Week of November 2

2026-W45: Nov 2 – November 8, 2026
FINAL: Last update November 6, 2026
COUNTRIES IN THE NEWS: Kenya
Bangladesh
India
Uganda
Egypt

Tanzania's Samia orders rights commission to monitor and answer allegations against the country

First published Mon, Nov 2

President Samia Suluhu Hassan directed the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance to monitor and respond to allegations levelled against Tanzania over human rights issues. She issued the instruction in Dodoma, stressing the need to assess the actual human rights situation both within the country and internationally.1

The directive comes as the government faces renewed scrutiny over the 2025 election violence. Human Rights Watch said no one has been held accountable one year after the killings, and Tanzania has been accused of using counterterrorism laws against those seeking post-poll justice.1

In the same leadership shake-up, Samia named Angeline Mabula as Tabora regional commissioner. The appointment was announced alongside the human rights directive.2

Tanzanian court acquits Lissu of treason but jails him four years for inciting unrest

First published Fri, Nov 6

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

A Tanzanian court acquitted opposition leader Tundu Lissu of treason but found him guilty of inciting unrest and sentenced him to four years in prison. The verdict was delivered on Friday, and the treason charge against him did not stand.1 2 3

Lissu's party Chadema said it will appeal the four-year sentence and seek bail for him. The party announced the appeal after the ruling.4

Attributed claim: Outlets described the outcome differently in their headlines. DW.com reported that Lissu was jailed for four years after being cleared of treason, while the BBC reported that he was found guilty of inciting unrest but acquitted of treason; the Daily Nation led on the court clearing him of treason.1 2 3

The Africa Report said that whatever the verdict, Lissu's treason trial has already put Tanzania's courts in the dock.4

AfDB arranges $1.2 billion commercial financing for Tanzania's Standard Gauge Railway with $800 million guarantee

First published Thu, Nov 5 · Updated Fri, Nov 6

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

The African Development Bank and Tanzania closed a landmark $1.2 billion commercial financing package for the Standard Gauge Railway, with the bank arranging the deal. The AfDB backed the financing with a record $800 million guarantee, the largest of its kind for the lender.1 2 3

The financing is intended to boost trade, jobs and regional links, and Tanzania is seeking investors for its standard gauge projects. Strategic transport investments are being presented as a step toward a $1 trillion economy.2 3

Attributed claim: The only figure conflict in the week's coverage is unrelated to the railway: BigGo Finance reported Oracle raised restructuring costs to $2.8 billion, adding $700 million, while the railway guarantee figure carried in the Tanzania coverage is $800 million. The two numbers describe different stories and do not conflict on the railway deal.4 1

UPDATES

Fri, Nov 6 · New development

Tanzania's ports authority, TPA, has backed expanding the port's railway infrastructure to bolster cargo transportation, part of a push in which strategic transport investments are being presented as a route toward a $1 trillion economy.5 6

Attributed claim: Ahram Online reported Tanzania secured $1.39 billion for a 424km railway link, a figure and project length that do not appear in the $1.2 billion financing package the African Development Bank announced.7

Tanzania awards TPDC four exploration licences after 223 Bcf Mnazi Bay gas find

First published Mon, Nov 2

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

State-owned TPDC was granted four oil and gas exploration licences and took over operations at the Songo Songo gas field. The licences followed the Mnazi Bay discovery.1

Attributed claim: The state-owned Daily News framed the discovery as a gas bonanza carrying jobs, energy and billions in revenue for Tanzania. The Chanzo reported the find while noting that the operator remains cautious about it.2 3

Tanzania sets June 2027 target for nationwide rollout of e-Ardhi land system

First published Mon, Nov 2

Tanzania aims to roll out the e-Ardhi land system across the country by June 2027, according to a report carried by ippmedia.co.tz. The system is part of a push to digitalise land administration and records.1 2

The target places Tanzania alongside other governments moving land records online. Coverage of the shift links the Tanzanian plan to digitalisation efforts in Himachal Pradesh and Bangladesh, where a parliamentary body recommended integrated land management and digitalisation of land records.2 3 4

In the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, 90 percent of pending Jamabandis have been updated to reflect the latest land records, a separate land-records milestone reported the same day.3

Also this week

Published earlier this week and since overtaken by bigger stories. Open one to read it in full.

