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Nairobi. Aisha used to lose nearly half of her tomatoes within three days.

Heat, rough handling, and slow market demand turned fresh produce into waste. Today, she pays a small weekly fee for space in a solar-powered cold room just two kilometres from her market in Vihiga County.

The same tomatoes now last up to three weeks. “Before the cold room, I would wake up worried that half my tomatoes would rot before I found a buyer,” she said.

“Now I can keep them for weeks, and that means I decide when to sell, not the heat.” Her experience reflects a wider shift in how farmers and traders across Africa are handling perishable goods.

Distributed, renewable-powered cold storage is transforming refrigeration from a luxury into basic infrastructure, stabilising food systems and making agricultural value chains investable. “The fee is small, but the peace of mind is big,” Aisha said.

“Now every crate feels like it counts.” Tackling post-harvest loss Post-harvest loss continues to shape the economics of African agriculture.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that up to 40 percent of some fresh crops never make it from field to plate, with fruit and vegetables hit hardest. The African Post-Harvest Losses Information System puts the figure between 10 and 12 percent, while the World Bank estimates that up to 40 percent of horticultural produce never reaches the market.

Empower Africa calculates that only about 5 per cent of fresh produce currently passes through a cold chain, contributing to losses of 3050 percent. Losses fall sharply when refrigeration enters the chain.

Solar walk-in cold rooms are prefabricated, insulated units fitted with panels and hybrid power backups. Operators offer booking systems, SMS receipts, and remote monitoring to ensure consistent uptime.

Business models vary, with some kiosks renting space per crate or per day. “For me, paying per crate makes sense,” Aisha explained.

“Some weeks I have few baskets, other weeks more. I only pay for what I use.

If I sell fast, I don’t pay. If I need more time, I add a small fee.

That choice is everything for a small farmer like me.” Innovation and investment In Kenya, SokoFresh runs solar-powered cold storage on a service basis for more than 7,000 farmers.

In Nigeria, Baridi applies the same approach to the meat trade, leasing space to butcheries. Mid-sized players are offering subscription lockers for cooperatives and deploying refrigerated trucks for aggregation.

Larger facilities serve exporters and processors with bonded warehouses and logistics services. “Cold rooms are revenue-generating assets with measurable climate benefits.

That combination is why funds like ours are stepping in,” said Simon Enyadong, regional investment lead at ColdBox, the start-up renting cold storage in Aisha’s area. Investment is flowing into the sector.

Local operators are raising capital to expand product lines, while asset managers and climate funds are structuring debt to finance large-scale facilities. One notable example is Koolboks, a Nigeria- and France-based company that raised $11 million in Series A funding in September 2025. Since its founding in 2018, the start-up has deployed more than 10,000 solar-powered freezers in 25 countries, offering pay-as-you-go financing and IoT monitoring for retailers and clinics.

“The raise allows us to deepen our reach, build locally, and put power back in the hands of small businesses,” said CEO and co-founder Ayoola Dominic. By localising assembly in Nigeria, Koolboks expects to cut end-user prices by up to 20 per cent.

Kenya’s InspiraFarms has followed a similar trajectory, securing $1.09 million in 2024 to expand its off-grid cold storage projects in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Ghana. ColdHubs in Nigeria has developed a network of solar-powered walk-in cold rooms that have saved millions of kilogrammes of produce from perishing annually.

In Uganda, an 8,000-pallet cold-storage warehouse is being constructed at Namanve Industrial Park in Kampala. The project, backed by $18 million from the Africa Go Green Fund, is being developed under the ARCH Cold Chain Solutions East Africa Fund.

It will serve agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and retail, and is projected to avoid more than 300,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. “This financing enables us to build a high-quality cold storage and logistics system,” said Suki Muia, a director at Cold Solutions Kazi and ARCH Investment.

Laurane Aigrain, managing director of Africa Go Green, added that the facility will strengthen infrastructure and help Uganda manage food supplies and healthcare logistics year-round. The regional market is expanding rapidly.

