Latest news with #Arusha
Forbes
4 days ago
- Forbes
When The Journey Outweighs The Record
In 1993, we went to Africa to run up and down Mount Kilimanjaro faster than anyone had before. I left with something far more valuable. Our plan was simple: a few days in Arusha, Tanzania, watching wildlife, then a climb to acclimatize, and finally, a speed run to the summit and back. Our team included my wife, Bridget, our friends Kevin Cooney and Jenny Lamott, and Ed and Betty Pope. But two days before our climb, everything changed. Bridget came down with malaria. In those moments, I wasn't thinking about records. I was thinking about whether she'd be okay. Thanks to quick medical care, she began to recover and, surprisingly, felt stronger the higher we climbed. By the time we reached the upper slopes, my goal had shifted. I no longer cared about my run; I wanted to see her stand on the summit. We reached Uhuru Peak, 19,340 feet above sea level, just as the sun spilled over the African plains. Bridget's smile was different that day. It was hard-earned, radiant, defiant in the face of illness. Watching her, I realized I'd already achieved something greater than any record. Two days later, Kevin and I were supposed to start the run. My motivation was gone, until we met Yonas Louwa. Yonas is a slight man, five feet tall, maybe ninety pounds, and, according to local lore, 120 years old. He was part of the first team to climb Kilimanjaro in 1889, hacking through rainforest for eight days before even seeing snow. When our guide told him about our speed attempt, he laughed. For Yonas, it wasn't about the time, or even the summit, it was about the people you meet and the stories you gather along the way. That conversation reframed everything. The run was no longer a quest for a record; it was another chapter in a shared story. The next morning, Kevin and I set out. Through rainforests dripping with mist, across high-alpine marshes, and up into the barren moonscape near the top, I found myself noticing the smallest details—dew hanging from grass blades, the rhythm of my breathing, the play of light across distant ridges. I was running, but I was also fully present. We did break the world record: 42 miles and over 13,000, from the park gate to the summit and back, in 12 hours and 45 minutes. The previous mark was over 18 hours. But that night, eating spaghetti that Bridget and Jenny had prepared, surrounded by friends, it was clear the real win had nothing to do with the clock. In business, as in life, we're conditioned to chase metrics like revenue, market share, 'firsts,' and 'fastests.' But those fade. The experiences you live through, the people you share them with, and the perspective they give you, those are the true returns on investment. Kilimanjaro reminded me: accomplishments are fleeting, but experiences, especially those with other people, are compounding. And sometimes, the most important summit isn't the one you planned to climb.
Bloomberg
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Tanzania Arrests YouTubers as Pre-Election Crackdown Intensifies
Tanzanian police have arrested two local YouTubers as President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government steps up a crackdown on dissent ahead of elections. Jackson Kabalo, 32, and Joseph Mrindoko, 37, were arrested in the northern town of Arusha on Friday for 'improper use of social media,' police said in a statement.
