Habari

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.

Dunia inapoharakisha mpito kutoka nishati ya mafuta na gesi kwenda nishati safi, madini muhimu yanayotumika katika teknolojia mpya yameanza kuwa nguzo ya ushindani wa kiuchumi kati ya mataifa makubwa.

Katika mabadiliko hayo ya kimataifa, Tanzania imeanza kujitokeza kama moja ya nchi zenye rasilimali zinazoweza kuwa na mchango mkubwa katika mustakabali wa uchumi wa dunia.

Madini kama kinywe (Graphite), nikeli na madini adimu mengine (rare earth elements) sasa yanatajwa kuwa uti wa mgongo wa teknolojia za kisasa, ikiwemo utengenezaji wa betri za magari ya umeme, paneli za sola na mifumo ya kuhifadhi nishati.

Kadiri mahitaji ya teknolojia hizo yanavyoongezeka duniani, nchi zenye akiba ya madini hayo zinapata umuhimu mpya katika minyororo ya ugavi wa kimataifa.

Tanzania ni miongoni mwa nchi zinazotajwa kuwa na akiba kubwa ya kinywe na madini mengine muhimu kwa teknolojia za nishati safi. Hali hiyo imeanza kuvutia mataifa makubwa na wawekezaji wanaotafuta vyanzo vipya vya uhakika vya malighafi kwa ajili ya viwanda vya teknolojia.

Hata hivyo, wataalamu wanaonya kuwa fursa hiyo inaweza kuwa baraka kubwa kwa taifa au changamoto mpya, kulingana na namna nchi itakavyosimamia rasilimali zake na kupanga mikakati ya muda mrefu ya maendeleo ya sekta ya madini.

Mchambuzi wa masuala ya rasilimali na uchumi, Luvinga Kahise, anasema Tanzania ipo katika nafasi ya kipekee katika ushindani huo mpya wa kimataifa, lakini mafanikio yake yatategemea maamuzi ya kisera na uwekezaji katika teknolojia.

“Dunia sasa inaingia katika zama mpya za ushindani wa madini muhimu. Nchi ambazo zina rasilimali kama kinywe na nikeli zinaweza kuwa na ushawishi mkubwa katika uchumi wa dunia, lakini hilo litategemea kama zitaongeza thamani ya rasilimali hizo ndani ya nchi,” anasema Kahise.

Kwa sasa, miradi mikubwa ya kinywe nchini imeiweka Tanzania katika ramani ya kimataifa ya madini yanayotumika katika utengenezaji wa betri za magari ya umeme. Miradi hiyo ni pamoja na Bunyu Graphite Project, Epanko Graphite Project, Nachu Graphite Project na Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project.

Miradi hiyo imeongeza matarajio kwamba Tanzania inaweza kuwa mmoja wa wazalishaji wakubwa wa kinywe duniani katika miaka ijayo, hasa wakati ambapo mahitaji ya madini hayo yanaongezeka kwa kasi kutokana na ukuaji wa sekta ya magari ya umeme.

Takwimu za wataalamu wa sekta ya madini zinaonyesha kuwa mahitaji ya kinywe duniani yanaweza kuongezeka mara tatu ifikapo mwaka 2030. Sababu kubwa ni ongezeko la uzalishaji wa magari ya umeme na teknolojia za kuhifadhi nishati zinazotegemea betri.

Hata hivyo, changamoto kubwa inayozikabili nchi nyingi zenye rasilimali asilia, hususan barani Afrika, ni kuendelea kuuza malighafi bila kuziongezea thamani ndani ya nchi.

Kwa mujibu wa Kahise, historia ya biashara ya rasilimali barani Afrika imeonyesha kuwa nchi nyingi zimekuwa zikisafirisha malighafi ghafi na baadaye kununua bidhaa zilizotengenezwa kwa kutumia rasilimali hizo kwa gharama kubwa zaidi.

“Changamoto kubwa kwa nchi nyingi za Afrika ni kuuza malighafi na kununua bidhaa zilizokamilika kwa bei kubwa. Tanzania ina nafasi ya kubadilisha historia hiyo kama itawekeza katika teknolojia ya uchakataji na kujenga viwanda vya kuongeza thamani,” anasema.

Kwa sasa, nchi kama China inaongoza katika kusafisha na kuchakata zaidi ya asilimia 90 ya kinywe inayotumika duniani. Hali hiyo imeifanya nchi hiyo kuwa na ushawishi mkubwa katika minyororo ya ugavi wa kimataifa ya madini muhimu.

Hata hivyo, mabadiliko ya sera za biashara na vizuizi vya usafirishaji vilivyoanzishwa na China katika baadhi ya madini muhimu vimeifanya nchi kama United States na mataifa ya European Union kuanza kutafuta vyanzo mbadala vya madini hayo ili kupunguza utegemezi wao kwa nchi moja.

Katika muktadha huo, Tanzania imeanza kuonekana kama moja ya nchi zinazoweza kuwa sehemu muhimu ya mkakati wa kimataifa wa kuhakikisha usalama wa upatikanaji wa madini muhimu kwa viwanda vya teknolojia.

“Ushindani kati ya Marekani na China katika madini muhimu unaendelea kuongezeka. Tanzania inaweza kutumia ushindani huo kupata mikataba bora zaidi ikiwa mazungumzo yatafanyika kwa uwazi na kwa kuzingatia maslahi ya taifa,” anasema Kahise.

Mbali na akiba ya madini, Tanzania pia ina faida ya kimkakati kutokana na miundombinu yake ya usafirishaji, hususan bandari zake ambazo zinahudumia biashara ya kimataifa.

Bandari ya Dar es Salaam ni mojawapo ya lango muhimu la biashara katika Afrika Mashariki na hutumika kusafirisha bidhaa kwenda na kutoka katika nchi kadhaa za ukanda huo pamoja na masoko ya Asia na Ulaya.

Kwa mujibu wa Kahise, uwepo wa miundombinu hiyo unaweza kusaidia Tanzania sio tu kusafirisha malighafi bali pia kuingiza teknolojia na kusafirisha bidhaa zilizoongezwa thamani.

“Tanzania ina bandari kubwa inayotumika sana kibiashara kati ya Afrika, China na nchi za Ulaya. Hii inaifanya kuwa katika nafasi nzuri ya kuingiza teknolojia na kusafirisha bidhaa zilizoongezwa thamani,” anasema.

Hata hivyo, licha ya rasilimali na nafasi hiyo ya kimkakati, wataalamu wanasema Tanzania bado inakabiliwa na changamoto ya kiwango cha teknolojia katika uchakataji wa madini na utengenezaji wa bidhaa za mwisho.

Ikilinganishwa na mataifa yenye viwanda vikubwa kama China, Marekani, Korea Kusini au mataifa ya Ulaya, Tanzania bado ipo nyuma katika uwekezaji wa teknolojia na utafiti wa viwanda.

“Malighafi tunazo na ubora wake uko katika kiwango kinachoweza kushindana kimataifa, lakini bado tupo nyuma kiteknolojia. Hii inafanya mataifa makubwa kunufaika zaidi kwa kununua malighafi kutoka nchi kama Tanzania,” anasema Kahise.

Kwa mujibu wa utafiti uliotathmini sera na takwimu za sekta ya madini nchini kuanzia mwaka 2017 hadi 2025, kumekuwa na mabadiliko kadhaa ya kisera yanayolenga kuongeza mchango wa rasilimali hizo katika uchumi wa taifa.

Utafiti huo uliangalia mwelekeo wa sera za serikali, uwekezaji katika miradi ya madini na mabadiliko katika soko la kimataifa ili kutathmini kama Tanzania ina nafasi ya kunufaika zaidi katika miaka ijayo.

“Lengo la utafiti lilikuwa kuangalia serikali imefanya nini katika kipindi hicho na inaelekea wapi katika miaka ijayo. Tumeona kuna uwezekano mkubwa Tanzania kunufaika zaidi na sekta hii kama sera zitasaidia kuongeza uwekezaji na thamani ya madini,” anasema Kahise.

Sehemu nyingine ya utafiti huo ilijikita katika kutathmini miradi ya kinywe (Kinywe) na uwezo wa nchi kujenga miundombinu ya uchakataji wa madini hayo badala ya kuendelea kuyauza ghafi.

Kwa mujibu wa Kahise, kwa taifa lenye uchumi mdogo kama Tanzania ni vigumu kudhibiti bei ya madini katika soko la dunia, jambo linalofanywa zaidi na mataifa makubwa yenye ushawishi mkubwa katika uzalishaji na biashara.

“Kwa taifa dogo kama Tanzania ni vigumu kudhibiti bei ya soko la dunia. Njia mbadala ni kuwekeza katika teknolojia na viwanda vitakavyotuwezesha kutengeneza bidhaa badala ya kuuza malighafi,” anasema.

Anaongeza kuwa endapo Tanzania itawekeza katika uchakataji wa madini yake ndani ya nchi, inaweza kupata manufaa makubwa zaidi, ikiwemo kuongezeka kwa ajira, kuimarika kwa ujuzi wa teknolojia na kupungua kwa umaskini.

“Kama tutazalisha na kuchakata madini yetu hapa nchini, tutajenga viwanda, tutapata ajira na kuongeza wataalamu wa teknolojia. Hapo ndipo faida halisi ya rasilimali hizi itaonekana,” anasema.

Kwa mtazamo wake, kipindi hiki kinaweza kuwa cha kihistoria kwa Tanzania ikiwa itafanya maamuzi sahihi kuhusu namna ya kusimamia rasilimali zake.

“Huu ni wakati wa kufanya maamuzi ya kimkakati. Kama Tanzania itawekeza katika viwanda, ujuzi wa teknolojia na sera thabiti, sekta ya madini inaweza kuwa moja ya nguzo kuu za uchumi wa taifa katika miongo ijayo,” anasema.

Kadiri dunia inavyoendelea kuharakisha mpito kuelekea nishati safi, umuhimu wa madini muhimu utaendelea kuongezeka. Katika mazingira hayo mapya ya kiuchumi, Tanzania inaweza kuwa mmoja wa wahusika wakuu katika sura mpya ya uchumi wa dunia ikiwa itaamua kutumia kikamilifu fursa iliyopo mbele yake.

Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan, amemuasili mtoto mchanga wa kike leo tarehe 11 Machi, 2026, katika makazi yake, Ikulu Chamwino, mkoani Dodoma.

Mtoto huyo aliyepewa jina la Grace Samia Suluhu, alitelekezwa mjini Nzega, mkoani Tabora, na amekabidhiwa kwa Rais Dkt. Samia na Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Nzega, Naitapwaki Tukai.

Akizungumza wakati wa kumkabidhi mtoto huyo, Mkuu wa Wilaya Tukai alisema mtoto huyo aliokotwa tarehe 17 Januari, 2026 akiwa ametelekezwa katika eneo jirani na nyumba ya wageni ya Kasulu, Nzega Mjini.

Alieleza kuwa baada ya kupokea taarifa hizo, alishirikiana na Jeshi la Polisi kumchukua mtoto huyo na kumpeleka hospitalini kwa uchunguzi na uangalizi, huku juhudi za kumtafuta mama yake zikiendelea bila mafanikio.

Rais Dkt. Samia amemkaribisha mtoto huyo katika familia yake na kuahidi kumpatia malezi, ulinzi na huduma zote muhimu ili akue katika mazingira salama na yenye upendo.

“Wanaotupa watoto hawajui wanalolifanya. Kuliko kumtupa mtoto ni afadhali ukamkabidhi katika mamlaka za kisheria au kituo cha kulelea watoto. Kila mtoto aliyezaliwa ni hazina, na hatuijui kesho yake,” alisema Rais Dkt. Samia.

Dar es Salaam – Air Tanzania has successfully repatriated approximately 236 Tanzanian nationals who were stranded in Dubai following the suspension of commercial flights across the Middle East, triggered by the ongoing military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

The national carrier, known by its acronym ATCL, dispatched a special evacuation flight from Dar es Salaam to Dubai on March 6, 2026, returning home on Sunday with all passengers aboard.

ATCL’s Chief Operations Officer, Captain Arif Jinnah, confirmed that all passengers scheduled to return had arrived safely. However, some were required to leave a portion of their luggage behind to meet the operational requirements of the emergency flight.

The airline acknowledged that deploying a large aircraft on the Dubai route was an unusual step — one it does not ordinarily take — but said the scale of citizen need made the decision unavoidable.

ATCL further indicated that it may dispatch additional flights in the coming days if demand from remaining Tanzanian nationals in the region persists.

The Dubai Airport Authority has been operating under severe restrictions, granting airlines only 30-minute windows to board and depart, with priority given to those who had already been contacted and confirmed by their respective carriers.

ATCL has advised passengers still in the region to contact the airline’s offices in both Dar es Salaam and Dubai for guidance and confirmation ahead of any further evacuation operations.