Church blast: One dead, 60 hurt

  Vatican envoy to Tanzania Archbishop Padilla escapes unhurt

Some of the injured lie on the ground as nuns run for cover moments after an explosion at St Joseph Mfanyakazi Roman Catholic Church in Arusha's Burka Parish yesterday. Sources said the blast left at least one person dead and over 60 people injured. (Photo: Correspondent Woinde Shizah)

A Huge blast rocked Arusha yesterday morning after an explosive device was set off at a Roman Catholic Church, killing one person and injuring more than 60.

The deceased, Regina Loning’o Kuresoi, was among the large congregation that had gathered for Sunday mass and to also witness the unveiling of the newly built church.

The inauguration was led by the Vatican Ambassador to Tanzania, Archbishop Francisco Montecillo Padilla accompanied by the Arusha Catholic Diocese Archbishop Josaphat Louis Lebulu.

The house of worship is located in Arusha's Olasiti suburb and all was well until the explosion happened, only minutes after the start of the inaugural mass.
Reports allege, the explosive device was hauled over the church’s fence by an unidentified man.

Arusha Regional Police Commander Liberatus Sabas confirming the incident said a man has been arrested in connection with the tragic incident and is in custody as investigations continue as to the motive and perpetration of the horrific act that has terrorised the northern safari capital.

Explaining that the man was arrested following a tip-off from persons at the scene, RPC Sabas asked for patience and for the public to remain calm as investigations continue.

"We are still interrogating the suspect, we ask the public to stay calm and maintain peace," he said.

Regional Commissioner Magesa Mulongo described the blast as shocking, calling it the first of its kind in Tanzania’s history. He too however assured the public that the force will not rest until the culprits are brought to justice but meanwhile he called for calm and tranquility.

"People should continue with their daily activities as police and other security organs have secured the city and investigation is underway," Mulongo assured the masses.

Eye witness reports place the incident to have occurred between 10 and 11 am. They say the parishioners were gathering for the ‘one of its kind’ Sunday prayer at the inaugural mass of the new church.

"We were trying to organise ourselves for the mass, when we heard the loud blast, people began running out," a witness said. They reported that many were injured by the actual explosion while others were hurt during the panic stampede to exit the church.

Following an emergence consultation meeting held by a panel of clerics, Arusha’s Roman Catholic diocese spokesperson, Rev Festus Mangwangwi told reporters that the church has postponed the mass to mark the inauguration of the of the church until further notice.

Joshua Nassari (Arumeru-East, Chadema) among other political figures, called on the police to utilise power invested in them and to arrest all those behind the blast.
He then turned an accusatory finger at the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) alleging religious bigotry.

The country’s Vice President, Dr Gharib Bilal and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Said Mwema, among other delegates and officials, are expected to visit the city and explosion site.

Identified persons injured in the blast are Consesa Mbaga, Phillemon Gereza, Restia Matemu, Neema Daudi, Beath Comeli, Debora Joachim, Elizabeth Sale, Editha Ndiwo, Regina Daniel and Yosinta Msafiri.

Others are Joan Thembe (29), Neema Lazusu (18), Regina Fadhili (23), Joram Kisela (38), Novelti John (20), Inocent Charles (46), Lioba Osward (36), Glory Tesha (21), Fatuma Haji (42), Rose Pius (39) and Fikiri Kea (40).

Other more are John James (12), Juma James (12) Anna Kesy (54), Simon Andrea (18) and Anna Edward (54).
Contacted for comments, the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Secretary General, Fr Anthony Makunde, said TEC is making a close follow up on information being given by Police and government leaders to establish the source of the incident.

“Although we have been informed that police have started investigation to arrest those involved they should know that the public wants to know the source of the ongoing religious related chaos in the country … what is behind these happenings in the houses of worship and among the religious leaders,” he queried.

He appealed to the government to implement its pledges of fighting against such incidents and show its intention to eliminate the problem by finding and dealing with the source, adding that police should go far with the investigation.

Religious bigotry has of recent engulfed Tanzania as religious leaders are attacked and killed while houses of worship are set to fire.

