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Dar es Salaam. A Tanzanian entrepreneur has developed a digital platform designed to connect shippers, drivers and freight forwarders through a system that functions much like ride-hailing Uber.

Azizi Chamani, 35, is behind CargoLink–a web-based freight platform built to modernise the transport sector and address inefficiencies in cargo movement across Tanzania and East Africa. Founder and chief executive officer of Top Notch Company Limited, Azizi Chamani “I was inspired by the inefficiencies I observed in the logistics chain, where thousands of trucks either return empty after offloading cargo inland or arrive empty at the Port of Dar es Salaam to pick up new shipments,” Mr Chamani said in an interview.

“This imbalance in cargo flow costs businesses and the economy millions every year,” added Mr Chamani who the founder and chief executive officer of Top Notch Company Limited that owns the platform. Mr Chamani, who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialisation in Blockchain Management from Guglielmo Marconi University in Italy, said CargoLink was developed to digitise how cargo is booked, moved, and paid for–an area that has remained largely manual despite advancements in digital banking and mobile money.

“Ultimately, our goal is to make Tanzania the digital logistics hub of East Africa and support the country’s Development Vision 2050 by enhancing trade efficiency and digital innovation,” he said. The platform allows shippers to post cargo, drivers to accept jobs, and payments to be processed securely online.

Mobile applications for Android and iOS are in their final stages of development and are expected to launch in the coming months. From idea to reality With endorsement from the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), Mr Chamani said CargoLink has engaged with regulators, industry stakeholders, and the private sector to establish partnerships.

“The entire project–its platform, services, and brand identity–has been fully copyrighted and trademark-protected, ensuring the long-term integrity of the brand,” he said. “So, we can confidently say CargoLink is no longer just an idea–it is an operational solution gearing up for a large-scale rollout by early next year,” he said.

Currently self-financed through Top Notch Company Limited, the project seeks to raise between $1.5 million and $2 million to scale operations across Tanzania and expand regionally. According to him, the funds will support system upgrades, hardware acquisition, marketing and workforce expansion.

“We are in discussions with both local and international investors who see the long-term potential in what we’re building,” he said, adding that the doors are wide open for strategic partners and investors who share their vision. How it works Through CargoLink, businesses, importers, and exporters can post shipments by entering details such as pickup and drop-off points, cargo type, and schedule.

They can then choose to work directly with a verified driver or through a registered freight forwarder. Freight forwarders handle logistics documentation, negotiate rates, assign vetted drivers, and manage multi-leg, cross-border shipments.

Once a shipment is booked, it can be tracked in real time via GPS, offering full visibility for shippers, forwarders, and drivers. Payments are processed digitally, reducing fraud and ensuring secure, cashless transactions.

The platform also supports multi-leg bookings–for example, from Dar es Salaam to Lubumbashi–optimising routes and minimising empty return trips. To ensure reliable service delivery, CargoLink plans to provide branded smartphones equipped with GPS and preloaded applications to fleet owners and drivers, particularly those lacking compatible devices.

Mr Chamani believes the timing is right for such innovation, given the ongoing expansion of regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), increased government emphasis on transport efficiency, and widespread smartphone penetration. “Tanzania is a natural logistics hub,” he said.

“With the Port of Dar es Salaam handling over 95 percent of the country’s international trade and serving landlocked nations like Zambia, Rwanda, and the DRC, efficient freight coordination is essential.” While Kenya’s Mombasa port remains a major competitor, Mr Chamani said CargoLink’s dynamic booking and route optimisation features could complement both ports and promote collaboration.

“Our vision is not just to build a platform,” he added, “but to help reshape how goods move across East Africa–efficiently, transparently, and digitally.” .

Dar es Salaam. For the first time, pension funds across Africa are seeking to pool their resources to address the continent’s development challenges, aiming to reduce dependence on traditional foreign funding sources, according to leaders of the African pension industry.

Africa faces enormous annual financing gaps, with the African Development Bank estimating that the continent requires over $1.3 trillion each year to meet its development goals. Against this backdrop, the continent’s pension providers are preparing to commit to a “Development Fund for Africa” at the “$700bn in 1 Room” All Africa Pensions Summit, scheduled from November 5 to 7 at the Munyonyo Convention Centre in Kampala, Uganda.

Hosted by NSSF Uganda, the summit will be held under the theme, ‘Pension Funds Powering Africa’s Growth’. Its agenda focuses on deepening patient capital pools, strengthening partnerships, enhancing social impact and positioning pension funds as catalysts for infrastructure development.

