant seeds, and soil conservation. “Incremental changes toward more climate-resilient agriculture in more and more places will have an effect,” she explained.

“It improves individual families’ lives, and at the same time strengthens the national economy.” The logic is simple: when farmers thrive, Tanzania thrives.

More productive farms mean more stable households, stronger local economies, and greater progress toward national income targets. Health as a foundation of growth While agriculture anchors livelihoods, health determines whether families can participate fully in development.

NCA’s support to Haydom Lutheran Hospital has led to transformative results, most notably a 75 percent reduction in maternal mortality within the first week after giving birth. The impact, Kaltenborn stressed, extends well beyond the hospital’s walls.

“When you can reduce maternal mortality by 75 percent, that makes a difference for the economy,” she said. “Children who lose their mothers have a much more difficult time in school and in life.

Health is also economy, and economy is also health.” This view reflects a broader reality: strong health systems are not just a social good but also a driver of economic resilience.

Families spared from preventable deaths are able to invest in education, build livelihoods, and break intergenerational cycles of poverty. Faith-based partnerships and peacebuilding One of NCA’s defining approaches is working through faith-based organisations, a strategy that taps into deep community trust.

Colton-Born argues that this method is not just about service delivery but also about preventing conflict. “If you have an armed conflict, the gross national product is set back 30 years — an entire generation,” she said.

“Working with churches and mosques ensures dialogue and peace. Dialogue always has results because it creates trust, and trust reduces the willingness for conflict.

” In Mvomero, she witnessed a simple yet powerful moment: Christian and Muslim leaders arriving at a meeting on the same motorcycle. For her, this symbolised the potential of interfaith collaboration to foster unity in a region where diversity is often exploited for division elsewhere.

Gender equality and social transformation Tanzania’s progress toward middle-income prosperity cannot be divorced from the empowerment of women. NCA has made gender justice central to its work, particularly in tackling gender-based violence (GBV).

Through partnerships with religious leaders, NCA has helped shift community attitudes dramatically–from 34 percent to 75 percent zero tolerance for GBV in certain areas. “That is a fabulous result,” Kaltenborn noted.

“And we must never underestimate the effect of women being part of the workforce and having their own economy. It reduces violence and strengthens families.

” She also pointed to ongoing debates around Tanzania’s Marriage Act, which still permits girl-child marriage under certain circumstances. For her, this is an example of where dialogue with faith leaders can drive meaningful legal and cultural change.

Linking environment and jobs Beyond farming and health, NCA is exploring solutions to the growing challenge of waste and environmental degradation. Its ‘Waste for Value’ initiative connects plastic collectors with recycling companies, creating a circular economy that turns trash into livelihoods.

“We were able to see how this project benefits 10,000 households and 20,000 smallholder farmers,” Kaltenborn said. “It creates jobs, protects the environment, and shows how development aid translates into concrete results.

” This approach resonates with Tanzania’s own industrialisation agenda, which seeks to expand manufacturing while safeguarding natural resources. Aid, responsibility, and local ownership With global aid budgets under pressure, questions often arise about whether foreign assistance makes governments complacent.

Kaltenborn acknowledged the tension but emphasised that aid should reinforce, not replace, national responsibility. “It doesn’t have to make governments complacent.

It’s about empowering the partners who want to make a change,” she explained. Despite cutbacks in parts of Europe and the US, she pointed out that 85 percent of Norwegians continue to support development aid, providing NCA with stability.

“We are in it for the long run,” she affirmed. Trade unions as untapped partners Drawing on her background in Norway’s employer’s union, Ms Kaltenborn argued that Tanzanian unions could play a bigger role in development.

In her view, unions are not just about wages and working conditions; they can mobilise communities, spread awareness, and complement humanitarian efforts. This perspective mirrors Norway’s own tradition of dialogue between unions, employers, and government–a model that has underpinned its social and economic resilience.