In December last year a priest with Mpendae Roman Catholic Church in Zanzibar Ambrose Mkenda was shot by unidentified people, at his Tomondo residence on Christmas Day while in February this year another Roman Catholic Priest Evaristus Mushi was shot to death at a Zanzibar’ church.

Prior to the latter incident, a Muslim leader, Chief Sheikh’s secretary, Sheikh Fadhil Suleiman Soraga, in the Isles were smeared with acid in at a Zanzibar beach by unknown people.

On February 11, this year, Assemblies of God pastor Mathayo Kachili was beheaded at Buseresere in Geita Region after a dispute erupted over animal slaughtering between Muslims and Christians. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

NIDA orders modern gear to ease citizen verification

National Identification Authority has placed a procurement order for equipment that is hoped to speed up verification of millions of Tanzanian waiting for their National identity cards.

The revealation was made yesterday by NIDA Director General Dickson Maimu in an exclusive interview with The Guardian.

He revealed that NIDA has so far issued 220,000 IDs to public servants and that the exercise will be completed in the next three weeks.

“We are going to complete issuing IDs to civil servants in the coming three weeks and we are going to embark on the process of verifying ordinary citizen soon after getting the equipment which we have already ordered,” he said.

He also said that the equipment will be imported by IRIS Behard, a Malaysian Company that won the tender to supply the equipment.

The ordered machines will help speed up the verification exercise and reduce congestions as well as chaos at the registration centers where residents will biometric data.

Maimu explained that the issuance of IDs is expected to be but a simple process but it is the verification process that is complicated and time consuming since it involves other institutions such as Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), ward executive offices, Immigration department and National Electoral Commission (NEC).

The process has five stages, filling the forms, feeding data into the system, verification, finger print and finally the issuing of IDs.

On February this year, President Jakaya Kikwete inaugurated the National IDs project and the first 46 National identity cards went to top government leaders and high profile personalities, marking a milestone in the registration and identification of Tanzanians which had stalled for over 30 years.

Among the current government leaders who received their IDs were President Jakaya Kikwete, Inspector General of Police Said Mwema, Isles First Vice President Seif Shariff Hamad, Home Affairs minister Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Meck Saddick, President’s wife Salma Kikwete and the Dar es Salaam City mayor, Didas Masaburi.

Also, former government leaders, former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa, and ex-president of Zanzibar Amani Abeid Karume.

Others were former Prime ministers Salim Ahmed Salim, Joseph Warioba and long time Chama Cha Mapinduzi cadre and Minister Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru.

The agency has secured a plot to construct a data collection centre and also to serve as a disaster recovery site and further plans to build district offices.

He assured Tanzanians that information collected will remain secret and appealed to the public to fully participate and provide enough cooperation to agency officials when the exercise starts in other areas.

The registration of citizens started as a pilot project last year with civil servants in Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland as well as for Kilombero and Dar es Salaam residents being the first to participate.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Villagers allege discrimination at border immigration centre

Residents of Mtwara living on the border with neighbouring Mozambique have accused the government of abandoning the Kilambo Immigration Centre.

They complain that they can no longer acquire emergency travel documents that were before issued at the centre.

The villagers of Tangazo, Mahurunga, Kataya and Kilambo wards further alleged that service was stopped some four years ago and they have since then been forced to rely on only phone conversations to reach their relatives in Mozambique.

For example, Salumu Issa, a resident of Kilambo village, Tangazo ward, explained that the centre is not closed but rather it is alleged to be discriminately addressing only foreigners’ issues and neglecting the locals.

“We’re forced to travel some 35 kms from the border to get documents at Mtwara town,” he complained.

“When we’re in Mtwara town, apart from paying 10,000/- as fees for the documents, we also to incur other travel, food and accommodation costs which just make life unbearable,” he added.

He explained that hiring a motorcycle to and from Mtwara town costs more than 30,000/- an amount that the impoverished villagers cannot afford.

He also revealed a matter tjsat threatens national security that he associated with the discrimination at the immigration post saying because of the high and unaffordable fees many enter to and from Mozambique illegally.

Kilambo Village Executive Officer Issa Kachala admitted that the they are having major issues with the border immigration centre.

