No plan to extend runway in Arusha

There are no immediate plans to extend the Arusha airport runway although a new apron will be built, the airport manager, Ms Esther Dede, has said.

Also in pipeline is the construction of a new terminal building to accommodate the increase in passenger traffic, but the length of the runway will remain the same for now.

She said the expansion and modernisation of facilities at the Arusha airport are contained in its master plan whose implementation is awaiting availability of funds.

Under it, a new terminal building would be constructed behind the current one and hence give enough space for the taxi ways for the increasing number of planes landing and taking off from there. Ms Dede was responding to questions on whether the airport runway would be extended to cater for large aircraft after last week’s unannounced landing of an Ethiopian jet at the tiny airfield.

“We have a master plan for the airport. But I have not seen anywhere in it that the runway will be extended. This airport will continue to cater for small and medium range aircraft,” she said.

She acknowledged in calls from stakeholders in the travel industry for the expansion of one of the busiest airports in the country to enable it to handle larger planes.

However, the official said that expansion is not contained in the present master plan and that unless that is done, Arusha Airport runway would remain with the same length; 1,620 metres. “We are okay. Our runway is up to standard; that is why it did not suffer the impact of the Ethiopian jet. But our airport is not meant for large aircraft,” she pointed out.

The unexpected landing of the Ethiopian-registered Boeing 767-300 ER carrying over 200 passengers and crew at the airport on Wednesday last week has brought the facility into the national focus, including safety concerns.

The jet, operated by an aviation firm in the Horn of Africa country, landed unannounced after an apparent communication breakdown with the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) where it was destined to land.

Although the giant plane landed “safely” and managed to take off a few days later through application of specialised equipment, it skidded into the grass at the end of the 1,6200 metre long runway.

It took two days for engineers from Ethiopia and local counterparts to tow the giant bird back to the tarmac and on the right direction in the runway to enable it  take off.

According to aviation experts, Boeing 767-300ER  requires a runway with a minimum length of 2,341 metres at maximum landing weight. KIA’s runway is 3,200-metre long.

This 94-Yr-Old Woman Waited For Her Solider Husband To Return From War For 63 Yrs!

Army Sgt. 1st Class Joseph E. Gantt went off to war 63 years ago, leaving behind a wife who never gave up on his return.

On Friday, 94-year-old Clara Gantt stood up from her wheelchair and wept in the cold before the flag-draped casket. Sgt. Gantt was finally home.
The faithful widow spoke to the journalists saying,
"He told me if anything happened to him he wanted me to remarry. I told him no, no. Here I am, still his wife."
Gantt was a field medic who went missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950 during the Korean War while serving with Battery C, 503rd Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, according to the Defense Prisoner of 
War/Missing Personnel Office in Washington, D.C.




According to the office, elements of the 2nd Infantry Division were attacked by greater numbers of Chinese forces near the town of Kunu-ri, North Korea. The division disengaged and withdrew, fighting its way through a series of Chinese roadblocks. Numerous U.S. soldiers were reported missing that day in the vicinity of Somindong, North Korea.
After a 1953 exchange of prisoners of war, the U.S. soldiers, who returned, claimed that Gantt had been injured, captured by Chinese forces and later died from malnutrition and lack of medical care.
However, his remains were only recently identified.
"Sixty-some odd years and just receiving his remains, coming home, was a blessing and I am so happy that I was living to accept him," Clara Gantt said.
The widow confessed to the journalists that she never had never been tempted to marry.

"I am very, very proud of him. He was a wonderful husband, an understanding man," she told reporters. "I always did love my husband, we was two of one kind, we loved each other. And that made our marriage complete."
Joseph Gantt is to be buried with full military honors is scheduled for Dec. 28 in Inglewood, Calif. Gantt said she plans one day to be buried next to him.

You messed with the wrong reptile! Python loses death match with Florida alligator and ends up in its JAWS

Parks officials in Florida have been fighting a losing battle to rid the Everglades of invasive Burmese pythons, not realizing that their secret weapon may be the state reptile.

A remarkable photo posted on the Facebook page of Everglades National Park Monday depicted a death match between a massive gator and a python - with the former coming out on top.

The picture of the tenacious reptile devouring its slithering opponent was accompanied by a post offering some information about the battle between the two critters. 

Alien vs predator: This American alligator came out on top in the battle with a Burmese python, an invasive species infesting the Everglades National Park in Florida

According to the message, earlier this month park staffers were contacted by resident Steve Greene, who reported ‘another “Gator and Python incident.’

The eyewitness told officials that as he was heading to Royal Palm State Park, he spotted an American alligator thrashing around.

‘The gator was moving fast and very determined to get under the bridge,’ Mr Greene reportedly said.

Parks officials explained in the Facebook post that the Burmese python is an exotic, invasive species that doesn’t belong in the Everglades.

The confrontation between the two critters took place in the area of Royal Palm State Park in the Everglades

‘Occasionally, the American Alligator, an apex predator in the Everglades, is seen consuming Burmese Pythons,’ the Facebook message read. ‘and sometimes the reverse!’

