Years ago, I found myself at the tail end of a traffic jam in the middle of Singida while driving from Dar es Salaam to Butiama. A section of the road was under repair, and at a narrow diversion, a truck had sunk deep into the mud – blocking more than fifty vehicles on both…
Professor Godfred A. Bokpin may not be a household name in Africa but he is a renowned economic researcher and Professor of Finance at the University of Ghana, consulted widely for his work and views by a number of governments and multilaterals, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), African Development Bank…
Across many countries, including Tanzania, there is a growing trend of polarisation and intolerance in how people relate to one another. Conversations — especially on social media and even within our homes — have turned into battlegrounds of competing ideologies. In some places, newsrooms amplify these divisions. It is worth asking whether “neutrality” still holds…
Diarrhoea remains one of the leading causes of illness and preventable death among children under five, particularly in developing countries. Despite advances in medicine, many children continue to suffer from severe dehydration simply because families either do not know the correct treatment or seek help too late. Diarrhoea itself is not usually dangerous. What makes…
Tanzania is richly endowed with forest resources covering nearly half of its land area — approximately 48 million hectares. Yet much of this potential remains underutilised, as the country continues to export raw logs while importing finished furniture. By strategically harnessing its forest wealth, Tanzania can build a globally competitive furniture industry that generates employment,…
The East African Community (EAC), once hailed as a beacon of regional unity and cooperation, has become increasingly ineffective and fragmented. Despite ambitious goals of creating a common market, a monetary union and even a political federation, progress has been painfully slow. National interests consistently override collective vision and member states often act unilaterally, undermining…
When an Arusha News reader made contact last week regarding a huge headline item here in London, I recalled a wonderful African tune released in 1984. In the second verse of Immigrés, celebrated Senegalese musician, Youssou N’dour, wails in Wolof: “Uzin bittim reew na fa nekk dekk nu fa Mujj u mujj yay danuy nibbi…
The year was 1965. I had just joined what was then known as Tandala Lutheran Church Boys’ Boarding Middle School — quite a mouthful — perched on one of the higher slopes of the Mount Livingstone (Kipengere) ranges, in what is now Makete District, Njombe Region. I was one of only three pupils, out of…
As you read my articles you can see clearly that I am often fond of writing reflections based on the proverbs that I learned from my ancestors. I do so because I firmly believe that ancestors of every nation, every ethnic group and of all countries, have passed on to future generations proverbs and sayings…
Tanzania is abundantly endowed with mineral resources. Much has been said and written about what needs to be done to realise the full potential of these resources. While this debate continues, one category remains largely overlooked — Rare Earth Elements (REs). Rare earths are a group of 17 metallic elements essential for the manufacture of…