Market Data Forecast projects that the Middle East and Africa cold chain market will grow from $23.8 billion in 2022 to $35.1 billion by 2028. Local companies assembling solar fridges and modular cold-room components are creating jobs, cutting costs, and improving maintenance turnaround times. Across the board, the model is reshaping incentives: less waste for farmers, longer shelf life for traders, and new revenue streams for investors.

“We can feed one billion more people globally if we solve post-harvest losses,” said Owusu Akoto, CEO of FreezeLink, speaking at the Africa Food Bank Conference. “By increasing the shelf life of products and preventing food waste, Africa can not only fight food insecurity but also open new markets for exports,” added Rwandan entrepreneur Rob Nashihanya.

For Aisha, the benefits are clear and personal. “It’s not just tomatoes anymore,” she said.

“It’s knowing I won’t go home empty-handed.” (bird story agency) .

Dar es Salaam. Vodacom Tanzania has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) to expand access to paediatric heart care.

The agreement was signed by the telcom firm through its charity arm Vodacom Foundation Tanzania, and the Heart Team Africa Foundation, a specialised foundation under the JKCI. The two organisations described the initiative as a milestone in the fight against paediatric heart disease in Tanzania.

The signing ceremony at JKCI coincided with World Heart Day 2025, held under the theme “Don’t Miss a Beat”, a global call to prioritise heart health through early detection and lifestyle change. Under the MoU, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation will be contributing some cost in providing paediatric cardiac heart care.

According to a recent study conducted by Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania, an estimated two out of every 100 children are born with congenital heart disease (CHD), and three percent of children aged 515 suffer from rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a preventable condition caused by untreated throat infections. Each year, more than 4,000 children require surgery, according to the study, yet access to care remains limited.

Although the Government subsidizes 70 percent of costs, the remaining 30 percent is still unaffordable for many families in dire need. JKCI currently has over 350 children on its waiting list for surgery.

Speaking on the gravity of the issue, JKCI executive director, Dr Peter Kisenge, emphasised the urgency. “Behind every statistic is a child with dreams and parents with hope.

This partnership will help us close the gap between need and access, ensuring that more children live to see a healthy future,” he said. Heart Team Africa Foundation chief executive officer and paediatric cardiologist, Dr Naizihijwa Majani, said the cost of treatment can stand between a child and their future.

“This partnership with Vodacom and JKCI is more than financial support; it is a lifeline. Together, we are building a Tanzania where no parent has to choose between poverty and their child’s heartbeat,” he said.

Earlier this year, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation launched the Amini Initiative in Zanzibar, pledging to sponsor 150 children by covering the remaining 30 percent of treatment costs. So far, 38 children, ranging from two months to 14 years old, have already received successful surgeries.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vodacom Tanzania chief executive officer, Mr Philip Besiimire, said the MoU is about turning belief into action through the Amini Initiative. “Together with JKCI, we are opening the door to a future where no child’s life is cut short due to lack of access to life-changing medical interventions, but instead given the chance to heal, to hope, and to thrive,” he said.

Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, JKCI, and Heart Team Africa Foundation are calling on partners, donors, and stakeholders to join forces in the lifesaving mission. .

Zanzibar. In politics, rivalry does not always mean hostility.

One may admire an opponent, respect their leadership and even acknowledge their achievements, yet still step forward to challenge them. For Said Soud Said, chairman of the Alliance for African Farmers Party (AAFP), this is the essence of democracy.

He insists that his 2025 presidential bid in Zanzibar is not driven by enmity but by the spirit of competition. Said has declared his candidacy against incumbent President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, whose leadership he openly praises, especially for strides in infrastructure development and democratic governance.

Yet, he believes Zanzibar deserves more and he promises to accelerate progress while tackling unique social and economic issues. Among his most unusual campaign pledges is a vow to outlaw 66 beds, which he blames for declining birth rates in the Isles.

