By Danford Mpumilwa It would take around seven years after the 1994 democratic elections — which brought the African National Congress (ANC) to power in South Africa — for me to set foot in that land once defined by apartheid. I was headed there to attend a conference on international criminal justice at the University…
By Linda Njoolay Social security is a crucial system that every citizen should understand — especially in a growing economy like Tanzania. In Tanzania, the system ensures income security and access to healthcare, especially during old age, sickness, disability, unemployment, work injury, maternity, or the death of a wage earner. There are two main systems…
In recent years, the East African Community (EAC) has often been in the headlines for economic growth, regional integration and ambitious infrastructure projects. But beneath all this optimism lies a worrying trend — the rise of conflict within and around the region. Conflicts in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eastern Uganda, and Burundi have…
Education is the foundation of regional development. Yet, students in East Africa face numerous barriers to accessing education across partner states. For instance: Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Higher Education, has urged East African countries to create a harmonized education system, allowing free movement of students and staff within the region. This vision…
Political considerations and private individual interests are said to often overshadow genuine efforts to ensure fair representation of citizens in Parliament. In many cases, influential politicians are claimed to sway decisions on splitting constituencies to retain their parliamentary seats rather than enhancing democracy. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided clear guidelines for creating…
A friend recently asked me: Do you know that the Chinese produce more research papers than everyone else? I checked: In 2020, China led the rest of the world with 740,042 published scientific and technical articles, while Tanzania was ranked 85th with 2,199 articles. Why should any Tanzanian care? Any country that lacks a robust…
The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) recently announced 1,596 vacancies, primarily for tax administrators, including customs officers. Three or four years ago, the institution recruited another 1,097 staff through the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat. It seems more logical for hiring institutions, especially those involved in specialised work, to recruit their staff directly, particularly when substantial numbers…
We are in the holy month of Ramadan (Mwezi Mtukufu wa Ramadhani), therefore, let us begin with two recent clips on the subject. TikTok featured a Tanzanian woman speaking enthusiastically about Ramadan in Kiswahili. As we are aware, in the last 30 years, Muslims have been portrayed very negatively. Some nations have even restricted visas…
f you are a grandparent, parent or teacher, you have experienced those moments when your grandchild, your child or student has done something wrong, sometimes something very wrong. Naturally, you become angry or troubled or frustrated, or all of them together. What do you do in this situation? There are several ways of responding to…
Tanzania’s decision to build a $172 million indoor arena is a game-changer for East Africa’s creative industry. For years, governments in the region have focused on sports, pouring billions into stadiums while ignoring the arts. Now, following pressure from musician Diamond Platnumz, Tanzania has finally recognised the value of entertainment infrastructure. Our region has produced…