A holistic web of resilience From farmers adopting new methods in Morogoro, to women accessing safe childbirth in Haydom, to faith leaders riding together in Mvomero, NCA’s work demonstrates the interwoven nature of development. Each initiative may address a specific issue, but together they form a broader ecosystem of resilience.

“Everything is related to everything,” Kaltenborn reflected. “Health is related to the economy.

Women’s participation is related to violence reduction. Dialogue is related to peace and investment.

When you put these pieces together, you get a good spiral of development.” As Tanzania edges closer to its middle-income aspirations, the challenge will be to ensure growth is inclusive and sustainable.

Development partners like NCA bring not only funding but also models of collaboration–working with faith groups, empowering women, engaging youth, and protecting the environment. The organisation’s long history in Tanzania, coupled with Norway’s enduring commitment to aid, suggests that this partnership will continue to play a meaningful role.

For Kaltenborn, the goal is clear: resilient communities that can withstand shocks, seize opportunities, and chart their own future. “Resilience is not just about surviving,” she concluded.

“It’s about thriving.” .

Mark Twain, the great American writer and humorist, is reported to have said that “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Twain was responding to media reports of his demise.

He died in 1910 at the ripe age of 74 — by the life expectancy of the time. This year, the United Nations, the first truly global organisation, turned a neat 80. In the life a human being, even in developed countries, living to be 80 is considered a long life.

So is the life of a global organisation in a turbulent century. This is especially true for an organisation with ambitions and aspirations of grandeur.

The UN tried to reach for the heavens. But now we must wonder whether it has sunk to the pits of hell.

Let’s understand that the UN was born in 1945 right in the thick of Empire and the colonial project when White people subjugated all other races Black African, Asian, Arab, Latin Americans of native descend, and Pacific Islanders. To capture the sense of White European hegemony, the English often said the sun never set on the British Empire.

The rest of the planet chafed under the French, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the Dutch, and other assorted White peoples. I often wonder what it must feel in your veins to be a member of this “master race.

” Adolf Hitler, he of the German Third Reich, tried to take these feelings to a cataclysmic climax. He failed, but not for want of trying.

It was out of Hitler’s ashes that the UN was born. Ironically, the United Nations, born out of the wreckage of the League of Nations, reproduced some of the same racial and demonic hierarchies that were central to Hitler’s Aryan hegemony.

Let’s reprise a few of these norms and structures of the subjugation of Black, Brown, and Asian peoples by a global White American and European power structure. The first was the physical location of the centre of the United Nations activities in New York and Geneva.

This in itself was deeply symbolic of locational superiority of White over “the other.” To go to the United Nations, “the rest of the world” had to travel to America and Europe.

Never mind the vast majority of persons of colour lived, and still do, outside America and Europe, and were then held in colonial vassalage. By Charter and law, the UN’s most powerful body is the Security Council.

Only it can make decisions binding on the members. This tiny club has five permanent members, who wield the veto power.

No resolution can be passed even if the other 10 non-permanent members outvote the veto five. In effect, the veto five the United States, Britain, Russia, France, and China control what the UN can say and do.

A veto of one of the five kills a resolution. Nothing can pass if the US, or Russia, say nyet.

Ditto for Britain, China, and France. I am sure you have noticed that four of the veto five are European or majority White nations.

Race is the calling card at the UN. The UN General Assembly, or UNGA, is the world’s biggest talking shop.

In there, even little Belize or Djibouti can say anything. They can insult the mighty US with the filthiest of languages.

But it’s all “hot air.” That’s because breathing fire doesn’t produce one.

Even if all 193 states of the UN badly want something within UNGA, their wishes or votes are nugatory so long as one of the veto powers doesn’t want it. One often negates 193 in the UN system.

To make matters worse, the UN Charter which cast this inequity in stone, cannot be amended if one of the veto five says no. It doesn’t matter that matrix is blatantly racist, obsolete, and indefensible.

Since 1945, the power dynamics of the globe have changed. But the victories of World War II allies have kept the UN’s obsolescence in place.

