Joshua Kiziba

Dar es Salaam: Rais Samia Suluhu Hassan leo amepokea ripoti muhimu inayopendekeza mabadiliko makubwa katika mfumo wa kodi nchini yanayolenga kupatia ufumbuzi malalamiko ya muda mrefu kutoka kwa wananchi, wafanyabiashara, na wawekezaji.

Akizungumza wakati wa kupokea taarifa hiyo kutoka kwa Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Rais ya Kutathmini Maboresho ya Mfumo wa Kodi, Balozi Ombeni Sefue, Rais Samia ameeleza kuwa tathmini ya mwisho ya kina kuhusu mfumo wa kodi ilifanywa takribani miaka 35 iliyopita, na hivyo tathmini hii ni muhimu kutokana na mabadiliko ya haraka ya kiteknolojia na kiuchumi duniani yanayolazimu kuhuisha mfumo wetu wa kodi ili kukidhi mahitaji ya sasa.

Ameahidi kufanyia kazi mapendekezo yote 284 yaliyowasilishwa na Tume kupitia mikakati ya muda mfupi, wa kati, na wa muda mrefu kwani maboresho hayo ni kiungo muhimu katika kufikia Dira ya Taifa ya Maendeleo 2050.

Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan akipokea Ripoti ya Tume ya Rais ya Kutathmini Maboresho ya Mfumo wa Kodi nchini kutoka kwa Mwenyekiti wa Tume hiyo, Katibu Mkuu Kiongozi Mstaafu Balozi Ombeni Sefue, Ikulu Jijini Dar es Salaam tarehe 18, Machi, 2026.

Serikali inalenga kujenga mfumo wa kodi wenye usawa, unaoeleweka, usio na tafsiri kinzani, na wenye kodi zisizoumiza ili kuwezesha biashara kustawi huku ikikusanya mapato. Lengo kuu la kitaifa ni kufikia uwiano wa mapato ya kodi kwa Pato la Taifa (Tax-to-GDP ratio) wa asilimia 18.

Kwa upande wake, Mwenyekiti wa Tume hiyo, Balozi Ombeni Sefue, ametaja baadhi ya changamoto walizobaini kuwa ni pamoja na viwango vikubwa vya kodi na tozo, udhaifu katika kutatua migogoro ya kikodi, uratibu hafifu wa taasisi zinazokusanya mapato, na wigo mdogo wa walipakodi.

Balozi Sefue ameonya juu ya mfumo wa sasa akisema, “Bila mabadiliko makubwa, Tanzania itaendelea kukusanya kodi kutoka kwa wachache, tena kwa usumbufu.”

Aidha, ameshauri Serikali kuweka mizani nzuri kati ya kukusanya kodi na kukuza uchumi kwa kusisitiza, “Hatuwezi kuvuna bila kupanda; wala kukamua maziwa bila ng’ombe kulishwa,” akimaanisha umuhimu wa kuimarisha mazingira ya uwekezaji.

Tathmini ya Tume inaonyesha kuwa endapo mapendekezo yote yatatekelezwa kikamilifu, Serikali inaweza kuongeza mapato yake kwa kiasi cha shilingi trilioni 11.025 ndani ya kipindi cha miaka mitatu ya mwanzo.

Dar es Salaam: THE newly rebuilt Kariakoo Market represents a new chapter for commerce in Tanzania’s largest city. Located in the heart of Dar es Salaam, the modern market has been reconstructed after a devastating fire destroyed large sections of the historic trading hub in July 2021.

The reconstruction project was funded by the government at an estimated cost of about 28bn/-, reflecting the importance of the market to the country’s economy.

The new market is a modern multistorey complex designed to accommodate thousands of traders and customers who depend on Kariakoo for daily business activities. The upgraded facility includes improved stalls, better storage areas and modern infrastructure aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency. Modern fire suppression systems have been installed throughout the building to prevent disasters similar to the 2021 fire.

The complex also features additional facilities such as underground parking, designated areas for financial services and improved security systems to support traders and shoppers. These improvements aim to create a safer and more organized business environment while supporting the growth of commerce in the city.

Authorities say the rebuilt market accommodates more than 1,500 traders, many of whom lost their businesses during the fire. Its reopening marks the return of one of East Africa’s busiest commercial centres, attracting traders and buyers from across Tanzania and neighbouring countries.