The snakes have no natural predators, they can eat anything in their path, and they can reproduce in large numbers.

Pastoralists hail Sacking of ministers

 Livestock herding communities and activists supporting them are happy about last Friday’s cabinet shake-up in which four ministers were sacked over alleged atrocities committed against the pastoralists.

“I am happy because some of my brothers were victims of excessive force used by the police and game rangers”, said Mr. Elikarim Mangi from Babati when reached on phone.

He said it was appalling that nothing had been done by the relevant authorities over the law enforcers and local administrators who took law into their hands on pretext of implementing Operation Tokomeza.

“What the president did was a good job. Some ministers are not serious with the people’s problems”, he told The Citizen on Sunday, citing cases of beatings and killings of innocent livestock keepers in various parts of the country.

Mr Mangi, who commutes between his timber business mart and large herds of cattle in Ruvuma region, said Manyara leaders should be made to account from the recent death of a woman in Babati district allegedly by the police.

Rev Elibariki Gayewi of the Lutheran Church in Hanang district said the sacking of ministers was an indication that the government was now serious in addressing the problems facing the people, particularly the nomadic pastoralists after being quiet for a long time.

“I am seeing this to be a great change for the good. It is a good sign for the government”, he stated, noting that he was aware of atrocities or beatings committed under Operation Tokomeza against members of the Barbaig community near Tarangire National Park and in Morogoro.

A resident of Minjingu township in Babati district and former councillor Mr. Olais Ole Koin said he was happy with the removal of Dr. Mathayo David Mathayo as a minister responsible for livestock,saying the sector has not been well managed.

However, he wondered why the prime minister Mizengo Pinda “has not been touched’ despite his apparent failure to manage the ministers and oversee the government operations as to per his day-to-day mandate.

He described the recent trends in the Parliament as an indication that it was now matured and active to challenge the government where it went wrong. “We want the government to ensure everybody is accountable”, he explained.

Mzee Mefunya Gapjojig, the first district commissioner for Hanang when the area was curved out of Arusha region in the mid-1980s remarked; “The pastoralists are now happy that the government has started to take action against frequent killings and harassments against them”.

A business consultant based in Arusha Zephaniah Gidang’ay said what the president did was “something in the right direction” but was surprised why the prime minister has not stepped down as a political responsibility.

He played down claims by the fired Livestock minister Dr. Mathayo that he had been victimised by the Parliamentary Select Committee, wondering where the politician was when large herds of livestock were shot dead in the national parks.

He added that he expected the new cabinet line-up to have a new prime minister. A CCM grassroot official in Hanang Peter Hayumwa defended the prime minister but said the stepping down of the four ministers was not enough.

“Senior government officials and here I mean the technical people are much to blame and should have to go”, he explained, pointing fingers at the technocrats in the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

However, some of the tourism industry players appeared not comfortable with the removal of Ambassador Khamis Kagasheki as the minister for Natural Resources and Tourism,saying he gave a needed push to the war against poachers and promotion of tourism.

“Kaghasheki was very supportive to this sector. For a short time he has been with us he has done a lot. I don’t seen anybody to fill his shoes. He was in the frontline in the war against poachers”, lamented Andrew Malalika, a tour operator in Arusha.

The Arusha-based umbrella body for pastoralist non-governmental organizations, PINGOs Forum praised President Jakaya Kikwete for the move and called on the government to ensure that people responsible for atrocities committed against people during Operation Tokomeza are taken to task.

“We are sure that the findings of the Lembeli Committee are true and we have found out that all what is contained and presented to the Parliament was true”, affirmed the PINGOs Forum executive director Edward Porokwa during a press conference here yesterday.

Christmas really is for giving: Kelly Brook gifts fans a n#de photo of herself just in time for the big day

The model shared the goofy online video with her Instagram fans which saw her face placed onto the body of a dancing Santa's little helper.

Sporting red stripey stockings and a small hat, the 34-year-old certainly looked different compared with the racy, nude snap.

She captioned the short clip: 'Happy Holidays', which received more than 700 likes in less than 24 hours.

'Happy Holidays': Kelly Brook posted an animated Christmas card on her Instagram page on Saturday, starring herself as a dancing elf 

Kelly Brook shares silly animated Christmas card

Sleigh-driver! Kelly's face is seen on a dancing elf decked out in green and white

Festive cheer: The silly clip included break dancing as graffiti-ed walls flashed in the background

The star was clearly getting into the festive mood as, after posting the card, she shared a video of her Christmas tree decked in red and gold on Sunday.

It's been a fun week for Kelly after being spotted cosying up to a gaggle of male models at Mahiki's 2nd birthday party in Dubai on Wednesday.

She got the privilege of cutting the birthday cake, whilst the Abercrombie and Fitch boys grinned and posed beside her. 

The restaurant owner was dressed in a sexy plum ruched mini dress, which she teamed with a pair of black pointed stiletto heels. 

