John Joseph Pombe Magufuli was a man who deftly played the long political game. He was nevertheless a puzzle both to Tanzanians and the world… writes Aikande Clement Kwayu, University of Wisconsin-Madison. When he first entered the presidency in 2015, he gained worldwide acclaim for his no-nonsense approach to fighting corruption and imprudent government spending. […]

NAIROBI – When the soldiers started fanning out in the cashew nut growing regions of southern Tanzania – it was a jolting sight for traders and, campaigners say, a watershed moment for a country once held up as a darling of development groups. The government said the troops were there last week to make sure […]

The Tanzanian mainland is marking the 56th anniversary of independence from British rule. The mainland unified with Zanzibar in 1964 to create the current nation-state under Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who is often invoked as “the father of the nation”. The new nation-state’s economic, social and political path was paved in 1967, when Nyerere proclaimed the […]

There were scarcely any hints of the tumultuous years that would follow the swearing-in of Dr John Pombe Magufuli on 5th November 2015 as Tanzania’s fifth president. After all, his Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) had been in power for decades, and his victory seemed to herald continuity with the past. Tanzania’s President John Magufuli after […]

PRETORIA – President Jacob Zuma has described his State visit to Tanzania as successful, with talks paving the way for deepened cooperation between the two southern African countries. “It was an important visit for South Africa, as our aim was to review and strengthen the existing strong bilateral and economic relations between the two countries, […]

PRETORIA – In a move that echoes that of Tanzania’s cost-cutting President Magufuli, the new Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, has today announced two immediate measures to cut costs for the new administration. In a statement released Wednesday by the Democratic Alliance (DA), it said the Mayor has put a stop to all inaugural parties, and catered […]

John Magufuli was elected president of Tanzania in late October. Since then many around the world have been electrified by the honesty and goodness of this man, who is that rarity – a leader who actually has the interests of his country and its people at heart. In South Africa, with protests demanding #ZumaMustFall after […]

It has been only three weeks since Tanzania elected John Magufuli, the son of a farmer, to take over from Jakaya Kikwete, whose government was scarred by scandals and excesses, and it’s already clear why the can-do, cost-cutting, austere, corruption-hating new leader is known as Iron Fist and the Bulldozer. There might be tongue-in-cheek celebrations on Twitter – […]

SADC Heads of State have reiterated commitment to contribute towards the efforts of bringing about lasting peace and security, as well as reconciliation and development in the Republic of Mozambique. This comes amid a spate of attacks in the country’s Cabo Delgado Province in the last two weeks. The leaders condemned the violence during this […]

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has died at the age of 61 at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, according to his vice president who announced it on state television on Wednesday. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed condolences and “deep sadness” for the passing of President John Pombe Magufuli. President Ramaphosa said: “South Africa is […]

Tanzania’s health minister said earlier this month that the country has no plans to procure COVID-19 vaccines. Moina Spooner, an editor with The Conversation Africa, asked Catherine Kyobutungi, African Population and Health Research Center, to explain Tanzania’s COVID-19 response and why it’s problematic. Why has the decision been taken not to vaccinate? Tanzania has had […]

Tanzanians voted in their general election on October 28 in a poll that pitted popular opposition chief Tundu Lissu against incumbent John Magufuli. As the results were announced, Dan Paget explains why incumbent John Magufuli was declared the winner, and what his second term will mean for democracy in the East African nation. How do […]

Before the heroic return of opposition figure, Tundu Lissu, in late July 2020, Tanzania’s political landscape lacked the exuberance and ebullience that comes with an election season. Lissu’s return reignited the hopes of a despondent opposition that had been subdued by the oppressive and restrictive political environment during President John Magufuli’s five-year term. Lissu has […]

DAR ES SALAAM/JOHANNESBURG – South African authorities impounded an Airbus 220-300 aircraft, leased by Tanzania’s national flag carrier, following a court application by a retired farmer who is owed compensation by the Tanzanian government, the farmer’s lawyer said. The plane had been scheduled to fly from the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, […]

DAR ES SALAAM – A fuel tanker exploded in eastern Tanzania on Saturday killing at least 60 people, authorities said, as flames ripped through a crowd that had gathered to siphon petrol from it. Video clips circulating on social media showed the charred remains of dozens of young men and burnt motorbikes. In footage from […]

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has ordered the sprawling Selous Game Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to be split in two to restrict the access of big game hunters. Covering 50,000 sq km (19,000 sq miles), the Selous reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, and is famed for its elephants, lions, […]

Tanzania on Tuesday denied blocking the publication of a critical International Monetary Fund report that accuses President John Magufuli’s government of undermining economic growth with “unpredictable and interventionist” policies. In the leaked report, seen by Reuters last week and which the IMF said was not made public after Tanzanian authorities did not consent to its […]

DAR ES SALAAM – Ten opposition parties in Tanzania say proposed amendments to a law governing political parties would criminalise their activities. Critics of President John Magufuli, who was the darling of social media when he first came to power in 2015, say he is increasingly cracking down on dissent with restrictions on the political […]

DAR ES SALAAM – Tanzania released two staff members of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Thursday, a day after they were detained and their passports seized, the South African Foreign Ministry said. Tanzanian Immigration Department spokesman Ali Mtanda said Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo were arrested for violating the terms of […]

Congratulations to South Africa’s former Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, who was named the Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2016 at a glittering event in Nairobi, Kenya, this week. Madonsela was nominated for her “notable work as South Africa’s Public Protector”. In accepting the prestigious award, South Africa’s popular advocate said: “Words cannot express the gratitude […]

PRETORIA – The Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, has continued his impressive Magufuli-esque cost-cutting campaign… announcing today that he has put an immediate stop to all purchases or leasing of luxury cars for politicians and senior officials. Msimanga says: “A Hundai i20 or Toyota Corolla can do the same job for a politican as an […]

Africa has the most beautiful mountains, people, wildlife, food, beaches and deserts… From the Sahara to the Kalahari From Tangiers and Cairo to Dakar Nairobi and Cape Town From peri peri chicken and malva pudding to Moroccan tajines and putu From the pyramids of Egypt to the Cradle of Humankind From the Atlas Mountains to the Drakensberg, […]

The South African survivor of the helicopter in Tanzania, which was shot down by poachers two weeks ago, has spoken exclusively to SAPeople about the night of the shooting in which his friend and colleague – British pilot Roger Gower – was fatally wounded. Nick Bester – who grew up on a farm in the Free […]

There were numerous highlights in President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address on Thursday, starting with almost an hour of very vocal interruptions, mostly by the Economic Freedom Fighters, who finally walked out of the chamber shouting “Zupta Must Fall! Zupta Must Fall!” Outside Parliament the EFF’s leader Julius Malema delivered what he called […]

From the real to the surreal (especially for Trevor Noah), here are some of the quotes of the year, from South Africans (and Africans) around the world, that made it into a list from the BBC. Plus, we have added some others worth mentioning. “This is surreal for me, I’m not going to lie, growing […]