TIGO TANZANIA AND RWANDA LAUNCH CROSS BORDER MONEY TRANSFER

 The Tigo Tanzania General Manager Mr Diego Gutierrez delivering his speech at the launch of Tigo-Pesa Border Transfer between Tanzania and Rwanda at a ceremony held at Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam today

 The Rwandan High Commissioner His Excellency Dr. Ben Rugangazi making his inaugural speech at the launch of Tigo-Pesa cross country money transfer at a ceremony held at Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam today

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Kigali, Rwanda: 24 Februari, 2014 – TIGO, kampuni ya mawasiliano ya kimataifa inayomilikiwa na Millicom (Stockholmsbörsen: MIC) ambayo ni kampuni inayoongoza katika nchi 13 barani Afrika na Amerika Kusini, imekuwa kampuni ya kwanza duniani kuanzisha huduma ya kutuma na kupokea pesa baina ya nchi mbili tofauti ambazo ni Tanzania na Rwanda.

 Huduma hii mpya ilizinduliwa katika tafrija mbili tofauti kwa wakati mmoja ambazo zilifanyika katika miji ya Dar es Salaam na Kigali ambapo Balozi wa Rwanda nchini Tanzania Dr. Ben Rugangaza na Balozi wa Tanzania nchini Rwanda Bw. Francis Mwaipaja ndio walikuwa wa kwanza kufanya miamala ya kutuma na kupokea pesa kupitia njia ya simu kati ya nchi hizo mbili. 

Huduma hii inatoa fursa kwa watumiaji wa Tigo nchini Tanzania kutuma pesa kwa njia ya simu kwa kutumia huda ya Tigo Pesa kwenda kwa watumiaji wa Tigo nchini Rwanda, na kinyume chake. Huduma hiyo inaweza ikabadilisha fedha za kigeni moja kwa moja, ambapo pesa inayotumwa kwa shilingi za kitanzania au francs za Rwanda zinaweza zikabidilishwa kuwa fedha za nchi zinakopokelewa.  

Kwa mujibu wa Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Tigo Tanzania, Diego Gutierrez, aina hii ya huduma ni ya kwanza duniani kwa kuwa na uwezo wa kubadilisha fedha za kigeni kutoka kwa mtumaji hadi kwa mpokeaji. 

Fedha ikishapokelewa kwenye simu, mteja anaweza kuitumia kulipia huduma zote zinazopatikana kwenye Tigo Pesa au Tigo Cash iliyopo Rwanda. Hii inajumuisha kuongeza salio, kulipia bili ya maji, TV pamoja na usafiri, kuhamisha fedha kwenda kwenye akaunti za benki, kutoa fedha kutoka kwa wakala yeyote nchini pamoja na kutuma kwa urahisi fedha kwa watumiaji wengine wa Tigo Pesa.

Kutuma fedha kutoka Tigo Pesa (Tanzania) kwenda kwa watumiaji wa Tigo Cash (Rwanda), mteja anachotakiwa kufanya nia kupiga nambari *150*90#, huku wale walioko Rwanda wakipiga nambari *200*7#. Huduma hii inaweza ikatumika kutoka kwenye simu aina yeyote iliyounganishwa na laini ya Tigo. Wateja wa nchi husika watapokea fedha zao pale pale wanapotumiwa na kupokea katika aina ya fedha ya nchi husika.

 Kujisajili kwenye huduma ya Tigo Pesa au Tigo Cash, wanachotakiwa kufanya wateja ni kutembelea wakala yeyote nchini Tanzania au Rwanda. Kujisajili ni bure. Kinachohitajika ni kitambulisho cha mhusika.

Kwa mujibu wa Gutierrez, “Huduma hii mpya itaokoa muda mwingi wa wateja pamoja na fedha zao. Watumaji wa fedha kimataifa wamekuwa wakienda sehemu za kubadilishia fedha za kigeni kuweza kubadilisha Francs za Rwanda kuwa dola kasha kutuma hizo dola kupitia kwa mawakala wengine wa fedha. Hivi sasa wanaweza wakatuma pesa kupitia simu zao.”

Gutierrez aliendelea: “Tunafurahi kuwapa wateja wetu nyenzo za kufanya miamala kwa wana Afrika mashariki wenzao. Tunashukuru kwamba kutokana na teknolojia yetu ya kisasa, wananchi wa Rwanda wanaweza kutuma pesa kwa familia, marafiki, pamoja na wafanyabiashara wenzao walioko nchini kwao.”

