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Dar es Salaam. Msimbazi Valley residents have raised complaints over compensation for the valley development project, alleging undervaluation of their land and low financial payouts by authorities responsible for relocation and the project implementation process underway across the city.

The residents have urged government intervention to ensure land compensation is paid fairly and on time, and to address disparities they claim exist in project implementation across the entire scheme process. Residents voiced their concerns on Sunday, April 27, 2026, before Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, during an inspection tour of the construction of the Mkwajuni and Kigogo bridges in Dar es Salaam.

In their concerns, residents said that although they welcomed the project with expectations of development, its implementation has caused deep distress due to what they describe as injustice in the compensation process handling system. A resident of the area, Mr Salehe Cheo, said they initially accepted the project and allowed experts to assess their buildings and land, anticipating receiving appropriate compensation.

“They came, measured, and surveyed our buildings and land. But during payment, they valued buildings only and gave no value to the land.

We were given documents to sign without a land component,” said Mr Cheo. He said efforts to pursue their rights reached the then President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), but they were advised to go to court, forcing them to escalate complaints to the World Bank (WB), which is financing the project under an ongoing dispute resolution process mechanism review stage.

“What we insist on is that land compensation must be paid. Until now, not even a single citizen has been paid land compensation,” said Mr Cheo.

Another resident said he refused to sign for S million as compensation for land, explaining that the amount would not enable him to secure another plot to continue his income-generating activities. “This matter is painful.

We are being relocated, but others are left to continue their activities within the project area,” said the resident whose name couldn’t be established immediately. Ms Nuru Kikopa said the initial valuation awarded her Sh1 million, which she rejected, before it was increased to Sh2.5 million and later accepted.

However, she said she received a total of S million for the house and plot, funds that have not enabled her to secure new accommodation. “Up to now, I have done nothing with that money; it does not match the cost of obtaining another plot.

I have found myself forced to live with my children,” said Ms Kikopa. Mr Thomson Moshi said he has not received compensation to date despite being assessed, claiming they were promised payment for land and buildings, but so far, only building compensation has been issued.

“During payment, we were shown a form containing compensation for buildings only, while being promised that land would be paid for later, something that has not been implemented,” said Mr Moshi. Responding to the claims, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Albert Chalamila, said the compensation process was conducted in accordance with the area’s legal status, while assuring the government is ready to review the assessment to reach a lasting solution on the said matter.

He said Sh54 billion has already been spent to compensate residents who were living in the valley, as part of the implementation of the development project in the area. He explained that, under existing laws, residents of the valley were not eligible for land compensation because the entire Msimbazi Valley is classified as a wetland, which, under conditions governing projects funded by the WB, does not permit payment of land compensation.

“Under these laws, no one in the entire Msimbazi River Valley was eligible for land compensation because the area is located in a wetland,” he said. However, the regional commissioner said that after receiving complaints from residents, the government took an additional step by providing each resident with S million to help them purchase land in other areas.

He explained that the decision did not arise directly from legal requirements but was an effort by the government to reduce the impact on citizens displaced from their homes. “That S million was not provided under the law, but was a measure to help citizens obtain alternative areas,” he emphasised.

Due to continued complaints by some residents regarding the amount and procedures of compensation, Mr Chalamila said the government is ready to revisit the valuation exercise to ensure justice for all parties. He noted that the exercise could be conducted in collaboration with relevant offices to reassess residents’ claims and examine the possibility of improvements.

“We are ready to repeat this valuation exercise and bring it to your office so that we can obtain an acceptable solution,” he said. Issuing directives on the matter, Dr Nchemba accepted the RC’s proposal and directed the formation of a team of experts from the Prime Minister’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), the Ministry of Lands, the Regional Commissioner’s Office, and representatives of residents to resolve the matter.

During the visit, Dr Nchemba inspected progress on the construction of the Mkwajuni and Kigogo bridges and expressed satisfaction with the pace of work. What Minister Ulega said Speaking at the site, the Minister for Works, Mr Abdallah Ulega, said the Mkwajuni bridge project, measuring 20 metres in length and 5.

5 metres in height, includes 560 metres of access roads. The project, whose implementation has reached 98 percent, is costing Sh11.6 billion.

It began on February 3, 2025, with a 16-month implementation period and is expected to be completed on May 20, 2026. Regarding the Kigogo Bridge, he said the project measures 50 metres in length and 8.9 metres in height, with access roads extending 625 metres.

