Tanzania: Student Becomes First Cyber Crime Victim

The Cyber Crime Act of 2015 has started to bite following the arraignment of a student, Benedict Angelo Ngonyani (24), on a charge relating to publication of false information, touching the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Davis Mwamunyange.

Ngonyani, who resides at Magomeni Mapipa, becomes the first person to face the new law since it was endorsed by President Jakaya Kikwete to operate in Tanzania early last month.

He was brought before Principal Resident Magistrate Respicious Mwijage and denied the charge. The accused person is charged under section 16 of the Cyber Crime Act, which prohibits one to publish materials which are false or not verified by relevant authorities.

Under the provision, whoever is convicted of the offence is liable to serve three years imprisonment or 5m/- fine or both sentences. Senior State Attorney Shadrack Kimaro, assisted by several other trial attorneys, informed the court that investigations into the matter have not been completed.

The prosecutor also presented a certificate by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to object bail to the accused person on public interests.

The magistrate granted the DPP certificate and ordered the accused person to remain in custody until October 23, when the case will be mentioned.

He told the accused that the issue of bail would be discussed after the DPP had withdrawn his certificate on the matter. It is alleged that the accused person committed the offence on September 25, this year, within the city of Dar es Salaam.

Ngonyani is alleged to have published in the face book network information that General Mwamunyange has been poisoned. According to the prosecution, the accused person did so while knowing that such information was false and it was intended to mislead the public.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP), Charles Kenyela, who attended the court session on behalf of the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), warned members of the public to refrain from publishing false materials through social networks as no one infringing the law would be spared.

The endorsement of the law had attracted a mixture of feelings among Tanzanians with media stakeholders, activists and donors said the Act would infringe on the freedom of the press and expression. Some people alleged that the law incriminates wellintentioned whistle blowers who possess credible information that can be used to prosecute government officials involved in crime, such as in corruption or bribery scandals.

On the other hand, the government maintained that the Act would help address new forms of crimes not covered in other laws. The Act makes it criminal for any person to receive any content deemed to be prohibited through his phone, irrespective of the recipient's consent.

The content in this context includes exchange of pictures deemed to be nude over social media platforms, such as whatsapp, facebook, twitter, among others.

Baboons Take Zimbabwe Radio Station Off Air

Forget Zimbabwe's oppressive media laws, this time baboons were to blame for taking a radio station off air.

Staff at YA FM in the mining town Zvishavane, south of Harare, believed they had been hit by a power cut when the station fell into silence earlier this week, station head Munyaradzi Hwengwere told dpa on Thursday.

"Everyone panicked when there was silence," Hwengwere said.

"When we confirmed that it was not power cuts, engineers went all over until we discovered that transmission cables had been cut in the mountain where our tower is. Some baboons were still there and we started rectifying the problem."

Hwengwere said the incident, which affected broadcasting for about an hour, was "a learning experience".

Zimbabwe's government, led by President Robert Mugabe, has frequently been accused of using oppressive media laws and intimidation to silence its critics.

Namibia: 'Only Black People Think That God is White'

"It would appear that the people on the Afrikan continent are the only group that does not have either a God of their own or even a name for their religion," says Joseph Diescho in this column for New Era.

Tanzania: Unilever Launches Blue Band School Puzzle Challenge

Unilever Tanzania Limited, has launched three-month Blue Band school puzzle challenge which is expected to touch lives of over 500,000 pupils and families.

Unilever Tanzania Country Director, Akofa Ata described the school puzzle challenge as yet another unique opportunity for students to win various prizes and above all, reinforce their understanding about nutrition.

"Blue Band is a source of nutrition content and adds big contribution to the healthy growth of not only children but the whole family. The fats and vitamins in Blue Band helps children grow healthy and strong," he is quoted in a statement as saying.

According to the statement, the Assistant Director, Nutrition Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Vincent Assey, underscored the significance of nutrition especially to children who need it for the growth of body and mind.

The competition is intended to improve awareness on nutrition to pupils drawn from over 250 schools in Dar es Salaam.

This year's prizes includes one year's school fees paid for by Unilever, East Africa tour which will include students from other East African countries where Unilever operates and brand new bicycles.

Schools will win prizes such as computers, generators, desks and solar panels while teachers will enjoy cash prizes. The competition follows another equally exciting school puzzle challenge held last year in which nutrition education was passed on to over 600,000 pupils.

Tanzania to Close Colleges for Elections

Tanzania's National Council for Technical Education (NACTE) has directed all colleges to remain closed to allow students to participate in the general election slated for October 25.

Mr Adold Rutayuga, NACTE Acting Executive Secretary Adolf Rutayuga, said principals of all colleges should ensure that they do not lock out students from participating in the elections.

"Colleges that have already been opened, we direct that they be closed one week before election and another week after the polls," Mr Rutayuga told a news conference in the nation's commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Last month, the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) issued a similar directive ordering all higher learning institutions to re-open until after the general election.

TCU Executive Director, Prof Yunusu Mgaya, said all universities will re-open in November. There are 200,986 students in higher learning institutions in the country.

Tanzanian Pilgrims Died in Saudi Arabia Stampede

The government has received the names of locals who were among 769 victims of the stampede at the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Tanzania: One Month Gone, One More to Go in Ugly Campaigns Full of Speculation

As the election campaigns in Tanzania clock three weeks, there are signs that the tone of some of the campaigners is steadily becoming uglier with accusations and counter-accusations of foul play dominating the headlines.

The two main contenders, CCM's John Magufuli and Chadema's Edward Lowassa, have avoided trading mudslinging barbs but their lieutenants have demonstrated no such restraint.

Even outgoing President Jakaya Kikwete, the CCM chairman, has not stayed above the fray, allowing himself to be drawn into a verbal tussle with Chadema's chief legal counsel Tundu Lissu over who was responsible for the so-called Richmond scandal.

Whereas the head of state had hinted at a public meeting that it was Lowassa who was responsible, Lissu insisted it was the president who was implicated.

An article published in an American newspaper and purportedly authored by CCM secretary-general Abdulrahman Kinana criticised Lowassa over a statement the latter is alleged to have made to the effect that he would, if elected, free Muslim clerics imprisoned in Zanzibar for terrorism. He implied that Lowassa supports terrorism.

Then claims emerged that an opposition party was training youths in a neighbouring country to deploy them to disrupt the October 25 election. There has been no substantiation of these claims and, apart from the authorities saying they would investigate, little has come out of the statements. What has happened for sure is that a couple of people have died in campaign-related violence.

Fearing escalation in violence as polling day draws closer, several institutions, including religious and civil society organisations, have called for moderation in the speeches made at campaign rallies and restraint in the tone of messages carried on social media. However, the recently enacted social media law, ostensibly designed to curb cyber crime, is yet to be put into action.