She accessorised with just a simple pair of stud earrings and a silver ring, whilst opting for striking cherry red nail varnish.

What a night! Kelly cut the birthday cake at Mahiki alongside a gaggle of male models on Wednesday

Sultry: Kelly posed on the pink carpet in a ruched plum dress and stiletto heels

Hard times ahead for government

The Speaker of the National assembly, Ms Anne Makinda, has told ministers to change to escape frequent cabinet reshuffles.

Speaking shortly before adjourning the 14th Parliament seating yesterday, Ms Makinda noted that MPs, through their standing committees, have shown that they were determined to keep the ministers on their toes.

“As much as we will continue to have standing committee reports here, be assured that we will be hearing of scandals each year if you ministers continue to live and operate in the old days. We need to change,” Ms Makinda said. She spoke after prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda presented his speech to conclude the Bunge session.

The Speaker said what had happened should be a wake up call to ministers whom he warned against the tendency of depending on their subordinates and executives on sensitive public issues.

Ms Makinda said changes instituted in the budget cycle also calls for change in government operations if the new system is to succeed. “If the government does not change in its operation, the new budget cycle will be meaningless,” she said of the approach for Parliament to reverse the old system of only approving funds without fisrt establishing how the previsous year’s were used.

She noted for instance that reports show that only small fraction of development funds have been released in the first quarter of the financial year while the Parliament asked the government borrow money to ensure smooth take off of the new system.

“But, if we continue to depend on TRA (Tanzania Revenue Authority) and Finance Ministry alone, we will not reach anywhere… the tax collector should also ensure that he doesn’t stop his work because under the new system the Finance Act allows him to do so from July 1 each year,” she said.

In his Bunge adjourning speech, Premier Pinda thanked the MPs for the in-depth debate which led to the resignation of four ministers. He also thanked the ministers for accepting to take responsibility for cruelties revealed by the Parliament Committee which investigated the implementation of Opereseheni Tokomeza Ujangili.

On food situation in the country, Mr Pinda noted that food inflation has started to increase as the country comes off the harvesting season.

But he said food availability was still promising noting that assessment of food situation conducted in October and November this year established that a total of 828,063 face food shortage.

“These people need a total of 23,312 tonnes up to February next year,” he said noting however that the nation has enough reserves to sustain the needs.

Mr Pinda adjourned the Parliament to May 6, next year when  it will meet for the marathon Budget 

Bunge drops sim card tax as mobile firms condemned

Parliament yesterday scrapped the controversial sim card tax and agreed to raise excise duty on telecommunication services by a further 2.5 per cent. The move will raise internet costs and puts to an end six months of confrontations between wananchi and pressure groups and the government.

The intention of mobile phone companies, which also opposed the sim card tax and moved to court to block TRA from imposing it, came into question as MPs revealed that the firms had agreed to “donate” Sh30bn to the government in return.

The fate of the court case, now with the Revenue Appeals Tribunal, remains unclear as the move to scrap the tax means there will be no reason to go to court. The firms lost the first case at the Tax Revenue Board and lodged an appeal last week.    But even as the MPs approved the Excise Management and Tariff (Amendment) Bill 2013, they warned the government about its tendency to ignore advice on matters that touch on the lives of the people.

The amendments moved by the Finance deputy minister, Ms Saada Mkuya, dropped the Sh1,000 monthly sim card tax, subjecting the government to a Sh148 billion deficit in revenue collection projections.

To compensate for this, the government proposed a rise in excise duty on telecommunication services from 14.5 per cent to 17 per cent.

According to Ms Mkuya, the higher excise duty should enable the government to net Sh148 billion. The mobile telecommunication industry has agreed to give the government the Sh30 billion balance. But MPs have raised questions over the generosity of the companies that, only few months ago, said they were incapable of collecting the Sh1,000 sim card tax on behalf of the government.

“Why, all of a sudden, have the companies become so generous that they have volunteered to give the government Sh30 billion when it is the same companies that were protesting the sim card tax?” asked Mr Rajab Mbarouk Mohammed (Ole–CUF).

Other MPs opposed the excise duty hike, noting that though they wanted the government to raise money for water and electricity in the rural areas, the move would add to the burden of Tanzanians.

“During the budget we opposed the increase to 14.5 per cent because it would hurt poor Tanzanians,” said Ms Christine Lissu as she tabled the opposition speech, “but today the government wants to raise it to 17 per cent while the rate does not exceed 12 per cent in the rest of East Africa.”

Mr Salehe Pamba (Pangani–CCM) said the government needs to get into the habit of involving stakeholders before making decisions, especially on taxation issues that directly affect the people.

Mr James Mbatia (Nominated–NCCR-Mageuzi) said the sim card tax conflict is evidence of how uncoordinated the government is.

“It is amazing that the Finance minister (William) Mgimwa, who backed the law that introduced the sim card tax, disowned the same law a few days after the protests started,” he said.