Beyond its physical transformation, the new Kariakoo Market is expected to strengthen local and regional trade while creating more economic opportunities for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

Mtwara. Handling of bulk and hazardous cargo at Mtwara Port is set to undergo a major transformation following the construction of a specialised facility designed to handle such shipments more safely and in an environmentally responsible manner.

The new Mgao Island Port, currently under construction at a cost of Sh434.5 billion, has reached 38.5 percent completion and is expected to be ready by July next year.

Once operational, the facility will handle bulk and hazardous cargo including coal, cement, fertiliser and Sulphur.

The Director General of Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Mr Plasduce Mbossa, said the specialised port forms part of a broader strategy to modernise port infrastructure and support industrial and mining activities in southern Tanzania.

“The facility will mainly handle coal, fertiliser and sulphur, ensuring that heavy shipments move efficiently and safely without affecting nearby communities,” he said.

Upon completion, the new port will operate alongside Mtwara Port as an integrated maritime hub, allowing the main port to concentrate on conventional cargo such as cashew exports and containerised goods.

According to Mr Mbossa, relocating bulk cargo operations to Mgao Island will reduce congestion at Mtwara Port, lower transport costs and improve operational efficiency while safeguarding the environment.

“Mgao Island Port will make bulk cargo handling faster and safer while reducing dust and congestion in Mtwara town,” he said.

He noted that existing facilities at Mtwara Port have long supported the movement of various cargo, including agricultural exports, cement imports and general merchandise.

However, the growing volume of bulk commodities such as coal has created the need for specialised infrastructure.

Modern cargo-handling systems—including conveyor belts, dust-suppression mechanisms and specialised loading cranes, will be installed to reduce environmental risks and improve efficiency.

“This will help reduce environmental hazards such as coal dust while also improving workplace safety and allowing the port to handle large volumes without delays,” Mr Mbossa explained.

The project’s supervising engineer, Hamis Nyembo, said the port is located along a natural channel similar to that of Mtwara Port.

Minor dredging will deepen the channel from nine metres to between 14 and 16.5 metres, enabling the facility to accommodate larger vessels.

“The natural channel makes the port ideal for expansion, and only minimal excavation is required to allow bigger ships,” he said.

Once completed, Mgao Island Port is expected to handle about 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Manager of Mtwara Port, Mr Ferdinand Nyathi, said the new facility is intended to complement—not compete with—the existing port.

“Mgao will take over coal, fertiliser and other heavy cargo, allowing the main port to focus on conventional goods,” he said.

TPA statistics show that Mtwara Port currently handles more than one million tonnes of cargo annually, including cashews, coal, fertiliser and industrial imports.

With the new facility in operation, the combined capacity of the two ports is projected to reach between 2.5 million and three million tonnes per year.

Demand for a dedicated bulk terminal has grown alongside increased coal mining in the Ngaka coalfields in Ruvuma Region, where coal has been transported by road to Mtwara for export—causing traffic congestion, dust pollution and higher road maintenance costs.

Mgao Island Port will shift much of this activity offshore, improving safety and efficiency within the municipality.

The facility is also linked to the government’s long-term plan to develop the Standard Gauge Railway corridor connecting Mtwara Port to Mbamba Bay Port on the shores of Lake Nyasa.

Completion of the strategic projects is expected to streamline cargo transport in southern Tanzania and strengthen the country’s position as a logistics hub within the Southern African Development Community (Sadc).

“Our ports are critical not only for Tanzania but also for neighbouring countries that rely on our corridors to reach international markets,” Mr Mbossa said.

Construction of the port has already created employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

Local residents and traders in Mtwara say the project could attract new investment and stimulate economic growth across southern Tanzania.

With offshore and onshore natural gas reserves, mineral resources and fertile agricultural land, the region has long been viewed as an area of untapped potential. The new port is expected to help unlock these resources by improving access to both domestic and regional markets.

Mr Nyembo said the port’s design also allows for future expansion .

“As trade and industry grow in southern Tanzania, Mgao Port can be upgraded with additional berths and storage facilities without disrupting existing operations,” he said.

Official figures show cargo throughput at Mtwara Port has risen sharply—from 106,071 tonnes in the 2018/19 financial year to about 1.7 million tonnes in 2023/24—reflecting increased exports and imports as well as government investment in port infrastructure.

