Category: The Citizen

Uganda is due to discharge its last Ebola patient on Thursday, triggering a 42-day countdown that could see the country declared free of the virus, a spokesperson for the government said.

The wider outbreak, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in May, has caused 2,011 confirmed cases of infection and 754 confirmed deaths in the ?DRC as of Wednesday, according to data from the government.

An online Ugandan health ministry portal on Thursday showed the number of recoveries stood at 17, with one current admission in an isolation unit and two deaths. It said five cases were locally acquired and 15 were imported.

All cases are linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain and the WHO has said it is the ?third-worst outbreak on record.

Alan Kasujja, a Ugandan government spokesperson, said in a post on X late on Wednesday that a patient would be released from an isolation unit at the Mulago National Referral ?Hospital, located in the country’s capital, on Thursday morning.

Kasujja said the patient’s discharge would start the clock on the World Health Organization’s required ?waiting period before an outbreak can be declared to be finished.

“When that happens, Uganda starts counting down,” Kasujja said. “If 42 ?days pass without a single new case, WHO guidelines stipulate that we will be declared Ebola free.”

The government has urged development partners, local government authorities (LGAs) and the private sector to sustain reforms introduced under the WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme, saying long-term access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services depends on strong institutions, effective coordination and reliable financing rather than infrastructure alone.

The call was made in Morogoro yesterday during the programme’s official close, where more than 80 representatives from government institutions, development partners, and civil society organisations reviewed its achievements and lessons.

Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, the ministry’s senior statistician in the Department of Policy and Planning, Ms Diana Kimario, said the programme’s conclusion marked a transition from donor support to national ownership. “The real measure of success will be how well we sustain and scale the pilots, systems, partnerships, and innovations established by this programme,” she said, adding that the government would integrate the lessons into national planning and budgeting.

Implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation with support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the programme operated in Dodoma, Arusha, and Simiyu regions through partnerships with the Ministry of Water, the Ministry of Health, and the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (Ruwasa).

Rather than focusing solely on infrastructure, the initiative strengthened planning, management, and service delivery by building the capacity of local institutions to manage water systems after construction.

Ms Kimario said the programme supported eight priority areas, including professionalising rural water supply through asset mapping and service clustering, strengthening the capacity of Ruwasa and the Ministry of Health, improving electronic data systems for evidence-based decision-making, and developing phased rural service regulation plans.

Ministry of Water Director of Monitoring and Planning Diana Kimario speaks on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, during the official closing ceremony of the WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme in Morogoro. The event brought together more than 80 representatives from government institutions, development partners and civil society organisations to review the programme’s achievements and lessons. PHOTO | COURTESY

‘It also promoted district-wide safety-managed sanitation planning, integrated climate resilience and gender equality and social inclusion into service delivery, strengthened sector monitoring, and reviewed reporting and service delivery monitoring systems,’ she said.

Ms Kimario said the programme had demonstrated that sustainable WASH services depended on strengthening systems that support service delivery rather than simply constructing infrastructure.

She urged LGAs to institutionalise the tools and approaches developed under the programme and strengthen monitoring to improve accountability.

She also called on development partners to adopt systems-strengthening approaches in future initiatives, including programmes supported by the World Bank and Unicef.

SNV Water Sector Lead Olivier Germain said the programme’s formal closure would not diminish its long-term contribution to the sector.

“The knowledge, partnerships, and systemic improvements achieved through WS4H will continue to support the nation’s efforts to provide reliable and sustainable services for all citizens,” he said.

A Dodoma resident, Ms Julieth Kafanabo, said one of the programme’s major achievements was strengthening the capacity of local authorities and health institutions to improve service delivery while promoting climate resilience, gender equality, and social inclusion.

“Women, young people, and vulnerable groups were increasingly represented in decision-making,” she said.

As Tanzania pursues Vision 2050, stakeholders said the partnerships, skills, and institutional reforms established through the programme should be sustained to accelerate progress towards universal access to safe, climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

A stakeholders’ platform has been launched for the north-eastern marine area of Unguja Island to coordinate and oversee the development of sustainable ocean activities after challenges and opportunities facing the marine sector were identified.

The challenges include mangrove destruction, water pollution, the impacts of climate change, and limited community participation in conservation decision-making.

The platform will also focus on opportunities in sustainable fishing, ocean literacy, investment, research, youth employment, and broader coastal community development.

It has been established under the Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu (Together, Let Us Conserve Our Ocean) project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for pound 11.4 million (Sh33.34 billion).

