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Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s leading sports equipment manufacturer and retailer JustFit Sports Gear has officially launched its first-ever official Mainland Tanzania Premier League match balls, which are now set to be used in the ongoing competition.

This marks a significant milestone for local sports manufacturing and retail, as the Premier League had previously relied on imported match balls. The launch highlights the growing capacity of Tanzanian companies to produce high-quality sporting equipment for top-tier competitions.

Speaking with The Citizen yesterday, the firm’s managing director, Salim Salim, said the company has signed a two-year partnership with the Tanzania Premier League Board. Salim noted that they have introduced a high-quality match ball that will be used throughout the new season of the Tanzania Mainland Premier League.

In addition to the ball, he said they have also unveiled specially designed referee kits to be worn during all matches in the upcoming league season. “This move highlights the company’s commitment not only to football but also to enhancing the overall professionalism and branding of Tanzanian football,” said Salim.

He explained that the match ball itself is a Tanzanian innovation, reflecting a combination of creativity, uniqueness, and world-class quality. According to Salim, the design meets international standards, demonstrating that local talent can produce equipment capable of competing on a global level.

Salim added that the company plans to expand its product line further and continue collaborating with football authorities to strengthen the sport at all levels. For his part, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) vice president Athuman Nyamlani commended the firm for the innovation, saying it enabled Tanzanian football to mark another milestone.

“This is a milestone for Tanzanian sports. For the first time, we have a locally designed football that meets professional standards.

We hope it inspires players and young talent across the country to take pride in locally made products,” said Nyamlani. He added that such innovations contribute significantly to the growth and modernization of football in Tanzania.

He noted that having a high-quality local football and referee kits enhances the professionalism of the league and ensures that the domestic game continues to improve in line with international standards. Justfit’s launch is part of a broader strategy to support sports development in Tanzania, promoting both locally manufactured products and a culture of excellence in football .

Dar es Salaam. As the government opens doors to investors across various sectors, deliberate efforts are needed to ensure Tanzanians benefit not only from financial inflows and technology transfer but also from opportunities to acquire practical skills.

Barrick Mining Corporation, one of the country’s largest investors in the mining sector, has placed education and skills development at the centre of its operations. The company operates in partnership with the government through Twiga Minerals Corporation.

Each year, Barrick’s Bulyanhulu and North Mara mines host students from local universities, offering them exposure to different fields. The company also runs a one-year internship for post-secondary and university graduates, providing mentorship and, in some cases, direct employment.

In addition, a two-year graduate programme trains young professionals in mining and related sectors, with participants either absorbed into Barrick or pursuing careers elsewhere. To support neighbouring communities, the firm operates a first-entry scheme for unskilled youths from villages around its mines.

Participants receive training in mining-related roles, equipping them to secure jobs or apply their skills in other industries. Barrick has also been sponsoring college symposiums through AIESEC, a global youth platform.

Experts from the company mentor students, helping them to prepare for the future, explore career opportunities and develop leadership potential. Speaking during the release of Barrick’s 2024 sustainable strategy implementation report, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Bristow, said education remains a top priority in its investment strategy.

“Barrick continues to prioritise education and will strengthen its investment in the sector to ensure Tanzanians access better learning opportunities,” he said during his recent visit to the country. Interns interviewed by The Citizen praised the mentorship provided during their training and noted the company’s commitment to environmental protection, workplace safety and community development projects in education, health and infrastructure.

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By Martha Chacha Dar es Salaam. Uganda’s Common Man’s Party (CMP) presidential candidate, Mubarak Munyagwa, has pledged to abolish Kiswahili as the national language and replace it with French in schools and public institutions.

Speaking at a campaign rally, Mr Munyagwa said the proposal was aimed at deepening Uganda’s ties with Francophone countries across Africa. “We shall ban Kiswahili as a national language.

What we need instead is French,” he declared. “French has a far wider reach.

Burundi speaks French, Congo speaks French, Rwanda speaks French, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, the Central African Republic, all speak French. We do not need Kiswahili; what we need is English and French.

” His remarks come as President Yoweri Museveni’s administration actively promotes Kiswahili to strengthen integration within the East African Community (EAC). Uganda declared Kiswahili a national language in 2022, and it has since been rolled out in schools nationwide.

Kiswahili carries unique significance not only for Uganda but also for the region and the wider continent. It remains the most widely spoken African language, serving as a bridge across Kenya, Tanzania, the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and beyond.

Recognised by the African Union as a working language, Kiswahili has become a symbol of unity, cultural exchange, trade and political cooperation. In 2017, Rwanda made a decision to designate Kiswahili as one of the official languages of the country, alongside Kinyarwanda, English and French The recognition of Kiswahili is part of the commitments entered in 2007 in the East African Community, an organization founded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

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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. .