Magufuli picks new board chairs for varsities, public entities

PRESIDENT John Magufuli has appointed three chairpersons of boards of directors for government institutions and two others for universities’ councils.

The appointment, announced yesterday by the Directorate of Presidential Communications, had Professor Jacob Philip as new board chair of the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) with effect from September 15.

Prof Philip fills the position, which was left vacant after President Magufuli annulled the appointment of former chairman, Professor Awadh Mawenya.

The new appointments include chairman of governing board for Mzumbe University, the position which went to Professor Mathew Luhanga, while Dr Maurice Mbago has been appointed as chair to the board of directors of the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA).

Professor Luhanga and Dr Mbago replaces Professor Daniel Mkude and Dr Naomi Katunzi respectively after their tenures of service have come to an end.

Dr Magufuli also appointed Ms Gaudensia Kabaka as new Chairperson of the Council of the University of Dodoma (UDOM) effective from September 5. Ms Kabaka takes over the position from Dr Augustine Mahiga, who is currently the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.

Under the new appointment, Ms Mariam Mwafisi becomes new Chair of the Muhimbili University of Allied Science (MUHAS) Council.

She would be at the helm of the council after former Chair, Mr Deogratias Ntukamazima, ended his term. President Magufuli also appointed Mr Hetson Msalale as General Manager of the Kariakoo Market Corporation starting September 5.

Dar player seeks professional stint in Kenya

TANZANIA volleyball ace David Neeke is in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi to seek green pasture. Neeke left the country last week for trials in Nairobi with an ambition to sign contract with one of the top Kenyan teams.

Speaking to the ‘Daily News’ from Nairobi over the weekend, Neeke said that everything was going well for him since his arrival in Nairobi.. “ I thank God for the achievement as everything is going as I planned. I am here (Nairobi) for trials ready for Kenyan top League,” he said.

Neeke said he expected to sign contract with one of Kenyan top teams (declined to name) ready for the next season league which starts February 2017.

The former Jeshi Stars player, Neeke said he aimed to go further than what he had achieved in Tanzania and believed he would achieve in Kenya because their volleyball standard has gone up drastically.

“The Kenyan volleyball league is more advanced compared to ours, hence, I think it is the best training ground,” he said.

He said that if all will go well is sure can go far in the sport and help his countrymate wished to excel. He returned to Nairobi after helping his team secure National Club Championship title in Coast Region last month. That was third title for Jeshi Stars this year.

He also guided his team to clinch Muungano title held in Zanzibar May and Dar es Salaam League title early August. Dar es Salaam Regional Volleyball Association (DAREVA) technical committee chairman, Nasoro Sharifu asked the sports’ stakeholders to support him in his tour that will open doors to other youth next year.

“I call upon the youth and other Tanzanians to support him and that he may succeed, it will benefit many as also will be our ambassador,” said Sharifu.

Kili Queens bank on trio to beat Kenya

ALL eyes on Asha Rashid, Stumai Abdallah and Mwanahamisi Omari, the lethal trio tasked to lead Kilimanjaro Queens in their today’s CECAFA Women title final against Kenya’s Harambee Starlets in Jinja.

It is the first notable final pitting the teams that have never met before as the event is making its maiden entry into the regional level. The deadly trio contributed immensely in scoring 7 goals that helped the team to reach the final of the inaugural event.

With the deadly iron ladies hunting goals upfront Kilimanjaro Queens’ defence must not allow the Kenyan scorers, especially Neddy Atieno and Caroline Anyango whose brilliance helped Kenya to post 22 goals that brought them to the last two stage.

With most of their goals harvested in their voluminous win over Zanzibar, Kenya still managed to beat comfortably other Group A members, Uganda and Rwanda before seeing off East Africa’s top ranked nation, Ethiopia in their semi final match.

The Mainland’s Kilimanjaro Queens set up a date with Kenya’s Harambee Starlets after punishing hosts Uganda 4-1 in the second semifinal played at the Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru yesterday.

Up-and-coming midfielder Daniel Donisia silenced the home crowd giving the visitors a fourth minute lead with a well taken free-kick off the left foot after the hosts’ keeper had gone into a brief slumber while organising her defence.

Winger Mwanahamisi Omari who had been a thorn to the host defence with some mazy runs doubled Tanzania’s lead with a near post finish 10 minutes later which forced the home team into an earlier substitution withdrawing Yudaya Nakayenze for Christine Nambirige to help steady the midfield.

Stumai Abdalla netted the third off a spectacular left footer from 35 yards in what might be a goal of the tournament contender.

The Tanzanian girls continued from where they left in the second half, Omari again turning provider for her captain Asha Rashid who scored their fourth of the game in what proved to be a one sided affair. Harambee Starlets edged out Ethiopia 3-2 to sail through into the final.

The Kenyan girls, who have qualified for their first ever Africa Cup of Nations to be played in November made it to the final courtesy of a double strike by Neddy Atieno who netted in the 52nd and 64th minutes as Starlets recovered from a first half trail. The Ethiopians pulled a fast one on the Kenyan girls who until yesterday had not conceded a goal in their three group matches netting their opener in the 37th minute.

Caroline Onyango sealed the win for Kenya with an 71st minute third goal, but it was Losa Abera’s second for Ethiopia that raised the tension and heat of the match as the Ethiopians threatened a comeback.

The Starlets however showed resilience and determination holding on to the single goal lead for the win.

TFF: Serengeti Boys will make it

TANZANIA Football Federation (TFF) President Jamal Malinzi is confident that Serengeti Boys will qualify for the 12th edition of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations finals slated for Madagascar next year.

Tanzania’s U-17 side, Serengeti Boys moved a step closer to realising the dream to play in the continental youth finals after registering a 3-2 win over Congo Brazzaville in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Bakari Shime’s youngsters will need to avoid a defeat in Brazzaville in a fortnight to book a historic place in the African youth finals.

Speaking to the ‘Daily News’ yesterday, Malinzi congratulated Serengeti Boys and the team’s technical bench and expressed optimism that they have what it takes to reach the finals. “Congratulations to our boys. They have done a good job. I’m very optimistic and I believe that we’re going to qualify.

This is a genuine belief. We’re in pole position and I have a feeling that our team will finish off the job,” the TFF boss said. “We’re into the return leg with confidence, they will be under pressure,” added Malinzi, “I have spoken with the coaches and they’re upbeat ahead of the return leg.

Serengeti Boys scored three classic goals and could have killed off the tie; unfortunately, they conceded two soft goals against Les Diables Rouges (Red Devils), including a cheap penalty, which stained the otherwise superb performance.

Yohana Nkomola scored a stunning double and substitute Said Makamba added a beauty after Congo had reduced the deficit as Bakari Shime’s youngsters went 3-1 up as the game entered the added 6 minutes page time.

But Prestige Mboungou’s heartbreaking second strike for Congo Brazzaville put the tie very much in the balance. Now the Boys must ensure they avoid defeat to sail through. In preparation for the decisive return leg, TFF plans to send the Serengeti Boys outside the country for a training camp.

“We expect to send them to a camp outside the country, they’re scheduled to leave on Thursday to a country that we’re yet to decide, but by tomorrow we’ll know which country. They will stay in the camp until the date for the second leg.”

To set a date with Congo- Brazzaville, Serengeti Boys eliminated Seychelles by 9-0 goals on aggregate, before seeing off South Africa’s Amajimbos by 3-1 goal on aggregate. After a 1-1 draw in South Africa, Serengeti Boys won 2-0 in the return leg held in Chamazi Complex in Dar es Salaam.

Congo-Brazzaville saw off Namibia on a 5-1 goal aggregate. Serengeti Boys is the only team from the East African Community (EAC) remaining in contention for a place in next year’s AYC finals set for Antananarivo.

The second leg matches will take place between September 30 and October 2, and seven eventual winners will join host Madagascar for the final tournament fixed for 2-16 April 2017.

No new guidelines for food exports - minister

THE government will not issue new guidelines for food exports but will make sure rules and procedures are followed so as to monitor and control the business.

The Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Charles Tizeba told the ‘Daily News’ that the government was making sure everybody engaging in food export business obtain export permits after submitting application to the authority.

“What we are doing is not new, we are insisting on the procedures, we ensure every person in this business follows rules and principles,” he noted.

According to Dr Tizeba, the reasons behind issuing permits are to control crop diseases, ensure monitoring of quantity of exported food so as to avoid shortage in the country and many other reasons. He said so far traders were applying for permits and that the business is going on as usual.

“We want people to follow procedures, and this is what they are doing, we are making a serious follow up and monitoring on the amount of food that is exported, we are doing this to avoid the shortage of food in the country,” he said.

Dr Tizeba said at the moment, Tanzania is the main source of grains in the region and that other countries with food shortage are eying at exporting food from the country.

On September 9, this year, Dr Tizeba said in Parliament that the government was set to export rice and maize in thirteen Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) member states currently hit by acute food shortages.

Dr Tizeba told MPs in the House that the state of food production in the country between 2015/16 and 2016/17 indicated that supply had surpassed demand by 23 per cent.

A combined production outlook for 2016/17 shows that there will be 16,172,841 tonnes of grains out of which 9,457,108 tonnes will be cereals and 6,715,733 tonnes will be non-cereals.

“For the country to be food secure, we need 13.12 million tonnes of which 8.2 million will consist of cereals and 4.8 million tonnes will be non-cereals,” the minister told the National Assembly.

This means Tanzania will have 3.02 million tonnes of excess produce. The minister explained that the government had secured funds from Poland to finance the capacity of the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to a tune of 55 million US dollars.

He added that the agency will only be able to reserve 496,000 tonnes of the total production. In 2014, the government scrapped the export of traditional rice and maize to allow thorough assessment of Tanzania’s rice and maize production outlook.

The Minister said yesterday that after the government lifted the ban, it opened doors for traders to apply for food export permit and that those who meet the criteria have been offered permit to proceed with business.