Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has dissolved the boards of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) and Usafiri Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (UDART), appointing new leadership for both agencies.

A statement issued on Thursday, October 2, 2025, by the Chief Secretary, Ambassador Dr Moses Kusiluka, and signed by the director for Presidential Communications, Ms Sharifa Nyanga, confirmed the changes. In what amounts to a major shake-up, Mr David Kafulila, who also serves as Executive Director of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) unit, has been named chairman of the DART board.

Ambassador Dr Ramadhani Dau has been appointed chairman of the UDART board. On the same day, President Hassan appointed new chief executives to steer the city’s troubled Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

Mr Said Tunda is the new DART Director General, while Mr Pius Ng’ingo has been named Director General of UDART, which operates Phase One of the system. The reshuffle removes Dr Athuman Kihamia, who previously headed DART, and Mr Waziri Kindamba, the former UDART boss.

No official reasons were provided for the changes. The leadership overhaul follows mounting public frustration with Dar es Salaam’s flagship transport project.

Just a day earlier, commuters on a GerezaniKimara BRT bus broke into protest songs–an unusual but telling sign of dissatisfaction over declining services. Launched in 2016 with promises to ease congestion and improve urban mobility, the BRT system is now dogged by overcrowding, long queues, irregular schedules and deteriorating infrastructure.

Passengers have repeatedly complained, urging the government to intervene. Adding to the discontent is the delayed launch of Phase Two of the project, which was supposed to link Mbagala to Gerezani.

Despite repeated assurances, the service–originally scheduled to begin on September 1, 2025–has yet to start, deepening scepticism among residents. The government has brought in private partners to accelerate delivery, including Mofat Company, which has imported nearly 100 new buses.

However, services are still pending, with DART remaining silent on when operations will begin. Several of the new buses meant for the MbagalaGerezani route were spotted yesterday operating along Morogoro Road instead.

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Kibaha. In the run-up to Customer Service Week 2025, the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) has extended support to a youth agribusiness group, Wazito Farm Flex, as part of its community outreach initiatives.

The group, which specializes in horticulture, received farming tools, inputs, and pesticides from the bank. In addition, TADB has organized an exposure visit to Zanzibar to enable the young farmers to exchange experiences and learn from peers who have achieved significant progress in the sector.

Wazito Farm Flex is made up of seven university graduates united by a vision to invest in agribusiness. The group was identified and nurtured under the TADB Mikoani program, which focuses on educating farmers–particularly youth and women–about banking services and opening opportunities in agriculture.

To date, the group has employed 20 other youths from their surrounding village, contributing to job creation and local economic development. TADB Senior Customer Service Officer, Faithful Joshua, said this year’s Customer Service Week will be marked under the theme “Mission Possible”, coinciding with the bank’s 10th anniversary.

“In customer service, we don’t only listen to clients, but also to the community, addressing their challenges and needs. Through such initiatives, we are transforming young farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture,” she said.

On her part, TADB Relationship Manager, Irene John, emphasized the uniqueness of the bank compared to other financial institutions. “TADB is different from commercial banks because we focus exclusively on agriculture, offering short, medium, and long-term loans to drive transformative change in the sector,” she said.

The Customer Service Week is celebrated globally every second week of October, with TADB using the occasion to not only highlight its services but also give back to the farming communities it serves. .

Dar es Salaam. The much-anticipated Vodacom Tanzania Open Golf Championship 2025 officially tees off today at the prestigious Kilimanjaro Golf and Wildlife Estate (Kili Golf) in Arusha, bringing together top professional golfers and elite amateurs from Tanzania and across the region.

The event, now firmly established as one of East Africa’s premier golf competitions, will be contested in stroke play format over four days of action. Local and regional stars will battle for glory on the lush 18-hole championship course, renowned for its pristine fairways and stunning backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru.

Tee-offs begin at 8am, with the opening groups featuring Tanzania’s promising amateurs Zacharia Edward and Likuli Juma, alongside Onesphory Gerald and Zambia’s Aaron Musonda. They will be joined by Kenya’s Joseph Karanja and Reece Shah, setting a competitive tone for the championship’s opening day.

Among the standout names in the amateur category is Isiaka Dunia, fresh from his Lina PG Tour victory in Morogoro. Dunia will be paired with Josphat Rono and Yuvraj Singh Rajput in the morning rounds.

Another player drawing attention is Madina Hussein, who will represent Tanzania in the women’s elite category, teeing off from the first hole at 8:20 am. The professional field is equally strong, led by Tanzania’s Ramadhani Yassini, Prosper Emmanuel, and leading lady golfer Angel Eaton.

