Tanzania Industry
Tanzania’s industrial sector is relatively small and poorly developed. It is mainly focused on the processing of raw materials from agriculture and mining. The most important industries produce food, textiles and tobacco. Government investments in infrastructure during the 2010s have benefited the construction industry.
In the food industry, beer, cashew nuts and sugar are great products. The factories also manufacture paper, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, shoes, tires, bricks and electrical equipment. There are also assembly plants for vehicles, as well as oil refineries. Part of industrial production is exported. Most factories are located in the area of Dar es Salaam.
- According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER, TZ stands for the country of Tanzania in geography.
The Tanzanian industry was hit hard during the economic crisis of the 1980s when many factories were forced to close and workers lost their jobs. Large-scale aid projects were also adversely affected, such as the pulp mill in Mufindi, built with Swedish aid. The textile industry backfired when import protection was removed in the early 1990s.
Since then, industrial production has recovered, although recurrent power cuts, a worn-out transport network and a slow privatization of unprofitable state-owned factories are continuing problems. It is primarily the production of consumer goods such as beer and cigarettes that has increased, as well as the production of building materials such as cement and sheet metal.
- COUNTRYAAH: List of top trading partners of Tanzania. Includes countries that imported most shipments from and exported most goods to the country.
2020
June
Magufuli is running for re-election
June 16
In accordance with the Constitution, President Magufuli is dissolving Parliament ahead of the October elections. No election date has been set yet. The next day, Magufuli announces that he is running for re-election.
Increased prosecution immunity for politicians
June 10th
Parliament adopts a series of constitutional amendments that strengthen, among other things, the prosecution immunity of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the President of Parliament and the Vice-President, as well as a number of highly regarded persons in the judicial system. Another addition means that a person who sues someone for violating their civil rights must explain how this affected them personally. Several human rights organizations criticize the new constitutional amendments because the organizations often sue the government in the name of a victim.
“Free from the corona virus”
June 9
President Magufuli declares Tanzania free from the corona virus and says the infection left the country thanks to the prayers of citizens.
Police doubt attack against opposition leaders
June 8
Opposition Chad Party leader Freeman Mbowe is injured in one leg when unknown perpetrators attack him in Dodoma, according to the party’s representative, who describes the attack as “politically motivated.” Mbowe is on his way home in the evening when the attackers strike, according to Chadema. The party leader is taken to a hospital for care but can soon leave the hospital. Police express doubt and say that there are no signs of an attack and that Mbowe was intoxicated when he arrived at the hospital.
The universities will open again
June 1st
The universities reopened after being closed as part of attempts to curb the spread of the corona virus, which caused a pandemic.
May
Sampling for covid-19 is investigated
May 4th
The chief, as well as the highest official at Tanzania’s national laboratory, is dismissed by the Health Minister since President Magufuli said that irregularities had occurred with the sampling of suspected coronary infection. An expert group is set up to investigate the suspicions.
Mysterious deaths in Parliament
May 1
The opposition party Chadema urges its members not to attend parliamentary meetings since three members of parliament have passed away for unknown reasons over the past eleven days. Among the three dead are the country’s Minister of Justice. Chadas leader Freeman Mbowe, who has repeatedly criticized the government for hiding the true scale of the Corona pandemic in the country, suggests in a statement that MPs have died in covid-19. Mbowe requires Parliament to postpone its meetings and test all members of the covoid-19. In April, a Member of Parliament was confirmed to be infected by the coronavirus. On April 29, authorities announced that Tanzania had 480 confirmed cases of coronary infection and 16 deaths in covid-19.
March
Prayers against corona pandemic
March 31st
Tanzania reports its first death in covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus sars-cov-2, whose spread led to a pandemic. The victim is a 49-year-old man with underlying illnesses. Tanzania has prepared for the pandemic by closing all schools and universities, but President Magufuli has not wanted to impose travel restrictions, quarantine cities or require people to stay home. He has urged the people to rely on God, not on protective masks. Magufuli has also urged the Tanzanians to go to churches and mosques and pray.
The Chema leader is sentenced for revival
March 10
Chema’s chairman Freeman Mbowe is sentenced to a fine or five months’ imprisonment in connection with one of the authorities banned demonstrations in 2017. At the trial, eight other high-ranking opposition politicians are also sentenced for similar crimes, including four MPs. Among those convicted are Chada’s Vice President Said Issa Mohammed. Mbowe is convicted of saying during the demonstration that Magufuli will not be long-term in the presidential post. Mbowe and seven others are released three days later after Chadema entered and paid their fine.
February
Conflict over the electoral authority
February 4th
Magufuli’s government rejects the opposition party’s demand for reform of the Election Authority ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections this autumn. According to Chadema, the current electoral authority is not independent and serves the interests of the governing CCM. Several donor countries, including Sweden, have reduced aid due to the democratic deficiencies in Tanzania, or the aid has been redirected to strengthen democracy and human rights.
Homophobic politicians are banned from entering the United States
February 1st
Paul Christian Makonda, who initiated extensive persecution of LGBT -Persons (see October 2018), the prohibition of entry into the United States. The US government’s motivation for the ban is that Makonda violated fundamental human rights when launching his homophobic project, which the Magufuli government later renounced.
January
US facing entry restrictions
January 31
US President Donald Trump imposes restrictions on entry into the United States for nationals from six countries: Nigeria, Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania. In the past, Trump has done the same for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and North Korea as well as Venezuelan political officials. The decision, according to US authorities, is because these countries have been unwilling or unable to follow certain basic rules for, among other things, identity control, information exchange and public safety. The rules begin to apply on February 22 and the focus is on people who want to settle in the US, not just visit the country.
The World Bank holds loans
January 21st
The World Bank is holding a loan payment of half a billion dollars to Tanzania when it is clear that the government will use part of the money to take pregnant teenage girls out of elementary school and put them in a special school. According to the law, girls are not allowed to return to regular school after giving birth to children. According to the World Bank, about 5,500 girls were stopped in 2017 from continuing to school after becoming pregnant.
