TANZANIA SANCTIONS THREE ONLINE TV CHANNELS

Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for an end to the growing crackdown on media and journalists in Tanzania, in which investigative reporter Erick Kabendera remains in preventive detention more than two months after his arrest, and harsh sanctions have just been imposed on three online TV channels.

The Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority imposed fines of approximately 2,000 euros on two online TV channels – Kwanza TV, Millard Ayo TV and Watetezi TV on 27 September 2019 and suspended one of them, Kwanza TV, for six months.

Officially, the three online TV channels were punished for failing to publish their editorial policy statement and charter and for "misleading publication."

In Kwanza TV's case, in line with a 2018 online media law that has been widely condemned by press freedom defenders including RSF, which said it would be fatal for Tanzania’s blogosphere and news websites.

The law’s draconian provisions include an obligatory registration fee of an average of 900 dollars a year.

However, all three online TV channels are critical of John Magufuli, who has been president since 2015 and is expected to seek re-election in 2020.

One of Tanzania’s most influential online media outlets, Kwanza TV broadcast an exclusive interview with Tundu Lissu, a lawyer and government opponent, and a documentary about him at the start of September, marking the second anniversary of an attempt to murder him in September 2017.

Watetezi TV belongs to a coalition of Tanzania human rights defenders and one of its reporters, Joseph Gandye, was detained for two days in August for exposing police violence.

“Silence or persecution seems to be the only alternative for media outlets and journalists that want to exercise a critical role in Tanzania,” said Arnaud Froger, the head of RSF’s Africa desk. 

“No other country in the world has experienced such a drastic decline in press freedom in the past four years. We urge the Tanzanian authorities to come to their senses and, as a first step, to rescind the sanctions on these three online TV channels and to immediately and unconditionally release Erick Kabendera, who should not be in prison.”

Another hearing is scheduled for tomorrow in Kabendera’s trial, which has been delayed five times at the prosecution’s request to allow further investigation. The charges against Kabendera, The Guardian’s Tanzania correspondent, have already been changed three times and he is currently accused of “economic crimes.” 

He was limping during previous court appearances and his health seems to have been badly affected by his imprisonment. RSF continues to call for his release and his transfer to an appropriate centre for medical treatment.

Tanzania is ranked 118th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2019 World Press Freedom Index after falling 47 places since 2016, more than any other country in the world during the same period. - Africa

NIGERIA POLICE RESCUE PREGNANT WOMEN FROM 'BABY FACTORIES'

Abuja, NIGERIA

Nigerian police said Monday they had rescued 19 expectant mothers from a string of locations in Lagos where pregnant women were being forced to give birth to children for sale.

"We got reports based on intelligence information about activities of individuals who were keeping pregnant women and babies to sell them after delivery," Lagos police spokesman Bala Elkana told AFP.

"After investigations, we were able to rescue 19 pregnant ladies and four babies," he said, adding that the freed were aged between 15 and 28.

"Some of them were misled, they were told they were brought to Lagos to find a job and found themselves trapped."

The raids carried out on September 19 targeted three houses and a hotel in the outskirts of Nigeria's biggest city.

"We've got two suspects in custody and one is still on the run," Elkana said.

He said that baby girls were being sold for 300 000 naira ($830) while boys fetched 500 000 naira.

"It is still unclear for which purpose or to whom they were sold," Elkana said.

Reports of police raids on illegal maternity units - dubbed "baby factories" - have been relatively common in Nigeria, especially in southeastern regions.

The oil-rich country boasts one of Africa's largest economies, but it has more people living in extreme poverty than any other nation in the world. - AFP

KENYA’S FOREX RESERVES FALL TO FOUR-MONTH LOW

Nairobi, KENYA

Official foreign exchange reserves dipped to a four-month low in the week to September 26, making it the first time that they fell below $9 billion since the sale of the third Eurobond in May.

Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) indicates that the reserves stood at $8.985 billion or Sh931.7 billion, the lowest level since May 23 when they stood at $7.981 billion.

The third Eurobond cash was reflected in the CBK’s account just a week after May 23 when the total reserves jumped to a new high of $10.06 billion when the regulator bought the dollars from the Treasury. The Eurobond raised Sh210 billion ($2 billion) thereby helping increase the forex pile and stabilise the local currency.

The latest decline in reserves continues the trend seen in recent months. The fall started on July 18 when the figure stood at $9.747 billion after a rise in the preceding week, and have continued every week to date.

