East Africa is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons. A recent report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) shows that the region is leading the continent in procurement fraud in donor-funded projects. Out of 59 complaints that were filed last year, East Africa alone had nearly a third. This may look like…
The rotational nature of top positions in the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat as well as the Organs and Institutions of the Community is now a well-known affair. With an almost religious zeal, countries have come to respect the right of participation of all partner states, big and small. While that is to be commended,…
The other week, I had a chance meeting with a group of agricultural experts from Australia at the sprawling and magnificently manicured gardens of the Hillside Hotel, overlooking the panoramic Ruhuji waterfalls in Njombe town. The Aussies – as people from that part of the world, or Down Under, as it is fondly called, are…
We were at the station waiting for a train. It was sunny and pleasant and quiet, except for her loud voice on the phone. “Is she fighting someone?” One of the mothers with kids asked sarcastically. The lady was loud and what she was saying seemed significant. She was not speaking English. Between 200 to…
By Muhidin Issa Michuzi If you like altitude in your adventures and coffee fresh from the source, meet Arusha — a Tanzanian town where diplomacy shares space with chic kiosks, Mount Meru replaces a skyline and the air smells of eucalyptus, ambition, and roasted maize. Mom is a safari and conference hub. Arusha also has…
I am on Instagram. Yes, social media. Going through the accounts of Iddy Nado, Clement Mzize and Mudathir Yahya; Taifa Stars footballers. They had not really caught my attention; until last Saturday. If you have followed Taifa Stars lately, you enjoyed brilliant displays against Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Madagascar as part of the ongoing Africa…
We were intrigued by the high-pitched call of a bird emanating from dense grass, betraying its presence. We carefully made our way towards the sound and were astonished to find a Coqui Francolin (Francolinus coqui), small, shy and elusive ground-nesting bird that is typically silent and more often heard than seen. To our delight, it…
Qualifications – the stamp of recognition relevant to most professions – are defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a pass of an examination or the official completion of a course, especially one conferring status as a recognised practitioner of a profession or activity.” While specific qualifications can unlock particular opportunities, without adequate preparation they can…
My late father, Akber Hameer, had co-founded a Computer and IT company in Dar es Salaam, back in the 80s. As a result, I had the privilege of growing up around computers. One of the things I really enjoyed as a young teenager was learning how to program codes using programming languages. The first language…
The launch of Abyssinia Luxury Coach’s direct bus service between Nairobi and Addis Ababa is more than just another new travel option. It’s a real-life example of how East Africa can move from talking about integration to making it happen. For decades, travel between Kenya and Ethiopia meant either paying a lot for flights or…
