Dawa ya UKIMWI yagunduliwa Israel

MAMILIONI ya watu wanaoishi na Virusi vya Ukimwi (VVU) ulimwenguni, sasa wanaweza kupata tumaini jipya baada ya wanasaynsi wa nchini Isreali kugundua dawa ambayo inasemekana kuwa na uwezo mkubwa wa kutibu Ukimwi.

Wanasayansi hao kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Hebrew kilichopo Jerusalem nchini Israeli wamegundua dawa yenye protini ambayo wanadai inaweza kupunguza virusi vya Ukimwi kwenye mwili wa mgonjwa kwa asilimia 97 ndani ya siku saba tu, hii ni kwa mujibu wa gazeti la Times la Israel.

Ugunduzi huu mpya sasa unatoa tumaini jipya katika utafutaji wa dawa ya ungonjwa huu ambao mpaka sasa hauna tiba ukiwa umeshaua watu zaidi  ya milioni moja kwa mwaka 2015 pekee.
Virusi vya Ukimwi hushambulia chembe chembe nyeupe za damu zinazojulikana kama CD4 ambazo husaidia kupigana na magonjwa yanayoingia mwilini.

Virusi vya Ukimwi huingia ndani ya chembe chembe hai nyeupe na kujizalisha kwa wingi jambo ambalo husababisha uharibifu wa CD4.
CD4 zinapokuwa chini ya 200 kwa kyubiki milimita za ujazo wa damu, mgonjwa anahesabika kuwa tayari ameanza kuugua Ukimwi.

Ugunduzi huo mpya umehusisha majarabio ya dawa hiyo mpya ambayo iliwekwa kwenye damu ya wagonjwa 10 wa Ukimwi iliyokuwa kwenye chupa maalumu kwa ajili ya majaribio.

Sehemu kubwa ya dawa hiyo ambayo ilipewa jina la Gammora na watafiti, ilisababisha uzalishaji wa DNA ya virusi hao ndani ya CD4 iliyoathirika kujizalisha kwa wingi badala ya utaratibu wa  kawaida ambao huzalisha moja au mbili.
Hii inasababisha chembe chembe nyeupe zilizojeruhiwa kujiharibu zenyewe na kuzifanya zishindwe kusambaza virusi zaidi.

Majarabia yanahusisha dawa hii mpya ya Gammora yataendelea kukiwa na matumaini makubwa kuwa itaweza kuua asilimia 100 ya seli zilizoathiriwa na Virusi vya Ukimwi.

Abraham Loyter mmoja ya wagunduzi wa dawa hiyo mpya, aliliambia gazeti moja la Israeli kuwa ugunduzi huo mpya unaleta tumaini jipya.
“Tunachokifanya sisi ni kuharibu seli ambazo zimeathirika na kwa hiyo zitakufa moja kwa moja na hazitaweza kusambaza tena virusi,” anasema.

Katika hatua nyingine, Wizara ya Afya ya Israeli ilitangaza kwa mara ya kwanza kugawa dawa zenye uwezo wa kuzuia maambukizi kwa makundi yenye hatari zaidi ya kupata maambukizi mapya. Dawa hizo zinazojulikana kama prophylactic drugs zinapomezwa mara kwa mara zimeonyesha uwezo mkubwa wa kuzuia maambukizi.

Kwa sasa, dawa pekee kwa watu wenye virusi vya ukimwi, ni dawa za kupunguza makali ambazo humezwa kila siku ambazo pia hupunguza uwezekano wa maambukizi mapya.

Historia inaonyesha kuwa VVU ilitokea kwa nyani waliopo katika Afrika ya kati katika miaka ya 1900. Kutokana na mwingiliano kati ya tamaduni tofauti na mataifa, vilianza kusambaa duniani.

Ukimwi uligundulika nchini Marekani miaka ya 1980 na ulijulikana kama Ukosefu wa Kinga kwa Mashoga (GRID). Kadiri muda ulivyokwenda, wagonjwa wengine watano waligundulika nchini humo, wote wakiwa ni mashoga mwaka 1981.

Wakati watafiti na wanasayansi wakiendelea kuumiza  vichwa kupata majibu ya dawa ya ugonjwa huu unaendelea kugharimu maisha ya mamilioni ya watu kote ulimwenguni kila mwaka, bado tiba au kinga yake ya uhakika imekuwa mtihani mkubwa ambao hadi sasa hakuna aliyeufaulu. Hata hivyo, wugunduzi huu wa wanasayansi wa Israeli unaweza kubadilisha matokeo.

Nchi za Mashariki ya Kati na Afrika ya Kaskazini zina asilimia ndogo mno ya maambukizi yanayokadiriwa kuwa 0.1. Hii ni tofauti na nchi za Kiafrika zilizopo kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara ambazo karibu asilimia tano ya watu wake wanakadiriwa kuwa wameaambukizwa VVU.

Kwa sasa tuna watu 7,500 ambao wanaishi na VVU hapa Israeli,” anasema Dk. Margalit Lorber ambaye anafanya kazi kwenye kituo cha Afya cha Haifa's Rambam kinachoshughulika na magonjwa yanayotokana na upungufu wa

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Bashe,Musukuma na Malima hati hati CCM

Dodoma. Wabunge wawili na aliyekuwa naibu waziri wa fedha, Adam Malima wanahojiwa na polisi mjini hapa kwa kosa la kutaka kufanya vurugu na uchochezi katika vikao vya CCM.

Kamanda wa Polisi Mkoa wa Dodoma, Lazaro Mambosasa amethibisha na kuwataja waliokamatwa kuwa ni Mbunge wa Nzega Mjini, Hussein Bashe na Mbunge wa Geita vijijini ambaye pia ni Mwenyekiti wa CCM Mkoa wa Geita, Joseph Kasheku maarufu kama Musukuma na Malima.

“Hao ndio waliokamatwa na bado tunaendelea na mahojiano na wengine bado tunaendelea kuwatafuta,”amesema Mambosasa.

Amesema  taarifa zaidi atazitoa baada ya uchunguzi wa tukio hilo kukamilika.

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THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES

It is highly associated with droughts and hunger as Somalia is highly affected, water shortage and prolonged drought has led to dealth of people and animals which led to severe poverty among the people since those animals were the source of income to them.

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Mdahalo wa kitaifa kuhusu amani ya Sudan Kusini watarajiwa mwishoni mwa juma hili

Mdahalo wa kitaifa unatarajiwa kufanyika nchini Sudan Kusini mwishoni wa juma hili kwa lengo la kumaliza mapigano ya kikabila ambayo yamekuwa yakiendelea kwa muda wa miaka mitatu sasa

Wito wa kufanyika kwa madahalo huu ulitolewa na rais Salva Kiir mapema mwezi uliopita ili kurejesha amani Sudan Kusini ambapo aliwaalika waasi kushiriki lakini sasa amebadili msimamo wake na kusema kuwa waasi wataruhusiwa kushiriki pale tu watakapokubali kuweka chini silaha.

Hata hivyo waasi wa Sudani Kusini kupitia kwa Meja Jenerali Nyagwal Ajak Deng, mmoja wa Mkamanda wa vikosi vya Riek Machar amesema mdahalo huo kamwe hautafua dafu na wao hawatahudhuria

Sudani kusini ilitumbukia katika vita ya wenyewe kwa wenyewe takribani miaka mitatu iliyopita baada ya rais Salva Kiir kumfuta kazi aliyekuwa makamu wake Riek Machar ambaye kwa sasa anaongoza vikosi vya uasi dhidi yake na takribani ikataba saba imesaini kukomesha mapigano bila mafanikio

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French appeals court sentences cop for shooting man in back

This Friday, the Paris Court of Appeals handed down a five-year suspended sentence to policeman Damien Saboundjian for the killing of Amine Bentounsi in April 2012. The officer had initially been acquitted in January of 2016.

After nearly six hours of deliberation, the court found that Saboundjian, 37, had not acted in self-defence when he shot Bentounsi, then aged 29, in Noisy-le-Sec, a city in the northern Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis. The officer has been found guilty of deliberate assault resulting in death without premeditation, and has been given a five-year suspended sentence.

During this probation period, the officer will be prohibited from carrying a gun. However, he has not been suspended from duty, and will therefore be able to return to work as a police officer.

The court agreed with the prosecution, which argued that Saboundjian had fired in a state of panic, and had reacted "inappropriately" in a situation that was neither life-threatening, nor susceptible to cause the officer bodily harm.

On that day in April 2012, Saboundjian had responded to a tip-off that a known armed robber was in front of a bar in the area. He and three of his colleagues encountered Bentounsi when they arrived on the scene. When they asked to see his identification, Bentounsi ran away and, according to French daily Le Monde, threw an artificial grenade at the officers. Saboundjian then chased after him, and ultimately shot him four times in the back, killing 29-year-old Bentounsi.

Prosecution attorney Louise Tort recognised that Bentounsi “was not an angel” – he had been a chronic offender who had violated his parole – “but he didn’t deserve to die like a dog.”

Saboundjian, for his part, maintained the same argument throughout the five-year trial process. “He held me up, so I shot him.” No eye-witness has been able to confirm his claim that Bentounsi was armed. One of the other officers on the scene had initially corroborated this, but later retracted his statement.

Defence attorney Daniel Merchat accused the Court of Appeals of being “anti-police”: “I know that there cannot be a presumption of self-defence; but neither can there be a presumption of guilt.”

He argued that “only police” are considered guilty until proven innocent, rather than innocent until proven guilty.

The decision has been hailed by advocates against police violence. Some 100 protestors, who had been chanting “justice for Amine” outside the court on Friday, celebrated when the decision was handed down.

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Polish PM mocks Hollande’s low approval ratings

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo’s comments came at a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels on Friday, one day after the re-election of Donald Tusk as European Council president, which Poland had tried to block.

After French President François Hollande allegedly threatened to suspend European funding for Poland because it was “not behaving properly”, Szydlo accused him of blackmail.

“Am I supposed to take seriously the blackmail of a president who has a four percent approval rating and who soon won’t be president?”

The comment was a reference to Hollande’s low approval ratings in France, which at one point dropped as low as four percent in 2016, according to an Ipsos poll. He is one of the most unpopular presidents in the country’s history since the end of World War II.

Poland's attempt to prevent Tusk, who is also Polish, from being re-elected to a second term gave way to a diplomatic row at the EU summit in Brussels, as it was the only country that opposed his appointment. The move threatened to derail the summit, as the European Council – the EU governing body comprised of the leaders of its member states – seeks to achieve consensus on such issues.

The BBC has reported that Hollande, at a summit dinner in Brussels on Thursday, suggested that Western European countries were funding Poland’s development. The country is one of the biggest net recipient of EU funds, having received 13.4 billion euros in 2015.

"If someone says 'you're not behaving properly so you won't get the money', that's unacceptable," Szydlo told a news conference on Friday.

The Polish PM, who represents the right-wing Eurosceptic Law and Justice Party (PiS), has long opposed Tusk, who served as prime minister from 2007 to 2014.

The PiS has been bitter towards Tusk since the 2010 plane crash in Russia that killed Lech Kaczynski, then Poland's president. All 95 passengers died. As the plane crashed in dense fog, official investigations concluded that the crash was due to pilot error. But the PiS has accused Tusk of not fully investigating the matter.

The row over Tusk's re-election has heightened tensions at a summit that has centred on discussions of EU unity in the face of Brexit. It was UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s last summit before invoking Article 50, which she has said she will do by the end of March. The move would officially begin the UK’s process of withdrawing from the EU. As European Council president, Tusk will play a key role in negotiating Brexit terms.

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How foreigners get Ugandan passports, National ID cards

KAMPALA. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating how a racket of police officers, quack lawyers and immigration officials are conniving to sell Ugandan passports and nationals Identity cards to foreigners, security sources that this newspaper has talked to, have said.
According to the sources, the racket helps foreigners who come to Uganda with lots of money and want to do business without paying for work permits.
The commissioner of Immigration Control, Mr Anthony Namara, yesterday confirmed there were investigations.