“Pension funds across Africa hold about $700 billion in assets under management. This is a major opportunity for Africans to catalyse our own economies by providing funding that is not tied to unfavourable conditions from foreign donors,” said Mr Patrick Ayota, managing director of NSSF Uganda, East Africa’s largest fund valued at over $7 billion.

Mr Ayota emphasised that the realignment of global geopolitics has rendered traditional foreign funding insufficient to meet Africa’s expanding infrastructure requirements. “By setting aside just one per cent of the assets held by African pension funds, we are looking at $7 billion.

Two per cent translates to $14 to $20 billion a substantial resource that could drive meaningful development across the continent,” he said. United Nations Resident Coordinator for Uganda Leonard Zulu called for Africa to look inward and mobilise domestic savings, diaspora remittances and blended financing models.

“The traditional models of development cooperation are being redefined. Official development assistance, though important, is no longer sufficient to meet the scale and complexity of challenges we face.

Declining aid flows, shifting geopolitical priorities and funding uncertainties make it vital to develop innovative domestic financing solutions to support national development strategies while fostering resilience and sustainability,” he said. He noted that fifteen of the continent’s twenty traditional donor partners have reduced funding, underscoring the urgency for African nations to shift from aid to trade, enabling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access capital crucial for achieving national goals.

For his part, Africa Social Security Association (ASSA) secretary general Meshach Bandawe highlighted that African infrastructure funding must increasingly be addressed by Africans themselves. “Pension funds are increasingly recognised as critical levers for inclusive development and can unlock long-term capital for infrastructure, agriculture, climate change mitigation and social impact initiatives,” he said.

According to ISSA, Africa has 51 pension and social security funds. Several, including Tanzania’s NSSF, have already demonstrated the potential of locally mobilised capital in development projects.

“The time is ripe for African pension providers to coalesce around this approach. With foreign funding sources drying up, there is no better moment than now to harness domestic capital for the continent’s development needs,” Mr Bandawe added.

The summit has attracted CEOs of pension funds, chief investment officers, global investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), venture and private capital firms, policymakers and government officials from across Africa and beyond. East Africa Private Equity and Venture Capital Association chairperson Amanda Kabagambe explained the complementary role of private equity in infrastructure.

“There’s a role for governments and long-term players to fund infrastructure because private equity and venture capital typically do not have capital for projects spanning 15 to 20 years. These funds are more aligned to projects where risk, liquidity and return timelines are shorter.

But private equity can directly participate in infrastructure developed by DFIs, complementing their investments,” she said. The summit will also examine ways to expand pension coverage and deepen capital pools.

Many Africans, particularly in the informal sector, save in livestock or land rather than formal financial instruments. Pension funds aim to convert these savings into investable capital, thereby increasing domestic long-term savings.

“African countries still have savings in the low teens as a percentage of GDP, compared with Asian tigers such as South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, where domestic savings reach 25 to 27 per cent. By mobilising and pooling our savings, Africa can fund its own development rather than relying on external partners,” Mr Ayota said.

The summit will showcase examples of pension funds catalysing infrastructure projects. In Tanzania, the NSSF contributed significantly to the construction of the Jemoni Bridge.

In Ethiopia, local capital funded the Gadd Dam. In Uganda, NSSF is involved in the Kampala-Ginja Expressway project.

By pooling resources, African pension funds could fund multiple major projects across the continent. A regional task force has already been established by six East African pension funds to explore cross-border investment opportunities.

Regulatory barriers are minimal between Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, leaving political considerations and risk diversification as primary factors for investment decisions. “Diversification protects members’ savings.

For example, political risks differ between countries. By investing across East Africa, funds can mitigate these risks while ensuring better returns for their members,” Mr Ayota explained.

Social impact investments will also be a focus. Rwanda’s RSD has extended healthcare coverage to over 94 per cent of its population.

NSSF Uganda is implementing borderless education initiatives to ensure equitable access for children across national boundaries. Pension funds can also strengthen public-private partnerships in agriculture, support start-ups and finance research and development.

Mr Zulu emphasised that Africa is not poor. With $57 billion in private savings and $100 billion in remittances, the continent has sufficient domestic resources to become its own development agent.

“The All-Africa Pension Summit will lay the foundation for a continental discussion on how Africa’s $1.3 trillion in pension assets can be strategically leveraged to drive inclusive growth, sustainable infrastructure and social protection,” he said. The summit is expected to be attended by the President of Uganda, CEOs from across Africa, international organisations including the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, African Development Bank, East African Development Bank and venture capitalists.

NSSF Uganda is leading the initiative, encouraging collaboration and shared learning among African pension providers. “The goal is to transform African pension funds from mere financial institutions into powerful engines of development.

