U-17 Boys aim guns at SA youth

THE national U-17 team, Serengeti Boys have sent a warning to the next opponents South Africa, their last hurdle to U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier after a voluminous 9-0 aggregate win over Seychelles.

On Saturday, Serengeti Boys recorded a massive 6-0 away victory over their hosts Seychelles in Victoria to eliminate their opponents in the race and set a clash with South Africa to seek a ticket for Africa’s U-17 Cup of Nations finals in Madagascar.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Information Officer, Alfred Lucas, unveiled yesterday from the capital of Seychelles, Victoria that Serengeti Boys who won 3-0 in the first leg match held in Dar es Salaam are determined to make history by making it to the Madagascar finals.

After seeing off Seychelles from the tournament, Serengeti Boys now face a big test from their South Africans counterparts, the Amajimbos, whom they will face in the second round of the tournament whereby the first leg match will be played between August 5 and 7 this year.

According to Lucas, Serengeti boys will face Amajimbos away in the first leg match and the second leg at home will be held at the Azam Chamazi Complex on the outskirt Dar es Salaam city on August 14.

The overall winner of the two- legged match will face the winner between Namibia and Congo-Brazzaville. South Africa had an easy ride into the second round following the withdrawal of their opponents while Namibia eliminated Botswana on 3-2 on aggregate.

On his side, Serengeti Boys head coach, Bakari Shime alias the ‘Black Wizard’ said he has evaluated the upcoming fixture and predicted a tough task ahead, however disclosed that he aimed at winning all the upcoming games as he is not only battling to see his side qualifies for Madagascar finals but also he wants it to play in the 2017 FIFA U-17 finals in India.

FIFA U-17 finals will be held in September and if Serengeti Boys manage to qualify for the semi final stage of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Madagascar it will automatically have the ticket for the U-17 World Cup in India.

“I have been with the team for over a year now, I see no obstacle ahead which will destroy our dreams of reaching the World Cup finals. We pray for things to go smoothly for us and we also pray for TFF leaders and other stakeholders to continue supporting the team , " Shime said.

Also the coach acknowledge TFF President Jamal Malinzi for acquiring the costs of the team’s two-week training camp in Madagascar scheduled from July 24 this year. Serengeti Boys are scheduled to leave Victoria today but they are expected to jet in back into the country tomorrow from Seychelles via Addis Abba.

In another development Serengeti Boys players are scheduled to have a short break before commencing their preparations for their match against South Africa as per the advice of the technical bench and team physician.

The qualifying matches will be played between June and October and at the end seven teams will join host Madagascar from April 2-21 next year. The winner of the two legged match will proceed to the next round in which they will face South Africa in the last 16 to get eight teams that will reach the finals to be played in Madagascar next year.

The match with South Africa will be played between 5 to 7 August for the first leg and the return leg will be on August 19 to 21 August. The 2017 African U-17 Cup of Nations will take place in Madagascar.

The tournament will also act as a qualifier to the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. The top four nations will seal their places in India next year. The FIFA U-17 finals will be held in September 2017 in India.

Graft court on horizon as 14 judges picked

THE Chief Justice, Mr Mohammed Chande Othman, has appointed 14 judges to preside over cases at the newly-established corruption and economic sabotage division of the High Court of Tanzania scheduled to begin operations later this month.

Mr Othman told reporters at the High Court pavilion at the Mwalimu Nyerere Fair Grounds in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the selected judges will undergo special training from next week to impart appropriate instructions to them on effective handling of the cases. “They will be trained at our institute in Lushoto, Tanga Region, ready to take over their new responsibilities,” he said.

Mr Othman reiterated that the decision by the government to introduce the special court is very clear – “and that is to fast-track hearing of such cases through effective handling’’. He outlined the baseline for each law suit to be filed at the special court, saying it will not exceed nine months soon after its submission.

“We have already allocated premises for the court in Dar es Salaam. We have also set guidelines, including the one to the effect that all cases filed should be fully investigated before they are brought to court,’’ the chief justice reported. He lauded the government for amending the founding legislation of 1984, saying the new law, which now awaits presidential approval, set the tone for proper handling of corruption and embezzlement cases.

The new law, however, empowers the chief justice to establish new guidelines for opening charges and protecting witnesses. “Soon after the president has signed the bill into law and put on gazette, I will develop the guidelines to secure all the testimonies. This is very critical for the court. We just need the public to trust the court,” he pointed out.

