Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. The final round of the National Rally Championship (NRC) is now scheduled to take place next year in January in the Arusha region.

The event, dubbed the Arusha Guru Nanak Motor Rally, was originally set for November 9 but had to be postponed due to unavoidable circumstances. Speaking to The Citizen, Arusha Motorsport chairman Goodluk Mariki confirmed that preparations are underway for the highly anticipated finale, which is expected to feature 15 of the country’s top rally drivers.

Currently, three driver, Ahmed Huwel, Randeep Singh, and Waleed Nahdi are locked in a tight contest for the championship title. After four intense rounds, Huwel from Iringa leads the standings with 105 points, followed by Singh of Dar es Salaam on 88 points, while Nahdi sits third with 80 points.

The trio has dominated the season, keeping fans on the edge of their seats and setting the stage for a fiercely competitive finale. According to NRC regulations, the winner of the final leg will earn 30 points, the runner-up 25 points, with points decreasing progressively for subsequent positions.

This system keeps the championship mathematically open, though Huwel currently holds a commanding advantage. For Huwel, the upcoming rally could mark a historic season.

Having already secured two major victories this year in the Morogoro and Arusha NRC rounds, he only needs to finish the Guru Nanak Rally to reclaim the national title he first won in 2007. His consistent performances and strong podium finishes throughout the campaign have given him a 17-point cushion over Singh. Driving a Toyota Yaris Gazoo, Huwel has also become a symbol of the sport’s evolving technological landscape, challenging the long-standing dominance of Subaru and Mitsubishi vehicles.

A win–or even a top-five finish–would confirm his championship triumph, effectively ending the two-decade reign of the traditional rally giants and highlighting a new era in Tanzanian motorsport. Fans and enthusiasts alike are eagerly awaiting January’s final showdown, which promises high-speed action, strategic driving, and a nail-biting conclusion to the 2025 National Rally Championship.

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Washington. The US is ending temporary legal status for citizens of Ethiopia in the United States, according to a government notice on Friday, as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on legal and illegal immigration.

“After reviewing country conditions and consulting with appropriate U.S.

Government agencies, the Secretary determined that Ethiopia no longer continues to meet the conditions for the designation for Temporary Protected Status,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a notice posted in the Federal Register. Temporary Protected Status is available to people whose home country has experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event.

It provides eligible migrants with work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. The program was created in 1991 and under Biden was extended to cover about 600,000 Venezuelans and 521,000 Haitians.

Noem reversed the extensions in February, saying they were no longer justified. In recent months, the administration has removed the protective status for migrants from numerous countries, including Haiti, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Venezuela.

In November, Trump announced the termination of protection for Somalis in Minnesota Trump has made controlling immigration a central plank of his second White House term. Canceling TPS protections are a boost to the administration’s campaign to deport millions of people.

The cancellations have been challenged in court. The Supreme Court in October cleared the way for the administration to revoke TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the United States, granting a request to put on hold a federal judge’s ruling that Noem lacked the authority to terminate the status while litigation proceeds.

The Homeland Security department also said on Friday it was no longer processing legacy cases under the Cuban and Haitian family reunification parole program, according to a post in the Federal Register. Those programs make it easier for U.

S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to bring family members into the country.

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Geneva. Food rations will be reduced for communities facing famine in Sudan from next month due to severe funding shortages, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

A war that erupted in 2023 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused what the U.N.

has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Communities in the Darfur region are facing famine and malnutrition following an 18-month RSF siege around the city of Al-Fashir.

“We will be having to reduce from January to 70% rations for communities that are facing famine, and 50% for those that are at risk of famine,” Ross Smith, the WFP Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response told reporters in Geneva, speaking via video link from Rome. “As of April we will fall off a cliff when it comes to funding,” he added.

The U.N.

estimates that more than 100,000 people have fled from al-Fashir since its capture by the RSF in late October, with about 15,000 arriving in Tawila, a small nearby town under the control of neutral forces. The U.

N. says 650,000 people are now sheltered there in total, with hundreds of thousands of refugees having fled there during previous fighting from Zam Zam camp in April.

While the WFP is able to provide food to people in Tawila, it requires $700 million to maintain its assistance over the next six months across Sudan. class=”article-picture” 9 class=”article-picture_caption” 3 Displaced people ride a an animal-drawn cart, following Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacks on Zamzam displacement camp, in the town of Tawila, North Darfur, Sudan April 15, 2025. WFP also raised concern that the humanitarian response was not able to keep pace with needs on the ground in Tawila due to logistical challenges such as negotiation approvals to move between areas as well funding challenges.