The CBK has lately been facing pressure to keep the currency stable, mopping tens of billions of shillings from the market. Last week, the CBK went into the market with a term auction deposit (TAD) offering 8.98 percent, which is close to the maximum allowable level or the Central Bank Rate of 9.00 percent.

Though the CBK uses its foreign exchange reserves to buy local currency from the market or sell forex to banks, it does not disclose when it makes such transactions. The CBK also spends forex in repaying foreign debt, which stood at Sh3.02 trillion or 52 percent of total public debt as at the end of June this year.

Despite the recent fall in reserves, the CBK and some analysts maintained that the forex levels are enough to provide adequate cover for import costs, noting the minimum statutory and regional limits were met.

“The CBK usable foreign exchange reserves remained adequate at $8,985 million (5.61 months of import cover) as at September 26. This meets the CBK’s statutory requirement to endeavour to maintain at least four months of import cover, and the EAC region’s convergence criteria of 4.5 months of import cover,” said the CBK.

Investment firm Cytonn echoed CBK’s sentiments saying: “High levels of forex reserves continue to provide adequate cover and a buffer against short-term shocks in the foreign exchange market.” – Daily Nation

900 LEFT HOMELESS IN DEVASTATING JOHANNESBURG BLAZE

Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA

Around 900 people were left homeless when a fire destroyed nearly 200 shacks in the Pomona informal settlement in Kempton Park, north east of Johannesburg CBD, on Monday night. 

According to Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson Aaron Mafunda, no deaths have been reported, despite the extent of the blaze. 

The fire broke out at around 19:00 and was extinguished shortly after midnight, Mafunda told News24. 

"We managed to extinguish the fire and there were no casualties."

Mafunda said the city's disaster management team was on the scene to assist those affected with alternative accommodation. However, locals were reluctant to leave the area, fearing that

"About 95% of the community refused to leave the area despite reassurance from the EMPD and SAPS. Perhaps we can start relocating those affected today [Tuesday]," Mafunda said. 

It was unclear how or where the fire started. 

Lebohang Selai was ready to sleep after her 23-month-old son had closed his eyes when she heard the screams: “It’s burning, fire, fire!”

According to Mafunda, six different fire stations attended to the blaze. 

"Three tankers and six fire pumps were used to extinguish the fire. 

On Monday night, various pictures and videos of the fire were posted on social media, News24 reported. 

Kempton Express reported that the NG Church Bonaero Park on Malpensa Street had been made available as a drop-off point for clothes, blankets, food, water and other necessities.

TANZANIA'S PRESIDENT ENTERS INTO A DEAL WITH ECONOMIC SABOTAGE CRIMINALS

By Our Correspondent, Dar es salaam

A total of 467 people accused of economic sabotage crimes in Tanzania have written to the country’s Director of Public Prosecution to apply for an amnesty introduced by President John Magufuli.

Last week, President Magufuli advised the country’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Biswalo Mganga to open his doors to all economic crimes suspects who were ready to confess and return the funds they are alleged to have illegally accumulated, in exchange for their freedom.

Economic crimes, most notably money laundering, are not bailable in Tanzania. All 467 accused are in detention, some for more than three years.

Since coming to power Magufuli has been waging an anti-corruption war that has led to dozens of officials losing their jobs and many others, including tycoons, sports executive and traders, being charged.

Investigative journalist Erick Kabendera has also been charged with economic crimes, although at first authorities said they were investigating him for questions surrounding his citizenship.

According to Mganga, the suspects who have reached his office will return to the state the sum of Tsh107 billion ($46.5 million).

The president’s amnesty was first announced on 22 September. On Monday, he extended it for a week after being briefed that there were still people unable to apply in the first week.

Magufuli said some of the suspects were languishing in remand prison and he was ready to pardon them provided that they confessed, repented and returned the funds.

Those who decide not to take up his offer “will continue with prosecution even if their cases will take 20 years”, he said.

The President advised the DPP to "expedite these applications".

"If they will continue to remain in prison for months or a year, the notion of amnesty will lose its value,” he said. - Africa

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE TAKES ‘FULL RESPONSIBILITY’ FOR KHASHOGGI’S MURDER, BUT DENIES ORDERING IT

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a television interview that he takes "full responsibility" for the grisly murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but denied allegations that he ordered it.

"This was a heinous crime," Prince Mohammed, 34, told the US TV show "60 Minutes" in an interview broadcast Sunday. "But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government."

Asked if he ordered the murder of Khashoggi, who had criticised him in columns for The Washington Post, Prince Mohammed, who is widely known by his initials MBS, replied: "Absolutely not."