As the public awaits the much talked and awaited special court to try corruption and economic sabotage suspects, the chief justice assured the public that the government was, however, working to build more courts across the country to improve service delivery.

Figures from the High Court of Tanzania show there were 3,963 wards and 139 districts across the country in addition to 960 and 27 court buildings for primary and district courts respectively.

This means there is a deficit of 3,115 courts across the country. “Court buildings are in bad condition. We have been forced to close many buildings that were previously being used as courts since they don’t meet the requirements,” he told reporters.

Mr Othman added that the government has allocated 24 billion/- to improve the courts’ infrastructures. “The judiciary is also working with Ardhi University and National Construction Council in a pilot project using Moladi technology to fast track construction of court buildings”.

He said the pilot project is now carried out at Kibaha, Kigamboni, Kawe, Kinyerezi, Mkuranga and Bagamoyo to examine how effective and cost-cutting the technology can be for court buildings.

While the conventional methods take more than 180 days (minimum), Moladi technology is projected to take less than 76 days for an 1,168 square-metre floor area. The Judiciary’s Civil Engineer, Mr Mohammed Kitunzi, explained that when the technology is applied, it can cut down costs by 50 per cent.

Next phase BRT buses to use gas

BUSES to ply in the next phases of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (BRT) project will have their engines run using natural gas to save operational costs, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) has revealed.

“Plans were to use natural gas for buses currently operating in the first phase of the BRT but this was not possible due to some technicalities,” a TPDC official, Mr Ismail Naleja, explained at the ongoing 40th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF).

He ruled out the possibility of converting the operating systems of buses currently plying in the BRT since their engines are diesel-run.

“It could have been possible to modify the operating systems if the motor vehicles were using petrol. Diesel-run engines are not compatible with systems used in natural gas,” the official explained.

At present, there are 60 motor vehicles in the country, which have had their engines modified to use petrol and natural gas but the official was positive that the number will significantly increase when the BRT buses will start using natural gas in their next phases.

He called on Tanzanians to modify their vehicles to use gas, which is abundantly available in the country as it was cheaper compared to petroleum products.

Mr Naleja explained that TPDC was in touch with the BRT operators to ensure that buses imported for the next phases are compatible to natural gas use, which will significantly reduce operating costs for the modern public transport project. “With the use of natural gas, even fares would be lower.

One kilogramme of gas covers a distance where one and half litre of petrol or diesel is used. “One would part with 1,500/- for one kilogramme of gas and yet one and half litre of fuel costs about 3,000/-.

In the same vein, a vehicle using natural gas will be serviced once while that of petrol and diesel will be serviced twice in the same period,” he explained.

On the other hand, the use of natural gas in motor vehicles is deemed environmentally-friendly since it does not involve carbon emissions as opposed to petroleum products. He admitted, however, that the major challenge facing use of natural gas for motor vehicles is shortage of filling stations.

There is currently one station at Ubungo selling gas. However, he said that plans are underway to set up 25 filling stations in Dar es Salaam. According to the TPDC official, the cost for converting petrol-run vehicles is about 2 million/- per vehicle.

However, he was quick to add that the cost can be reimbursed within five months due to low operating costs of using the energy. The use of alternative fuels, particularly natural gas, has been deliberated for quite some time, given adequate reserves of the natural resource in the country.

Dar looks to Asia for modern fishing

TANZANIA is set to adopt modern fish-farming techniques from India and Thailand in a move that will see doubling of the sector’s contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Official figures show fish and fishery products accounting to 1.4 per cent of the country’s GDP though experts say limited development of fisheries related infrastructure and technology had blocked the sector to heavily contribute to the national share.

The East African country has an estimated potential of harvesting over 2.5 million metric tons of fish from its traditional and inshore marine water sources and figures released by the government in 2013 indicated fish production was 367,854 metric tons valued at 1.44 billion/-.

It further contributed to 6.12 million US dollars in foreign exchange from export of fish and fishery products. Christian Brighton, Director with Stic Lab Limited told the ‘Daily News’ at the ongoing 40th Dar es Salaam International Trade held at the Mwalimu Nyerere Fair Grounds in the city that Tanzania does not need to import fish and fishery products.

“We have all we want. The only way to reduce fish and fishery products gaps between supply and demand is by introducing fish aquaculture,” he said adding the company is embarking on introducing modern fish farming techniques from India and Thailand to improve productivity.