Zawya
19-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa loses $120bln to graft
Africa loses up to $120 billion each year to corruption, a crisis that continues to undermine the continent's economic independence and development ambitions. According to the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), these losses are particularly devastating given that a large portion of the funds lost to corruption are borrowed from international lenders to support development and stabilise fragile economies. AUABC vice-chairperson Yvonne Mutepuka said: 'The irony is painful, because we borrow heavily to finance development, only for that money to be lost through corruption. This vicious cycle keeps African nations dependent and underdeveloped.'Despite ongoing anti-corruption campaigns in African countries, Mutepuka noted that the challenge remains entrenched, requiring renewed commitment, stronger institutions and political will. She was addressing the AUABC 49th Ordinary Session in Arusha on Tuesday. The session also marked the swearing-in of a new board. Her remarks were echoed by findings from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which show that corruption is the leading obstacle to Africa's economic and social development, consuming nearly 25 percent of the continent's GDP annually. The fight against corruption on the continent is guided by the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), which provides a legal framework for member states. Of the 54 African Union (AU) member states, 50 have signed the convention, and 49 have ratified it. But only 12 countries have undergone national anti-corruption reviews. Mutepuka urged the new board to intensify peer review and engage the four countries that have yet to sign the convention.'There is no time to waste, these reviews are crucial in helping countries identify gaps in their legal systems and take corrective action,' she said. 'Go out and inform governments that enormous gains await those who fully embrace the AU Convention. But, above all, we need governments that are genuinely committed to building robust anti-corruption institutions.'Outgoing chairperson Seynabou Diakhate warned that declaring 'total victory' might be ambitious, 'but that is our goal.' Donald Deya, CEO of the Pan African Lawyers Union, stated that internal revenues would be sufficient for Africa's development needs if not for corruption.'Without corruption, African countries wouldn't need to borrow anything, but we lose so much to graft that we are forced to seek loans, which only fuels dependency,' he said. The African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2024 reported that Africa's external debt grew from $1.12 trillion in 2022 to $1.152 trillion by the end of 2023. In 2024 alone, the continent spent $102.59 billion on debt repayments, according to a report by the ONE Campaign, an international NGO advocating for an end to extreme poverty. The report warns that this growing debt burden severely threatens Africa's ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in sectors like health, education, and infrastructure.
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
EAC ministers order probe on products requiring special tax treatment
East African Community (EAC) ministers have directed the Secretariat to institute measures aimed at abolishing special tax treatment for certain goods in the region in the next 12 months. The EAC Sectoral Council of the Ministers of Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) wants an investigation to ascertain the availability of these products in the region and the justification for the special treatment. They say applications for preferential tax treatment by member states must be backed by comprehensive and valid justification. This is in the latest attempt by the regional ministers to deal with persistent stays of application requests by member states, which are believed to be watering down the objectives of common external tariff (CET), including enhancing regional competitiveness and industrialisation. In a meeting held in Arusha May 26-30, the Council directed partner states to submit a list of not more than five products each, which are prone to preferential tax treatment and are available in sufficient quantities in the region by June 30, 2025. Read: EAC ministers suspend new levies on high-risk products pending reviewThe EAC Secretariat and the partner states are expected to undertake a regional study to establish the availability of the products manufactured within the region by the end of June 2026.'The meeting emphasised the need for justification for the requested stays prior to approval,' says according to the report of the meeting. The meeting noted that, despite the comprehensive review of the EAC Common External Tariff in May 2022 aimed at enhancing regional industrialisation, value addition and competitiveness, partner states have continued to submit numerous requests for stays of application on the same tariff lines.'This persistent trend suggests that national interests are still taking precedence over the agreed regional objectives, thereby undermining the uniform application and effectiveness of the revised CET,' says the report. Currently, there are 1,956 tariff lines under stays (22 percent of CET), with potential increase to over 2,000 lines (30 percent of CET).'This upward trajectory raises concerns and undermines the EAC CET,' the Council warns. They noted that some stays of applications were found to have minimal traffic, with transactions as low as $200. The EAC Council of Ministers, in April 2014, decided to do away with stays of applications and directed that a phase out proposal be developed, which was subsequently adopted by the Sectoral Council of the