“These reports still remain rumours until investigations are concluded,” he said.
The same group, according to security sources, also targets and defrauds unsuspecting refugees with the promise that they will get them National IDs and passports.
Those targeted include Burundians, Congolese, Somalis, Eritreans and Rwandans. Our sources reveal that a passport is sold between Shs4 million and Shs6 million to the foreigners.

The process
The process starts with foreigners forging academic documents and birth certificates, which are used by quack lawyers and certain immigration officials to get the passports or National IDs for refugees.
This newspaper has also established that sometimes forgeries start with village Local Council chairpersons, who give recommendations to refugees as citizens to enable them get passports or National IDs. The process usually takes, at most, two days to avoid delay and exposure to authorities.

In other cases, some members of the racket under investigation are said to wait for refugees in areas such as Hoima District, where copies of the passport or the national IDs are delivered to whoever can afford. The recipients do not have to necessarily travel to the immigration offices.
One case that is under investigation is that of a Burundian army officer Pascal Nkunzimana who fled Burundi over political persecution.
Mr Nkunzimana was first approached by a friend, Renatus Mulindangabo, to be a business shareholder in Pyramid Concepts bar in Kansanga, a Kampala suburb, but was told he had to first get a passport before doing business in Uganda.

According to Mr Nkunzimana’s lawyer, Mr Stanley Omony of Stanley Omony and Company Advocates, his client was later introduced to ASP Kenneth Kabwigo, a police officer attached to Immigration by a city lawyer, who helped him get a passport and national ID.
“Subsequently, our client was given passport application documents by the said ASP Kabwigo, who instructed him to sign and leave the rest of the information to be filled since our client was not conversant with the entire process. Our client solely relied on ASP Kabwigo as a police officer attached to Immigration Control office and indeed, a few days later, our client was called to pick his ‘Ugandan’ passport,” Mr Omony writes.
The copy of the passport number is B1400601. It states that Mr Nkunzimana is a “Ugandan” citizen born on March 16, 1970 in Kisoro District. The date of issuance was October 10, 2016. He also got a National ID number CM7001810A922A with the same birth details as passport.


After getting the passport and a National ID, Mr Nkunzimana entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Mulindangabo, with each owning 50 per cent stake in Pyramid Concept bar, before the duo got a disagreement and Mr Nkunzimana decided to dissolve his shares.
But Mr Omony, in a letter written to Mr Namara, dated February 6, says they were surprised when Mr Nkunzimana was arrested by Mr Kabwigo, who had helped him get the passport.
“However, to our client’s surprise, on February 02, 2017, he received a call from Francis Asiimwe [Mulindangabo’s lawyer] to go to Pyramid Concepts bar, from where he found ASP Kabwigo, who immediately arrested him and took him to Kabalagala Police Station, where he was given police bond on February 3. But he was re-arrested and taken to Immigration Department, from where he was taken to Jinja Road Police Station and detained on charges of giving false information,” reads the letter, in part.

Denied allegations
Mr Kabwigo yesterday described the allegations against him as “rubbish and diversionary”.
“How can I help someone get a passport and then arrest him? I would be implicating myself. Some people are trying to be diversionary,” he said.
Mr Kabwigo said the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Immigration Namara and the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were closely following the case.
After his arrest, documents to deport Mr Nkuzimana, who had fled Burundi for his life, were hurriedly processed. He had been bundled into a car and was about to be driven through Rwanda and be taken to Burundi.
But Mr Namara intervened and halted the planned deportation.
“His lawyers came to me and I felt the deportation was being done unfairly. I felt it would only be fair if we allowed the law to take its course,” he said.

Mr Nkunzimana is now at Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court facing charges of false declaration and illegal stay in Uganda.
According to the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, Section 60, a deportation can only be done by the Internal Affairs minister.
Mr Namara said investigations are ongoing to find out how Mr Nkunzimana got the passport and why there was a plan to hurriedly deport him.
Sources say there are many Senegalese, Nigerians and Congolese who are carrying Ugandan passports obtained fraudulently. Mr Namara said some Congolese, Burundian and Rwandans masquerade as Bufumbira to get passports.
The Ugandan passport has for long been subjected to abuse. In 2013, the Passport Control said some 200 diplomatic passports had gone missing from their strong room.

Response by Jacob Siminyu, Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson

As far as the Ministry of Internal Affairs is concerned, there is no racket in passport issuance because only two cases have been investigated and prosecuted in the last two years. One was successfully prosecuted and deported and the other (Pascal Nkuzimana) is still in court.
The biggest problem we have is that of not being able to identify Ugandans and, therefore, we depend on officers interviewing the applicants to establish whether the person is actually a Ugandan or not.
A child born in Busia Kenya and that one born in Busia Uganda may play together, study together and have a similar accent and, therefore, if such a person presents the details as a Ugandan, he may be accepted as a Ugandan even if he is not.

For the case currently under investigation, one [Pascal] Nkuzimana presented himself as a Ugandan Mufumbira from Kisoro [District]. He was interviewed and he passed the interview. He also uttered a National ID Registration slip, which was later found to be forged. Until we get the full National Database, these scenarios will continue to be expected.
Within a few months, the National Identitification and Registration Authority (NIRA) will be able to share the current database, but it should be noted that it is still not full as the children aged between 0 and 16 are yet to be registered. The passports offic

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Ruling CCM ‘saboteurs’ now a hard nut to crack

Dodoma. Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) members who allegedly sabotaged the party during the 2015 General Election are proving to be a hard nut to crack.

For a third straight day yesterday, the ruling party’s Ethics Committee failed to conclude the agenda such that the Central Committee (CC) meeting that was scheduled for yesterday morning had to be pushed back to allow the former to conclude its business.

The committee has been meeting since Wednesday debating names of members implicated in the sub-committee formed to problem the saboteurs.

“We thought that one or two days would have been enough for the Ethics Committee to conclude this issue but it appears that things are tough and for a third straight day today (yesterday) the committee has been meeting.

“As a result, the CC meeting has been postponed pending the conclusion of the Ethics Committee meeting because the former depends on a report from the latter to conduct its work,” said a CCM insider who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media. Another CCM member, who also requested to remain synonymous, said the CC meeting will be held today because the Ethics Committee took longer than it had been anticipated to conclude its agendas.

“This means that we might have marathon meetings because immediately after the CC, the National Executive Committee (NEC) will also have to meet to enable the extra ordinary General Congress to take place tomorrow as scheduled,” he said.

The source hinted that the number of the so called saboteurs was more than the three CC members who were summoned earlier.

“I think the Committee has decided to go through all the names from all levels which were compiled following a probe by a sub-committee which was led by deputy national chairman Phillip Mangula (Mainland). Mr Mangula’s sub-committee was formed before the last General Election to check on CCM members who were acting against the party principles in their quest to seek nomination.

After the election, the sub-committee continued with its task, investigating members who were accused of working for the Opposition. In his several speeches, President John Magufuli, vowed to root out all members who were backbiting the party, especially those who sabotaged it during the last General Election campaigns.

Meanwhile, security was tight at CCM headquarters yesterday with the Ethics Committee meeting underway.

Officials from the information and publicity section of the ruling party were mum over what was going on but promised to brief journalists later in the evening.

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3 jailed for life over Sh4.8m drugs

Moshi. The High Court yesterday sentenced three people to life imprisonment after it found them guilty of trafficking khat and marijuana worth Sh4.8 million.

The Judge in charge of the High Court (Moshi Zone), Aishiel Sumari, said 11 witnesses testified and it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offences.

In the first case, Kennedy Shayo, 52, and his accomplice Athuman Mussa,32, were sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking 83 kilos of khat.

In the second case a resident of Gongo la Mboto in Dar es Salaam, Farida Abdul Ismail, will serve the life sentence for attempting to transport 7.7 grammes of marijuana to Turkey.

Shayo and Mussa were arrested on April 3, 2013 at Majengo Ngangamfumuni in Moshi Town transporting 83 kilos of khat worth Sh4.1 million from Himo to Moshi using a car.

According to a witness, the police initially flagged down the car at Kiborloni, but the accused ignored the order, prompting the police to chase them up to Ngangamfumuni where they were intercepted.

Upon searching the car, police discovered that Athuman was sleeping on six packets of khat on the back seat. The State was represented by attorneys Hassan Nkya, Omary Kibwana and Lucy Kyussa, while advocated Abdallh Chavula defended the accused.

Yesterday, Justice Sumari also ordered the confiscation of the car owned by Shayo that was used to transport the contraband. Regarding the case against Farida, Justice Sumari said the court was satisfied with the evidence adduced by 10 prosecution witnesses that the accused was actually transporting 770 packets of marijuana on September 22, 2013.

The 7.7 kilos of marijuana had a street valued of Sh770,000.

Farida was arrested at Kilimanjaro International Airport.

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Power cut response sparks hot debate

Dar/Zanzibar. President John Magufuli’s directive to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) to disconnect power to Zanzibar over a Sh127 billion debt has sparked fierce debate on the status of the Isles in the Union.

Dr Magufuli said Sunday the debt had to be settled or power be disconnected as it would be with any other serial defaulter.

But in an apparent rejoinder yesterday, the Zanzibari President, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, told reporters in the Isles that he did not believe that any “serious government” could make such threats.

Dr Shein was not here when the Tanesco order was issued. And the state power utility has since given all serial defaulters, including Zanzibar, a two-week grace period.

“The debt has been there for more than 20 years now; it was there when I served in the Union government as Vice President…but if power is indeed going to be disconnected then we are ready to go back in time and use oil lamps,” the Zanzibar President told reporters at the Abeid Aman Karume International Airport yesterday on his return. Some analysts were quick to describe the “witty” response from Dr Shein as a sign of misunderstanding between the two governments.

And already, Members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives have backed Dr Shein, noting that it was wrong for the Isles to be “threatened and embarrassed in public”. The Kwamtipura representative, Mr Hamza Hassan Juma (CCM), said President Magufuli’s directives were “disappointing” given the fact that Zanzibar also “has a lot of issues” it is not happy about (in the Union), but has never made any public threats.

“We have always wanted the full implementation of the articles of the Union, and let Zanzibar enjoy its fair share of the Union. But for the last 10 years, we have not received our shares of Union revenue, but we are not going to the public to make threats, and we are not going to do that,” he said.

Prof Kitila Mkumbo, a senior lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, said there could be consequences if statements by the two leaders are taken out of context by their assistants.

“I think the issue is how competent enough our administrators are to interpret the statements by our heads of state,” he said.

“In most cases, CEOs of public institutions, and other government officials fail to understand what the President says. They have to be able to interpret the directives, because some of the statements can lead the country to an unexpected crisis.”

President Magufuli gave the directive while speaking during the laying of the foundation stone for a new Tanesco substation in Mtwara.

“I’m told the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has not paid Sh121 billion. You (Tanesco) are not politicians... you should stick to your professional obligations...just cut power supply. I’ve said that regardless of whether it’s State House, police, army or schools, no defaulter should be spared. Only this way can we ensure that funds allocated to ministries for electricity are used as planned so that Tanesco can survive and deal with the problem of unreliable power. Tanesco is unable to improve services because of unpaid government debts.”

A senior political science lecturer at Ruaha Catholic University, Prof Gaudence Mpangala, said it wasn’t right for President Magufuli to issue such directives in public.

He warned that a Union crisis should be expected if power to the Isles is cut. “They (leaders) have to think twice before issuing directives, their words are so powerful.”

Prof Mpangala said Dr Shein’s reaction captured his disappointment on the decision, but believes that there is a platform for the two to discuss how best the issue would be handled.

St Augustine University of Tanzania, Prof Mwesiga Baregu, said the Constitutional Review Commission had propose “practical solutions” to most of the Union’s contentious issues, and had their suggestions been adopted the current crisis wouldn’t have unfolded the way it did.

He said the three tier government stru

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Rais Erdogan alituhumu baraza la Mawaziri Uholanzi

Rais Erdogan wa Uturuki amelituhumu baraza la mawaziri la Uholanzi, kwamba limekaa kama mabaki ya Ki-Nazi na kama mafashisti, baada ya baraza hilo kumkatalia waziri wa mashauri ya nchi za nje wa Uturuki, kutua mjini Rotterdam, kuwashawishi wapigaji kura wa Uturuki waunge mkono kura ya maoni kuhusu katiba ya Uturuki.