Africa, the fastest growing continent by population and economy, doesn’t have a voice at the UN. Asia, the new centre of the global economy is out, except China.

That’s why Kenyan President William Ruto, in his prime time address to the UN this year, argued that equity demands that Africa gets at least two permanent veto-power seats in a long delayed reform of the institution. His speech was cheered over and over by a majority of members.

It is this structure of the UN that’s at the centre of its irrelevance and possible death. It is these archaic, racist, and calamitous structures and normative inequities that stand in direct contradiction to the purposes for which the United Nations was founded in the first place to outlaw war, protect human rights, and foster equitable development.

The UN watches helplessly as Israel commits genocide in Gaza and Sudan descends into hell. Will the UN die with Sudan and Gaza? It just might in its 80s.

Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at Buffalo Law School, The State University of New York.

@makaumutua .

Dar es Salaam . Defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) management has appealed to its fans and members to remain calm and rally behind head coach Romain Folz, following the team’s disappointing goalless draw against Mbeya City on Tuesday at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.

The barren result in the ongoing Mainland Tanzania Premier League left sections of the fanbase visibly frustrated, with some openly chanting for the Frenchman’s dismissal. Supporters complained that the performance was below par, arguing that Yanga’s trademark attacking style, characterized by attractive passing and entertaining football, has diminished under his leadership.

Fans call for change after stalemate The stalemate against newly promoted Mbeya City, a side many expected Yanga to defeat, was met with jeers from the stands. Some disgruntled fans urged the club’s leadership to terminate Folz’s contract and find a new coach, insisting that the team appeared uninspired and lacking creativity.

Since taking charge, Folz has been scrutinized for his tactical approach. Critics argue that his style does not reflect Yanga’s traditional attacking identity, one that has brought the Jangwani Street giants immense success in recent seasons.

“This is not the Yanga we are used to,” one fan lamented. “We want to dominate, to play with flair, and to win convincingly.

” Management: “It’s part of the game” However, Yanga’s leadership has moved swiftly to cool tensions. Speaking to The Citizen, one club official defended Folz, reminding supporters that football is unpredictable and that difficult matches at Sokoine Stadium are nothing new.

“It is part of the game, and historically, our team has often struggled to get positive results at the Sokoine Stadium, especially against Mbeya City,” the official explained. “This was not the first time to record such results.

We must accept that Mbeya City also came targeting victory against us. What matters is that we remain unbeaten since his arrival.

Let’s give him our support.” A mixed start for Folz Despite the frustrations, Folz’s record is far from poor.

Since his appointment, he has guided Yanga in four competitive matches, producing three victories and one draw. His tenure began with a morale-boosting 1-0 win over arch-rivals Simba in the Community Shield.

That was followed by a comprehensive 3-0 away win against Angola’s Wiliete in the CAF Champions League, a 3-0 triumph over Pamba Jiji in the league opener, and a 2-0 second-leg victory over Wiliete to advance in continental action. The Mbeya draw was the first time Folz dropped points with Yanga, though he remains unbeaten.

Still, many believe the performance gap between local dominance and continental ambition is too wide, and tougher matches ahead will be a true test of his tactical ability. Future on the line For now, Yanga’s management insists Folz deserves time to instill his philosophy.

But with fan pressure mounting, the next few fixtures could prove decisive for his future. Any further slip-ups may intensify calls for change, while convincing victories could calm the storm.

As the reigning champions eye another successful campaign, one thing is clear: unity between management, players, and supporters will be critical if Yanga are to defend their crown and excel on the continental stage .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s agricultural exports to China are expanding, with sesame seeds, dried chillies, cotton seed cake, dried cassava, avocado, honey and marine products all finding growing demand in the Chinese market.

Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo made these remarks on Monday, September 29 during celebrations marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. He thanked China for granting duty-free access for African goods, saying the move has opened new opportunities for Tanzanian farmers and traders.

