Kenyan Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho on Sunday estimated his net worth at Ksh2.36 billion (over $18 million)
While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments, the former Mombasa Governor indicated that most of their wealth was in the form of his homes as well as investments in companies.
Joho noted that the wealth originated from his developed and undeveloped properties including homes in Mombasa, Vipingo, Nairobi, and Malindi.
He further noted that he holds shares in several companies and holds other properties.
The former governor also holds shares in his family businesses which he insisted were not linked to the government
Believers of the Christian Life Church, led by Pastor Dominic Kashoix Dibwe, known as "Kiboko ya Wachawi," have attended Sunday service despite the closure of the church by the government.
At the church located in Buza Kwa Lulenge in Dar es Salaam, followers were singing, saying they still have faith in their pastor, despite multiple allegations against him, including claims of going against church regulations.
The congregants continued to gather in groups while others prayed before starting to protest against this decision.
Pastor Dibwe was not seen anywhere near the church.
The closure of the church was stated in a letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Office of the Registrar of Civil Societies, dated July 25, 2024, directing the Chairman of the Christian Life Church and Pastor Dominic to close the branch of the church operated by the Pastor.
It stated that this action was taken due to alleged activities that violated the law, leading to the church's registration being revoked and its removal from the Register of Registered Civil Societies.
Among the reasons for its closure are alleged teachings that cause panic in the community and sermons that are against Tanzania's morals, customs, and culture.
Other allegations include delivering sermons that humiliate people at the altar, giving inflammatory sermons, and encouraging church members to kill people based on accusations or suspicions of witchcraft or sorcery. The allegations also include setting a fee of Sh500,000 for members to receive prayer services.
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle endorsed Kamala Harris' bid for president on Friday in a roughly one-minute long video that captured a private phone call between the couple and the current vice president.
"We called to say Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office," Obama told Harris. Talking into a cell phone and cracking a few smiles, Harris expressed her gratitude for the endorsement and their long friendship.
"Thank you both. It means so much. And we're gonna have some fun with this too," Harris said.
The campaign said the video was the actual call, not a reenactment.
Harris's surprise bid against Republican rival Donald Trump continues to gain steam from supporters, donors and politicians less than a week after President Joe Biden bowed out of the race amid slumping poll numbers.
"I am proud of you. This is going to be historic," the former first lady told Harris.
Obama, the first U.S Black president, remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic party even after more than a decade has passed since he was last elected.
Tanzanian music icon Diamond Platnumz @diamondplatnumz has once again proven his knack for keeping his audience on their toes.
The Bongo Flava star unexpectedly released the remix video for his latest hit single, "Komasava," featuring international pop sensation Jason Derulo, alongside Chley and Khalil Harrison, who were also part of the original version of the song.
In a stunning display of his star power, Diamond Platnumz also managed to shake up the Tanzanian YouTube trend charts, with Komasava trending #1, with 1 million views in 14 hours since its release.
The High Court has reversed the ruling of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) Appeals Committee, which had previously disqualified Boniphace Mwabukusi from the law society’s presidential race.
The TLS election is expected to take place on August 2, 2024, in Dodoma.
Tanzania national women’s football team (Twiga Stars) striker Aisha Masaka has officially joined an English women's football club that competes in the Women's Super League, Brighton & Hove Albion.
Masaka has been signed from Swedish club BK Hacken on undisclosed terms.
The 20-year-old joined Hacken in 2022 from Young Africans in Tanzania, having previously played for Alliance FC Mwanza.
In her two seasons at Hacken, the forward helped them finish second in the Swedish League, and they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League last season before losing to PSG.
During her time in the Tanzanian Premier League, she won ‘Best Goal Scorer’ in the 2020/21 campaign after netting 35 goals in 20 matches for Young Africans.
At the international level, she has won 15 caps for Tanzania, scoring nine goals since making her debut in 2021.
She becomes the first woman from Tanzania to play in the Women's Super League.
In a significant diplomatic exchange on Tuesday, Othman Masoud Othman, the First Vice President of Zanzibar, engaged in discussions with a Special Delegation from the United States House of Representatives.