“These are families that have endured famine for many months on end and mass atrocities, and are now living in overcrowded conditions with very limited support,” Smith said, pointing to very limited available health services and people living in precarious shelters made of straw. Both the army and RSF have been accused by human rights groups of war crimes, charges they deny.

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Dar es Salaam. Simba Sports Club board of director’s chairman, Cresentius Magori, has reaffirmed that the club remains in contention for the Mainland Tanzania Premier League title, despite their recent 2-0 defeat to Azam FC.

The loss saw Simba drop to fifth place in the league standings, with 12 points from five matches played so far. Magori said that the league is still in its early stages, with 30 matches scheduled in total.

“We have only played five matches out of thirty. It is too early to make predictions about the ultimate winner.

Simba will bounce back and fight to reclaim the top spot,” said Magori. The chairman acknowledged the challenges posed by strong competitors in the league but expressed faith in the team’s ability to recover.

“Current results are not the final verdict. There are still many matches to be played, and we believe Simba SC will do their best.

Our squad has the talent and experience to remain serious title contenders,” he said Simba SC’s recent defeat to Azam FC, one of their biggest rivals, came as a surprise to many fans who had expected a closer contest. Azam’s disciplined performance and strategic play exploited gaps in Simba’s defense, leading to a two-goal margin that proved decisive.

Despite the loss, Magori stressed that setbacks are part of the long league campaign. “Our focus now is on regrouping, training harder, and preparing for the upcoming matches.

Football is unpredictable, and the league is long. Every team will face highs and lows, and we are confident that Simba SC will find their winning rhythm soon,” he said.

Looking ahead, Simba SC will face Mtibwa Sugar in their next league match, scheduled for January 30 at the Major Isamuhyo Stadium. Magori highlighted that the club is fully preparing to secure a positive results in the remaining matches.

The chairman also called on fans to continue supporting the team through thick and thin. “Our supporters are the backbone of Simba SC.

We urge them to remain patient and trust the team as we aim for the league title. The journey is long, and with continued dedication, we believe the best is yet to come,” he said.

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Dar es Salaam. On the night of December 12, Bongo Movie lovers gathered at Century Cinema, Dar Free Market, for an experience that went beyond a film screening, as the Oh Sht Universe brought its stories to the big screen in a lively, multi-layered celebration of Tanzanian cinema.

While Bongo films have found their way into cinemas before, the event stood out for how it blended film, live interaction and audience engagement. The evening featured performances, a live podcast session, photo moments with cast and creatives, and open conversations that turned the cinema into a creative hub rather than just a screening venue.

For many in attendance, it was their first time watching a Tanzanian film inside a cinema hall, a moment several described as both emotional and eye-opening. Industry stakeholders noted that such events signal a growing confidence in local storytelling and a shift towards creating cinematic experiences that match audience expectations.

The screening attracted a diverse mix of film veterans such as Lamata, alongside a new generation of filmmakers and content creators, including Wilson Nkya, all turning up to show support for the expanding Oh Sht Universe. Although the night was primarily designed to launch Oh Sht It’s My Birthday, the producers made a deliberate creative choice to first screen Oh Sht It’s Christmas, allowing audiences to understand the characters, their motivations and the emotional foundation of the story.

Oh Sht It’s Christmas introduces Derick, a young man consumed by jealousy after seeing his girlfriend, Viola, close to her ex-lover, Mr Romantic. Acting out of anger and insecurity, Derick impulsively kisses Catherine a decision that triggers a chain of romantic and comedic chaos.

The sequel, Oh Sht It’s My Birthday, picks up seamlessly. Catherine is now involved with a wealthy new lover, while Derick continues his desperate attempt to win back Viola, who has already chosen to move on.

Despite this, Viola ensures Catherine pays a price for her role, unleashing a calculated revenge on Catherine’s birthday that escalates the drama and keeps the audience fully engaged. What clearly separates the two films is the visible leap in production value.

From cinematography and sound design to storytelling and performance, the sequel reflects notable growth and creative confidence within the Oh Sht Universe. Beyond entertainment, the film subtly delivers a sexual and reproductive health message, reminding audiences about condom use a topic rarely addressed openly in mainstream local cinema, yet smoothly integrated into the narrative.

Audience reactions echoed this evolution. Several viewers praised the improvement in quality, with one noting that while Oh Sht It’s Christmas had an interesting idea, the sequel felt like a fully realised film.

Others called for more stories that reflect real, modern experiences rather than recycled themes. Director Mathew Valeriana revealed that Oh Sht It’s My Birthday was a collective effort involving friends, close collaborators and students, reflecting grassroots filmmaking driven by passion rather than large budgets.