Kamati ya Kudumu ya Bunge ya Miundombinu imeipongeza Wizara ya Uchukuzi na Shirika la Reli Tanzania (TRC) kwa kuanza kutengeneza vichwa vya treni hapa nchini kupitia karakana ya Pugu, Dar es Salaam.

Mwenyekiti wa Kamati hiyo, Selemani Kakoso, amesema hatua hiyo ni muhimu katika kupunguza gharama za matengenezo ya treni pamoja na kuongeza ajira kwa vijana wenye ujuzi nchini.

Kakoso ameiagiza Wizara ya Uchukuzi kupitia TRC kuendelea kuwajengea uwezo vijana wa Kitanzania kwa kuwapatia mafunzo ya ndani na nje ya nchi ili kuongeza utaalamu na ubunifu katika sekta ya reli.

Kwa upande wake, Naibu Waziri wa Uchukuzi, David Kihenzile amesema Serikali chini ya Uongozi wa Rais Mheshimiwa Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan imeendelea kuimarisha sekta ya uchukuzi kwa kujenga miundombinu ya reli na kununua vitendea kazi vya kisasa.

Naye Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TRC, Mhandisi Machibwa Shiwa amesema kutengeneza vichwa vya treni katika eneo la pugu kumesaidia Watanzania wengi kupata uzoefu.

TRC iliingia mkataba na kampuni ya SMH Rail ya Malaysia mwaka 2022 kwa ajili ya uundaji wa vichwa nane vya treni za MGR Daraja la 91XX, ambapo viwili vilitengenezwa Malaysia na sita vinatengenezwa Tanzania, ambapo viwili kati ya hivyo vimekamilika.

Dar es Salaam: On March 10, 2026, Lifezone Metals (NYSE: LZM), parent company of Tembo Nickel, signed a 14-month exclusivity agreement with the Government of Burundi, with the potential for extension, covering the Musongati nickel laterite deposit. The deposit has an average nickel grade of 1.31 per cent, copper at 0.21 percent and cobalt at 0.09 per cent, and is estimated at over 150 million metric tonnes. It is located about 200 kilometres south-west of Kabanga, Ngara, within the East African Nickel Belt.

The agreement was signed by Lifezone Metals chief executive officer Chris Showalter and Burundi’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Energy, Industry, Trade and Tourism, Dr Hassan Kibeya, at the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C., in the presence of the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Africa and Commercial Engagement, Sarah Troutman.

The development highlights the strategic role of Tanzania’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), its mineral beneficiation policies, and efforts to position the country as a regional industrial and refinery hub, in line with Vision 2050, which aims for a $1 trillion economy.

The government’s extension of the SGR westward is a key infrastructure initiative. Phase II of the Joint Tanzania-Burundi-DR Congo SGR Project, financed with $696.41 million from the African Development Bank, aims to unlock Musongati’s nickel potential. Construction of the Tanzania-Burundi section began on August 16, 2025, under a $2.154 billion contract. The railway will also serve Tembo Nickel’s Kabanga project, transporting final products from Kabanga and Kahama to Dar es Salaam, demonstrating Vision 2050’s integrated logistics approach.

The Kahama Refinery, licensed for multi-metal processing by Tembo Nickel in the Buzwagi Special Economic Zone in Shinyanga, will use Lifezone Metals’ Hydromet Technology to produce battery-grade nickel, with copper and cobalt as byproducts. By consolidating Kabanga and Musongati, the refinery could become a regional processing centre for the East African Nickel Belt.

Tanzania stands to gain in several areas. The SGR Central Corridor links Kahama to the Port of Dar es Salaam, with Musongati adding cross-border freight volumes. The government holds a 16 per cent non-dilutable stake in Tembo Nickel, giving it direct equity in the Kahama Multi-Metal Processing Facility. Kabanga is expected to create 1,090 direct jobs, 91 per cent for Tanzanians, plus thousands of indirect roles. The Kahama facility will produce finished nickel products, with Musongati increasing in-country value addition. The SGR and Musongati nickel strengthen the Port of Dar es Salaam as East Africa’s main export port for critical metals.

“Vision 2050 sets Tanzania on a path to a one trillion-dollar economy. Tembo Nickel contributes through sustainable mining, local refining, logistics infrastructure, and an equity structure that benefits all Tanzanians,” said CEO of Tembo Nickel, Benedict Busunzu.

The agreement advances integrated logistics, mineral beneficiation, private-sector industrialisation and regional engagement, providing evidence that Tanzania’s Vision 2050 strategy is progressing.