MICHUZI BLOG

Janeth Raphael MichuziTv - Bungeni Dodoma

Serikali Yachochea Ujenzi wa Soko Kubwa la Mazao ya Misitu Mafinga Kukuza Biashara na Kuvutia Wanunuzi wa Kimataifa

Serikali imeeleza kuwa inaendelea na jitihada za kuratibu uanzishwaji wa soko kubwa la mazao ya misitu katika eneo la Mafinga, mkoani Iringa, kwa lengo la kuboresha mfumo wa biashara ya mazao hayo na kuwezesha wanunuzi wa ndani na nje ya nchi kupata bidhaa katika eneo maalumu badala ya kununua moja kwa moja kutoka kwa wakulima vijijini.

Kauli hiyo imetolewa na Naibu Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii, Mhe. Hamad Hassan Chande (Mb), alipokuwa akijibu swali la Mbunge wa Mafinga Mjini, Mhe. Dickson Nathan Lutevele, ambaye alitaka kufahamu mpango wa Serikali wa kujenga soko kubwa la mazao ya misitu katika eneo hilo.

Akijibu swali hilo, Mhe. Chande amesema Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii imekuwa ikiratibu vikao mbalimbali vya wadau vinavyowakutanisha taasisi na mamlaka muhimu zikiwemo Mamlaka ya Mapato Tanzania (TRA), Mamlaka ya Maeneo Maalum ya Uwekezaji kwa Mauzo ya Nje (EPZA), Taasisi ya Maendeleo ya Biashara Tanzania (TanTrade), Halmashauri ya Wilaya ya Mufindi, Halmashauri ya Mji wa Mafinga, Wakala wa Huduma za Misitu Tanzania (TFS), pamoja na vyama vya wavunaji wa misitu na wadau wengine wa sekta hiyo.

Ameeleza kuwa kupitia vikao hivyo, wadau wamekuwa wakijadili masuala mbalimbali muhimu yatakayowezesha kuanzishwa kwa soko hilo, ikiwemo upatikanaji wa eneo litakalotumika, mfumo wa uendeshaji wa soko, ushiriki wa wadau mbalimbali na namna ya kupata rasilimali fedha kwa ajili ya utekelezaji wa mradi huo.

Naibu Waziri huyo amesema kuwa mpango wa kuanzisha soko kubwa la mazao ya misitu Mafinga ni sehemu ya mkakati mpana wa Serikali unaotekelezwa kwa ushirikiano kati ya Halmashauri husika na Wizara yenye dhamana ya Viwanda na Biashara.

Kutokana na hilo, amemshauri Mbunge wa Mafinga Mjini kuendelea kushirikiana na mamlaka za halmashauri husika katika hatua za kutafuta na kutenga eneo litakalotumika kwa ajili ya soko hilo.

Aidha, amesisitiza kuwa Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii ipo tayari kuendelea kushirikiana na halmashauri, Wizara ya Viwanda na Biashara pamoja na wadau wa maendeleo ili kuhakikisha ndoto ya kuwa na soko kubwa la mazao ya misitu Mafinga inafanikishwa na kuleta manufaa kwa wakulima, wafanyabiashara na uchumi wa eneo hilo kwa ujumla.

MKAKATI WA KUPUNGUZA WATOTO WA MITAANI WAZIDI KUZAA MATOKEO, ZAIDI YA 6,000 WAOKOLEWA NCHINI

Na Janeth Raphael MichuziTv - Bungeni Dodoma

Serikali imeeleza mikakati mbalimbali inayotekelezwa ili kuondoa changamoto za watoto wanaoishi na kufanya kazi mtaani, ikiwa ni pamoja na hatua za kinga, uokoaji na uimarishaji wa ustawi wa jamii katika ngazi ya familia na jamii kwa ujumla.

Akijibu swali la Mbunge wa Viti Maalum, Martha Festo Mariki, Naibu Waziri wa Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia, Wanawake na Makundi Maalum, Mhandisi Maryprisca Mahundi, amesema Serikali inaendelea kutekeleza mikakati ya kina yenye lengo la kuhakikisha watoto wanapata malezi bora na kuepuka kuingia katika maisha ya mitaani.

Kwa mujibu wa Naibu Waziri huyo, baadhi ya hatua zinazochukuliwa na Serikali ni pamoja na kutoa elimu kwa wazazi na walezi kuhusu umuhimu wa malezi bora na usimamizi wa watoto ili kuzuia hali zinazoweza kuwasukuma watoto kukimbilia mitaani.

Aidha, Serikali imeendelea kuhamasisha wazazi na walezi kutoa taarifa kwa maafisa ustawi wa jamii pale inapojitokeza changamoto zinazoweza kuhatarisha ustawi wa watoto ndani ya familia, ili hatua za haraka ziweze kuchukuliwa.

Katika kuimarisha usalama wa watoto, wazazi, walezi pamoja na walimu wanahimizwa kutoa taarifa mara moja katika vituo vya polisi au mamlaka husika pindi mtoto anapopotea nyumbani au shuleni, ili kusaidia ufuatiliaji wa haraka.

Serikali pia imeweka mkazo katika kuboresha uchumi wa kaya, hatua inayolenga kuhakikisha familia zinakuwa na uwezo wa kuwapatia watoto mahitaji yao ya msingi na hivyo kupunguza uwezekano wa watoto kuingia mitaani kutokana na changamoto za kiuchumi.

Vilevile, Serikali imeanzisha Madawati ya Huduma za Ustawi wa Jamii katika vituo vya usafirishaji nchini, yakiwa na jukumu la kubaini, kuzuia na kuwasaidia watoto wanaotoroka nyumbani na kuingia katika maisha ya mitaani.

Kwa mujibu wa takwimu zilizotolewa, katika kipindi cha Julai 2025 hadi Februari 2026, jumla ya watoto 6,182 waliokuwa wakiishi au kufanya kazi mtaani wameokolewa. Kati yao, watoto 5,663 wameunganishwa tena na familia zao, huku wengine waliobaki wakipatiwa huduma stahiki kulingana na mahitaji yao ya ustawi wa jamii.

Serikali imesisitiza kuwa itaendelea kuimarisha mikakati hiyo ili kuhakikisha kila mtoto anapata haki ya kuishi katika mazingira salama, yenye malezi bora na yenye kumlinda dhidi ya changamoto za maisha ya mitaani.

JKCI YAWATAKA WANANCHI KUJUA ‘NAMBA ZAO’

Na Belinda Joseph-Dodoma.

Wananchi wametakiwa kufahamu hali zao za kiafya mapema kwa kupima viashiria muhimu vinavyohusiana na magonjwa yasiyoambukiza ili kuepuka madhara makubwa yanayoweza kusababishwa na magonjwa hayo bila kuonyesha dalili katika hatua za awali.

Wito huo umetolewa na Meneja wa Huduma za Utawala kutoka Taasisi ya Moyo Jakaya Kikwete (JKCI), Joachim Asenga, wakati wa Maonyesho ya Wiki ya Utumishi wa Umma yanayoendelea jijini Dodoma.

Asenga alisema JKCI inashiriki maonyesho hayo kwa kutoa elimu kwa wananchi kuhusu huduma mbalimbali zinazotolewa na taasisi hiyo pamoja na kuhamasisha kampeni ya “Jua Namba Zako”, inayolenga kuwasaidia wananchi kufahamu hali zao za kiafya na kujikinga dhidi ya magonjwa yasiyoambukiza.

Alisema namba hizo zinahusisha shinikizo la damu, mapigo ya moyo, kiwango cha sukari kwenye damu, uwiano wa uzito kwa urefu pamoja na kiwango cha mafuta kwenye damu.

“Watu wengi huamini wana afya njema kwa sababu hawana dalili zozote, lakini magonjwa mengi yasiyoambukiza huanza kimya kimya bila kuonyesha dalili za awali, ndiyo maana ni muhimu kwa kila mtu kujua namba zake.”

Alionya kuwa magonjwa hayo yasipotambuliwa mapema yanaweza kusababisha madhara makubwa ikiwemo kiharusi, kupooza, mshtuko wa moyo na figo kushindwa kufanya kazi kwa ufanisi.

Asenga aliwataka wananchi wa Dodoma pamoja na watumishi wa umma wanaoshiriki maonyesho hayo kutembelea banda la JKCI kwa ajili ya kupima afya zao na kupata ushauri wa kitaalamu bila malipo.

“Niwakaribishe wananchi wote kufika katika banda letu, vipimo vyote vinatolewa bure na ni fursa muhimu kwa mtu kujua hali yake ya afya kabla ya matatizo makubwa kutokea”.

Kwa upande wake, Daktari kutoka JKCI, Daud Geofrey Gwirenza, alisema ndani ya siku tatu za ushiriki wao katika maonyesho hayo, watu takribani 170 wamepatiwa vipimo mbalimbali vya afya huku zaidi ya wagonjwa 20 wakipewa rufaa kwa ajili ya uchunguzi na matibabu zaidi.

Alisema takwimu hizo zinaonyesha umuhimu wa wananchi kujitokeza kupima afya zao mara kwa mara ili kubaini matatizo mapema na kupata huduma stahiki.

Dk. Gwirenza alitaja makundi yaliyo katika hatari kubwa ya kupata magonjwa ya moyo kuwa ni pamoja na watu wenye uzito uliopitiliza, wenye historia ya presha, kisukari au lehemu katika familia zao, wanaovuta sigara, wenye kisukari na wale walio katika hatari ya kupata kisukari au shinikizo la damu.

MWANAFUNZI WA DIT ABUNI KITI MWENDO CHA KUWASAIDIA WENYE TATIZO LA KIHARUSI

Mwanafunzi wa Taasisi ya Teknolojia Dar es Salaam (DIT), Hamida Dhamir Hamad, amebuni na kutengeneza kifaa chenye muundo wa kiti mwendo kitakachowasaidia watoto na watu wazima wenye changamoto za kiharusi kupata uwezo wa kusimama na kufanya shughuli zao za kila siku bila kuhitaji msaada wa au uangalizi wa karibu zaidi.

Akizungumza kwenye maadhimisho ya Wiki ya Utumishi wa Umma yanayoendelea Jijinj Dodoma, Juni 18, 2026, amesema kuwa ubunifu huo umetokana na elimu na mafunzo anayopata darasani, ambayo yanawahamasisha wanafunzi kutumia maarifa yao kutatua changamoto zinazoikabili jamii.

Ameeleza kuwa alisukumwa kubuni kiti hicho ili kuwasaidia watu wenye matatizo ya kiharusi kurejesha uwezo wao wa kujitegemea katika shughuli mbalimbali za maisha ya kila siku, Aidha amesema matarajio yake ni kuboresha na kuzalisha vifaa vingi zaidi ili kuwafikia watu wengi wenye uhitaji na hivyo kurejesha matumaini, tabasamu na uwezo wa kusimama tena kwa wahitaji.

Amewaomba wadau mbalimbali kujitokeza kuunga juhudi na kuchangia msaada wa upatikanaji wa vifaa vya kuwezesha uzalishaji wa Viti mwendo vingi zaidi ili kuweza kuwapatia wananchi wenye tatizo la kiharusi ambavyo vitawapa uwezo wa kusimama tena.

RUZUKU ZA TASAF ZAGEUKA MKOMBOZI WA KAYA MASKINI; WANUFAIKA WAONYA MATUMIZI YA FEDHA KWA ANASA

Na Janeth Raphael - MichuziTv

Wanufaika wa Mpango wa Kunusuru Kaya Maskini (TASAF) wameeleza jinsi mpango huo ulivyobadilisha maisha yao kwa kuwainua kiuchumi, kuwawezesha kuanzisha biashara ndogo ndogo, kusomesha watoto na kushiriki kikamilifu katika shughuli za maendeleo ya jamii.

Akizungumza kwa niaba ya wanufaika wa kikundi cha Tuwe na Imani cha Kianga, Zanzibar, Mwenyekiti wa kikundi hicho, Fatuma Ally Mohamed, akiwa katika Maadhimisho ya wiki ya Utumishi wa Umma Jijini Dodoma amesema kabla ya kujiunga na TASAF baadhi ya kaya zilikuwa zikiishi katika mazingira magumu ya umaskini, hali iliyosababisha changamoto hata ya kupata mlo mmoja kwa siku.

Amesema kupitia ruzuku pamoja na mafunzo ya ujasiriamali yanayotolewa na TASAF, wanufaika wengi wamefanikiwa kuanzisha shughuli mbalimbali za kiuchumi zinazowaongezea kipato na kuboresha ustawi wa familia zao.

“Leo hii kaya nyingi zimebadilika. Watu wameanzisha biashara, wanapata kipato na wanaweza kugharamia mahitaji muhimu ya familia zao ikiwemo elimu ya watoto,” alisema Fatuma.

Mbali na kuimarisha uchumi wa kaya, alisema wanufaika pia wamekuwa wakishiriki katika utekelezaji wa miradi ya maendeleo ya jamii, ikiwemo ujenzi wa mitaro ya maji na miundombinu mingine, huku wakinufaika na kipato kinachotokana na kazi hizo.

Ameongeza kuwa mafanikio ya mpango huo yamechangia kuongezeka kwa mahudhurio ya watoto shuleni, baada ya familia nyingi kupata uwezo wa kugharamia mahitaji ya elimu yaliyokuwa kikwazo hapo awali.

Kwa upande wake, mnufaika wa TASAF kutoka Temeke, Zuena Khamis, aliwataka wanufaika kutumia ruzuku wanazopewa kwa malengo yaliyokusudiwa, akisisitiza umuhimu wa kuelekeza fedha hizo katika shughuli za maendeleo na uzalishaji mali.

Amesema matumizi yasiyo na tija, ikiwemo kununua mavazi ya sherehe na vitu vya anasa, yanaweza kudhoofisha juhudi za kujikwamua kiuchumi na kupunguza manufaa ya muda mrefu ya mpango huo.

“Ruzuku hizi ni mtaji wa maisha bora. Zinapaswa kutumika kuanzisha biashara na shughuli za kuongeza kipato badala ya matumizi ambayo hayaleti maendeleo ya kudumu kwa familia,” amesema Zuena.

Naye Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa TASAF, Shedrack Mziray, alisema ameridhishwa na maendeleo makubwa yaliyofikiwa na wanufaika wa mpango huo katika maeneo mbalimbali nchini.

Amewahimiza kuendelea kufanya kazi kwa bidii, kuimarisha shughuli zao za ujasiriamali na kutumia fursa zinazotolewa na TASAF ili kukuza biashara zao na kujenga uchumi imara unaowawezesha kuondokana na umaskini kwa njia endelevu.

Mziray amesema mafanikio yanayoonekana kwa wanufaika wengi ni ushahidi wa namna TASAF inavyoendelea kuwa chombo muhimu cha kuimarisha maisha ya wananchi wenye kipato cha chini na kuchochea maendeleo ya kijamii na kiuchumi nchini.

TVLA YAWATAKA WAFUGAJI KUONGEZA MWITIKIO WA CHANJO ZA MIFUGO

Farida Mangube Morogoro

Mtendaji Mkuu wa Wakala ya Maabara ya Veterinari Tanzania (TVLA), Dkt. Stella Bitanyi, amewataka wafugaji kuongeza mwitikio wa kuchanja mifugo ili kudhibiti magonjwa, kuongeza uzalishaji na kulinda afya ya binadamu.

Akizungumza Juni 18, 2026 mjini Morogoro katika kikao kati ya TVLA na timu ya Mradi wa Mageuzi ya Tasnia ya Maziwa na Mabadiliko ya Tabianchi (C-SDTP), amesema wafugaji wadogo bado wanaitikia kwa kiwango cha chini kampeni za chanjo licha ya upatikanaji wa chanjo zinazozalishwa na TVLA, huku akisisitiza umuhimu wa elimu kwa wafugaji ili kupunguza magonjwa ya mifugo.

Dkt. Bitanyi amesema mradi wa C-SDTP unapaswa kusaidia utoaji wa elimu kuhusu umuhimu wa chanjo na kushirikiana katika kudhibiti ugonjwa wa tupa mimba (Brucellosis) pamoja na magonjwa mengine yanayoambukizwa kutoka kwa wanyama kwenda kwa binadamu.

Pia amewahimiza wananchi kutumia maziwa salama kwa kuyachemsha kabla ya matumizi, akibainisha kuwa TVLA inaendelea kuzalisha chanjo, kufanya tafiti za kisayansi, kudhibiti ubora wa viuatilifu vya mifugo na kutoa ushauri wa kitaalamu ili kuongeza afya na tija ya mifugo.

Mratibu wa Kitaifa wa C-SDTP, Lazaro Kapela, amesema mradi huo unatekelezwa katika mikoa minane ya Tanzania Bara na mikoa mitano ya Zanzibar kwa lengo la kutatua changamoto za wafugaji kupitia upatikanaji wa mbegu bora za ng’ombe, malisho bora, huduma za afya ya mifugo na miundombinu ya maji.

Ameongeza kuwa mradi huo pia utawekeza katika vituo vya kukusanyia maziwa ili kuwaunganisha wafugaji na masoko na kuwahakikishia soko la uhakika la bidhaa zao.

Afisa Mwandamizi wa Ufuatiliaji na Tathmini wa mradi huo, Goodluck Masawe, amesema C-SDTP ni mradi wa miaka 10 ulioanza mwaka 2024 na unatarajiwa kukamilika mwaka 2034 kwa gharama ya dola za Marekani milioni 231.

Amesema mradi huo utanufaisha kaya 140,000 sawa na watu zaidi ya 700,000, ambapo asilimia 40 ni wanawake, asilimia 30 vijana na asilimia tatu ni watu wenye ulemavu watakaofikiwa moja kwa moja na huduma za mradi huo.

Kwa upande wake, Mkurugenzi wa Huduma za Mifugo kutoka Wizara ya Mifugo na Uvuvi, Dkt. Benezeth Lutenga Malinda, amesema mradi huo ni miongoni mwa miradi mikubwa inayolenga kuimarisha mifumo ya afya ya mifugo, maabara na ufuatiliaji wa magonjwa ili kuongeza uzalishaji, ubora na usalama wa maziwa na bidhaa nyingine za mifugo.

Amesisitiza kuwa ushirikiano kati ya wizara, taasisi zake na wadau wa sekta ya mifugo Tanzania Bara na Zanzibar utachangia kuimarisha usalama wa chakula, lishe na kipato cha wafugaji nchini.

ELIMU HABARI JAMII KIMATAIFA MAKALA SIASA UCHUMI

A NEW CHAPTER IN AN OLD FRIENDSHIP: PRESIDENT SAMIA'S LEADERSHIP LEGACY AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF TANZANIA–RUSSIA RELATIONS.

A nation’s place in the world is determined not only by economic strength or diplomatic presence but by the vision of its leadership at decisive moments. President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s State Visit to the Russian Federation represented such a moment for Tanzania, demonstrating a commitment to increasing international engagement, partnerships, and preparing the country to capitalize on new opportunities in a complex international order. As old friendships acquire greater purpose and new possibilities align with national ambition, the visit may be remembered as an important milestone in Tanzania’s progress toward greater international influence, economic transformation, and global relevance.

1. Introduction.

For fifty-seven years, the page remained unturned. The last time a Tanzanian Head of State walked the corridors of power in Moscow, the world was divided by the Cold War, ideological blocs competed for global influence, and Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere stood as one of Africa’s most respected voices of independence and non-alignment. Then, in June 2026, history returned to the Kremlin. As President Samia Suluhu Hassan arrived in the Russian Federation for a State Visit from June 3 to 5 at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, she became only the second Tanzanian Head of State ever to undertake such a journey since Nyerere’s landmark visit to the Soviet Union on 8 October 1969.

The symbolism was impossible to ignore. In the image of President Samia and President Putin meeting beneath the grandeur of the Kremlin, many saw echoes of a relationship forged in the early years of Tanzania’s nationhood and now being reimagined for the present day. Yet the world that President Samia entered was different from the one Nyerere encountered. The ideological certainties of the Cold War have given way to a multipolar international order in which influence is dispersed across multiple centres of power and nations are compelled to navigate a more complex geopolitical landscape.

The timing of the visit was equally significant. As Tanzania extends its international outreach under President Samia’s economic diplomacy agenda, the search for investment, technology, trade opportunities, scientific cooperation, and new markets has become a feature of the country’s foreign policy. Tanzania’s engagement with Russia reflected neither memory of the past nor alignment with any single bloc but the continuation of a long-standing foreign policy tradition of an independent, pursuit of national interests wherever opportunities for partnership, development, and mutual benefit can be found. Russia, meanwhile, has been seeking to increase its partnerships across Africa, creating a convergence of interests that made the June 2026 visit particularly consequential.

Taken together, President Samia’s State Visit to Russia was more than a bilateral visit and it was a statement about Tanzania’s place in the world. It continued diplomatic ties that stretch back to the dawn of independence, celebrated nearly sixty-five years of relations between the two nations, while remaining faithful to its non-aligned heritage. By bridging the historic legacy of Nyerere’s 1969 journey with the conditions of the contemporary international order, President Samia transformed a ceremonial visit into a memorable moment of diplomacy. It was a historic return to Moscow, but more importantly, it was a declaration that Tanzania intends not simply to witness the formation of a new world order, but to participate actively in it.

1.1. Early Relations.

In the late nineteenth century, as Zanzibar flourished as a busy crossroads of Swahili civilization and Indian Ocean commerce, the foundations of contact between the territories of present-day Tanzania and the Russian Empire were already beginning to form gradually. Russian interest in East Africa grew as the region became more active in Indian Ocean trade, resulting in formal engagement with the Sultanate of Zanzibar. The 1896 trade agreement between the Russian Empire and Zanzibar established a framework for commercial interaction and official representation, showing an early recognition of the region's place in the wider Indian Ocean world.

The relationship became more pronounced during the twentieth century, when the global struggle against colonialism transformed the political landscape of Africa. As African nations moved toward self-determination, the Soviet Union emerged as a vocal supporter of anti-colonial movements across the continent. This historical moment created a natural basis for engagement with the peoples of East Africa. When Tanganyika achieved independence, the Soviet Union was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the newly sovereign state. Diplomatic ties were similarly established with Zanzibar in January 1964, and following the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar on 26 April 1964, relations entered a new phase under the name of the United Republic of Tanzania.

What followed was the construction of a partnership founded on mutual respect, sovereign equality, and a commitment to national development. The Agreement on Economic and Technological Cooperation signed in 1966 provided an institutional framework through which both countries could translate political goodwill into practical cooperation. High-level engagement soon supported this foundation. President Julius Nyerere's visit to the Soviet Union in 1969 demonstrated Tanzania's growing international profile, while the state visit of Soviet leader Nikolai Viktorovich Podgorny to Tanzania in 1977 and the bilateral air services agreement concluded in 1978 further tightened diplomatic and economic ties.

While the first phase of Tanzania–Soviet relations revolved around diplomacy and political solidarity, the decades that followed were characterized by an ambitious programme of human and institutional development. Cooperation expanded into education, science, healthcare, technology, geology, and professional training, creating connections that reached far beyond government offices. Thousands of Tanzanians pursued higher education in Soviet universities and technical institutes, returning home with skills that contributed directly to the development of a young nation.

2. Bilateral Ties.

State visits are often remembered for handshakes, motorcades, and grand receptions. Yet when President Samia Suluhu Hassan entered the Kremlin for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the true purpose of the visit lay beyond ceremony. The invitation itself served as recognition of Tanzania as a trusted partner in Africa and offered an opportunity to turn diplomatic goodwill into practical outcomes.

During three days of high-level engagements, both leaders sought to move the relationship from historical friendship to a modern partnership based on economic opportunity, investment, technology, and institutional cooperation. Discussions covered collaboration in trade, investment, energy, mining, agriculture, science, education, and digital transformation, with the aim of creating a more extensive and framework for bilateral relations.

The Agreements.

Behind closed doors, diplomats and technical teams worked on what would become one of the most tangible outcomes of the visit, with the signing of eight cooperation agreements intended to expand cooperation in several sectors. These agreements stretched far beyond traditional diplomacy, covering higher education, scientific research, technological innovation, digital infrastructure, trade promotion, and investment cooperation. Together, they represented a deliberate effort to build institutions capable of sustaining long-term collaboration rather than relying solely on political goodwill.

Education and research stood out among the areas receiving attention, with new arrangements intended to support academic exchanges, skills development, innovation partnerships, and scientific cooperation between Tanzanian and Russian institutions. The agreements transformed the visit from a symbolic diplomatic event into a structured roadmap for future cooperation.

Trade Levels.

One statistic featured in nearly every discussion during the visit was bilateral trade between Tanzania and Russia standing at approximately USD 307.5 million. While the figure shows steady growth over recent years, leaders on both sides acknowledged that it remains modest compared to the scale of opportunities available. Tanzania exports products with considerable untapped potential, including coffee, spices, agricultural commodities, and other value-added goods that could gain greater access to the Russian market. Russia, meanwhile, possesses strengths in machinery, industrial equipment, wheat supplies, fertilizers, technology, and specialized expertise needed to support Tanzania’s industrialization agenda.

Discussions therefore looked not only at increasing trade volumes but also at removing obstacles that have historically limited commercial exchanges. Efforts to improve payment systems, including ongoing discussions regarding transactions in local currencies, pointed to a mutual interest in making business easier, faster, and more predictable.

2.1. Diplomatic Momentum.

As discussions progressed from government chambers to business forums, a clear message became visible that Tanzania was not only seeking aid or political support but investment partnerships capable of accelerating national development. President Samia used the visit to present Tanzania as a competitive destination for international capital, presenting opportunities in mining, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, and manufacturing.

Russian companies responded with growing interest, with conversations that could lead to major investments over the coming years. Government officials later projected that the relationships established during the visit could generate investment and business opportunities worth billions of dollars, showing the scale of ambition behind the diplomatic mission.

Future Growth.

Perhaps the most consequential aspect of the visit was the attention given to a wide economic direction aimed at Tanzania’s long term development path. Energy talks covered natural gas development and wider investment prospects, while mining cooperation covered graphite, rare earths, and coal, with attention on moving beyond extraction toward local processing and industries that add value within Tanzania.

Agriculture acted as a bridge between the two sides, linking Tanzania’s need for better productivity tools and modern methods with Russia’s strengths in fertilizers, wheat, and agricultural know how, creating pathways for agricultural cooperation and trade growth. Interest also stretched into tourism, transport, manufacturing, logistics, and the digital economy, bringing together a range of sectors under a partnership aimed at industrial capacity, food security, and steady economic progress.

3. Economic Diplomacy in Action.

Diplomacy proves its value not only through agreements signed between governments but also through the opportunities it creates for investment, trade, and economic transformation. It was with this objective that President Samia Suluhu Hassan carried Tanzania’s engagement with the Russian Federation beyond traditional statecraft and onto one of the world’s most influential economic stages, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026. Bringing together political leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from more than 140 countries, the forum offered Tanzania a rare opportunity to present itself before a global audience as a stable, reform-oriented, and investment-ready economy prepared to compete for international capital and partnerships.

Within this highly competitive environment, Tanzania's message drew strength from the newly launched National Development Vision 2050, a long-term blueprint designed to transform the country into a modern, industrialized, innovation-led, and globally competitive economy. Rather than promoting isolated investment projects, President Samia presented a larger national agenda, one that connected foreign investment, infrastructure development, and industrial growth to a clearly mapped out development journey.

The visit also provided an opportunity to present Tanzania’s economic potential to international investors. Direct meetings, investment briefings, and dialogue with international business leaders supported the country’s image as a partner in sustained growth rather than a short term destination for capital. At the Tanzania–Russia Business and Investment Forum, discussions moved into practical commercial cooperation in several areas of the economy, while SPIEF 2026 also functioned as a wider platform for Vision 2050 priorities, investor confidence, and the groundwork for partnerships projected to unlock over USD 2 billion in potential investments and sustained economic cooperation.

4. Tanzania in a Changing World.

Wars, economic competition, and shifting alliances are transforming the international system in ways not seen since the end of the Cold War. Against this setting, President Samia Suluhu Hassan's State Visit to the Russian Federation was about far more than bilateral cooperation between two friendly nations. It offered a glimpse into how Tanzania is positioning itself within a growing multipolar world where influence is distributed across multiple centers of power rather than concentrated in a single bloc. The visit demonstrated that Tanzania understands the new dynamics of international politics and is actively adapting its diplomacy to seize opportunities arising from this transformation. More importantly, it showed a nation confident enough to engage globally while remaining guided by its own national interests.

Russia seeks closer ties throughout the continent, giving African countries access to a larger range of partnerships and opportunities. Tanzania's engagement with Russia forms part of this wider continental trend. Rather than viewing international relations through the narrow lens of ideological alignment, African states approach diplomacy as a tool for development and national progress. The increasing interaction between Russia and Africa is therefore not simply about geopolitics but also about development and greater choices for African nations seeking to accelerate their economic transformation.

The surrounding circumstances help explain why Tanzania's foreign policy has consistently favored a balance between global partners and pragmatic national interests. Under President Samia's leadership, the country has maintained productive relations with traditional Western partners while at the same time increased cooperation with emerging powers throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Eurasia.

Such an approach shows a clear understanding that national development is best achieved through engagement rather than exclusion. By maintaining productive relationships with a range of partners, Tanzania maximizes access to capital, trade, and expertise while preserving the flexibility needed to respond to a complex international environment. The Russia visit therefore represents not an exception to Tanzania's foreign policy, but a continuation of its long-standing commitment to constructive engagement with all nations in the spirit of non-alignment.

4.1. Diplomacy Without Alignment.

Critics of engagement with Russia often frame it through the lens of geopolitical competition, assuming that cooperation with one power must come at the expense of another. Yet Tanzania's diplomatic tradition has long rejected this zero-sum logic. Since independence, the country has pursued a foreign policy grounded in sovereignty, non-alignment, mutual respect, and peaceful cooperation. President Samia's visit to Russia should therefore be understood within this historical continuity. The objective was not to choose sides in global rivalries but to pursue Tanzania's national interests through dialogue, partnership, and economic cooperation.

Today's most successful foreign policies are often those that convert diplomatic relationships into tangible development outcomes. Tanzania's engagement with Russia shows this reality in practice, revealing a practical understanding that development challenges require multiple partnerships and that opportunities should be pursued in line with national interests. Rather than relying heavily on a single partner, Tanzania has gradually added new international relationships in different regions, a shift that reduces exposure to external shocks and gives the country bargaining ability in negotiations, creating more available choices.

5. Conclusion.

What distinguishes this moment is the contrast between the international system of 1969 and that of 2026. Nyerere operated in a bipolar world where neutrality was precarious but possible. President Samia operates in a multipolar environment characterized by competition among major powers, shifting centres of influence, and a complex pursuit of national interests. In this environment, the luxury of isolation has disappeared, but so has the excuse of limited choice. By traveling to Moscow while maintaining warm relations with Western partners, President Samia has operationalized what scholars call “hedging without hostility”, a foreign policy posture that builds bridges without burning them elsewhere. The Tanzania–Russia relationship is thus not a realignment but an addition, another pillar in a national strategy that refuses to reduce the world to a binary choice between East and West.

Viewed through geopolitical perspective, President Samia’s visit to Moscow carries meaning beyond the future trajectory of Tanzania–Russia relations alone. It shows a vision of statecraft in which sovereignty is expressed not through distance from the world but through purposeful participation in it. As new patterns of cooperation develop in different regions and parts of the world, Tanzania is demonstrating that even countries not counted among major powers can exercise influence through participation. The visit rests not only in the agreements reached or the opportunities created but also in what it reveals about Tanzania’s place in a changing world through a nation prepared to direct its own course, engage on its own terms, and contribute to the changing architecture of twenty first century international relations.

The measure of diplomatic success is no longer the number of partnerships a country maintains but the degree of freedom those partnerships provide. From today’s international environment, where economic corridors are being redrawn, technological competition is accelerating, and institutions that once appeared permanent are facing new pressures and expectations, countries that preserve flexibility while increasing their international presence are often better positioned to turn external change into national opportunity. Tanzania’s engagement with diverse partners shows an understanding that influence in the modern era does not come from dependence, but from the ability to engage while keeping and defending national interests.

State visits are judged not by the ceremonies they produce but by the opportunities they create, and President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s June 2026 visit to the Russian Federation seems likely to leave a legacy far beyond the three days it occupied on the diplomatic calendar. The agreements concluded during the visit, together with the high-level political commitments made by both sides, have created a framework for closer cooperation in trade, investment, education, science, technology, energy, transport, and industrial development. More importantly, the visit moved Tanzania–Russia relations from a friendship with long historical ties to a partnership aimed at practical economic outcomes. In the end, this is where President Samia’s leadership legacy continues to be written into history.

Thank you.

Written by Christopher Makwaia
Tel: +255 789 242 396

— The writer, is a University of West London graduate (formerly Thames Valley University) and an expert in Management, Leadership, International Business, Foreign Affairs, Global Marketing, Diplomacy, International Relations, Conflict Resolution, Negotiations, Security, Arms Control, Political Scientist, and a self-taught Computer Programmer and Web Developer.

WAAJIRI WANAOZINGATIA SHERIA ZA KAZI WAPONGEZWA

Na OWM-KAM, Mwanza.

Waziri wa Nchi, Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu (Kazi, Ajira na Mahusiano), Mhe. Deus Sangu, amepongeza waajiri nchini wanaotekeleza wajibu wao kwa kuzingatia sheria za kazi, ikiwemo kuwasilisha michango ya wafanyakazi katika Mfuko wa Fidia kwa Wafanyakazi (WCF) kwa lengo la kulinda maslahi ya wafanyakazi dhidi ya madhara yanayotokana na kazi.

Mhe. Sangu ametoa pongezi hizo leo Juni 18, 2026, jijini Mwanza wakati wa ziara yake ya kikazi katika viwanda vya Ziwa Steel na Nyanza Bottling Company, ambapo alijionea utekelezaji wa sheria za kazi na ustawi wa wafanyakazi katika maeneo hayo ya uzalishaji.

Amesema kampuni hizo ni mfano mzuri wa kuigwa kutokana na namna wanavyotekeleza wajibu wa kuwasajili wafanyakazi katika mifuko ya hifadhi ya jamii na kuwasilisha michango yao kwa wakati, hatua inayochangia kulinda maslahi ya wafanyakazi na kuimarisha mahusiano bora kazini.

“Serikali imeendelea kusimamia kwa karibu utekelezaji wa sheria za kazi ili kuhakikisha wafanyakazi wanapata haki zao stahiki na wanafanya kazi katika mazingira salama, yenye tija na yanayozingatia utu wa mfanyakazi,” alisema Mhe. Sangu.

Katika hatua nyingine, Waziri Sangu amewahimiza waajiri wote nchini kuhakikisha wanatoa mikataba ya ajira kwa wafanyakazi wao kwa mujibu wa sheria, kuwasajili katika Mfuko wa Fidia kwa Wafanyakazi (WCF) na Mfuko wa Taifa wa Hifadhi ya Jamii (NSSF), pamoja na kuwasilisha michango kwa wakati ili kulinda maslahi yao ya sasa na ya baadaye.

Aidha, amesisitiza umuhimu wa waajiri kuzingatia haki zote za msingi za wafanyakazi na kuhakikisha wanalipwa stahiki zao kwa mujibu wa sheria na kanuni zilizowekwa.

Sambamba na hilo, Mhe. Sangu ametoa onyo kwa waajiri wanaokiuka sheria za kazi, akieleza kuwa Serikali haitasita kuchukua hatua za kisheria dhidi ya watakaobainika kukiuka masharti ya ajira, ikiwemo kushindwa kulipa kima cha chini cha mshahara kilichowekwa na Serikali.

“Waajiri wote wanapaswa kuzingatia kima cha chini cha mshahara na sheria zote za kazi. Wale watakaobainika kukiuka masharti hayo watawajibishwa kwa mujibu wa sheria,” alisisitiza.

Ameongeza kuwa afya, usalama na ustawi wa wafanyakazi ni nguzo muhimu katika kuongeza tija, kuimarisha uzalishaji na kuchochea maendeleo ya uchumi wa Taifa. Kutokana na hilo, ameliagiza Shirika la Afya na Usalama Mahali pa Kazi (OSHA) kuendelea kuimarisha ukaguzi katika maeneo ya kazi ili kuhakikisha sheria, kanuni na taratibu za afya na usalama kazini zinazingatiwa kikamilifu.

Naye, Mwanasheria wa Ziwa Steel,Philip Sylivinus, Ziwa Steel, ameishukuru Serikali kwa kuanzisha mifumo ya kidijitali NSSF Portal na WCF Portal, ambayo imerahisisha utoaji wa huduma na kusaidia kutatua changamoto kwa haraka na kwa ufanisi.

Kwa upande wake, Afisa Rasilimali Watu wa Nyanza Bottling, Cecilia Malesa, alisema kampuni hiyo imeendelea kulipa wafanyakazi wake kwa wakati na kuimarisha mazingira bora ya kazi kwa lengo la kuongeza ustawi wa wafanyakazi pamoja na ufanisi wa uzalishaji.

Ziara ya Waziri Sangu jijini Mwanza ni sehemu ya juhudi za Serikali za kufuatilia utekelezaji wa sheria za kazi, kuimarisha mahusiano mema kati ya waajiri na wafanyakazi, na kuhakikisha haki, usalama na ustawi wa wafanyakazi vinaendelea kulindwa katika sekta mbalimbali za uzalishaji.

MKURUGENZI WA UCHAGUZI APONGEZA UFANISI NA UWAZI MFUMO WA UAGIZAJI MAFUTA KWA PAMOJA

Na Mwandishi Wetu

Mkurugenzi wa Uchaguzi wa Tume Huru ya Taifa ya Uchaguzi, Bw. Ramadhan Kailima, amepongeza ufanisi na uwazi wa Mfumo wa Uagizaji Mafuta kwa Pamoja unaosimamiwa na Wakala wa Uagizaji Mafuta kwa Pamoja, akieleza kuwa mfumo huo umechangia kuimarisha ukusanyaji wa mapato ya Serikali na kuhakikisha upatikanaji wa mafuta nchini.

Bw. Kailima alitoa pongezi hizo Juni 18, 2026 alipotembelea banda la PBPA katika Maonesho ya Wiki ya Utumishi wa Umma yanayoendelea katika viwanja vya Chinangali jijini Dodoma.

Akizungumza baada ya kupata maelezo kuhusu utekelezaji wa mfumo huo, alisema kuwa umejengwa katika misingi ya uwazi na ushindani, jambo linalosaidia kupunguza gharama za uagizaji wa mafuta na kuongeza ufanisi katika usimamizi wa sekta hiyo muhimu kwa uchumi wa nchi.

Akitoa ufafanuzi kwa mgeni huyo, Mkaguzi wa Mafuta wa PBPA, Bw. Issa Mwitazy, alisema kuwa katika mfumo wa uagizaji mafuta kwa pamoja, ushindani hujikita katika gharama za usafirishaji wa mafuta (Premium).

Alieleza kuwa wazabuni hushindanishwa kwa kuwasilisha bei za usafirishaji wa bidhaa za petroli, dizeli na mafuta ya taa, ambapo mzabuni mwenye gharama nafuu zaidi hupatiwa zabuni husika.

“Utaratibu huu umetuwezesha kuhakikisha upatikanaji wa mafuta ya kutosha nchini wakati wote na wakati huohuo kuipa Serikali taarifa sahihi za kiasi cha mafuta na hivyo kuwezesha ukusanyaji wa mapato yatokanayo na biashara ya mafuta,” alisema.

Aliongeza kuwa mikataba ya uagizaji wa mafuta husainiwa mapema kabla ya bidhaa kuwasili nchini, jambo linaloiwezesha Serikali kufanya makadirio sahihi ya mapato yatokanayo na sekta hiyo.

Kwa mujibu wa Mwitazy, mafanikio ya mfumo huo yameifanya PBPA kuwa kitovu cha huduma za uagizaji mafuta kwa nchi kadhaa za ukanda wa Afrika Mashariki na Kati, zikiwemo Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia na Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo, ambazo huleta mahitaji yao kupitia mfumo wa uagizaji wa mafuta kwa pamoja.

Ziara ya Bw. Kailima katika banda la PBPA ni sehemu ya shughuli za Maonesho ya Wiki ya Utumishi wa Umma yanayolenga kuonesha mafanikio, huduma na ubunifu unaotekelezwa na taasisi za umma katika kuwahudumia wananchi na kuchangia maendeleo ya taifa.

OFISI YA WAZIRI MKUU YATHIBITISHA NYENZO MUHIMU ZA KUIMARISHA USIMAMIZI WA MAAFA NCHINI

Na Mwandishi Wetu, Dodoma

SERIKALI imeendelea kuchukua hatua mbalimbali za kuimarisha mifumo ya usimamizi wa maafa nchini ili kuongeza uwezo wa kuzuia, kujiandaa, kukabiliana na kurejesha hali baada ya maafa, kufuatia kuongezeka kwa matukio yanayochochewa na mabadiliko ya tabianchi pamoja na vihatarishi vingine vya asili na kijamii.

Hayo yameelezwa leo Juni 18, 2026 jijini Dodoma na Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Menejimenti ya Maafa kutoka Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu (Sera, Bunge, Uratibu na Wenye Ulemavu), Brigedia Jenerali Hosea Ndagala, wakati akifungua Kikao cha Jukwaa la Taifa la Wadau wa Usimamizi wa Maafa kilicholenga kupitia na kuthibitisha Mwongozo wa Urejeshaji Hali Baada ya Maafa, Mwongozo wa Uendeshaji na Uratibu wa Uhawilishaji Fedha kwa Walioathirika wa Maafa, pamoja na Mfumo wa Usimamizi wa Taarifa za Maafa (DMIS).

Brigedia Jenerali Ndagala amesema kuwa katika miaka ya hivi karibuni Tanzania imekumbwa na matukio mbalimbali ya maafa yakiwemo mafuriko, ukame, maporomoko ya ardhi, upepo mkali, magonjwa ya mlipuko na ajali mbalimbali, hali ambayo imeathiri maisha ya wananchi, miundombinu, mazingira na shughuli za kiuchumi.

“Kwa kuzingatia hali hiyo, Serikali kupitia Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu imeendelea kuimarisha sera, mifumo, mikakati, mipango na nyenzo mbalimbali za usimamizi wa maafa ili kuhakikisha hatua zote za kuzuia, kujiandaa, kukabiliana na kurejesha hali baada ya maafa zinafanyika kwa ufanisi na kwa kuzingatia matakwa ya Sheria ya Usimamizi wa Maafa Na. 6 ya Mwaka 2022,” amesema.

Amesema kikao hicho ni hatua muhimu katika kuimarisha uratibu wa kitaifa wa usimamizi wa maafa kwa kuwa kinahusisha uthibitishaji wa nyenzo tatu muhimu zitakazochangia uwazi, uwajibikaji na ufanisi katika utoaji wa huduma kwa wananchi wakati wa maafa na baada ya maafa.

Kwa mujibu wa Brigedia Jenerali Ndagala, Mwongozo wa Urejeshaji Hali Baada ya Maafa utaweka mfumo wa pamoja wa kitaifa wa kupanga na kuratibu shughuli za urejeshaji baada ya maafa, huku Mwongozo wa Uhawilishaji Fedha kwa Walioathirika wa Maafa ukiboresha utaratibu wa utoaji wa misaada ya fedha kwa waathirika. Aidha, Mfumo wa Usimamizi wa Taarifa za Maafa (DMIS) utaimarisha ukusanyaji, uchambuzi, uhifadhi na matumizi ya taarifa za maafa kwa ajili ya kufanya maamuzi sahihi na kwa wakati.

“Nyenzo hizi zina mchango mkubwa katika utekelezaji wa Sheria ya Usimamizi wa Maafa Na. 6 ya Mwaka 2022 kwa kuimarisha usimamizi wa taarifa, uratibu wa wadau, utoaji wa misaada na shughuli za urejeshaji hali baada ya maafa. Vilevile, zinachangia utekelezaji wa Mfumo wa Sendai wa Kupunguza Hatari za Maafa kwa kuimarisha uelewa wa hatari za maafa, usimamizi wa vihatarishi, uwekezaji katika ustahimilivu na kuimarisha hatua za kujiandaa na kujenga upya kwa ubora zaidi baada ya maafa,” amesisitiza.

Ameeleza kuwa mafanikio yanayoendelea kupatikana katika sekta ya usimamizi wa maafa nchini yanatokana na ushirikiano madhubuti kati ya Serikali na wadau wa maendeleo, mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa, sekta binafsi na asasi za kiraia.

Kwa upande wake, Mwakilishi wa Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Kuhudumia Watoto (UNICEF), Bi. Judith Bihondwa, amesema shirika hilo litaendelea kushirikiana na Serikali katika kuimarisha uwezo wa jamii kukabiliana na maafa pamoja na kujenga ustahimilivu dhidi ya majanga mbalimbali.

Amesema ushirikiano huo utaendelea kulenga kuimarisha mifumo ya maandalizi, mwitikio na urejeshaji hali baada ya maafa kwa kuzingatia makundi yote ya jamii, hususan watoto na watu walio katika mazingira hatarishi.

Kikao hicho kimewakutanisha wadau mbalimbali wa usimamizi wa maafa kutoka taasisi za Serikali, mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa, asasi za kiraia na wadau wa maendeleo kwa lengo la kujadili na kuthibitisha nyenzo zitakazochangia kuimarisha usimamizi wa maafa na kuongeza ustahimilivu wa jamii nchini.

RIDHIWANI: UTUMISHI WA UMMA UENDANE NA KASI YA TEKNOLOJIA