Wizara ya mashauri ya nchi za nje ya Uholanzi, imesema, juhudi za kutafuta suluhu inayokubalika zilishindikana, pale Uturuki ilipotishia kujibu kwa vikwazo, iwapo ziara ya waziri huyo itakataliwa.

Hapo awali, Rais Erdogan alitumia tusi hilo, kufananisha hatua ya serikali ya Ujerumani kuwa ya ki-Nazi, kwa sababu hizo hizo.

Mvutano umezidi Uholanzi, kwa sababu ya uchaguzi wa wabunge wa juma lijalo, pamoja na kura ya maoni kuhusu katiba ya Uturuki, mwezi ujao.

Mabadiliko hayo ya katiba yatazidisha madaraka ya Rais Erdogan.

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Makongoro Mahanga atafutwa na Polisi

MAHAKAMA Kuu Kanda ya Dar es Salaam, imetoa hati nyingine kwa Polisi Mkoa wa Ilala ikielekeza wamkamate na kumfikisha mahakamani hapo Jumatatu (Machi 13, mwaka huu), aliyekuwa Naibu Waziri wa Kazi na Ajira na Maendeleo ya Vijana, Makongoro Mahanga.

Hati hiyo imetolewa juzi na Msajili wa Wilaya wa Mahakama Kuu, Ruth Masambu, baada ya kushindwa kutekelezwa amri ya awali iliyotolewa  Machi 7, mwaka huu ya kukamatwa kwake na kufikishwa mahakamani hapo Machi 9, mwaka huu.

Juzi mahakama hiyo ilimkabidhi hati hiyo Mwanaharakati wa Haki za Binadamu katika masuala ya elimu nchini, Kainerugaba Msemakweli, ambaye ni mlalamikaji katika shauri hilo alilomfungulia Mahanga ambaye
aliamriwa kumlipa mwanaharakati huyo kila mwezi sehemu ya zaidi ya Sh milioni 11 za kesi ya madai aliyomshinda.

Mlalamikaji huyo alikabidhiwa hati hiyo na kutakiwa kumkabidhi Kamanda wa Polisi, Mkoa wa Ilala, Salum Hamduni mwenyewe ili aweze kutekeleza
hilo. Jana Kamanda wa Polisi huyo, Hamduni alikiri kupokea hati hiyo ambapo alisema anatakiwa kumfikisha Mahanga mahakamani Jumatatu saa 2.30 asubuhi.

Kamanda Hamduni alisema hati hiyo alikabidhiwa jana kati ya saa nane na tisa alasiri na kwamba bado hawajamkamata Mahanga, hivyo wanaendelea kumtafuta.

Mahanga anatakiwa kumlipa mwanaharakati huyo kutokana na kesi aliyokuwa amefunguliwa baada ya kesi yake ya madai ya kashfa dhidi ya mwanaharakati huyo kufutwa mahakamani.

Awali, Machi 2, mwaka huu mahakama hiyo ilitoa amri ya kukamatwa na kufikishwa mahakamani hapo Mahanga kutokana na kushindwa kufika siku hiyo bila ya taarifa.

Mahanga alitakiwa kufika mahakamani hapo ili aweze kulipa Sh milioni mbili, zikiwa ni sehemu ya deni la zaidi ya Sh milioni 11 anazodaiwa na Msemakweli ambapo hati ya kumkamata na kumfikisha mahakamani hapo, ilitolewa Machi 7, mwaka huu kwenda kwa Kamanda wa Polisi Mkoa wa Ilala, ikimwelekeza kumkamata na kumfikisha mahakamani hapo Machi 9, isipokuwa tu kama atalipa Sh 11,097,000.

Mwaka  2009, Mahanga alifungua kesi ya madai namba 145 ya mwaka 2009 dhidi ya Msemakweli na wenzake akiwemo mwandishi wa Nipashe, Muhibu Said, kwa kile alichodai kukashifiwa kutokana na mlalamikiwa huyo kuandika kitabu alichokiita Orodha ya Mafisadi wa Elimu Tanzania
ambacho Dk. Mahanga alitajwa kuwa ni mmoja wa vigogo wenye shahada za udaktari wa falsafa za kughushi.

Wadaiwa wengine walikuwa ni Mhariri Mtendaji wa gazeti la Nipashe lililokuwa limechapisha habari hiyo na Kampuni ya The Guardian Ltd inayomiliki gazeti hilo ambapo alikuwa akiiomba mahakama kuwaamuru wadaiwa kumlipa Sh bilioni tatu kama fidia ya madhara aliyoyapata kutokana na habari hizo alizoziita za uongo.

Hata hivyo, shauri hilo lilifutwa mahakamani hapo Julai mosi, 2014 mbele ya Jaji Salvatory Bongole, baada ya Dk. Mahanga wala wakili wake Kennedy Mfungamtama, kutofika mahakamani mara kadhaa licha ya
kupatiwa hati ya wito kwa tarehe zilizokuwa zikipangwa.

Baada ya hapo, Msemakweli aliamua kufungua kesi ya madai dhidi ya Dk. Mahanga, akiiomba mahakama pamoja na mambo mengine kumwamuru mlalamikiwa amlipe gharama za kesi hiyo ambapo mahakama ilimwamuru
Mahanga amlipe mdai huyo Sh milioni 14 na amlipe Muhibu Sh milioni 33.

Lakini tangu Juni, 2016, Dk. Mahanga alimlipa Msemakweli Sh milioni moja tu na kuamua kutofika mahakamani, jambo ambalo lilimfanya Msemakweli kuwasilisha maombi akiomba Mahanga afungwe jela kwa kushindwa kutekeleza amri ya mahakama ya kumlipa deni hilo.

Kutokana na hilo, Desemba 2, 2015 mahakama ilimwandikia Mkuu wa Gereza la Ukonga barua ikiomba mchanganuo wa gharama za kumtunza gerezani mdaiwa
huyo, ambapo majibu yalitoka na mahakama ilimtaka Msemakweli awasilishe mahakamani Sh 300,000 kama kianzio kumgharamia mdaiwa huyo kwa mahitaji ya chakula na mengine atakapokuwa
amefungwa gerezani.

Msemakweli aliwasilisha fedha hizo ambapo Mahanga alifika mahakamani
hapo na kuomba alipe ambapo alikubaliwa awe anamlipa Sh milioni 2.8 kila mwezi. Hata hivyo, Mahanga alilipa mwezi mmoja Sh milioni moja na hakuendelea kulipa tena wala k

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Lema asema hakuna wa kuogopwa hata kama ni Magufuli

MBUNGE wa Jimbo la Arusha Mjini, Godbless Lema (Chadema), amewataka wananchi wa Jimbo hilo kuacha woga na waamshe mori ya kupigania haki ikiwamo kuirejesha Arusha ya Mwaka 2010.

Lema aliyasema hayo jana wakati akiwahutubia mamia ya wananchi katika mkutano wa hadhara uliofanyika viwanja vya Shule ya Msingi Ngarenaro mjini hapa

Katika mkutano wake huo wa kwanza tangu alipotoka mahabusu ya Gereza la Kisongo alikokaa kwa miezi minne kutokana na kukosa dhamana ya kesi ya uchochezi inayomkabili, Lema alisema, umefika wakati wa kupigania haki pale inapovunjwa na viongozi akiwamo Rais John Magufuli.

“Hatutaogopa kumkosoa Rais Magufuli pale atakapokuwa amevunja Katiba ya nchi, tutasema kweli na tutapigania haki hiyo,” alisema Lema na kuongeza:

“Wananchi wa Arusha mmekuwa waoga amsheni mori ya kupigania haki. Nawaambieni hivi hakuna mtu aliyetupa nchi vizuri na kirahisi kama Rais Magufuli.

“Nawaambieni kila aliyetakiwa kukemea uovu na hakufanya hivyo ipo siku uovu huo utamrudia. Leo hii huko tunakoelekea hata hao watachoka na watarudi kuimba wimbo tunaoimba sisi,” alisema Lema.

Akielezea kuhusu kukaa kwake mahabusu miezi minne Lema aliyekuwa akishangiliwa kila alipozungumza alisema, wito wa uongozi na kuwatumia wananchi ndio uliomsukuma kukaa magereza.

“Nimekosa dhamana kwasababu ya wito, nisingekuwa na wito wa kuwatumikia wananchi nisingikwenda magereza. Mimi sijaingia kwenye uongozi kwa ajili ya kutafuta fedha,” alisema Lema.

MAISHA YA MAHABUSU

Akizungumzia maisha yake ya mahabusu ambako alipata cheo cha kuwa Mnyampara, alisema mahabusu si kubaya japokuwa roho inaendelea kumuuma kwa wale aliowaacha wakikabiliwa na mateso makubwa.

“Jumatano iliyopita nilirudi Magereza kutafuta ndoo yangu niliyokuwa nakalia nilienda kuichukua na kuiweka chumbani kwangu. Mke wangu aliniuliza nikamjibu kuwa wapo watu wengi walioonewa hivyo kila ninapokuwa nikiomba naiangalia ndoo ile na kuwaombea waliopo magereza.”

"Nimekaa mahabusu miezi minne sina kosa kabisa,nilichukuliwa Dodoma na Polisi usiku nikapelekwa Kondoa, katikati ya njia nikaomba kujisaidia haja ndogo polisi wakanizunguka na silaha za SMG 5 niliwauliza mnanitafuta mimi ama kuna mwingine mnamtafuta niliwaambia kama kuna kitu nimeshau kwenye maisha yangu ni hofu na woga,"

 “Tuliingia Arusha Saa 12 asubuhi nikasikia Mkuu wa Upelelezi Mkoa (RCO) akipigiwa simu na kutoa maelekezo mtu yeyote asinione, nimeanza kukaa mahabusu tangu Mwaka 2004. Lakini nikafikiria nimefanya nini, kuona maono ndiyo yananitesa mimi hivi, neno la Mungu?”, alihoji Lema.


Alisema alipokuwa mahabusu alikuwa akisali na kumuuliza Mungu mbona anateswa wakati yeye ndiye alimpa kauli hiyo,Mungu akamjibu hateseki na akitoka awasamehe na wasubiri kisasi cha Mungu hivyo anasubiri kisasi cha Mungu na anatarajia kumuona Mungu.

KATIBA

Akielezea kuhusu suala la Katiba, Lema alisema Rais Dk. Magufuli akiwa anaapa aliishika pamoja na Biblia akiapa kuilinda na kuitumikia lakini hivi sasa haisimamii.


Huku akinukuu maandiko ya Biblia kutoka Kitabu cha Isaya 30:9-10; “Kwa maana watu hawa ni waasi,watoto wasemao uongo,watoto wasiotaka kuisikia sheria ya bwana,wawa ambiao waonaji,msione na manabii msitoe unabii wa mambo ya haki,tuambieni maneno laini,hubirini maneno yadanganyayo".


Alisema yeye amevaa kombati hivyo aliyosema aliona maono na badala yake watu wengine walidhani amevuta bangi. Hata hivyo kwa vile alitamka neno la Mungu na kisha kuwekwa ndani aliahidi kuendelea kujitetea kwa neno la Mungu na kuthibitisha maono yake.

POLISI

Lema aliwataka polisi kuzingataia sheria na kuacha  kuonea watu kwani wanaishi mitaani hivyo wananchi wakiamua kulipiza kisasi itakuwa jambo lisilopendeza.

Alisema anaomba Mungu hilo lisitokee  lakini ipo siku wananchi  hao watachoka na uonevu huo.

"Polisi mnaona sifa mlisema kazi ya Jamhuri ni kuona watu wanateseka ndiyo maana mnanitesa mimi,polisi hii dhuluma mnayofanya ya kudhalilisha watu, Afrika Kusini ilikuwa na polisi wabaya kuliko ninyi,hao watu mnaozuia wasifanye mkutano iko siku wa

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Kenya yataka kuwaajiri madaktari wa Tanzania

Serikali ya Kenya imeiomba Tanzania kuiruhusu kuajiri madaktari kutoka nchini humo ili kujaza nafasi ya madaktari walioingia kwenye mgomo kwa zaidi ya siku 90 hadi sasa.

