Month: July 2020

The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has won a USD 1.3 million (3bn/-) case against Vodacom Tanzania dating back almost two decades ago. Tanzania’s Court of Appeal delivered a ruling last week in which it rejected Vodacom’s appeal of TRA’s tax audit dating back to a three year period between 2001-2004.

Local media reported at the start of the week that, “…TRA, the respondent, conducted tax audit in respect of the appellant’s business affairs for the period covering the year 2001 to 2004.”

The findings of this audit were that Vodacom Tanzania was withholding tax and penalties related to services and royalty for use of software acquired from Siemens Telecommunications (PTY) Ltd.

“On November 10, 2006 the respondent served the appellant with preliminary audit findings…” in turn, on April 24, 2007, Vodacom Tanzania issued its own revised audit findings which TRA did not accept as correct.

The following year, on August …

While most other East African countries are expected to fall into a recession for the remainder of the year, Tanzania’s economy is actually expected to grow.

The unexpected projection was given recently by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which stated that Tanzania’s economy may expand by as much as 5.2 percent this year.

This report contradicts that of the World Bank which recently forecast that the country’s economy would suffer a slowdown and slump down to 2.5 percent from last year’s high of 6.4 percent.

“Despite the projected slowdown, real GDP growth in Tanzania will benefit from increased prices of gold, a major national export,” reads the report in part.

The phenomena makes sense since gold prices are still climbing thanks to investors opting to use the precious metal as a store of value against the now volatile dollar. The dollar has been taking a pounding from the effects of …

I can vividly remember sitting in a Nairobi classroom in Kenya and scribbling away my discussion to validate that assertion. I also clearly remember answering the same question in Ordinary Level Secondary school in Jinja, Uganda and when I returned to my country of birth, Tanzania, I again had to respond to the same question in Advanced Level High School.

My explanation was simple, Egypt is a dessert country and its main source of fresh water is the Nile. Without the Nile, they would be no Egypt…

It was the correct answer; the answer that my teacher liked and am sure so does Egypt. What of the countries of East Africa, the source of the Nile. Well, the teaching goes, they too need the Nile, but since they are tropic countries that receive considerable amount of annual rains, they don’t need the Nile as much as Egypt does.

That is …

Five years ahead of schedule Tanzania achieved middle income status. To be exact, the World Bank changed it’s classification from ‘a low-income to a lower-middle-income country.’

East Africa’s sleeping giant is finally awakening. Right in the middle of the global Coronavirus pandemic, Tanzania has provided a rare piece of good news — on 1 July 2020, the country achieved its middle-income vision five years ahead of schedule. – The Africa Report

The World Bank’s news was announced to the country by it’s President John Magufuli bringing even more recognition to the achievements of Tanzania’s fifth administration.

In his twitter handle, the president posted the new country status emphasizing the achievement was accomplished five years ahead of time.

“Today, July 1, 2020, the World Bank announced that Tanzania has become a middle-income country. I congratulate my Tanzanian colleagues for this achievement. This is a big feat that we have accomplished and …

The African Development Bank (AFDB) approved grants worth $25 million to Somalia to boost its national budget efforts to mitigate the national and regional impacts of the pandemic.

The grants comprised of $15.06 million grant from the Regional Operations Envelope and a $10.04 million grant from Pillar 1 of the Bank’s Transition Support Facility which is under the bank’s COVID-19 Response Facility.

“It is the first time the Bank is leveraging the Regional Operation Envelope resources for a Budget Support Operation. This approach was pertinent to ensure that Somalia has adequate resources to contain the spread of the disease in its territory and limit cross-border impacts that pose serious risks for health, social and economic development for the Horn of Africa sub-region,” said Nnenna Nwabufo the Acting Bank Director General for East Africa.

The grant will be used to carry out three interlinked responses to the COVID-19 pandemic that will …

Export-Import (EXIM) bank United States said it is in the process of providing  $4.7 billion in financing the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique.

Exim Bank United States fund is the largest commitment given by any lender towards the priciest hydrocarbon development in Africa.

The 13 Million Tonnes Per Annum LNG project will cost $20 billion to develop but Total which is in charge of the project is borrowing $14 billion from 28 financiers.

EXIM bank is one of eight Export Credit Agencies financing the project include Japan Bank for International Corporation (JBIC), Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), UK Export Finance (UKEF), Servizi Assicurativi del Commercio Estero of Italy (SACE), Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC), Atradius Dutch State Business (Atradius) and Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Thailand).

There are 19 commercial banks financing the project in which Standard Bank of South Africa, is leading with …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board approved $4.3 billion requests for emergency financial from South Africa to address the challenging health situation and severe economic impact of the COVID-19 shock.

The funds are under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) which aims at meeting the urgent balance of payment (BOP) needs stemming from COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, limit regional spillovers and catalyze additional financing from other international financial institutions.

The outbreak of the pandemic has led to a sharp economic contraction and significant financing need in South Africa.

Over the last decade, economic activity in the country has weakened despite government spending, this has resulted in increased poverty, unemployment and income inequality.

“South Africa’s economy has been severely hit by the COVID-19 crisis, reporting the highest number of cases in sub-Saharan Africa. A deep economic recession is unfolding as the decline in domestic activity and disruptions in the global supply chain …

For almost two decades, Kenya’s retail store Tuskys has dominated the market establishing itself as an alternative space for shoppers who looked for quality at an affordable rate. However, two years ago, the retail store has seen a downward trend with increased competition from online based stores as well as the rise of foreign stores like Carrefour and the Game.

The company has been unable to meet its financial obligations including paying suppliers and other debtors. This situation has been severe making the Competition Authority of Kenya to come in and scrutinize the accounts of the retailer.

The Authority issued Prudential and Reporting Orders to Tusker Mattresses Limited (Tuskys), requiring it to submit records revealing the full extent of debt owed, financial statements and records, sales forecasts, among others.

Now, the retailer shareholders through Orakam, the retailer parent company have released a statement describing their path to recovery. This includes …

Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa are the only countries on the continent where the share of online shoppers exceeds 8 per cent.…

Kenya is the major exporter and importer of the East African Community (EAC) accounting for an estimated 46 per cent of exports and 41 per cent of imports in the region…