Spitali ya Vinyama

Ukiwa Unguja, sehemu ya kutibu Vinyama ipo Mbweni, barabara ya Bakari Jabu.

China, Tanzania sign loan agreements on ICT, air transport infrastructure

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Exim Bank of China on Friday signed two concessional loan agreements to finance the Tanzanian National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Broadband infrastructure Backbone Network Project and upgrading of the Zanzibar International Airport.

Under the National ICT broadband infrastructure Backbone Network Project (Phase II), the Exim Bank of China will extend to Tanzania 700 million RMB yuan (about 100 million U.S. dollars) to support the implementation of the project, which aims to contribute significantly to the Tanzanian government's effort to improve communication technology in Tanzania, according to the signed agreement.

In the second project, the Exim Bank of China will provide to the Tanzanian government 481 million RMB yuan (about 70 million U. S. dollars) for the purpose of supporting the upgrading of Tanzania's Zanzibar International Airport Terminal II, the agreement said.

The implementation of the project aims to improve the air transport for passengers and goods to and from the Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar, providing safe and reliable airport for large aircrafts and large number of flights and increase the number of passengers from inside and outside of Tanzania.

Speaking at the agreements signing ceremony, Tanzanian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Mustapha Mkulo hailed China's assistance to his country, noting that the bilateral cooperation in sectors of development and technology between the two countries are highly appreciated.

The two projects would contribute to significantly to the Tanzanian Government's effort to improve communication technology in Tanzania, the national and social development and poverty reduction in the east African country, he said.

It is expected to lower the communication costs between Tanzania and the rest of the world, as well as promote the e- government, e-learning, e-health and e-commerce and economic growth, development of science and technology and government renovation, the minister said.

For his part, Zhu Hongjie, vice-chairman of the Exim Bank of China, said that the bank attached great importance to the issue of concessional loans to Tanzania, which covers the sector of communication, agriculture, transport infrastructure and public facilities among others.

He hoped that the implementation of the two above projects would play an active role in the economic and social development of Tanzania.

The Tanzanian government plans to spend about 4.76 trillion Tanzanian shillings (3.58 billion U.S. dollars) for special infrastructure projects annually from the 2010/2011 financial year, as part of an ambitious five-year public investment drive that has been hailed by the private sector as realistic and in order.

Source:People's Daily Online

Mabaharia Wa Kizenj Mikononi Mwa Wasomali...

New Delhi - A cargo ship with 26 crew members including 11 Indians was hijacked by Somali pirates near the Seychelles, local media reports said Monday.
The vessel MV Rak Afrikana belonging to a United Arab Emirates company was seized by pirates en route to Zanzibar, India's Directorate-General of Shipping based in Mumbai said, the PTI news agency reported.

"We have received information that a general cargo ship with 26 crew members including 10 Tanzanians, five Pakistanis and 11 Indians has been hijacked near the Seychelles en route to Zanzibar on 11th April morning," a senior official from the directorate told PTI.

The ship is believed to have been taken to the Somali coast by pirates.
"The Directorate of Shipping is in contact with the managers of the vessel for regular updates and measures initiated for the early and safe release of the crew and vessel," the official added.

Somali pirates seized 11 vessels with over 120 Indians on board during the past fortnight.

Of them, five vessels have been released along with 67 Indians while an Indian sailor died during rescue operations by the navies of the US and Oman in which eight Indian sailors were rescued, the report said.

Repeated attacks on Indian vessels had also prompted the Indian government to issue a warning to owners of cargo vessels about the dangers, particularly along the sea-lanes of Salalah and Male.

The number of attacks by pirates in the Gulf of Aden and further out in the Indian Ocean in 2009 was almost double the 2008 figure, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Salum, "People say it takes a man to stop using hard drugs; it is no joke"

STONE TOWN, Salum, 40, from the western district of Zanzibar spoke to IRIN about his struggles with addiction. He is undergoing rehabilitation at an informal centre.

"I started using drugs in 1987 while in Karachi, Pakistan, where I had gone in the hope of travelling on to Europe. I made a living in the ghetto by repackaging 'crack' for trafficking in small sweet-like packages.

"I was introduced to drugs by a lady we were living with. I started by smoking joints [marijuana], then graduated to ‘riding three horses’ [a cocktail of marijuana, tobacco and heroin], then injecting [heroin].

"When I got a chance to go to Europe in 1992, I was arrested in Italy and deported to Zanzibar where I continued my drug habit.

"I did not want to become a thief but I ended up becoming one to buy drugs. I embarrassed my family; people here [in Zanzibar] are very sensitive, they know each other, they talk.

"My dad struggled to assist me until his death. My brothers and sisters did not help me, they said it was a choice I had made to use drugs and that it was up to me to stop.

"My mother did not abandon me; she would bail me out whenever I was arrested for stealing. When she died, a month before I was sentenced for robbery with violence, I felt responsible for her death; she had died of high blood pressure. I regret making her suffer; she sold her jewellery trying to get me treated.

"In jail, I continued using drugs; other prisoners would ask me to test their 'product' due to my Pakistan experience. Years later, I was released having wasted most of my life.

"I eventually found the courage to approach my brother to ask him to pay the fee at the drug recovery centre; he did not take me seriously. But I persisted and he paid 300,000 Tanzanian shillings [about US$222] for three months.

"I have struggled with addiction for more than 20 years; I was wondering why I was not able to stop. I would sit up at night and cry because I felt unwanted. I tried to quit but relapsed, I wanted a quick fix.

"Before, I felt no remorse at my violent actions; I used to live to be high... At the recovery centre, the trainers say we should seek forgiveness from those we wronged in the past; but how do I do this when I caused some people such harm? People used to be afraid to meet me in Stone Town's alleys.

"At the recovery centre, I have learned to be patient, to accept that I am sick and that if I give into temptation it will be a big mistake.

"During my detoxification, I went for eight days vomiting and passing loose stool at the sight of food. People say it takes a man to stop using hard drugs; it is no joke.

"I am putting on weight and getting positive encouragement but when my rehabilitation is over, I am not sure where I will go. My uncle, who is helping me now, does not want me to stay at his house incase I cause trouble. My siblings do not trust me. I hope to be reunited with my family someday. For now, getting rid of the addiction is my priority; God will take care of the future."