Respect for Mwinyi, but ready to compete Speaking after receiving his endorsement from the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), Said said that his candidacy is serious and that he is confident of victory. However, he made it clear that should President Mwinyi win, it will still be a legitimate outcome.

“Dr Mwinyi has done well and Zanzibaris trust him. But I believe I can build on his successes and do it with more speed,” Said said.

This is not Said’s first attempt at the presidency. He contested in 2010, 2015 and 2020, building a reputation as one of Zanzibar’s most persistent politicians.

His long career has been marked by shifts in party allegiance, bold statements and controversial policies, which have kept him in the spotlight. Political journey through different parties Said’s political path began in the mid-1990s.

He first joined the Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) in 1996, running unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in Wawi constituency in 2000. In 2003, he moved to the Democratic Party (DP), where he became the running mate of the late Rev Christopher Mtikila in the 2005 Union presidential election. In 2009, he founded the Alliance for Farmers Party of Tanzania (AAFP), which he has chaired since.

Through this platform, he has consistently championed the interests of farmers, arguing that agriculture remains the backbone of Zanzibar’s economy. He insists that if farmers thrive, the Isles will prosper.

Beyond party politics, Said has held notable positions in government. He once served as a nominated member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives under former President Ali Mohamed Shein.

After the disputed 2015 elections and the subsequent 2016 repeat poll boycotted by the opposition, Said was appointed to the Revolutionary Council as a Minister without Portfolio. This appointment earned him criticism from some quarters, with detractors labelling him a “puppet”.

He dismisses the accusations as baseless, saying his loyalty has always been to the people, not to any single political figure. Early life and background Born on May 12, 1949 in Kiuyu, Bikirembo, Pemba, Said grew up in a modest farming family.

He is the third of five children. His early years were shaped by the aftermath of the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution, which introduced free education.

He did not enter school until the age of 16, completing his primary education in 1972 before pursuing Islamic studies. From a young age, he was politically active, first as a member of the Afro Shiraz Party (ASP) youth wing.

When ASP merged with TANU in 1977 to form Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Said became one of its early members and later held leadership roles at the district level. Though once a staunch CCM supporter, he grew disillusioned in the 1990s, arguing that the party had lost touch with farmers’ needs.

This prompted his eventual shift to the opposition. On opposition politics and democracy Said has strong views on the role of the opposition in Tanzania’s democracy.

He argues that genuine opposition requires not just criticising the ruling party but also accepting electoral defeat when it occurs. He cites the Civic United Front’s (CUF) rejection of the 1995 election results as an example of what he considers poor democratic practice.

For him, the legitimacy of opposition parties lies in their willingness to compete fairly and respect outcomes. Agenda for 2025 While Said’s manifesto includes promises to speed up development and expand opportunities for farmers, what has attracted the most attention is his unconventional social agenda.

He claims that the widespread adoption of 66 beds in Zanzibar has contributed to declining birth rates. According to him, the large beds reduce intimacy and discourage larger families.

“In the past, when people used 46 beds, families were bigger and Zanzibar’s population was growing steadily. Now, 66 beds are everywhere and our birth rate is falling.

If elected, I will ban these beds. The largest size allowed will be 46,” he declared.

Though critics have dismissed this pledge as outlandish, Said insists it reflects his concern for Zanzibar’s future demographic and economic stability. He argues that without population growth, the Isles risk losing their economic vitality and cultural vibrancy.

Champion of farmers True to his party’s name, Said continues to position himself as the voice of farmers. He has promised policies to improve access to markets, affordable inputs and modern technology.

He also advocates for greater investment in irrigation and storage facilities, aiming to reduce post-harvest losses and stabilise food prices. He argues that empowering farmers will also reduce youth unemployment, as agriculture can provide meaningful livelihoods if well supported.

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Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s creative economy is undergoing a major transformation, with barbers, hairdressers, photographers, graphic designers, painters and other creative professionals now required to register with the National Arts Council (Basata) in order to operate legally.