Tongai Maramba, Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Tigo Rwanda naye alisema: “Tumefurahi kuanza kuwapa wateja wetu wa Tigo Cash uwezo wa kutuma fedha kimataifa kupitia simu zao. Pia ni jambo zuri zaidi kwamba wateja wetu wamerahisishiwa kwa kuweza kupokea moja kwa moja katika Francs za Rwanda kwa sababu kampuni nyingi za kutuma na kupokea fedha huwa wanatumia dola. Huduma hii haimpi wasi wasi wowote mteja kuanza kutafuta sehemu ya kubadilishia fedha.”

Murenzi Abdallah, msafirishaji anayefanya kazi katika kampuni moja ya usafirishaji kutoka Dar es Salaam kwenda Kigali na Goma alisema: “Nimefurahishwa sana na uwezo tuliopewa wa kutuma na kupokea pesa kwa njia ya simu nikiwa nchini Tanzania. Maisha yangu yatarahisishwa kwa namna ya kukamilisha kulipia ushuru mbali mbali mpakani pamoja na mahitaji mengine nikiwa katika safari zangu ndefu.”

Millicom inatoa huduma za kutuma na kupokea fedha nchini Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, DRC, Chad, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Senegal na Paraguay, pia ina mpango wa kuzidi kupanua wigo wake katika nchi zingine katika siku za usoni.  

Huduma hii mpya ina manufaa makubwa kwa biashara zinazofanyika kati ya nchi hizi mbili, familia zinazokaa katika nchi hizi kama wageni, waendesha malori, wanaosafirisha na kununua.

HIROUN MUSIC GROUP FROM IRAN ENTERTAIN FANS IN DAR ES SALAAM AND ZANZIBAR

                              
                             Hiroun Music Group from Iran entertaining fans in Dar es Salaam

By Nasser Kigwangallah

HIROUN Music Group from Bushehr Province, South Iran came to Tanzania in a rare show organised by the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Dar es Salaam.

The group of five people; namely Mr. Razah, Mr. Saadt Pour, Mr Esmail Bakhtiari, Mr Amin Salimiah and Mr. Roshan Ravah performed two shows in Dar es Salaam and one show in Zanzibar.

The two shows in Dar es Salaam were staged at Village Museum on 6th February, 2014, from 17.00 hrs, the second was performed at Tourism College in the heart of the City on 12th February, 2014 and attracted many music fans who were thrilled by the group, the first of its kind to visit Tanzania. 

The third performance was staged by the group at Forodhani in Zanzibar on 8th February, 2014.

Tanzanians were delighted by Iranian music and took to the stage by storm, dancing to the exciting music echoed by Hiroun Music Group.

Over 100 people gathered to hear sound of the music from Iran.

HIROUN MUSIC GROUP FROM IRAN TAKE TANZANIA BY SRORM

By Nasser Kigwangallah

HIROUN Music Group from Bushehr Province, South Iran came to Tanzania in a rare show organised by the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Dar es Salaam.

The group of five people; namely Mr. Razah, Mr. Saadt Pour, Mr Esmail Bakhtiari, Mr Amin Salimiah and Mr. Roshan Ravah performed two shows in Dar es Salaam and one show in Zanzibar.

The two shows in Dar es Salaam were staged at Village Museum on 6th February, 2014, from 17.00 hrs, the second was performed at Tourism College in the heart of the City on 12th February, 2014 and attracted many music fans who were thrilled by the group, the first of its kind to visit Tanzania. 

The third performance was staged by the group at Forodhani in Zanzibar on 8th February, 2014.

Tanzanians were delighted by Iranian music and took to the stage by storm, dancing to the exciting music echoed by Hiroun Music Group.

Over 100 people gathered to hear sound of the music from Iran.

Parliament divided over Daily Mail report

                 Athuman Rashid Mfutakamba, the deputy chairperson of the parliamentary group

THE parliament is a House divided over a report in a British newspaper that accuses President Jakaya Kikwete’s government of poaching.

While some MPs rushed to the President’s defence yesterday – under the umbrella of Tanzania Parliamentary Group on Sustainable Natural Resources Conservation and Utilisation – Shadow minister for natural resources and tourism Peter Msigwa backed the newspaper.

The two camps spoke at separate news conferences in Parliament’s sub-offices in Dar es Salaam.

In its weekend edition, the Mail on Sunday wrote that Mr Kikwete’s regime has done nothing to address poaching and has presided over the unprecedented slaughter of elephants in Tanzania’s history.

The paper appeared to accuse his administration of complicity in poaching and the illegal ivory trade, which has an annual global value estimated at about £6 billion (about Sh16 trillion).

The story broke just before President Kikwete left for the United Kingdom to attend a major anti-poaching conference.

The high-level summit to tackle the illegal wildlife trade kicks off today with heads of state and ministers from 50 governments in attendance.

