By Raphael Mbunda It was another misty morning as we drove along the eastern side of the Rift Valley, enjoying wonderful sightings. Just after leaving Engaruka, a Leopard Tortoise was crossing the road. It moved slowly, and we weren’t quite sure where it was headed. These charming reptiles, which blend so well into their environment,…
By Fredy Macha At first I am wary sitting next to him in the bus. Winter has faded away; spring casually stepping in, just like Bob Marley’s 1973 song: “The sun shiningAnd the weather is sweet, yeahMake you wanna move; your dancing feet now.” I sit apprehensively, listening discreetly to the slurp, seep, slurping of…
By Professor Raymond Mosha My family was blessed with our parents and many children, five of whom grew up to adulthood. Of the five, one has been called by the Lord of Heaven and Earth. We were also blessed with the presence of grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and all kinds of relatives and neighbours. There…
By G. Madaraka Nyerere We live in extraordinary times, especially when a sitting US president contemplates running for a third term. In response to those who argue that the US Constitution bars him from doing so, President Donald Trump suggested that there are “ways around” these term limits. President Trump served his first term from…
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…
