Air Tanzania to expand coverage next month

AIR Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) will effective next month extend wings to three new destinations to cope with soaring demand for its services.

ATCL Acting Commercial Director, Juma Boma, told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday the decision to extend wings was based on a thorough market study that established mounting demand for the national carrier’s services despite stiff competition in the aviation industry.

According to a press statement issued yesterday, ATCL said it was expecting to expand its flight services to Mbeya, Mwanza and Bujumbura by early November, this year.

The airline will bring in another plane - CRJ, the Canadian Regional Jet with 50-passenger capacity - to bolster not only the present operations but also serve the newly introduced routes. The leased aircraft will also provide important backup to the operational plane, eliminating the possibility of flight cancellation.

“Even with one plane - the bombardier Dash 8, ATCL has managed to maintain 98 per cent performance of flight operations and schedules in almost six different routes, while ensuring that things like periodic maintenance are observed,” noted Mr Boma.

He said due to limitations in some local airports, ATCL planes cannot operate during the night, the situation that leads to underutilisation of the aircrafts. Under normal circumstances, the plane is supposed to be on air for over 15 hours a day.

Some of the country’s airports that can operate for 24 hours include Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza international airports. The flight charges in the present and new routes would be affordable to ensure that a good number of medium income earners are able to use the airline services.

“Some airlines charge fixed rates that unrealistic and unsustainable because they do not consider the present cost situation,” said the director.

According to the new schedule, flights to Bujumbura will be on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while ATCL will fly to Mbeya four times a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights to Kigoma will be on daily basis while Tabora will enjoy additional flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays.

Saro’s condition improving after operation

ITV/Radio One Reporter, Ufoo Saro, who was shot and seriously injured by her fiance, who also shot the reporter's mother dead before taking his own life, is in a stable condition after a successful operation at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH).

The family spokesperson, Mr Idd Lema, said that Ms Saro's condition was stable and she was recovering well at the national hospital, Kibasila ward.

Mr Lema explained that Mrs Anastazia Saro's body would be transported today to Shari village in Machame, Kilimanjaro Region, after people had paid their last respects that will be held at her home at Kibamba CCM, on the outskirts of the city.

"The deceased’s body will be transported to Shari in Machame for burial and we expect to start the journey tomorrow (today) afternoon, after paying the last respects," he explained.

The journalist, who works for ITV/Radio One, was shot and seriously injured on Sunday morning in what many suspect to be a quarrel over love that left her mother and her fiance dead. The fiance, Mr Anthery Mushi (40), who was based in Sudan, committed the heinous act before taking his own life.

A close friend, who declined to be named, said Mr Mushi worked with ITV before joining the United Nations where he worked for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha and later was stationed in Sudan.

Kinondoni Regional Police Commander (RPC), Camilius Wambura, said the incident took place at Kibamba CCM at around 6.30 in the morning.

Wambura said the shooting was preceded by a conflict between the couple who had gone to Kibamba CCM where Ms Saro’s mother, Mrs Anastazia Peter Saro (58), resided.

He said the assailant arrived on Saturday from Sudan where he was working as a telecommunication engineer with the United Nations and went straight to his fiance's home at Mbezi Magari Saba.

“Early in the morning at around 6:00 yesterday (Sunday), the two drove to Kibamba CCM to seek intervention in a family dispute.

It seems that the intervention did not go well, because at around 6.30 am the assailant shot his fiancee’s mother on the chest, shot his fiancee on her stomach before shooting himself under the chin," RPC Wambura explained.

He added that before he shot himself the assailant tried to shoot Ufoo Saro's siblings, who scampered away in fright and narrowly escaped death.

The commander explained that Ms Saro was at MNH fighting for her life while doctors were operating on her to remove bullets. The bodies of the deceased have been preserved at the national hospital. Further details from Ufoo Saro’s sibling, Goodluck Saro (26), show that more people would have been shot.

However, escaping through the roof saved their lives. Goodluck, who was still dazed from the incident, said they did not expect something like that from the assailant, whom he described as polite and soft-spoken.

"They came together with Ufoo early in the morning in my sister's car at around 6 am and he greeted us before they went inside the house for discussions with our mother," Goodluck said.

Shortly afterwards, they heard gunshots and their mother calling out that she was dying and when they tried to open the door to find out what was going on, more gunshots were heard from the sitting room.

"When we wanted to know what was going on, we saw our sister Ufoo at the door of our room telling us to close the door because he was going to kill us all...stressing that we should find a way to save ourselves," he explained.

That is when they decided to scale the walls of the room and escaped through the roof and ran all way to the nearest neighbours and called for help.

When they came back with help, they were all scared to go inside the house, fearing they would be shot, until the police arrived.

While in the company of police, they went inside the house only to find the assailant on one of the sofas with a gunshot wound under his chin while their mother lay on the floor. Both were dead.

After failing to find their sister in the house, they looked for her outside and met with a motorcyclist who told them that he had met with a woman who was covered in blood who had asked to be rushed to Tumbi Hospital.

"The police took the pistol, bullet shells and the bag that the assailant carried. They found a rope, a double-bladed axe and handcuffs inside the bag,’’ he narrated.

US court upholds decision on IPTL case

THE United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has refused to stay its decision, recognizing the competence of Tanzanian courts to determine all pending disputes involving Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL).

United States District Judge, Victor Marrero ruled against Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), saying, “the request is denied. The court is not persuaded that further motion practices at this stage is warranted or would be productive.”

The judge added in his order dated October 10, 2013, “in light of its application of judicial estoppels, the court finds insufficient basis for a finding that SCB would likely prevail on appeal. SCB has recourse to seek a stay from the circuit court. It is so ordered.”

On October 4, this year, the New York court rejected the contention by SCB, seeking to challenge the jurisdiction of Tanzanian Courts to determine IPTL disputes and reaffirmed its September 10, order and that of September 23, in dismissing the Bank’s action.

In its order of September 10, the New York Court, among others, directed Standard Chartered Bank to file a statement confirming its consent to jurisdiction in the Republic of Tanzania while in that of September 23 the Court refused to review its previous ruling on the matter.

Before issuing the orders in question while litigating a case lodged by VIP Engineering and Marketing Limited, a Tanzanian Company, the Bank had represented, both orally and in writing, that it considered Tanzania an adequate alternative forum for determining the case.

Such presentation were deemed to be an expression of the Bank’s consent to the adjudication of the action in Tanzania and to comply with any final judgment rendered by any court of competent jurisdiction there in connection with the parties’ underlying the dispute.

“Because Standard Chartered previously informed the Court that Tanzania would be an adequate alternative forum and thus at least implicitly that it would consent to Tanzanian jurisdiction, the doctrine of judicial estoppels bar (it) from withdrawing that consent,” he ruled.

Judge Victor Marrero added, “Judicial estoppels prevent a party from making a contradictory statement in a later stage of litigation based on the exigencies of the moment.”

He said permitting Standard Chartered to change its position on consent to Tanzanian jurisdiction after the Court had already announced its reliance on the prior representations would have an adverse impact on the integrity of the judicial process.

According to the judge, Standard Chartered Bank’s inconsistent positions have imposed costs on VIP by delaying the resolution of the latter’s claims and imposing costs on them to continue litigating before the Court in New York.

After the October 4 ruling, the Bank asked the Court to stay its decision, alleging that irreparable loss was imminent because VIP Engineering Company would use the orders to prejudice SCB rights and which could cause the appeal to become moot.

The Bank alleged that the Court erred for holding SCB was estopped to deny its consent over Tanzanians courts’ powers and as detailed in the letter of September 27, the court erred for assuming substantive law declaring power before deciding its jurisdiction over the dispute.

On September 23, the Bank had written to the Court, opining that the order in controversy raises a serious jurisdictional issue and faulted the resolution of hotly disputed matter of whether it had consented to jurisdiction in Tanzania.

Standard Chartered Bank further explained that it is concerned with how VIP Engineering and Marketing Limited was misrepresenting the September 23, order in related arbitration proceedings between the parties.

However, in his ruling, the judge said a court could dismiss an action on forum non convenience grounds without resolving jurisdictional issues.

“The September 23 order, thus, raises no jurisdictional issues, contrary to Standard Chartered’s claim,” he said. Following the New York Court’s decision, last week, VIP requested the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) to dismiss the actions commenced by the Bank against the government and Tanesco over 117million US dollars payments.

The two Banks, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (the Bank) and by Standard Chartered Bank PLC filed before the ICSID two separate cases in the years 2010 and 2012, over the alleged non-payment by Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL).

Since 2005 to date, however, VIP had been asserting in the Tanzania Courts that Standard Chartered Bank was not a creditor, but a pre-debtor of IPTL and reiterated similar position informally by letters at ICSID and formally by way of complaint in USA and Federal Courts.

“VIP reiterates its request to the ICSID Tribunals, to decline any jurisdiction in the subject matter of Bank’s purported interests in IPTL and its share and stakeholders, including of IPTL its successors in title,” stated Counsel Camilo Schutte, for VIP, in a letter to the Tribunal.

Hamad plays down Opposition alliance

THE Secretary General of the Civic United Front (CUF), Mr Seif Sharif Hamad, has asked the party members and fans not to be misled by speculations that CUF has formed an alliance with Chadema and NCCR.

“Our current relations involve a struggle for democracy particularly, making sure that we have a constitution accepted by most Tanzanians.

You should ignore rumours that we have merged our parties unofficially,” Hamad said in Pemba.

Maalim Seif, who is also Zanzibar’s First Vice-President, said that his party will continue working with Chadema and NCCR for the benefit of the people, “but each party has its own manifesto, vision and objectives.”

During a rally at Jadida Grounds in Wete, Pemba, Hamad also appealed to farmers in the Islands to avoid smuggling cloves. He said that the cloves should only be sold to the government through the Zanzibar State Trade Corporation (ZSTC).

He said that selling cloves to unauthorised business people will deny the government millions of shillings in taxes needed for development.

More than 75 per cent of the cloves produced in Zanzibar come from Pemba. Meanwhile, the acting deputy Secretary General, Mr Hamad Masoud, has threatened to sue community leaders involved in denying Zanzibaris their identity cards.

“We have been receiving complaints from our members who claim that they have not been given ZanIDs even with all the required documents including birth certificates at hand.

We are now consulting our lawyer so that we take to court all leaders who deliberately refuse to process ZanIDs,” Masoud said.

CUF has, for long, been complaining that some people, especially those believed to favour the party, are not given the Ids, which is numberone requirement for anyone to register as a voter in future elections.

The government, through its ministers, has on several occasions dismissed the accusation, saying that people’s ignorance is to blame for not meeting the required conditions for the ZanIDs.

Bagamoyo set to host special economic zone

THE Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone, once completed, is expected to become a centre of business and industries for value addition of Tanzanian products, thus facilitating the country’s economic growth and sustainable development.

The Director General of the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dr. Adelhelm Meru, told journalists in Dar es Salaam that the ongoing development of the Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone was progressing on well.

         

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“Bagamoyo will be an industrialized modern town providing employment and business opportunities, thus speeding up the country’s development,” he said.

Dr. Meru said that industries were fundamental for development of any country because they created employment opportunities which help to boost economic sector. He said land compensation for people living in the 9000 hectares and demarcation of the area for the earmarked projects had started and that the process was going on smoothly as planned.

“We have succeeded in compensating people owning 1500 out of the 9000 hectares and we will continue compensating others as the government’s budgets allows,” he said.

He said implementation of the development of the Bagamoyo zone would be in two phases, adding that the first phase, with a total of 2500 hectares, will be handled by the government of China through China Merchants Holdings International Limited.

“The company will construct a modern port in the 800 hectares and the remaining 1700 hectares will be reserved for other development projects in the same area,” he said.

He said the second phase that involves the remaining area will be under EPZA and called upon people wishing to invest in industries to contact his authority.

He further said that EPZA had identified special economic areas for investment in twenty regions of Tanzania Mainland.

“I call upon anyone interested in investing in industries in those areas not to hesitate to come to our authority,” he said.

He mentioned other regions where they had already created special economic areas for investment as Bunda in Mara, with 1500 hectares and Kigoma, with 350 hectares.

Industries specializing in value-addition of agricultural products have been a leading area of investment under the EPZA in the country for the past six years.

Specifically, agriculture value addition was one of the areas that had hugely attracted investors to EPZA areas. On average, about 55 per cent of industries established under the EPZA deal in agricultural value-addition and textile processing.

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The Director General of the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dr. Adelhelm Meru.

THE Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone, once completed, is expected to become a centre of business and industries for value addition of Tanzanian products, thus facilitating the country’s economic growth and sustainable development.

The Director General of the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dr. Adelhelm Meru, told journalists in Dar es Salaam that the ongoing development of the Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone was progressing on well.

“Bagamoyo will be an industrialized modern town providing employment and business opportunities, thus speeding up the country’s development,” h

TRA for 24/7 work week at Dar Port

IN a quest to increase efficiency and fast tracking clearance of cargo at the Dar es Salaam Port, the government has instructed Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to start working 24 hours and seven days a week, including public holidays.

The Minister for Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, said that TRA should get prepared for the new working schedule in order to speed up documentation processes that, otherwise remain dormant during the weekends and public holidays when offices remain closed.

He was speaking as he accompanied the Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Delivery Bureau (PDB), Mr Omary Issa, who made a familiarisation tour at the Port as well as to the Tanzania Road Haulage (TRH) Inland Container Depot.

Insisting in a mood that showed the matter has been already discussed within other higher government circles; Dr Mwakyembe said the new TRA work arrangement at the Port will be known within a week.

“TRA should see to it that operations and documents are processed and released every day to make sure there is no delay in clearance of cargo as is the case today.

They are already receiving handsome packages so they work in a flexible schedule,” he said. He ordered TPA to prepare weekly report on the performance of all Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and asked them to stop charging their customers during the days their cargo is not moved -- especially during the weekends and public holidays.

Making a brief presentation on the port operations, the Port Manager, Mr Awadh Massawe, said despite the existing challenges, clearance of cargo has been improving particularly for the last 18 months, where 12.5 million tonnes were offloaded compared to 10.9 million tonnes the same period before.

He said that the port was still serving six landlocked countries using its services well. He added that if services keep improving more countries can develop interest of using the port. He mentioned Zimbabwe which has started using the port to transport its cargo.

Mr Awadh made a special call for the authorities to see to it that TRA and commercial banks are working 24 hours and seven days a week to facilitate speedy documentation and financial transactions for fast movement of cargo.

Early this year, Minister, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe and Trade and Industries Minister, Dr Abdallah Kigoda ordered that all Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), work 24 hours a day to avoid unnecessary delays of cargo and costs to customers using TPA’s services.

The Minister for Finance, Dr William Mgimwa has been quoted admitting that delay of cargo at the Dar es Salaam Port was caused by, among others, improper coordination between the TRA and TPA. He challenged the two authorities to convene an emergency meeting to see how they can avoid the situation.