While ruling out turning the project into a series for now, he hinted at plans to expand the universe into feature films, with another instalment already in mind. Drawing inspiration from international cinema, Valeriana said exposure to Hollywood films helped shape the project’s storytelling approach, adapting global techniques to local realities.

Comedian Nduttu, who started as part of the lighting crew before acting in Oh Sht It’s Christmas, praised the project’s growth, suggesting its quality could comfortably compete on global platforms. With its blend of humour, romance, social commentary and audience-centred presentation, the Oh Sht Universe screening offered more than a film launch it offered a glimpse into a future where Tanzanian cinema is experiential, confident and ready for the big screen.

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Life is basically one big teamwork project. whether we like it or not.

Mwalimu needs students to pass so the parents don’t come breathing fire. A bodaboda guy needs passengers so he’s not just cruising around town looking important.

Even Mama Ntilie needs hungry customers, otherwise, that pilau becomes kiporo. Yet some artistes act like they’re the only people in Tanzania who don’t need anybody.

Newsflash: fame doesn’t grow on trees, and applause isn’t automatic. Just like a fundi depends on clients, a preacher depends on a congregation, artistes depend on fans, the very same people who stream, shout, argue, defend and basically give them celebrity oxygen.

It’s a two-way street, not a royal parade. And lately? Fans are slowly but surely saying, “No more background dancing in your ego show.

” What exactly did our artistes expect? Honestly what was the endgame here? That fans would quietly sit there, clapping on command, streaming songs on autopilot, and flooding comment sections with heart emojis while the same artistes couldn’t bother to show even a hint of interest in what Jamii was going through? Fans have been loyal, forgiving and basically doing the emotional heavy lifting for years. They hype songs before they drop, defend artistes in online wars they didn’t start, fill concerts even when the economy is squeezing everyone and treat celebrity drama like a full-time job.

That kind of loyalty is rare. But even rare things get tired when they’re mishandled.

The problem isn’t that artistes spoke. It’s that many chose to speak only when it benefited them, and the sudden silence when citizens needed a voice, just a tiny hint that they understood the national mood.

Fans noticed, compared energy, filed receipts. And realised the love wasn’t mutual On the digital side, fans are already perfecting the art of passive-aggressive warfare.

Views are down, comments are spicy, and the vibe on artists’ pages is cautious. Every like withheld is not just a number, it’s a neon sign flashing, “We are watching you.

And we’re not impressed.” On the economic side, the warning signs are even louder.

No shows announced, streams underperforming, and hype levels resembling a flat soda. Fans haven’t changedThey’ve just grown up.

They got smart. They stopped giving endless loyalty to people who weren’t giving anything back.

So if artistes are confused by the faint rumble of discontent, let me spell it out..

fans are not choosing chaos. They’re choosing themselves.

And if the music industry wants that trust back, it’s time to earn it, the same way fans earned their own patience, their own hype, and their own heartbreak over the years. Because in the end, you can be the fanciest artiste in Dar, but without your fans, your concert is just you and a microphone echoing in an empty room.

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Kahama. A S.

8 billion rainwater harvesting and filtration project jointly funded by Barrick Buzwagi and the government is set to significantly improve water availability in Kahama Municipality, marking a major step towards resolving the area’s long-standing water shortages. Currently under construction in Mwendakulima Ward, the project will collect, treat and distribute rainwater, providing a sustainable and alternative water source for the fast-growing municipality.

Once completed, it will supply up to 10 million litres of clean and safe water per day, reaching more than 66 per cent of Kahama’s residents. Authorities say the project is one of the most notable investments that will remain after the Buzwagi mine, now in its closure phase, completes its shutdown.

It is expected to reduce pressure on existing water infrastructure and stabilise supply for domestic and economic activities. During an inspection tour of the site, Mwendakulima Ward Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Kahama Municipality, Shaban Mikongoti, said the initiative marks a transformative shift for the community.

“This investment will greatly reduce the persistent challenge of accessing reliable and safe water. It will improve the quality of life for our residents, support local businesses and enhance public health,” he said.

Mikongoti noted that the project is part of wider development efforts supported by government and partners, adding that the construction and operation phases will also create employment opportunities for young people. He urged the youth to take advantage of jobs emerging around the Buzwagi economic zone and called on investors to prioritise hiring young people from Kahama, particularly for non-skilled roles.

Barrick Buzwagi representative Tito Jonathan said the company, operating in partnership with the government through Twiga Minerals, remains committed to supporting efforts to ensure communities access clean and safe water. .