The new directive follows revised Basata regulations published in the Government Gazette on June 30, 2025. The move marks a historic step in formally recognising and regulating sectors that have long operated informally, signalling a shift towards a more structured and inclusive creative industry. As part of the reforms, Basata has halved its entry fees, reducing the registration cost from S0,000 to Sh20,000, with an annual renewal fee set at Sh10,000. The council said the changes are designed to bring creatives closer to government support systems and enable them to access opportunities such as funding from the national arts fund.

“Our aim is not to be their dream killers,” the council said in a statement that responded to questions from The Citizen. “Our goal is to bring them closer to government so they can access opportunities such as funding from the national arts fund,” it added.

The council’s mandate now covers three broad categories: music, performing arts, and creative arts. Creative arts now formally include barbering, hairdressing, photography, painting, and graphic design — with Basata describing even salon services as a form of fashion innovation.

“Today if you go to a salon and get a new hairstyle, the barber has used creativity. Or if you go bald and they fix artificial hair on your head, that is also creativity at work,” Basata explained.

Officials said formalising the sector would not only ensure recognition but also strengthen its contribution to the economy through job creation. “Many successful artists have been able to provide employment to others, where you find an artist with a lawyer, an accountant, and other people managing their work.

If all these people depend on one artist, it means jobs are being created,” the council said. Industry reaction The reforms have sparked mixed reactions among practitioners.

While many see the changes as a sign of progress, they also warn that low awareness could hinder compliance. Avila Chaula, widely known as Allie Stylist and a member of the Tanzania Hairdressers’ Association, welcomed the reforms and said they provide new opportunities.

“Hairdressing is now officially under Basata’s oversight, and they have become mentors for us. However, many stylists still don’t know about these requirements,” she said.

Ms Chaula stressed that registration is required for every stylist, not just salon owners, and added that being registered opens doors internationally. “Once registered, it’s much easier to get visas and permits for international work.

If I want to travel to China or the U.S.

for a job, being formally recognised by Basata makes the process smoother,” she explained. For barbers, the regulations are entirely new but are seen as a potential avenue for financial empowerment.

“I have been a barber for several years now, and I have never come across such a requirement. But if the government has created a good system to recognise us and enable us to access loans, then I think this will be a good move that will help lift us up when we face difficulties,” said Mr Dulla Hamadi, a barber from Sinza.

Hairdresser Habiba Mohammed of Kijitonyama echoed similar views, saying that registration will be meaningful only if it leads to tangible benefits. “If the Council recognises me and I can access loans, then that will be a very positive step,” she said.

Wider implications Basata clarified that even media houses must register if they engage in organising artistic events such as shows or festivals, except for film-related activities which remain under the Tanzania Film Board. The council acknowledged complaints from salon owners whose businesses have been closed in the past, explaining that such enforcement actions usually result from joint operations with agencies such as the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and the Business Registration and Licensing Agency (Brela).

Industry observers say the reforms have the potential to activate a largely informal sector, broaden its tax contribution, and give it a stronger voice in national economic planning — but only if awareness campaigns reach practitioners countrywide. “With these reforms, we have made some inactive artists active again, so that they too can empower themselves.

This is part of ensuring that these sectors are respected just like music and other arts,” the council said. .

Across the continent, a new generation is stepping into rooms their granrents couldn’t enter, but even in these spaces, many are battling an internal ceiling built long before they arrived. Despite their qualifications, creativity, and resilience, they hesitate.

They play small. They over-explain.

They undercharge. Why? Because systems taught them to associate confidence with arrogance and assertiveness with disrespect.

From colonial education models that punished questioning to gender norms that reward silence over strength, African professionals were never just underdeveloped economically; we were underestimated psychologically. In this article I aim to challenge the internalised beliefs and systemic conditioning that make us, especially the younger generation, hesitate to show up fully in professional spaces despite being qualified, creative, and more capable than ever.