Waziri wa Afya, Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia, Wazee na Watoto, Ummy Mwalimu amethibitisha kupokea ombi hilo la Serikali ya Kenya. Hata hivyo, hakutaka kutoa ufafanuzi zaidi.

“Ndio… lakini tafadhali usiniulize maswali zaidi,” Waziri Ummy anakaririwa na The Citizen.

Hivi karibuni, Serikali ya Kenya ilitangaza mpango wa kuwaajiri madaktari kutoka Tanzania, Ethiopia na Cuba kwa lengo la kuziba pengo la madaktari walioingia katika mgomo nchini humo.

Hata hivyo, Jumuiya ya Madaktari Tanzania (MAT) kupitia kwa Mwenyekiti wake mteule, Dkt. Elisha Osati jana kilieleza kuwa hakiungi mkono ombi la Serikali ya Kenya katika kipindi hiki ambacho madaktari wa nchi hiyo wako kwenye mgomo.

“MAT haiungi mkono mpango wa Serikali ya Kenya kuwaajili madaktari wa Tanzania. Labda kama ombi hili litafanyika baada ya mgomo kuisha,” Dkt. Osati aliandika kupitia mtandao wa Twitter.

Ombi hilo limekuja ikiwa ni siku chache baada ya MAT kuiomba Serikali kuwaajiri madaktari kwani kuna zaidi ya madaktari 1500 wapya waliopewa leseni lakini bado hawajaajiriwa.

Madaktari wa Kenya wameingia kwenye mgomo wakidai ongezeko la mshahara wa kima cha chini hadi shilingi milioni 9,700,000 za Tanzania, kiasi ambacho Serikali ya nchi hiyo imesema haiwezi kumudu.

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Trump amwalika Rais wa Palestina Muhamad Abbas

Ikulu ya white house inasema kwamba rais Donald Trump amemwalika kiongozi wa Palestina, Mohamud Abbas, nchini Marekani hivi karibuni.
Bwana Trump amemwalika Abbas baada ya mazungumzo ya kwanza ya simu na kiongozi huyo tangu aingie maamlakani.

Trump amependekeza kuhusika katika juhudi za amani mashariki ya kati, japo viongozi wa Palestina wanalalamika kwamba sera ya kigeni ya rais Trump inaonekana kupendelea Israeli.

Hakujakuwa na mazungumzo ya amani ya haja kati ya Israel na Palestina tangu mazungumzo ya amani yalioanzishwa na Marekani kugonga mwamba mnamo mwezi Aprili 2014.

Msemaji wa Trump Sean Spicer alithibitisha siku ya Ijumaa kwamba rais wa Marekani alimualika Abbas katika ikulu ya Whitehouse hivi karibuni.


Rais huyo alimwambia kiongozi huyo wa Palestina kwamba watajadiliana vile watakavyoanzisha tena mazungumzo ya amani kulingana na msemaji wa Abbas aliyenukuliwa na Reuters akisema.

Alisema kwamba bwana Trump alisisitiza kuhusu juhudi zake za mpango wa amani ambao utaleta amani ya kweli kati ya Palestina na Israel.

Maafisa wa Palestina walikuwa wamesema kwamba kabla ya simu hiyo ya siku ya Ijumaa. bwana Abbas atamsisitizia rais huyo wa Marekani kuhusu ujenzi wa majumba ya walowezi katika ardhi ya Palestina na umuhimu wa mataifa mawili yalio huru.

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Jaji akataa kutoa uamuzi wa kupinga marufuku ya usafiri US

Jaji wa mahakama moja katika jimbo la Washington Marekani amekataa kutoa agizo la muda la kusitisha marufuku mpya ya usafiri iliyotolewa na rais Trump.

Jaji huyo, James Robart, amewataka mawakili wanaowakilisha majimbo yanayopinga marufuku hiyo kutoa ushahidi zaidi.

Wanasema amri mpya ya Trump dhidi ya raia wa mataifa 6 ya kiislamu si tofauti sana na marufuku ya awali ambayo jaji huyo alisitisha.

Marufuku hiyo inafaa kuanza kutekelezwa alhamis ijayo, japo inakabiliwa na vikwazo chungu nzima vya kisheria kutoka kwa majimbo kadhaa yanayosema marufuku hiyo inakiuka katiba.

Lakini jaji huyo alisema kuwa ana sababu za kutofanya hivyo.
Amesema kuwa lazima walalamishi wawasilishe ombi kabla ya yeye kutoa uamuzi wake.
Idara ya haki nchini humo ilikuwa imesema kuwa kwa sababu marufuku ya kwanza ya uhamiaji ilikuwa imepingwa na mahakama jaji huyo hangeweza kutoa uamuzi wa moja kwa moja.

Wale wanaopinga maraufuku wanasema kuwa ina athari sawa na ile ya hapo awali.Wamesemakuwa hatua hiyo ni kinyume na katiba na inaharibu biashara katika jimbo la Washington.
Msemaji wa Ikulu ya Whitehouse Sean Spicer amesema kuwa anaamini kuwa agizo hilo jipya litaidhinishwa na mahakama.

Majimbo kadhaa pia yamewasilisha maombi ya kupinga sheria hiyo.

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UN yasema watu milioni 20 wako katika hatari ya kufa njaa duniani

Mratibu wa Umoja wa Mataifa anayehusika na misaada ya kibinadamu amesema ulimwengu unakabiliwa na mzozo mkubwa zaidi wa kibinadamu tangu Umoja wa Mataifa kuundwa mwaka 1945.


Stephen O'Brien ameliambia Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa kuwa bila ya juhudi za pamoja na uratibu wa Jumuiya ya kimataifa kushughulikia baa la njaa, watu watakufa njaa na wengine wengi watataabika na kufa kutokana na magonjwa.

Umoja wa Mataifa unatoa wito wa kutolewa kwa michango ya fedha ili kuwepo kwa misaada ya dharura kuwasaidia raia wa Yemen, Sudan Kusini, Somalia na kaskazini mashariki mwa Nigeria na pia kuwepo njia salama kufikisha misaada katiak maeneo ya mizozo ili kuepusha janga.

O'Brien amesema wanahitaji dola bilioni 4.4 ifikapo mwezi Julai na kuongeza bila ya ufadhili huo, watoto watadumaa kutokana ana utapia mlo mbaya sana, hawataweza kwenda shuleni, kutakuwa na athari katika maendeleo ya kiuchumi na riziki,matumaini na vizazi vijavyo vitapotea.

Baa la njaa ndilo baya zaidi kushuhudiwa tangu 1945

Umoja wa mataifa na mashirika ya chakula yanaeleza baa la njaa kuwa pale asilimia 30 ya watoto walio chini ya umri wa miaka mitano wanapokabiliwa na utapia mlo mbaya na idadi ya watoto wanaokufa ikiwa wawili au zaidi kati ya watu 10,000 kwa siku.


Nchini Yemen ambako kuna mzozo mbaya zaidi wa kibinadamu, thuluthi mbili ya idadi ya wa Wayemen milioni 18.8 wanahitaji misaada na zaidi ya watu milioni saba wakikumbwa na njaa na hawajui pale mlo mwingine utakapotoka.

Idadi hiyo ni milioni tatu zaidi ya waathiriwa walioripotiwa mwezi Januari. Taifa hilo masikini zaidi la kiarabu linakumbwa na vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe ambako watu 48,000 wameyatoroka mapigano katika kipindi cha miezi miwili iliyopita.

Kwa mwaka huu, Umoja wa Mataifa unahitaji dola bilioni 2.1 kuwasaidia Wayemen milioni 12 kwa kuwapa misaada ya dharura. Ni asilimia 6 tu ya idadi hiyo ambayo mpaka sasa imepokea misaada. Katibu mkuu wa Umoja huo Antonio Guterres anatarajiwa kufanya mkutano wa wafadhili kwa ajili ya Yemen tarehe 25 mwezi ujao mjini Geneva.

Guterres pia aliizuru Sudan Kusini taifa changa zaidi duniani linalokumbwa na vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe kwa miaka mitatu iliyopita ambako pia kuna janga kubwa la njaa. Zaidi ya watu milioni 7.4 nchini humo wanahitaji misaada.

Watoto ndiyo walioathirika zaidi

Zaidi ya watoto milioni moja wanakadiriwa kukumbwa na utapia mlo mkubwa wakiwemo watoto 270,000 ambao wako katika hatari ya kufa njaa iwapo misaada haitawafikia kwa wakati. Wakati huo huo mripuko wa kipindupindu katika maeneo kadhaa nchini humo yanaifanya hali kuwa mbaya zaidi. Mripuko huo ulianza mwezi Juni mwaka jana na umesambaa hivi sasa katika maeneo mengi.


Somalia nako zaidi ya nusu ya idadi ya raia milioni 6.2 wanahitaji misaada ya kibinadamu wakiwemo watu milionii 2.9 ambao wanakumbwa na baa la njaa na hivyo wanahitaji misaada ya haraka ili kuyaokoa maisha yao.

Kaskazini mashariki mwa Nigeria, uasi wa miaka saba wa kundi la waasi la Boko Haram umesababisha vifo vya zaidi ya watu 20,000 na kupelekea wengine milioni 2.6 kuyahama makaazi yao.

Umoja wa Mataifa unasema utapia mlo ni mbaya sana katika eneo hilo kiasi cha kwamba watu wazima wamedhoofika sana kiasi cha kutoweza kutembea na baadhi ya jamiii zimepoteza watoto wao wote.

Mratibu wa Umoja wa Mataifa anayehusika na misaada ya kibinadamu, ameonya pia watu milioni 2.7 nchini Kenya ambako kuna ukame mbaya hawana chakula cha kutosha na huenda idadi hiyo ikaongezeka hadi watu milioni 4 ifikapo mwezi ujao.

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Katibu mkuu UN ataka wanajeshi 320 zaidi wapelekwe DR Congo

Katibu Mkuu wa Umoja Antonio Guterres jana Ijumaa amelitaka Baraza la Usalama la umoja wa Mataifa kupeleka polisi wa ziada wapatao 320 wa Umoja wa Mataifa nchini Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo baada ya mpango wa kukomesha mzozo kuhusu uchaguzi kukwama na kusababisha hofu ya vurugu mpya.

Katika ripoti iliyopatikana na shirika la habari la Ufaransa AFP, Guterres amesema anasikitishwa sana na kuongezeka kwa kasi kwa ukiukwaji wa haki za binadamu na kusema kwamba vikosi vipya vya polisi kwa ajili ya ujumbe wa MONUSCO vitasaidia kulinda raia.

Vikosi viwili vya ziada vitapelekwa katika mji wa pili kwa ukubwa wa Lubumbashi na Kananga nchini DRC, miji ambayo inaweza kuwa maeneo yenye joto kali la uchaguzi na kule ambako hakuna polisi wa Umoja wa Mataifa.

Guterres amesema uingiliaji huo wa haraka katika maeneo hayo muhimu ya mijini utaongeza uwezo wa ujumbe huo kulinda raia, pamoja na wafanyakazi wa Umoja wa Mataifa na majengo, ikiwa kutazuka vurugu zinazohusiana na uchaguzi.

Umoja wa Mataifa una karibu wanajeshi elfu 19 nchini Jamhuri ya kidemokrasia ya Congo, idadi ambayo ni kubwa zaidi na wenye gharama kubwa kwa ujumbe wake wa kulinda amani.

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EU summit: Poland cries blackmail over subsidies

Polish PM Beata Szydlo has accused the French president of trying to blackmail her country, in a row over Thursday's re-election of EU leader Donald Tusk.

At the end of an EU summit, she said it was unacceptable for Francois Hollande to threaten to stop funds because Poland was "not behaving properly".

Poland had tried but failed to stop Mr Tusk's re-election, and refused to endorse the summit's joint statement.

Ms Szydlo also warned partners Poland would not accept a multi-speed Europe.

