Zanzibar Commits to Promote Taarab Music

The Zanzibar government will continue to honour the renowned taarab genre artist, the late Siti Binti Saad, for her enormous contributions in promoting Zanzibar worldwide through her tantalizing music talent.

This was said by Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein at a ceremony to inaugurate the Institute of Activist Siti Binti Saad held at Bwawani Hotel on Tuesday evening.

President Shein said that the institute honours the late artist and promotes the great work she did, which has greatly promoted the country and its rich history.

He described the late Binti Saad as a shining light, which has always lit up Zanzibar, saying further that her skills in promoting the country's culture will always be cherished. President Shein called on other artists to learn the work done by Binti Saad.

The president said that in order for the work of art to be nice and attractive to many people, it requires creativity and discipline of its kind.

He said that creativity and discipline are two things which go together in a work of art, especially in taarab music, and when one of it misses artistic work will not go well.

"I must insist so much in creativity in our work of art, because creativity and discipline bring attractiveness," he said. He added: "In taarab, everyone is attracted in different ways... there are those who are attracted by the voice, rhythm, stanza and even the artist's appearance."

He further said that taarab music requires great patience as shown by the late Binti Saad considering that there is no easy task in this world.

"Taarab needs tolerance because the beginning of anything is always difficult and there is no easy task. So it is a must for a person to struggle in the same way Binti Saad did. She never gave up and was always eager to learn new things," said president Shein.

He also emphasized on the need for artists to seek and attain further education, saying education was the basis of development that will assist them a lot in bringing efficiency to their lives.

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Single visa Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda fails to start as scheduled

The much announced introduction of a common single tourist Visa for foreign tourists coming to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, has started the new year with a postponement, as none of the three countries apparently was ready to launch on January 1st, this being a public holiday across the region.

A similar delay is also hitting citizens of the three countries who attempted to travel by using their national ID card.

No affirmative date could be ascertained when the new arrangements, for the citizens of the three countries to travel by using their national ID cards nor for tourist visitors would be ready, and if the new system is still being launched in January or at a later stage.


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Special Coin for Zanzibar Anniversary

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has issued a 50,000/- commemorative coin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Zanzibar Revolution on January 12, 1964, the Governor, Prof Benno Ndulu has said.

The governor said the 92.50 per cent silver-proof commemorative coin will not be used as legal tender in settlement of any transaction.

Issuance of the coin is in line with the BoT tradition to issue such coins to commemorate special and important events of national and international significance, Prof Ndulu said.

Normally with time, the value of such coins appreciates and becomes more valuable to the holders.
He said the coin has been issued in limited quantity (3,000 pieces only) for the important and historic occasion and called on members of the public to purchase it at 50,000/- as a souvenir of the 50th Anniversary of the Zanzibar Revolution.

The coins, Prof Ndulu said, will be sold at commercial bank branches, which will obtain them from BoT headquarters in Dar es Salaam and Bank of Tanzania (BoT) branches in Zanzibar, Arusha, Mbeya and Mwanza.

"Commercial banks will also use their branches to make the special commemorative coins available for members of the public to buy effective from 5th January, 2014," the governor said, adding that the banks will also provide information to members of the public about the availability of the coins.
The coin displays the portrait of the late Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume, on its obverse side encircled with an inscription, "Rais wa Kwanza wa Zanzibar na Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi" (The First President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council), while on the reverse side it displays the Coat of Arms of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, inscribed "Miaka Hamsini ya Mapinduzi" (Fifty Years of the Revolution), the denomination value and the dates 1964-2014.


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