Category: The Citizen

A declaration first: I count Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, as a friend. Readers should weigh what follows with that knowledge. Friendship can cloud political judgment. But it can also provide a close view of character, of how a leader behaves when the cameras have gone, the speeches have ended and the available choices are all difficult.

In 2021, in the pages of Tanzania’s leading English daily, The Citizen, I argued that a change of leadership in Zambia could benefit both Tanzania and Zambia. Five years later, as Zambians prepare to vote on August 13, that proposition deserves to be revisited, not on the evidence of hope, but of experience.

Zambia’s election belongs to Zambians. Its consequences, however, will not stop at the border.

The country sits at the meeting point of eastern, central and southern Africa. It borders eight nations, produces one of the world’s most strategically important minerals and depends on corridors through its neighbours to reach global markets. Zambia’s success or failure therefore travels through copper prices, power lines, railway wagons, fuel pipelines and the trucks that cross Tunduma and Nakonde.

Over the past five years, Tanzania and Zambia have moved beyond the language of historical friendship towards the harder business of economic partnership.

Consider the Port of Dar es Salaam, perhaps Zambia’s most consequential piece of infrastructure that Zambia does not own. Cargo moving between Zambia and the port has risen by 130% from 1.5 million metric tonnes to 3.5 million since 2021, restoring Zambia’s place among the two largest users of Tanzania’s gateway to the Indian Ocean. For a copper-producing country without a coastline, access to an efficient port is not a diplomatic convenience. It is a condition of competitiveness.

The same logic applies to energy. Tanzania and Zambia are building the interconnector that will eventually link the Eastern and Southern African power pools. Tanzania has completed the short cross-border section between Tunduma and Nakonde; the much larger Zambian network is being built towards full operation. Once complete, the system will allow Zambia to import electricity when drought weakens its hydroelectric generation and export power when it has a surplus. Tanzanian Cabinet of Ministers has already approved 500MW power exports to Zambia.

This matters after the devastating drought of 2024 exposed the danger of depending too heavily on one source of electricity. A mine cannot expand on promises of power. A factory cannot employ people during prolonged load-shedding. Regional interconnection turns national vulnerability into shared resilience.

The two governments are also pursuing a new multiproduct petroleum pipeline alongside the ageing TAZAMA system, which has carried fuel from Dar es Salaam to Ndola since 1968. Combined with the planned rehabilitation of TAZARA, these projects could rebuild the physical spine connecting the Copperbelt to the Indian Ocean.

These are not glamorous undertakings. Pipelines, substations, ports and railway concessions rarely stir crowds at political rallies. But nations are transformed by precisely such patient work.

Zambia wants to raise annual copper production to 3mn tonnes by 2031. That ambition will require investment in mines, but also reliable electricity, efficient railways, predictable border procedures and competitive access to the sea. The corridor through Tanzania is therefore not separate from Zambia’s development strategy. It is part of it. The rebound of two countries reminiscence of Kaunda-Nyerere eras of brotherhood during liberation is a strong vote of confidence to President Hichilema.

Yet the more important question in this election is what has happened inside Zambia.

Hichilema inherited Africa’s first pandemic-era sovereign defaulter. The country had stopped servicing parts of its external debt, investor confidence had collapsed and the government’s room to finance development had narrowed severely. Debt restructuring was long, frustrating and politically unrewarding work. It required persuading official lenders, bondholders and commercial creditors, each with different interests, to accept a common settlement.

The process is not entirely finished, but agreements now cover about 94 per cent of the external debt included in the restructuring perimeter. The World Bank estimates that public debt fell from 133 per cent of gross domestic product in 2023 to about 93 per cent in 2025. Zambia remains at high risk of debt distress, and it would be dishonest to suggest otherwise. But it is no longer standing where it stood in 2021.

The wider economy is also recovering. Annual inflation, which had risen painfully during the drought, fell to 6.5 per cent in July. The economy expanded by 7.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier. Such figures do not erase hardship. They do, however, suggest that the foundations of stability are being restored.

I also saw Hichilema’s governing character during the drought and the maize shortage that followed during 2022/2023.

As trading houses on both sides of the border positioned themselves to sell maize into Zambia at crisis prices, I became a go-between, carrying messages between the presidencies in Lusaka and Dar es Salaam. Hichilema did not leave the matter entirely to his cabinet or to the market. He took a direct interest and pressed for a government-to-government arrangement with Tanzania, rather than leave Zambian consumers exposed to the prices commercial suppliers were quoting.