The conference will be led by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Environment Secretary Owen Paterson.

Prince Charles will also be present, along with non-governmental organisations and other key figures who are keen to end the illegal trade in wildlife.

The Mail on Sunday article questions whether it is proper for Prince Charles and Mr Cameron to shake hands with President Kikwete during the conference set to start today at Lancaster House in London.

Addressing journalists in reaction to the report, the deputy chairperson of the parliamentary group, Mr Athumani Mfutakamba, dismissed the newspaper’s position, saying it knows nothing about elephants and poaching.

The group, which is registered as a non-governmental organisation in Parliament, has 20 members who describe themselves as defenders of natural resources. According to Mr Mfutakamba, the membership is drawn from different political parties.

IRANIAN NATIONAL DAY OBSERVED IN TANZANIA

                          The grand Ayatullah al Khomein, founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran 

       Mr. Mahadhi Juma Maalim, MP and deputy minister for Foreign      Affairs

By Nasser Kigwangallah

THE government of the United Republic of Tanzania and its people conveyed its heartfelt and warmest congratulations to the people of Iran, its government and his Excellency  President Hassan Rouhani on their auspicious occasion to celebrate the national day of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate 35 years of the Islamic Revolution of Iran in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, Hon. Mahadhi Juma Maalim (MP), deputy minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that both countries can benefit from helping each other develop economic and bilateral ties by exchanging information in the fields of natural resources and the preservation of archaeological sites.

The ceremony was held at the residence of the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday February 11^th, 2014 and was attended by high government officials, ambassadors, academicians, journalists and ordinary people from all corners of the city.

The guest of honour was His Excellency Ali Hassan Mwinyi, the 2^nd phase president of the United Republic of Tanzania.

He said Tanzania and Iran have developed bilateral ties through joint economic commissions in recent years.

“In October 2010 Iran and Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation that covered a wide range of fields, including energy, infrastructure, banking and investments, agriculture, science and technology,” he said.

According to him, in May 2009, Iran's First Vice President Parviz Davoudi toured Tanzania and announced Iran’s intention to establish agricultural offices in Zanzibar and Dar es-Salaam respectively.

In January 2010, Iranian and Tanzanian officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning economic cooperation in the fishery project, cement production and meat processing industries, trade, investment, tourism, education, health, culture, transport and livestock.

He said Tanzania and Iran have historically maintained stable bilateral relations.

Mr. Mahadhi said talks are underway to explore more on how Iran and Tanzania could expand bilaretal cooperation between the two countries and efforts are underway to pursue this endeavor.

Increasing bilateral ties between Iran and Tanzania have also recently facilitated military cooperation and other fields.

He said the historic relations between the two countries are historic, and would continue to expand as days go on.

“Tanzania and Iran have established a Joint Commission for Cooperation (JPC) that conducted its first meeting in 2010 and we expect to have more talks in the near future,” he said.

Hon. the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Dar esSalaam

On his part, the Iranian Ambassador to Tanzania Agha Jafari Mahadi said that 35 is not a long time in history, rather it its people approved that it is not a short time to accomplish many things.

He said, in its history Iran has never been a colony to anyone, but an independent country.

“The advent of Islamic Revolution revived real dependence of Iran as a nation and also democracy based on the religious values, emphasis on science and technology,” he said.

Ambassador Mahadi said relations between Tanzania and Iran go back a very long time.

“From early times monsoon winds have permitted rapid maritime travel between East Africa and Asia. Although large-scale Persian settlement in East Africa is unlikely, Persian cultural and religious influences are unmistakably present in Tanzania,” he said.

According to him cooperation between Tanzania and the Islamic Republic of Iran dates back over 1,000 years when Iranians, then under the Shiraz empire, sailed to East Africa’s trade gateway, Kilwa to exchange goods with the locals.

He said it is that historical fact which drives Iran’s desire to re-awaken the two countries’ ties at this time, but putting more weight on health, diplomacy, trade and agricultural aspects. “On coming to serve here as ambassador, I had all the feelings that I am going to a place where I may call ‘home away from home’.”

Ambassador Mahadi added that with the warm and friendly attitude abundantly found among Tanzanians, he finds working in the country very attractive.

The envoy revealed that before the 1979 revolution, Iran was a market for consumer and industrial goods, but after the revolution this trend was reversed and presently Iran is a major exporter of industrial manufactured goods including farm machinery.

He noted “What we have learnt in Iran is that if someone hates you and imposes sanctions on your economy, he is instructing you to work hard and be self-sufficient. Western powers sanctions have made us strive to produce all our needs locally.”

Ninety per cent of equipment for Iran’s defence forces is locally manufactured.

 Furthermore, Iran has managed to design, manufacture and launch into orbit several light satellites for various national uses.

Iranians celebrate 35th anniversary of Islamic revolution in Dar es Salaam

          Iranian Ambassador to Tanzania Agha Jafari Mahdi

TANZANIANS, including Muslim clerics, students from Dar es Salaam Universities, academicians and ordinary people; joined their Iranian counter parts to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Dar es Salaam.

The ceremonies were held at Tourism College in Dar es Salaam on Saturday morning, which is the time when the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini arrived back home on February 1, 1979 from exile.

Imam Khomeini spent more than 14 years in exile, mostly in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf. 

He also spent some time in Turkey and France, before returning to Iran.

The day when Imam Khomeini returned to Tehran marks the start of 10 days of celebrations better known as the 10-Day Dawn festivities, which culminate in nationwide rallies on February 11, the anniversary of the triumph of the Islamic Revolution.

The Iranian nation toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime 35 years ago, ending the 2,500 years of monarchic rule in the country.

The Islamic Revolution spearheaded by the late Imam Khomeini established a new political system based on Islamic values and democracy.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Iranian Ambassador to Tanzania, Agha Jafari Mahdi said as Iran celebrates the 35th anniversary of its Islamic Revolution, confirmed that Iran has no permanent friends, but only permanent interests.

He said as always with Iran, its international relations and domestic politics intricately overlap, and its interests impact each other.

“Towering above the others, its primary interest is to reduce the draconian weight of international sanctions, which are squeezing its economy and threatening the legitimacy of its clerical regime,” he said.

According to him, Iran needs to patch up relations with the rest of the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia to stem the dangerous politics of sectarianism that is racketing up conflict within the Islamic world.

Thirdly, he said Iran's support of Syria needs to lead it to the international negotiating table, since its aim, much like Russia's, is to ease Assad out so conflict declines, while retaining a dominant position inside a post-Assad Syria.

The ambassador remarked: “Each of these interests represents huge challenges, and their entanglement means the game must be played on all fronts simultaneously.”

He said for most of its history, the Islamic Republic has suffered US sanctions, something it has learned to live with more effectively than Washington or its allies might ever have imagined.

However, as the web of sanctions, in the words of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, turned "crippling", not least because the UN and EU added in their own, Iran's ability to sidestep them has narrowed.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's support of Hassan Rouhani's election to the presidency in June 2013 signalled that Iran's government credibility needed a makeover both at home and abroad in the toxic wake of President Mahmoud Ahamadinejad.

Nuclear arms negotiator Saeed Jallili, the clerics' presidential candidate, was publicly criticised for letting negotiation opportunities pass. 

The centrist, Rouhani, a previous nuclear negotiator and insider, has since moved quickly.

With government backing, he pushed forward November's Geneva Interim Agreement, and joined with six world powers in January 2012 to start the "joint plan of action" (JPA), which has frozen Iran's nuclear programme for six months in exchange for monthly instalments of  $4.2 billion in Iranian assets held in Western banks and the suspension of some financial sanctions.

Though Western observers darkly predict that Iran will use this agreement to buy time through a series of six-month extensions, more likely is an Iranian commitment to the terms so as to avoid further sanctions, already threatened by a dubious US Congress, so as to obtain real relief for its struggling economy - a domestic necessity.

Rouhani himself negotiated a two-year freeze in 2004 with the Europeans, which Iran respected, even as negotiations floundered.

It was also Rouhani who negotiated the original "additional protocol" under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the tool used today - though incorporating even stronger safeguards - by the international atomic watchdog for on-site inspections.  

The alacrity with which states such as Turkey and India have responded economically to Iran since the Geneva Agreement indicates that Iran has more to gain from abiding conscientiously with the inspections, than going rogue.

The other side of the sanctions coin is opening global markets - the real prize for Iran.

                                 Dr. Abbas Moghtadaie, MP

On his part, Dr. Abbas Moghtadaie, MP and Member of Education and Research Committee of the Islamic Parliament of Iran who was the chief guest at the ceremony said Iran, one of the developing countries, has taken stringent measures in ensuring that African countries are well developed economically, technologically and in cultural aspects as well.

He said Iran was a friend of Africa and thus its major responsibility was to ensure that it renders help to the African continent.

“Africa has been exploited for quite some time by the Western imperialist powers. Now, it is ample time to liberate the continent economically and culturally from the clutches of hegemony from the Western imperialist powers,” he said.

He said as we observe this day, it is our duty to ensure that we get what we need free from interference from any power whatsoever.

He added that Tanzania was graced to have good leadership, great land and potential resources for development.

“Combining all these qualities, Iran would do whatever was in its capacity to transfer its technological knowhow so that it also achieves its total economic dependence,” he said.

                              Sheikh Hemed Jalala Hemed

Winding up the celebrations, Sheikh Hemed Jalala Hemed, Head of Hawza Al-Imam Swadiq (a.s) Kigogo Post in Dar es Salaam said when Ayatulla Khomeini ascended to power in 1979, through Islamic revolution; he transformed Iran into a scientific development.

He said Iran can be called as one of the developed countries with nuclear energy, manufactures aircrafts and was aimed at going to the mars for scientific exploration.

“Now Iran is the centre of learning, surpassing other countries in the region although it faces economic sanctions from the West,” he argued.

Sheikh Jalala told participants that we should be proud of these achievements Iran has so far attained in the three decades of its revolution.

                                    Sheikh Musa Kundecha

KIKWETE TO GRACE WORLD AIDS DAY 2013 IN DAR

                His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete

By Nasser Kigwangallah

WORLD Aids Day (WAD) is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.

This year, WAD commemoration will be held at national level in Dar es Salaam from November 25^th, 2013 with various activities, including the work of NGOs and it will culminate on December 1^st  , 2013.

According to Jumanne Isango, the TACAIDS (Tanzania Commission for Aids) director of Advocacy and Information the colourful event will be graced by His Excellency the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete.

The seminar on the scale of the pandemic in Tanzania will be held from 28^th to 29^th November, 2013 at the Mwalimu Nyerere International Conference Centre.

Around 100 participants are expected to attend and it will be inaugurated by Honourable William Lukuvi, the Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office; Policy, Coordination and National Assembly.

The theme of this year is: “Getting to zero; Zero new HIV infection, zero stigma and discrimination and zero death related to Hiv/Aids”

The theme aims at highlighting various strategies of preventing new HIV infection nationally.

Ustadh Musa Mkama, an old man at Pugu ward mosque lamented recently: “As I go out and see the people that are lying on the mats, that are sick; a couple of things strike me: One is the most urgent people group to reach are those who are about to enter eternity, those who are about to close their eyes in death.”

He said it doesn't get more important, more vital, more real than this. When people are in pain, are suffering, there's a difference that you can make by caring, by just encouraging, just by being there.

He added that when he visits people, he prays that God will be with me to give me the words to say to be able to touch their hearts, to be able to touch their minds, to reach them and to share with them about their predicament.

MULUGO LAUNCHES THE HANDBOOK GUIDELINE ON PERSONS WITH ALBINISM IN DAR

THE  Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, in collaboration with  under the same sun (UTSS),  an  international organization aimed  at  highlighting  the  plight of persons  with albinism (PWAS) launched  the first  of its kind  in Africa,  the  guideline  on how to offer  better  and  quality education”  to  pupils and  students with  albinism associated with vision problem.

The launch was officiated  by the Deputy Minister  for Education and Vocational Training  Mr. Philipo Mulugo  at  Serena  Hotel in Dar es Salaam  on Wednesday, 3,000 copies of the guideline  manual  sponsored  by  UNICEF  have  so far been printed  and  would be distributed  to education  stakeholders  throughout  Tanzania.

Some  copies  were distributed  to  all participants, which included  District  Education Officers, Regional Education Officers,  Ministry of Education Officers  and   the  media  personnel. 

Speaking during the launch,  Mr.  Mulugo  said  the  handbook guideline manual  would  be used  as a tool to enable  education officers  and  teachers  alike,  to handle  pupils and  students in their  respective schools in a more appropriate  manner.

He noted  that although the  Ministry  had  a  adopted  a policy on students  with  disabilities in general, it is the first time  a particular  hand book on guideline for persons with albinism has  been  launched.

“I want this book to reach every corner of our Country and every education officer headmaster and education practitioner to get it,” he ordered.

He urged UNICEF to sponsor printing of more copies so that the handbook guideline manual could be made available.

According to him, this was one way of solving the problem persons with albinism face from time to time and the government was keen in meeting their needs.

On his side Peter  Ash,  the  UTSS  Chief  Executive Officer  and  founder  said  it is essential for the Community in Tanzania to treat persons  with albinism as  human beings.

“Kindly protect persons with albinism, they are human beings created by God himself like any other human being ,” he said.

It is  encouraging  to note  that  the government has so far taken stringent  measures  to address  the problem of attacks  and killing  of  PWAs  in Tanzania.

We  urge more  measures  to be taken to ensure that  attacks on PWAs  is  stopped completely  and  their  welfare   guaranteed.