FAO and IGAD warn El Niño raises Rift Valley fever risk across East AfricaFri, Nov 6El Niño is heightening the risk of Rift Valley fever outbreaks in Eastern Africa, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development warned. The two bodies issued the warning as El Niño conditions strengthen across the region.

FAO and IGAD warn El Niño raises Rift Valley fever risk across East Africa

First published Fri, Nov 6

El Niño is heightening the risk of Rift Valley fever outbreaks in Eastern Africa, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development warned. The two bodies issued the warning as El Niño conditions strengthen across the region.1 2

East African Community countries are developing joint strategies to prepare for El Niño threats, including the disease risk the UN agency and the regional bloc flagged. The preparedness work is being coordinated at bloc level.3 4

A new report warns that El Niño could bring severe flooding to the Horn of Africa and calls for early action to prevent the worst outcomes. The warning links the climate pattern to conditions that favour Rift Valley fever outbreaks.5

Tanzania sets 15,000 MW power target for 2031 as Shell and Equinor weigh $42 billion LNG projectThu, Nov 5Tanzania is targeting 15,000 MW of power generation capacity by 2031, state media reported. The goal sets the scale for the country's electricity build-out over the next five years.

Tanzania sets 15,000 MW power target for 2031 as Shell and Equinor weigh $42 billion LNG project

First published Thu, Nov 5

Tanzania is targeting 15,000 MW of power generation capacity by 2031, state media reported. The goal sets the scale for the country's electricity build-out over the next five years.1 2

The power target is reported alongside uncertainty over the $42 billion liquefied natural gas project in which Shell and Equinor are partners. Competing interests are clouding the venture, according to Businessfront.1 2

Tanzania takes EAC draft constitution awareness campaign to Mtwara residentsWed, Nov 4Tanzania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation has continued educating the public on the Draft Constitution of the East African Community Political Confederation, engaging stakeholders in Mtwara Region to deepen understanding and encourage citizens' participation in regional integration.

Tanzania takes EAC draft constitution awareness campaign to Mtwara residents

First published Wed, Nov 4

Tanzania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation has continued educating the public on the Draft Constitution of the East African Community Political Confederation, engaging stakeholders in Mtwara Region to deepen understanding and encourage citizens' participation in regional integration.1

The campaign has also reached Mbeya, where residents welcomed the awareness drive on the draft constitution of the EAC Confederation, and Mwanza, where residents said they were prepared to give their views on the political confederation.2 3

The government is seeking public views on the EAC draft constitution as part of the campaign.4

Kenya leads Mombasa talks on regional maritime security as EU hands navy non-lethal equipmentWed, Nov 4Kenya is leading regional talks in Mombasa on a maritime security strategy for shared waters. The discussions bring regional partners together on safeguarding the waters they hold in common.

Kenya leads Mombasa talks on regional maritime security as EU hands navy non-lethal equipment

First published Wed, Nov 4

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

Kenya is leading regional talks in Mombasa on a maritime security strategy for shared waters. The discussions bring regional partners together on safeguarding the waters they hold in common.1 2

The European Union's ambassador to Kenya, Andreas Peschke, handed over non-lethal equipment to the Kenya Navy at Mtongwe. He was accompanied by Maciej Stadejek, director for security and defence policy at the European External Action Service.3 4

The equipment transfer went to the Kenya Defence Forces, which received the non-lethal supplies from the EU.4

Attributed claim: The Daily Nation, an oppositional outlet, argued that Kenya and Europe are safer together, tying the equipment handover and the Mombasa talks to shared threat assessments. The state-owned People Daily and the centrist Africa.com reported the Mombasa strategy talks without that framing.5 2 1

Tanzania releases Standard Seven exam results showing uneven subject performance and a wider gender gapTue, Nov 3Tanzania's Standard Seven examination results were released on 3 November, with the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) announcing the PSLE outcome at a press conference that day. The results show uneven performance across subjects.