The maize eventually entered Zambia at little more than half those indicative commercial prices.

He then insisted that emergency imports could not become permanent dependence. Zambia had to return to producing its own food. Maize production subsequently recovered from about 1.5mn tonnes in the drought-hit 2023/24 season to more than 3.6mn tonnes the following season, producing a national surplus. A further bumper harvest is expected this year.

I did not hear this story afterwards from an official seeking to polish the President’s image. I carried some of the messages myself. I watched a president choose to fight for cheaper food when it would have been easier to let the crisis take its commercial course.

The relationship between our countries has also become more human. During an address to Zambia’s National Assembly, President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced that Zambians could remain in Tanzania without a visa for as long as 180 days, twice the period provided under the ordinary SADC arrangement. It may appear a small administrative gesture. It is not small to the traders, students, tourists and families who move between Lusaka, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

None of this is an argument for complacency.

Many Zambians remain bruised by the cost of living. Youth unemployment is still intolerably high. Load-shedding has punished households and businesses. There is also legitimate debate about whether the government has always balanced economic reform, political tolerance and the protection of civil liberties as carefully as it should.

External achievements do not put mealie meal on the table. Debt restructuring does not, by itself, give a graduate a job. A new power line matters only when it keeps a workshop open, allows a child to study and enables a factory to add another shift.

These frustrations should not be dismissed as impatience. They are the substance of democratic accountability. A government asking for another mandate must explain not merely what it has repaired, but how the repair will now change ordinary lives.

The question before Zambia is therefore not whether the past five years have been perfect. They plainly have not been. Nor is it whether every promise made in 2021 has been fulfilled. It has not.

The real question is one of direction.

A country can change course before the road has produced its full rewards. It can also continue along that road while demanding that its leaders move faster, listen more carefully and distribute the gains more fairly. Democracy allows citizens to insist on both continuity and correction.

The projects now taking shape remain unfinished: the power interconnector is still being built; the new pipeline remains a proposal to be financed and constructed; TAZARA’s revival must move from agreements to functioning trains; and the ambition to treble copper production is still some distance away.

Their incompleteness is not proof that nothing has been achieved. It is the reason the choice matters.

Zambia has also been designated the incoming chair of SADC at a moment when southern Africa badly needs practical economic integration. The region speaks often of integration but still trades too little with itself, moves cargo too slowly and generates electricity as though geography stopped at national borders. Hichilema’s experience of building corridors, opening markets and linking power systems would be relevant to that regional task.

For too long, African countries have described themselves by what they lack: landlocked, power-deficient, debt-distressed. Good leadership asks a different question: what can geography, neighbours and disciplined policy make possible?

Zambia is not merely landlocked. President Hichilema is transforming it to a land-linked, a junction connecting the Copperbelt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic corridors. That transformation requires more than concrete and steel. It requires consistency of policy and confidence between governments, investors and citizens.

This is not Tanzania’s election to influence, and Tanzania should not attempt to do so. But neighbours may properly observe what cooperation has produced.

As a Tanzanian who has watched our two economies rediscover one another, and who saw a leader choose his people’s stomachs over the easier arithmetic of a crisis, I offer this judgment: Zambia has spent five difficult years repairing foundations that had cracked. The house is not complete. Some rooms remain uncomfortable. Too many people are still waiting outside.

But before pulling down the scaffolding, Zambians should look carefully at what has already been rebuilt, what remains unfinished and which direction offers the stronger possibility of completing the work.

On August 13, they will vote not only on the record of one man. They will vote on whether the future Zambia began building in 2021 deserves the chance, under the uncompromising supervision of its citizens, to be completed.

More than 3,000 pupils across councils in Njombe Region, from Standard One to Standard Three, cannot read, write, or perform arithmetic, prompting Regional Commissioner Anthony Mtaka to order special boot camps to teach the children and address the challenge.

Mr Mtaka made the statements on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when opening a working session preparing for the implementation of the “Jifunze Kijiji Changu” (Learn My Village) project funded by Uwezo Tanzania, held in Njombe Region.

He said council leaders in their respective areas have a duty to ensure they establish special evening classes, as is done for examination classes, to help these pupils acquire reading, writing, and arithmetic skills.

He said according to reports, 3,001 pupils from Standard One to Standard Three in Njombe Region can neither read, write, nor compute, which poses a grave danger to the future of those children.

