Monday: February 13th, 2012.
Page One: Key stories of the day
CCM Politics: The ruling party reforming
The National Executive Committee (NEC) announces plans to change its 1977 constitution.
Doctor’s Strike: Catholic Church praises doctor’s resolve, PM Pinda’s handling of the issue under spotlight
The head of the Catholic Church in Tanzania Cardinal Polycarp Pengo says unstriking medical practitioners were doing God’s work by serving the weak. Meanwhile, the opposition is calling for Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda’s resignation over the issue.
Uzini by-election: CCM candidate Mohammed Raza elected to the House of Representatives
Zanzibari businessman, Mohammed Raza, successfully defended the Uzini seat in Unguja for CCM. Chadema came second ahead of CUF.
Oil deal struck in Uganda
Prospects for bringing the country’s oil to the surface get brighter with the signing of new Production Sharing Agreements with Tullow Oil.
Notable editorials/opinion pieces:
- ‘You can’t stay aloof forever: The political economy of Chinese investment in Africa’ | The East African
- ‘African Free Trade area by 2017? It’s wishful thinking’ | The Guardian,
- ‘New Constitution: The President was right in building consensus’ | The African
- ‘Trouble in Paradise: Maldives and Islamic extremism’ | The Citizen
Other stories of note:
- ‘Dar sells 34bn/= maize to WFP | Daily News
- ‘Book gives insight into stinking radar, jet deals’ | The Citizen
- ‘Tanzanian children used as guinea pigs? | This Day
- ‘Majambazi yavamia mgodi, wateka walinzi’ [Armed robbers invade a mine, kidnap guards] | Nipashe
- ‘Oman kutangaza vivutio vya utalii wa Tanzania’ [Oman to promote Tanzania’s tourists’ attraction] | Majira
- ‘Askofu aishauri serikali kuhusu sekta ya afya’ [Bishop advises the government on the health sector] | Mwananchi
- ‘How land grab threatens millions of livelihoods in Tanzania, elsewhere in Africa |This Day
- ‘Parliamentary diplomacy vital for shaping foreign policy | Daily News
- ‘Halmashauri kuanzisha Benki’ [A local council to create a bank] | Uhuru
- ‘Arusha city up in arms over Kikwete land gift to Au court’ | The East African
- ‘Towards 2015: Tanzanians need strong dictatorships’ | The African
Business Headlines:
- ‘M-pesa fees down by 75%’ | The African
- ‘Health insurance fund vows to fight ghost services in hospitals’ | The Guardian
- ‘BoT set to open new branch in Mtwara’ | The Citizen
- ‘Austrian firm to build 280/- billion rapid transit system’ | This Day
- ‘De Beers profits up’ | Daily News
Regional Headlines:
- ‘SA hosts SADC political meeting’ | Daily News
- ‘Raila Odinga, Mudavadi wapigania kura za ODM Pwani’ [Raila Odinga, Mudavadi fight for ODM votes in the Coastal region] | Mwananchi
- ‘Jinja by-election violence suspects arrested’ | The African
- ‘Reliable, adequate power a long way off’ | The East African
- ‘Kanuni za uchanguzi Bunge la EAC’ zirekebishwe’ | Mwananchi
Page One: A summary
CCM Politics: The ruling party reforming
The Daily News reports that at a press conference on Sunday, CCM’s Secretary for Publicity and Ideology Mr. Nape Nnauye told reporters that the ruling party has began a process to reform its constitution. As part of the process, a new advisory council will be formed. Former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa will make up part of the new council, says Uhuru, along with their Zanzibari counterparts, Dr. Salmin Amour and Abeid Amani Karume. According to The Citizen the new constitution will in principle bar the MPs from vying for the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) membership. Sources told the paper that the new rules came about as the party has resolved to make its membership a ‘full-time occupation.’ Majira suggests that the rule changes were designed to make sure entrenched interests resistant to change don’t hijack the 2015 presidential nomination.
Doctor’s Strike: Catholic Church praises doctor’s resolve, PM Pinda’s handling of the issue under spotlight
The Catholic’s Church Archbishop Cardinal Polycarp Pengo said that while he doesn’t blame medical practitioners who went on strike last week, he is nevertheless full of praise for those who went to work who, his eyes, demonstrated great sacrifice, reports Habari Leo. ‘I congratulate all the doctors and nurses who didn’t go on strike, your actions show to others that we should never put our self-interest before those who are in need,’ he said.
Elsewhere, opposition parties called on the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, to resign, after they claimed were his inappropriate threats to striking medical practitioners. The PM’s suggestion that he might have used force against the striking doctors and nurses excercabated the problem and demonstrated a lack of judgement on his part, they argued. Mwananchi quotes Chadema’s Chairman and the leader of opposition in parliament, Freeman Mbowe, saying that the Prime Minister had abused his power and in the process disgraced his office, ‘This [shows] weakness in judgement and character on [PM] Pinda’s part, he said after the PM’s ordered army doctors to replace the striking medical practitioners at Muhimbili.
Uzini by-election: CCM candidate elected to the House of Representative
The businessman Mohammed Raza won the Uzini by-election by 61% of the vote to successfully defend the House of Representative seat for his party, CCM, reports Uhuru. But the big news from the by-election was the third place showing of CUF’s candidate Salma Hussein Zarali, who fell behind Mr. Raza and Chadema’s Ali Mbarouk Mshimba. Chadema is not viewed as being particularly strong in the Isles while for CUF, Zanzibar is their home turf, says Mwananchi. It is fair to say that the result is slightly embarrassing for CUF, which is now in government as a coalition partner to CCM following a power-sharing agreement struck before 2010 general election.
Oil deal struck in Uganda
The Ugandan government has won key concessions from companies exploring for oil in the country, The East African reports. According to the paper, ‘[p]rospects for bringing Uganda’s oil to the surface within the revised timeframe of 2015/17 have become brighter with the signing of new Production Sharing Agreements between the government and Irish oil explorer Tullow Oil.”
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