By investing domestically, we reduce reliance on foreign aid, minimise currency risks and mobilise capital that can be reinvested in local economies,” Mr Ayota said. .

Dar es Salaam. The first prosecution witness in the treason case against Chadema national chairperson Tundu Lissu has completed his testimony, insisting that incitement intended to threaten the government constitutes treason.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) George Bagyemu, the Deputy Zonal Crime Officer (DZCO) for the Dar es Salaam Special Zone, made the statement on Thursday, October 9, 2025 as he wrapped up four days of testimony before the High Court’s Dar es Salaam sub-registry. ACP Bagyemu took the stand from Monday, October 6, to Thursday, October 9, before a panel of three judges led by Judge Dunstan Ndunguru of the Iringa Sub-Registry, sitting with Judges James Karayemaha and Ferdinand Kiwonde.

Mr Lissu is facing a treason charge under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, in connection with remarks he allegedly made suggesting the prevention of the 2025 General Election. Led by Principal State Attorney (PSA) Nassoro Katuga, the witness faced clarifying questions following two days of cross-examination by the accused.

He maintained that suspending elections through lawful means does not amount to treason, but doing so unlawfully, through intimidation or violation of the law, does. On Thursday, ACP Bagyemu spent about 27 minutes responding to the prosecution’s clarifying questions before being released after prosecutors confirmed the conclusion of their examination.

Among the key exchanges between the State Attorney and the witness were: Attorney: You were asked whether incitement is an act of treason, and you said yes. What did you mean? Witness : Incitement that threatens the government amounts to treason; it is not simply the act of incitement itself.

Attorney: You were shown the charge sheet and asked whether the word “Government” appears in it. You said even if it does not, it is implied.

Can you explain? Witness: The term “Government” is implied in context. Considering the statements and their intent, they amount to rebellion.

Elections are constitutional, so even if the term is missing, it remains contextually present. Attorney: You were also asked whether preventing elections is treason.

You said it depends on the method. Please clarify.

Witness: Preventing elections through legal procedures is not treason. But doing so unlawfully, through intimidation or defiance of the law, is treason.

Attorney: You were asked about who published the content online. You mentioned “P” and later both “P” and Tundu Lissu.

What did you mean? Witness: By speaking to journalists, particularly from Jambo TV, Mr Lissu intended his statements to be published online. The journalist was his conduit for dissemination.

Attorney: You were also asked whether it is an offence for an opposition party to challenge the government through lawful means. You said it is not.

Please clarify. Witness: Challenging the government through lawful means is not an offence.

It only becomes one when intimidation is involved. During Wednesday’s cross-examination, Mr Lissu questioned the witness extensively about his earlier testimony, while recounting his record in democracy and human rights advocacy.

He repeatedly asked whether the witness was aware of his background, achievements, or international recognition. ACP Bagyemu said he knew some details, was unaware of others, and denied a few outright.

He added that he did not know of Mr Lissu’s activism or that he was a prominent public figure. Following ACP Bagyemu’s conclusion, the prosecution called its second witness, Police Inspector John Kaaya, 45, from the Cybercrime Investigation Unit, who serves at the Online Patrol Desk.

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Dar es Salaam. Africa’s battle against climate change could be transformed by home-grown artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that address the continent’s unique environmental and development challenges, leaders told.

The statement made yesterday by Deputy Permanent Secretary in Tanzania’s Vice President’s Office (Environment) Prof Peter Msoffe at the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee AI for Climate Action Forum 2025, a three-day hybrid event here in the city. Prof Msoffe underscored both the challenges and opportunities Africa faces in harnessing digital innovation for climate resilience.

The forum aims to accelerate local development and deployment of AI-powered solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation across the continent. “Africa faces unique challenges — including limited digital infrastructure, restricted access to high-quality climate data, financial constraints and capacity limitations,” he said.

He added, “But these challenges also offer us opportunities: to leapfrog outdated systems, innovate locally and create home-grown solutions.” Prof Msoffe emphasized that AI must be “shaped by equity and inclusion, grounded in trust and transparency and guided by our values and realities.

” “Together, we can ensure these technologies serve our people and our planet–and not the other way around,” he added. He highlighted the urgency of integrating AI into climate action strategies, particularly in agriculture, energy management and data-driven environmental monitoring.

He outlined five key objectives for the forum which include Showcasing local AI innovations, creating enabling policy environments and addressing data and infrastructure gaps. Other include recognizing excellence through the AI for Climate Action Awards 2025; and producing actionable recommendations for sustained progress.

“AI must be equitable, inclusive and guided by shared values. Together, we can ensure these technologies protect people, communities and our planet,” he said.