“We’re training small and medium sized fish farmers and we’re offering solar-powered technology to simplify fishery activities for individuals and medium-sized entrepreneurs,” he said. The director pointed out that fish farming is less expensive than poultry farming.

“One fish is capable to produce more than 1,000 fingerlings and feeding cost is less than 100,000/- per year,” Mr Brighton who runs several exploratory dams said in an interview yesterday.

Other than maximizing individual earnings, fish and fishery products represent a very valuable source of protein and essential micronutrients for balanced nutrition and good health.

Fish contributes to the world population’s intake of animal protein.

Globally, fish provides about 3.0 billion people with almost 20 per cent of their intake of animal protein, and 4.3 billion people with about 15 per cent of such protein, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Tanzania Foods and Nutrition Centre (TFNC) reported that per capita consumption of fish and fishery products was about 7.7 kg/capita.

Spokesman for the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA), Mr Sitta Peter, told the ‘Daily News’ the authority was working with the small and medium sized enterprises by offering them modern fish farming techniques. He said the current technology being adopted is fish farming in salty water. “We can now farm tilapia in salty water,” he said.

The technology, according to Stic Lab, involves installing a solarenergy to pump water into a fish tank and recycle the same water for about three months. It helps in cleaning the tanks and decontaminating water in the tank. “Now”, he said, “we’re working on to develop a sensor, which will determine intervals and size of food to be supplied in a tank -- in accordance with the number of fish available”.

SUA rats for overseas mission

SCIENTISTS at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) plan to deploy trained giant rats to Ethiopia and Bangladesh to carry out speedy and cost-effective testing of tuberculosis (TB).

This follows a successful implementation of the technology, named SUA-APOPO Rodent -- to sniff out and diagnose the disease, proving “effective and faster than conventional diagnostic methods’’ in Tanzania and Mozambique.

A scientist and trainer, Ms Mariam Juma, told reporters at the 40th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) in the city yesterday that the two countries are among African countries with higher rate of TB cases.

“The plan is underway and this will include opening up a centre in Dar es Salaam where there are more cases of TB reported in the country,” she told the ‘Daily News’.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tanzania is among the 22 high-burden countries suffering from the TB bacterial infection. New cases of TB remained relatively higher last year at 781,936 people up from 83,227 detected in 2014.

“The increase in new cases results to mass awareness campaign conducted by local and international organisations and with the government,” an official in the Ministry of Health clarified to the ‘Daily News’.

However, Ms Juma was of the view that the increase in the number of new cases follows last year’s campaign launched by SUA and the ministry to diagnose prisons and industry workers. “Most Tanzanians are less willing to examine their health status until otherwise someone is ill,” she said.

We’re now moving to sensitize the public to examine their health status and we will be visiting various manufacturing and processing industries,” she emphasized.Acknowledging the work of African poached giant rats, SUA scientists and lecturer Pius Mhapuly said the SUA-APOPO technology is widely known for detecting bombs and now is proving effective in the area of health. “The research is an ongoing exercise,” he said, “and we expect it would help save more lives”.

He defended the new technology, saying it had helped to provide positive results from a sample of negative sputum provided from a number of research centres. Mr Mhapuly explained that the trained rats learn to recognise the presence of TB in samples of sputum, coughed up from the patient’s lower airways. For testing, he explained that a rat has to go through a row of 10 sputum samples.

When it detects any TB strain, the rat hovers over the sample for at least three seconds. One rat can diagnose 100 samples in less than 15 minutes while the same sample can take as longer as two days in conventional methods, Mr Mhapuly said.

TB is the leading cause of death after HIV from infectious diseases and the WHO statistics shows around the world, there are about nine million new cases and two million deaths

Tusker KPL half-term champs as Ulinzi, Mathare falter

Posta Rangers vs Mathare United FC in a Kenyan Premier League clash at Machakos Stadium on May 26, 2016. PHOTO/SportPicha/www.sportpicha.co.ke

Ulinzi Stars and Mathare United lost opportunities to pull level with mid-season leaders Tusker FC and crowd the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) summit after drawing their final first leg encounters on Thursday.

The title-chasing sides took to the pitch on a day the Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee (IDCC) ruled to dock champions, Gor Mahia three points to knock them off the top for hooliganism.

Ulinzi were forced to a 1-1 stalemate by battling Kakamega Homeboyz at their Afraha Stadium home-turf in Nakuru while Mathare were checked by high flying Posta Rangers in a barren stalemate in Machakos.