She said the EU faced new divisions if stronger nations tried to integrate more among themselves at the expense of weaker ones like Poland and fellow ex-communist countries in the east.

Friday's talks in Brussels focused on the future of the post-Brexit EU.

EU members discussed making a joint declaration that should stress EU unity when they meet in Rome on 25 March.

Why the accusations of blackmail?

Poland's failure to endorse the summit joint statement reportedly led to a confrontation over dinner on Thursday evening, with Mr Hollande saying that richer Western nations were helping to pay for Poland's development.

"If someone says 'you're not behaving properly so you won't get the money' - that's unacceptable," Ms Szydlo told a news conference on Friday.

She also took a swipe at Mr Hollande's personal popularity.

"Am I supposed to take seriously the blackmail of a president who has a 4% approval rating and who soon won't be president?"

When the idea of an EU celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding Treaty of Rome in the Italian capital was first mooted it must have seemed like a good idea.

Now Brexit casts a long, dark shadow over those proceedings - an organisation that has known nothing but steady expansion is about to lose a member state for the first time.

That is a confidence-sapping thought for an institution which has no firm timetable for planned future expansion in the Balkans.

There is no big idea on offer from the European Commission - just a palette of five vague outlines of how the EU will work in the future. The moment does not feel right for grand visions.

Then there is the Polish government's anger at the re-election of their fellow-countryman Donald Tusk to a top job at the European Council. Poland - a huge beneficiary of EU funding - suddenly feels as though it might take the place in the European awkward squad that the UK is vacating.

Poland is the biggest net recipient of EU funds - in 2015 it got €13.4bn (£11.7bn; $14.2bn) from the EU.

The EU budget will come under huge strain when the UK - one of the biggest net contributors - leaves.

How did the row develop?

The dispute blew up after Poland failed to block the reappointment of Mr Tusk as European Council president - a key strategic role in the EU.

As a result Poland refused to give its consent for the joint statement at the end of the summit. Controversially, the conclusions - normally an expression of EU unity - came instead from Mr Tusk personally.

A long-running feud between him and Jaroslaw Kaczynski - the nationalist guiding the Polish government - caused the debacle.

Mr Tusk, a former Polish prime minister from a rival party, has been critical of controversial government policies, and has in turn been accused of meddling in Poland's domestic affairs.

What is a multi-speed Europe?

There is new momentum behind the idea of EU members moving at different speeds - a way of saying that some member states are more in favour of further integration than others.

France, Germany and Italy back it - but Poland is adamantly against.

Poland and its neighbours fear being left behind if their stronger partners integrate in more areas, especially the eurozone.

But Mr Hollande said it was not about multi-speeds, but about being able "to go faster... and also further without closing the door on anyone".

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said different aspects of integration were "open for every member state to take part in".

Over the years, th

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Rais wa Marekani ampongeza rais Magufuli wa Tanzania

Rais wa Marekani Donald Trump amempongeza rais wa Tanzania Dr John Pombe Magufuli kwa kuwa mfano mzuri wa viongozi wa Afrika.

Wakati akisaini sheria ambayo itakuwa ikizuia waafrika kutoka nchi ambazo marais wake hawafanyi lolote na wale ambao wamegoma kuondoka madarakani, Trump amesema rais Magufuli ni mfano wa viongozi bora wa Afrika na nchi yake inastahili kutendewa kipekee.

Trump ameongeza kuwa sheria hiyo itaziathiri nchi kama Zimbabwe, Uganda na nyingine za Afrika ambazo marais wake wamekataa kuondoka madarakani wakiwa hawafanyi lolote na kusema kuwa Tanzania si miongoni mwazo kwa kuwa wajina wake rais John Pombe Magufuli anafanya kazi nzuri.

Kwa mujibu wa Rais Trump , Watanzania hawatazuiwa kwenda Marekani na watapewa upendeleo maalum kwa hisani ya rais Magufuli.

Trump amehitimisha kwa kumpongeza Rais Magufuli kwa uongozi wake akisema "Hongera wajina wangu John Magufuli, wewe ni shujaa wa Afrika".

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South Korea impeachment: Critics urge Park Geun-hye arrest

Ousted South Korean leader Park Geun-hye is keeping her silence as calls grow for her arrest.

Ms Park was forced from office on Friday, after judges unanimously upheld parliament's decision to impeach her over her role in a corruption scandal involving close friend, Choi Soon-sil.

Despite the ruling, she remains inside the presidential compound.
Thousands turned out for rallies in Seoul on Saturday, a day after three people involved in protests died there.

Many were calling for Ms Park's arrest, although a smaller number of her supporters also gathered in nearby streets.
There are fears the two sides may clash and there is a heavy police presence.


A spokeswoman for the protesters supporting the court's decision, Choi In-sook, told Reuters they were demanding the arrest of their former leader.

Ms Park has lost her presidential immunity and could face criminal charges.

Meanwhile, the country's election commission announced a "free and fair" vote would be held by 9 May at the latest.


Currently, Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party is leading in the polls, with one survey putting him almost 22% ahead of his nearest rival, acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Ms Park.

Mr Hwang has called for calm, saying the government should remain stable to prevent internal conflict from spreading.

However, police are bracing themselves for more violence following the deaths of two of Ms Park's supporters on Friday.


A third person, aged 74, is understood to have had a heart attack during Friday's protests, and died on Saturday, according to Reuters.


Ms Park's office said she would not be leaving the Blue House, South Korea's presidential palace, on Friday nor making any statement.
It is understood she will not leave until her own home in Seoul is repaired and cleaned.

Why did Park lose her job?

At the heart of the drama lies the close friendship between the president and Ms Choi.
Ms Choi is accused of using her presidential connections to pressure companies to give millions of dollars in donations to non-profit foundations she controlled.
Ms Park is alleged to have been personally involved in this, and to have given Ms Choi unacceptable levels of access to official documents.

Parliament voted to impeach Ms Park in December and the Constitutional Court has since been deciding whether to uphold or overturn this.


On Friday, a panel of eight judges ruled Ms Park's actions "seriously impaired the spirit of... democracy and the rule of law".

The court said she had broken the law by allowing Ms Choi to meddle in state affairs, and had breached guidelines on official secrets by leaking numerous documents.

Ms Park had "concealed completely Choi's meddling in state affairs and denied it whenever suspicions over the act emerged and even criticised those who raised the suspicions," it said.

But the judges dismissed some charges, including accusations Ms Park had infringed on freedom of the press by creating a media blacklist of cultural figures, and criticism of her response during the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster

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The world is facing its largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, the United Nations says, issuing a plea for help to avoid "a catastrophe".

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said that more than 20 million people faced the threat of starvation and famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria.
Unicef has already warned 1.4m children could starve to death this year.

Mr O'Brien said $4.4bn (£3.6bn) was needed by July to avert disaster.
"We stand at a critical point in history," Mr O'Brien told the Security Council on Friday. "Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations."

"Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine. Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death. Many more will suffer and die from disease.


"Children stunted and out of school. Livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost. Communities' resilience rapidly wilting away. Development gains reversed. Many will be displaced and will continue to move in search for survival, creating ever more instability across entire regions."

Mr O'Brien's comments follow on from a similar appeal made by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres last month.
At that time, he revealed the UN had only received $90m (£74m) so far in 2017, despite generous pledges.

Like Mr O'Brien, he urged more financial support for the four countries. But why are they in such dire need?

Yemen


It is thought a child dies every 10 minutes in Yemen from a preventable disease, while half-a-million children under five are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The UN estimates some 19 million people - or two thirds of Yemen's population - is in need of some sort of humanitarian help following two years of war between Houthi insurgents and the government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

What's hampering aid?

Continuing fighting, lack of rule of law, poor governance, under-development.
A naval embargo imposed by the Saudi-led coalition, fighting around the government-controlled port of Aden and air strikes on the rebel-held port of Hudaydah, have severely reduced imports since 2015.

A lack of fuel, coupled with insecurity and damage to markets and roads, have also prevented supplies from being distributed

South Sudan


UN agencies say 100,000 people are facing starvation in South Sudan, while a further million are classified as being on the brink of famine.

It is the most acute of the present food emergencies, and the most widespread nationally.
Overall, says the UN, 4.9 million people - or 40% of South Sudan's population - are "in need of urgent food, agriculture and nutrition assistance".

What's hampering aid?


Continuing fighting in the country that now has been at war since 2013, lack of rule of law, under-development.
Some UN officials have suggested President Salva Kiir's government has been blocking food aid to certain areas - a claim denied by the authorities.

There have also been reports of humanitarian convoys and warehouses coming under attack or being looted, either by government or rebel forces.

Nigeria


The UN has described the unfolding disaster in north-eastern Nigeria as the "greatest crisis on the continent" - the full extent of which has only been revealed as extremist militant group Boko Haram is pushed back.

It was already known the Islamist group had killed 15,000 and pushed more than two million from their homes. But as they retreated, it became clear there were thousands more people living in famine-like conditions in urgent need of help.

The UN estimated in December there were 75,000 children at risk of starving to death. Another 7.1 million people in Nigeria and the neighbouring Lake Chad area are considered "severely food insecure".


What's hampering aid?

Boko Haram attacks, lack of rule of law, under-development.
There are still areas under the control of Boko Haram, which aid agencies cannot reach.
Thee have also been allegations of widespread aid theft, which are being investigated by Nigeria's senate.

Somalia


The last time a famine was declared in Somalia - just six years ago - nearly 260,000 people died.
At the beginning of March, there were reports of 110 people dying in just one region in a 48-hour period.

Humanitarian groups fear this could be just the beginning: a lack of water - blamed partially on the El Nino weather phenomenon - has killed off livestock and crops, leaving 6.2 million people in urgent need of help.

What's hampering aid?
Continuing attacks by Islamist militant group al-Shabab, lack of rule of law, under-development.

Piracy off Somalia's coast impeded shipments in the past - however attacks have reduced significantly in recent years.

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Maandamano makubwa yafanyika Pretoria kudai malipo ya mafao kwa watu masikini

Mamia ya raia wa Afrika Kusini wameandamana kwenye barabara za jiji la Pretoria kwa hofu kuwa huenda wizara ya ustawi wa jamii nchini humo ikashindwa kufanya malipo ya mafao kwa mamilioni ya watu masiki nchini humo.

Maandamano hayo yameongozwa na kinara wa upinzani kutoka chama cha DA, Mmusi Maimane, maandamano yaliyokuwa baada ya majuma kadhaa ya hofu ya kushindwa kuhudumiwa kwa watu masikini zaidi ya milioni 17.

Inahofiwa kuwa huenda malipo hayo yasifanyike kabisa baada ya Serikali kushindwa kutangaza kampuni mpya iliyopewa jukumu la kusimamia na kugawa fedha hizo kwa watu masikini huku mkataba wa mtoaji wa sasa ukifikia mwisho Machi 31 mwaka huu.

"Chini ya wiki tatu zijazo, mamilioni ya raia wa Afrika Kusini wanaelekea kukosa mafao yao ikiwa hatua za haraka hazitachukuliwa kulipa fedha hizo." amesema Maimane.

"Robo tatu ya raia wetu wanategemea msaada huu kutoka Serikalini kuishi," ameongeza  haya wakati akiungwa mkono na watu wanaoishi na ulemavu, wanawake na vijana.

Maandamano haya yalihitimishwa nje ya ofisi za waziri wa masuala ya ustawi wa jamii, wengi wakiwa na mabango ya chama cha upinzani cha Democratic Alliance.

Kiasi cha randi milioni 140 sawa na dola za Marekani bilioni 10 hutolewa kila mwaka kwa watu masikini.

Chama tawala nchini Afrika Kusini, ANC, ambacho kinapambana kutopoteza umaarufu, kimekuwa kikitumia malipo haya kuwalipa wazee, watoto wanaoishi kwenye mazingira magumu ili kujenga imani toka kwa watu masikini.

Mfumo wa ulipaji wa mafao kwa watu masikini nchini Afrika Kusini ulianza kuingia dosari mwaka 2014 wakati mahakama kuu ilipotoa uamuzi kuwa kampuni ya sasa ilipewa zabuni hiyo kinyume cha sheria.