“Its construction began on November 7, 2024, for a period of 18 months and is expected to be completed on May 20, 2026. The project costs Sh17.7 billion, and the contractor has already been paid Sh15.1 billion, while implementation has reached 89 percent,” he said. Regarding the Jangwani Bridge, Mr Ulega said once completed, incidents of roads being closed due to flooding will become history.

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In an increasingly competitive labour market, talent is emerging as a critical asset–enabling young people not only to secure livelihoods but also to create opportunities for others, particularly in the creative and sports industries. Yet, across Tanzania, a persistent tension remains.

For many families, nurturing talent, especially in sport and the arts, is still viewed as a distraction from academic success rather than a complementary pathway. This mindset, experts warn, risks locking out a generation of young people from opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.

Speaking after the Uwezo Festival finals held recently in Dar es Salaam, which brought together secondary school students from the Coastal Zone through the Uwezo Bonanza and Uwezo Awards, Great Hope’s National Projects Coordinator, Noelle Mahuvi, underscored the urgency of shifting this narrative. “Some parents still show limited support when it comes to their children expressing their talents.

This discourages many young people and, ultimately, suppresses potential that could transform not only their lives but society as a whole,” she says. Ms Mahuvi’s argument is not merely anecdotal.

A growing body of global research shows that integrating play, sport, and creative arts into education significantly improves learning outcomes, employability, and social development. According to Unesco, quality physical education and school sport programmes enhance students’ cognitive performance, concentration, and academic achievement, while also building critical life skills such as teamwork, resilience, and leadership.

Similarly, Unicef highlights that structured play supports emotional well-being and helps children develop problem-solving abilities–skills that are essential in the 21st-century economy. Since 2016, Great Hope has been working with secondary schools through initiatives such as Uwezo Bonanza and Uwezo Awards, reaching more than 100 schools in Dar es Salaam and the Coast Region.

The programmes identify and nurture talents in areas ranging from music, drama, and fine arts to acrobatics and fashion design. But beyond talent showcases, the initiatives are deliberately designed to embed entrepreneurship and practical learning.

“We are not just identifying talent, we are equipping students with the skills and knowledge to transform those talents into economic opportunities,” Ms Mahuvi explains. “Education is important, but so is developing what a child can do beyond the classroom.

” Through the Uwezo Awards, students design and implement entrepreneurial projects using locally available resources. The proceeds are often reinvested into community initiatives, creating a cycle of learning, innovation, and social impact.

For Form Six student Ramadhani Juma, the experience has been transformative. “I have learnt how to use resources around me to create opportunities,” he tells Smart World in an interview.

“I can now produce items like liquid soap and candles, and I understand how to run a small business.” The science of play and sport in education Education experts argue that such approaches align closely with global best practices.

Research by the World Bank shows that education systems that integrate extracurricular activities–especially sport, tend to produce more adaptable and employable graduates. An education specialist based in Dar es Salaam, Dr Asha Msuya, notes that play and sport are not peripheral–they are foundational.

“When children engage in structured play and sport, they develop executive functioning skills–planning, focus, self-control–that directly influence academic performance,” she said. “These are the same skills employers are looking for.

” A 2022 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) further reinforces this, indicating that students who participate in sports and creative activities demonstrate higher levels of motivation, better school attendance, and stronger social connections. In Tanzania, where youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge, these findings carry particular weight.

By some estimates, hundreds of thousands of young people enter the labour market each year, many without the practical skills required to navigate it. One of the biggest barriers, however, remains societal perception.

Ms Mahuvi points out that many parents still prioritise academic performance at the expense of talent development. “We need parents to understand that talent is not a waste of time.

It is an investment,” she says. “Through talent, a child can solve real-world problems and even create employment.

” Experts agree that addressing this requires both community awareness and policy alignment. A sports development analyst, Dr Josephat Kahama, argues that Tanzania must institutionalise talent development within its education framework.

“We cannot treat sport and the arts as extracurricular luxuries,” he notes. “They must be integrated into the curriculum, supported with infrastructure, and guided by trained professionals.

” This aligns with calls for the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, alongside education stakeholders, to establish structured talent development centres–similar to business incubation hubs–where young people can nurture their abilities from an early age. Lessons from global practice Countries that have successfully integrated sport and play into education offer valuable lessons.

In nations such as Finland and Canada, physical education and creative arts are considered core components of holistic learning. According to Unesco, such systems not only improve academic outcomes but also foster innovation and social cohesion.

Closer to home, Rwanda has made strides in embedding sports development within schools, linking it to national talent identification programmes. For Tanzania, scaling initiatives like Uwezo could have far-reaching implications.

