THIS WEEK: Tanzania government, Barrick Gold open talks over mining dispute The government of Tanzania and Barrick Gold, a global gold mining firm have opened talks to resolve a dispute over taxation and illegal operations. The Tanzanian government slapped a $190billion fine on Acacia Mining, a subsidiary of Barrick Gold …
Read More »Museveni, Magufuli lay foundation stone for oil pipeline
Presidents Museveni, Magufuli lay foundation stone for crude oil pipeline construction Tanga, Tanzania | PPU | President Yoweri Museveni and his Tanzania counterpart Joseph Pombe Magufuli have commissioned the construction of the 1,445km-long East African crude oil pipe line from Hoima district in Uganda to the Tanzanian port of Tanga. The …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Why Magufuli’s reforms in mining sector are about politics as much as economics
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania| AFRICAN ARGUMENTS | Ever since his election in 2015, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has been a subject of public fascination. At first, his war on graft promised to cleanse the state of corruption, while his patriotic thrift inspired the hashtag #WhatWouldMagufuliDo? But as this campaign of tumbua majipu (“lance the boils”) was …
Read More »Tanzanian opposition figure held after denouncing President Magufuli
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzanian opposition number two Tundu Lissu was arrested on Thursday, three days after having called President John Magufuli a “dictator”, party sources said. No reasons were given for the arrest of Lissu, a member of the main opposition party Chadema who serves as …
Read More »Tanzanian leader Magufuli urges Burundian exiles to go home
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Thursday called on Burundians who have fled their country to return home, after talks with President Pierre Nkurunziza who was making his first foreign trip in more than two years. The visit — kept secret up to the last moment …
Read More »In mining dispute with Tanzania, Acacia agrees to more tax
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Mining company Acacia agreed Friday to pay more royalties to Tanzania’s government as it seeks an end to a dispute over alleged underreporting of production and profits. President John Magufuli accused the London-listed company, whose largest shareholder is Canadian Barrick Gold, of “theft” after a …
Read More »Tanzanian MP arrested for insulting ‘problematic’ Magufuli
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | A female Tanzanian MP has been arrested for allegedly insulting President John Magufuli, who is seen as increasingly authoritarian and unwilling to brook any dissent. The outspoken lawmaker, Halima Mdee, 39, from the main opposition Chadema party, was arrested on Tuesday, a day after she held a …
Read More »Tanzania to speed up hydropower project on UNESCO site
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzania’s President John Magufuli plans to speed up the building of a hydroelectric dam in one of Africa’s largest game reserves, despite criticism from environmentalists and UNESCO. The long-planned dam in the Selous Game Reserve, already listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in danger, …
Read More »Tanzania president says teen mothers should quit school
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzania President John Magufuli said students who become pregnant should not be allowed to finish their studies after giving birth, sparking outrage from women’s rights campaign groups. “I give money for a student to study for free. And then, she gets pregnant, gives birth and …
Read More »Magufuli has 2 Tanzanian energy tycoons charged over graft scandal
Zitto Kabwe: The arrest of Rugemalira and Seth is the ‘single most bold step by President Magufuli against corruption’ Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Two Tanzanian energy magnates on Monday became the first big industrialists to be charged over a multi-million-dollar graft scandal that led to the sacking of several …
Read More »