“Therefore, Regional Education Officer, if it will not inconvenience you, for these children whom I have seen on paper, where 3,001 children in the region cannot read, write, or count, with 1,450 being boys and 1,551 girls, one school should be selected in each council to teach them the 3Rs,” said Mr Mtaka.

He said during school holidays, instead of going home to rest, the time should be used in collaboration with parents and guardians to teach these pupils so they gain knowledge and learn to read and write.

He added that parents play a major role in enabling these pupils to master reading and writing by partnering with teachers and the child, making joint efforts imperative to prevent the nation from raising a generation lacking 3R skills.

He requested the Uwezo Tanzania organisation to assist with costs that will enable the Njombe regional administration to organise special classes to support pupils who cannot read, write, or count.

Njombe Regional Education Officer, Mr Nelas Mulungu said the learning project expects to reach not only Standard One to Three pupils, but also out-of-school children residing in respective villages who need to acquire reading, writing, and numeracy skills.

He said the project also aims to reach illiterate adults in Njombe Region, although arithmetic instruction will not apply to them.

He noted that the 3Rs is a national initiative launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to ensure all Tanzanians are literate, serving as part of the ruling CCM election manifesto.

“Our colleagues from Uwezo have come to support our regional plans so we can execute this scheme collaboratively,” said Mr Mulungu.

An official from Uwezo Tanzania, Ms Judith Kimambo, said they arrived in the region to launch the “Kijiji Changu” project as part of efforts supporting President Hassan’s initiative to ensure all Tanzanians master reading, writing, and arithmetic.

She said this is the fourth phase of the project, implemented in Njombe Region due to data presented by Regional Commissioner Anthony Mtaka showing local pupils struggle with basic 3R skills.

“Given the importance of literacy, we deemed it fit to bring this project, which will conduct assessments to identify children struggling with reading, writing, and counting so they can be placed in boot camps for training,” said Ms Kimambo.

For his part, Mlangali Primary School early childhood teacher, Mr James Kalembwe, based in Ludewa District, said the “Kijiji Changu” project has yielded significant results compared to the past, as non-literacy levels among pupils have dropped.

“Ludewa is currently performing well academically, and many children know how to read and write compared to before this project was implemented,” said Mr Kalembwe.

He thanked the government and Uwezo for delivering such projects, which have largely helped many pupils in Ludewa District learn to read, write, and calculate.

Hundreds of runners and supporters took to the streets of Bujumbura on Sunday as CRDB Bank Burundi turned its annual marathon into a campaign for access to clean and safe water.

Held under the theme ‘Un pas, de l’eau pour tous’ (One Step, Water for All), the third edition of the CRDB Marathon brought together runners, customers, employees, partners and members of the public in a collective effort to support communities facing challenges in accessing clean water.

The event was graced by the First Lady of Burundi, Angeline Ndayishimiye, who commended CRDB Bank Burundi for linking sport with social responsibility and efforts to support communities in need.

‘I welcome initiatives that bring citizens together around causes aimed at improving people’s lives. We must continue working together to support communities across Burundi.’

She encouraged continued cooperation among stakeholders to address challenges affecting communities and improve people’s livelihoods.

The event also highlighted the potential of collective action, with the bank saying contributions came in different forms, including financial support, sponsorships, partnerships and participation.

Regardless of size, represented another step towards improving access to clean and safe water. The marathon also reinforced the bank’s wider efforts to promote healthy living, community participation and social responsibility.

The marathon was designed to demonstrate how sport can be harnessed to create meaningful social impact. It is now third edition in Burundi, was created to bring people together around causes that matter while contributing to improved livelihoods.

The theme gave every participant an opportunity to contribute to a broader social cause, with every step taken symbolising support for communities without adequate access to clean water.

CRDB Bank Burundi also expressed appreciation to participants, sponsors, partners, customers, employees, institutions and individuals whose contributions helped turn the marathon into a platform for community impact.

Apart from the First Lady, the event was attended by the Minister of Energy and Mines, the Secretary General of the ruling party, the Governor of Bujumbura, members of the CRDB Bank Burundi Board of Directors, representatives of public institutions, sponsors, partners and other distinguished guests.

The event has evolved beyond a sporting competition into a platform for social responsibility and community engagement.

As the third edition concluded, CRDB Bank Burundi reaffirmed its commitment to creating shared value and supporting initiatives that contribute to sustainable development and improved livelihoods in Burundi.

Vice-President, Dr Emanuel Nchimbi, said major reforms made in the education sector in Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole have produced many positive results, including a substantial rise in student enrolment across various learning levels.

He made the statement on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when opening a girls’ dormitory at Hasnuu Makame Secondary School in Kibuteni, South Unguja Region, as part of the Kizimkazi Festival celebrations.

“Significant investment in the education sector and modern infrastructure across both governments is expanding educational and employment opportunities,” he said.

Other positive outcomes include improved teaching and learning infrastructure, which has contributed to higher pass rates in national examinations.

Despite major achievements recorded in improving the education sector, Dr Nchimbi noted that challenges have emerged due to the large number of students enrolling at various levels, particularly shortages of classrooms, desks, and dormitories.

“In that sense, the opening of this dormitory will address the challenge faced by students who walk long distances and spend considerable time commuting to and from school,” said Dr Nchimbi.

He said students have saved time and will now have opportunities to attend classes, study independently, and get adequate rest.

Furthermore, Dr Nchimbi said the presence of this dormitory environment will boost focus, discipline, and close collaboration among students while offering teachers a solid opportunity to supervise, nurture, and assist them fully in performance.

He noted that performance derived through the dormitory will significantly boost student pass rates and academic standards at the school.

He said government efforts to bolster educational infrastructure are continuous and encompass providing various supplies, including teaching materials, furniture, and numerous qualified teachers.

Thus, according to Dr Nchimbi, the government will continue allocating sufficient resources to ensure all schools have modern infrastructure, qualified teachers, and appropriate learning and teaching equipment.

He said the goal is to prepare knowledgeable, innovative, skilled, and self-reliant youth who contribute fully to national development.

He urged them to safeguard the infrastructure constructed by the government so it serves users for a long period.

“Parents and the community should continue supporting government efforts by encouraging children to study hard and protecting all infrastructure, as sustainable development requires genuine cooperation between government and society,” said Dr Nchimbi.

Zanzibar Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Ms Lela Mohamed Mussa, said the increase in such dormitories reflects how education is expanding.

The minister said when the eighth-phase government assumed office, the education budget stood at Sh256 billion, but to date, the budget has reached Sh1.1 trillion, representing massive investment in the sector.

“The government intends to eliminate double-session schooling, as experts have advised that it adversely impacts learning and deprives children of time to attend madrasa,” she said.

Providing technical details, the director of secondary education, Ms Asya Iddi Issa, said the hostel has a capacity to accommodate 280 students at a time across 12 rooms.

She said construction of the girls’ dormitory began in April 2025 and was completed in June 2026 at Sh1.58 billion under contractor Simba Developer Ltd and consultant AQ Consultant.

“This dormitory will feature a matron’s room, 14 toilets, laundry areas, and two rooms dedicated to persons with special needs,” she said.

South Unguja Regional Commissioner, Ms Hamida Mussa Khamis, said when the school was established, student numbers were insufficient, forcing them to source pupils from other regions to fill capacity, but currently, infrastructure and education standards have improved to self-sufficiency levels.

“We have transformed; students in the South are now self-aware, education standards are rising, and results continue to improve every year, so we no longer require students from other regions,” she said.

For her part, Makunduchi MP and Deputy Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Ms Wanu Hafidh Ameir, said they prioritise the school to ensure pass rates increase annually.

“Looking at this school’s results, there is visible change, and we give high priority to this school,” Ms Hafidh said.

The Nanenane 2026 Exhibition at the Mwalimu Nyerere grounds in Morogoro is in full swing. Amid the hum of machinery and the buzz of agricultural stakeholders, the Sugar Board of Tanzania (SBT) pavilion has emerged as a focal point, showcasing a modernized sector poised to end decades of import dependency.

The pavilion’s prominence was further highlighted by the Prime Minister’s visit, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, who inspected cutting-edge agricultural technologies, including the DJI AGRAS T50 drone used for precision irrigation and fertilizer application.

The PM also reviewed the entire sugar value chain from modern seed development and field preparation to advanced storage and processing techniques.

‘The adoption of drone technology must be prioritized to scale up sugarcane production and ensure national sugar security. This technology simplifies farming and is a key driver in attracting the youth to the sector,’ Dr Nchemba noted.

He commended the SBT for its role in the sector’s growth and directed the board to sustain its strategic momentum to achieve total sugar self-sufficiency by 2030.

The SBT as a catalyst for reform

As the primary regulatory body, the SBT is tasked with supervising, developing, and coordinating the country’s sugar industry. It serves as a crucial intermediary between outgrowers and millers, particularly in managing farming contracts and price negotiations.

Under this regulatory framework, the sector has seen significant gains.By April 2026, domestic production reached 410,979 tonnes, against a domestic demand of 550,000 tonnes.

Current factory capacity stands at 800,000 tonnes per annum. The SBT Director of Planning, Ms Vaileta Mwayela, representing the Director General, stated that the board aims to begin exporting surplus sugar as early as the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons.

‘The growth we see is a direct result of massive investment in factory expansions and the strengthening of extension services for smallholder farmers,’ Ms Mwayela said.

A landmark achievement highlighted was the Mkulazi Holding Company’s commencement of white industrial sugar production, making it the first facility in Tanzania to produce the specialized commodity.

Previously, Tanzania spent significant foreign exchange on importing approximately 300,000 tonnes of industrial sugar annually.

She mentions other key developments including the Kilombero Sugar Company’s K4 project, which seeks to boost production from 123,000 to 226,000 tonnes per year.

Furthermore, the SBT has integrated 12,000 smallholder farmers into the value chain at Kilombero alone; outgrowers now contribute 40 percent of the total sugarcane processed nationally.

To secure the 2030 goal and tap into the 12-million-tonne African sugar market, the SBT is implementing several strategies.

Also, the SBT has succeeded in registering and coordinating smallholder farmers (outgrowers) who contribute approximately 40 percent of the sugarcane processed in factories.

For example, Kilombero alone involves 12,000 smallholder farmers. She says the SBT has put in place firm strategies to ensure that by the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons, Tanzania starts selling surplus sugar to the African market, which has a demand of more than 12 million tons per year.

New investment zones: Over 146,000 hectares in the Pangani Valley and 15,000 hectares in the Wembere Valley have been earmarked for new factories.

Regional expansion: New factories are planned for Pwani, Kigoma (Kasulu), and Tanga, including a dedicated industrial sugar plant in Tanga.

Research and training: Collaboration with TARI-Kibaha has yielded the Tariska 1 and 2 seed varieties, which are drought and disease-resistant.

Meanwhile, the National Sugar Institute (NSI) in Kidatu continues to supply the industry with skilled technicians

Protection of the domestic market: The SBT has a strategy to protect the domestic market against arbitrary sugar imports to encourage investors and farmers to continue increasing production.

Professional training: Through the National Sugar Institute (NSI), the board will ensure the availability of a workforce skilled in sugar technology and sugarcane production to operate factories with high efficiency.

Stakeholder confidence

The Chairperson of the Board of Mkulazi Sugar Factory, Dr. Hilderitha Msita, points out that the factory is an example of cooperation between the Government through the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the Prisons Service, and the main supervisor of the sugar sector in Tanzania, which is the SBT.

‘Mkulazi is not just a factory; it is economic liberation. We have already conducted trials and produced the first tonnes of industrial sugar, and we expect to produce between 50,000 and 75,000 tonnes per year,’ says Dr. Msita.

The SBT and the Mkulazi Sugar Factory have had a strategic partnership aimed at increasing productivity and reaching the national goal of sugar self-sufficiency. The SBT acts as the main sector supervisor, while Mkulazi serves as a model project in the production of industrial sugar.

Speaking about this cooperation, Dr. Msita said the SBT had registered and supervised the Mkulazi factory along with its 185 outgrowers who cultivate approximately 1,199 hectares.

The Board also creates a link between this factory and its farmers to ensure a continuous supply of raw materials.

‘During the harvest season, the SBT provides guidelines and acts as a referee in sugarcane price negotiations between the Mkulazi factory and its farmers to ensure all parties are treated fairly.

Also, the SBT supervises farming contracts that ensure the farmer has a guaranteed market and the factory gets enough sugarcane,’ points out Dr. Msita.

Efficient production cannot be achieved without research. The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI-Kibaha) has been at the forefront of producing improved seeds. A researcher from TARI-Kibaha, Robert Mlimi, explains the importance of Tariska 1 and Tariska 2 seeds, which are disease-resistant and drought-tolerant.

‘Our job is to supervise the farmer on the correct use of seeds. Many farmers depend on rain, so we provide them with friendly seeds. Right now, we are building a ‘crossing shade’ there in Kibaha so that we can produce our own seeds here inTanzania instead of relying solely on imported seeds,’ explains Mlimi. He says the cooperation between the SBT and TARI-Kibaha is a vital pillar in protecting the sugar industry against pests.

The SBT, as the sector supervisor, and TARI, as the research institution, work side by side. These tasks include; training and awareness for farmers, preparation and distribution of educational materials, field monitoring and evaluation, availability of inputs and control equipment, identifying key farmers, as well as research on seeds that are resilient to environmental challenges.

In terms of training, the National Sugar Institute (NSI) located in Kidatu has continued to produce diploma-level professionals in sugarcane production and sugar technology, ensuring the availability of a skilled workforce in factories.

Farmer perspectives and the road ahead

Sugarcane farmers have begun to see the fruits of SBT’s management. Clemens Mjami, a farmer from Kilombero who is a representative of sugarcane farmers, says sugarcane farming gives them pride because of the guaranteed market.

‘We have a guaranteed market because we practice contract farming. Before we harvest, we know to whom we will sell and at what price. The SBT has been a good referee when we negotiate prices with factories. Also, operating costs are low; once you plant sugarcane once, you harvest for six to seven years,’ says Mjami.

However, Mjami issues a call to the Government: ‘We still have a sugar gap. To close it, we need more investors. We, as farmers. Are ready, we have the land; we are just waiting for factories to be brought closer to our areas.’

Despite these successes, statistics show the presence of troublesome pests like Eldana and the Yellow Sugarcane Aphid (YSA). TARI, in collaboration with the SBT, has been providing education and establishing demonstration nurseries (Nursery B) to ensure farmers get clean seeds.

The sugar sector in the country is predicted to provide 28,500 direct jobs and 95,000 indirect jobs. Through the efforts of the SBT, factory investments like Mkulazi and Kilombero, and diligent research from TARI-Kibaha, Tanzania’s dream of being self-sufficient and becoming a major sugar producer in Africa by 2030 is heading toward becoming a reality.

As the Prime Minister said, technology and innovation are what will take Tanzania to that high stage of economic development through the sugarcane crop.

A total of 387 Tanzanian students have received travel documents to enable them to pursue higher education in China and India.

The students, who are preparing to travel for their studies, received the documents at a function in Dar es Salaam attended by their parents and guardians.

The documents were handed over by Global Education Link (GEL), with 198 students set to travel to China and 189 to India to begin studies at various higher learning institutions.

The packages included passports, visas, flight tickets, No Objection Certificates (NOCs), Yellow Fever vaccination certificates, and other documents required by relevant authorities, depending on the destination country, institution, and individual travel requirements.

The meeting also provided students, parents, and guardians with final briefings on travel arrangements, immigration procedures, accommodation, health insurance, safety, financial management, conduct, and adapting to life in the destination countries.

Speaking at the event on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, GEL executive director, Mr Abdulmalik Mollel, who was joined by representatives from colleges in China and India, urged students to make full use of learning opportunities abroad.

The college representatives provided information on academic programmes, campus services, and the international student experience.

“I urge you to use your time abroad to gain knowledge and skills beyond academic qualifications,” said Mr Mollel.

He encouraged them not to travel to China and India simply to obtain certificates or degrees, but to take advantage of the technology, laboratories, workshops, innovation centres, and international networks available to them.

Mr Mollel challenged the students to go beyond classroom learning by visiting laboratories, workshops, and innovation centres to understand how technologies and products are developed and used to address societal challenges.

Using a Business Administration student as an example, he said learning management theories alone was insufficient, urging students to also understand products, technology, production processes, and industrial systems.

Such knowledge, he noted, helps students identify opportunities to establish businesses or contribute to transforming existing enterprises after graduation.

GEL has more than 19 years of experience assisting Tanzanian students, parents, and guardians with overseas education.

Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Orlando Pirates head into the new season with titles to defend, while a host of ambitious challengers have made major changes in the hope of taking their place at the top.

That battle forms the backdrop to another action-packed football season on SuperSport, with the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Betway Premiership returning live on DStv.

The 2025/26 campaign produced memorable champions across Europe and South Africa. Arsenal finally ended their long wait for Premier League glory, Inter Milan set the pace in Serie A and Barcelona claimed a second successive La Liga title under Hansi Flick. In South Africa, Orlando Pirates ended Mamelodi Sundowns’ long dominance of the Betway Premiership.

Can Arsenal hold on to their Premier League crown? Will Inter remain the team to beat in Italy? Can Barcelona make it three La Liga titles in a row, or will Real Madrid’s return to the front line under Jose Mourinho change the picture? And can Pirates keep Sundowns behind them?

The Premier League begins on August 21, with Arsenal hosting newly promoted Coventry City. Liverpool enter a new era under Andoni Iraola, Enzo Maresca takes charge at Manchester City and Xabi Alonso arrives at Chelsea. Manchester United have retained Michael Carrick following their resurgence.

Coventry, Hull City and Ipswich Town are the new faces in the top flight, with the campaign running until May 30, 2027.

Serie A starts on August 22, with Inter welcoming Monza. Cristian Chivu remains at the helm of the champions, while Max Allegri takes charge at Napoli, Ruben Amorim begins a new chapter at AC Milan and Gennaro Gattuso moves into the Lazio dugout. Venezia, Frosinone and Monza are the promoted sides.

In Spain, La Liga kicks off on August 15, with Deportivo Alaves facing Getafe. Barcelona’s bid for a third straight title will face a major challenge from Real Madrid, who have brought back Mourinho and strengthened their squad with Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries.

Racing Santander, Deportivo La Coruña and Malaga are also back in the Spanish top flight. Barcelona and Real Madrid will have their opening matches postponed to give their World Cup players additional recovery time.

The Betway Premiership is already under way, with Pirates beginning their title defence against Milford FC in Soweto. Sundowns will be determined to reclaim the crown, while Kaizer Chiefs begin another chapter under a new coach and newcomers Kruger United add to the competition.

The European season gets an early heavyweight clash on August 12, when UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain face Europa League winners Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup in Leipzig. The FA Community Shield follows on August 16, with Arsenal facing Manchester City at Wembley.

From title races and managerial changes to new arrivals and old rivalries, SuperSport will bring the biggest stories of the 2026/27 season live to fans on DStv.

Tanzania’s drive to shift households and institutions towards electric cooking has reached 14 million people, as the government and development partners push to make the technology more affordable, reliable and accessible.

The milestone was announced by the UK-supported Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) eCooking Scale and Support Programme, which has also helped 36 schools adopt electric cooking technologies and trained 460 technicians to support the emerging clean cooking market.

The programme has expanded awareness of electric cooking, improved access to financing and increased the availability of cooking technologies across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The progress comes as Tanzania implements its National Clean Cooking Strategy, which seeks to accelerate the transition from traditional cooking fuels such as charcoal and firewood to cleaner alternatives.

Director of Clean Cooking at the ministry of Energy, Nolasco Mlay, said the programme had demonstrated that electricity could provide a reliable clean cooking option for households and institutions.

He said the initiative had also generated data that could guide policy and encourage investment as demand for modern cooking solutions increases.

‘The programme strengthened confidence in electric cooking technology and generated valuable data that will help guide future policy decisions,’ he said.

Mr Mlay said electric cooking was an important component of the country’s wider clean cooking strategy, alongside liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biogas, ethanol and improved biomass technologies.

He said the government was working to create a policy environment capable of attracting investment, encouraging innovation and strengthening cooperation between development partners, financial institutions and private companies.

He also sought to address concerns over the cost and reliability of electricity, saying the government was working to ensure a stable power supply.

‘One of the programme’s key objectives was to change the perception that cooking with electricity is expensive. The government is working to ensure a reliable electricity supply so that households can depend on electric cooking without disruptions,’ he said.

Stakeholders are also exploring battery-based backup systems that could allow electric cooking appliances to operate during power interruptions.

Financing remains key

British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ms Marianne Young, said the transition to clean cooking could deliver benefits extending beyond the energy sector, including improved health, reduced household expenditure and greater economic opportunities.

‘Electric cooking offers an opportunity to improve health outcomes, save families time and money, and reduce pressure on forests,’ she said.

Ms Young said the UK was proud to support Tanzania’s implementation of the National Clean Cooking Strategy, noting that schools, technicians and entrepreneurs were increasingly participating in the emerging market.

Tanesco also reported growing interest in electric cooking.

Acting Director of Communication and Customer Service at Tanesco, Irene Gowele, said a pilot project involving more than 1,000 users had demonstrated the potential for wider adoption. ‘Many Tanzanians want to cook with electricity, but the initial cost of purchasing electric stoves has been a major barrier,’ she said.

She said on-bill financing, which allows customers to pay for electric cooking appliances through their electricity bills, was helping address the challenge.

‘Tanesco aims to reach one million customers within the next three years through this financing model,’ Ms Gowele said.