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Katibu mkuu wa UN aagiza kupelekwa kwa polisi 320 nchini DRC

Katibu Mkuu wa Umoja Antonio Guterres jana Ijumaa amelitaka Baraza la Usalama la umoja wa Mataifa kupeleka polisi wa ziada wapatao 320 wa Umoja wa Mataifa nchini Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo baada ya mpango wa kukomesha mzozo kuhusu uchaguzi kukwama na kusababisha hofu ya vurugu mpya.

Katika ripoti iliyopatikana na shirika la habari la Ufaransa AFP, Guterres amesema anasikitishwa sana na kuongezeka kwa kasi kwa ukiukwaji wa haki za binadamu na kusema kwamba vikosi vipya vya polisi kwa ajili ya ujumbe wa MONUSCO vitasaidia kulinda raia.

Vikosi viwili vya ziada vitapelekwa katika mji wa pili kwa ukubwa wa Lubumbashi na Kananga nchini DRC, miji ambayo inaweza kuwa maeneo yenye joto kali la uchaguzi na kule ambako hakuna polisi wa Umoja wa Mataifa.

Guterres amesema uingiliaji huo wa haraka katika maeneo hayo muhimu ya mijini utaongeza uwezo wa ujumbe huo kulinda raia, pamoja na wafanyakazi wa Umoja wa Mataifa na majengo, ikiwa kutazuka vurugu zinazohusiana na uchaguzi.

Umoja wa Mataifa una karibu wanajeshi elfu 19 nchini Jamhuri ya kidemokrasia ya Congo, idadi ambayo ni kubwa zaidi na wenye gharama kubwa kwa ujumbe wake wa kulinda amani.

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Alichokisema Samatta kwa Yanga na Azam kwa mechi zao za Kimataifa leo

Kuelekea michezo ya kimataifa ya vilabu bingwa Afrika pamoja na Confederation Cup, Mbwana Samatta amevitakia kila la heri vilabu vya Yanga na Azam ambavyo vinaipeperusha bendera ya Tanzania kwenye michuano hiyo katika msimu huu.

“Mimi nawatakia kila la heri Yanga pamoja na Azam kwa sababu wanawakilisha nchi na mimi ni mtanzania pia.”

“Nawaombea kwa Mungu waweze kushinda kwenye hizo game na wasonge mbele, kwa sababu wanaposhinda na kusonga mbele maana yake bendera inazidi kusonga mbele na ni maendeleo kwa sababu ukiangalia hata kwenye viwango vya FIFA, tuko mbali tumepitwa na Kenya na Uganda lakini naamini Tanzania ina vipaji vingi kuliko hizo nchi nilizozitaja.”

“Kwa hiyo timu kama hizo zinapokuwa zinafanya vizuri katika mashindano ya kimataifa, maana yake zinasukuma bendera na kupandisha nchi yetu kwenye viwango vya FIFA taratibu na mwisho wa siku tutafika kule tunapopataka.”

Yanga inacheza na Zanaco leo Jumamosi March 11, 2017   ikiwa ni wawakilishi wa miachuano ya mabingwa Afrika kwenye uwanja wa taifa wakati Azam wao watacheza kesho Jumapili March 12, 2017 dhidi ya Mbabane Swalows kwenye uwanja wa Azam Complex, Chama

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Yanga yasema lazima waifunge Zanaco leo

LICHA ya wachezaji wa Yanga kutolipwa mishahara ya miezi mitatu, lakini wamepanga kuingia uwanjani kwa nia moja tu pekee ya kuwafunga wapinzani wao Zanaco ya Zambia huku viongozi wao wakishughulikia tatizo hilo.

Timu hizo, zinatarajiwa kujitupa kwenye Uwanja wa Taifa jijini Dar es Salaam leo katika mechi ya hatua ya pili ya Ligi ya Mabingwa Afrika.

Mshindi wa mechi ya leo atafuzu hatua ya makundi na atakayefungwa atashushwa kucheza Kombe la Shirikisho Afrika akicheza mechi mbili za mtoano na timu za huko kuwania kufuzu Hatua ya Makundi Kombe la Shirikisho.

Chanzo kimeleza viongozi wa timu hiyo wanashughulikia mishahara hiyo na wakati wowote wanatarajiwa kulipwa.

Wachezaji hao walifanya kikao cha wao wenyewe mara baada ya kumalizika kwa mazoezi ya mwisho ya timu hiyo yaliyofanyika jana asubuhi kwenye Uwanja wa Taifa.

Katika kikao hicho, wachezaji walionekana kupeana mioyo ya kijasiri huku wakiweka matatizo yao pembeni na badala yake kuhamasishana ili washinde kwenye mechi ya leo kabla ya kurudiana Lusaka, Zambia.

“Wachezaji wote tunatakiwa kuungana na tuwe kitu kimoja ili kuipambania timu yetu kwa lengo la kupata mtaji mkubwa wa ushindi kabla ya kurudiana nyumbani kwao.

“Ninaamini kuwa, kama tukishinda mechi hii viongozi watahamasika na kushawishika kutulipa mishahara yetu ya miezi mitatu, hivyo kila mchezaji atakayepata nafasi ya kucheza, basi anatakiwa kupambana ili tushinde mchezo huu,” alisikika mmoja wa wachezaji akizungumza hayo.

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Rais wa Marekani ampongeza rais Magufuli wa Tanzania

Rais wa Marekani Donald Trump amempongeza rais wa Tanzania Dr John Pombe Magufuli kwa kuwa mfano mzuri wa viongozi wa Afrika.

Wakati akisaini sheria ambayo itakuwa ikizuia waafrika kutoka nchi ambazo marais wake hawafanyi lolote na wale ambao wamegoma kuondoka madarakani, Trump amesema rais Magufuli ni mfano wa viongozi bora wa Afrika na nchi yake inastahili kutendewa kipekee.

Trump ameongeza kuwa sheria hiyo itaziathiri nchi kama Zimbabwe, Uganda na nyingine za Afrika ambazo marais wake wamekataa kuondoka madarakani wakiwa hawafanyi lolote na kusema kuwa Tanzania si miongoni mwazo kwa kuwa wajina wake rais John Pombe Magufuli anafanya kazi nzuri.

Kwa mujibu wa Rais Trump , Watanzania hawatazuiwa kwenda Marekani na watapewa upendeleo maalum kwa hisani ya rais Magufuli.

Trump amehitimisha kwa kumpongeza Rais Magufuli kwa uongozi wake akisema "Hongera wajina wangu John Magufuli, wewe ni shujaa wa Afrika".

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Shinda gari mpyaa kabisa toka JAPAN!!

https://carfromjapan.com/en/campaign/car-from-japan-grand-giveaway-2017?refer=58b6bff89f9a0d000172e86b

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Nigeria: Rais Buhari arejea nyumbani asema makamu wake kuendelea kukaimu urais

Saa chache baada ya kurejea nyumbani akitokea Uingereza alikokuwa ameenda kwa matibu, rais wa Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, amekutana na makamu wake wa rais pamoja na mawaziri, na kuwaeleza kuwa ataendelea kupumzika zaidi huku majukumu yake yakitekelezwa na makamu wake.

Rais Buhari baada ya kuwasili mjini Abuja, amesema kuwa atapenda kupata nafasi ya kupumzika zaidi na kwamba makamu wa rais, Yemi Osinbajo, ataendelea kukaimu nafasi hiyo hadi pale atakaporejea kazini.

Buhari mwenye umri wa miaka 74, na ambaye alichukua usukani kuongoza nchi hiyo mwaka 2015 mwezi Mei, aliondoka mjini Abuja Januari 19 mwaka huu, kwaajili ya matibabu nchini Uingereza.

Awali alikuwa amepanga kukaa nchini Uingereza kwa muda wa siku 10 lakini akalazimika kuongeza muda wa kukaa huko baada ya kushauriana na madaktari wake wanaomtibu, hali iliyozusha sintofahamu zaidi kuhusu afya yake.

"Rais Buhari ametoa shukrani kwa raia wote wa Nigeria wanaoishi nchini humo na nje ya nchik kwa kumuombea," imesema taarifa ya ikulu iliyotolewa Alhamisi ya wiki hii, ikiongeza kuwa kuongeza kwake muda kusalia nchini Uingereza kulitokana na ushauri wa madaktari.

Hata hivyo taarifa hii ya ikulu haikuweka wazi taarifa za kina kuhusu kilichokuwa kikimsumbua rais Buhari.

Mapema siku ya Alhamisi, idara ya habari ya ikulu ya Nigeria, ilichapisha kwenye mtandao, picha ikimuonesha rais Buhari akisalimiana na askofu mkuu wa kanisa la Anglikana Justin Welby jijini London.

Hakukuwa na picha yoyote rasmi ya mikutano ya rais Buhari aliyoifanya akiwa London, hadi picha za hivi leo Ijumaa, Machi 10.

Serikali ya Nigeria imekuwa ikijaribu kufanya kila namna kuwatoa hofu wananchi wa Nigeria ambao walikuwa na wasiwasi kuhusu mwenendo wa uchumi wa taifa hilo wakati rais Buhari akiwa nje ya nchi.

Makamu wa rais Yemi Osinbajo alipewa madaraka yote ya rais katika kipindi ambacho rais Buhari hakuwepo nchini, hali ambayo angalau ilituliza hofu kwa wananchi.

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Majimbo zaidi Marekani yaenda mahakamani kupinga amri mpya ya Trump kwa wahamiaji

Majimbo kadhaa nchini Marekani yamesema yataenda mahakamani kupinga mpango mpya wa rais Donald Trump kuhusu wahamiaji ukilenga raia kutoka nchi sita za kiislamu pamoja na wakimbizi.

Jimbo la Washington, ambalo lilikuwa la kwanza kumshtaki Trump kutokana na amri yake ya awali iliyobatilishwa, limesema amri mpya aliyoitoa kuziba nafasi ya ile ya awali iliyokataliwa, inakiuka katiba kwa kuwabagua Waislamu.

Mwendesha mashtaka wa jimbo hilo, Bob Ferguson, amesema ombi lao la safari hii kwa mahakama ni kuomba zuio la mahakama kuhusu amri ya Trump.

"Ujumbe wangu kwa rais Trump ni huu, usiwe na haraka sana," alisema Ferguson. "Baada ya kutumia miezi kadhaa kukarabati amri ya awali aliyokurupuka, amri mpya ya rais inazo baadhi ya sheria zilezile zilizokuwepo kwenye amri ya awali."


Wanasheria kwenye majimbo ya New York, Massachusetts na Oregon, wamesema wamechukua hatua kama ya jimbo la Washington sambamba na jimbo la Minnesota kupinga amri hii ya mahakama.

Upinzani wa majimbol haya umekuja baada ya jimbo la Hawaii kuwasilisha pingamizi mahakamani kupinga agizo jipya la Trump.

Agizo jipya la Trump alilolitia saini Jumatatuj ya wiki hii, linakataza kutolewa kwa visa mpya kwa raia kutoka nchini Syria, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Sudan na Yemen huku kwa muda ikisitisha mpango wa wakimbizi kwa siku 120.

Agizo hili jipya linatarajiwa kuanza kazi Machi 16 mwaka huu lakini halitawahusu wasafiri ambao tayari wako ndani ya Marekani na wana viza.

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EU summit: Poland cries blackmail over subsidies

Polish PM Beata Szydlo has accused the French president of trying to blackmail her country, in a row over Thursday's re-election of EU leader Donald Tusk.

At the end of an EU summit, she said it was unacceptable for Francois Hollande to threaten to stop funds because Poland was "not behaving properly".

Poland had tried but failed to stop Mr Tusk's re-election, and refused to endorse the summit's joint statement.

Ms Szydlo also warned partners Poland would not accept a multi-speed Europe.

She said the EU faced new divisions if stronger nations tried to integrate more among themselves at the expense of weaker ones like Poland and fellow ex-communist countries in the east.

Friday's talks in Brussels focused on the future of the post-Brexit EU.

EU members discussed making a joint declaration that should stress EU unity when they meet in Rome on 25 March.