The slaying was "a mistake", he said.

Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Turkey on October 2, 2018, to collect a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancée. Agents of the Saudi government killed Khashoggi inside the consulate and apparently dismembered his body, which has never been found.

Saudi Arabia has charged 11 people in the slaying and put them on trial, which has been held in secret. No one has yet been convicted.

A UN report asserted that Saudi Arabia bore responsibility for the killing and said Prince Mohammed's possible role in it should be investigated. In Washington, Congress has said it believes Prince Mohammed is "responsible for the murder". Saudi Arabia has long insisted the crown prince had no involvement in an operation that included agents who reported directly to him.

"Some think that I should know what 3 million people working for the Saudi government do daily," the powerful heir told "60 Minutes." ''It's impossible that the 3 million would send their daily reports to the leader or the second-highest person in the Saudi government."

Murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi

But in an interview Thursday in New York, Khashoggi's Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, told The Associated Press that responsibility for Khashoggi's slaying "was not limited to the perpetrators" and said she wanted Prince Mohammed to tell her: "Why was Jamal killed? Where is his body? What was the motive for this murder?"

Meanwhile Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan insisted on Monday that Turkey will keep pushing for the truth behind the killing.

In a Washington Post op-ed published Monday, Erdogan described the journalist's killing by a Saudi hit squad as "arguably the most influential and controversial incident of the 21st Century".

Erdogan said Turkey would keep asking: "Where are Khashoggi's remains? Who signed the Saudi journalist's death warrant? Who dispatched the 15 killers aboard two planes to Istanbul?"

Prince Mohammed also addressed the September 14 missile and drone attack on Saudi oil facilities. While Yemen's Iranian-allied Houthi rebels claimed the assault, Saudi Arabia has said it was "unquestionably sponsored by Iran".

"There is no strategic goal," he said of the attack. "Only a fool would attack 5 percent of global supplies. The only strategic goal is to prove that they are stupid and that is what they did."

He urged "strong and firm action to deter Iran", but he also claimed to support a non-military solution to the crisis.

"If the world does not take a strong and firm action to deter Iran, we will see further escalations that will threaten world interests," Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the CBS program "60 Minutes".

"Oil supplies will be disrupted and oil prices will jump to unimaginably high numbers that we haven't seen in our lifetimes," the prince said.

The prince said a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran would be catastrophic for the world economy.

"The region represents about 30 percent of the world's energy supplies, about 20 percent of global trade passages, about four percent of the world GDP. Imagine all of these three things stop," he said.

"This means a total collapse of the global economy, and not just Saudi Arabia or the Middle East countries." - France 24

CECAFA U-20: EFFERVESCENT TANZANIA BEAT HOSTS UGANDA 4-2

By Our Reporter, Gulu UGANDA

Tanzania's under 20 effervescent football team, Ngorongoro Heroes has progressed to the CECAFA U-20 semi-finals after beating the host, Uganda's Hippos 4-2 in the regional competition at Pece War Memorial stadium, Gulu, on Sunday evening.

Tanzania's Israel Patrick Mwenda (3) challenging Uganda's Aziz Abdul Kayondo at Pece War Memorial in Gulu, Sunday

Two goals apiece from forwards Andrew Simchimba and Kelvin John inspired Tanzania, coached by Zuberi Katwila the victory over the Hippos in the quarter final played over a slippery Pece turf.

It was Albert Simchimba and Kelvin John who kicked the host bitterly out of the ongoing competition by scoring two goals each.

Uganda’s two goals were scored by Vipers Sports Club left-back Abdul Aziz Kayondo.

That was the second match on the day at the same venue (Pece) following the first game which saw Sudan's 1-0 slim win over South Sudan in the derby.

Uganda set the tempo in the opening stages of the game creating half chances.

The Hippos’ midfielder Ivan Asaba registered a shot off target as early as the 9th minute while Proline forward Ivan Bogere curled over a free-kick from 25 yards four minutes later.

It was Asaba again on 18 minutes with a great run but the Tanzanian defense remained rock solid.

It took the Tanzania side 25 minute to open scoring celebrations through Andrew Simchimba who finished a distant free kick taken by Israel Patrick Mwenda.

Against the run of play, Simchimba beat a static goalie Jack Komakech with a header for the opener.

Uganda’s midfielder Steven Sserwadda had a free-kick from 30 yards well pocketed by Ngorongoro heroes’ goalkeeper Ally Salim Katoro on the half-hour mark.