The results left Tusker FC as the half-term champions on 29 points, two clear of Ulinzi and Mathare who are separated by goal difference in second and third with K’Ogalo dropping to fourth on 26.

Promoted Rangers whose aim at the start of the campaign was to avoid the chop are the closest challengers to the titans in fifth, four off the lead as they look poised to mount a shock title challenge.

 Former league leaders and traditional giants, AFC Leopards woes deepened when they were also deducted three points by IDCC to leave them languishing in 11th on 17, 12 points off the pace after a promising start to the season.

The league’s top scorer Wycliffe Ochomo’s solo goal ten minutes from full time proved the difference in a 1-0 win over Chemelil Sugar as the Golden Boot race leader notched his 11th in 15 outings to hand Muhoroni Youth who fired their head coach, James Omondi two days ago a huge lift.

Muhoroni remain sixth on 23 mid-season while Chemelil are down to 12th.

Perennial strugglers, Nairobi City Stars and 2009 champions, Sofapaka will open the second term of the campaign battling to remain in the KPL after occupying the bottom two places on 10 and seven points.

Thika United who started in the drop zone have bought a five-point cushion from the tail-enders after their revival under James Nandwa continued with a 1-1 draw at Bandari.

Sony Sugar who also changed coaches after a nightmare start are in the top ten after blanking the hapless City Stars 2-0 in Awendo to close on 19 points as they jumped above Bandari (18) who fired Twahir Muhiddin last week.

Ulinzi, the four-time champions, opened the scoring with the club top scorer John Makwatta on target at the 10th minute with a peach of a finish that will be among the contenders of the goal of the season.

Homeboyz midfielder David Okoth hauled the game level at 67th to deny hosts the crucial win.

Fredrick Onyango who was re-signed by Sony from Tusker FC struck for the sugar millers in the opening minute before Victor Ademba sealed the win seconds before end of first half.

Former Gor Mahia lethal striker Dan Sserenkuma opened scoring sheet for Bandari against Thika at the hour mark before Eugine Mukangula’s last minute goal earned Thika a share of the spoils at the Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa.

Ushuru FC recovered from their 4-1 mauling at Bandari in the weekend to dim the lights out of Western Stima 1-3 in a stirring away victory for the taxmen.

Joash Onyango’s own goal in the first minute precluded Stima’s implosion before Kennedy Odour adding a second for Ushuru.

Dennis Wafula put the visitors out of reach in the 78th with Bernard Ondiek pulling one back in the 28th to offer the hosts hopes of a comeback that was never to be.

Ushuru move 12th also on 17 with Leopards. The league resumes after a month-long break.

Court sends Kalpana Rawal, Philip Tunoi home over retirement age

Deputy Chief Justice Kalpana Rawal and suspended Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi has lost a bid to remain in office after the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court decision to retain the retirement age of Judges at 70 years.

Lawyer Waweru Gatonye, representing Rawal, has, however, filed a notice of appeal against the ruling.

Rawal has already attained the retirement age and she was expected to be the acting Chief Justice when Dr. Willy Mutunga retires next month.

Tunoi had also challenged his retirement saying he should retire at 74 years as he was appointed during the old constitution dispensation.

Late January 2016, the Court of Appeal dismissed an application by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seeking to block Deputy Chief Justice Kalpana Rawal from appealing against a High Court ruling requiring her to retire at the age of 70 years.

JSC had moved to court to block Rawal from appealing against a High Court decision calling for her immediate retirement, at the age of 70, in accordance with the new Constitution.

In the ruling, the five-judge bench allowed Rawal to continue serving in her position as the Deputy Chief Justice until her appeal was heard and determined.

Rawal, alongside several other judges, have protested calls for their retirement saying they should be allowed to serve according to the terms of the old Constitution.

Tunoi had also protested JSC’s move to have him retire at the age of 70 saying the Constitution allows him to serve until he is 74 years.

In an interview with Citizen TV, Tunoi attributed the bribery allegations facing him regarding Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu’s election petition against Governor Evans Kidero to succession politics and his push against forced retirement.

“There is also the question of whether I should retire at the age of 70 or 72. I have fought for my right to retire at the age of 74 based on what the Section 31 of the Sixth Schedule.”

The section quoted by Justice Tunoi states: “Unless this schedule provides otherwise, a person who immediately before the effective date, held or was acting in an office established by the former Constitution shall on the effective date continue to hold or act in that office under this Constitution for the unexpired period, if any, of the term of the person.”