She added that Tanzania was generating more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity against demand of slightly above 2,000MW, creating room for increased electricity use, including cooking.

‘Tanzanians should not hesitate to use electricity for cooking. We have enough power, and households should take advantage of this opportunity,’ she said.

Affordability and quality concerns

As the market expands, stakeholders say affordability and product quality will be critical to sustaining adoption.

Energy engineer and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) standards officer Spiradson Kagaba said the agency faced challenges including resistance to compliance, high infrastructure costs and limited public awareness of quality requirements.

He said effective enforcement required laboratories equipped with advanced testing equipment, which involved significant investment.

Mr Kagaba also warned that some consumers bought appliances without checking whether they met safety and quality standards.

Meanwhile, Catherine Pye of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office at the British High Commission called for tax reductions on imported electric cooking appliances to make them more affordable.

‘Removing taxes on clean cooking stoves would significantly reduce the cost of these technologies for Tanzanian households,’ she said.

The Government has directed the contractor building the 73-kilometre Kahama-Bulyanhulu Junction-Kakola road to speed up work to ensure the project is completed within the agreed timeframe.

Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi issued the directive after inspecting the project, which is being funded by Barrick-Twiga’s Bulyanhulu and North Mara mines at a cost of about Sh100.6 billion.

The road is being upgraded to bitumen standard by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), under the supervision of Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads).

Mr Ndejembi said 32 kilometres of the road had been paved, with construction continuing on other sections.

‘I have no concerns about the quality of work, but the contractor needs to increase the pace so that the road is completed on time. Residents want to see their road completed and start using it,’ he said.

He said completion of the road would improve the movement of people and goods and support economic activities along the route.

Mr Ndejembi also directed Tanroads Shinyanga to closely supervise the contractor and ensure construction progresses as planned.

He further called for street lighting to be installed on major roads, particularly in areas with high levels of social and economic activity, to improve road safety at night.

Shinyanga Regional Commissioner Mboni Mhita said the Government had allocated more than Sh2 trillion for various strategic projects in the region.

She said her office would monitor the road project to ensure the funds allocated were used as intended and commended Barrick-Twiga for financing the project.

Tanroads Shinyanga regional manager, Mr Ntuli Mwaikokesya, said the project was initially scheduled for completion in September 2026.

However, he said the contractor had requested additional time due to challenges encountered during implementation.

‘If the extension is approved, the project is expected to be completed by December 2026,’ Mr Mwaikokesya said.

Construction of the road began in July 2024. Once completed, it is expected to improve transport links and support mining, agriculture, forestry and tourism activities in Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Kagera and Kigoma regions.

The road is also important to Kahama Municipality, which handles significant cargo traffic from Tanzania’s main port to neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda.

Telecommunications company Yas has won two awards at the TEHAMA Awards 2026, including Best National ISP for the second consecutive year, recognising its continued investment in reliable internet connectivity across Tanzania.

The company also won the ICT for Environmental Conservation award, which recognises the use of technology in supporting environmental conservation and sustainable development.

The awards were presented on the evening of August 9, 2026, at Johari Rotana Hotel in Dar es Salaam during a ceremony that brought together stakeholders from Tanzania’s ICT and digital financial services sectors. The Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Angellah Kairuki (MP), was the guest of honour.

Commenting on the recognition, Yas Business Chief Officer, Norman Kiondo said the company would continue investing in infrastructure and technology to expand connectivity and enable more Tanzanians to benefit from opportunities presented by the growing digital economy.

‘Internet connectivity has become an important part of our day-to-day activities. People rely on it to do business, work, learn, access services and stay connected. Our commitment is to continue building a quality network that connects Tanzanians and unlocks more digital opportunities wherever they are,’ Kiondo said.

He said winning the Best National ISP award for the second year running underlines the growing importance of reliable internet services as more Tanzanians embrace digital platforms to access essential services.

Kiondo added that the ICT for Environmental Conservation award would further encourage Yas to explore how technology can support environmental conservation and contribute to Tanzania’s sustainable development agenda.

According to the company, its long-term focus is to remain a digital ally to Tanzanians by expanding connectivity and enabling people to make greater use of technology in their daily lives.

The TEHAMA Awards 2026 were organised by the Information and Communication Technologies Commission (ICTC), in collaboration with industry stakeholders, to recognise companies, institutions and individuals contributing to innovation, technology adoption and the development of Tanzania’s ICT sector.