Israel Patrick Mwenda of Tanzania got cautioned eight minutes to halftime as Tanzania took a slim 1-0 lead heading to the mandatory break.

Upon restart of play, Uganda Hippos technical team led by Morley Byekwaso introduced Isma Mugulusi for Najib Yiga.

Uganda drew level two minutes into the half with a thunderbolt from Kayondo at an acute angle.

Simchimba restored the lead for the visitors on the hour mark with another glancing header.

KCCA forward Sadat Happy Anaku replaced the hardworking Bogere with twenty minutes to play.

Kayondo scored his personal second goal on the day, the equalizer for Uganda in the 74^th minute, albeit in familiar fashion.

Belgium based striker Kelvin John scored two quick late goals, giving Tanzania a comfortable lead and a place in the semi-finals at 88 and 90 minutes respectively.

Uganda's defensive problems began to show right at the start of the tournament.

The hosts conceded a goal in each group stage game they played, the climax being a 3-3 draw with Eritrea.

Coach Morley Byekwaso while speaking ahead of the quarterfinal with Tanzania, said he was not bothered about his team conceding goals but the outcome of the match suggests that maybe there was cause for concern.

Byekwaso also chose to field Proline FC striker Ivan Bogere in the starting lineup despite playing on Saturday in the CAF Confederation Cup against AS Kigali. Bogere looked jaded for much of the quarterfinal.

Tanzania joined Kenya, Eritrea and Sudan.

Sudan had edged neighbours South Sudan 1-0 during the early kick-off in Gulu.

At the FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru, Kenya overcame Burundi 2-1 in the first game before Eritrea humiliated islanders Zanzibar 5-0.

Semifinals

Sudan takes on Tanzania in Gulu and Eritrea will play Kenya.

Both semi-finals will be played on Wednesday, 1^st October 2019.

Team Line Ups:

Uganda XI: Jack Komakech (G.K), Joseph Kafumbe, Aziz Abdul Kayondo, Gavin Kizito, Kenneth Semakula, Hassan Ssenyonjo, Sadam Masereka, Najib Yiga (46’ Isma Mugulusi), Ivan Asaba, Steven Sserwadda, Ivan Bogere (70’ Sadat Anaku)

Subs: Denis Otim (G.K), Patrick Mubiru (G.K), Kevin Ssekimbegge, Robert Kitabalwa, Derrick Kiggundu, Bright Anukani

Tanzania XI: Ally Salim Katoro (G.K), Saimon Gastapha Runkomba, Oscar Geofrey Masai (Captain), Naffal Kelvin Nashon, Abdul Hamis Suleiman, Israel Patrick Mwenda, Nickson Job Dickson, Tepsi Advance Theonassy, Dismas Novatus Miroshi, Andrew Albart Simchimba, Pius John Kelvin

Subs: Razack Ramadhan Shekimweri (G.K), Maseke Wibol Changarawe (G.K), Ali Shomari Kibwana,  Lusajo Elukaga Mwaikenda, Franck George Kihole, Ally Hussein Msengi, Justin Mayaya Onesmo, Gadaf Ramadhan Said, Said Suleiman Luyaya

Head coach: Zuberi S. Katwila (Tanzania)

Match Officials:

·         Center Referee: Lemma Neguissea (Ethiopia)

·         1^st Assistant Referee: Yetayew Belachew (Ethiopia)

·         2^nd Assistant Referee: Ali Mahad (Somalia)

·         4^th Official: Ally Nassor Mfaume (Zanzibar)

·         Match Coordinator: Yussuf Mossi (Burundi)

·         Referee Assessor: Ghirmai Yohannes (Eritrea)

·         Technical Study Group: Nick Yakhama (Kenya)

·         Media Officer: Ahmed Hussein Marsha (Uganda) 

- Africa

AFRICA DREAMS OF FREE TRADE AS RED TAPE RULES ON THE GROUND

Transit trucks queue for customs processing are pictured at the border crossing point between Kenya and Tanzania in Namanga, Tanzania July 19, 2019. REUTERS

By John Ndiso, NAMANGA, Kenya/Tanzania

The speed limit is 110 km per hour on the new highway that Abadalla Chande, uses to haul his truckload of animal feed from Tanzania to Kenya, two nations that share a common market often hailed as a model for the continent.

But Chande is parked on the tarmac, caught up in a snarl of red tape. He is in a long line of trucks waiting for cargo to be scanned or for documents to be checked by officials.