The delegation, comprising members from both the Democratic and Republican parties, visited the Vice President's office in Migombani, Mjini Magharibi Region, Unguja.
The primary agenda of the meeting was to foster mutual understanding and exchange views on a wide range of critical issues, including economic development, agriculture, social welfare, political stability, education, democracy, and overall national development.
During the discussions, Vice President Othman stressed that while a National Unity Government is beneficial, it is not the sole solution to Zanzibar's enduring political challenges.
He emphasized the necessity for promoting clean politics and true democracy, underpinned by effective governance, transparency, accountability, and utmost respect for human rights.
"Political issues do not require complex solutions; what we need is sincere political will, transparency, and accountability," Vice President Othman stated.
Looking forward to the 2025 General Elections, Vice President Othman expressed confidence that restoring citizens' trust in democracy hinges on respecting their rights, including the issuance of Zanzibar Resident IDs and facilitating voter registration, as guaranteed by the constitution.
Reflecting on the productive meeting, Representative Katherine Clark from the Democratic Party expressed gratitude for the insights gained from Vice President Othman, whom she described as a skilled and thoughtful leader.
She reaffirmed the United States' commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole.
The US delegation also included Representative Dave Joyce from the Republican Party and US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr. Michael Battle, who underscored the importance of continued cooperation between the t
The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Dr Tulia Ackson, has met and held discussions with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in St. Petersburg, on Friday.
In the discussions, Dr. Tulia, who is also the Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament, and Putin discussed the best ways to strengthen world peace.
Regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Dr. Tulia stated:
"Before talking to him, we had already spoken with the speakers of both countries, and as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, we have spoken with him as the leader of the country in a manner that can bring both countries together. We expect that the IPU will create an opportunity for the parliaments of both sides to discuss peace in their respective regions."
President Samia Suluhu Hassan's message on the Commemoration of World Kiswahili Day on July 7, 2024.
A final prayer ceremony and funeral procession was held for Tanzanian businessman Yusuf Manji in the US before he was laid to rest next to his father in Florida.
Yusuf Manji passed away on Saturday at the age of 49.
ATTACK IN DR CONGO
A humanitarian convoy was attacked in the war-ravaged eastern DR Congo, sources told AFP.
UK organisation Tearfund said two of their members of staff were still missing following the attack that took place in North Kivu province.
AMRABAT IN TANZANIA
Tanzania continues to be a favourite destination for some of the world's best athletes, as evidenced by the number of football stars flocking to the country.
As players from various international leagues have begun their summer holidays travelling to different parts of the world, some of them have chosen Tanzania as their final holiday destination.
Manchester United and Moroccan star Sofyan Amrabat shared a video and messages about how he enjoyed his vacation in the country, visiting Mikumi National Park in Morogoro.
Amraba also travelled to Zanzibar and toured various attractions, including Prison Island.
“Adventures in the wild heart of Africa 🌍🦁 Beyond grateful for this incredible experience and the warm hospitality🙏🏻❤️Africa,” Amrabat shared a message on his social media pages.
Amraba joins his Morocco counterpart, Acharaf Hakimi, who jetted into the country earlier this week for a seven-day tour.
The Moroccan professional football player said he has been captivated by the natural beauty of Tanzania, particularly the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, which are renowned for their stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife.
KENYA
Soldiers of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) were seen with military vehicles patrolling streets of Nairobi city as protestors returned to the streets despite President William Ruto scrapping contentious tax hikes after deadly clashes.
The protests -- led largely by young Kenyans -- caught the authorities off-guard, as Ruto's government ricocheted between taking a tough line on the unrest and calling for dialogue.
Kenyan protesters vowed on Thursday to keep up their demonstrations against President William Ruto's government despite his pledge to withdraw proposed tax hikes that prompted a week of deadly unrest.