Speaking on Thursday, July 16, 2026, during the launch of the platform in Unguja, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries, Mr Zahro Kassim Al-Harous, said the initiative had come at the right time.

His speech was read on his behalf by Pemba Officer-in-Charge, Dr Salim Mohamed Hamza.

‘This platform has come at the right time. It is evidence that we are strengthening these efforts by combining our strengths, knowledge, and resources through a unified system of cooperation,’ she said.

Mr Al-Harous said the platform would improve coordination, strengthen communication between the government and stakeholders, promote experience sharing, and ensure decisions consider citizens’ interests, development, the blue economy, and environmental conservation.

The platform has been established based on principles of inclusion and accountability, with a main committee, secretariat, executive committee, and technical committees.

He said the initiative would help create a strong marine resource management system that balances the interests of natural resources, the environment, and communities.

‘The vision of the blue economy is to see Zanzibar’s ocean continue to be a source of prosperity for citizens. We are implementing these activities in partnership with the Great Global Initiative, whose goal is to ensure that by 2030 at least 30 percent of marine areas are conserved,’ he said.

Project Coordinator, Dr Igulu Mathias, said the initiative seeks to promote marine resource conservation, coastal forest protection, sustainable use of plastic products, and improved research and data collection.

He said the project aims to support the development of effective policies to manage the value chain of plastic products while working with research institutions and conservation organisations to strengthen management capacity.

The four-year project, running from 2024 to 2028, has a budget of pound 11.4 million (about Sh33.34 billion).

Zanzibar Department of Marine Conservation Director, Dr Makame Omar Makame, said the platform was established based on a shared understanding that marine and coastal resources are key to the livelihoods and development of Zanzibar’s people.

‘Our ocean provides employment, but it also provides food, income, and various economic, social, and geological opportunities,’ he said.Dr Makame said coastal marine ecosystems play an important role in conserving biodiversity, protecting beaches from climate change impacts, and ensuring the availability of vital ecological services for present and future generations.

Seaweed farmer from Kidoti, Ms Rukia Haji Juma, said communities benefit from the ocean as it provides income to support livelihoods while teaching them the importance of environmental conservation

Tanzania’s oldest university has achieved what many education experts describe as a significant milestone for the country’s higher education sector after emerging as one of the best university in East Africa for graduate employability in the latest QS World University Rankings (QS-WUR).

The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) scored 85.3 in the Employment Outcomes indicator, ranking 131st globally among 1,504 universities that qualified for the rankings from more than 8,800 institutions assessed worldwide.

The Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF) has confirmed that the 2026/27 PBZ Premier League season will kick off on August 29, 2026, with clubs set to begin a demanding campaign that will run through to May 18, 2027, according to the federation’s newly released football calendar.

The calendar also confirms that the First Division League (FDL) will commence on the same date, marking the official start of domestic league football in Zanzibar after weeks of pre-season preparations.

Ahead of the opening round, clubs will undergo an intensive pre-season program that includes player registration, amendments to competition regulations, referees’ fitness tests and Laws of the Game workshops, team managers’ seminars, ICT training on the new ZFF management system, media training, and leadership and governance workshops.

The federation will also stage the 2026/2027 Community Shield before league action begins.

According to the schedule, the opening five rounds of league fixtures will be played between August 29 and September 26 before the competition pauses for FIFA international matches and the opening stages of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The calendar has been carefully aligned with FIFA and CAF competitions to minimize fixture congestion.

During the season, clubs participating in continental competitions will have to balance domestic commitments with the CAF inter-club preliminary rounds, which are scheduled for early September and again in October.

The CAF group stage registration period has also been factored into the program.

The Zanzibar FA Cup will also return as part of the packed domestic schedule, beginning with the preliminary rounds in October before progressing through the Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and culminating in the final on May 22, 2027.

The league will observe a mid-season break in January to accommodate the traditional Mapinduzi Cup, which is scheduled from January 1 to 14next year.

The ZFF has also designated the same period for the mid-season transfer window, which opens on December 15, 2026, and closes on January 31, 2027.

The football calendar also accommodates major international events, including FIFA international windows, the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, the FIFA Women’s international windows.

The Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), in collaboration with the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and veteran politician Dr Willbrod Slaa, has filed a constitutional petition challenging Home Affairs Minister Patrobas Katambi’s directive banning political party public meetings.

The petition, filed under a certificate of urgency at the High Court’s Tabora Sub-Registry, names Mr Katambi personally alongside the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Attorney General (AG) as respondents.

Despite telling the court that he believed his wife was still alive and at home, Mr Elias Cravery has been convicted of murdering Ms Jovitha Elias and sentenced to death by hanging.