Kenya and Tanzania are the two largest economies in the East African Community (EAC) common market. It was set up in 2010 to allow people and goods to move freely among members, which also include Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

One of the most successful of Africa’s many trade blocs, it should be superseded by a continent-wide free trade area that will begin trading in July next year. But businessmen say the delays plaguing the East African union bode ill for the future of the unified market.

“Sometimes we get to the border crossing and spend five, six days or even a week,” said Chande, who said he’d been waiting there more than a day.

Behind him, police pried apart shouting drivers as hundreds of trucks slowly belched and groaned towards the Kenya-Tanzania border in Namanga town.

Kenyan and Tanzanian officials say that even in a free trade area, goods crossing borders must be checked by multiple agencies including the tax authorities, plant health inspectorate, departments of human health, livestock control and forestry. This takes time.

Businesses say that trade moves more smoothly between other EAC countries, for example between Rwanda and Uganda. But their focus is on Kenya and Tanzania as they account for about a two-thirds of the zone’s economic output and similar delays could easily happen between large African economies elsewhere.

The African Continental Free Trade Area deal will come into force in July and aims to bring together 55 countries, 1.3 billion people and $3.4 trillion nominal gross domestic product to establish the world’s biggest free trade bloc.

It will supersede existing trade zones - EAC, ECOWAS in the west, SADC in the south and COMESA in the east and south.

Only the EAC has made significant progress towards a common market and Gerrishon Ikiara, a Kenyan economist specialising in development and policy, says it should be the role model.

But although intra-EAC trade grew rapidly at first it now only accounts for 10% of the 6 countries’ total merchandise trade, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said in a 2019 report.

This means most exports and imports are with countries outside the bloc. The WTO said poor infrastructure and the use of different currencies were barriers to trade within the EAC.

Businessmen say the continent-wide deal provided few details of how to make trade run more smoothly and failed to tackle some contentious issues.

It did not give a time frame for removing existing customs structures, outline how to integrate markets or phase out protectionism, said Ian Gibson, deputy managing director of Farmers Choice, Kenya’s biggest meat processor.

“The detail is what causes all the chaos,” he said.

Namanga is the mid-point of a $200 million highway built in 2012 to connect the Tanzanian city of Arusha with Nairobi’s industrial satellite town of Athi River. The African Development Bank funded the road to promote regional integration.

President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya (Left) and President John Magufuli of Tanzania unveiling One-Stop-Border center at Namanga

But despite the cash poured into infrastructure, Kenya’s annual exports to Tanzania dropped by more than a third since 2014, to 29.75 billion Kenyan shillings ($288 million), the Kenyan statistics office said. Imports from its neighbour also slowed slightly to 17.82 billion shillings over the same period.

Capitalist Kenya and Tanzania, which was socialist for decades and feared domination by its bigger neighbour, have long had an uneasy relationship.

Similar tensions can be found elsewhere in Africa, and could get in the way of the new free trade deal. Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy, was slow to sign the agreement because businesses are worried that the size of their market makes it especially attractive to foreign competition.

Between Tanzania and Kenya, tensions spilled over into trade. In 2017, Tanzania burnt 6,500 chicks imported from Kenya over disease fears. More chicks were incinerated last year after the Tanzanian authorities said the Kenyan exporter lacked documents.

Tanzania also imposed an unexpected “livestock tariff” on Kenyan meat products. Exports to Tanzania from the Farmers’ Choice meat processing plant in Nairobi plunged.

“Half our largest export market disappeared overnight,” said Gibson.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta flew to the rural home of Tanzanian President John Magufuli in July for a charm offensive.

“Challenges between us and our neighbours have reduced over the years, there have been a lot of diplomatic efforts,” Peter Munya, Kenya’s trade minister, told journalists.

But the delays persist. Tanzanian truckers say Kenyan police delay them for minor traffic violations that can be circumvented by offering “kitu kidogo” - Swahili for “something small”.

“They just harass you and use that opportunity to demand bribes,” said Chande.

The Kenyan police did not respond to requests for a comment.

Other drivers said Kenya’s tax authorities operate slowly.

Tanzanian truck driver Hamisi Gabriel said he sometimes spends several nights stuck at the border.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said all cargo in Namanga was cleared in 5 to 7 hours. Tanzanian officials did not respond to requests for comments on border delays.

Kibiti Kimiri, general manager of Kensalt, Kenya’s biggest salt manufacturer said it normally takes a week for his cargo to cross the border into Tanzania.

“The customer on the other side is waiting,” he said. - Reuters

($1 = 103.2000 Kenyan shillings)