They will face a stern test against regional heavyweights including Kenya’s Greg Snow, the defending champion, alongside Michael Karanga and John Lejirna–names synonymous with success on the East African circuit. Later in the day, some of the tournament’s most anticipated matchups will unfold.

At 11:40 am, Tanzania’s Fadhyl Nkya, buoyed by his recent triumph at the Lina PG Tour in Morogoro, will go head-to-head with Kenya’s rising star Njoroge Kibugu and seasoned player James Mathenge in what promises to be a thrilling contest. The draw also features several seasoned international professionals, including George Frisby and Tanzania’s Hassan Kadio, both expected to mount strong challenges.

The diversity of the field–mixing experienced pros with ambitious amateurs–ensures a competitive edge while providing a stage to spotlight the future of golf in the region. Speaking on the eve of the championship, Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) chairman Gilman Kasiga confirmed that all preparations had been finalized and players were ready to deliver an unforgettable tournament.

“All systems are in place, and the golfers are in high spirits,” said Kasiga. “This is not just a tournament; it is a celebration of the growth of golf in Tanzania and across East Africa.

” Also in the sponsorship is consulting firm HLB Tanzania among the key partners. Consulting firm HLB Tanzania is also among the key sponsors.

As a premier professional services firm, HLB Tanzania provides audit, tax, and advisory solutions tailored to today’s complex business environment. .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s banking sector is enjoying record profits and strong balance sheets, but economists and private sector leaders are warning that excessive concentration in two institutions could undermine competition, stifle innovation and increase systemic risks.

According to Ernest and Young’s (EY) Tanzania Banking Sub-Sector report for 2024, the country hosts 81 institutions supervised by the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), including 44 banking and 37 non-banking institutions. Among the 34 commercial banks, only two (CRDB and NMB) control nearly half of the market share by asset size.

The sector’s total assets rose 14.8 percent to Sh62.1 trillion in 2024. At group level, CRDB closed the year with assets of Sh16.7 trillion and NMB with Sh13.7 trillion, giving them a combined Sh30.4 trillion, or almost 50 percent of the market. Medium-sized banks saw their share shrink to 8.

6 percent, while regional and small lenders clung to just 0.6 percent.

EY’s country leader, Mr Joseph Sheffu, said this concentration reflected the strength of large players but warned it highlighted “the need for innovation and strategic support to bolster the competitiveness of smaller institutions.” For some observers, dominance by the top two banks provides stability.

For others, it risks turning the system into a duopoly with disproportionate influence over lending, deposits and innovation. Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) chief executive officer, Mr Raphael Maganga, said over-reliance on the two largest lenders was a concern.

“Yes, Tanzania risks becoming over-reliant on two big banks, and this will continue in the medium to long term,” he said, pointing to similar experiences in the region. He warned that concentration reduces private sector bargaining power, raises systemic risks, and constrains innovation.

“For TPSF and the broader private sector, it is crucial to advocate for financial sector diversification, fintech inclusion and alternative financing mechanisms,” he said. Mr Maganga urged expansion of venture capital, private equity, collective investment schemes and fintech platforms to complement traditional bank lending.

Uneven fortunes According to the report, the sector’s deposits stood at S1 trillion at the end of 2024 while after tax profit rose by 40.9 percent to close 2024 at Sh2.1 trillion. The level of non-performing loans stood at a historic low of 3.

2 percent. Medium-sized banks saw their share of assets fall from 13.4 percent in 2023 to 8.

6 percent in 2024, partly due to reclassifications such as Equity Bank Tanzania and Citibank Tanzania moving into the large-bank category, alongside a Sh1.3 trillion fall in deposits. Development economist Prof Abel Kinyondo of the University of Dar es Salaam described concentration as “both a shield and a vulnerability.

” Large banks can absorb shocks, he said, but if either CRDB or NMB stumbles, the entire economy feels the impact. For smaller lenders, the reverse is true.

“Bad debts eat directly into their thin profit margins,” Prof Kinyondo said. “They don’t have the buffer that CRDB or NMB enjoys.

” Finance lecturer Dr Tobias Swai added that concentration is also geographic. “Most large banks’ networks are in urban areas,” he said.

“Innovation tends to happen where infrastructure is strongest, while smaller banks follow too late.” He noted that mobile and agent banking are helping narrow the gap, but historical advantages–deep government links and payroll management for public servants–keep the two biggest players far ahead.

Dr Swai suggested regulatory reforms beyond entry capital requirements, such as performance thresholds requiring banks to achieve growth within five to ten years. “This would push smaller banks to scale faster, rather than stagnating,” he said.

Systemic pressures Banking analyst Mr Kelvin Mkwawa said the dominance of the top two banks is already reshaping the market. “Small banks are under liquidity pressure,” he noted.