Arusha. The High Court has sentenced Hamis Shija to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murdering his pregnant wife, Diana John, and their child, Yakobo Hamis, in a case described as horrific and cruel.

Court documents show that Hamis slit his wife’s throat with a machete, then cut open her stomach with a razor blade, and removed their twin foetuses. He told the court that a traditional healer had convinced him that his wife was bewitching him and blocking his chances of becoming wealthy.

The court also heard that he boiled parts of one foetus in a pot. He later killed his son, Yakobo, by slitting his throat.

The murders occurred on January 28 and 29, 2024, at Misangi Village in Uyogo Ward, Urambo District, Tabora Region. Delivering the judgment, High Court Judge Zaiban Mango said the evidence left no doubt that Hamis committed the offences.

He was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Hamis was charged before the High Court, Tabora Sub-Registry, with two counts of murder contrary to sections 196 and 197 of the Penal Code.

The prosecution told the court that Diana was the accused’s wife and Yakobo their child. It presented 12 witnesses and five exhibits, while the accused testified as the sole defence witness.

Although there were no eyewitnesses to the killings, the prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence and the accused’s confessions. Witnesses who saw the bodies confirmed that both victims had deep cuts.

A key witness, Elisha Paulo–the accused’s stepson–recounted the events of January 27 and 28. He testified that the accused, his mother and Yakobo slept in the bedroom, while he and another child, Sumbu, slept on the veranda. He said the accused returned home late that night but did not wake him to open the door as usual.

The next morning, Elisha heard groaning from the bedroom. The accused later emerged alone.

Diana did not come out, and the children were barred from entering the room. Elisha said the accused admitted to killing their mother, citing a misunderstanding.

Later that evening, Elisha found Yakobo dead on the bed with a neck wound, while Diana lay on the floor. He testified that he saw the accused boiling what appeared to be meat, and was asked to collect the fat in a bottle because it was “rare and valuable.

” The accused then instructed him to help bury Diana’s body outside the house. Relatives later arrived at the home, but the accused refused to let the children out.

Villagers eventually forced the door open and rescued them. Hamis denied killing his family, claiming he had travelled to Mnande in Kaliua and returned to find the bodies.

He alleged that armed villagers had frightened him and that he locked himself inside to protect the children. Judge Mango ruled that Elisha’s testimony, corroborated by other witnesses, provided strong circumstantial evidence linking the accused to the killings.

The court also accepted an additional police statement in which Hamis confessed to the murders, claiming he believed his family practised witchcraft. The judge ruled that the defence had failed to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case and sentenced Hamis to death by hanging.

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align–justifyDar es Salaam. The government has announced a far-reaching human resource audit across the public sector, marking one of the most comprehensive workforce evaluations in recent years as Tanzania accelerates its digital shift to improve efficiency, accountability, and service delivery.

align–justifySpeaking during a press briefing on December 12, 2025, the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Mr Ridhiwani Kikwete, said the audit aims to identify skills gaps, rationalise staffing needs, and align the public workforce with national development goals. align–justify”The government is conducting a wide assessment of public servants with the aim of identifying the current human resource needs within the public service,” he said.

align–justifyHe added that the initiative responds directly to the ruling party’s directives to strengthen accountability, modernise work systems, and enhance productivity in the public sector. align–justifyMr Kikwete linked the audit to broader national aspirations under the Tanzania Development Vision 2050, which calls for a public sector capable of catalysing economic growth, spurring innovation, and generating new opportunities for young people.

align–justify”Dira 2050 has directed that priority sectors should have the capacity to generate their own employment and stimulate job creation in other sectors,” he explained. align–justifyHe noted that the government has also been tasked with increasing employment opportunities for young people, raising incomes, reducing poverty, and ensuring that at least 8.

5 million jobs are created by 2030. align–justifyTo support this agenda, the government issued 41,500 new job permits in the 2025/26 financial year, including President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s pledge of 12,000 new positions–5,000 in the health sector and 7,000 in science and mathematics education, in her 100 days in office. align–justify”These positions are being filled through an open and competitive process as required by policy,” he said, noting that shortlisting had been completed and that interviews begin on December 13 across all regions and Zanzibar.

align–justifyA major milestone in the recruitment overhaul is the introduction of the Online Aptitude Test System (OATS), which will conduct screening examinations electronically in universities, VETA institutions, and secondary schools equipped with computer laboratories. align–justify”This is meant to ensure that the interviews are conducted for all qualified candidates on time and efficiently,” Mr Kikwete said.

align–justifyHe urged applicants to monitor their ‘Ajira Portal’ accounts to confirm their interview centres, adding that successful candidates will receive their appointment letters through the same platform from January 2026. align–justifyTo strengthen citizen engagement and improve feedback loops, the government has upgraded the ‘e-Mrejesho’ platform, which now includes a new “Speak to a Leader” feature that allows citizens to send comments, complaints, or compliments directly to ministers, regional commissioners, district commissioners, or heads of public institutions. align–justify”All citizens will be able to submit feedback directly to a leader and receive responses via SMS,” he said.