“We are seeing real results, with our products finding pathways into the Chinese market. Beyond avocado and honey, sesame, cassava, cotton seed cake and chillies are now in demand,” he said.

Mr Kombo highlighted that sesame seeds are widely used in Chinese foods, including bread, sweets, and Beijing duck. He also noted that cotton seed cake is increasingly popular for mushroom cultivation.

“We need to learn from China how they use cotton seed cake for mushroom farming. It is an area we could develop locally,” he said.

He added that chillies are especially popular in Sichuan Province, while sunflower seed cake and marine products are also entering the Chinese market. Mr Kombo described the growing exports as proof that Tanzania-China relations are delivering tangible results.

“This year, our relations have focused on deepening cooperation, coordinating on bilateral and multilateral issues, and accelerating joint initiatives,” he said. Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said China has made remarkable progress in innovation, including artificial intelligence, supercomputers, deep-sea exploration and new energy technologies, contributing nearly 30 percent annually to global economic growth.

“China has always placed its development within the broader framework of human development and solidarity with the Global South,” she said. “We have lifted 850 million people out of poverty and advanced global cooperation.

” Ambassador Chen added that China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade hitting almost $300 billion in 2024. Under the zero-tariff arrangement, 53 African countries now enjoy duty-free access to the Chinese market, boosting exports from the continent. “China has expanded imports of Tanzanian products, including honey, avocado and aquatic goods.

We have also invested in health projects such as the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute and medical training programmes,” she said. She further added that agricultural cooperation has advanced as well, with the use of satellite and digital technologies to boost production.

“China stands ready to work with Tanzania to deepen cooperation across all sectors, strengthen our all-weather friendship, and advance modernisation together,” she said. .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania government is banking on a new documentary to showcase its tourism attractions, infrastructure development and investment opportunities in attempt to position the country at the centre of the global attention.

Called “Tanzania The African Dream,” the film, produced by Penresa in collaboration with CNBC Africa, was recently premiered before government officials, investors, tourism stakeholders, and diplomats in Dar es Salaam, with official launch expected next month. The documentary highlights Tanzania’s tourism, infrastructure, and investment landscape, telling the story of a nation translating vision into reality.

This is the second major documentary which displays Tanzania to the global stage in a period of less than five years. In 2022, Tanzania launched a documentary titled Tanzania The Royal Tour, which showcases tourist attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti National Park on the Mainland, as well as luxury hotels including one located offshore in Pemba, in Zanzibar.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan personally guided viewers through the attractions alongside Peter Greenberg, a renowned journalist and filmmaker from the US television network CNBC. Zanzibar’s Minister for Tourism and Heritage, Mr Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga, told The Citizen on the sideline of the premiering event on September 25, 2025 that the documentary sends a strong message about Tanzania’s development trajectory.

“It’s plenty of information to be shared for everyone to see what is going on in Tanzania,” he said. “The energy is amazing, and the issues highlighted are directly aligned with our national priorities,” he added.

Mr Soraga described the film as a potential turning point in shaping international perceptions of Tanzania. “It will be a game changer for the overall direction we want to take.

We want to showcase what we have,” he said, adding that the pathway through the African Dream is through Tanzania. “Bottom line is Tanzania has really set itself apart–anything is possible here.

” He also pointed to the country’s stability as a strength. “Tanzania has all the ingredients we have stability, peace and unity that make a country both safe and attractive for investors.

” Looking ahead, Mr Soraga emphasised greater youth inclusion in national development. “We are fully capitalised on youth in terms of knowledge and innovation, and I want to see more engagement in decision making,” he said.

The documentary takes viewers across Tanzania’s scenic landscapes and modern infrastructure, including the Tanzanite Bridge, standard gauge railway (SGR), highways, ports, and Zanzibar’s blue economy initiatives. It also highlights clean energy and sustainable development projects.

Government leaders featured in the film linked policies to progress. President Hussein Mwinyi spoke about Zanzibar’s ambition to become a leading tourism hub.

Minister of Minerals Anthony Mavunde underlined mining potential, while the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Pindi Chana, showcased cultural and natural assets. The Minister for Planning and Investment, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, explained how infrastructure attracts capital, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, highlighted clean energy initiatives.

According to Penresa, the project is a celebration of vision, partnership, and storytelling, positioning Tanzania as a nation of untapped potential. The producers also announced a Forbes Africa Tanzania Special Edition to further highlight opportunities.

CNBC Africa will rebroadcast Tanzania The African Dream on Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11, giving viewers across the continent another chance to experience Tanzania’s growth story. .

Dar es Salaam. The newly released Interpol Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2025, has delivered a stark warning: Cybercrime is accelerating across Africa, threatening public safety, financial systems and digital trust.

While more countries are responding, many still face serious structural challenges that limit their ability to detect, investigate and disrupt cyber threats. For East Africa, it reveals that much work remains to be done before the region can truly become a hub of the digital economy.

The development comes as the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF)’s Annual Meeting 2025 convene global decision-makers and experts in Saudi Arabia on October 1 and 2 to shape the future of Cyberspace under the theme “Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace”. This year’s report indicates cybercrime now accounts for more than 30 percent of all reported crime in both Eastern and Western Africa.

Interpol cybercrime director Neal Jetton, notes, “These threats are not constrained by borders, they are transnational, fast-moving and increasingly sophisticated. They target the very infrastructure that underpins progress: financial systems, public services and, most importantly, the trust of citizens in the digital future.

” In East Africa, five countries; Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia are singled out as fast-emerging technological and financial hubs. SIM swap fraud has notably increased in Tanzania and Uganda, with fraudsters hijacking phone numbers to drain mobile wallets.

“It is a human problem as much as a technical one. Fraudsters don’t always need advanced tools.

Sometimes they just need someone inside a mobile shop willing to bend the rules,” a cybersecurity expert with CRDB Bank, Mr David Kway, told The Citizen. Online scams remain Africa’s most widespread cyber threat.

Interpol notes that phishing alone accounted for 34 percent of all cyber incidents detected on the continent in 2024. The report cautions that criminal use of artificial intelligence, synthetic media and mobile-enabled fraud schemes were outpacing the capacity of many agencies to respond. For young Tanzanians, the danger of digital sextortion is growing.

The report shows over 60 percent of African countries noted a rise in such cases in 2024, many targeting teenagers. Ugandan police and civil society have already flagged sextortion as a growing crisis and Tanzanian officials quietly admit similar trends are appearing.

Tanzania has set its sights on building a digital-driven economy, with mobile money, e-government and e-commerce at its core. But Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) executive secretary Goodwill Wanga noted that in a digital economy, data is the new currency.

“If people cannot trust that their information and transactions are safe, then trade, banking, health and even agriculture will all be undermined,” he said. The consequences are already visible.

Phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams drain millions from companies, while ransomware attacks, though still less frequent in East Africa than in South Africa or Egypt, are creeping closer. In 2024, Tanzania was among Africa’s top 20 for ransomware detections, a reminder that no country is immune.

A capacity gap that could derail progress The report is blunt about the bottleneck: “A majority of countries report shortages in cybercrime investigative skills, limited access to digital forensic tools and insufficient infrastructure.” Only 30 percent of African nations have incident reporting systems and just 29 percent maintain digital evidence repositories.

Tanzania is taking steps to close the gap. The ICT Commission has recently launched training initiatives with Korea’s KISA to build digital forensic expertise.

“The cybersecurity field is broad This is only the beginning because these specialists are still very much needed,” ICT Commission director general Nkundwe Mwasaga noted at a recent graduation of forensic trainees. Telecoms and banks are also investing in security upgrades.

TTCL’s cybersecurity officer, Lilian Chambiri, said forensic training will make a difference: “Before, we had no tools to confirm the source of a leaked SMS or hacked file. Now we can trace, verify and report with confidence.

