Fursa

Katika safu ya madini adimu ya vito yanayotambulika katika masoko ya kimataifa, Tsavorite ya Tanzania imeendelea kujijengea nafasi ya kipekee, si tu kwa uzuri wake wa kuvutia machoni, ubora wake, bali pia kwa hadhi yake ya kiuchumi na kimkakati.

Chini ya ardhi ya Kaskazini mwa Tanzania, hususan katika maeneo ya Milima ya Simanjiro iliyoko Kijiji cha Lemshuku, kunapatikana kito cha kijani ang’avu hadi kibichi kinachong’aa kwa mwanga wa asili, kikibeba urithi wa mamilioni ya miaka ya mabadiliko ya kijiolojia na fursa kubwa ya maendeleo ya taifa.

Kijiolojia, madini ya Tsavorite huundwa katika miamba ya gneiss na schist chini ya shinikizo na joto kubwa, hii ni aina maalum ya garnet, inayotokana na kundi la grossular garnet. Ingawa mara nyingi hujumuishwa chini ya jina la jumla la “green garnet,” Tsavorite ina sifa mahsusi zinazoiweka katika daraja la juu zaidi kutokana na rangi yake ya kijani ang’avu hadi kibichi inayosababishwa na uwepo wa elementi ya vanadium na/au chromium, tofauti na green garnet nyingine kama demantoid kundi la andradite na kundi la uvarovite. Aidha, tsavorite ni madini adimu na yenye thamani ya juu sokoni yanayopatikana katika maeneo machache duniani na Tanzania ni miongoni mwa nchi hizo chache iliyojaaliwa kuwa na hazina ya madini haya ya kipekee, hali hii inaiweka nchi katika nafasi ya kimkakati katika soko la kimataifa la madini ya vito.

Katika ulimwengu wa vito vya kifahari (high-end jewellery), Tsavorite imejijengea sifa ya kuwa miongoni mwa madini ya vito yenye bei ya juu, hii ni kutokana na hali yake ya asili, ikiwa na rangi ya uang’avu wa kuvutia na inayoruhusu mwanga kupita kwa urahisi (transparency), ubora na ugumu (Mohs hardness) wake wa 7.0 hadi 7.5, Tsavorite ni imara zaidi kwa matumizi ya muda mrefu katika vito kama pete, hereni, mikufu, n.k, jambo linaloifanya kupendwa na wabunifu wa vito katika masoko ya Ulaya, Asia na Marekani.

Hata hivyo, kihistoria, madini ya tsavorite yaligunduliwa kwa mara ya kwanza nchini Tanzania mnamo mwaka 1967 na Mjiolojia wa Kiingereza, Campbell R. Bridges katika milima ya Simajiro, iliyoko kijiji cha Lemshuku, Wilayani Simajiro, Mkoani Manyara. Kutokana na kuchelewa kupata vibali vya Serikali, Bridges aliendelea na utafiti wake wa madini hayo nchini Kenya ambako mwaka 1971 aliyagundua tena katika mbuga ya Tsavo.

Zaidi ya uzuri na thamani yake sokoni, tsavorite ni rasilimali muhimu kwa uchumi wa taifa, kwa kuchangia pato kupitia fedha za kigeni, kodi na tozo za Serikali, ajira kwa wachimbaji na wadau wa mnyororo mzima wa thamani, pamoja na kuchochea ukuaji wa viwanda vya madini ya vito na utalii kwa ujumla. Kupitia shughuli hizi, Tsavorite imekuwa pia chombo cha diplomasia ya kiuchumi, ikiiwezesha Tanzania kujitangaza kimataifa kupitia madini hayo na bidhaa zake baada ya kuongezewa thamani.

Katika kutambua nafasi hiyo, Serikali kupitia Wizara ya Madini imeweka mikakati mahsusi ya kuhakikisha madini ya vito yanaongezewa thamani ndani ya nchi. Mikakati hiyo inajumuisha kuhamasisha uanzishwaji wa viwanda vya kukata na kung’arisha vito, kutoa mafunzo ya kitaalamu kwa wazawa kupitia Kituo cha Jemolojia Tanzania (TGC), kuboresha miundombinu na masoko ya vito, pamoja na kuweka Sera, Sheria na Kanuni zinazohimiza madini kuuzwa baada ya kuongezewa thamani hapa nchini.

Kwa upande wa Serikali kupitia Wizara ya Madini, Wachimbaji wadogo wa Tsavorite nao wamewekwa katika nafasi ya kipaumbele ambapo kupitia Programu ya Mining for a Brighter Tomorrow (MBT), Serikali imetoa leseni kwa zaidi ya wachimbaji wadogo (vijana na wanawake) 420 katika maeneo ya Mirerani na Lemshuku, kuwajengea uwezo wa uchimbaji salama na bora, na kuwawezesha kufikia masoko rasmi kupitia minada ya kitaifa na kimataifa inayofanyika kidigitali chini ya usimamizi wa Tume ya Madini kwa kushirikiana na Soko la Bidhaa – Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX).

Hatua hizi zimeongeza uwazi, bei halisi ya shindani, ongezeko la pato kwa wachimbaji na taifa kwa ujumla.

Kwa upande wa uwekezaji, madini ya tsavorite yamefungua fursa katika uchimbaji wa kisasa, teknolojia za uongezaji thamani madini ya vito (kukata, kung’arisha na utengenezaji wa mapambo), biashara na usafirishaji wa vito, pamoja na utalii wa madini. Huo ni mnyororo wa thamani wenye uwezo mkubwa wa kutengeneza ajira kwa vijana na kuongeza mchango wa Sekta ya Madini katika Pato la Taifa.

Kwa mtazamo wa miaka ijayo, tsavorite ina matarajio makubwa ya kuendelea kuchangia kwa kiwango kikubwa zaidi katika uchumi wa Tanzania. Kupitia uwekezaji endelevu, usimamizi bora na uongezaji thamani ndani ya nchi, Tanzania inaweza kuimarisha nafasi yake kama kitovu cha madini ya vito barani Afrika na duniani.

Kwa msingi huo, Pamoja na kuwa watu wengi wamekuwa na ufahamu duni kuhusu madini haya, ni wazi kwamba tsavorite ya Tanzania inaongoza kwa ubora duniani, ikiwa si tu kwa rangi na uang’avu wake, bali pia kwa maelezo ya kisayansi, uchumi na maono ya taifa linalochagua kuthamini, kulinda na kunufaika ipasavyo na urithi wake wa kipekee wa kijiolojia.

Dodoma. The government has, for the first time, opened the door for the private sector to provide water services, directly competing with regional water authorities in a bold push to improve efficiency, expand access, and raise service standards nationwide.

The landmark policy shift marks a significant reform in Tanzania’s water sector, traditionally dominated by public institutions. The long-awaited move comes amid persistent complaints of water scarcity across the country, with private investors repeatedly urging the government to allow them to offer services to citizens.

The Minister for Water said their role as a ministry is to ensure quality — the rest can move forward. “We must serve Tanzanians. Let us not fear competition,” he insisted.

If effectively implemented, the reform could usher in a new era in which efficiency, accountability, and innovation define the management of the country’s most precious resource.

The Information and Communication Technologies Commission (ICTC) of Tanzania has officially launched a new tiered labeling system for ICT startups, aiming to enhance their visibility and attract both domestic and international investment.

The program is designed to register, recognize, and support technology-driven businesses, aligning with the country’s digital transformation goals and the Long-Term Development Vision 2050.

During the announcement in Dar es Salaam, the ICT Commission revealed that 161 innovators have already been selected for the first phase of this empowerment program following registrations that took place in late 2025.

The core of the initiative is a three-tier classification framework—comprising Silver, Gold, and Tanzanite labels—which categorizes startups according to their market readiness and operational scale.

The Silver category is designated for startups that have completed the initial innovation phase and are currently conducting market trials to test the viability of their solutions.

The Gold label is awarded to startups that are already generating revenue and serving paying customers with commercially viable products or services.

The Tanzanite category, the highest tier, identifies mature startups that are actively seeking strategic domestic and international partnerships to scale and enter broader commercial markets.

Registration for the labeling system is free of charge and provides startups with a formal government recognition that facilitates access to finance, technical services, and market exposure.

“This initiative is about empowering our youth, stimulating entrepreneurship and accelerating Tanzania’s transition to a digital economy,” stated Dr. Nkundwe Mwasaga, the Director General of the ICT Commission.

Dr. Mwasaga added that by supporting startups to grow sustainably, the government is investing in the country’s economic future and building a new generation of tech leaders.

He further noted that the first batch of labeled startups will be published this month, with quarterly updates planned to keep the investor community informed of the ecosystem’s progress.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, previously emphasized during Tanzania Startup Week 2025 that startups are essential to achieving a USD 1 trillion economy for Tanzania within the next two decades.

The government has also pledged to reduce bureaucratic hurdles in registration and licensing, moving from a culture of regulatory control to one of facilitation for the private sector.

The ICT Commission is also establishing eight “soft centers” in regions including Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, and Zanzibar to serve as incubation hubs and fabrication laboratories for tech hardware.

Tanzania’s startup ecosystem has seen significant growth, climbing to number 116 worldwide and ranking 6th in Eastern Africa according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025.

The most active sectors in the Tanzanian tech space include Software as a Service (SaaS) at 19.92%, AgriTech at 19.17%, and E-commerce at 10.15%.