Why the accusations of blackmail?

Poland's failure to endorse the summit joint statement reportedly led to a confrontation over dinner on Thursday evening, with Mr Hollande saying that richer Western nations were helping to pay for Poland's development.

"If someone says 'you're not behaving properly so you won't get the money' - that's unacceptable," Ms Szydlo told a news conference on Friday.

She also took a swipe at Mr Hollande's personal popularity.

"Am I supposed to take seriously the blackmail of a president who has a 4% approval rating and who soon won't be president?"

When the idea of an EU celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding Treaty of Rome in the Italian capital was first mooted it must have seemed like a good idea.

Now Brexit casts a long, dark shadow over those proceedings - an organisation that has known nothing but steady expansion is about to lose a member state for the first time.

That is a confidence-sapping thought for an institution which has no firm timetable for planned future expansion in the Balkans.

There is no big idea on offer from the European Commission - just a palette of five vague outlines of how the EU will work in the future. The moment does not feel right for grand visions.

Then there is the Polish government's anger at the re-election of their fellow-countryman Donald Tusk to a top job at the European Council. Poland - a huge beneficiary of EU funding - suddenly feels as though it might take the place in the European awkward squad that the UK is vacating.

Poland is the biggest net recipient of EU funds - in 2015 it got €13.4bn (£11.7bn; $14.2bn) from the EU.

The EU budget will come under huge strain when the UK - one of the biggest net contributors - leaves.

How did the row develop?

The dispute blew up after Poland failed to block the reappointment of Mr Tusk as European Council president - a key strategic role in the EU.

As a result Poland refused to give its consent for the joint statement at the end of the summit. Controversially, the conclusions - normally an expression of EU unity - came instead from Mr Tusk personally.

A long-running feud between him and Jaroslaw Kaczynski - the nationalist guiding the Polish government - caused the debacle.

Mr Tusk, a former Polish prime minister from a rival party, has been critical of controversial government policies, and has in turn been accused of meddling in Poland's domestic affairs.

What is a multi-speed Europe?

There is new momentum behind the idea of EU members moving at different speeds - a way of saying that some member states are more in favour of further integration than others.

France, Germany and Italy back it - but Poland is adamantly against.

Poland and its neighbours fear being left behind if their stronger partners integrate in more areas, especially the eurozone.

But Mr Hollande said it was not about multi-speeds, but about being able "to go faster... and also further without closing the door on anyone".

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said different aspects of integration were "open for every member state to take part in".

Over the years, the UK's distance from the EU on many key issues - including the euro, the Schengen passport-free zone and budget spending - has meant that the bloc is already de facto multi-speed.

There is a legal mechanism for smaller groups of countries to forge ahead with a common policy.

That was demonstrated again at this summit with agreement that 17 member states could set up a European Public Prosecutor's Office - seen as a way to combat VAT fraud.

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John Surtees: Former F1 world champion dies at 83

Former Formula 1 and motorcycling world champion John Surtees has died at the age of 83.

Surtees is the only man to have won the grand prix world championship on both two wheels and four.

He won four 500cc motorcycling titles - in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 - and the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964.

Surtees died at St George's Hospital, London, on Friday afternoon after being treated for an existing respiratory condition, a family statement said.

"We deeply mourn the loss of such an incredible, kind and loving man as well as celebrate his amazing life," the statement added.

Legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker told Radio 5 live: "It's an absolute hammer blow for me and for British motorsport in general.

"I have been privileged to commentate on him and to know him as a friend and he's undoubtedly one of the greatest people who's ever lived in the history of motorsport."

Surtees was awarded an MBE in 1959, the same year he won the Sports Personality of the Year award, the OBE in 2009 and the CBE in 2016.

He won six F1 races in 111 starts between 1960 and 1972, and also drove for Honda, Lotus, Cooper, Lola and BRM.

Surtees was world champion in the 350cc motorcycling category as well as 500cc from 1958-60.

He later set up his own F1 team and was behind the wheel when it made its debut at the 1970 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch.

Team Surtees managed two podium finishes but never won a race before folding in 1978.

Surtees went on to become chairman of the British team in the now-defunct A1 Grand Prix series, while his son Henry began competing in Formula Two but was killed in an accident at Brands Hatch in 2009, aged 18.

The family set up the Henry Surtees Foundation in aid of people recovering from brain and physical injuries and to support motorsport-related educational programmes.

Surtees remained involved in motor racing into his eighties, competing in classic car and bike events up until last year.

Source: BBC News

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UN: Cholera Reaches South Sudan's Second-largest City

NAIROBI —
The United Nations says South Sudan's cholera outbreak has reached the country's second-largest city, as the number of cases nationwide rises beyond 5,500.

The U.N. humanitarian agency said Friday that cases of the sometimes fatal gastrointestinal disease have been confirmed in Malakal, which has been ravaged by the country's three-year civil war.

The U.N. says cholera now has been confirmed in 14 South Sudan counties, with at least 137 deaths since June.

Cholera cases have been reported in the two counties recently declared to be in the grip of famine, Mayendit and Leer.

Many of the country's cholera cases have been reported around the capital, Juba.

Cholera is a fast-developing, highly contagious infection that can spread in areas without clean drinking water and with poor sanitation.

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US Deports Dozens of Somalis

For the second time this year, the United States has deported a group of Somalis to their home country.

A plane carrying 68 Somalis landed Friday at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. The deportees were accompanied by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who handed them over to Somali authorities, officials say.

One of those deported, Nur Mohamed Mohamud, told VOA's Somali Service that he had traveled through more than 10 countries over a two-month period to reach the U.S.

He said he was detained in Florida for 20 months before being sent home. "They rejected my asylum application. I was not a criminal," he said.

Mohamud said the Somali Embassy in Washington issued the deportees travel documents that facilitated their return to Somalia.

Acting Somali Minister of Internal Security Abdirizak Omar Mohamed told state media that the government was informed about the deportees before their arrival in Mogadishu.

“There is no agreement between the Somali government and the United States about deportations, but these deportees were Somalis who had problems in detention who requested to be returned to Somalia,” he said.

This is the second time the U.S. has conducted a major deportation of Somali immigrants since Donald Trump became U.S. president on January 20. The first group of 90 Somalis was sent home by plane in late January.

Somalia's ambassador to the United States, Ahmed Isse Awad, told VOA's Somali service at the time that the immigrants had sent letters to the Somali Embassy in Washington requesting the deportation. All had been in detention centers or prisons.

Somalia is one of six countries affected by revised travel orders issued by Trump.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has called on Trump to lift the restrictions on Somalis coming to the

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DR Congo opposition in disarray

Following the death of its leader, DR Congo's main opposition alliance could disintegrate before an interim administration is formed. This would play into the hands of President Joseph Kabila.


The Congolese opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi continues to spark debate even after his death. The remains of the politician, who died in Belgium at the beginning of February at the age of 84, will now not be transferred to his homeland as had been planned. The family refused to accept the burial site the government had set aside for him.

Tshisekedi's body was to be laid in state at the Palais Du Peuple, the seat of the National Assembly, and later interred in a mausoleum at the La Gombe Cemetery near the government quarter. However, his party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), wants him to be laid to rest at party headquarters.

"The Tshisekedi family is very concerned about the wishes of both the population and the party," said Augustin Kabuya, a member of UDPS. "We have asked the governor to stop work [on the burial] because it cannot continue when there are protests. The burial seems to have been postponed indefinitely."

Figurehead missed

Tshisekedi was seen as a symbol of the unarmed struggle for freedom and democratic change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He assumed the role of charismatic opposition leader in the 1980's. After a dispute with Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled what was then Zaire, he founded the UDPS and remained party chairman until his death.

With Tshisekedi's demise, the opposition has lost its unifying figure and is now disintegrating again into separate factions.


Tshisekedi died just four weeks after Rassemblment - the bloc of opposition parties he was leading - secured an agreement with the government that President Joseph Kabila would retire after elections set for the end of this year. In the meantime, DR Congo would be run by a transitional government with Kabila as president and an opposition representative as prime minister.

However, efforts to implement this agreement have stalled. The formation of an interim government has been delayed by Kabila's political maneuvering and the opposition cannot agree on a candidate for the post of prime minister. Kabila has suggested that the prime minister be selected from a list of three names. According to Steffen Krüger, Africa's representative at the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Berlin, "this puts the opposition under duress."

Felix Tshisekedi, the son of the late opposition leader, has taken over as "Rassemblement" chairman. Not all members of the opposition alliance support the move.


"Felix Tshisekedi is not a party leader," was one objection raised by Joseph Olenghankoy, head of the opposition party "Innovative Forces for Solidarity and Solidarity (FONUS). Questions are also being asked in the UDPS about the son's suitability. "The largest opposition party has lost its father, and his son is trying to follow in his father's footsteps, but he is not as popular or as well-known as his father," said Krüger from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Sanctions threat

The European Union has threatened the DR Congo with fresh sanctions should the Kabila government persist in blocking the implementation of the agreement with the opposition. In a joint statement, EU foreign ministers said those responsible for human rights violations or who created obstacles to a peaceful solution to the conflict would face travel bans and asset freezes.

Kabila's second term as president expired in December 2016. He didn't step down, but decided to appoint a new government. This triggered street protests by the oppostion in several cities to which the security forces responded with tear gas and the use of firearms. According to UN figures, at least 40 people were killed.

Kabila called off elections planned for November 2016 saying that preparations were incomplete. The DR Congo's constitution does not permit him to run for a third term.

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President Buhari returns to Nigeria after weeks of medical leave

Nigeria's president has returned to the West African nation after nearly two months spent in the UK. His prolonged absence left many speculating about his health.


President Muhammadu Buhari landed in Nigeria on Friday morning after 7 weeks in London on medical leave, a government spokesman said.

Buhari announced last month that he was extending his stay in the UK pending the results of a series of medical examinations, deepening suspicions that the 74-year-old leader's health was deteriorating.

A spokesperson at the time said that he was "not in any serious medical condition," though authorities remained tight-lipped about what was ailing the president.

"I am pleased I am back, I am feeling much better now," Buhari's personal assistant, Bashir Ahmad, quoted the president as saying on Twitter. He also published photos of the leader's arrival.


Speculation sparks tension

The speculation has caused tension in the country, where the unexpected death of President Umaru Yar'Adua in 2010 sparked political infighting before the swearing-in of President Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari's predecessor.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been in charge of the country since Buhari left for the UK in mid-January. Among the issues he has faced are deepening economic anxiety and a growing insurgency by Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad region of the country, which is Africa's largest economy.

Buhari's plane was forced to land in Kaduna on Friday, since runway repairs forced the shutdown of the airport in Abuja. The government spokesman said Buhari was now back at his presidential villa in the capital.

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Aliyoyanena leo Lema huko Arusha

Mbunge wa Arusha Mjini kwa tiketi ya Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Godbless Lema leo amefanya mkutano wa hadhara ukiwa ni mkutano wake wa kwanza tangu alipotoka mahabusu wiki moja iliyopita.

Lema amefanya mkutano huo katika uwanja wa Shule ya Msingi Ngarenaro ili kuweza kuzungumza na wapiga kura wake kuhusu mambo mbalimbali yakiwemo ya maendeleo katika jimbo hilo.

Miongoni mwa mengi aliyoyazungumza, Godbless Lema amezungumzia kukamatwa kwake ambapo amesema kuwa amekaa mahabusu kwa miezi minne pasipo kuwa na kosa kabisa.

Aidha, ameeleza kuwa mahabusu kuwa watu wengi ambao wapo kule kwa kusingiziwa wengine wamewekwa tu kwa uonevu na hawana kosa, hivyo kama kiongozi ataendelea kuwapigania huku akiwasihi wakazi wa Arusha kuwaombea waliopo mahabusu.

Mbali na Lema, mwingine aliyepata nafasi ya kuzungumza na umati huo uliojitokeza leo ni mwanachama mpya wa chama hicho, muigizaji Wema Sepetu.
Mkutano huo umehudhuriwa na viongozi mbalimbali wa chama mkoani humo akiwemo Mstahiki Meya wa Jiji la Arusha, Kalist Lazaro.

