Get to know about DITF history: Is it a place of business?

BETWEEN 28th June and 8th July every year, Tanzania’s Board of External Trade (BET) organizes a trade fair referred to as the “Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair”, or DITF in its short form which also is commonly known by many as Saba Saba. This is an annual event whose purpose is to open an opportunity for local people as well as foreign entrepreneurs who meets to connect with each other in terms of business deals. But many show-goers have described the place as a profit making business area. According to archive records, the fair was local in terms of outlook when first inaugurated in 1962 a year after the country attained its independence. The fair was under the then Ministry of Trade and Cooperative Unions and it was known as “The National Agricultural and Trade Fair (NATF)” The fair had involved only some small private companies, farmers and government ministries at the beginning.

This is the outside outlook of the DITF ground which is usually written with a welcoming message such as the 32nd year of the trade fair over the main gate. It has been like this since the 1st year of the event when its second inauguration took place in 1976The first inauguration was held in 1962 a year after the country attained its independence.

The latter gradually withdrew between 1970 and 1980 years respectively when serious work aimed to put the fair at the international scene came into the minds of the government through its organizers. But this was not enough to transform it into what it is today. Products at the DITF enabled the fair not only to have international recognition, but also rendered outsiders to bring in their products for exhibition.

Traffic police officers deployed for security reasons in reception of the country’s Prime Minister, Mr. Mizengo Pinda and his delegation to the fair ground. This was on the third day since the fair started.


The opening ceremonies of the DITF in the past were being graced by neighboring African Presidents, but for the 32nd occasion was graced by Tanzanian Prime Minister Mr. Mizengo Pinda (standing center) who was the guest of hounour during the official opening of the fair ground. The occasion is normally accompanied by giving out certificates of participation as well as other prizes to organizations participating in the fair. Here a representative of the Tanzania Telecommunication Company (TTCL) comes down the stage after he had received a trophy handed to him by the Premier on behalf of his company which had become an overall winner in the ICT category. On the Premier’s left is the Minister for Trade, Industry and Marketing Dr. Mary Nagu while on his right is the BET’s Director General Mr. Ramadhani Khalfani.


Prime Minister Mr. Mizengo Pinda being taken around few pavilion whose organizations won prizes in the fair.


This is the main entrance to the DITF ground that is thronged by show goers as they can be seen off the main road going to Mbagala.

Through this change, it has been for Tanzanians not only to learn from what others are doing, but also to sell what they produce. During the 1970s, the dominant features in the fairs of those days was the presence of parastatals with their exhibited products produced on a collective basis.

The entrance of the DITF grounds is normally decorated with national flags of the countries represented by international companies participating in the fair.

When BET took over the organization of the DITF in 1976, it had a foresight in its mind of changing its character and outlook. BET embarked on the fair grounds improvement and modernization as its first and major strategic work. This included the macadamizing of avenues and increasing the number of pavilions.

As you enter the gate, the first building you come across is the BET pavilion which faces the main gate, and it’s in this pavilion whereby announcements are made now and then to keep people abreast with what is going on. The messages relayed to show-goers are crucial as some are about the recovery of a lost property.

In 1983, the government gave a grant which enabled all streets within the fair grounds to be tarmacked. BET couldn’t however get extra funds to build new pavilions and instead it continued to renovate and made some improvements on the existing ones. To do this drudgery work, it invited and encouraged more private firms to take part in the trade exhibitions. It’s at this point that the epoch of private firms began and their influence in participating in the fair started to be felt.

People lined up to cut their tickets, adults were paying Tshs. 2,000 (US$ 2) while children went in after paying Tshs. 500 (US$ 0.5 cent)

The Saba Saba Trade Fair, as it is now called has over the period grown from a mere domestic exhibition of agricultural produce to an international phenomenon with a wide range of international exhibitions ranging from manufactured products to modern computer soft wares and automobiles. It is quite of this that a new era and global trade was ushered in Tanzania with the beginning of International Trade Fairs organized from a local perspective

Behind BET’s building as you are walking along Taifa Avenue towards PTA hall, extreme left is a large pavilion that houses the University of Dar es Salaam. There were so many people along the street.

Going on its 32nd year now since its second inauguration in 1976, DITF has been enjoying support of the government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Marketing, the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CTI), Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) as well as other institutions. Despite of a strong criticism which has been leveled against DITF’s performance that it’s a place of show casing business merchandise, the exhibitions have made a good number of strides since their establishment 32 years ago. Not only that the fair has been transformed in terms of name, place, ministry, number of participants and nature of business, but also it has changed in terms of structure, scope and exhibited products.

There were some concerts that looked so funny to the people, like in this case, a man who changed his physical appearance and looked like a European was an attraction to the people. You can see him performing a dance while surrounded by people who became interested to look at his performances.

The fair grounds, since inaugurated by the late Mwalimu J.K Nyerere (First Tanzanian President) in 1962, it had 10 days of exhibition with the last day being climaxed on 8th of every July each year. The exhibitions are being held at Mtoni SabaSaba suburb in Temeke district, Dar es Salaam region at a place known as Mwalimu J.K Nyerere Trade Fair grounds. Otherwise known as SabasSaba in Kiswahili language, this is because of the date inherited from Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) to signify the latter’s establishment on July 7th 1954. (TANU is the first political party formed in the then Tanganyika territory which drove the majority of Africans in the struggle of independence). The fair has moved from a mere agricultural exhibition to one dominated by parastatal organizations to an International phenomenon currently driven by the private sector.

These two people had put on their faces and got seated in front of a pavilion selling beer and other drinks. Their presence attracted mostly children who all the time could stand close watching them.

A current show-goer of the DITF would be surprised to learn that the products displayed in those days were agricultural, livestock, natural resources produce and cultural products. These are contrary to what one could see today.


DITF has traveled a long way from a local stage for farmers and livestock keepers to an organ that carries many of Tanzania’s trade aspirations to the wider global horizon. Serious work aimed to put the fair at the international scene was done between 1980 and 1990 with foreign countries participating in large numbers and a variety of goods and services were displayed, and this is enough to transform it into what it is today. Products at the DITF enabled the fair not only to have international recognition, but also has rendered outsiders to bring in their products for exhibition. Since its inauguration, BET has gained a wealth of experience in supporting Tanzanian exporters in their efforts to export more.

These are not people, but rather plastic made to look like people placed at the entrance of the Sahara Communications Limited pavilion. The company brought household materials for exhibition.

The role of BET in promoting Tanzania exports has become even more prominent with the emergence in large numbers of small and medium, entrepreneurs keen to enter export markets. The experiences gained has been instrumented in increasing a large number of foreign enterprises in doing business with Tanzania, since the fair is a recognized and approved event by the Union of International Trade Fairs officially known as the Union Des Foires Internationasles (UFI).

Among the most fascinating things at the DITF are animals like a male lion, leopards, hyena and cheetah. But were also stuffed animals like this one I had time to stand beside it at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism pavilion

According to fair organizers, the exhibition hall facilities range from individual own pavilions to large exhibition halls of up to 4,000 meter square gross area. The fair grounds have rentable spaces amounting to about 30,000 meter square net. In addition to the halls/pavilions, open space are available for exhibits requiring outdoor display. The range of exhibit includes the following:- Agricultural products, Food and Beverages, Textile, garments and yarns, Manufactured products and construction materials. Other range of exhibits are Automobiles, Electrical goods and appliances, Chemical and cosmetics, Timber and Furniture, Trade service, Engineering products, Machinery, Information technology, Gifts articles and handicrafts, Consultancy and Training. To make the trade fair active throughout the year, various non-exhibition activities take place. Due to location, size and convenience of the halls, the fair grounds are widely used for social functions such as wedding ceremony, international boxing tournaments, parties, music shows and concerts, religious functions, new products launches and etc.

This is a pavilion belonging to the police force whereby they had enlighted the public on mostly how they take care of the civilian safety in the country. They also showed people various police ranks which starts from a Police constable to Inspector General of Police.

There are several restaurants offering services during the trade fair. Both African and International cuisine are served. In additional to the high class restaurants, there are also middle class restaurants offering mostly local dishes. The DITF has a large car parking lot which is situated outside the fair complex. Although the security for cars is in place, parking is at owner’s risk and owners are charged for using parking spaces. Parking inside the complex for special purposes costs more.

Since independence in 1961, the police force in the country had had eight Inspector Generals who were arranged in order of their seniority as you can see them inside police pavilion. IGP Said Mwema is the current holding a position in the force.

The fair grounds complex in general s being supplied with ample water for various purposes, electricity is in constant supply, pavilions have enough sockets and overhead lighting. Telephone services are found at the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd (TTCL) pavilions. The company is a regular participant of the fair.

This is the pavilion belonging to the National Kiswahili Council. The council is remembered for the role it played in collaboration with the University of Dar es Salaam, Computer Science department in the development of Kiswahili ICT software in a project known as Kilinux which was established by ICT researchers at the dept of the Computer Science at the University of Dar es Salaam. The first Swahili software was converted from Mozilla Fire fox of the USA and is now workable after it was translated into Kiswahili language.

I visited the place and here is what I can give you as my perspective. You can find pretty things as much as you want and walking around the pavilions is another story altogether. The streets are very narrow and to some areas within, they become so congested to accommodate a large multitude of the people who walks along visiting each pavilion after the other. The exercise makes people becomes tiresome and worrisome even though it’s just a mere look at the majority of the promotional exhibits that is designed to attract potential buyers and curious passerby to see of what local and international entrepreneurs have to offer.

This is a large pavilion named after the first President of Zanzibar, the late Abeid Karume. It’s in this pavilion that most foreign companies and their representatives hired to show case their products

As you enter the DITF grounds, at Karume stadium grounds on your left is the expensive grass thatched Kizota inn. Nothing really happens there during the day except for a few people eating the common African staple food, Ugali with fish or meat and other typical dishes at the restaurant-cum bar. Show goers once are briefed of the types of foods and their prices, they raised complaints about the expensive food sold there. But the real action starts there in the evening when the beer companies kick off their promotions. A crowd of people gather to sip their beers as they enjoy live performers. At that time, Kizota inn turns into a full fledged bar, whether mostly the social elite clad in trendy casual wear. For the beer company is a business, but for the crowds it’s a spot to kick back and relax, catch up with other fair attendees and sway to the music.

The Republic of Kenya had been represented by over 15 companies and had their compartments inside Karume pavilion.

Across from Kizota inn is the Board of External Trade (BET) exhibit facing the gate where music booms from speakers on top throughout the day until the fair closes at 06:00 pm. Apart from music, the speakers outside there are used to air out messages to would be show-goers. Several announcements are made to highlight new things to the people or if sometimes something like a lost property is recovered, or a child is lost and found somewhere alone or anything related to it.

People who had thronged at Kenya pavilion to see what types of goods they had brought with them for the exhibition.

The two roads leading to the grounds’ major activity are clustered by loitering teens, middle aged potential customers and mothers accompanying excitable young children, all donning newly acquired promotional T-shirts and caps from the various exhibits. Indeed, if there is one word to characterize sabasaba. It’s without doubts ‘giveaways’

This is a US Embassy pavilion which had been decorated with well known statue, “Liberty Statue”. It’s one of the great seven wonders of the world. Its height is 112 meters, weighing unconfirmed kilograms. The Liberty Statue which is a well known structure throughout the world is a female gender that is crowned, a MOCI VI. The statue was given to the people of the United States of America by the French government was stationed on its current position in New York city in 1776.

Dar es Salaam is a well situated habour that gives the DITF an advantage as the doorway for international businessmen to access the neighboring interior landlocked African countries that includes Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Democratic Republic of Congo. To that effect, the fair also has attracted a significant number of exhibitors from Japan, Spain, Korea, Syria, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) among others.

The US government is a great donor to Tanzania’s most development initiatives. Statistics shows that, up to June 2008, the US government has donated about US$ 662 million to the government of Tanzania and out of this, about US$ 400 million were directly donated. The country leads in the fight over famine in the world, and up to now about half of the food donated worldwide comes from USA.

From other countries among the above, who turned up to show case their products, faced with difficulties of a language barrier between them and Tanzanian customers. Many of these international exhibits had neither a translator nor a representative who could speak English or Kiswahili. Despite of these difficulties, still entrepreneurs managed to carry out business with them, this was mostly through stilted conversation and elaborate gesturing.

The US government is the leading donor in the country’s health sector. A Presidential program in the fight to reduce HIV/AIDS spread is a great effort which is being shown by the US government to Tanzania and it aims at fighting against the scourge. In doing this effectively, the US government has contributed the sum of US$ 817.1 million to the government of Tanzania in the fight against HIV/AIDS disease.

All along the street built within the fair grounds, one could come across large multitude of people walking in single file, you may wonder the majority attending the fair are women and young children, but there are also a number of youths some dressed smartly as if on a special outing.

The showcasing of ICT tools was not left behind, computers are tools that speeds up development and stores information. This photo depicts a local firm based in Dar es Salaam that is engaged in the sale of computers and other ICT accessories.

I came across many youths, young ladies and boys who are hired by some companies and many of them had been solicited to perform or dance at various pavilions to attract customers to companies’ outlets. While others seemed to have drawn to the pavilions simply to enjoy the entertainment and might score a fee prize not necessarily to buy anything or subscribe to any service as might be the companies’ intention. I came across that big building constructed along the main Taifa Avenue which this time housed the University of Dar es Salaam pavilion. I saw several books written by senior lecturers that includes a research works and other collections, such as those done by the current Minister for Trade, Industries and Marketing, Dr. Mary Nagu, as well as a research work by the current Minister for Livestock and Fishing activities Mr. John Pombe Maghufuli. The pavilion also promoted the Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication and the student’s radio station which transmits from University of Dar es Salaam, Mlimani area.

These are stuffed heads of various animals which had been placed over the walls of a pavilion belonging to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

I moved to the southern side of the fair ground to a place known as Soweto where the majority of eating joints are located. As I moved along with my eight year old daughter who had felt hunger by that time, she asked for food. I decided to look for a nice restaurant but the food available at the fair ranges from low cost to very chic and pricy options. There are a variety of mini-restaurants but you might expect few only with cheaper eateries.

These are school kids of one of the academy schools in Dar es Salaam who were brought along by their teachers for what was termed as a study tour and learn about the fair. They were interested to take a photo while standing near the stuffed lion inside the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism pavilion.

Everybody who popped in that place became perplexed after being briefed of the menu and the prices of food sold there upon their arrival. It’s in this place whereby people took time to talk about the fair as a place of business. After having taken little food that consisted of fried potatoes as well as drinks, I left the place and on my way I met few other journalists each one of them carried a handbook that signified to me they were at work.

An attendant inside the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism pavilion standing near a stuffed leopard to make sure that it’s not touched by people or children, despite of the instruction on a paper written in Kiswahili language, ‘Usiguse’ meaning don’t touch.

They were all sweating and as you know walking along the vast compound for a journalist is a usual thing, though they had nowhere to rest down. I thought hurriedly in my mind that it was necessary for the organizers to arrange a special area on which they could build a media center whereby a handful of them who comes for normal coverage would get an easy access to file on their stories to their editors. Imagine with all these buildings around, you can’t find even an internet café.

Looking on with a cheerful face is my 8 year old daughter who spent long hours walking along with me as I take note to few but interesting points about the fair.

Justina Tumbo, a newly recruited journalist with an English daily paper in the city also wondered why the BET does not think of that, however, she goes outside the fair grounds or sometimes travel all the way back to her newsroom and begins writing up a story, an aspect according to her is time wasteful.

This is the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism pavilion which was busy throughout the day because of many people who had turned up to see what was inside. There were two passages one for entry and exit to control a mass movement of the people inside who thronged the pavilion. Analysts say that, about 80 percent of DITF show goers becomes interested to see animals which are rarely seen in their every day’s life.

Most people were impressed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism pavilion that became the most fascinating place to all visitors. It’s here that I took most of my time to learn new things about animals that I can’t have time to narrate in paragraphs or explain into details.

This is not a real human being, rather it’s a statue strategically placed at the entrance to an area temporarily called as an animal zoo of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism where there were animals, birds and reptiles inside a zoo.

At the back of a pavilion, was constructed a temporary passage through which people passed round to see a man made animal zoo, this is an area set apart for the Ministry of Natural Resources to showcase animals of different species ranging from birds, reptiles, and fierce animals like a male lion and a leopard.

These are birds of the flamingo species inside their makeshift cage.

As I passed through the gate entering the zoo, a statue made of a human being was stationed at the gate as though directing people which way should they follow.

People tend to squat down a little bit close to a lion’s makeshift cage while taking photographs for the memory. A cameraman who is not seen focus them while directing his camera where a lion is.

It was made in such a manner that it had carried a small placard on which an arrow was drawn to signify the direction to which people should follow while entering the area. When I entered inside, I saw flamingoes and Ostrich, these were the types of birds brought this time by the Ministry, then there were a monkey and a chimpanzee.

A lady is taking a photograph of a monkey species.


This is another monkey species which was an attraction to the people who visited the place. It had clung on the bars of a makeshift cage when it saw people passing along.


This is a male lion as it moves around but its movement is only confined within its makeshift cage. According to an attendant, a lion eats up to 25 kilograms of fresh meat a day.

Other animals were a lion, a leopard and a hyena, these are predators according to their nature of creation. For reptiles were a number of snakes of different species all placed in one cage that was partitioned. Each one of these was put inside a makeshift cage that people were able to see them from outside through a transparent glass strategically placed to separate them. There was also a python which was left in an open space but its movements were only confined within the cage onto which it was built. A python is the type of a snake that became an attraction to the visitors as it’s rarely seen. It seemed as if almost everybody was for the first time seeing such a creature.

People looking at a python, a snake which was brought and placed at an open space but surrounded inside a makeshift. A python like one here is over 10 feet long.

As I came out of the animal zoo, I head straight back to the Ministry’s pavilion and walked inside of it. There were stuffed animals like a lion, leopard and others stuffed in half way and hanged on the wall off a pavilion house. These were an attraction to the people especially children who took an advantage of taking photographs while standing close to them.

This is a stuffed lion that became an interesting artifact to show-goers inside the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism pavilion.

My general views in this event might have looked so different from others in terms of thinking and creating ideas, though there might be one who might have had come up with more brilliant ideas, but I don’t know. I actually didn’t see anything new which I had never met in my life before in this event which I could presume to be unique. I thought I could come across something that would probably help cut down the expensive life of an ordinary Tanzanian. But I saw there was none other than being a place of extravagance and expenditure. Could I have come across any technology that would help a mere Tanzanian get out of poverty, then I would have appreciated the move. But nobody or an organization ever came with a new technology to show case and that if applied by Tanzanians would get out of abject poverty. From this point of view, I really felt pity to especially few whom I saw but to my understanding had expected to experience a new change in their life out of this event but virtually gained nothing. With the majority of show goers who are still poor and earn one US Dollar per day, I thought of passing this message to the organizers that, they could change their mind and try to organize the fair whereby people would be allowed to enter free of charge. They could only depend on the amount of money charged from participants which of course is a lot to make it existing. But all that I can judge is that, DIFT is indeed a place of showcasing business merchandises specifically for certain group of people. The organizers, the BET should at least in this era of globalization think in terms of playing round with new technologies that is emerging and which would help our people adopt for their future life.

Get to know the evaporation and condensation systems as related with Air-Conditioning in cars.

JUST about every modern car, a truck or a saloon car of any type sold these days is having an air conditioning system in it. It's so common that most people take it for granted. You press the button for air conditioning while in your car and cold air starts to flow out of the car's vents. Air conditioning is a system used to create and maintain a comfortable driving environment inside a vehicle. It does this by transferring the heat from inside a vehicle to the outside keeping the temperature down inside the car. The system cools, dries and cleans the air. The most basic systems have manual temperature control but systems are becoming more and more complex with full climate control on a lot of modern cars which rely on a lot of sensors to maintain the selected temperature. It's easy as well as simple, and it's a major convenience. Could you imagine driving to a job interview or for an appointment with a vulnerable person in the city center if your car didn't have air conditioning systems? By the time you got to your interview, you'd be a sweaty, stinky mess. Have you ever wondered how the air conditioning in vehicles works? If you're like most people, you probably haven't. But here is a little education you can take a note. Air conditioning is the process by which air is cooled and dehumidified. The air conditioning in cars, as well as those in offices all work the same way. Even a refrigerator in effect, works like an air conditioner. While there are many physical principles that relate to air conditioning, that explains the general concepts of automotive air conditioning, the components used is what one need to know to keep car's air-conditioning system working properly.

This is how an Air-Conditioning system in cars looks like in its position inside a saloon car.

Did you know that when you turn on the air-condition in your car, you are burning extra gasoline to make yourself feel cooler? It's weird to think that by burning something you become cooler, but it's true. According to an elementary physics study, air conditioning systems operate on the principles of evaporation and condensation. Here's a simple example of evaporation. Imagine that you're swimming around in your neighbor's backyard pool on a summer day. As soon as you get out, you start to feel cooler. Why? The water on your body starts to evaporate and turns into water vapor. And as it evaporates, it draws heat away from your body, and you get goose bumps. Now let's say your neighbor hands you a big glass of ice-cold lemonade. You take a sip and set it down on a table. After a minute or two, you notice that water has collected on the outside of the glass. This is condensation. The air surrounding the glass becomes cooler when it encounters the cold glass, and the water vapor the air is carrying condenses into water. Both of these examples occur at normal atmospheric pressure. But higher pressures can also change a vapor (or a gas) into a liquid. For example, if you look at a typical butane cigarette lighter, you can see liquid inside it. But as soon as you push down on the button, butane gas comes out. Why? The butane is under high pressure inside the cigarette lighter. This high pressure causes the butane to take liquid form. As soon as the butane is released and it encounters normal atmospheric pressure, it turns back into a gas. Those are the basic ideas and how do they apply to making car's vents blow cool air? The principles of evaporation and condensation are utilized in car's air-conditioning system by a series of components that are connected by tubing and hoses. There are six basic components namely the compressor, condenser, receiver-drier, thermostatic expansion valve, the evaporator and the life-blood of the air-conditioning system, the refrigerant.

And this is the machine inside a compact that shows vents through which fresh and cold air comes out when it’s switched on.

Refrigerant is a liquid capable of vaporizing at a low temperature. In the past, R-12 refrigerant was used in cars. But this chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is harmful to the earth's ozone layer. Consequently, all vehicles built after 1996 use R-134A, a more environmentally friendly refrigerant. The best thing about air conditioning is that all you have to do is press a button to make it work. Air conditioning systems are pretty reliable. On a modern and relatively new vehicle, it is rare to have problems. And if there are problems, they are pretty much one of two things such like, there is no cool air or insufficient cool air. This is if you own an older car and its air-conditioning system doesn't seem to be working properly.

Why the government does not value small scale farmers?

IT is extremely an annoying factor to see that most Tanzanian small scale farmers suffers a lot while looking for a reliable local markets to sell their farm commodities during harvesting seasons. The last year’s debate in parliament that focused on how to help small scale farmers with credit facilities in the country during the budget sessions seems to have hit a snag as nobody cares for low income earners such as these. A promise by the fourth phase government that it would create a conducive environment for its people for the attainment of better life earlier during the campaigns in 2005 before it came into being three years ago, seems to have been repudiated and instead people continues to experience hard life that is exacerbated by inflation.

Petty traders selling oranges spread on the ground. This is at Gongo-La-Mboto 25 kilometers away on the outskirts of the Dar es Salaam city. The area is close to a daladala bus stand. Each piece is sold at Tshs. 50/- or it might be at the lowest price this time for their supply is still high.

It is an orange fruit picking season of the year and farmers from Tanga and Morogoro regions which are the leading in the production of this product have nowhere to sell their farm produce which are picked in bulk. In Dar es Salaam region which has a population of approximately 4.2 million people, petty traders are currently taking an advantage of selling the product to earn their living oblivious to the health danger posed to them. Everywhere you walk around, in streets, orange sellers are scattered all over the place. In some other suburbs within the city, you can see ripe oranges are spread down in large piles besides the main road for passersby to buy. The sale of oranges has become a big deal in most Dar es Salaam city suburbs though it has been conducted not in a sanitary way as this photo below can depicts.

In the middle of the market, petty traders are also busy selling their orange products as this is a picking season of the year. This is at the Gongo-La-Mboto municipal market on the outskirts of the city. Oranges are sold at the markets in this manner.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperative seems not to have cared enough for the small scale farmers in the country by leaving them as such without finding a solution to them. One economic analyst once had suggested that, the government should at least build small industries that would provide the market opportunity for orange growers who could take their farm products for processing and earn money. This is one way to help them and as a result the industries would be in a position to manufacture orange juice products. By doing this, the country would lessen the dependence on the imported products into a local market which has now covered almost 98 percent of its market share. But due to lack of knowledge and or may be negligence, farmers continues to suffer in this country. The same thing applies during mango picking seasons as well as pineapple seasons. You would find sellers of these products loitering around with them without having somewhere to take them for sale.

Lack of market for these products has forced petty traders to sell them in an hygienic way as you can see these two petty traders with their oranges spread on the ground near the main road going to Kisarawe district

Because of the little knowledge among the key stakeholders in the country, and coupled with the continued lack of reliable industries in the country, indigenous small farmers in the country continues to experience poverty. Most municipal health workers have tried in vain to prevent petty traders from polluting the environment with orange peels that after the end of their businesses could be seen left scattered around all over the places. This is a shame to the nation which statistics shows that, since independence, the there has never been built a factory which could process orange products into a juicy products in the country

Good natural features not yet exposed

LAKE zone region in Northern part of Tanzania has been blessed with wonderful natural features with attractive greenish scenery that includes landscaping and hilly lands. As you happen to travel along the shores of lake Victoria basin, you might come across these features in some areas mostly small mountains closely to the lake shores.

A small hill like this one here full of stones and little vegetation in it is a typical example of a natural features which can be seen along the shores of the lake Victoria and its environs


I saw one like this and took its photo when I visited the area recently on my way to my in-laws. Such features are an attractions to the people visiting the place. The government can make use of these natural features into advertising tourism potentials in the country

Along the shores of Lake Victoria, fishing is a major economic activity taking place in the area though to some extent agricultural activity is also practiced, fishing still dominates a larger part of the human activities as most youths are engaged with in ordeer to ear their living in these areas. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries in the country has been against illegal fishing currently being practiced by few untrustworthy fishermen along the lake shores, and one of the most serious steps it has taken so far in order to curb the escalating habit around, is together with the confiscation of the illegal fish nets which had been prohibited by the government an aspect which has slowed down the development of the fishing industry.

A fishing dhow as it can be seen far in deep waters. Fishermen in lake regions can now communicate in their celtel mobile phones while in their fishing mission even in deep water areas.

In recent years, fishermen in the lake zone had been experiencing a lot of difficulties in communicating each other while in their fishing mission far in deep waters. But Celtel (T) Limited, one of the leading cellular phone companies in the country has upgraded its communication network within the area an aspect which according to fishermen, it had to a greater extent facilitated the communication link by using their mobile phones. The company has improved its communication network in the region, hence fishermen are now happy with the move for they can now communicate with their colleagues even if are in far in the middle of the lake. Unlike before when communication network was not reliable.


Road infrastructure in Mara region has been improved, the main road from Bunda to Tarime that covers approximately 173 kilometers is a well constructed road and motorists have found it comfortable while driving along with their cars, though some do not even care for the danger likely to be caused on the way. The environment of the land in Mara region looks so greenish with small mountains providing a fascinating look of the environment that can be seen from far a distance. This is a tropical type of the land


There are occasional accidents which occurs that involves knocking down livestock As I was driving along the way I found it comfortable and without feeling inconveniences of potholes along the way as it used to be before. But sometimes it is very bad to see that there some motorists who do not obey traffic rules and sign posts placed on the main roads wherever necessary to maintain safety.

Sam Nujoma Road project in quick progress

THE Upgrading of Sam Nujoma Road project in Dar es Salaam city whose construction works started in August 2006 and had encountered a series of postponement, is now expected to end up by September this year. The work is still going on. Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS) which was charged with the responsibility for the road’s upgrading on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development in the country, is doing everything possible to ensure that the project is finished quickly despite of the public outcry on a slow progress of the project. The road is being upgraded by a Chinese construction firm, China Henan International Corporation into a dual carriage way is part of the main urban ring roads in the city of Dar es Salaam that links up the two major trunk roads; the new Bagamoyo Road and the Dar es Salaam-Morogoro Road. The road serves traffic destined to and from various centers such as Mwenge market, the University of Dar es Salaam (Main campus), Mikocheni Industrial area, the Sinza residential area and Ubungo Bus Station.

Contractor’s earth moving machine spreading bitumen on a nearly completed road portion of a 4 km Sam-Nujoma Road at Mwenge in Dar es Salaam.

TANROADS has determined to provide a solution to the unbearable traffic congestion problem currently facing the road and others such as Kilwa road and Nelson Mandela road within the city of Dar es Salaam. The volume of the traffic on the road is so high and according to the traffic counts carried out in 2004; Sam Nujoma road had over 20,000 vehicles passing along in a day.

A modern constructed round about of the nearly completed portion of Sam-Nujoma Road in Dar es Salaam.

Based on this high traffic volume and the poor condition of the road, congestion especially at peak hours in the morning and evenings necessitated the expansion and upgrading of the road. The work involves rehabilitation and widening of 3.95 kilometers of the existing bituminous single carriageway to a dual bituminous carriageway road and is fully funded by the government of Tanzania at an estimated cost of Tshs12.9 billions. The contract for supervision services of Tshs300 million was signed with M/S Norplan A.S in association with NIMETA Consult Ltd.

A completed one side of a road stretch of the Sam-Nujoma Road under rehabilitation. This side goes to Ubungo

Each carriageway would have a width of 7.5m while the service roads will be 3 to 5 meters wide depending on the availability of space. Pedestrian walkways will be 2 meters wide. There will be a provision of about 5 meters for the location of public utilities at the edges of the road reserve. Three types of junctions are provided namely, signalized junctions, priority junctions, and roundabouts. The consultants at the project, the M/S Norplan regularly carries supervision work to ensure that all specifications given for the project are strictly followed. Despite the fact that the construction was anticipated to last a short period, a number of uncontrollable factors including natural ones have made the construction to last longer. The project was supposed to be completed in phases, the first phase being a road portion from Mwenge to the junction of the newly built Mlimani city shopping center. The contractor had to deliver this portion of a 1.5 Km road section by 30th November 2006, but couldn’t do it due to inadequate mobilization of equipment and key staff.

Commuters board a daladala that plies between Mwenge and Ubungo at a bus station along Sam-Nujoma Road which is nearing completion. This spot is close to a famous Full Gospel Bible Fellowship Church.

These key two factors were recently disclosed to have been the major constraints that had slowed down the progress. In the current quarter, the contractor continued mostly with the works in the priority section from Km 3+950 to Km 2+450 construction of Sinza Bridge and the drainage structure. By end of First year the contractor had completed 74 percent of works within the 1.5 Km section which included earthworks construction of cement stabilized sub-base dense bitumen macardam base and kerbs. The design and the composition used in construction of Sam Nujoma road is a mixed up of the normal materials used for road construction.

Traffic jam on one side of the Sam-Nujoma road where vehicles have lined moving on one side only so as to pave way as the construction is going on the other side.

Sam Nujoma Road project has experienced a lot of challenges before and during construction. One of the commonest is the relocation of utilities which includes water pipes, sewerage pipes, telephone cables and electricity power lines which was done by a city based electrical company, Dustan Electrical Engineering Services. The relocation of these utilities took longer than expected partly because the location of some of the services was unknown; this delayed the commencement of the works. The removal of properties located within the road reserve areas took longer than anticipated. This process had to a greater extent interfered with the construction works.

Where civil contractors flouts CRB rules

ONE of the major roles being played by Tanzania’s Contractors’ Registration Board (CRB) is to ensure that all building and civil contractors in the country observes their rules and regulations to the maximum level possible. The Board’s rules and regulations set are the pillars that guides all contractors and the public in general. This is in a bid to avoid shoddy construction work intended to be done in a given project. There are so many rules and regulations set by the Board and therefore to be complied by contractors in order to build a good relationships between them as employers and their personnel at work places. Such rules directs them to strictly observe the environment in which they work such as taking into account the safety measures and others in order to maintain security at work places and thus, enhance work performance. But on the other way around, contractors are to blame for they do flout these rules for unknown reasons and consequently the habit leads them into performing shoddily.

This is a contractor’s sign board placed strategically at the center of a junction road of Ally Hassan Mwinyi Road and Ocean Road near the traffic lights at Salander bridge at Upanga area in Dar es Salaam city. The area is close to the shores of Indian Ocean. The details on the board describes a routine maintenance of Ocean Road/Luthuli street whose construction covered a stretch of a 19 km road, is already finished and was funded by Road Fund Board. Sajo civil engineering and building contractors ltd were the contractors.

The placement of the contractors’ sign boards at a project site is such one rule that has to be strictly adhered by all contractors in a progressive project anywhere. But to some extent, this is flouted without caring the messages being portrayed on their boards, and if the project is finished, it’s advisable that such
Sign boards like this one here must be removed from their positions when a project is finished. This is another contractor’s sign board strategically placed at the corner of a main road from that comes from Buguruni Malapa and joins with that one of Nelson Mandela Highway at a place near Buguruini CCM bus stop in Dar es Salaam city. This is also wrongly placed, does the CRB supervisors care for this? The sign board states a routine maintenance of municipal roads zone B Ilala area from Msimbazi streets. This is work was being undertaken by SKO Building contractors limited of Dar es Salaam, the presence of these sign boards creates confusion to motorists and passersby.

A contractors’ sign board normally carries details of the construction work in progress in their sites. In actual fact, contractors are supposed to place such boards that describes the nature of the work being undertaken and the names of contractors and company’s involved close to their sites and this must be arranged in a systematic manner to highlight the public what the project is all about.

When have you ever seen a contractor’s sign board is placed on top of a roof? This is completely awkward, what a hale is this? It’s all about a rehabilitation work being undertaken by Zein Enterprises Limited, a Dar es Salaam based civil contractor at Ukonga area in Ilala district, Dar es Salaam region. This is a 7 km road project being geared by Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) it starts from a place known as Mombassa going up to Msongola which is a new settlement past TARAZA railway line.

This road which is being rehabilitated, it joins Ukonga-Mombassa and Msongola village 7 kilometers away but not into a tarmac level, this involves the spread of a gravel an aspect that courses inconveniences during rainy seasons.

But on the other way round, you might be perplexed to see that these boards are sometimes placed in a wrong positions that are sometimes a great confusion to passersby and drivers who speeds on the road.

You can see this sign board is placed on top of a small business booth belonging to a petty trader. It’s actually placed in a wrong position. Nobody actually knows who is at fault, the contractor or the owner of a trading booth?

Most of the contractors never mind to put them on the right position, but who is at fault? Does the CRB supervisors do not carry out their supervision work? Or is it because of negligence of the whole concept? Who has to be blamed for this?

Public remains oblivious about National Health Insurance Fund

It has been revealed that a wider section of the public is ignorant about existence and social benefits of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). This assertion was made on Monday this week by NHIF`s Customer Relations Officer Rehani Athumani when briefing team of parliamentarians who visited its pavilion at the just ended 32nd Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF). To address that weakness, the Fund, in collaboration with the local governments authorities, are planning to conduct nationwide public awareness campaigns up to grassroots level with view to making the Fund much more familiar to all stakeholders. Intended campaigns were mentioned by the officer as a rejoinder to a question asked by the Health and Social Welfare Minister Professor David Mwakyusa relating to Fund`s plans to ensure majority of Tanzanians understand its social and economic role. “It’s true Hon. Minister, we`re facing a challenge of making ourselves better known to the public, and as proposed solution to this problem, plans are underway to ensure intensive awareness campaigns are conducted aimed at educating people about socio-economic benefits of the Fund” he said.

Professor David Mwakyusa, Minister for Health and Social welfare.

Awareness gigs would aim at informing Tanzanians all over the country about services provided by NHIF and beneficiary members are entitled to thereof. According to Rehani, the envisaged awareness campaign would enable the Fund to attain its goal of extending health services to 45 per cent of Tanzanians by 2015. The fund target covering the entire nation with quality and effective health systems and services. Since its effective launch in July 2001 as first attempt towards defined national safety net mechanism, NHIF has been instrumental in reducing public health sector’s funding burden from government’s budgets. Besides healthcare services it is now providing, NHIF also plans to put up two major investments--Medical Centre of Excellence and a modern Diagnostic Center to alleviate people from the distress of having to travel long distances in or outside Tanzania is search of diagnostic services. The centres would be built up in Dodoma, a place considered more strategic based on its central location. According to him, the total investment costs for the two projects and other technical matters are currently on the drawing board and the exact figures will be known latter. Upon their completion, two projects would be leased to competent managers so that the Fund concentrates on its core activities.

National Assembly takes part in DITF to showcase itself

THE National Assembly took part for the first time in the just-ended Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) with a view to creating public awareness of one of the key pillars of the state. This was revealed in an interview at the Julius Nyerere Fair grounds on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam by the House director for civil education and international co-operation Jossey Mwakasyuka. “We have never participated in any trade fair before because we had the fear that it`s difficult to handle the whole process. But we got courage when we toured a trade air in Zimbabwe where we saw other parliaments participating as institutions” he said. He said most people were not aware of what was going on in the National Assembly because they failed to attend its sessions where they could learn more about its activities.

The current National Assembly speaker, Mr. Samwel Sitta (standing extreme left) with other national leaders including President Jakaya Kikwete when the latter had sworn in the Chief of the Armed Forces General Davis Mwamunyange (standing at the center, front row)

Mwakasyuka said among challenges the National Assembly was facing included public exposure about its activities. The National assembly has vowed to publicize itself with its activities even to those living in rural areas. Many people were amazed to have seen the National assembly to have advertised itself in public. Thomson Joseph, a visitor who toured the pavilion at the DITF, was excited to see the institution participation in the fair. However, its participation had been an eye opener to every person about its activities. Among the most impressive things were the newly constructed State-of-the-art National Assembly building (known by Kiswahili language, Jengo la Bunge)

Prime Minister inaugurates the 32nd Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF)

ON 1st July this year, at Mwalimu J.K.Nyerere trade fair (formerly known as Sabasaba grounds), Tanzania Prime Minister Mr. Mizengo Pinda officially opened the 32nd Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair in a colourful ceremonial occasion that took place within the trade fair grounds. The Premier pressed an electronic button that produced a sound like that of a siren van to usher its official opening. This was after the end of a two hour ceremony. The fair that kicked off on 28th June, will be closed next week on 8th July. Together with other activities, the Prime Minister handed over certificates of participation to all 27 foreign countries which have taken part in the fair. He also issued trophies to the winning local and international companies as in accordance to various winning categories earlier selected by a panel of judges by the Board of External Trade (BET), the chief organizer of the event. The function was attended by a number invited guests who included the national parliamentarians, foreign diplomats accredited in the country, distinguished guests and other national dignitaries also graced the occasion. After the ceremony, the Prime Minister had an opportunity to go round the selected pavilions and saw for himself what products the companies had brought for the exhibition.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Mizengo Pinda hands over a trophy to a representative of the Tanzania Teleccommunication Company (TTCL) which has emerged the winner in ICT category during the award presentation of the winning companies at DITF grounds. TTCL is a sole provider of the landline telephone services in the country. The company is also an ISP provider through CDMA technology.

In his speech, the Prime Minister thanked all foreign countries that turned up to showcase their products in this special trade fair that is going on its 32nd year since its establishment in 1976. A week long occasion that is scheduled to be climaxed on 8th would pave the way for the local people as well as national companies would have an opportunity to exchange views and ideas. Despite of a strong criticism which has been leveled against the performance of this well known trade fair, it’s a place of show casing business merchandise, the exhibitions have made a good number of strides since their establishment 32 years ago.

When the ceremony ended, the Prime Minister was taken around in few selected pavilions to see for himself. You can see him walking along the main street built across the fair ground known as Taifa Avenue

Not only that the fair has been transformed in terms of name, place, ministry, number of participants and nature of business, but also it has changed in terms of structure, scope and exhibited products. Otherwise, known as SabasSaba because of the date inherited from Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) to signify the latter’s establishment on July 7th 1954. The fair has moved from a mere agricultural exhibition to one dominated by parastatal organizations to an International phenomenon currently driven by the private sector.

Photo Journalists and TV shooting cameramen at work during the function which was held at PTA main conference hall at DITF grounds.

The available archival records show that it started as an agricultural show known as National Agricultural and Trade Fair (NATF) in December 1962, under the then Ministry of Trade and Cooperative unions with one Briton known as Lucas as the harbinger. A current show-goer of the DITF would be surprised to learn that the products displayed in those days were agricultural, livestock, natural resources produce and cultural products. These are contrary to what one could see today.

TTCL; pavilion at Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere's trade fair grounds. The company emerged the winner in ICT category
DITF has traveled a long way from a local stage for farmers and livestock keepers to an organ that carries many of Tanzania’s trade aspirations to the wider global horizon. The fair grounds, since inaugurated by the late Mwalimu J.K Nyerere (First Tanzanian President), it had 10 days of exhibition with the last day being climaxed on 8th of every July each year are being held at Mtoni SabaSaba suburb in Tameke district, Dar es Salaam region at a place known by many as Mwalimu J.K Nyerere Trade Fair grounds.

Tanzania prepares to recycle obsolete ICT equipment

THE Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) in the country is preparing a national system to dispose of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment that has become obsolete. Talks are underway between the COSTECH and a UK based Digital Links which will be responsible for collecting and recycling the redundant ICT equipment in the country. According to COSTECH’s Director of Information and Documentation Mr. Theophilus Mlaki, the system which is scheduled to start next year is expected to preserve the environment as most obsolete ICT products are prone to some chemicals which are harmful to human health. Research has shown that, ICT waste contains substantial quantities of hazardous chemicals including lead, cadmium, mercury, brominates and chlorinated flame retardant. The effects of lead on human health is well-known because of their recognized hazardous nature, this was first banned from gasoline in the 1970s. Mercury which is used in flat panel displays, poses another serious hazards. It can cause damage to serious organs like the brain and kidneys as well as the fetus if left exposed and placed in improper disposal ways.

Desktop computers like these ones will be disposed of in a sanitary way when they become obsolete. Tanzania government is underway for their collection for recycling.

Experts say brominated flame retardants are used in the plastic housing of electronic equipment and in circuit boards to prevent fire from spreading. These are potential endocrine disruptors which are persistent in environment and store in the fat of animals and humans. According to Mr. Mlaki, the preliminary procedure is to establish e-waste collection sites across the country which would be managed buy a disposing firm the Digital Link which would be working in collaboration with local partners. The system among other things would create a strategy for ICT users and suppliers to have an obligation of proper waste collection and management and by supporting this initiative, Tanzania will be helping to promote the future health of her environment The initiative will provide job opportunities for youths and people of all ages including men and women who would be busy collecting ICT waste products and earn payments. The experiences have shown that, even in the National ICT policy of 2003, there is no phrase that shows how Tanzania is expected to face environmental and social consequences caused by ICT waste. The system will work to ensure redundant IT equipment are either reused or recycled, preventing toxic metals from entering the solid waste stream or underground. There is no local manufacture of ICT in Tanzania and local dealers or agents import these products. There are no standards guiding the imports in both hardware and software, according to the National policy Tanzania is among developing countries with a booming business on ICT equipment which are imported, but it still lacks recycling policy and based on this experience the country needs to have its own recycling system. On the global level, the problem is a massive one, every year, 20 to 50 million tones of e-waste is generated worldwide. E-waste contains valuable materials such as gold and copper. But it has highly toxic substances such as lead and mercury.
Recycling of discarded equipment of that nature can bring health and environmental hazards unless there are adequate safeguards.

Old cell phones are among the ICT gadgets to be disposed of when they become obsolete
ICT equipment such as those computers and mobile phones contains hazardous substances that interfere with the lungs and at times expose people to high risks of contaminating skin cancer. The Digital Link would through this system expand its project of supplying refurbished computers in Tanzania schools from UK. Reports from Green pace International and the department of Biological Sciences of the University of Exeter in UK shows that as the market for electrical and electronic products grows rapidly, the lifespan of products is dropping. Dismantling of ICT equipment in Tanzania is currently typically carried out in unregulated small workshops without adequate working protection.

Showcasing government activities at Mnazi mmoja grounds in Dar es Salaam

ONE of the development strategies the government of Tanzania is maintaining in order to accomplish its openness policy to its citizens, is the way it organizes its development plans. The idea is to build up truth and transparency and at the same time to ward off bureaucracy that exists among its people in terms of service giving. To achieve its goals, the government organizes various functions to let its people know how it conducts its activities and services. Wherever possible, it welcomes challenges and advices from the public in a bid to enhance productivity.

Tanzania Vice-President, Dr. Mohammed Shein
In order to accomplish with these tasks, the government has developed a tendency of organizing each year a week long public show in order to showcase its activities to the general public. A week long exhibitions which is organized by the President’s Office, Public Service Management, gives an opportunity to various ministries and government agencies including institutional sectors to advertise themselves. These events normally takes place at Mnazi Mmoja grounds in Dar es Salaam. In this year’s occasion, a total of 115 government ministries including agencies participated in the show.

Ms. Hawa Ghasia, the Minister opf State in President's Office responsible for Public Service Management

This is a memorable occasion indeed as every individual was allowed to enter freely. Ms. Hawa Ghasia, the Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Public Service Management opened the show on 16th June 2008 and was closed by Vice-President Dr. Mohammed Shein I had enough time to visit the area to see for myself what was going on and here is my perspective.


As I entered to the show ground which is located at the heart of the Dar es Salaam city center, I came across a broad placard made of a linen that carried the message to would be show-goers highlighting was it is all about. There were few petty traders who had flocked at the entrance of the gate entering the show ground busy selling soft drinks and ice-creams in packet which they carried on moving bicycles.


My first glimpse as I entered in, I came across few groups of people who had clustered at a pavilion that belonged to President’s office, Public Service Management, the chief organizer of the event. It’s here whereby people received all the information about the show itself and the activities inside the ground. A broad sign board was placed over the stand written in Kiswahili language which literally means, The United Republic of Tanzania, President’s Office, Public Service Management. In commemoration of the week of public service, Date: 16-23 June 2008. Theme: To effectively consolidate workers’ performance which cares for the accountability in public service.



As I went round, I noticed the show ground was planned in such a manner that, the pavilions were built in the form of humans settlements like houses arranged in lines like street thoroughfares and these pavilions were partitioned and placed in a good order leaving a space in between for passers by. They were decorated with a national flags every where within the compound. National flags were hoisted over the poles which were scattered almost everywhere. A stranger would automatically knew something important to do with the government was going on.


I began walking round each pavilion after the other and see what the participants had prepared for their show-goers. I actually drew my intention to some but a few pavilions which I had decided to highlight to you here. I visited the Vice-President’s pavilion to see activities undertaken together with those of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar. This is where the Minister for State in Vice-President’s office Mr. Seif Khatibu is in-charge of the union matters. I saw photos of the past Presidents of the Revolutionary government of Zanzibar including that one of the first President, Mr. Abeid Aman Karume who ruled the Isles government between 1964-1972 when he was assassinated, and his position was overtaken by Aboud Jumbe from 1972-1983, then Mr. Ally Hassan Mwinyi took over the control shortly before he was elected in a countrywide general election to become the second phase President of the United Republic in 1985. Mr. Mwinyi handed over the Presidency of the Zanzibar to the late Abdul Wakil who when his term ended in 1990, Dr. Salmir Amour took over. Mr. Wakil died of the heart complications eight years later. Dr. Salmir Amour ruled the Island in two terms exclusively up to 2000 and handed the power to the current President Aman Abeid Karume, the son of the first President of Zanzibar who completes his term in 2010. At the pavilion also were the photos of our country’s President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and that of his predecessor Benjamin Mkapa. People at the pavilion had enough time to review the past documents that included the past newspapers published way back in 1960s and other things which of course were beneficial to the current generation to know. People were asking questions in order to know the inside of the union between our two states, how it was formed and what were the agreements in general. Actually there were strong arguments which came from the show-goers, whereupon little and unsatisfactory answers were given by the attendants most of whom seemed to know little about the union. Generally they couldn’t be in a position to say enough how the union came into being and instead left their men puzzled.


From there, I visited the Ministry of Agriculture whereby I saw various modern agricultural implements including modern machines such as tractors which were brought for display. It’s very unfortunate that, the sector is composed of local farmers whose working implements are still primitive. The sector seems to have not yet been modernized as many poor farmers in the country depends on their olds working tools. The majority of farmers in Tanzania are still using poor agricultural implements an aspect that the sector accounts for low productivity. It actually needs modernization. Tractors were displayed but their presence were nothing less as most farmers in the country are unable to afford their prices due to financial constraints.


The government is actually trying with all its impunity to let the sector grow despite of a number of hindrances and increase the output as it is still the mainstay of the country’s economic development. One person remarked that, as the poverty stricken situation is still growing up among the poor families in rural Tanzania, this is a nightmare.


The National Institute for Livestock Research (NILR) which is under the ministry had brought a he goat weighing over 100 kilograms. A goat became an attraction to show-goers as this photo shows above.


I moved on my left hand side and came into contact with a pavilion belonging to a recently established surface and Marine Transport Agency (SUMATRA). This is the new government agency that is responsible for regulating all transport activities in the country. The agency has been in the forefront to fight with the irregular increase of the transport fare being practiced by transporters in the country. Mr. Nicodemus Odhiambo, the firms’ Communications Public Affairs Officer was in a good position to tell people all about the agency as he is seen in the photo giving instructions to the people on how the agency currently undertakes their activities in the country and how they deal with cruel transporters when they visited the pavilion.


Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) was not left behind in this occasion, this is also another agency formed in the country following an Act of Parliament which was established in 1997. The firm was formed six years ago for the purpose of building government’s houses for civil servants at a low cost. The agency also builds high cost houses for senior government officials like Ministers. Since the agency was formed, six years ago, it has managed to construct fine State lodges in all the regional headquarters in the country. This is a great achievement indeed since independence. Apart from this, its vision has focused to ensure that all public servants in the country gets housing facilities at a low cost level.


The Dar es Salaam Water Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) also took part, and you can see people who had thronged at the pavilion probably to get information on how the authority tackles a long standing water problem facing residents of Dar es Salaam city and what strategies are there being undertaken in order to remedy the situation. The firm is now faced with lots of activities including the rehabilitation of old underground water pipe infrastructure which were laid long time ago during colonial times in the city of Dar es Salaam. Water supply had been unreliable in most parts of city’s suburbs, an aspect that some parts have not been receiving water regularly. About 40 percent of the Dar es Salaam cit residents benefits from the DAWASA water supply. However, the firm is struggling to extend its services to the neighboring suburbs and to other remote areas.


Mr. Alisante Temba of National Housing Building Research Agency (NHBRA) is demonstrating how the brick making machine for low cost housing is used at the agency’s pavilion. The agency manufactures bricks for the construction of low-cost housing schemes only.


This is a pavilion of the institute responsible for curbing and preventing corruption practices in the country, the firm is popularly known as ‘TAKUKURU’ as expressed in its abbreviation form in Kiswahili language, which stands for, the National Institute for Curbing and Preventing Corruption in the country. It’s a newly formed institute which came into being eight months ago. It had replaced the former Corruption and Prevention Bureau (PCB). The firm has become a great annoyance to the general public for its poor performance, it has failed to fight corruption malpractices which is rampatly growing in the country. Despite of the recent increased rate of corruption malpractices including the grand corruption involving the bigwigs in the country, these seems to be going on without being tackled and the institute seems to have turned a blind eye to these controversial scandals. It is in this pavilion when I arrived I found people who had gathered with anxiousness to actually know the development of the on-going serious financial scandals in the country such as that of the EPA and the Richmond Saga together with others. But to the great dismay, people were not satisfied by the whole work performance of the firm despite of an inscription put ahead of their pavilion written in Kiswahili language to mean “Stop taking bribe, maintain good work performance that yields good results”.


This is a pavilion of DART agency (Dar es Salaam Rapid Transport), the agency has been given a mandate to deal with the upcoming project that would woe the transport problem in the city of Dar es Salaam. The project that is still under research would be effectively expected to start in 2010 by constructing designated roads through which the buses would be passing along within the city. In these routes, long buses would be used to carry city commuters. An attendant at the pavilion is seen showing people how a sketch map of the designated routes would be. Dar es Salaam, a home of four (4) million people, lacks reliable transport system. The operation is currently being provided by private operators in the city. Citing high operation costs fuelled by high prices at local and international markets, transporters want the government to allow them to raise the fares an aspect that is intervened by SUMATRA.


This is the pavilion of the Ministry of Land and Human Settlements who showed their skills on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). An attendant is showing the people how the names of the people who owns plots of land have been put in an up to date record of the ministry’s main computer at the head office. This is a computer system, the first to be established by the Ministry in order to keep up their details. Apart from this, the ministry has a website www.ardhi.go.tz . The Ministry has also formed a network and all the details can be downloaded from their website from far a distance.


Actually the pavilion was an attraction to the people who wanted exactly to know how the land disputes are solved by the ministry. According to the attendants, the disputes are solved by looking at the master plan out on their system. All surveyed lands plots in the country have been recorded in their computers.


This is the Government Chemist Laboratory Agency’s pavilion. In this pavilion, people saw various activities the firm is doing. The most attractive feature in this pavilion is where people were amazed when they were informed on the use of DNA and all the characteristics it compounds on various aspects, like how it detects human bones, how it detects drug users and parents especially men who refuses their children after birth. According to one expert, Ms. Gloria Tom Machuve, with the use of Buccal Swab found on somebody’s neck, the detection by DNA is easier. The firm that is specialized in drug detections, also uses DNA to detect criminals and the type of a weapon that might have been used in a criminal act such as knives, machetes and even guns. The agency has also specialized in food, in this it detects the food that is poisonous and the types of drinks or cosmetics for that matter to establish whether these products conform to the required standard and are fit for human consumption.

UK Charity body donates computers to fight digital divide in Tanzania

A UK Charitable Organization, the Computer Aid International (CAI) recently donated over 1,500 computers to a wide range of not for profit organizations to help reduce poverty in Tanzania through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions. The organization’s program officer for East Africa region Mr. Benjamin Makai has issued an announcement requesting more local institutions dealing with education provision and community development sectors saying that, are eligible to apply for computer aid from his organization. According to him, Nairobi based organization was committed to bridging the digital divide between rich and poor countries through provision of high quality refurbished computers and their application in education and poverty reduction. The firm has shipped over 100,000 pieces of desktop computers to where they are most needed in more than 100 countries and out of the lot, over 1,500 pieces have been shipped to Tanzania. The recipient or the supporting partner will meet the costs of shipping only. Computer have of late proved useful tools that ensure farmers in rural areas have enough food to feed their families, it can access life saving health care and children receive education to develop skills that improves their job prospects. CAI develops partnerships with overseas institutions that provides training and technical support to beneficiaries. In order to ensure their recipient make the best use of the equipment, the firm continuously seek partners in Tanzania to help achieve these objectives.