Africa54

The dream of Tanzania to acquire the middle income status by 2025 is becoming a reality. This time, the data extracted from the September 2019 version of the  PovcalNet database has put Tanzania the first country in Africa that has reduced extreme poverty. Early this year, the WB stated clearly that Tanzania’s middle income status will be achieved in 2021 instead of 2025 due to mega projects implemented by the government of President John Magufuli. The report that has been also published in the World Bank Blogs states that Tanzania has reduced extreme poverty from 86% in 2000 to 49% in 2011, cutting its extreme poverty rate by 3.2 percentage points per year. This is about three times the pace of the average country in the region. Much more gains have been achieved in the last two years. The report states that the rapid reduction in extreme poverty has been measured as the annual percentage point change in the international extreme poverty rate, circa 2000 to ...

  Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim. By Staff Reporter, Beijing Tanzania’s historic contribution is not limited to the liberation of the Southern African countries as many know; it is extended across the world. This time around, the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) will in October 1st this year award Tanzania the highest medal for her contribution on the China’s return to the UN in early 1970’s. The award ceremony is part of the activities to mark 70 th Anniversary since the establishment of the Peoples’ Republic of China. The ceremonies have been given a special attention that will include the military parade, says a government release.            Chinese President Xi Jinping will award, Tanzania, through its former Foreign Minister, Ambassador Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, who will receive the highest China’s Friendship Medal. Dr. Salim was a Tanzanian representative to the UN in 1971 when Tanzania led the African and third w...

Tshidi Madia President Cyril Ramaphosa with members of the ANC Veterans’ League, left to right, front to back: Snuki Zikalala, Wally Serote, Frank Chikane, Cheryl Carolus, Fazel Randera, Sydney Mufamadi and Mavuso Msimang. (Gallo Images)   While ANC leaders often face criticism for putting the party ahead of the country's economic and social well-being, the ANC Veterans League says it will take a strong ANC to save South Africa. In an interview with News24 on Monday, Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala said the party's infrastructure needed to be firmed up for it to play a more effective role in ensuring that the government delivers when it comes to the party's policies and promises. "The secretary general's office (SGO) is not as coherent as it should be … That's the driver, the engine of the organisation. Immediately when we get the SGO correct I think things ...

How Uganda is using old and new laws to block activists on social media September 8, 2019 10.11am SAST   Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala Associate Professor of Human Rights, Law and Peace, Makerere University     Ugandan musician-turned-MP Robert ‘Bobi Wine’ Kyagulanyi has been a frequent target of the country’s cyber laws. Dai Kurokawa/EPA Activists who use digital media are protected by international law and protocols that guarantee freedom of expression. Under international law, freedom of expression is also protected on the internet and mobile devices. It stands to reason then that the same rights enjoyed offline should be enjoyed online. There are also protections in Africa. ...

Staff Writers, Kampala and Dar es Salaam In what may be called “ the penetration of Magufulification effects in Uganda ”, President John Magufuli of Tanzania has asked his Ugandan counterpart President Yoweli Museveni to dissolve the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) leadership for delaying the Hoima-Tanga Oil pipeline over tax issues . In Tanzania Museveni witnessed the inaugaration of Nyerere Building and held formal talks with Magufuli President Magufuli has in the period of three years in power changed five times the leadership of Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to make the country do business fairly locally and internationally.       Speaking in Dar es Salaam this week during the Uganda-Tanzania Business Forum organised by the business community from the two countries with the aim of boosting bilateral trade, President Magufuli urged Museveni to ensure his tax man sacrifices some short-term tax benefits with long-term projections. “Sacri...