Masked soldiers on patrol as Shein is sworn in today

By The guardian reporter

  The government says security forces have been put on high alert to deal with any trouble makers

Members of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces wearing masks patrol the streets of Zanzibar yesterday.Photo: A Correspondent

 Security is still extra-tight in Zanzibar ahead of today’s inauguration of president-elect Ali Mohamed Shein after Sunday’s disputed election rerun, with masked soldiers patrolling the streets in force to keep the peace.

Tanzania, Uganda Ministers ink deal for oil pipeline

By Prosper Makene

From Left to Right: Director General of Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), Dr. James Mataragio, Minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof. Sospeter Muhongo

 The project on the Uganda-Tanzania crude oil export pipeline has again moved up an ‘ell of an inch’ after Ministers of Energy from the two governments and the contractor, Total E&P Company signed a Project Implementation Plan (PIP).

The PIP is a working tool to provide guidelines toward implementing the project. 

 

Speaking during the signing ceremony that took place at the weekend in Arusha, Ugandan Energy and Minerals Development Minister,  Engineer Irene Muloni said expressed her appreciation on the government’s commitment to fast-track implementation of the project.  

 

Eng. Muloni said her government is keen to harness its oil resources because it has been a while since the commercial discoveries were made.

“We in Uganda are keen to rapidly develop necessary infrastructure to enable the commodity reach international market,” Eng. Muloni said. 

 

Speaking at the same function, Energy and Minerals Minister, Prof Sospeter Muhongo said the project is an important undertaking to both countries. 

 

Prof Muhongo pointed out that the project will not only boost government revenue through tax and other statutory payments, but also stimulate expansion of Tanga port to meet demand of the project that will transport 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

 

“Implementation of this project will open up the Northern Corridor and allow us to distribute our natural gas to the northern part of the country as well as neighbouring countries,” the minister expounded.  

 

He further noted that the country has enough experience in implementing such pipeline projects making reference to Tanzania Zambia oil pipeline which was built in 1968 between Dar es Salaam and to Ndola in Zambia.

 Prof Muhongo also named the Songosongo natural gas pipeline and the latest Mnazi bay to Dar es Salaam pipeline. 

 

The Director General of Total E&P Uganda, Adewale Fayemi said pointed out that his company is ready to fast track the project because funds are already available.

 

Initially the project was expected to take three years but President John Pombe Magufuli challenged Total to complete it earlier than the 36 months.

 

This further development came two weeks after the two Heads of State, Presidents John Magufuli of Tanzania and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, jointly declared that the construction of the crude oil export pipeline will be implemented via the Northern part of Tanzania.

The unusual sight of the heavily-armed combatants in apparent camouflage is part of the huge security operation mounted for Shein’s swearing-in ceremony expected to be held at the Amani Abeid Karume stadium.

Witnesses said the masked forces first appeared on the streets in the immediate run-up to Sunday’s polling exercise which was boycotted by the main opposition Civic United Front (CUF) party. 

The faceless soldiers nicknamed ‘zombies’ have since become a source of both fascination and fear among locals in the sleepy archipelago, according to the witnesses.

“Why are these soldiers wearing masks? … what are they hiding?”  queried one local merchant along Zanzibar’s usually bustling - but deserted since Sunday - Darajani Street.

Security was scaled up across Unguja and Pemba days before the tensely-awaited March 20 polling day, with police and TPDF (army) reinforcements landing en masse in the islands in the wake of a spate of sporadic pre-election bombings.

One of the explosions targeted the home of a Zanzibar police commissioner and police said they have arrested more than 70 suspects linked to acts of violence.

The move to deploy a heavy presence of security forces in the islands was roundly criticized by CUF which accused the government of transforming Zanzibar into a police state.

Home Affairs minister Charles Kitwanga asserted yesterday that although the election itself went peacefully, the security forces will stay put on the isles “until we are satisfied that the situation is back to normal.” 

Kitwanga made the remarks in a briefing to journalists at the Unguja police headquarters on the overall security situation in Zanzibar.

The minister warned local residents against provoking the security men or engaging in any acts of violence while they were on patrol, saying any perceived troublemakers will not be spared.

When asked when the forces might be recalled to their headquarters in the mainland, Kitwanga said he was not in a position to divulge such information for security reasons.

He confirmed that security would be even tighter at today’s swearing-in ceremony for Shein, with President John Magufuli among the dignitaries expected to be in attendance.

In the absence of any substantial opposition following CUF’s boycott, Shein won the election rerun by a “landslide”, according to the results announced on Monday by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC).