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Jul
31
2020
By The African Mirror
Tanzania’s Benjamin William Mkapa: a life of achievements and regrets

Tanzania’s Benjamin William Mkapa: a life of achievements and regrets

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
AIKANDE CLEMENT KWAYU, Independent researcher & Honorary Research Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison THE morning of Friday 24 July 2020 was a day of mixed emotions in Tanzania. Many were saddened by the news that former President Benjamin William Mkapa had passed away. But his death triggered negative emotions too. These mixed reactions reflected the conflicting legacy he left during his decade as president from 1995 to 2005. On the one hand, he has an impressive record in building state institutions. On the other, his reign was marked by killings and diminished democratic space. Mkapa’s last appearance in public happened just…
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Jul
28
2020
By The African Mirror
Tanzanian opposition leader who survived 2017 gun attack returns from exile

Tanzanian opposition leader who survived 2017 gun attack returns from exile

NEWS
TANZANIA's opposition leader and potential presidential candidate Tundu Lissu arrived home on Monday from Belgium where he took exile and underwent treatment after being shot three years ago. Lissu, 52, was met at an airport in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam by relatives, political allies and thousands of supporters from his party CHADEMA. A fierce critic of President John Magufuli's government, he was shot 16 times, mostly in the lower abdomen, in an attack by unknown gunmen in the administrative capital Dodoma in September 2017. At the time, Magufuli condemned the shooting and ordered security forces to investigate, but…
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Jul
26
2020
By The African Mirror
Mkapa, an ambassador of peace and renaissance in Africa

Mkapa, an ambassador of peace and renaissance in Africa

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
THE THABO MBEKI FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Benjamin William Mkapa, like Mwalimu Julius Nyerere before him, was an embodiment of the Tanzanian people’s dedication and commitment to the liberation and development of our continent.  It was this dedication and commitment to rid our continent of colonialism and apartheid which enabled Tanzania and her people to serve as the Mecca of the liberation movements in Southern Africa, including the ANC.  Thus, for many decades President Mkapa served as a foot soldier to give meaning to the cause of African liberation and development. It was due to this political upbringing, in which Mwalimu Nyerere…
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Jul
24
2020
By The African Mirror
From bombs, bullets to hoops

From bombs, bullets to hoops

SPORT
BOITUMELO RANTAO THE odds of survival in a country devastated by civil war are slim. The odds of making it overseas, away from a civil war, are even slimmer. The odds of making it into the best basketball league in the world as a native of South Sudan? Near impossible.  But defying the odds is what turns good teams into great ones. That is the inspirational story of Manute Bol, who survived the bombs and bullets of a war in South Sudan and made it into the US National Basketball Association (NBA), the biggest and richest league in the sport.…
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Jul
24
2020
By The African Mirror
Tanzania’s former president Benjamin Mkapa dies

Tanzania’s former president Benjamin Mkapa dies

NEWS
TANZANIA's former President Benjamin Mkapa, who served from 1995 to 2005, died in the early hours of Friday, President John Magufuli said in a statement. Mkapa, the East African nation's third president who led several regional peace mediation efforts in office and afterwards, died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Magufuli said, without giving more details. He declared a seven day mourning period, during which all flags will be flown at half-mast. "Magufuli asks all Tanzanians to remain calm, patient and united during this difficult time," a statement from his office said. Mkapa, 81, also served…
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Jul
24
2020
By The African Mirror
How Tanzania’s spousal escort policy frustrates antenatal health care

How Tanzania’s spousal escort policy frustrates antenatal health care

HEALTH
STEPHEN MALUKA, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam GOOD care during pregnancy is important for the health of mothers and the development of unborn babies. Antenatal care contributes to a woman’s overall good health as well as linking her and her family to the health system, and increasing her chances of using a skilled attendant at birth. The World Health Organisation (WHO) puts great store on care during pregnancy because, by its own estimates, 25% of maternal deaths occur during pregnancy. But antenatal care isn’t the norm for millions of women across Africa. In Tanzania,…
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