Ministers of Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment in May that year. But the directive is yet to be implemented, as countries still pursue this window of stays of applications and tax exemptions on various sensitive goods. It is argued that the excessive protection granted to sensitive goods should be removed and the products opened to competition, as most member states have abused this window. The EAC Council had agreed that the removal of stays of applications and duty remission inform the comprehensive review of tariffs. According to the ministers, the special tax treatment accorded to sensitive items is not anchored in the EAC Customs law and is stifling intra-regional trade. The ministers have proposed harmonisation of specific duty rates between partner states and verification of products where countries have sufficient production. In last year's budget, EAC ministers of finance agreed on duty remissions on raw materials and inputs used by local manufacturers to facilitate domestic production. Kenya was granted an extension of the current stay of application to import rice at a duty rate 35 percent or $200 per metric tonne, whichever is higher, for one year, instead of the EAC rate of 75 percent or $345 per metric tonne, whichever is higher, in order to meet local demand and enhance food security. It was also allowed to import wheat at a duty rate of 10 percent, instead of 35 percent for one year under the EAC Duty Remission Scheme. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
10-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Uganda Consulate Arusha Takes Kili Fair 2025 by Storm
The vast grounds of the Magereza grounds in Arusha, shook to the beat of Uganda's Crane performers at the Kilifair 2025, an international tourism trade fair, held annually at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, as the Uganda Consulate in Arusha marked its debut participation in the presitigious event with a 'Uganda Day' under the theme 'Unveiling the Hidden Pearl of Africa. 'The Uganda Day, was organized in association with the Uganda High Commission, Tanzania the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Airlines and the Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon. Kilifair has established itself as a key tourism industry gathering in East Africa. The fair brings together providers from a wide range of sectors, such as safari companies, hotels, lodges, airlines, transport businesses, technology service providers, as well as cultural and artisanal stakeholders. The Uganda Day boasted an immersive experience of the 5 senses with the Consulate offering the excited crowd, rousing drum beats of the Crane Performers dynamic entertainment with Cultural Ugandan Music and dance, a taste of Ugandan Coffee, the iconic Uganda Waragi and crispy fresh Rolex wraps prepared on site. Entertainment included a fire-eating sensation and Mountain Gorilla Mascots dancing to catchy Ugandan tunes. Addressing the gathering of excited revelers, Consul-General Amb. Anne Katusiime Kageye emphasized the Government's commitment to promoting Uganda's rich and diverse tourism potential to our brothers and sisters in Tanzania and the broader East African region. 'We aim not only to showcase Uganda's unique offerings but also to champion the idea of complementarity—recognizing that together, Uganda and Tanzania can offer a seamless and world-class tourism experience to global travellers,' she said. Amb. Kageye took the opportunity to invite the participants to register for the Rwenzori Activation Run, scheduled 8th June 2025, as a build-up to the 4th Edition of the Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon, set to take place on 23rd August in Kasese, Uganda. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a strategic partner of the Rwenzori Marathon, leveraging its Missions abroad to attract runners to participate and build an international identity for this internationally certified route. Head of the Regional Economic Cooperation Amb. Richard Kabonero hailed the East African Community Countries for agreeing to host a pavilion together in the spirit of Regional Cooperation. He encouraged tour operators to network and design add-ons to their packages to ensure that visitors explore the entire region and experience what it has to offer. Rwenzori Marathon group chairman and Great Lakes Safaris CEO Amos Wekesa expressed gratitude to both the Uganda High Commission in Dar-Es-Salaam and the Consulate in Arusha for their aggressive promotion of the Rwenzori Marathon. Recognizing the invaluable contribution of Uganda's Embassies in showcasing Uganda's beauty to the world. 'The commitment by Uganda's Embassies to market our country is unmatched,' declared Wekesa. Uganda Airlines Country Manager Ms. Lucy Ismail held a stimulating quiz about the Airline's routes in Tanzania and beyond with lucky winners walking away with promotional gifts by the Airline and 2 nd Queen Little Miss Wildlife and Little Hands Go Green Ambassador Talia Birungi thrilled the crowd with a rousing speech about wildlife sustainability. The highlight of the morning event was a Raffle draw, which offered four winners Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Permits courtesy of the UWA. In addition to trekking permits, Ms. Caroline Wairimu Mwai and Ms. Ruth Wakio Nyamasyo won complimentary accommodation at Crystal Lodge-Nkuringo, Ms. Nuru Abubakar Mohdar. who won complimentary accommodation from Nkuringo Gorilla Lodges in Bwindi and Ms. Rachel Daud Kazimoto who won a stay at Crater Safari Lodge, Bwindi The day was crowned by a networking gala dinner hosted at the Uganda Consulate in Arusha. File Attachment Uganda takes Arusha by (123.77 KB) Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