“They struggle to attract deposits, limiting their ability to lend to SMEs, while the large banks effectively set the cost of credit.” He warned that even minor disruptions at a top-tier bank could have outsized effects.

“A small change in CRDB’s core system disrupted millions across the country. That is the systemic risk concentration creates.

” Mr Mkwawa suggested BoT should monitor loan-to-deposit ratios more closely and encourage collaboration among smaller banks to reach underserved populations. Incentives for SME lending and rural expansion could also help level the playing field.

The EY report reinforced these concerns, noting that large banks operate at far greater efficiency–with cost-to-income ratios of 35.7 percent compared to 67.4 percent for smaller institutions. Meanwhile, collective investment schemes such as UTT AMIS are growing rapidly, with a 44.9 percent compound annual growth rate between 2022 and 2024, compared to bank deposits’ 15.8 percent CAGR.

This suggests savers are beginning to diversify. Consolidation trend Recent mergers and acquisitions are also reshaping the landscape.

Access Bank Group’s takeover of BancABC Tanzania and the consolidation of Kilimanjaro and Tandahimba cooperative banks into the Cooperative Bank of Tanzania in 2024 further entrenched the dominance of major players. BoT has introduced reforms to strengthen resilience, including a shift to interest rate-based monetary policy, maintaining the central bank rate at 6 percent, and amendments to accommodate Islamic finance.

The loan-to-deposit ratio edged up to 92 percent, while return on average equity climbed to 23.6 percent. Still, experts warn that concentration could slow innovation and widen inequalities in a country targeting 6 percent GDP growth in 2025. Regional lessons Tanzania’s challenge is not unique.

In South Africa, the top five banks control around 90 percent of assets. In Nigeria, a handful of large lenders dominate despite dozens of licensed players.

Kenya, by contrast, maintains a more fragmented market, where mid-tier banks continue to play a meaningful role. For Tanzania, the lesson is clear: concentration may signal strength, but without diversification, it could also expose the economy to vulnerabilities.

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Dar es Salaam. Tanzanians in the diaspora investing in the stock market will soon be able to participate in tribunal proceedings without physically attending courtrooms, thanks to a new visual hearing system being rolled out by the Capital Markets Tribunal (CMT).

The digital platform, which is 90 percent complete and expected to be fully operational by December, will enable investors abroad to attend hearings remotely. The system is designed to cut travel costs and delays while keeping investors fully engaged in dispute resolution processes from anywhere in the world.

CMT Registrar Martin Kolikoli, told reporters during the Tribunal’s second anniversary yesterday that the initiative marks a milestone in modernising Tanzania’s judicial process for capital market-related issues. He said it would ultimately boost investor confidence and appetite in the stock market.

“The visual hearing system will enable access to justice regardless of location, which is especially beneficial for diaspora investors who previously faced challenges attending hearings physically,” he said. The platform, being developed by local ICT professionals under the supervision of the e-Government Agency (eGA), is designed to simplify case management, improve communication and increase efficiency within the capital markets judicial framework.

Once integrated with the High Court system, it will support real-time virtual hearings and allow more streamlined case handling. Mr Kolikoli also highlighted progress since the CMT was established two years ago, pointing to successes, challenges and future plans.

He said the Tribunal had strengthened the investment climate by providing a dedicated mechanism for resolving disputes in the capital markets. So far, the Tribunal has resolved several key cases and has partnered with regional counterparts in Kenya and Zambia to enhance its operational capacity through knowledge sharing and joint initiatives.

The launch of the visual hearing system is part of a wider government effort to harness digital tools to improve public service delivery. “For the CMT, it represents a shift towards a more inclusive and investor-friendly judicial environment, where technology helps break down barriers to justice,” Mr Kolikoli added.

Since its establishment, the Tribunal has handled numerous cases and conducted educational seminars reaching more than 850 stakeholders. It has also raised awareness among over 500,000 individuals through social media campaigns.

With preparations for the system’s rollout in progress, the CMT is confident the platform will contribute significantly to building a more robust and accessible legal framework for all stakeholders in Tanzania’s capital markets ecosystem. .

Arusha. The Tanzania High Court at the Songea Registry has sentenced three people to death by hanging after finding them guilty of murdering a bodaboda rider, Mr Fanyeni Adam.

Those convicted are Faraji Liyugana, Said Ponera, and Rashid Fussi, charged with the murder of the deceased, contrary to sections 196 and 197 of the Penal Code. Judge James Karayemaha delivered the verdict on September 29, 2025, a copy of which was later uploaded to the court’s website.