First, it would help bridge the gap between education and employment by equipping students with practical, income-generating skills. Second, it would improve student engagement and retention, particularly for those who struggle in traditional academic settings.

Third, it would nurture a generation of confident, creative, and resilient young people. Dr Msuya believes the impact could be transformative.

“If we take talent seriously, if we invest in play, sport and creativity–we will not only improve our schools, we will reshape our economy,” she says. The road ahead Great Hope’s ambition is to expand its reach beyond the Coastal Zone, ensuring that more schools and regions benefit from its programmes.

But scaling such efforts will require collaboration between the government, development partners, schools, and communities. For now, the message is clear: classrooms alone are not enough.

As Tanzania navigates the demands of a rapidly changing world, the future of its education system may well depend on how effectively it embraces what happens beyond the desk–on the playing field, on the stage, and in the creative spaces where young minds discover who they truly are. .

Mwanza. More than 7,000 women entrepreneurs have benefited from a financial inclusion programme after CRDB Bank Foundation announced a Sh3 billion initiative aimed at supporting women-owned businesses in Ilemela and Mwanza Region.

The programme, implemented in collaboration with Kafiti Foundation, also included the disbursement of about Sh760 million in seed capital as part of the broader empowerment package. The Mwanamke na Kafiti conference brought together women entrepreneurs from across the region and was officially opened by Mwanza Regional Commissioner Said Mtanda, who represented the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups Dorothy Gwajima.

Mr Mtanda said women play a key role in household and national development, urging them to utilise available financial opportunities to grow their businesses. He also cautioned against excluding spouses from financial decisions, saying this could lead to household disputes when businesses face challenges.

“There are cases where loans are taken without informing partners, which later creates conflict when repayment becomes difficult,” he said. CRDB Bank Foundation Executive Director TullyEsther Mwambapa said the institution, established in 2023, focuses on expanding financial inclusion among women, youth and marginalised groups.

She said the Sh3 billion allocation will support entrepreneurs in Ilemela and across Mwanza Region through business financing and capacity-building programmes. “This initiative is designed to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods,” she said.

Ms Mwambapa said the foundation works with partners to promote financial literacy, entrepreneurship, access to markets and business formalisation. So far, the foundation has reached more than 1.

25 million entrepreneurs across sectors including agriculture, fishing, small-scale mining, informal trade and small industries. CRDB Bank Chief Commercial Officer Boma Raballa said the bank has disbursed more than Sh513 billion in the Lake Zone, with Sh240 billion directed to Mwanza Region.

He said the bank continues to focus on reaching entrepreneurs who are outside the formal banking system. Kafiti Foundation Executive Director Mapuli Kafiti said the broader goal is to empower more than five million entrepreneurs through partnerships with key stakeholders.

Ilemela MP William Kafiti said the programme is part of ongoing efforts to improve livelihoods and strengthen economic participation among residents. .

Dar es Salaam. Most mobile communication service providers in Tanzania have met quality of service standards set by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), reflecting strong performance in the telecom sector.

According to the latest communications sector report for the period ending December 2025, mobile network operators generally complied with regulatory benchmarks, while gaps were noted in parts of the broadcasting, postal and courier sectors. The regulator assessed mobile network operators, postal and courier companies between October and December 2025 to determine compliance with quality of service requirements.

The report shows that all five mobile network operators met required thresholds in key performance indicators, including network availability, call connection success rates and voice and data service delivery. Other indicators such as SMS delivery time, call setup time and voice quality also recorded compliance levels above 90 percent across operators.

Network availability measures the consistency of access to mobile services, while call connection success rate reflects successfully completed calls after dialling. Call drop rate measures interrupted calls due to technical faults.

Coverage assesses signal strength and service reach, while data speed measures the efficiency of internet service delivery and response times. SMS delivery time tracks how quickly messages are delivered, while call setup time measures the duration taken to establish a call, with a benchmark of under eight seconds.

Voice quality evaluates clarity during calls. Despite strong performance in telecoms, the report identified compliance gaps in other sectors.

Out of 16 television stations inspected, 12 did not adhere to their registered programming schedules, while four failed to submit schedules as required under regulations. In the radio sector, four out of 12 stations either failed to follow approved schedules or did not submit them.

However, most radio and television stations complied with broader content requirements, including providing diverse programming, airing educational content and allocating at least 90 minutes daily to news broadcasts. In the courier segment, 12 out of 20 domestic parcel service providers met same-day delivery requirements.

However, only seven out of 17 operators complied with the two-day delivery standard under a separate licence category. .