“Many residents here are either married to Tanzanians or Mozambicans, which means there is no way they could live without visiting their parents, grandfathers, sons and daughters on each country,” he said.

Tangazo ward councilor, Mohamed Said, also acknowledged the complaints from fellow villagers but asserted that the regional government was working on the matters.

Mtwara District Commissioner, Wilman Kapenjama promised to convene a meeting of the District Defense and Security Committee to discuss the issue.

“I’ll convene a meeting of the District Defense and Security Committee to deliberate the matter. We shall ensure that the Kilambo Immigration Centre provides service to the villagers equally,” he pledged.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Water source pollution triggers crisis in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is experiencing a severe shortage of water with its main sources short by some 12 million litres due to environmental degradation.

Zanzibar President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein disclosed this during a meeting with Chama Cha Mapinduzi members at Kisiwani in Unguja.

“Water production has dropped from 60 million litres per day to 48 million litres and this will have severe impact on our residents,” he said.

He associated the shortage to a decrease in production at the Mwanyanya and Mtopepo sources where he said environmental degradation has caused the depletion.

He also attributed the problem to aged distribution infrastructure built during the colonial era.

Dr Shein said the government has already secured 64.4b/- from the Africa Development Bank to overcome the situation.

The money will be used in the rehabilitation of pipes to ease distribution of water to both Unguja and Pemba islands.

According to the Zanzibar leader, the project will benefit four regions in Unguja and Pemba.

To supplement the efforts, China will also drill nine water wells. And meanwhile, Zanzibar has a Japanese-supported project for strengthening water services.

“The government is working hard to ease the shortage of water to ensure that people have access to safe and clean drinking water,” Dr Shein emphasized.

He said his government’s intention is to ensure that 95 percent of urban dwellers have access to water and for75 percent of rural dwellers to do the same.

As the Zanzibar government struggles to ensure availability of water to its citizens, Members of Parliament (Union) have disapproved budget estimates for the Ministry of Water tabled by Minister Prof Jumanne Maghembe last week saying was not sufficient to meet the countries needs.

He had suggested via the budget that only 398bn/- be allocated for the 2013-2014 budget a value far less than last year’s 465bn/- despite tremendously increased demand.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

'Daudi Mwangosi Fund' launch for Press Freedom Day (May 3)

In an effort to recognise and honour reporters working in dangerous situations, Tanzania is set to launch the ‘Daudi Mwangosi Fund’ this Friday while marking Press Freedom Day (May 3).

The ceremony’s organising chairperson, Tumaini Mwailenge, made the announcement during a press conference held yesterday.

Themed “Safer and better working conditions for journalists in East African Region” the two day forthcoming Press Freedom Day will be held at the regional level in Arusha.

East African Community Secretary General Dr Richard Sezibera is the expected chief guest.

“The fund will help reporters access such services as healthcare in the unfortunate event of being injured while on duty,” he explained.

“The recent abduction and torture of the chair of Editor Forum Absalom Kibanda and threats against journalists call for effective interventions and that includes setting up the fund,” he said.

This year’s commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day is expected to attract about 200 delegates from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.

Other expected representatives are from community media, diplomats, politicians, media institutions’ representaives and local journalists.

It is also expected that a report on the state of the media in Southern Africa, authored by the Media Institute of Southern Africa, will be presented.

Also, country papers on the safety of media, particularly on the safety of journalists in EAC member countries will be presented.

Veteran journalist Salim Said Salim will also present a paper titled ‘Media transformation in East Africa: the case of Tanzania’.

Another old hand journalist Atillio Tagalile will present the ‘Country media situation (safety and security of journalist in Tanzania) paper and Tobias Rahim from UN Tanzania Office will present a paper on ‘Human Rights situation, government commitment and process.’

The event has been jointly organised by MISA-Tanzania, Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Tanzania Media Fund (TMF), Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC), United Nations-Tanzania (UN) and the Tanzania Citizen Information Bureau (TCIB)
Others are Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), Tanzania Editor’s Forum (TEF), Arusha Press Club and East African Journalists Association (EAJA).

