The SGR is set to increase the importance of Dar es Salaam (Image: Sohadiszno/Dreamstime)
Tanzania is to receive 264 freight wagons to improve cargo flows on its booming standard gauge railway (SGR).
State-owned Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) said it had bought the rolling stock from Chinese train-maker CRRC International as part of a $130m order for 1,430 wagons.
A TRC spokesperson told the Tanzanian Daily News that the wagons had left port in China, and would arrive in the middle of next month. He said they would be “a major boost to Tanzania’s logistics sector”.
The shipment consists of 200 container wagons and 64 others designed to accommodate loose cargo.
Tanzania’s $10bn SGR is an electrified medium-speed line that will eventually connect the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam with the densely populated Great Lake states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.
Travel time cut
A 726km section of the line, running from Dar to the administrative capital of Dodoma, was built by a joint venture between Yapi Merkezi of Turkey and Mota-Engil of Portugal. Construction broke ground in April 2017, and passenger services began in June.
The line has cut the time taken to travel between Dar and Dodoma from 10 hours to 3.5. According to Kitila Mkumbo, a minister of state, the passenger element of the SGR has transported 645,421 passengers between June and September.
As well as the SGR wagons, TRC has bought 400 more for carrying general cargo such as sugar, cement, salt, cotton, tobacco and coffee, and 600 for shipping containers.
There are also other wagons for petroleum tanks, pipes, wood, metal and cattle.
TRC is working on modernising more than 2,500km of its network. By David Rogers, GCR
Three people have died and at least 32 were hospitalised in the Philippines after eating an endangered sea turtle cooked in stew.
Dozens of indigenous Teduray people reported symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal spasms since eating the dish last week in a seaside town in Maguindanao del Norte Province, officials said.
While it is illegal to hunt or consume sea turtles under the Philippines’ environmental protection laws, the marine creatures are still eaten as a traditional delicacy in some communities.
But sea turtles that consume contaminated algae - including those that appear healthy - can be toxic when cooked and eaten.
Some of the dogs, cats and chickens that were fed the same sea turtle also died, Irene Dillo, a local official, told the BBC. She added that authorities were investigating the cause of the deaths.
The sea turtle was cooked as adobo, a popular Filipino dish consisting of meat and vegetables stewed in vinegar and soy sauce.
Residents of Datu Blah Sinsuat, a coastal town known for its white, sandy beaches and clear waters, frequently get their food from the sea. “It was unfortunate because there is so much other seafood in their village - lobsters, fish,” Ms Dillo said.
Most of the residents who were hospitalised have since been discharged, local media reported, while the three who died were buried immediately - in line with local tradition.
Datu Mohamad Sinsuat Jr, a local councillor, said that he has told local officials to strictly enforce the ban on hunting sea turtles in the region, vowing “this food poisoning incident will never happen again”.
Most sea turtle species are classified as endangered, and it is illegal in the Philippines to collect, harm or kill any of them. However sea turtles are hunted in some cultures for their flesh and eggs, which are believed to contain medicinal properties.
In 2013, 68 people in Philippines' Eastern Samar Province fell ill - and four of them died - after consuming a sea turtle found near their village. By Koh Ewe & Virma Simonette, BBC
The Embassy of Iceland in Kampala and UNICEF have signed an 18-month partnership worth $1 million (about Shs 3.6 billion) aimed at empowering vulnerable adolescent mothers to access multi-sectoral and inclusive social protection, early childhood development and parenting support services.
According to the press statement, the partnership will allow UNICEF to link teenage mothers to protection, health, education, childcare and skilling services; provide mentorship and life skills to teenage mothers; support low-cost early childhood education (ECD) models in targeted communities and establish mobile early childhood development units and disability-inclusive ECD kits to provide early learning opportunities for children in hard-to-reach communities.
The initiative, targeting Kyegegwa and Kikuube districts in western Uganda, comes with a focus on multi-sectoral and inclusive social protection, early childhood development (ECD), and parenting support services. Under this program, at least 1,000 adolescent mothers aged 12-19 years will gain access to education or vocational skills, while 2,000 of their children will benefit from both formal and non-formal early learning opportunities.
Speaking at the signing event, the Head of Mission, Embassy of Iceland to Uganda, Hildigunnur Engilbertsdóttir noted that the programme will extend financial support to each beneficiary child monthly.
“Iceland is committed to empowering young mothers to enable them to learn, acquire skills, and be protected from harmful practices. This conditional cash transfer is linked to the adolescent mother’s participation in learning and her child’s involvement in ECD interventions, including ECD centres/early learning for children (aged 3-5 years) and referral to childcare services for children (aged 0-2 years). We strongly believe that these cash transfers will alleviate a young mother’s burden by supporting access to childcare services so she can return to school or seek employment,” Engilbertsdóttir further noted.
Dr Robin Nandy, UNICEF Representative to Uganda, hailed the partnership as a crucial step toward sustainable change:
“This agreement signifies the shared commitment of UNICEF and the Icelandic Government to prioritize the needs of children and communities in Uganda. With Iceland’s generous support, we will be able to scale up our efforts to address critical challenges, strengthen systems, and create lasting change for adolescent mothers and their children. Every child deserves a fair chance at a brighter future, and today’s partnership brings us closer to achieving that goal,” he said.
The Embassy of Iceland and UNICEF have a history of impactful collaboration. Since 2019, their partnership has improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and health facilities in refugee-hosting districts.
With this funding, UNICEF and Iceland aim to empower communities with the tools and resources they need to create a better future for children in Uganda by investing in innovative approaches and community-driven solutions aimed at contributing to Uganda’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By URN / The Observer
Once returned, the lawmaker says he will request the President to allocate the funds to other churches in need. President William Ruto’s donation of Ksh. 5.8 million to the Catholic Church in Nairobi last month has not yet been returned, according to Kimani Ichung’wah, the Majority Leader in the National Assembly.
Archbishop Philip Anyolo of Nairobi announced that the church had rejected the contribution made by the head of state and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during a service at Soweto Catholic Church in November 17, 2024. During the service, President Ruto donated Ksh. 600,000 to the church choir, while Sakaja contributed Ksh. 200,000 to support it.
The President also gave Ksh. 2 million for the construction of the parish priest’s house and pledged an additional Ksh. 3 million for the same project. He further promised to deliver a bus to the church in January.
However, shortly after the service, Archbishop Anyolo stated that the church would not accept the donation from the President due to a ban on such contributions.
Two weeks later, Ichung’wah reported that the funds have still not been returned to the President.
“Nasisitiza kwamba mchango ambao Rais William Ruto alitoa kwa Kanisa Katoliki bado haujarudishwa. Nilisikia wengine wakisema kuwa hiyo pesa imerudishwa,” the outspoken lawmaker remarked.
Ichung’wah indicated that he is waiting for confirmation of the return before requesting the President to allocate the funds to other churches in need.
“Niko la list mrefu. Nitaomba rais akipata ile ameambiwa atarudishiwa anipatie tuweze kupeleka kwa wengine,” he said. By Eric Biegon, KBC
Renowned lawyer and Pan-Africanist P.L.O. Lumumba has criticized Africa’s failure to fully leverage technology, emphasizing its potential to transform the continent’s development and global competitiveness.
Speaking during a keynote address at the African Talent Campus in Kisumu on Saturday, Lumumba lamented Africa’s sluggish adoption of technological advancements. The event was hosted in collaboration with the GATES Africa Training Centre and the Management University of Africa (MUA).
“If Africa today is lagging behind, it is because she is not consuming the technology that she ought to consume,” Lumumba stated.
Missed Revolutions
He highlighted Africa’s missed opportunities during the first and second industrial revolutions, noting that the continent has yet to catch up.
“In my opinion, Africa has not even gone through the agrarian revolution. If you look at how we till our land, it is the same way Adam and Eve did. If you look at how we plough our fields, it is the same way Abraham in the Bible did,” Lumumba said.
He called for urgent technological adoption across all sectors, stressing that technology is critical for Africa to compete globally and ensure no one is left behind.
Learning from Others
Lumumba urged Africa to draw lessons from other nations, citing the Dutch as an example of using technology to combat floods.
“Why should floods still displace families in this era of technological advancements? It is high time we replicate technologies used in other parts of the world, such as the Netherlands, to address our challenges,” he said.
Building Capabilities in Science and Technology
Lumumba advocated for the continent to leap forward by prioritizing science and technology as key drivers of progress.
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“There is a saying: ‘Competition is the law of the jungle, and cooperation is the law of civilization.’ Africa must decide to embrace both to compete globally,” he added.
Calls for Talent-Based Education
Prof. Humphrey Oborah, GATES Africa’s Head of Mission, underscored the importance of talent-based training to equip graduates with skills to create opportunities.
“Let us identify the talents of our children at an early age so they can pursue careers that align with their strengths, rather than chasing unachievable dreams,” Prof. Oborah said.
Institutions Must Adapt
MUA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Washington Okeyo echoed these sentiments, urging higher learning institutions to align their programs with technological advancements to address Africa’s unique challenges.
“African problems can be resolved through innovative solutions taught in our universities. Everyone must adapt to the evolving technological landscape,” he said.
The conference concluded with a resounding call for Africa to embrace technology as a tool for transformation and to foster a competitive edge in the global arena. By Ojwang Joe, Capital News
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