” But the numbers speak volumes. Interpol’s survey found that 95 percent of African countries lack adequate training and tools to handle modern cybercrime.

The report lays out clear recommendations. First, Tanzania and the East Africa countries must rapidly scale up forensic capacity.

Regional digital forensic labs, certified tools and secure evidence repositories are urgently needed. The report also stresses the importance of career pathways to retain talent: “Countries risk losing their most skilled investigators to the private sector unless incentives are created to keep them in public service.

” Second, telecom safeguards must be tightened. Stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) rules, regular audits of SIM card vendors and real-time fraud reporting channels are vital.

Finally, the law must keep pace. Cross-border evidence requests remain too slow.

As Interpol notes: “Formal cooperation channels such as mutual legal assistance processes remain slow and underutilised.” .

London. European rating agency Scope has said that the shutdown of the U.

S. government is another negative for the country’s downgrade-threatened credit score.

Scope, which currently rates the U.S.

‘AA’ with a ‘negative outlook’, said it showed deepening political polarisation in the world’s largest economy and also comes amid mounting worries about President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Federal Reserve. “The administration’s increasingly unconventional policy approach has placed pressure on the long-standing checks and balances of the U.

S. governance system and are seen as credit negative for the U.

S. sovereign rating,” Scope analyst Eiko Sievert said.

He added that the risk of a U.S.

default due to political disputes remained unlikely, but was continuing to increase and would have “a significant impact if it occurred”. Scope tends to face less scrutiny from the U.

S. than the so-called “big 3” rating firms – SandP Global, Fitch and Moody’s – which became the last to strip the U.

S. of its prized triple-A rating earlier this year.

Sievert said that the deeper U.S.

political divisions become, the greater the risk that key policy compromises are not reached by the relevant debt limit deadlines. Despite a $5 trillion increase in the debt ceiling agreed as part of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” this year, a further increase is likely to be needed by 2028, Sievert added, given the current “weak fiscal outlook”.

Scope sees Washington’s budget deficit staying around 6% and the U.S.

debt-to-GDP ratio rising to 127 percent in the next five years. .

Moscow. Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia was also working to strengthen its armed forces when asked about U.

S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remark that the U.

S. must prepare for war to ensure peace.

“We also prefer to strengthen our armed forces in every possible way, remaining full supporters of peace and remaining open to solving all problems, including the Ukrainian crisis, through diplomatic negotiations and political contacts,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Asked about an Axios interview, opens new tab in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Kyiv was prepared to say that it would only seek to regain its territory through diplomatic means in the future, Peskov said there was a pause in the negotiation process.

He said Kyiv, which has accused Moscow of making unreasonable demands tantamount to surrender, appeared to be in no hurry to resume talks. .

Arusha. Four bird species native to Tanzania’s grasslands are in the running for the coveted title of Tanzania Bird of the Year 2026, with voting now open to citizens, the diaspora, tourists and global bird enthusiasts.

The contenders are the Common Ostrich, Red-necked Spurfowl, Kori Bustard and Southern Ground Hornbill. They are competing to succeed the Superb Starling, which currently holds the 2025 title until December.

The campaign, coordinated by Nature Tanzania, is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about bird conservation. Marketing Officer Gaudensia Mariki said students from Manyara Ranch Primary, Tumaini Senior Secondary and Edward Lowassa Secondary School have already voted.

“We also conducted a community campaign at the Makuyuni marketplace to familiarise residents with the voting process and to promote appreciation of birds and environmental protection,” Ms Mariki noted. According to Programme Officer Edwin Kamugisha, the voting exercise began on September 7 and will run for four weeks.

The 2026 winner will be officially announced in December after more than 10,000 votes are tallied both online and in person. Each species brings unique ecological value.