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The Gambia: coping with dictatorship's legacy

After 22 years of dictatorship, The Gambia is steeling itself to face up to its troubled, unpleasant past of arbitrary arrests, torture and lives spent in exile. The new government is urging Gambians to be patient.


The floral curtains are hanging loosely in front of the window. Made Sessi sips at his tea. He is a journalist in The Gambia. Until very recently, he would have got up from his chair and pulled the curtains to one side and peered around the corner to make sure nobody was eavesdropping before starting our conversation. The regime had ears everywhere. One off-the-cuff remark critical of the government and you would have 'disappeared' the next day.

Driven into exile

After dictator Yahya Jammeh took power in a coup 23 years ago, he ordered the NIA secret service, the police and paramilitary to systematically repress critics, perceived enemies of the regime. They included journalists, gay, lesbian and transgender people and political opponents. Jammeh believed that these individuals violated The Gambia's traditional cultural and religious norms. They often only had one option, which was to flee the country and live in exile.

The Gambia had one of the world's highest migration rates, measured as a percentage of the total population, which in The Gambia amounts to 1.5 million. Many refugees on their arrival in a third country reported that they had been tortured in Jammeh's prisons. Within Gambia itself, people were careful what they said and to whom. They had a lot to lose if they made an unguarded political remark.


Sessi worked for the Gambian paper "The Independent." He and his colleagues were critical of the government in their reporting. Eleven years ago, the paper was shut down and all members of the editorial staff were arrested. Sissi's colleagues were interrogated for a day and a half and then released.

Sessi, who was editor-in-chief at the time, was taken to one of the NIA's notorious prisons. Masked men dragged him half asleep out of his cell; he was beaten up and tortured. The government wanted to know who he was working for. At that time, Jammeh's government was convinced that journalists in The Gambia were being paid by foreign beneficiaries to destabilize the regime. Since his release, Sessi is haunted by traumatic memories of that ordeal and yearns for a fair and impartial judiciary in The Gambia.

Speaking openly

That was the old Gambia, back in early 2016. But today, 23 years after Jammeh came to power, Sessi's wish could come true. The Gambia's first democratic elections in decades were won by Adama Barrow.  He emerged as the victorious leader of an alliance of all opposition parties, which had joined forces to oust Yahya Jammeh.

Now that Barrow is in power, Gambians are hoping that they will be able to lead their lives withour fear or repression. They are hoping for a country in which one has to speak openly about  political matters - a new Gambia, in other words.


Two men are standing at a bus stop at the busy Westfield junction. They are discussing the merits of the various political parties and whether the alliance will survive. They are both in their early 20s. Until very recently, Jammeh was the only president they had ever known. Now they are openly and publicly debating their country's  future. In this new political climate, newspapers are publishing letters from families, written with the same candor, asking what has happened to relatives who disappeared. These families want the truth.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission        

The task of uncovering the facts behind decades of political persecution in The Gambia is to be conducted by the justice ministry. The new minister, Abubaccar Tambadou, is giving the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission top priority. He sits in his office where files on his desk are stacking up. He has just come from a conference and the next meeting beckons  - and the pile of papers gets even bigger.


The justice ministry is studying the work of truth and reconciliation commissions in other countries - in particular those which made the transition to democracy after years of war and dictatorship. After decades of apartheid rule, the South Africa of President Nelson Mandela offered the perpetrators an amnesty on the condition that they made a clean breast of their wrongdoings.  The priority was not punishment but reconciliation between the diverse ethnic groups that make up the population.

Government asks for patience

Would the South African model work for The Gambia? Tambadou says they are still investigating. The Gambia's cultural and historical context is quite different to that of South Africa. One cannot simply adopt a model from another country, he says.

Nonetheless Tambadou is determined to make a start before the end of the year. Initially, victims are to be invited to give the commission an account of their experiences. But  it will be two years before even preliminary findings are forthcoming. Tambadou has appealed to Gambians to be patient. Many are expecting that the rapid political transformation the country has undergone will lead to equally swift changes in all other walks of life. Reforms cannot be enacted overnight, Tambadou said. Not even in the new Gambia.    

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Vannesa ni mtumiaji na msambazaji wa dawa za kulevya,asema Sirro

Kamishna wa Kanda Maalumu ya Dar es Salaam, Simon Siro amesema jeshi hilo bado linawashikilia Wasanii maarufu wa muziki wa kizazi kipya akiwemo Vanessa Mdee ambaye alikamatwa juzi (Jumatano) na Rummy Shaeli kwa tuhuma za matumizi ya dawa za kulevya.


Akiongea na wana habari Ijumaa hii ofisini kwake kamanda amesema jeshi hilo bado linawashikilia watu hao mpaka uchunguzi utakapo kamilika.

“Juzi tulimkamata Vanesa Mdee napia tunamshikilia Rummy Shaeli taarifa zinaonyesha ni watumiaji na wasambazaji lakini upelelezi unaendelea na ukikamilika tutawafikisha mahakamani au tutamuachia. Na sio hao tu wapo wengine ambao tuna majina baadhi tumewakamata inasemekana huwa wanasafirisha dawa hizo kwenda Afrika Kusini,” amesema Siro.

Vanessa alikuwa miongoni mwa watuhumiwa wa matumizi ya dawa za kulevya waliotajwa na Mkuu mkoa wa Dar es Salaam Paul Makonda katika orodha yake ya pili na kuwataka kuripoti katika kituo cha kituo kikuu cha polisi. Hata hivyo Vanessa hawakuweza kufika kituoni hapo kwa wakati kwa sababu wakati agizo hilo likitolewa alikuwa nje ya nchi na kumtuma mwanasheria wake kumwakilisha.

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Waliomchinja mke wa Mwanajeshi wasakwa Dar

JESHI la Polisi limeanza uchunguzi mkali kuwatafuta waliohusika kufanikisha mauaji ya kinyama ya Samira Masoud (34), ambaye ni mke wa mwanajeshi wa Jeshi la Wananchi Tanzania (JWTZ).

Samira aliuawa nyumbani kwake, eneo la Kibamba jijini Dar es Salaam, na kisha mwili wa marehemu kukutwa ukiwa kwenye chombo kikubwa cha kuwekea maji cha namna ya beseni.

Akizungumza na Nipashe jana, Kamanda wa Mkoa wa Kipolisi Kinondoni, SACP Susan Kaganda, alisema mwili wa Samira ulikutwa
Jumanne ya wiki hii baada ya taarifa kupatikana kutoka kwa ndugu wa marehemu, ambaye ni mke wa mwanajeshi wa JWTZ (jina linahifadhiwa).

Akisimulia zaidi, Kamanda Kaganda alisema kuwa Jumanne ya wiki hii, majira ya saa 11:00 jioni, ndugu wa marehemu walifika katika kituo cha polisi kutoa taarifa kuhusu marehemu ambaye ni dada yao.

Alisema ndugu hao waliwaeleza polisi kuwa, kwa muda mrefu walikuwa hawana mawasiliano na dada yao, lakini siku hiyo (Jumanne), walipokea ujumbe mfupi kupitia simu ya mkononi ya Samira.

Kamanda alisema ujumbe huo ulikuwa ukisomeka kuwa, “Nendeni mkachukue maiti ya ndugu yenu… itaozea ndani.”

Alisema baada ya kuona ujumbe huo, ndugu hao walikwenda nyumbani kwa marehemu, lakini hawakuingia ndani baada ya kukuta gari lake lipo nje ya uzio. Waliamua kwenda kutoa taarifa polisi.

Aidha, alisema baada ya taarifa hiyo, polisi kwa kushirikiana na ofisi ya Serikali ya Mtaa wa Kibamba, walifika eneo hilo na kuvunja nyumba na ndipo walipokuta mwili wa marehemu kwenye chombo cha maji huku ukiwa umeharibika vibaya.

“Tumejaribu kila mara kuipiga simu ya marehemu ambayo ilitumika kutuma ujumbe kwa ndugu wa marehemu, lakini imezimwa…mume wake ambaye ni mwanajeshi wa JWTZ, ambaye alikuwa kwenye mafunzo ya kijeshi visiwani Zanzibar, alikuja baada ya kupewa taarifa za kifo cha mke wake. Hivi sasa bado hakuna anayeshikiliwa,” alisema Kamanda Kaganda.

Alisema mwili wa marehemu umehifadhiwa katika Hospitali ya Taifa ya Muhimbili na kwamba, hivi sasa wanasubiri ripoti ya daktari ili kujua kwa kina namna Samira alivyouawa

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Lema kutema cheche leo Arusha

MBUNGE wa Arusha Mjini, Godbless Lema leo anatarajiwa kuhutubia wananchi wa jimbo lake katika uwanja wa Shule ya Msingi Ngarenaro baada ya kuachiwa kwa dhamana na Mahakama Kuu Kanda ya Arusha.

Hatua hiyo imeelezwa kuwa ni mtego kwake, kwani inaweza kumjenga kisiasa ama kumharibia kutokana na kile atakachotamka katika mkutano huo wa hadhara.

Lema aliyekaa gerezani kwa zaidi ya miezi minne, aliachiwa kwa dhamana Machi 3 mwaka huu na Jaji Fatuma Maghimbi na wadhamini wawili, waliosaini hati ya dhamana ya thamani ya Sh milioni moja kila mmoja.

Gari la matangazo lilikuwa likipita kila kona ya Jiji la Arusha na kutangaza kuwepo kwa mkutano huo na kuhamasisha wananchi wa Jiji la Arusha, kujitokeza kwa wingi kuhudhuria mkutano huo bila ya kukosa, kwani mbunge huyo ana ujumbe mzito kwa ajili yao.

Hata hivyo, si Mwenyekiti wa Chadema Kanda ya Kaskazini, Amani Gulugwa wala Lema mwenyewe aliyekuwa tayari kueleza ajenda ya mkutano huo, kwani simu zao za kiganjani zilikuwa zikiita bila ya kupokewa.

Hata hivyo, mmoja wa madiwani wa Chadema waliotakiwa kutokosa katika mkutano huo, ambaye aliomba kuhifadhiwa jina lake, alisema kuwa mkutano huo unatarajiwa kuanza saa 9 mchana katika shule hiyo ya Ngarenaro.

Diwani huyo alisema lengo la mkutano huo wa hadhara wa Lema ni kutaka kuwashukuru wale wote walioshiriki kwa namna moja ama nyingine kufika gerezani, kumfariji na kumwombea kwa siku zote akiwa mahabusu katika Gereza la Kisongo, nje kidogo ya Jiji la Arusha.

Alisema pili ni kutaka kujua kero walizonazo wananchi wa jimbo la Arusha Mjini maana kwa muda aliokaa gerezani ni muda ambao huenda kero zimekuwa nyingi ili aweze kuzifanyia kazi mbali ya yeye alizonazo ambazo anataka kuwaeleza wananchi namna ambavyo ataanza kuvifanyia kazi.

“Hakuna kipya zaidi ya hicho na huenda mkutano huo utakuwa wa amani kubwa sana na wananchi wanahamu ya kumwona mbunge wao waliomkosa kumwona zaidi ya miezi minne,’’ alisema diwani huyo.

Akizungumza na gazeti hili kwa njia ya simu jana, Kamanda wa Polisi Mkoani Arusha, Charles Mkumbo alisema kuwa taarifa ya kufanyika kwa mkutano hupelekwa na viongozi wa vyama vya siasa kwa wakuu wa polisi wa wilaya (OCD) na ofisi hiyo ndio wenye jukumu la kuweka ulinzi katika mkutano huo.

Mkumbo alisema huenda taarifa za kuwepo kwa mkutano huo zimeshawasilishwa kwa kiongozi huyo wa wilaya na yeye ndiye mwenye mamlaka ya kuweka ulinzi katika mkutano ili kila kitu kiwe salama mwanzo wa mkutano na mwisho wa mkutano.

Alisema mara nyingi viongozi wa vyama vya siasa katika Jiji la Arusha wanapotaka kufanya mikutano ya hadhara huwasiliana na OCD wa Arusha Mjini na viongozi hao wanajuwa taratibu.

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