Hamad Masoud Amejiuzulu...

Waziri wa Miundombinu na Mawasiliano Hamad Masoud amejiuzulu rasmi leo jioni.

Nahodha Katapika

"Watu wameiba mamilioni ya fedha, wamepora maekari ya ardhi ya waznz lakini Leo hii akisimama na kusema hautaki muungano anaoenekana ndio mtetezi wa waznz" mh. Shamsi Nahodha

Meli Kwa Jina la Skagit Imezama Karibu na Chumbe

Ilikuwa ikitokea Dar es Salaam kwenda Unguja, ikiwa na abiria 200. Kazi za uokoji zimeshaanza.

Boat za Sea Star na Kilimanjaro zimekwenda kwenye eneo la tukio kwa ajili ya uokoaji.. Habari zinasema kuwa miili ya abiria imeanza kuonekana ikielea. Hali ya bahari ina upepo mwingi kwa sasa.

Aidha kutokana na hali mbaya ya hewa meli moja imeshindwa kufika katika eneo la tukio na imerudi bandarini.

Mamia ya watu wapo bandarini Malindi wakiendelea kusubiri watakao okolewa.

Baadhi ya abiria waliookolewa

Uamusho Wawachimbia Mkwara Polisi...

Lidia Kucharcyk Anatafutwa na Familia yake.

Tendwa akihakiki ADC Zanzibar

Makontena yameondolewa Darajani

Jana usiku kulikuwa na vunja vunja kwenye Makontena ya darajani ili kupisha ujenzi wa bustani na parking za magari

Kiwanda kipya cha Nguo Zanzibar- "Frasi Africa"

Source: Frasi Africa- Zanzibar

Mji Mkongwe(Stone Town) Wasafishwa

Siku ya Jumapili iliyopita, Mji Mkongwe ulisafishwa kwa kufagia barabara na chochoro zake pamoja na kuzoa taka mbalimbali katika Mji huo. Usafishaji uliwashirikisha Sustainable East Africa, FAZACH, Conservation & Education-Chumbe Island Coral Park na skuli kadhaa za Mji Mkongwe.

I love Zanzibar... "T-Shirt"

BARUA YA WAZI KWA MH.RAIS Dr.SHEIN – UTEUZI WA MAJAJI

Our Ref:ZLS/IKULU/001

Mhe. Dk. Ali Mohamed Shein
Rais wa Zanzibar na Mwenyekiti
wa Baraza la Mapinduzi
Ikulu, Zanzibar

Mheshimiwa Rais,

KUH: “PETITION” YA CHAMA CHA MAWAKILI WA ZANZIBAR JUU YA KUTORIDHIKA KWAO NA UTEUZI WA MAJAJI WA MAHKAMA KUU ULIOTANGAZWA TAREHE 29 NOVEMBA 2010

Kwanza kabisa sisi Chama cha Mawakili wa Zanzibar tunapenda kukupa pongezi zetu za dhati kwa kuchaguliwa kuwa Rais wa Zanzibar na Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi katika utaratibu mpya wa Serikali ya Umoja wa Kitaifa. Tunakuombea kheri na mafanikio katika kuwatumikia Wazanzibari ambao wamekupa ridhaa zao na kuonesha imani kubwa juu yako

Chama cha Mawakili wa Zanzibar (ZLS) ni Chama kinachowaunganisha Mawakili wote wa Zanzibar ambao wanafanya kazi ya uwakili katika Mahkama Kuu ya Zanzibar pamoja na mahkama zinazofanya kazi chini ya Mahkama Kuu isipokuwa Mahkama za Mwanzo na Mahkama za Makadhi. Mawakili hawa pia huendesha kesi katika Mahkama ya Rufaa ya Jamhuri ya Muungano ya Tanzania. Katika nafasi yao hiyo, Mawakili wanakuwa ni maofisa wa mahkama. Chama hiki kimeanzishwa mwaka 1998 chini ya Sheria ya Jumuiya ya mwaka 1995. Chama kinaongozwa na Baraza lake lenye Rais, Katibu Mkuu, Mshika Fedha na wajumbe wengine wawili.

Mhe Rais, tarehe 29 Novemba 2010 ulitangaza uteuzi wa majaji wanne wa Mahkama Kuu pamoja na Mwenyekiti wa Mahkama ya Ardhi. Uliowateua kuwa Majaji ni:
1. Mhe: Abdul-hakim Ameir Issa
2. Mhe. Fatma Hamid Mahmoud
3. Mhe. Mkusa Isaac Sepetu, na
4. Mhe. Rabia Hussein Mohamed

Mhe. Rais, katika uteuzi wako huo, ulikuwa unatumia mamlaka uliyopewa na Katiba ya Zanzibar, 1984 kifungu cha 94(2) na (3). Aidha Chama cha Mawakili hakina mashaka na uteuzi wa Mhe. Abdul-hakim Ameir Issa, wala uteuzi wa Mwenyekiti wa Mahkama ya Ardhi, Mhe. Haroub Shehe Pandu. Mashaka yetu yapo katika uteuzi wa waheshimiwa kuanzia nambari 2 mpaka 4 hapo juu.

Mhe. Rais, sisi tunaelewa kwa dhati kabisa kwamba wewe binafsi humjuwi wala huna sababu ya kumjuwa yeyote katika Majaji wanne uliowateua. Uteuzi wako, tunaamini kabisa, unatokana na ushauri uliopewa na Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama iliyoanzishwa chini ya Sheria Namba 13 ya mwaka 2003 ambayo Mwenyekiti wake ni Jaji Mkuu wa Zanzibar, Mhe. Hamid Mahmoud Hamid pamoja na wasaidizi wako wengine katika sekta ya sheria.

Mhe. Rais, sisi mawakili ambao tumetia saini barua hii tukiwa ni wadau wakubwa katika sekta hii, tuna imani kubwa nawe Mheshimiwa Rais, lakini tunaamini washauri wako hawakukutendea haki walipokushauri uwateue Mhe. Fatma, Mhe. Mkusa na Mhe. Rabia kuwa ni Majaji wa Mahkama Kuu. Mhe. Rais, haitoshi tu kusema kwamba Jaji Mteule ametimiza masharti ya Katiba na hivyo anafaa kuwa Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu. Mhe. vipo vigezo vyengine ambavyo ni lazima viangaliwe kabla ya uteuzi wa Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu kufanyika. Nafasi ya Ujaji ni nafasi ya juu kabisa katika ngazi ya Mahkama zetu na pia ni nyeti. Utaalam uliobobea, rekodi iliyothibitika, umakini wa hali ya juu, kujiamini, uadilifu na umahiri wa hali ya juu – vyote kwa pamoja vinahitajika.
Mhe. Rais, kifungu cha 94(2) cha Katiba kinasomeka ifuatavyo:
Majaji wa Mahkama Kuu watateuliwa na Rais kutokana na mapendekezo ya Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama.

Mhe. Rais, Chama cha Mawakili kina mjumbe katika Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama. Pia wajumbe wengine wa Tume ni watu walio karibu na Chama cha Mawakili. Tunapenda kukuthibitishia kwamba hakuna kikao chochote cha Tume hiyo ambacho kimejadili jina la Mhe. Rabia Hussein. Hivyo uteuzi wa Mhe. Rabia umefanywa kinyume kabisa na Katiba ya Zanzibar na hauwezi kusimama katika macho ya sheria.

Mhe. Rais, sisi kama Chama cha Mawakili, tunaamini hata uwepo wa Mhe. Hamid Mahmoud kama Jaji Mkuu wa Zanzibar una mashaka tele ya kikatiba. Inaeleweka kwamba Mhe. Hamid Mahmoud alistaafu kwa hiari alipotimiza miaka 60. Baada ya hapo, Kikatiba, alisita kuwa Jaji Mkuu na Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu. Iwapo alitakiwa kuendelea kushika wadhifa, alipaswa kwanza kupewa mkataba wa kuwa Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu.

Mkataba wa aina hiyo ulilazimu kujadiliwa na Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama kwa mujibu wa kifungu cha 95 cha Katiba ambacho tunaomba kukinukuu:
95(1) Bila ya kuathiri masharti ya kifungu hiki, Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu ataendelea kushika wadhifa wake hadi kufikia umri wa miaka sitini ambapo anaweza kustaafu kwa hiari ama kuendelea hadi kufikia umri wa miaka sitini na tano ambapo atastaafu kwa lazima.

(2) Bila ya kuathiri masharti ya kijifungu cha (1) cha kifungu hiki, Rais kwa kushauriana na Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama anaweza kumteua tena Jaji aliekwisha staafu kushika madaraka ya Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu kwa muda au kwa ajili ya kesi maalum. (Msisitizo ni wetu).

Mhe. Rais, ni wazi kwamba pale Mhe. Jaji Mkuu alipoamua kustaafu kwa hiari alipotimiza umri wa miaka 60, hakukuwa na sababu yoyote kuendelea kufanya kazi katika mkataba kwa kuwa Katiba ilikuwa inamruhusu kuendelea na ajira hadi kufikia miaka 65. Vyovyote iwavyo, endapo Mhe. Jaji Mkuu alitakiwa aendelee na nafasi yake baada ya kumaliza utumishi wake, ililazimu mambo yafuatayo yafuatwe kwa mujibu wa Katiba ya Zanzibar (kifungu cha 94(1), 94(2), 94(6)(a) na (b). Mambo yenyewe ni:
a) Ateuliwe kuwa Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu;
b) Mapendekezo ya (a) yatokane na Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama;
c) Endapo ni Jaji wa Mkataba, “masharti ya kazi, marupurupu na kiinua mgongo cha Jaji wa mkataba wa kipindi maalum yataamuliwa na Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama.” (Kif.94(6)(b).
d) Iwapo atateuliwa kuwa Jaji basi atakula kiapo cha Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu.

Mhe Rais, Jaji Mkuu wa sasa ambae ndio Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama, alipostaafu kwa hiari, utaratibu ulioainishwa hapo juu haukufuatwa na magazeti yaliripoti na jamii ya wanasheria pia ilifadhaishwa mno. Aidha, iwapo Mhe. Hamid Mahmoud alitakiwa awe Jaji Mkuu, pia ilipaswa masharti ya Katiba yafuatwe. Vyenginevyo kuendelea kwake kuwa Jaji Mkuu kunakuwa na mashaka ya Kikatiba na sisi tusingependa nchi yetu iwe na Jaji Mkuu ambae uteuzi wake umegubikwa na kasoro kadhaa za Kikatiba.

Hata suala la kuwa Jaji au Jaji Mkuu wa Mkataba ni suala linalopigwa vita sana katika Mahkama za Jumuiya ya Madola kwa sababu mikataba inaondowa kinga ya Kikatiba aliyonayo Jaji wa Mahkama Kuu na hivyo kudumaza uhuru wa Mahkama (independence of the Judiciary). Aidha Jaji wa Mkataba hawezi kufanya kazi yake bila ya hofu wala woga kwa mamlaka ya uteuzi.

Mhe. Rais, siri ya maiti aijuwae muosha; na sisi mawakili ndio waosha wa waheshimiwa majaji na mahakimu wetu. Mhe. Rais, bila ya kuzunguka, sisi tunataka tukuthibitishie kwamba Mhe. Fatma na Mhe. Mkusa hawana sifa kiutendaji na kiuwezo za kuwa majaji wa Mahkama Kuu ya Zanzibar. Mhe Rais, uwezo wa Jaji unapimwa kwa namna anavyoendesha kesi na kuandika hukumu zake. Chombo cha Mahkama ni chombo cha kutoa haki. Na haki inatakiwa isifanywe tu lakini ionekane waziwazi kuwa inafanywa. Mhe Rais, haki haiwezi kupatikana ikiwa wanaosimamia haki hiyo ni watu wasiokuwa na sifa zinazotakiwa.

Mhe. Rais na Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi, tunakuhakikishia kwamba sisi Mawakili wa Zanzibar ambao saini zetu zimetiwa hapa chini tuna imani kabisa na wewe binafsi na wala hatuandiki barua hii kuhoji mamlaka yako ya Kikatiba ila tunatoa tahadhari hii kama mchango wetu katika kujenga mahkama iliyotukuka, hasa kwa vile wananchi wamepoteza imani kwa mahkama zetu ziliopo sasa.

Ni vyema kuepuka mambo yanayoonekana dhahiri kulenga katika kudumaza zaidi ufanisi wa mahkama katika suala zima la utoaji haki. Tujinasuwe sasa kuliko kuendelea kujizamisha kwa kuweka watendaji wasiofaa.

Sisi, kama wadau wa jamii, tunahisi tuna wajibu wa kukutanabahisha kuhusu uteuzi huu. Aidha tusingependa Mahkama Kuu ambayo tayari kuna malalamiko mengi ya utendaji usiokidhi haja iendelee kuchukuwa Majaji bila ya ushauri wa Tume ya Utumishi ya Mahkama na bila ya umakini katika tathmini ya wateule hao.

Mhe. Rais, wateule wa Ujaji tuliowataja hapo juu, hawatokuwa Majaji rasmi Kikatiba na kuanza kazi ya Ujaji wa Mahkama Kuu mpaka baada ya kula kiapo. Hilo likishafanyika, itakuwa dhiki sana kuondosha uteuzi huo. Hivyo, tunakuomba Mhe. Rais, utafakari upya juu ya uteuzi huo na uridhike kuusitisha. Tunaamini wanasheria wenye sifa na maadili yanayotakikana wapo na wanaweza kufanya kazi ya ujaji, Zanzibar.

Wako katika kusimamia haki,
Yahya Khamis Hamad Salim Rais
H. B. Mnkonje Katibu Mkuu
Abdulla Juma Mohammed Mshika Fedha
Salma Ali Hassan Mjumbe, ZLS
Mussa Kombo Mjumbe, ZLS
1. Ajar Amar Patel …………………………..
2. Ussi Khamis Haji …………………………….
3. Hamid A. S. Mbwezeleni …………………………….
4. Salum Toufiq Ali ………………………………
5. Awadh A. Said ……………………………….
6. Nassor Khamis Mohammed ……………………………….
7. Adam S. Abdulla ………………………………
8. Is-Haq Ismail Shariff ………………………………..
9. Uhuru Hemed Khalfan ………………………………..
10. Mahadhi J. Maalim (ameridhia)
11. Masoud H. Rukazibwa ………………………………..
12. Ramadhan Makame ……………………………….
13. Mbwana J. Mbwana ………………………………
14. Fatma A. Karume …………………………….
15. Rajab Abdalla Rajab ……………………………….

Vunja Jungu - Golf Club

Memba wa gofu wakiwa katika vunja jungu jana jioni katika ukumbi wa gofu...

Maharamia Yawavamia Watalii Zanzibar...

Machete-wielding pirates attack Yoav and Esther Peled; Yoav fights back, loses some fingers – but surgeons managed to reattach them.

A honeymoon turned sour this week for an Israeli couple who were attacked by pirates in Zanzibar.

Yoav and Esther Peled of Givatayim married on May 30 and travelled to the Tanzanian islands after the wedding. On Sunday, a group of pirates armed with machetes attacked the couple. Yoav, who confronted them, lost some of his fingers to the pirates' blades.

Peled managed to reach medical help, and was flown from Zanzibar to Dar es-Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, where he had emergency surgery. The cut he sustained from the pirates' machete was extremely deep, reaching the nerves of his hand, but the doctors nevertheless reattached his severed fingers.

The Foreign Ministry said that it was familiar with the incident. "It happened Sunday during a robbery. The man is currently hospitalized in Zanzibar. His family knows, and so does (the couple's) insurance company, Harel."

Hilik Magnus, who conducts search and rescue operations for the Phoenix insurance company, said that tourists must act with the understanding that if they encounter pirates, they must cooperate quietly.

"Tourists are the preferred targets for criminal incidents, because they're defenseless. In addition, from the perspective of politics, everyone involved wants to gloss over the incident so the place doesn't gain a reputation as dangerous for tourists," Magnus added.

Source: Ynetnews

Kisonge Leo Asubuhi...

Vijimambo Stone Town...

Rais Shein Katika Uzinduzi wa Zakka

Uzinduzi wa Zakka Zanzibar katika ukumbi wa Bwawani.

"Mimi sio Uamusho" - Mansoor Yussuf Himid

WAZIRI wa Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar, Mansoor Yussuf Himid amekanusha kuwa yeye si Uamsho na wala hawaungi mkono kama inavyodaiwa mitaani licha ya kukubaliana na kauili mbiu yao.

“Mimi sio Uamsho wala siwaungi mkono nataka kusema wazi hapa maana kuna watu kazi yao kusingizia wenzao, lakini kwa hili la tuachiwe tupumuwe mie nakubaliana nao kwa maana kaulimbiu hii nakubaliana nayo, lakini sio vurugu zao” Alisema Waziri Himid.



Source: Salma Said

Baraza la Habari Tanzania Leo wapo Zanzibar...

Ayub Rioba, Leo kwenye kongamano la MCT anategemewa kuchokoza mada...

Semina ya Viongozi wa Dini -Zanzibar

Rais wa Zanzibar na Mwnyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi
Dk.Ali Mohamed Shein,alipokuwa katika picha ya pamoja na Viongozi wa kidini katika kukuza dhana ya Utalii kwa wote,mara baada ya kuifungua semina ya siku moja iliyofanyika leo katika ukumbi wa Salama Bwawani Hotel Mjini Unguja.


Source:Salma Said

Nipo Zanzibar

Nipo Zanzibar sasa kwa takribani mwezi mmoja... siku zinakwenda kasi pasipo mfano! Mara ya mwisho kuja Visiwani hapa ni zaidi ya miaka sita sasa. Mengi yametokea katika kipindi hicho, ikiwa ni pamoja na kumpoteza baba yangu mzazi, ndugu na marafiki wengi! Safari yangu ya kuja Zaznibar ilikuwa ya ghafla mno na ninawashukuru sana watanzania wa Finland kwa kuniwezesha kusafari kwa wakati na kuwahi maziko ya baba yangu.

Bado nina tongotongo machoni juu ya mabadiliko mengi niliyokwisha yaona mpaka sasa.. Zanzibar imebadilika sana na bado kuna kila dalili za mabadiliko zaidi kutokea katika kipindi cha miaka mitatu ijayo. Sio rahisi sana kwa mwenyeji kuona tofauti kwa haraka kama kwa mgeni. Wenyeji bado wana kiu kubwa ya maendeleo zaidi,ambapo ni jambo la msingi kwa maendeleo ya nchi kwa ujumla.

Kuna mipangilio mingi mipya na plan kadhaa mpya baadhi ni kama kuondoa ofisi za serikali kadhaa ndani ya Mji Mkongwe, kuwepo na udhibiti mzuri wa aina ya magari yaingiayo Mji Mkongwe, upanuzi wa barabara(baadhi)katika maeneo ya Ng'ambo, ujenzi wa barabara mpya kuunganisha Ng'ambo na Mashambani.

Huduma nyingi zimekuwa na mafanikio ya kiasi na makubwa. Zantel bado ina tatizo la upatikanaji katika maeneo kadhaa visiwani hapa, ili ni la kushangaza kidogo! Lakini ndivyo lilivyo! Mabadiliko katika bandarini yamezidisha misongamano kwa abiria na vyombo vya moto.... Nimesikia hili linafanyiwa kazi, ingawa wahusika wanataka kwanza kuboresha upakuaji wa bidhaa toka melini. Kwani kwa sasa bandari ya Malindi ina uwezo wa meli moja tu kufunga gati! Mipango mipya ni kuwa na bandari yenye uwezo wa kuchukua meli nne kwa pamoja!

Mafanikio mengine yapo kwenye suala zima la usafi, ambapo sio rahisi tena kuona mifuko ya plastiki ikipepea angani, sasa kuna matumizi makubwa ya mifuko ya khaki na magazeti. Awali nilitegemea kuwepo na Vikapu vingi vya ukili, ikiwa ni kuongeza ajira na vipato kwa watengenezaji wa vikapu hivyo. Hata hivyo kutokana na uwekezaji mkubwa katika mahoteli malighafi ya vikapu hivyo imekuwa adimu na inauzwa kwa bei kubwa mno kwa mwananchi wa kawaida.

Kwa sasa kila barza ya kahawa hadithi ni muamsho, wengi wanapenda kuwepo kwa muamsho ili kujitenga na Tanganyika na wengi bado wanapenda kuwapo na muungano. Hii itatoa changamoto kubwa katika tume ya katiba. Muamsho zaidi ya kutaka kujitoa kwenye muungano, bado hawapo wazi katika sababu kubwa ama tatizo kubwa la muungano.

Nilipita hapo Airport na kuona ujenzi mpya wa Airport, hata hivyo unaonekana umesimama kwa muda mrefu, zipo tetesi kuwa Serikali serikali na wajenzi wamekuwa wakipisha juu ya ujenzi huo kiasi cha kufikia hatua hiyo.

Anyway nipo hapa Mesi ya Jeshi(Migombani) na tayali zantel imeanza kugomagoma... nitaendelea na stori katika siku zijazo....

Legislators Decry Tourism Invasion By Foreigners

Zanzibar — SOME members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives are alleging that the tourism sector is dominated by non-Zanzibaris contrary to the isles ambition of establishing the industry three decades ago.

"We have evidence that more than one-thousand "foreigners" including Kenyans have dominated jobs in most tourist hotels. Some are staying illegally and holding Tanzanian passports," Mr Makame Mshimba Mbarouk (CCM- Kitope) alleged.

Debating the report from the House committee responsible for "livestock, Tourism, economic empowerment and Information," Mbarouk accused the government and the immigration for not taking "any action despite receiving reliable information about foreigners working in Zanzibar illegally."

The legislator also alleged that there has been serious violation of employment laws in the tourism sector, including lack of contracts and uncalled-for expelling of work, giving an example of Blue Bay, Karafuu, and Serena Hotels. Mr Ismail Jussa Ladu (CUF-Mjimkongwe) said that unemployment problem in Zanzibar can be solved by implementing job restriction rules, "mainly making sure all jobs in the tourist hotels are for Zanzibaris, unless the position cannot be filled by a Zanzibari."

He also blamed some ministers for abusing their position by accepting bribes from some investors to violate the existing laws. Jussa also expressed his disappointment with some leaders including minister who use the Bwawani Hotel (state owned) without paying bills. Other legislators such as Ms Ashura Sharif Ali (Special seats), and Mr Suleiman Hemed Khamis (CUF- Konde) decried moral decay from mainly youths copying western lifestyles of living.

Meanwhile, Jussa also asked media owners and the government to improve the welfare of journalists who have been working hard in "unfriendly environment without proper working tools, no transport, and poor payment."

BY ISSA YUSSUF,
15 APRIL 2012

Murder case accused acquitted...

WANTED MAN IS AT LARGE IN ZANZIBAR

A MAN charged with the murder of a charity worker from Newcastle has been acquitted by a judge during court proceedings in Zanzibar.

26 year old Robert Stringer was found dead on a beach in Zanzibar in August 2009 having suffered multiple head injuries. He had spent the previous five weeks carrying out volunteer work in Tanzania before taking a short break on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar.

A popular figure locally, Robert's death sent shockwaves throughout Newcastle and surrounding areas. In the months leading up to his trip to Tanzania Robert had carried out a number of successful local fundraisers to help fund his volunteer work.

Judge Abraham Mwampashi acquitted Hamad Khamis of Mr. Stringer's murder in the High Court in Zanzibar. He also criticised the prosecution over the lack of ' hard evidence' presented during the case.

In a 25-page judgment, Judge Mwampashi said Mr. Khamis had to be acquitted because the prosecution was too heavily reliant upon circumstantial evidence when ' hard evidence was of critical nature' in order to convince the court.

Mr. Stringer was found dead on a beach a few days after befriending Mr. Khamis. The pair had discussed business matters as Mr. Stringer was a volunteer and IT expert.

Evidence was presented in court which found that the victim had been hit over the head with an implement during an attack and died from those injuries. The defence for the accused argued that the only connection between Mr. Khamis and Mr. Stringer was the fact that they knew one another.

Mr. Stringer's laptop, ipod and speakers, sun glasses, digital camera and a wallet containing 1,000 Tanzanian shillings and $30 were found to be in the possession of Mr. Khamis. However, the judge ruled that this did not prove an 'evil element.'

The judge also blasted the prosecution for failing to gather what could have proved to have been vital evidence.

'I am baffled as to why no effort was taken to see what evidence could have been drawn from bank cards that were found with the accused person, or from the digital camera or from the computer to help support the case against the accused person.'

In his judgment he added, ' the prosecution case against the accused person is based wholly on circumstantial evidence.'

The court was told a second man wanted in connection to Mr. Stringer's death still remained at large.

No appeal was lodged by the prosecution when Mr. Khamis was acquitted.

Wicklow people

Karume Day

Leo ni siku ya kumbukumbu ya Rais wa kwanza wa Zanzibar A.A Karume

Hotel za Kitalii Kuvunjwa Zanzibar?

Over 60 per cent of more than 200 tourists’ hotels in Zanzibar face demolition because they are built on the sea side, contrary to environmental regulations. A prompt survey by members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives identified massive violations of the regulations.

The lawmakers have since declared war on such premises. “This is unacceptable, all structures built on beaches contrary to the law should be demolished. The department of environment should make sure the order is implemented,” said Mr Hamza Hassan Juma, Chairperson of the House Committee on Environment.

Hamza and his team blamed the environment department and other responsible authorities for failing to make sure that investors abide by the laws, particularly at this time when the environment is a global issue. According to Mr Sheha Mjaja, Director of the Department of Environment, regulations require any project to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before taking off, and any structure should be built at least 30 metres and 10 metres from sandy and rocky beach respectively.

Mr Mjaja said that his department has identified over 60 per cent of the tourists projects in Zanzibar particularly tourist hotels, which have either not done any EIA at all or just ignored it. “Unfortunately we have not been serious in enforcing the law because of bureaucracy. This is a complex issue because it involves many public institutions and investors.

“We are planning to convene a meeting to involve investors, public institutions, and my department to discuss and find out the best way to solve the ongoing reckless construction of building at the beaches,” he noted. In addition to trade, and cloves production, Zanzibar relies on the booming tourism industry which contributes about 25 per cent to its GDP.


By ISSA YUSSUF
Tanzania
Daily News

Aspara

Muungano

Wafinn na Zanzibar

HS.fi

Soko la Samaki

Women in Unguja and Pemba Happily Making Money and Saving

Pemba — A popular Kiswahili proverb known by many Zanzibarians goes like this "Haba na haba hujaza kibaba" in other words drop by drop the vessel will get filled.

This wise saying has been vividly demonstrated by women in the rural areas of Unguja and Pemba and is calling on others to follow suit.

Women in Unguja South and Pemba North have for a long time never engaged themselves in income generating activities and they had little hope for any sort of economic improvement of their lives.

In 2008 Women Empowerment in Zanzibar (WEZA) initiative was introduced and their lives took a new turn bringing hope for the women.

Around 8742 women at their own individual pace saved between 200 and 1,000 shillings each week after receiving savings and financial training from the Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA), Jozani Credit and Development Organisation (JOCDO) and Pemba Savings and Credit Association (PESACA). The project was co-financed by the European Union (EU), Government of Austria and Care Austria.

The training marked the beginning of a big take off and by 2011 the women collectively had saved a total of 693,790,000/=.

This was a big surprise not only to the Zanzibari population but to women themselves who could not believe they had the potential.

"How can we save 500 /- a week while at the same time we did not receive that amount of money for our family meals?" asked a section of women members in Kiungoni Shehia of Pemba North during the sensitisation meetings before the savings began.

Now the very same women save more than 2,500 shillings per week owing to the various business activities they are engaged in including the making of handicrafts and agro- business.

The general rule for acquiring a loan is that a member has to convince the group that she has something useful to do with the loan. Secondly she needs to have four sureties (wadhamini) from the group who sign contract which among others request them to take due responsibility in case the member fail to repay the loan.

In the case a member fails to repay the loan, her weekly shares are first taken away by the group in addition to that of her sureties. However, this has only appeared once at Jambiani in Unguja while Pemba it has never happened. Most of the members repay their loans in three months and if one fails giving reasonable grounds, the group gives her additional two weeks in which to settle the debt before further action is considered.

Mr. Omar Khamis, a Shehia leader of Kiungoni, Shehia in 2009 said WEZA changed the perception and status of his Shehia. Speaking to the project's representatives and the villagers, he said that before WEZA was established the women in his village were not involved in any business contrary and now every woman is struggling hard to earn an income and erase illiteracy.

Ms. Fatma Ali Haji (40) of the same Shehia narrated her experience while talking to Daily News recently. Fatma says her life has changed drastically from struggling to make ends meet to setting up business person while she save 15,000/= per week.

"WEZA taught us how to and utilise the resources around us. I now buy for basic items such as food and clothes for myself and my family," she said.

She sells coconuts and tailors clothes for women wiping out the old stereotyping of women staying indoors. She sells coconuts at Kiungoni and as far as Chake chake, Pemba South. An officer for Savings and Loans with Women Empowerment in Zanzibar (WEZA), Muhiddin Ramadan said on average members' savings stands between 1000/- and 5,000 each week. He said the saving shares were raised as a result of the increased income generating activities.

He says that the common business activities are locally made hand bags, spice based soaps, batik, rosella juice , liquid soaps and selling of fresh vegetables. As much as Zanzibar appreciates the achievement there are challenges which that need urgent redress. Mwanakhamis Mrisho, an officer from TAMWA mentioned the challenges as lack of reliable market of the finished products and low quality products to face stiff competition in the competitive market.

She attributed the challenges to financial constraints, lack of mobility and confidence calling for concerted efforts to improve the quality of women's products in order to be fully fledged entrepreneurs. She feels that the government in particular should put more emphasis in promoting women's products of these areas as well as introducing more women into the business world.

This will help the women fully utilise the Sunday market launched recently by the government at Mwembeshauri Grounds, Unguja Urban, which is albeit at its fragile stage. Most of the women currently do not have bank accounts as they consider still consider themselves poor. For the time being they are concentrating on expanding their businesses, building and or repairing their homes and taking their children to school.


Daily News

KUMBUKUMBU.

Ni miaka 23 sasa tangu umetutoka lakini sisi kama watoto wako pamoja na baba ulietuacha huku tunaona ni kama jana tu umeondoka maana umeenda kimwili lakini kiroho bado tupo nawe, na kamwe hatutaacha kukumbuka malezi yako bora!

Tukiwa kama familia (watoto wako pamoja na mumeo (baba)) daima hatuishi kukuombea DUA njema kila kukicha upate kupumzika kwa kwa amani huko uliko.

Ni matumaini yetu mungu anasikia dua zetu MAMA.

Ni sisi wanao wapendwa Mariam, Hussein, Salum, Mariam Hawa pamoja na Baba yetu (mumeo) Sheikh Suleiman hatuna la zaidi ila ni dua tunakuombea.

INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAAJIUN.


Salum Suleiman Lyeme (Sule Junior)
Entertainment writter (Freelance), Graphic Designer (Freelance) / Mwananchi Communication Ltd
C.E.O of SULE'S Inc. & ENTERTAINMENT

A rare mind revelation from the Civic United Front

Interviewed by Mlimani TV station early this week about why his party recorded abysmal performance in the just ended by-election in Uzini constituency on Zanzibar island, Ismail Jussa Ladhu, deputy secretary general of the Civic United Front, declared that CUF didn’t win the seat because there are more Christians and churches in the area than Muslims and mosques.

It’s a rare mind revelation from one of the more highly trusted CUF officials, better educated than average and with considerable exposure locally and outside, becoming a symbol of what kind of leaders we have in this country.
It’s perhaps the clearest illustration of what some of the CUF leaders especially those who defected have been saying about this political party. They have accused CUF of being a Muslim-dominated party, saying it has a clear religious bias.

Though we don’t believe those allegations seriously because the Political Registration Act of 1992 has proper safeguards on such misdirected politicking, one cannot ignore even the more glaring signals, as in this case. The Act provides that any party that is statutorily identified with religious activities and faith partiality can’t be registered, but the revelation from Jussa confirms what its party dissidents, past and present, have all along critics have been saying.

Jussa simply wants us to believe that Christians are anti-CUF while Muslims are pro-his party. We thought and believed that those who have been voting for the party in the past elections in Tanzania did so because of being attracted by CUF’s policies.

But according to Jussa, it’s the opposite. He clearly believes that his party can win easily in those areas where there are Muslims in majority and Christians as a minority. Jussa might be right because being one of the members of the CUF’s inner circle; he has all the facility to understand why in some areas his party is popular while in others it registers abysmal performance.

What is appalling is that we still have leaders who believe in the politics of divisions along race, ethnicity and faith based issues, instead of advocating for a clear policy that will eradicate poverty as well as bringing prosperity economically, politically and socially.

From Jussa’s verdict, those who voted for CCM and Chadema are Christians because in Uzini constituency there are more churches and Christians than Muslims. While Jussa might have some details in the area’s demography or psychology which most other observers may not be aware, his comments can only be qualified, unavoidably, as totally unacceptable.

The point here is that if this is how politics is going to be managed in this country, then Tanzania is slowly descending into chaotic politics in future. It means that the CUF, when it has its back on the wall, is ready to abandon statutory rationality (policies), pluralism (non-racial and non-sectarian) attitude in favor of playing to the gallery of religion, to attract irrational fears and votes, with readiness for violence. All religious politics ends in violence, by definition.

That Jussa might statistically be right doesn’t count, but rather that his comments are unjustifiable if they represent the spirit of that political party, their line of action in the months to come – that is, in any future polls and in preparing for polls.

Those sentiments and the political orientation implied therein is what must be avoided at all costs and are consequently harmful to the political climate, to the peace and understanding constituting the reason both for the constitution and the formation of a Government of National Unity. He has simply shown how he treads in cheap politics of divide and rule.

In a country that has been battling and weathering serious allegations of religious division between Muslims and Christians in the history of the ruling party, Jussa’s comments serve to add petrol to the fire, worsening the situation.

Our leaders have to be careful about what they say to the public and what they shouldn’t, the sort of imagination they should keep to themselves, so that they don’t stir up the tiger of revolt that is part of politics, itching for a fight for whatever reason, so long as an important person has said it is right to burn and kill. They should be mature enough to distinguish between ‘pillow talk’ and public discussion.


IPPMEDIA

Bweju

Stone Town

Zanzibar na Madawa ya Kulevya...

PALM Beach playboy and cigarette importer Mark Coulton has had drug conspiracy charges dropped after the case against him collapsed.

This is good news for his brother-in-law barrister Don Grieve, QC, and Grieve's wife, Dixie Coulton, who each put up $500,000 as caveats against their Paddington home.

Ms Coulton is a former Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney.

It comes as a the Sydney magistrate overseeing the case criticised the Australian Federal Police for "jumping the gun" against five men.

They had been accused with conspiring to import drugs from Zanzibar, Tanzania.


More New: New.com/au

Spice and Easy, a story of Zanzibar and Pemba - Rory Bremner

I've been very bad at arranging swanky holidays recently. That is, proper breaks, without the children. In fact, over the past 18 months, the sum total of Mr and Mrs Bremner's trips away have amounted to just four nights in the South of France and two nights in Harrogate. I'd highly recommend both, by the way, but they're hardly in the Hello! category.

When the chance did finally come for us to enjoy something more exotic, I faced an immediate problem - where, exactly, do you go for sunshine at this time of year? Political unrest in Egypt and the Maghreb, the bursting of Dubai's bubble and the likelihood of bumping into Michael Winner in the Caribbean have all conspired to narrow the choice.

Our criteria for a week's holiday were simple: less than ten hours' flying, preferably overnight; and a manageable time difference to somewhere offering both adventure and relaxation.

The beaches of India, the Maldives, Indonesia and the Far East were deemed too far, even though Burma looks tempting now that Aung San Suu Kyi's 15-year staycation has come to a welcome end.

Eschewing old favourites Cape Town and Morocco, we contacted Scott Dunn and plumped for Zanzibar off the East African coast. Great call.

Zanzibar - the original Spice Island. The very name conjures up exotic images in the mind's eye: tropical beaches, spice markets, dhow sails in the sunset. Well, what your mind sees is what you get.

In just under ten hours, good old British Airways had got us, comfortably and right on schedule, to Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, where the tourists divide - some heading for the safari reserves of Ruaha, Selous or the Serengeti to see the animals (and the minibuses) in the Ngorongoro crater or climb Kilimanjaro.

Others, ourselves included, were transported to await our local onward flight in the VIP terminal.

This is in fact a basic concrete waiting room with open sides where birds hop in and out, a handful of Africans doze and a couple of locals sit chatting at a cafe called The Art of Coffee - the 'art' apparently being to dispense coffee with as much nonchalance and lack of interest as it's possible to muster. Welcome to Africa.

After a longish wait, our pilot arrived to tell us (reassuringly) that rather than wait another hour for fuel, we'd pick up some in Zanzibar before flying to our final destination: Pemba Island.


Read more: Daily Mail

Zanzibar Music Festival Faces Financial, Cultural Challenges

The Sauti za Busara music festival kicks off in Zanzibar this weekend - an event meant to promote Swahili music to a younger generation of Tanzanians raised on Western Top 40 hits. But the Stone Town festival has had a hard time connecting with a local audience, and is now facing funding challenges.

This weekend the ancient buildings and narrow alleyways of Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, are awash in the sound of music. This is Sauti za Busara, an annual festival that draws crowd from around the world to Stone Town’s old stone fort for four days of music, dancing and cultural celebrations.

Although Sauti za Busara attracts acts from across the continent, the focus here is on East Africa’s own Swahili music. Around two thirds of the artists performing are from Tanzania, many from Zanzibar itself. The musical styles on display range from traditional drumming and taarab, to hip hop and jazz.

The festival’s director is Yusuf Mahmoud, an Englishman who has been living in Tanzania for the past 14 years. He says the idea behind Sauti za Busara was not just to attract tourists, but to help locals appreciate their own musical heritage.

“When we started doing Sauti za Busara, I remember being very surprised that a lot of the young local artists were not really appreciating the value of the local music here. They were listening a lot to foreign music from Europe or the U.S. I think this has helped local artists to understand that what they have here is very special, very unique and very valuable, and something that is attracting people from all over the world," he said.

Now in its ninth year, the festival tries hard to attract local audiences. Tanzanian citizens pay less than $2 to get in, while foreigners are charged $26. Of the 4,000 people who attended Sauti za Busara last year, the majority were from Tanzania.

The festival is run by an NGO, Busara Promotions, which depends on private donations to keep ticket prices for locals low.

But lately, Sauti za Busara has been facing some serious financial challenges. This year the festival had to be cut from five days to four, and one of the events outside Stone Town had to be scrapped. Mahmoud blames these problems on the slowdown of the international economy.

“It’s been tougher and tougher, over the last couple of years particularly, to get financial support from international donors. It’s been also very tough to get financial support from local businesses. The global recession doesn’t just affect our festival here in Zanzibar, but all over the world people are struggling to raise money for cultural events," said Mahmoud.

But Amour Haji, director of a tour company in Zanzibar, thinks this is only part of the answer. Most Zanzibaris are Muslim, with a conservative culture at odds with the party-like atmosphere of an international music festival.

Haji says that despite Sauti za Busara’s efforts to reach out to local people, many still think of it as an event only for tourists. “The mass of the people of Zanzibar, they think it is not beneficial for them. It is a benefit for foreigners, not for the local people," he said.

Tourism to Zanzibar in February has grown by 400 percent since the festival was first held in 2004. Haji says that although local businesses do benefit from the added tourism revenue, few are willing to support the event financially.

“In economical [terms], we benefit. The event is a very major thing for the tourists. Many restaurants and many shops, they benefit, but they didn’t contribute anything," he said.

Still, some Zanzibaris say Sauti za Busara has succeeded in making people proud of their island’s music.

One local festival goer says it gives musicians a chance to show off their talents both to foreigners and to their own countrymen. “It benefits, because we are getting ways for participating in this festival and we show our skills for the whole people in Zanzibar," he said.

Despite Sauti za Busara’s financial problems, Mahmoud says the organizers will keep holding it for as long as possible, and do intend to maintain the festival’s local focus.

“We’re determined to carry on, and we’re also determined to carry on organizing a festival which is accessible for local people, which means we can never be fully sustainable through ticket revenue unless we make an event for tourists, which is not our primary intention," he said.

Around 30 groups are performing at Sauti za Busara this year. The festival runs through Sunday night.


VOA

Mwanafunzi

Ndivyo Tulivyo...?

Sauti za Busara, Leo Jioni Ngome Kongwe

Picha kwa hisani ya John Pius

Zanzibar celebrates annual Busara Festival.

ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zanzibar started on Thursday to celebrate Sauti za Busara, a cultural fiesta, aimed at promoting East African music and culture attended by dozens of international art troupes on the autonomous islands off Tanzanian coast.

This year's festival kicks off at 4:00 p.m. at Kisonge Park with the largest ever carnival street parade in the region destined for the Old Fort, Stone Town, where four nights of non- stop live music will be held.

Director of Busara festival Yusuf Mahmoud said seven groups will perform inside the Old Fort for the first night, including Mkota Spirit Dancers from Pemba, the sister Island of Zanzibar, and artists from Cape Verde, Norway and Tanzania mainland.

About 30 groups are to perform in the adjacent amphitheatre at the Old Fort while Zanzibar will take the chance to showcase its unique culture throughout the festival with shows in different venues around town.

Sauti za Busara, which was formed in 2003, has been promoted as one of the friendliest festivals and has grown in leaps and bounds and enjoys an international following.

The annual festival also has played a major role in boosting local tourism with statistics showing the number of visitors to Zanzibar has increased dramatically.


Xinhua

Sauti za Busara Kuanza Leo Usiku...

Tamasha la Sauti za Busara litaanza leo usiku katika kumbi mbalimbali za Mji Mkongwe na Ng'ambo.

Saa 1:00 Usiku: Bashraaf:- Mercury Restaurant.

Saa 2:00 Usiku: Black Root:- CCM Hall.

Saa 2:00 Usiku: Maulidi ya Homu:- Mtendeni Club House

Saa 3:30 Usiku: Kozman Ti Dalon:- Maru maru Hotel

OUT OF AFRICA: 10 Things NOT To Do While Traveling On Safari.

1.Cellphones, really?

The last thing you should be focused on when you're out on a safari is your Facebook feed or texting your friend—if you even get service. Virgina Haynes, of Montgomery Communications, a PR firm for safari outfits like Sabi Sabi, who has been on at least 10 safaris, said she was shocked by the number of travelers on their cell phones.

"I really feel that it is so rude," said Haynes. "You are in the bush, in the natural habitat with all of the wild animals and someone is sitting there tapping on their phone."

For most people, a safari is a once in a lifetime experience. You can check your phone later.

2.Don't be rude to the local people you visit.

McIntyre said the best piece of advice he can offer to travelers on a safari is to greet the locals in a polite manner. They will think you are very rude if you launch into a request or question without a proper greeting.

"That kind of greeting is really important especially if you learn to do it in the local language," said McIntyre.

"All you need to do, that translation of, 'Hello, how are you?' 'I'm fine, how are you?' Do it because people will think you are very rude if you don't."

Be sensitive to local customs and beliefs, and don't intrude on people's privacy.

3.Leave the animal print to the animals

"Don't go for a walk with your guide wearing zebra spandex, said Warren Green, who had a traveler actually go on a safari walk wearing zebra spandex. He thinks she might have been Russian. But really, leave the animal print to the animals.

McIntyre suggested that travelers bring comfortable clothes made out of natural fibers. They'll work better in the hot temperatures and will wear better since most camps do laundry by hand.

You should avoid bright colors or white and if you're going on a walking tour, clothing in khaki, green or brown will help you to blend in. But avoid the full safari regalia—it'll just look silly.

Allapat offered another useful tip: "When you go into Zanzibar, don't wear your tank tops and short skirts. It's a primarily Islamic culture."

4.Wilderness: "It's almost a spiritual playground"

"The wilderness means different things to different people," said Green. To guides it's often spiritual, so be respectful of the plant and animal life around you.

If you bring something in, make sure you bring it out with you. Your guide is not your trash collector. Carelessness of off-roading can lead to erosion and destruction of the habitat.

5.Don't be a New Yorker

If you're loud and obnoxious, you'll scare the animals and bother your guide and fellow tour members. You also might distract your guide, who needs to be mindful of his surroundings and the movement of the animals.

Also, if you're busy chatting, you might be missing something spectacular.


Read more: Business Insider

Oman: A Vast Geography of Former Exclaves

The Sultanate of Oman's geography is unique. Many geography blogs have already blogged before about its exclaves on the Musandam Peninsula. This exclave branches off the United Arab Emirance and serves as the Arab side to the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. This exclave allowed Oman to monitor, and to a certain extent control, trade between Persian Gulf ports and the Indian Ocean port cities from the 1600s until European domination of Middle East trade in the 1800s.

Many people, however, do not know about the former exclaves of Oman which made the geography of the sultanate even more extended. The major one was Zanzibar, off the coast of present day Tanzania. In 1698 the Portuguese were forced off of Zanzibar by Oman. Oman used Zanzibar to act as its major spice, goods, and slave trade port for Africa. Sultan Said bin Sultan loved Zanzibar so much that in 1837 he made Zanzibar the capital of Oman! After his death his sons divided the empire with one brother getting Oman and a few other possessions while the other became the sultan of an independent Zanzibar.

Though the British made the sultanate a protector after the shortest war in the history of the world, the Arab descendants of Zanzibar ran the country until a revolution and ethnic cleansing led by Marxist Black Africans against the Arab rulers and Indian business class in 1964.

The other major exclave of Oman was Gwadar in present-day Pakistan. In the 1500s to 1800s Oman kept very close ties to the various Muslim states in the Indian subcontinent due to trade. This links survives with Oman's food being spicy like Indian food (unlike Arab food) and with many Indian/Pakistani Muslims and even some Hindus living in Oman today.

In 1783 the exiled former Sultan of Oman, Saiad Sultan, used his personal connections to become ruler of the small port city of Gwadar. He later retook control of Oman. Once Saiad moved back to Oman but he continued to rule Gwadar through a governor. Gwadar stayed under Oman's control until Pakistan bought the small port in 1958 for three million dollars.

Oman's African and subcontinent exclaves are no longer on the political map but their legacies still survives. As mentioned above there is a strong Indian presence in Oman and many shipping lanes and airplane routes continue to connect the subcontinent to Oman. The ties are even stronger between Oman and Zanzibar. Most Omani and Zanzibaris (and even some Pakistanis around Gwadar) are Ibadi Muslims, neither Sunni or Shia but a unique denomination which recognizes philosophy, use of a smaller and separate hadiths, and other beliefs. Oman is responsible for the survival of the Ibadi Muslim faith as the only Ibadi Muslims who cannot claim Omani descent or influence are a few remote Berber tribes in the Saharan Desert. These exclaves cannot be found on a map but their legacy lives on in the realm of human geography.


Geographic Travels

Tanzania’s Ambassador to the U.S., Announces Second Annual Vip Business/Leisure Safari To “Discover Tanzania”

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Discover Tanzania VIP Safari, H.E. Mwanaidi S. Maajar, Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United States of America, will again lead a small group of business executives on the second annual VIP business and leisure safari to Discover Tanzania, scheduled for June 22-July 3, 2012.

Through this personal journey with Amb. Maajar, participants will be able to enjoy Tanzania’s natural and cultural attractions as well as explore Tanzania’s business and investment opportunities. The VIP Safari will also feature two exclusive dinners, one in Dar es Salaam with guest of honor, H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; and the second in Zanzibar with guest of honor, H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar.

According to the World Bank’s Tanzania: Country Briefs, “Tanzania is becoming one of the best performers in Sub Saharan Africa…in recent years growth in gross domestic product (GDP) averaged between 5 and 7 percent.” The potential for profitable foreign investment in the country is huge in such a diverse range of industries as tourism, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, and mining.

H.E. Maajar stated that “Tanzania is rich in natural resources and natural wonders, including world-renowned tourist attractions (Serengeti National Park, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and the spice islands of Zanzibar); prime geographical location (six landlocked countries depend on Tanzanian ports); abundant arable land; a skilled labor force; warm, friendly people; and assurance of safety.” On December 9, 2011, Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary as a peaceful and stable democracy.

Ken Flechler, Vice President, Pike Electric Corp, based in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, joined the first VIP Safari in 2011, together with Pike CEO, J. Eric Pike, his wife Belinda Pike and their two sons, Will and Ben. Pike Electric’s operation in Tanzania represents the Company’s first international venture. Flechler said, “Beyond the natural beauty throughout the countryside, the excitement of the safari and the diversity of culture, this VIP Safari led by Ambassador Maajar, afforded Pike the chance to strengthen existing relationships here in Tanzania as well as the opportunity to develop new friendships that will have a broader impact for the country and our operations around the world. This is an exciting time to be part of Tanzania’s development, growth and expansion, Pike looks forward to becoming an integral part of the country’s future and a key partner for helping develop a strong partnership with the United States.”

Details for the VIP 2012 Discover Tanzania Safari include:
· The trip begins in Arusha, a place which has traditionally been a springboard to Tanzania’s renowned national parks, with a brief city tour and meets with the city’s influential business community.
· A dinner with guest of honor, H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
· A dinner in Zanzibar with guest of honor, H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar.
· Visit Lake Manyara, a concentrated park whose main attraction is the legendary tree-climbing lions.
· Experiencing the world-acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” home to over 30,000 animals that are supported within its ecologically rich environments.
· Flying to the Selous Game Reserve in Southern Tanzania, to explore the rugged wilderness and its inhabitants.
· Participating in VIP activities on the opening day of “Saba Saba,” Tanzania’s premier international trade fair, including an opportunity to network with the Tanzanian business community.
· Optional extensions to the spice islands of Zanzibar.
The number of people on the safari is limited in order to provide each participant with an individualized experience.


TW

African violets enjoy worldwide appeal

African violets have a fascinating background in African history. They come from Tanzania, a country whose name was derived by combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar. (I love saying those names.) Tanzania is surrounded by countries we have often heard of — Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique — and borders the Indian Ocean in eastern Africa.

Tourist trade and safaris take people there today, but life was quite different in the late 1800s. Imperial Germany conquered the region, ended the slave trade and made it a colony. In 1892 a colonial official, Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illare, an amateur botanist, discovered a wonderful, “hairy” flowering plant. In his honor the violet’s botanical name is Saintpaulia. (Post World War I this area came under British rule.)

Saint Paul sent plants (or seeds, no one is quite clear on this) to his father in Germany, where they flourished in his care. Herman Wendland, director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Herrenhausen, named the first flowering specimen S. Ionantha, which translates to “with violet-like flowers,” hence the emergence of their commonly known name, African violets.

More details just click here

The delights of a coastal town

Every city has its own characteristics that distinguish it from others. However, sometimes these characteristics leave you with a smile. If you are walking in the streets of an African city and you hear whistles behind you, then you know you are in Dar es Salaam, but don’t worry no one is after you, they are just drawing people’s attention to the cold water bottles they are selling. A much needed drink in the tropical weather of this coastal town that used to be the capital of Tanzania.

Many years after my initial visit to Dar, there seems to be little change in terms of infrastructure, a few new malls, some modern villas built along the coast line, but much more traffic than ever before.
If you happen to arrive in the city after a rain storm and on a working day, then you should prepare yourself to sit in a car that is “floating” in water, in a jam that does not seem to be moving anywhere any time soon! And it happened that just a few days before our visit, the worst flooding in 57 years hit the city, causing human causality and leaving thousands of people homeless.

Apart from a few new high-rise buildings, there are no skyscrapers shooting up on the scene, but what seems to have sky rocked is the prices of land and real estate.While here in Uganda people rush to sell their land as soon as an offer knocks the door, Tanzanians tend to favour long or short term leasing of their land which allows them keep the land title, get a rent and at the end of the day they are still land owners. How Ugandans have by now missed on this point, is now beyond repair!

Our hotel had an amazing view of the harbor where one could see ships, and cargo vessels docking. I was hoping to see more traffic here than on the roads, but that was not meant to be. Coming from a landlocked country like Uganda that depends totally on its neighbours Kenya and Tanzania in terms of sea cargo, I wished there was more activity in that port to take away some of the pressure from long queues in Mombasa port causing the late arrival of cargo in Uganda, but that seems to be a long term project, or a far-fetched one for now.

One of the best attractions for most tourists seems to be taking the ferry from Dar to Zanzibar, the legendary island of spices and white sand beaches. Just hop into one of the most prominent carriers- Azam marine and costal fast ferries- and two hours later you arrive in this magical island mentioned in tales that kept us mesmerised in our chairs. When adults were telling us stories, hoping to keep us busy and away from mischief, little they knew that as soon as the story came to an end, we had already created our own version of the adventures. Buckets of water were our ocean and broom sticks our swords, there was no wall too high to climb and our ultimate treasure hunt was to find the sweets meant for visitors that our parents hid away from us.

Back to life in Dar es Salaam, I think the historical background of the country seems to influence its present, it is still living in a sort of cocoon. While they are kind and welcoming to visitors, encouraging new investors seems not to be a priority.

A large tax payer told us that the constant increments of taxes and the ‘little flexibility’ of the Revenue authorities is pushing new investors to think twice before making a move.
I hope the future brings better news, having new blood in the economy has its advantages. In our world today there is no more room for vacillation.


The Monitor

From the archive, 21 January 1964: A last moment of glory for the Sultan?

"Originally published in the Guardian on 21 January 1964"

Sultan Seyyid of Zanzibar arrived at St Pancras Station, London, from Manchester yesterday afternoon for what was perhaps a last moment of glory in his public career. The photographers were there with lights and cameras, the reporters with their notebooks, the police with their strong arms, the stationmaster with his top hat, and the Duke of Devonshire with a welcoming handshake on behalf of the Commonwealth Relations Office.

But there also were familiar attendants of disaster – the Red Cross ladies with bundles of old clothes for "kitting out" cold, impoverished refugees, and the Zanzibar Ambassador to Egypt, who had flown to London especially to meet the Sultan and was distributing copies of a petition he had sent to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights asking for "immediate interference to stop the widespread massacres in Zanzibar" and "nonrecognition of this new anarchist regime" there.

The Sultan, his wife, his mother, his five children and 52 other refugees of all ages, stepped from two reserved carriages with no more luggage than a few brown paper parcels, and were driven to the St James's Court Hotel, round the corner from Buckingham Palace. It was barely a week since they had left the sunshine of Zanzibar.

A CRO spokesman said that there were no plans at the moment for the Sultan to meet any British Ministers, but no doubt there would have to be talks soon with the Sultan's representatives on how best to wind up the British Government's obligations to the Sultan – with a word on the final bill for the chartered aircraft from Dar-es-Salaam, the train from Manchester to London, and the accommodation at the hotel, all being paid so far by the British Government.

Before leaving Manchester, where his aircraft had been forced to land because of fog at London Airport on Sunday, the Sultan said he was sorry to hear of the trouble in Tanganyika and hoped the reports were not true. He emphasised his appreciation of British hospitality and said he hoped to stay in Britain for the time being.

Mr A S Kharusi, private secretary to the Sultan, denied that the Sultan had come to England for financial aid. He wanted only British hospitality; friendship from old friends.

Butterfly Farmers Help Protect Threatened Forests

Farmers in Tanzania are helping to conserve threatened forests by cultivating an unlikely crop: butterflies.
The Amani Butterly Project is one of the schemes using butterfly farming to help locals supplement their incomes and protect the environment at the same time.

The brainchild of American biologist Theron Morgan-Brown, it's based in Tanzania's East Usambara Mountains -- a region known for its biodiversity, but where forests are being cleared to produce charcoal and to open up farmland.

"The main objective was to find an alternative income for the local community in the surrounding village and forest, and also relieve the pressure on the forest of people cutting timber," says project manager Amiri Saidi.
The butterfly rearing process starts with farmers catching a few female butterflies and transferring them to an enclosure where they can lay eggs on host plants.

The farmers then collect the eggs and when they hatch, the caterpillars that emerge are placed on new plants, which must be regularly replaced to satisfy their voracious appetites. The caterpillars continue to feed until they pupate, and are ready to be transported.

The Amani project has been selling pupae to live butterfly exhibits in the United States and Europe for between $1 and $2.50 each. Of that sum, 65 percent goes directly to the farmers, while another 7 percent goes to a community development fund that contributes to projects such as building schools and hospitals.

Because most tropical butterflies don't live for long, exhibits usually order new pupae every two to three weeks.
Farmers keep some pupae from each generation, so they rarely need to catch more female butterflies from the wild, although they sometimes catch new male butterflies to maintain genetic diversity in their farms.

The project now uses 250 butterfly farmers, more than half of them women, says Saidi.
He says the project's own studies show that because butterfly farmers rely on forests near their communities to provide host plants for their butterfly farms, many farmers now support forest conservation.

"Because butterfly farmers get tangible benefits, they get money, people involved in butterfly farming conserve the area," says Saidi. "They have their own forest area and use the money they are getting for replanting and other activities."

As well as training its own farmers the Amani project has helped train farmers for a butterfly project on the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar.

The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre consists of a netted tropical garden that's home to hundreds of butterflies, all bred by local farmers. It was created as a tourist attraction, funded by admission fees, and like the Amani project the aim is to help protect the environment.

"A lot of forest is being destroyed in Zanzibar," says project manager Rosa Santilli. "Local people cut down trees to make charcoal to sell. People need it for fuel because gas and electricity is very expensive, so people cook with charcoal.

"The center was set up to stop local people cutting the forest down, and to provide an alternative for them to earn money from."

Santili says the center has trained 17 local farmers to rear the pupae that provide all the center's butterflies.
It's not a solution to deforestation, but it is helping, says Santili. "The butterfly farmers don't make charcoal anymore, so it has stopped that small sector of the community cutting down trees," she says.
Like the Amani project, the Zanzibar center funds a village development association, which is improving the local water supply. It is also trying to get local people to produce crafts and honey to be sold as souvenirs at the center.

But there is a cloud on the horizon. Both the Amani and Zanzibar schemes rely on couriers to transport their pupae to overseas buyers, and they say they have been hit by courier DHL's decision to stop transporting their pupae.
Saidi says Amani has been hit especially badly. It now has to transport pupae by air cargo, which dramatically increases their cost to buyers.

He says that until the end of 2010 the Amani project was selling a total of 50,000 pupae a year to 13 buyers, but now the project has lost all but one buyer. But DHL says it will be now discussing transport options with both projects, and hopes to find a solution that will let it resume pupae deliveries.

The Zanzibar center sees exporting pupae as key to getting more locals trained as butterfly farmers.
Santilli says: "We are hoping to expand to get more farmers involved. We need butterflies for our garden and also to export. If the farmers can export to Europe then the sky's the limit."


Denver News