He further noted that the information collected “will be analysed for the purpose of improving services provided to the public,” with a more user-friendly mobile app on the way. align–justifyAnother key reform is the ‘Government Service Directory (GSD)’, a digital tool that consolidates information about public services such as requirements, costs, locations, and complaint procedures.

align–justifyThe system, Mr Kikwete said, is designed to align with the expectations of Tanzania’s increasingly digital-savvy youth. align–justifySo far, 84 percent of public servants and 93 percent of public institutions have adopted the accompanying performance management system, ‘e-Utendaji’, formerly PEPMIS/PIPMIS.

align–justify”This step has enabled the government to identify the level of performance among public servants and institutions on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, half-year, and annual basis,” he noted. align–justifyMr Kikwete also emphasised the government’s plan to intensify leadership and ethics training for ministers, deputy ministers, and senior officials.

align–justify”As this office has the responsibility to enhance excellence within the public service, we will continue offering training to ensure that we build a productive and high-quality public service,” he said. align–justifyAnti-corruption and governance reforms align–justifyHe reiterated that institutions such as the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) are scaling up the use of digital systems to curb corruption hotspots, seal revenue leakages, and reinforce ethical governance between 2025 and 2030. align–justifyMr Kikwete stressed that the ongoing reforms, in auditing, digital transformation, ethics, training, and citizen engagement, reflect a government intent on building a modern public service aligned with Tanzania’s 2050 ambitions.

align–justify”All these actions demonstrate the government’s strong commitment to creating a public service that is efficient, accountable, and grounded in the principles of good governance,” he said. align–justifyHe added that Vision 2050 aspires to have more than 80 percent of government services delivered digitally by 2050, ensuring greater convenience, transparency, and responsiveness for all citizens.

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Dar es Salaam. Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) has intensified efforts to secure local and international research grants to strengthen scientific work that underpins improved specialised healthcare delivery nationwide.

MNH Executive Director Dr Delilah Kimambo made the remarks on Friday, December 12, 2025, during the launch of a new journal featuring a broad range of studies generated at the country’s top referral facility. She said the hospital’s long-term goal is to ensure research outcomes directly shape national health policies, enhance clinical training, and guide the development of medical technologies adapted to Tanzania’s priorities.

She emphasised that investment in research capacity is essential for the country to respond to emerging health challenges. “We cannot establish or advance superspecialised services without research.

For example, we would not introduce kidney transplant services unless evidence showed high patient demand,” she said. To achieve this, Dr Kimambo said MNH is broadening its research proposals to attract funding for studies aimed at identifying key public health gaps, strengthening evidence-based care, and expanding highly specialised services.

She stressed that research does more than improve clinical practice; it also provides policymakers with dependable data to inform the evolution of treatment while advancing the skills of health professionals. According to her, internal MNH studies have led to major gains in intensive care, oncology, cardiology, maternal and child health, and specialised surgical interventions.

Institutions including the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), and the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) were established after research identified critical shortages in specialised services. She noted that modern innovations such as day-care chemotherapy, advanced diagnostics, and minimally invasive surgery were adopted based on evidence demonstrating their safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

She said these innovations reflect MNH’s commitment to delivering services that are patient-centred and aligned with global medical standards, ensuring equitable access to treatment. “No one wants to stay in hospital unnecessarily.

Our research has helped scale up interventional procedures that shorten admissions and improve recovery,” she said. Dr Kimambo also underscored MNH’s role in shaping national health strategies.

Research from the hospital revealed that many patients previously treated at MNH could have been managed at regional and district facilities. This evidence prompted increased government investment in lower-level hospitals, enabling MNH to focus mainly on specialised and superspecialised care.

She added that MNH will continue cultivating partnerships at home and abroad to build expertise, attract more funding, and support clinical trials aligned with African health priorities. MNH Public Health Specialist, Mr Anord Nyanana, who conducted a study on cooking-related burn injuries and safe liquefied petroleum gas use in Dar es Salaam, said research is vital for transforming the health sector.

“After observing growing numbers of patients admitted with burns linked to cooking gas, I undertook a study to help improve service quality, enhance professional skills, strengthen policies, and introduce modern services that reach more people,” he said. .