BoNgo Ya leO

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has suspended the eviction exercise of its tenants at Keko Juu flats pending a case between the firm and the tenants.

NHC’s commissioned agent, Kimbembe Auction Mart Limited and Tribunal, had issued the tenants a 14 days eviction notice which was due on November 30 this year.

Speaking to The Guardian in a telephone interview yesterday, Director of Kimbembe Auction Mart Limited and Tribunal, Fransis Simbi said NHC suspended the exercise after receiving a court order.

“It is true that the 14-day notice was due on Sunday but we can’t go through with the exercise. We have been informed that the case will proceed on December 12, this year so we will have to meet up with NHC to see the way forward,” he said.

Last week, residents of Temeke called upon the NHC to respect the court order which barred it from evicting them.

A total of 64 households in the Keko Juu area in Temeke District were to be affected with the eviction.

Keko Juu local government chairman, Gaudensia Mfuko told journalists yesterday that the residents filed an application under a certificate of urgency to restrain the respondent (NHC), or its agents or anybody else from evicting the applicants (residents) from the leased premises on 22 April 2014.

She said while waiting for court’s proceedings, on 17 November they were issued with the eviction notice.

“This is unfair and is against human rights, we have been living here since 1970s, respectfully paying rents… but suddenly we are asked to leave… we have nowhere to go, the authorities should do something to rescue us” she said.

 “During his tenure, the former deputy minister for Land and Urban Settlement, George Chiligati had promised to consider us as long-term tenants when repossessing the houses and sell them to us,” lamented an elderly resident Rochusi Matipa (74).

For her part, Susan Omary, NHC head of communications department told The Guardian that the corporation had not received any complaint letter from the residents.

“I will check with my boss to see what’s going on but if they (tenants) have filed an application and were issued with a certificate of urgency then they should inform us so that we are also aware,” she said.

The Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children has commended Airtel Tanzania’s ongoing support to the community through their various social corporate responsibility activities.

Acting Director for child development in the ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, Benedict Missani, gave the praise during an Airtel charity walk fundraising event in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.

The Acting Director was the guest of honour at the charity event where Airtel employees and other stakeholders were raising funds to help renovate a nursery School classroom at Kumbukumbu Primary School.

 “I would like to applaud Airtel for their continued support to the education and health sectors...your support helps to enhance the learning environment assuring improved quality of education,” Missani said.

Missani went on to note that support from the private sector is vital if the country is to achieve the set goals under the government led ‘big results now’ initiative.

He urged other organisations and companies to meet their social corporate responsibility to address the various community challenges in the areas they operate.

Speaking at the event, Airtel Managing Director Sunil Colaso used the opportunity to point out that Airtel has been in the frontline in supporting the education sector through its ‘shule yetu’ project that has seen more than a thousand secondary schools benefit.

“Today, through our Airtel tunakujali programme, we continue with our mission to facilitate Kumbukumbu Primary School to have reliable and safe water as well as refurbished and refurnished kindergarten classroom,” Colaso said and expressed his appreciation to Airtel employees and all who took part in the charity walk.

The charity walk route started from Airtel Headquarters Morocco and ended at the kumbukumbu Primary School where a water well was officially inaugurated and handed over the school.

A few months after Ludovic Utoh retired as the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), President Jakaya Kikwete has now appointed Prof Mussa Juma Assad to fill in the position left by Utoh.

According to a statement by Chief Secretary, Ombeni Sefue which was circulated to the media by the Directorate of Presidential Communications yesterday, the appointment is with effect from November 05, this year.

According to the statement, the new CAG will be sworn-in today at around 10:0 am at the State House in the city.

Before this appointment, Prof Assad was an associate professor, Accounting department at the University of Dar es Salaam.

The Chief Secretary describes Prof Assad as a learned, hard working and experienced in matters of accounting and auditing.

He holds a PhD in Accounting from Southampton University in the United Kingdom which he obtained in 2001. He also holds a masters degree in Financial Accounting from Dublin City University in Ireland which he received in 1991.

Prof Assad also holds a Professional Diploma in Accounting from Dublin City University which he got in 1990 and a Bachelor of Commerce obtained in 1988 at the University of Dar Es Salaam.

Prof Assad is said to have great experience in accounting and auditing matters. He was a chairman for the National Board of Accounting and Auditing (NBAA) for seven years (2007-2014) and he is a member and has been the President of the Pan African Federation of Accountants since 2012. He is also a member of various boards in the country. 

The statement says the President believes that Assad will do well in the new position based on his experiences and qualifications.