McHANCY REPORTER NewZ

CHINA’s bilateral relation with Africa remains purely by choice without any political strings attached, a senior government official has insisted. Tanzania is one of the African nations which enjoy bilateral cooperation with the East Asian economic giant and the world’s second largest economy.   Director General of African Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Dai Bing noted that China is very sincere in its cooperation with the continent. “In the past, Africa had no choice. For now the continent has a chance for making right choice to make economic globalisation more open, inclusive, beneficial, and balanced and a win-win proposition,” he noted. Mr Dai who was speaking to African journalists who are in a 10-month special training programme in China, asserted that the two sides needed to jointly work together to tackle challenges that emerge. He noted that as China is promoting its own development and expanding opening up policy, the world’s most populous natio...

UNKNOWN assailants have brutally killed a government leader at Mwadui area in Rukwa on Tuesday night, sending chills up the spines of residents in the area and the region at large.   It was at around 11pm on Tuesday when armed assailants gunned down Mwadui Ward Executive Officer (WEO) Benedicto Chapewa, who was drinking at his own bar, before mutilating his body with machetes. The ward is located along Lake Rukwa in Sumbawanga District in Rukwa region. Rukwa Regional Police Commander (RPC), George Kyando spoke to the ‘Daily News’, confirming the horrific and tragic incident that has brought fear to residents in the ward. According to the regional police boss, Rukwa Regional Crime Officer (RCO) who was only identified as Mr N. Kitinkwi and his team were working round the clock searching for the killers, who were, until yesterday evening, at large. The RPC who admitted having scanty details on the incident said: “As I speak to you now, the RCO and team are there investigating this ...

ELDERLY tenants of National Housing Corporation (NHC) who are facing evacuation over failure to settle rental bills may now heave a sigh of relief following Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa’s intervention.   Speaking in Parliament yesterday, he directed the Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development Minister, Mr William Lukuvi and his deputy, to meet with the association of tenants of NHC houses in order to sort out the issue. “This matter should be addressed soberly, in order to pre-empt inconveniences and suffering for Tanzanian retirees who lived in these houses for a long period and can’t build their own houses…after this directive I believe that the ministry will immediately arrange meeting with those tenants,” he explained. Mr Majaliwa stated that the government was aware that the NHC was guided by the national housing policy on how the houses should be used. He swiftly pointed out, however, that the government was also aware of some of the tenants who had lived in thos...

THE Government is fasttracking procedures that will yield legal recognition of Dodoma as a city after President John Magufuli elevated it to that status last week. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa gave an assurance yesterday that the government would soon table a bill in Parliament to that end.   He explained that usually, after the President issued directives related to the status of urban centres, the government, through its organs, immediately set procedures in motion, to ensure that the directives were incorporated in the country’s laws. “ Responsible government’s departments such as Regional Authorities and Local Government (RALG) and State Attorneys have embarked on the matter, to ensure that the Bill is tabled in Parliament soon,” he pledged, giving instructions to the responsible State organs to act as according. Speaker Job Ndugai reinforced the matter, telling Attorney General Adelardus Kilangi that Parliament would be delighted if the Bill were tabled by the end of Octob...

PRESIDENT John Magufuli yesterday ordered all district councils across the country to establish Drug Revolving Funds so as to ease provision of health services and availability of drugs at hospitals, health centres and dispensaries in their areas.   The Head of State was speaking during a function to lay a foundation stone for Kilolo District Hospital in Iringa Region. He said the establishment of the Drug Revolving Funds would facilitate easy availability of drugs and medical equipment. He said the councils would be able to purchase the requisite equipment and drugs directly by using funds from the accounts. The Head of State explained that the government had already allocated 50bn/- for improving health services in dispensaries, health centresand hospitals during the 2018/19 financial year. He added that the government would continue to implement the ruling party’s (CCM) 2015 election manifesto, which, among other things, promised to provide free education. He said so far, the ...

TANZANIA gears up to become self-reliant on livestock vaccine production, with the country’s veterinary laboratory agency (TVLA) set to manufacture at least eleven such products by 2020.   Meanwhile, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries is working on a ‘decree’ that would make the livestock vaccination compulsory. The TVLA revealed yesterday that to date, five types of the vaccines had been produced since 2014 and that the remaining six were at various stages of trial. Dr Furaha Mramba, Chief Executive Officer of the TVLA, explained that the rabies vaccination was one of those on trials and that full production would commence next year. Others on trials are Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Contagious CaprinePleuropneumonia (CCPP), Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease and peste des petits ruminants (PPR). “It’s cost-saving when the country produces its own vaccines instead of importing them,” Dr Mramba said yesterday in Dar es Salaam. She cited the five types of ...

THE Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Luhaga Mpina said some unfaithful government officials have been teaming up with unscrupulous businessmen to finance individuals involved in illegal fishing in Lake Victoria.   Winding up deliberations and observations from Members of Parliament during the seminar on fishing industry, Mr Mpina said the major challenge the ministry was facing in dealing with monitoring and control of the sector is the presence of a few government officials who have been dealing with illegal fishing business. “Most of the people involved in illegal fishing to a greater extent are government officials. Sometimes you find that the District Executive Director (DED) masterminds illegal fishing. Do you expect a municipal or district council will make intervention of the menace in such a situation?” he queried. “Some of the top businessmen in fishing zone are the major sponsors as they facilitate those involved in illegal fishing as well the local government s...

DODOMA Regional Commissioner (RC), Dr Binilith Mahenge, has directed trade unions in his region to report to his office employers who violate workers’ rights for legal action.   Addressing workers on Labour Day here yesterday, Dr Mahenge, said employers who will not comply with the National Social Security Fund Act which directs them to contribute funds for the social security should be reported to his office. “I want to get reports on employers who have the tendency of violating workers’ rights in my area,” said the RC, who graced the annual event held at Jamhuri Stadium to celebrate the achievements of workers. Under the theme “We support the Government’s Decision to merge pension funds”, this year’s Labour Day was aimed at reminding the employers on complying with the National Social Security Fund Act. Dr Mahenge assured the trade unions that the government would work on complaints lodged by workers to them, stressing that the authorities should be informed on the complaints f...

pleads for workers’ patience as he builds strong economic foundations PRESIDENT John Magufuli yesterday rejected workers’ request for pay rise, citing huge development projects that consume massive amount of money as among the reasons.   Dr Magufuli, addressing workers at the climax of May Day celebrations at Samora Stadium in Iringa municipality, however, assured that public employees will get their statutory salary increment. In his speech, which some radio and television stations beamed live, the president said he wished hiking salaries on Labour Day but after realising several challenges ahead, he decided to postpone his wish. But, he promised that before the end of his tenure in office he will have increased wages for all workers. “I don’t want to give you a meagre 10,000/- salary increase, I instead, want you to enjoy a super package that will make everybody happy,’’ he promised. During his speech, the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) Secretary General, Dr...

TRADE Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) yesterday applauded the enactment of Public Service Social Security Fund Act to merge the various pension funds into two schemes.   The trade union apex body welcomed the move, saying the merger will lead to lucrative packages for pensioners. Through the new legislation that the National Assembly enacted and President John Magufuli assented to, the country now has two social security funds, the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for public and private sectors, respectively. Prior to the legislation, there were five pension funds with almost similar benefits. They included NSSF, PPF Pension Fund, Public Service Pension Fund, Local Authorities Pension Fund and Government Employees Provident Fund (GEPF). Speaking at the climax of the International Labour Day at Samora Stadium in Iringa yesterday, TUCTA Secretary General, Dr Yahaya Msigwa, appreciated the amalgamation, describing it as crit...