The High Court, Bukoba Sub-Registry, found that eyewitness and circumstantial evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Cravery stabbed his wife to death.

Simba SC head coach Steve Barker has decided to retain Niger international goalkeeper Jibril Kassali as part of his plans for the 2026/27 season, while Moussa Camara is set to leave the club as the Wekundu wa Msimbazi continue reshaping their squad.

Sources within the club have revealed that Barker has been impressed by Kassali’s performances, discipline and attitude since joining Simba, prompting the technical bench to recommend that the goalkeeper remains part of the team’s long-term plans.

Kassali joined Simba during the January transfer window and quickly established himself as one of the club’s trusted goalkeepers. His consistency between the posts is believed to have convinced Barker that there is no need to bring in another experienced goalkeeper at this stage.

The Niger international is expected to sign a new deal with the club, extending his stay at the club as the technical bench looks to maintain stability in the goalkeeping department.

During the recently concluded NBC Premier League season, Kassali recorded 16 clean sheets, finishing behind Young Africans goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, who led the category with 18 shutouts.

‘Barker believes Kassali still has a lot to offer. His performances, professionalism and ability to compete at a high level are among the reasons the coach wants him to remain with the team,’ a source close to the club told The Citizen.

With Kassali retained, Simba’s goalkeeping options for the new season will include Yakoub Suleiman and Hussein Abel, meaning the club will currently enter the pre-season programme with three goalkeepers.

However, The Citizen understands that Simba are still monitoring the market and could add another goalkeeper before the closure of the transfer window.

Reports indicate that the club’s recruitment team has identified goalkeepers from Pamba Jiji FC and TRA United as possible targets.

Should Simba complete the signing of another goalkeeper, Hussein Abel could be the player affected as the club seeks to maintain a competitive squad with limited numbers in each position.

The decision to keep Kassali comes as Barker continues evaluating his squad ahead of a demanding 2026/27 campaign, where Simba will compete in domestic competitions and continental assignments.

The South African coach is expected to make further decisions on several players as the club intensifies preparations aimed at building a squad capable of challenging for major honours.

Simba have already started making strategic moves in the transfer market, with the technical bench focusing on retaining players who fit Barker’s tactical approach while releasing those who are not part of his plans.

A personal message, relationship update, family moment or emotional post can attract thousands of reactions within minutes, turning private experiences shared online into public conversations.

For people with large online followings, including artistes, influencers, business owners, athletes and content creators, social media has become a key platform for connecting with audiences, building personal brands and sharing aspects of their lives.

Zanzibar’s Second Vice President, Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, has expressed the Government’s dissatisfaction with the performance of the contractor responsible for constructing electricity distribution lines from various power sources across Unguja.

Citing growing demand for reliable electricity services, Mr Abdulla directed the Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals to engage the project’s financier, and the World Bank, to explore ways of addressing delays in projects being implemented by the company.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, July 16, 2026, after inspecting the construction of the Welezo electricity receiving and distribution substation and the rehabilitation of electricity generation units at Mtoni in Magharibi A District, Unguja.

Mr Abdulla said the pace of work on projects being undertaken by the contractor ZTT was unsatisfactory and had delayed completion.

‘This situation is causing losses to the government and inconvenience to citizens who are expected to benefit from these projects,’ he said.

He noted that Zanzibar is implementing major development projects, including ports, airports and roads, to stimulate investment and economic growth, all of which require a reliable electricity supply.

While inspecting the Mtoni power station, Mr Abdulla commended the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (Zeco) for rehabilitating 30 generators and installing modern systems capable of detecting electricity supply faults and enabling faster responses.

He said the rehabilitation of the generators, which have a combined capacity of 20 megawatts, demonstrates Zeco’s commitment to addressing electricity shortages in Zanzibar.

He also thanked residents for their patience as the government continues implementing major development projects.

The Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals, Mr Nadir Abdullatif Alwardy, said Zanzibar is expected to overcome electricity supply challenges by 2030 through ongoing investments in the sector.

He said the ministry is preparing legal action against ZTT for failing to complete projects on schedule, resulting in losses to the government and inconvenience to electricity consumers.

Zeco director general, Mr Haji Haji, said the Welezo electricity receiving and distribution substation is one of three World Bank-funded projects worth more than Sh59 billion and is expected to be completed in November 2026.

‘This project has reached 75 percent completion. However, the biggest challenge is that once the substations are completed, commissioning tests may not be possible because ZTT has failed to complete the construction of the electricity distribution lines,’ he said.

ZTT management declined to comment when contacted by The Citizen’s sister newspaper Mwananchi.