Tanzania releases Standard Seven exam results showing uneven subject performance and a wider gender gap

First published Tue, Nov 3 · Updated Wed, Nov 4

Tanzania's Standard Seven examination results were released on 3 November, with the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) announcing the PSLE outcome at a press conference that day. The results show uneven performance across subjects.1 2 3

Boys outperformed girls in the PSLE, and the performance gap between them widened, according to the results.1 2

UPDATES

Wed, Nov 4 · New development

Tanzania's Standard Seven pass rate rose by 3.4 percentage points, according to the released PSLE results.4 5

Science grades in the PSLE fell, a result The Citizen reported as testing the country's Dira 2050 development goal.5 4

Tanzania reports $68.6bn in five-year investment projects and targets over one million jobsTue, Nov 3Tanzania's investment promotion agency TISEZA has recorded 3,538 projects worth $68.6 billion over five years, a figure the government links to more than one million jobs. The government expects 344,000 jobs from investment projects valued at $15.32 billion.

Tanzania reports $68.6bn in five-year investment projects and targets over one million jobs

First published Tue, Nov 3

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

Tanzania's investment promotion agency TISEZA has recorded 3,538 projects worth $68.6 billion over five years, a figure the government links to more than one million jobs. The government expects 344,000 jobs from investment projects valued at $15.32 billion.1 2 3

The $2.8 billion figure is the amount of investment currently flowing into those projects, according to the government's account of the pipeline. The jobs and project totals are presented as the outcome of the wider portfolio rather than of the $2.8 billion alone.1 2

Attributed claim: The Citizen, a state outlet, reports the $15.32 billion projects figure alongside the $68.6 billion portfolio total, while The Respondents, a pro-government outlet, leads on the $68.6 billion figure and the target of more than one million jobs. The two numbers describe different slices of the same programme: the smaller sum covers the projects tied to the 344,000-job forecast, the larger covers the full five-year TISEZA tally.1 3

The investment figures were published as the government promoted the returns from its investment promotion drive, with job creation as the stated measure of success. No breakdown of the $2.8 billion by sector or region appears in the cited reports.1 2 3

East African Community ministers approve regional AI strategy and university training moduleMon, Nov 2Ministers from the East African Community have approved a regional artificial intelligence strategy and a training module for university students. The decision was reported by outlets across the region on Monday, with the module aimed at students in EAC member universities.

East African Community ministers approve regional AI strategy and university training module

First published Mon, Nov 2

Ministers from the East African Community have approved a regional artificial intelligence strategy and a training module for university students. The decision was reported by outlets across the region on Monday, with the module aimed at students in EAC member universities.1 2 3

The Ugandan outlet Eye Radio described the decision as the bloc adopting a regional AI strategy alongside the university training module. The Citizen, based in Tanzania, reported the same two approvals by the EAC ministers.1 2

The Uganda Observer reported on Thursday that the ministers had approved an AI module for university students, framing the outcome around the teaching component of the package.3

Separately, Egypt and Uganda held talks on cooperation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, according to Egypt's State Information Service.4

Arusha to host 300 climate scientists as El Niño raises extreme weather concerns in TanzaniaMon, Nov 2Arusha will host 300 climate scientists, with the meeting framed around a call for scientists to unite efforts to tackle climate change. The gathering is being held as El Niño raises concerns over extreme weather in Tanzania.

Arusha to host 300 climate scientists as El Niño raises extreme weather concerns in Tanzania

First published Mon, Nov 2

Arusha will host 300 climate scientists, with the meeting framed around a call for scientists to unite efforts to tackle climate change. The gathering is being held as El Niño raises concerns over extreme weather in Tanzania.1 2

El Niño is strengthening, and more rains are expected, according to a Daily News report carried alongside the Arusha meeting announcement.3

Mbarawa said Tanzania's investment in clean energy is reducing environmental impact, a position carried by ippmedia.co.tz in the same run of coverage as the Arusha conference.4