According to the judgment, the killing occurred on January 12, 2023, with the body abandoned in bushland near the Tanesco area in Namtumbo District, Ruvuma Region. After examining evidence from both prosecution and defence, Judge Karayemaha ruled all three were guilty of murder and sentenced them to death by hanging.

Evidence presented Key evidence included confessions by the second and third accused persons, who admitted involvement in the killing in collusion with the first accused. Court testimony revealed the deceased had been riding a motorcycle with registration MC 162 DPT, owned by Abbasy Gangisa, who entrusted it to witness number 12, Faraji Ngonyani, to operate for business and share profits.

Witness number 12 testified that he had given the motorcycle to Mr Fanyeni Adam (the deceased) for business in exchange for Sh10,000 daily payments. Witness number six said on January 12, 2023, the deceased visited his home with a friend, Mr Yasin Lika, saying they were going to a farm in the Tanesco area to collect a hoe, but did not return that night.

Searches began the next day. Efforts to locate him through witness number 12 proved fruitless until January 14, when witness number nine, Mr Mariju Mwenyeheri, found his body in bushland near his farm.

Police recovered the body with injuries. The motorcycle was missing, except for a mobile phone found at the scene.

Witness number two, SP Cathbet Mnogi, said police were informed of the accused’s identities, friends of Yasin, and the deceased. They later recovered the motorcycle at the home of the first accused, who lived with his fiancee, Ms Ziaba Saidi (witness number three).

Witness number three testified that the first accused told her the motorcycle belonged to a friend who owed him Sh300,000. The friend failed to repay, and the motorcycle was taken to recover the debt. Witness number two said the first accused admitted involvement and named the second and third accused as accomplices, adding they gave him the motorcycle after the killing to sell and share proceeds.

The first accused said his friend, Mr Yasin, asked him to keep the motorcycle on January 24, 2023, but he failed to return it before the police confiscated. He denied naming his coaccused and denied knowing them.

The second accused said he was arrested on January 15, informed of the murder charge, denied writing a confession, and denied knowing the others. The third accused said he was arrested on January 15 at home, informed of the charge, and denied knowing the other accused or writing a confession.

Judge’s ruling Judge Karayemaha said two issues remained: whether the death was unnatural and whether the accused committed it with malice. Evidence, including a medical examination showing a severe head injury, confirmed the death was unnatural.

Although no witness directly saw the accused kill the deceased, possession of the motorcycle after his death linked them to the crime. The judge noted confessions by the second accused, who said they planned to seize the motorcycle with Mr Yasin, Mr Rashid, and Mr Faraji, promising Sh1 million afterward.

They lured the rider to Tanesco, attacked him with a machete and sticks until he died, while Mr Yasin was watching. The third accused admitted waiting along the road to ambush the rider and later attacking him with a stick.

The judge said the confessions by the second and third accused, given voluntarily, were crucial. Weighing all the evidence, the court found all three guilty of murder and sentenced them to death by hanging.

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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.

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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.” .

Dar es Salaam. Presidential candidate Doyo Hassan Doyo of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has identified five major challenges in Geita Region that he says he will address if elected in the October 29 General Election.

Speaking during his campaign tour in Sengerema District at Zamani Bus Terminal and Buseresere Ward yesterday, Mr Doyo said poor roads and high transport costs remain the region’s biggest problems. He also highlighted shortages of medicines and medical equipment in health centres, limited access to clean water, and farmers’ struggles to sell their produce in profitable markets.

“If citizens grant me their mandate, I will ensure farmers can sell their produce in markets that offer fair prices,” Mr Doyo said. “Currently, many are forced to sell in exploitative markets that perpetuate poverty.

If you trust me and vote on October 29, I will ensure farmers receive fair and motivating prices for all their crops.” Mr Doyo criticised the ruling party, CCM, for fixing prices that he says prevent farmers from earning fair returns, describing such policies as a way to keep citizens in poverty.

He also raised broader infrastructure and social service challenges, noting that despite the country’s rich mineral resources, including gold, diamonds, and Tanzanite, many citizens still lack access to clean water, health services, and quality roads. On transport, Mr Doyo said operators face high running costs due to poor roads and excessive taxes, limiting business growth.

“These problems have persisted for decades. Citizens are again asked to trust promises that were never fulfilled.

Tanzanians, choose NLD for real development,” he said. Campaign Manager Pogora Ibrahim Pogora urged voters to support Mr Doyo, noting that he had studied the challenges before seeking office.

“It is time for citizens to elect Mr Doyo, a leader committed to addressing the issues he has already researched,” Pogora said. He added that the NLD manifesto focuses on three principles: patriotism, justice, and development–values Mr Doyo promises to uphold if elected.

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