The Kori Bustard is celebrated as a heavyweight grassland ambassador, crucial in controlling insects and dispersing seeds. The Common Ostrich, symbolic of Tanzania’s savanna, contributes to ecological balance but faces threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting.

The Red-necked Spurfowl supports both grasslands and farmlands by dispersing seeds and regulating insect populations, though it is vulnerable to overhunting and habitat destruction. The Southern Ground Hornbill, known for its booming calls and slow breeding cycles, plays an important ecological role but is highly endangered.

Outgoing titleholder, the Superb Starling, with its dazzling plumage and social traits, remains a reminder that even familiar species face growing conservation challenges. Nature Tanzania Director Emmanuel Mgimwa said the Bird of the Year campaign, launched in 2023 with the Secretary Bird as the first winner, seeks to inspire citizens to protect “everyday nature” before it is too late.

“We want Tanzanians to understand that even common species are under threat. This year, we encourage everyone to take part and make their voices count, either face to face or online,” he said.

.

Liverpool. Prime Minister Keir Starmer appealed directly to working-class voters on Tuesday, calling on Labour’s traditional supporters to reject the “snake oil” peddled by the populist Reform UK party and back his vision of “a Britain built for all”.

In the most passionate defence of his premiership since he won a landslide election in July last year, Starmer called for unity, attacking Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage and his Reform party for only being interested in fomenting division. Under threat from Reform on the right and a nascent leftist party under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, Starmer called on voters to be patient with his Labour government, which he said was taking its first steps along the path to “renew Britain”.

And he appealed directly to Britain’s working people, saying he understood their frustrations of being “patronised” by politicians, referring to his late father feeling disrespected for having a manual job rather than a university education – something he pledged to change by promoting technical colleges. Starmer calls for fight for ‘soul’ of Britain “No matter how many people tell me it can’t be done, I believe Britain can come together,” he told his party’s second annual conference in the northern English city of Liverpool since winning power last year.

“We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road.

We can choose decency, or we can choose division. Renewal or decline,” he said in a challenge to increasingly restive lawmakers who question his leadership after falling behind Reform in the polls.

In a nod to the difficulties he has faced in the first year of his premiership with his personal poll ratings the worst for a British leader since at least 1977, Starmer again committed to raising living standards and putting money in voters’ pockets. But he also sought to convince them that Labour is the true patriotic party rather than Reform, with officials handing out Britain’s flags to the audience, who waved them during several standing ovations.

“For me, patriotism is about love and pride, about serving an interest that is more than yourself, a common good,” he said. “And the question I ask seriously of Nigel Farage and Reform is, do they love our country or do they just want to stir the pot of division, because that’s worked in their interests?” He repeated that his government would tackle the high rates of illegal immigration into Britain but would fight racism and those who “say or imply the people cannot be English or British because of the colour of their skin”.

That focus on fighting Farage was welcomed by many in the packed conference hall. “Farage doesn’t care about normal people, and it was important we get that message out,” said Shabaan Saleem, a 21-year-old Labour councillor.

But Farage said the accusations of racism had put its supporters in danger. “To accuse countless millions of being racist is a very, very low blow,” he said.

“It directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and our campaigners.” Starmer faces difficult tax and spending decisions Starmer faces some difficult decisions.

After saying that last year’s tax rises – the biggest in more than 30 years – were a one-off in terms of scale, the government might be forced to again raise tens of billions of pounds in taxes to cover a forecast fiscal shortfall. Finance minister Rachel Reeves used her speech at conference to warn those in the party who want her to ease her fiscal rules to spend more on the nation’s ailing economy that they were “wrong, dangerously so”, keeping the door open to tax rises.

And Starmer warned the party that it might face uncomfortable choices. “It is a test.

A fight for the soul of our country, every bit as big as rebuilding Britain after the war, and we must all rise to this challenge,” Starmer said. “And yet we need to be clear that our path, the path of renewal, it’s long, it’s difficult, it requires decisions that are not cost-free or easy.

Decisions – that will not always be comfortable for our party.” .