Tag: tanzania

  • Tanzania dam: Power plant planned in Selous Game Reserve

    African fish eagle in Selous Game Reserve Symbol copyright Getty Pictures Symbol caption The Selous Game Reserve is house to a huge vary of species, together with the African fish eagle

    Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has signed a deal for the development of a hydro-electric energy plant in a single of East Africa’s highest-recognized sport reserves, amid complaint from environmentalists.

    The deal, worth $3bn (£2.4bn), envisages the construction of a dam on the Rufiji River within the Selous Sport Reserve, a Unesco World Background site.

    Tanzania says the venture will double its general power supply.

    But conservationists warn that it’ll break natural world habitat.

    BBC Africa Live: Extra in this and other stories

    The deal used to be signed with two Egyptian construction corporations.

    Image copyright Getty Photographs Symbol caption The Rufiji River within the Selous Reserve is house to crocodiles, amongst other species

    The WWF, the global environmental frame, says the undertaking can even endanger the livelihoods of a few 200,000 people – including farmers and fishermen – living downstream from the proposed dam.

    A 2017 record through the frame warns that the undertaking could lead on to larger erosion downstream, potentially drying out lakes that draw in natural world tourism, decreasing the fertility of farmland and causing the retreat of the Rufiji Delta.

    The Selous Recreation Reserve is house to a huge variety of animal species, together with elephants and rhinos, whose population numbers were falling because of heavy poaching.

    Tanzania has argued that the undertaking will spice up construction and double its current energy capacity. just one-3rd of the country’s inhabitants currently has access to electrical energy.

  • Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in ‘anti-faux information campaign’

    Uhuru Kenyatta Image copyright AFP Image caption President Kenyatta says the brand new legislation can assist prosecute cyber criminals

    a brand new legislation in Kenya is the newest in East Africa to punish the spreading of “fake information” and impose a lengthy jail term on offenders.

    It proposes a great of $50,000 (£37,000) and/or up to two years in jail for publishing “false” information.

    The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes regulation additionally criminalises abuse on social media and cyber bullying.

    Critics of the “pretend news” regulations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania say they are supposed to muzzle unbiased media.

    The Committee To Protect Journalists had prompt President Uhuru Kenyatta to ship again the bill to parliament to remove clauses that it says violated press freedom and freedom of expression.

    Symbol copyright AFP Symbol caption The Kenyan media see the brand new legislation as some other try to muzzle them

    A Few bloggers in Kenya became big media influencers. They boast heaps, occasionally 1,000,000, fans on social media structures and they are known to promote their affect in strengthen of causes on-line.

    Their reputation has earned them the moniker “keyboard warriors”.

    They had been especially busy all over last 12 months’s election, which was awash with false information on social media.

    what is happening in Tanzania?

    The Placement isn’t dissimilar in neighbouring Tanzania where the authorities not too long ago revealed new laws which require bloggers to pay $920 for the privilege of posting content material online.

    the federal government says it desires to offer protection to the East African nation from “lies” being unfold on-line, even if critics see it as some way of muzzling freedom of expression.

    Image copyright AFP Image caption President John Magufuli has sponsored arguable blogging laws

    President John Magufuli says he goals “to weed out” what he refers to as a “disease”.

    The new regulations require all on-line publishers together with bloggers, vloggers and podcasters to sign up and pay $480 for a three-12 months licence, plus an annual price of $440.

    The Top Court Docket on the other hand halted the FIVE Might implementation of the rules after a gaggle of activists and representatives from the media challenged them.

    If the regulation passes the court problem, it’s going to punish offenders with an exceptional of now not not up to $2,000 or imprisonment of not less than twelve months, or both.

    Tanzania’s Bloggers Network mentioned it was concerned about the have an effect on the new rules may have on its participants, suggesting that a few might need to forestall blogging.

    A co-founder of the rustic’s hottest website Jamii Boards, a messaging-board, that’s dubbed “Swahili Wikileaks’, mentioned it could consider last because of a clause within the rules that requires it to retailer contributors’ main points for 365 days.

    Inside Africa’s WhatsApp’s gated groups Extra approximately Tanzania

    What approximately Uganda’s ‘gossip tax’?

    In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni’s executive has put on hold plans for a “social media” tax after the finance ministry said that it would wish to consult on how one of these tax plan would be implemented.

    Mr Museveni had proposed a tax on Facebook and WhatsApp, announcing the revenue collected may lend a hand the country “deal with results of Olugambo gossiping”.

    Image copyright AFP Image caption President Museveni proposed a social media tax

    He stated not too long ago: “we are going to control it social media. We All Know who is spreading hate messages. we will opt for them. you have to deliver self-discipline on your methods”.

    Critics say that the SEVENTY THREE-yr-antique leader’s intention is to muzzle the press and people who are towards his plan to run again in the 2021 elections. His government close down social media platforms through the 2016 election.

    At a recent assembly with media house owners and editors, Mr Museveni suggested them to “filter” news and never broadcast “lies”.