Advisor and Presidential Envoy of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania on Environment and Climate Change Dr Richard Muyungi said Tanzania’s hosting of the forum reflects both the government’s commitment and President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership in prioritizing climate resilience. Dr Muyungi who also serve as Chairman of the Africa Climate Change Negotiators Group said, “This conference demonstrates Tanzania’s readiness to address climate change issues through modern technologies”.

He said, “It also creates an opportunity for youth to learn and develop AI innovations aimed at combating climate change.” Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Mr Simon Stiell, noted that AI is emerging as “one of the most powerful tools available to accelerate climate action.

” “We are already seeing applications that optimize energy and land use, monitor greenhouse gas emissions, map climate resilience, strengthen early warning systems, improve water and food security and manage supply chains,” Mr Stiell said. However, he warned that the technology’s benefits come with caveats.

“If left unaddressed, the digital divide, algorithmic bias and weak data governance could widen inequalities and undermine climate progress,” he cautioned. “But when managed responsibly, AI’s benefits far outweigh its risks.

” For Africa, he said, the stakes are especially high. The continent’s youthful population, expanding digital connectivity and urgent need for climate resilience create fertile ground for locally relevant AI innovations–but infrastructure and financing gaps remain major obstacles.

The Dar es Salaam forum takes place ahead of COP30 in Berlin this November, where countries are expected to submit updated climate action plans extending to 2035. Organizers view this gathering as a vital step toward ensuring Africa’s voice is central in shaping the future of climate-focused digital technologies. .

More than 62,000 smallholder farmers across Tanzania have benefited from training provided by the World Vegetable Center Eastern and Southern Africa (WorldVeg), aimed at boosting productivity and economic empowerment. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, WorldVeg Tanzania Programme Manager, Ms Colleta Ndunguru, said the initiative, launched in 2023, has supported farmers in Arusha, Manyara, Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar.

“The project helped farmers formalise their businesses and distributed quality vegetable seeds to over 10,500 households,” she said. Over 10,000 seed producers were trained, 52 percent women and 29 percent youth.

The Director of the Zanzibar Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute, Dr Abdallah Ibrahim Ali, praised WorldVeg for advancing fruit and vegetable farming, noting that over 446,000 vegetable seedlings were distributed nationwide. CIMMYT Country Coordinator, Mr Peter Ojukwu, said the initiative tackles hunger and malnutrition by promoting quality seed systems and training.

Farmers reported increased yields and income, with some onion producers tripling their harvests. The project was funded by CIMMYT and implemented with partners including RIKOLTO, World Vision, and the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage in Zanzibar.

(The Citizen Reporter) .

Dar es Salaam. The government has applauded the world football governing body, FIFA, for appointing three prominent Tanzanian football leaders to key international positions, describing the decision as a reflection of the nation’s growing stature in global football governance.

FIFA has confirmed the appointments of Wallace Karia, Hersi Said, and Neema Haji to serve in various international committees, a move that has been widely celebrated across Tanzania’s sporting fraternity. Karia, who serves as President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and a CAF Executive Committee Member, has been named FIFA’s Beach Soccer Vice Chairman.

Hersi, who is the President of the African Club Association (ACA) and Chairman of Young Africans SC, joins FIFA’s Club Competition Committee, while Neema Haji joins the FIFA Women’s Competitions Committee, in recognition of her significant contributions to the growth of women’s football in Tanzania. Speaking yesterday, Government Chief Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Gerson Msigwa, described the appointments as a proud moment for Tanzania and a testament to the country’s growing recognition in international sports administration.

Msigwa said the trio’s inclusion in FIFA structures demonstrates global confidence in Tanzanian leadership, professionalism, and football development. “This is a huge achievement, not just for the individuals appointed, but for the entire nation,” said Msigwa.

“FIFA’s trust in our leaders, Karia, Hersi, and Neema, proves that Tanzania is now firmly on the world football map. Their appointments show that our efforts to strengthen sports governance and professionalism are bearing fruit.

” Msigwa commended the TFF and its leadership for their consistent work in transforming football management in the country. He said the government will continue supporting initiatives that enhance transparency, youth development, and international collaboration in sports.

“President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration has placed sports at the center of national pride and diplomacy. We believe these appointments will open new doors for cooperation with FIFA and CAF, creating more opportunities for our players, coaches, and administrators,” he added.

The government spokesperson also lauded Engineer Hersi for his contribution to club football, noting his success in elevating Young Africans (Yanga) to continental prominence. Similarly, he praised Karia for his leadership at TFF and within CAF, and Neema for championing women’s football growth in Tanzania.