I’m not just writing to motivate you; my hope is that this serves as a psychological and cultural intervention designed to spark a mindset shift, validating the lived experience of professionals navigating legacy systems of oppression and limitation. A Unesco study revealed that in many African education systems, rote learning and obedience are prioritised over critical thinking and self-expression, conditioning that stifles confidence from a young age.

According to the African Development Bank, only 23 per cent of African professionals feel empowered to make bold suggestions at work, citing fear of hierarchy and hierarchical respect norms as primary barriers. And gender plays a compounding role.

In a 2022 report by McKinsey Africa, women in African corporate settings are 30 per cent less likely to apply for stretch roles, even when qualified, due to what researchers term “internalised competence doubt.” In other words, our talent isn’t lacking; our permission to believe in it is.

Confidence is not a personality trait. It’s a skill, one that’s been systemically stripped and now must be deliberately rebuilt.

And the confidence I’m referring to doesn’t just mean being the loudest in the room. I mean trusting that your insight has value before it’s validated, especially in systems designed to keep you quiet.

If you’re ready to unlearn the hesitation and step into your boldness, here are four strategies: 1. Audit the source of your self-doubtAsk: Where did I learn to shrink? Self-doubt often comes from somewhere.

A past experience. A critical teacher.

A culture of silence. Ask yourself, where did I learn to hold back? When you identify the origin, you can begin to separate your current reality from old conditioning.

2. Practice visibility without apologySharing your ideas is not self-promotion; it’s participation.

Post your work. Speak up in meetings.

Accept compliments without deflecting them. Visibility is not about ego.

It is a signal that you take your contribution seriously. 3.

Surround yourself with expansive peopleConfidence is social. Spend time with people who see your potential and challenge you to grow.

The more you engage with bold thinkers, the more you start to believe you belong among them. 4.

Redefine boldness as a contribution, not a disruptionEvery time you speak up with insight, you’re not interrupting the system; you’re upgrading it. When you offer a new idea or challenge the status quo, you are not causing trouble.

You are creating progress. Systems don’t improve when everyone agrees.

Remember, when you reclaim boldness, you don’t just change your career; you rewrite what leadership looks like on this continent. .

A video on social media grimly showed Isakwisa Atupele Mwamasage’s last breath, a 39-year-old Tanzanian kicking his legs as two South African police officers pinned him to the floor, and no sooner than he wet his pants did he stop moving. His place and time of death have been disputed.

The onlookers said ‘Ras Isa’, as he was known by his friends, died on the scene, right next to where he set up his roadside hustle as a shoe cobbler. The police would later take his lifeless body and claim he died in the hospital after spending time behind bars.

His death is reminiscent of the death of an African American with a white police officer’s knee on his neck. This incident sparked anti-racism and Black Lives Matter protests in various American cities.

But unlike in the American case, this was a Black African man killed by Black African policemen. Ironically, it is in this country that Tanzanians died alongside native South Africans as they were fighting for their independence.

His death was not a separate individual case; throughout this year, social media groups belonging to Tanzanians living in South Africa have continuously announced deaths of their fellow countrymen, whose crime was to look for better lives outside their country’s borders. Even after Ras Isa’s demise, debates have raged on social media, speculating about what he did for a living.

The people knew him as a cobbler, but police said he was selling drugs, and after seeing him behave suspiciously, they approached him. That’s when he swallowed the drugs to hide the evidence.

But the questions remained: does the small amount of drugs he allegedly swallowed warrant death? Speaking to Mr Mohammed Msangi, a Tanzanian sailor who resides in KwaZulu-Natal, he said, In general, no one is immune to the violence in South Africa; all foreigners from other African countries are targeted, and even South Africans are affected by the wave of violence in the country. “Zimbabweans and Congolese are among the worst targeted communities; I think Tanzanians are fourth,” Mr Msangi said.

He further elaborated on the difference in lifestyle between Tanzania and the country he has called home for years now. He said, with the exception of academia, most young Tanzanians going to South Africa are going there knowing there are no jobs for them to do; they have no skill set or educational qualifications to join formal job sectors.

So as soon as they get to the country, they are absorbed into gangs and delve into illegal activities, from petty drug trade to pushing sachets of cannabis just to survive and settle in. The young Tanzanians in such a quick fortune, unfortunately, graduate from thieves to hardened criminals.

“It’s like stealing has been formalised as a regular job,” he said. They risk it all, and if they meet untimely death by the bullet, life goes on; it fazes no one.

More young people will keep doing the same thing that ended their colleague’s life. Most Africans living in South Africa illegally are accustomed to the growing animosity towards them.

Seeking refuge with the police force is not an option; Mr Msangi is all too familiar with the look of contempt they receive from the law enforcers. He narrated how, just a few weeks ago, a Tanzanian named Rajabu was stabbed to death by his South African wife in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, and the wife was just briefly held at the police station and let go.

Life is cheap; all you have to do is survive the night. “Another Tanzanian, Mr Likizo, was stabbed by a fellow Tanzanian while fighting for a corner in the street.

Each wanted to put their goods for sale,” he said. While one would think the police force would be on the hunt for the assailant, Mr Msangi said that is never the case; all the killer has to do is move to another place and carry on with his life; the police will not bother to look for him.

“It’s like you can kill someone in Mbezi and move to Kariakoo and live your best life,” he elaborated. These fights break out, fighting for a corner, because in some cases, this is where they sell their drugs, he said.

“They sell batik and other stuff, but under the table, they sell illicit substances,” he added. The Tanzanian community in South Africa is still traumatised by the killing of Ras Isa.

The police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, promised an autopsy to determine what caused his death. Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will be thorough with the investigation.

But Mr Isakwisa’s body has already been flown and buried in his hometown, Mbeya, Tanzania. While the world seems to have forgotten him, the videos of his heartbroken family weeping in church while saying their final goodbyes are a clear reminder of the faces and turmoil the violence has caused.

These are people, not just statistics. These are sons whose mothers grieve.

Lives shattered and dreams obliterated. Neither the South African government nor our embassy in Pretoria has explained in detail the recent deaths of these Tanzanians.

But Mr Msangi might understand why: “Our embassy knows some of these young Tanzanians are involved in illegal activities; hence, they just turn a blind eye,” he said. Whether Mr Isakwisa was a drug peddler, as insinuated by the Western Cape police in their case report, or he was simply a shoe cobbler, as his neighbours attested, I hardly see the South African government taking much time on it.

The Tanzania Ministry of Foreign Affairs of East African Cooperation has not even batted an eye. This is just another story with shock value that will fade into the background soon enough.

The Tanzanian media, on the other hand, would sensationalise morbid news rather than dig deeper. The bold headline ‘A Tanzanian has been killed in South Africa’ gets more clicks than ‘a petty thief murdered’; whether these young boys are criminals or not, every Tanzanian life should hold some value, and the right to life is universal and not based on your bank balance or lack of it.

“Death is everywhere in South Africa, especially in the African communities,” Mr Msangi said. “No one wants us here, so if we are murdered, the killers go unpunished,” he added.

Mr Mohammed has posted on his Facebook page too many Tanzanians who have died in South Africa; he can’t keep count of how many. Just recently, Mr Steven Bico Mwambeta was gunned down in Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal.

Another case that he is sure will go unsolved. Humans have been habitual nomads, migrating continuously since the dawn of our species.

We are now obsessed with the borders. The very borders in Africa came as a result of the Europeans’ scramble to divide the continent.

The “Bondeni” dream has already turned into a nightmare and a gravesite, but who is to tell the youth whose unemployment in Tanzania is so dire that they have no choice but to risk it all? On social media, Tanzanians are urging their fellow countrymen to retreat and return home, but as a man, a growling stomach and dreams of a fancy life before growing old will always precede any logic and instinct to heed danger. The best we can do is start addressing the elephant in the room, call a spade a spade, and admit we have a problem that has been there for a decade, which is a right start.

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