    Uganda may be making plans to unveil its own model of Facebook and Twitter this year.

    the pinnacle of the verbal exchange commission, Godfrey Mutabazi, stated the foundation to strengthen local systems was to host on-line content material in the usa. “rather than Ugandans, as an example, vacationing Twitter, they’re going to have one thing native that they’ll be able to use,” he is quoted as pronouncing.

    who’s Yoweri Museveni? Extra about Uganda

  • John Magufuli: Tanzania prefers ‘condition-free’ Chinese Language assist

    John Magufuli Image copyright AFP Image caption Tanzania’s president has been interested by several spats with Western governments

    Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has mentioned he prefers Chinese Language to Western help because it comes with fewer stipulations.

    Mr Maugufuli has been beneath extreme drive from Western countries over his arguable insurance policies.

    On 15 November, Denmark mentioned it had suspended $9.8m (£7.5m) in support on account of “unacceptable homophobic comments” by means of a Tanzanian flesh presser.

    China has develop into a huge investor in Africa, challenging Western influence at the continent.

    It has promised to spend $60bn in funding, help and loans in Africa over the following three years, mostly in infrastructure construction.

    Ultimate month, Dar es Salaam commissioner Paul Makonda referred to as on the public to record suspected gay males to the police.

    The government said on the time that Mr Makonda was expressing his non-public opinion, not executive policy.

    Homosexual acts are illegal in Tanzania.

    The International Bank has put on dangle a $300m mortgage for an academic project, in part in reaction to the executive’s determination to expel schoolgirls who grow to be pregnant.

    Young moms can be distracted if they were allowed again at school, Mr Magufuli said in a debatable speech remaining 12 months.

    “After calculating some few mathematics, she’d be asking the trainer within the school room: ‘Let me exit and breastfeed my crying child,’” he delivered.

  • Lake Victoria, Tanzania: Dozens drown in ferry capsize

    Image copyright Stephen Msengi Symbol caption Volunteers have been serving to rescue efforts

    at least FORTY TWO other folks have died after a ferry carrying masses of people capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania.

    One respectable advised the Reuters information agency the quantity who drowned might be greater than 200. Rescue efforts have been halted until first light on Friday.

    The MV Nyerere ferry overturned close to the shore between the islands of Ukora and Bugolora.

    it’s idea the overloaded vessel toppled over when crowds on board moved to one side because it docked.

    Officials have said the ferry was wearing greater than 400 passengers. Approximately 100 other people have been rescued whilst 32 are said to be in a vital condition.

    Exact figures, though, are yet to be confirmed – Reuters said the person who allotted tickets for the journey additionally died, with the machine recording the information misplaced.

    “We pray to God to provide us desire in such an coincidence,” Regional Commissioner Adam Malima advised journalists.

    “We pray to God to provide us hope that there has no longer been a prime loss of life toll.”

    Locals joined with emergency teams in rescue efforts on Thursday afternoon.

    Tragic history

    Tanzania has observed a number of nautical failures, with overcrowding steadily taking part in a role.

    In 2012, a minimum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY FIVE folks died whilst a packed ferry sank at the same time as transporting other folks to the island of Zanzibar within the Indian Ocean.

    The yr ahead of, virtually 200 folks died in any other top incident off the coast of Zanzibar. Masses survived, a few found clinging to mattresses and fridges.

    In 1996, greater than 800 people died whilst the MV Bukoba capsized on Lake Victoria. It was once one in every of the the worst ferry screw ups of the last century.

    Symbol copyright Stephen Msengi Image caption Scores of people have so far been stated rescued Image copyright Stephen Msengi Image caption The vessel used to be reportedly overcrowded Symbol copyright Stephen Msengi Symbol caption Large crowds watched rescue efforts from the shore

  • Tanzania’s John Magufuli says prisoners are unfastened labour

    File picture of John Magufuli (2015) Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption Rights groups have accused Mr Magufuli of intolerance towards competition politicians, homosexuals and different teams

    The president of Tanzania has referred to as for prisoners to be made to paintings lengthy hours, and to be punished in the event that they are lazy.

    John Magufuli was once talking at the inauguration of a brand new prisons chief.

    Rights groups have accused him of growing intolerance.

    Mr Magufuli has lost his preliminary huge reputation through clamping down at the media, focused on opposition politicians and calling for pregnant schoolgirls to be banned from school.

    More approximately Tanzania

    He mentioned inmates must develop their very own meals in jail fields.

    “it’s a shame for the country to proceed to feed prisoners. all of the prisons have fields, inmates must domesticate them,” he said.

    “Some jail workforce wouldn’t have homes. Make the prisoners paintings, let them make bricks day and evening. if they display laziness, kick them. you could have labourers, and free of charge,” he added.

    He also referred to as for conjugal visits to be stopped.

    “a man is in prison, leaving his wife outdoor, and a prison legitimate receives this girl and authorises the prisoner to do issues he is now not supposed to do right through his detention. i don’t want to pay attention communicate of that anymore,” he mentioned.

    Mr Magufuli mentioned the underemployment of inmates resulted in drug use and homosexuality in jails.

    “i don’t need to pay attention about this. i would like reforms within the control of prisons,” he stated.

    The leader, whose nickname is The Bulldozer, has been accused by detractors of changing into increasingly more authoritarian – a price he denies.