“Each of them has worked tirelessly to elevate Tanzanian football. Karia’s experience in governance, Hersi’s success in club management, and Neema’s expertise in women’s football make them excellent ambassadors for our nation,” said Msigwa.

He further urged the newly appointed officials to use their positions to promote Tanzanian talent and advocate for greater investment in African football. The appointments come at a time when Tanzania’s football profile continues to rise, following the national team’s competitive outings in continental tournaments and local clubs’ improved performances in CAF competitions.

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It’s that time of year again. The day we mark the passing of Tanzania’s founding father, Julius Kambarage Nyerere.

Twenty-six years now. I remember the day he died vividly.

I was a high-school student at Ilboru. We were all assembled, told the news, and given the rest of the day off.

I went to my dormitory, pulled the blanket over my head, and cried. I’m not entirely sure what to make of those tears now.

Maybe it was grief, maybe it was the weight of losing a national symbol. But I was a product of my time.

And Nyerere was a giant. I still think he is.

In a line-up of shockingly average leaders who followed him, he was a towering intellect. Nyerere wasn’t just a politician; he was a philosopher-king.

He translated Shakespeare into Kiswahili, debated world leaders on their own terms, and articulated a unique African vision with a clarity that still resonates. He was also a genuine patriot–not just in words, but in action.

He voluntarily stepped down from power, something unheard of in post-colonial Africa. He championed Kiswahili as a unifying national language, turning it into a tool of inclusion.

And he famously lived modestly even as president. But this year, I find myself wishing Nyerere was still here.

I would have moved heaven and earth to get an audience with him, to sit down and ask: “Mzee, what do you think of the Tanzania you founded?” Because honestly, the nation feels unwell. It’s in pain–stifled, stagnant, and socially fragmented.

We desperately need a leader of Nyerere’s moral gravity and intellect to help steer us through this. And yet, we must also confront an uncomfortable truth: It was his weaknesses, his specific failures as a leader that paved the road to our current predicament.

Take his rigid subscription to ideology. Nyerere embraced leftist doctrines with near-religious fervour.

He wasn’t just a socialist; he was a subscriber to every idealistic notion that leftist intellectuals propagated in the 60s and 70s. He took the ujamaa ideal and forced an entire economy into that mould, vilifying the very concept of individual profit as greed.

We never learned pragmatism. So, while our counterparts were asking, “What policy will make our people richer and our nation stronger?” we were asking, “Is this policy ideologically pure?” Even now, we are still stuck with practices that don’t make the country work.

Then there’s Nyerere’s complex relationship with democracy. On one hand, he was a man of the people: he lived and listened to them.

On the other hand, he was the man who decided for the people. He banned opposition parties in 1965, creating a one-party state under the guise of national unity.

He muzzled the alternative press. He didn’t open the nation up to political pluralism until he was well out of power, leaving a system already rigged for the incumbents.

If I had to boil it all down, Nyerere’s fundamental flaw was his misunderstanding of human nature. He was an idealist: he believed that if you put people in an ujamaa village, they would work hard for the collective good.

He believed that if you appointed leaders, they would use their powers for the benefit of all. He created a system where the key to power wasn’t competence or accountability, but the ability to pay lip service to his ideals.

But the ujamaa villages became sites of coercion, not cooperation. And the people who were singing “ujamaa” with him seamlessly transitioned into capitalists.

This is the tragic fallacy of Utopian leftism–they believe people are inherently good and will act with good intentions. But consider Pol Pot’s Cambodia, where the pursuit of an agrarian communist utopia led to the killing fields.

Stalin’s Russia, Mao’s China, and the ongoing struggles in Cuba and North Korea. Over 100 million people died because of systems built on such “good intentions.

” Nyerere himself was aware of the danger. He once said, “The constitution gives the president so much power that if I chose to be a dictator, I could.

” But he never reformed the constitution to limit those powers. He trusted future leaders to be as virtuous as he imagined himself to be.

What a fatal mistake. Human beings aren’t good people: there is wickedness in our hearts.

If you don’t set effective checks and balances, people will use their power to make fellow citizens subjects. People will weaponise their positions, their tribes, their religions, or their races against others.

We’ve all seen it, haven’t we? Today, as nations debate governance models–Western liberal democracy versus China’s authoritarian capitalism–I say this: follow the path proven to provide long-term stability and dignity. If a path suppresses people’s political, individual, economic, and social rights, it is a dead end.

Research and history are unequivocal on this. Without the bedrock of democracy and accountable institutions, the buildings we erect are merely houses of cards.

Nyerere should have known that. And maybe, if he were here today, he’d admit it.

Charles Makakala is a Technology and Management Consultant based in Dar es Salaam .