The UN General Assembly declared May 3 the World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of press and to remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights.

It is also to mark the anniversary of the declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principle put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

Last September Daud Mwangosi, a Channel Ten correspondent who was brutally killed by police while on duty in Nyororo village, Iringa. Other incidents include the killing of Kigoma-based Issa Ngumba and numerous threats to various journalists.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Dar to host ‘Dream Women Business Conference' May 11

Over 250 women entrepreneurs are expected to take part in a Vodacom-Dare to Dream Women Business Expo & Conference at the Golden Jubilee Tower in Dar es Salaam on May 11.

The Fifth Economic Women conference and Business Expo, whose theme will be ‘Building Business Beyond Tomorrow’, will be hosted by Dare to Dream Foundation in collaboration with Vodacom Tanzania and CRDB Bank.

Among the targeted beneficiaries are all women, including emerging female entrepreneurs running their own small and medium-sized businesses.

Vodacom Tanzania Vodacom Foundation Manager Grace Lyon said in the city at the weekend that the conference will feature industry leaders who will talk about global opportunities, business technology, marketing and financing.

Some of the prominent speakers at the conference will be Ugandan author and motivational speaker Rehmah Kasule, CEDA International founder and President Ambassador (rtd) Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar, Partner and Advocate of REX Attorneys, and Joy Nyabongo of Service Excellence.

Lyon said among the topics for discussion will be hints on how to turn small firms into marketable businesses, ways women-owned businesses can access financing, ways to build customer bases by tapping into growth communities with buying power attracting the perfect customers, ways to create loyal customers, and how to brand businesses how – all in line with Vodacom Foundation’s initiatives and programmes.

Participants who have not gone into business yet are expected to benefit by listening to accomplished and well-learned panelists, and gain marketable tools by attending workshops on how to turn their passion into thriving businesses they will ultimately be proud of.

The conference is seen as an opportunity for people to discover ways to turn their businesses into powerhouses and gain strategies they can easily implement and empower themselves.

Dare to Dream Foundation managing director Emelda Mwamanga said Tanzanian women are “determined to stay competitive despite a harsh economic environment and they aim to build businesses that endure”.

She cited lack of confidence and self-motivation among small women entrepreneurs as the main reason behind their failure to excel in business, adding that the conference would recommend ways to succeed.

“The event will bring together successful women entrepreneurs and those who are starting their journey to success. The novices will learn from those who have excelled through lectures, mentoring and one-on-one encounter,” she said.

According to Mwamanga, the event is designed to change the way small and medium women entrepreneurs operate and move them to “greater heights of success heights”.

“As the theme shows, the conference is designed to educate the women on how to operate sustainable businesses that will last for 30 and even more years,” noted.

She said experts from CRDB Bank, which is one of the major sponsors of the conference and expo, will speak on how best to access credit facilities and lead businesses to success.

“Participants will also learn on how to market their businesses using various channels, including the social media. Those with products will have an opportunity to showcase their products and speak on their products and businesses in general,” said Mwamanga.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Higher learning loan application schedule commences Wednesday

Loan application for 2013/2014 academic year for both new and continuing students will commence on Wednesday.

The Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) announced in Dar es Salaam yesterday where it was specified that the applications are to be done online at, http: //olas.heslb.go.tz.

The HESLB Director for Communication, Cosmas Mwaisobwa explained that brochures instructing on how to apply are available at various higher learning institutions, district education offices, and at the HESLB head quarters and its zonal offices.
The information is also available on the Board’s website www.heslb.go.tz.

New applicants are required to pay 30,000/- non-refundable application fees while the continuing fifth and sixth years will be required to pay 10,000/-.
The second, third and fourth year students who paid Tshs 30,000/- during 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic years, will not be required to pay any application fee this time.

Applicants should be citizens of Tanzania, have registration from recognized higher learning institutions in Tanzania, do not have any other alternative funding and must have passed examinations for continuing students.

The application period is approximately one month and the deadline is set for 30 Junethis year.

"Applicants should adhere to the deadline and strictly follow all the application instructions," he cautioned and warned that HESLB will not extend the deadline under any circumstances.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN