Canada and Tanzania in a joint preliminary oil exploration

Canada and Tanzania have started conducting preliminary exploration of oil and gas in the Rift Valley north of the country. The development was made public earlier this week by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) Managing Director, Dr James Mataragio when he was introducing the project partner Canada based C-GGSU to stakeholders.  C-GGSU started the USD14million exploration and has already done similar studies in Asian countries and the United States of America. The TPDC official said that the area of study is a 23-km long belt of the Rift Valley on the Tanzanian side. The study will involve blocks located in the natural alkaline soda lakes which are in the series of the East Africa Rift Valley lakes, located in Northern Tanzania such as Lake Eyasi, Manyara and Lake Natron.  “All these are lakes that fall within the East African Great Rift valley, which have the characteristics of having oil as Uganda’s lake Albert and Kenya’s Turkana,” he explained. He said the study is to get information on the availability of oil and gas and after this study, other more detailed studies will be carried-out for similar purposes. “Under this study, a well-equipped aircraft will be deployed to collect the required information. This will be flying at an altitude of between 80 metres and 100 metres above the sea level, with the speed of 220km/hour,” he said to which the C-CGG project manager, Brett Robson intoned that in the earlier stages, six experts and two pilots will be involved.

Voluntary HIV testing campaign for staff launched

As part of commemorating the World Aids week, the Geita Gold Mine (GGM) has organised  a voluntary HIV testing campaign for its employees. The two weeks campaign targets 3500 staff including employees and contractors, and is expected to have positive response by up to 80 per cent. Speaking to reporters on Thursday this week in Dar es Salaam, GGM Managing Director Terry Mulpeter said; “positive social and economic development is the result of a healthy community.” “GGM believes that proper investment in employees’ health will result in a healthy workforce and optimize productivity and business performance,” he said. He said GGM has invited a total of 10 HIV trained counselors from government and private hospitals to conduct the programme at the mine site effective December 1.  “With such initiatives, the trend of HIV decreased from 9.4% in 2004 to 1.4 per cent 2014 as a result of strategic HIV awareness and voluntary counseling and testing campaigns at the mine,” he noted. “HIV/AIDS not only causes illness and death but also causes severe economic and emotional disruption for the individual and families. With that in mind, the intervention on HIV/AIDs in the workplace is very essential for both employer and employees,” he added. GGM provides further support to the Geita Community through an established VCT centre which serves the surrounding communities as well as through Kilimanjaro Challenge Fund that funds the Kili Challenge. In the annual event, GGM working with TACAIDS and other stakeholders raises funds and awareness through climbing of Mt. Kilimanjaro between June and July every year and the funds are distributed to different organisations involved in the national response to HIV and AIDS including TACAIDS, Benjamin Mkapa HIV Foundation, Geita Hospital and Moyo wa Huruma Orphanage, NGOs and others. 

UN stands for albino rights

TANZANIA has applauded a move by the United Nations through a three state committee for unanimously passing a declaration to issue reports on people living with albinism. The declaration is a result of Tanzania submitting a proposal alongside Malawi to the United Nations (UN), calling for joint efforts with other member States in advocating rights for people with albinism. The proposal was submitted to the UN through the human rights and traditional values of humankind committee by the two countries’ permanent representatives. “The declaration seeks to mobilise other member countries and the international community at large to join efforts in advocating rights of people with albinism,” the Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations, Ambassador Tuvako Manongi said. The document has been circulated to country members urging them to join the efforts in ensuring the safety and security of people with albinism. The two countries want challenges of employment, health and education which are among the areas people living with albinism do not have equal rights, to be addressed. Through the proposal, Tanzania and Malawi seek to team up with the international community in ensuring that policies, laws and plans for people with albinism are being adhered to as well as empowering them economically. They also call upon the United Nations Secretary General, to issue a report on the status of albinos, their challenges and actions for ensuring their safety. Ambassador Manongi told the committee members that people with albinism have many challenges coupled with education, health and economy and that their health is a mayor hurdle as they are susceptible to skin cancer. “We would like to thank everyone who took part in the preparation and contribution of the declaration and for joining hands with us. We have no doubts that the UN Secretary General will give the status report as is stated in the declaration,” the Ambassador said. As is stipulated in the declaration, the UN Secretary General is supposed to give a status report of people living with albinism in the 72 General Assembly. Due to increases in the challenges surrounding people with albinism in recent years, the international community has put more weight on issues surrounding this disabled group.

Zanzibar talks in ‘good progress’

The ongoing discussions under closed doors between President Ali Mohamed Shein and one ofhis deputies, First Vice- President Seif Sharif Hamad, to end political dispute following the nullification of the last month general election, are progressing well. According to the Second Vice-President, Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi, the frequent discussions which started mid-this month, have been making progress positively heading to a close agreement to have fresh polls in the near future. The Chairman of Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), Mr Jecha Salim Jecha, nullified the results of the October 25 elections, citing massive fraud, including double voting in Pemba. Mr Hamad and the Civic United Front (CUF) leadership protested the invalidation. “Zanzibar remains politically stable because we are committed to keep peace. Discussions have been going on well and it has been agreed to have fresh polls,’’ the second VP said. We are still discussing modalities, including whether to allow the current ZEC to manage the fresh elections. People will be informed later on the outcome of the discussions,” Mr Idd admitted yesterday to have been quoted by RFI radio.Mr Iddi said that the October 25 polls were peaceful though not free and fair, ‘’particularly in Pemba Island.’’ He added that it was unfortunate that international election observers did not keep an open eye on Pemba Island and therefore, ‘’missed to learn about the massive cheating there.” 

Zanzibar President Dr. Mohammed Shein (left)shakes hands with the Secretary General of CUF opposition party leader Seif Sharif

The Second VP maintained that the current Government of National Unity (GNU), under President Shein, was still legitimate as per Zanzibar constitution, asking the people in the Islands to keep peace, stability and wait for fresh elections. He said the Zanzibar Government would manage the costs for the fresh elections, expressing his disappointment with some ZEC officials who he charged ruined the elections, adding that the police in Zanzibar were preparing to arrest and prosecute the suspects behind the sabotage. But in a shocking revelation of events, the CUF Deputy Secretary General, Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui, said here yesterday that the discussions at the Zanzibar State House involving Ambassador Iddi, Mr Seif, Dr Shein, and retired leaders; Mr Amani Abeid Karume and Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi, were still in deadlock. “Our leaders are still discussing while we (CUF) still disagree with the fresh elections because there is no justification at all to call for new elections.

We ask (Union) President Magufuli to work with the international community to press for the resume of tallying and release of results,” Mr Mazrui said. He pointed out that that he has not heard from Mr Seif on any agreement that has been made, expressing hope, however, that the current political dispute is supposed to end as soon as possible because “people need to focus on other development issues’’.