He backed down on fiscal measures that the government had said were needed to fix the nation's creaking finances. Many activists say they now want more, including a complete overhaul of the government and Ruto's resignation
🇺🇬UGANDA's POPULATION NOW AT 45 MILLION
Uganda’s population stood at 45, 935, 046 people, up from 34.6 million counted in 2014, according to new figures of the preliminary 2024 national census results released by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) on Thursday.
This, according to Ubos, means that the population increased by 11.3 million people in the last 10 years, reflecting a 2.9 percent growth rate.
Data in Uganda’s 6th post-independence and first ever digital census was gathered using about 160 questions at household level and over 60 questions in a community questionnaire.
Refugees counted in Uganda’s on census night (May 9) accounted for at least 780, 061 of the country’s latest population data, according to Mukiza.
Majority of Uganda’s population is in Buganda with the least in the Karamoja region.
A population pyramid released by Ubos suggests that “Uganda is a young country with 50.5 percent of the population aged below 17 years while age group 18-30 (youths) form 22.7 of the count.
Women comprise 22.4million of the Ugandan population, implying they have remained consistently higher than men in the last 20+ years.
Uganda’s population has significantly grown since 1911 when the first national census was conducted.
##ugandapopulation
As the traders' strike in Mwanza city entered its second day, police were seen patrolling various streets in the region, while shops remained closed.
The Citizen witnessed police vehicles carrying officers passing through various arears, with some of the officers walking around the city's streets.
Mwanza Regional Police Commander Wilbroad Mutafungwa, when asked about the presence of officers, confirmed that he had deployed officers throughout the city's streets, indicating that their role is to provide security for traders who choose to open their shops so they are not harassed by those on strike.
Commander Mutafungwa stated that security and patrols would continue until the situation returned to normal, while warning that those who attempt to harass traders who decide to open their shops will face consequences.
KENYA DEMOS
In a widely circulated video, a car belonging to a Member of Kenya’s Parliament was damaged while attempting to escape protesters surrounding Parliament.
The protesters, opposing controversial new tax laws recently passed by lawmakers, entered Parliament, forcing legislators to flee in the most direct assault on the government in decades.
Protesters demanded that legislators vote against the bill imposing new taxes on East Africa's economic hub, where frustrations over the high cost of living have simmered for years
Hundreds of protesters in the capital, Nairobi and other counties of Kenya took on streets on Tuesday as a nationwide demonstration against proposed tax hikes got underway.
Organisers have also called for a general strike against the finance bill, which aims to raise an additional $2.7 billion in taxes as part of an effort to tame public debt that ballooned over the past decade.
Daily Nation reported that as the clock struck noon, more than half (29 of 47) counties, including Nairobi and Mombasa, had witnessed anti-Finance Bill protests.
President William Ruto won an election almost two years ago on a platform of championing Kenya's working poor.
He now says a heavy debt load, where interest payments alone consume 37 percent of annual revenue, has curbed his ability to fulfil some of his promises.
He has been caught between the competing demands of lenders like the International Monetary Fund, which is urging the government to cut deficits, and a population reeling from cost-of-living increases brought on by inflation and steep tax rises enacted in last year's finance bill.
On Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers will debate the amendments, which the finance ministry says would blow a Ksh200 billion-shilling ($1.56 billion) hole in the 2024/25 budget and compel the government to make spending cuts or raise taxes elsewhere.
Kariakoo traders' strike entered its second day, with many shops remaining closed, as observed by The Citizen on Tuesday.
The strike persists despite the government's announcement to suspend inspection activities for electronic fiscal devices (EFDs) and electronic stamps conducted by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) in the Kariakoo Tax Region.
On Monday, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila visited the area, urging traders to remain calm and resume their activities while the government addresses their demands.
However, the traders are still hesitant to open their shops.
The Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam, Albert Chalamila, has arrived at Kariakoo Market to speak with traders who have closed their shops, protesting against the actions of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
Many shops were closed as the RC arrived at the market.
This move follows the circulation of flyers on social media about the traders' strike since Saturday, June 22, 2024.
Chalamila arrived at Kariakoo one day after urging the region's traders not to participate in the strike during a press conference at his office on Sunday, June 23, 2024.
