BANK M RECORDS A GREAT START IN 2016

Bank M's CEO (Designate) Ms. Jacqueline Woiso speaks to reporters while announcing the bank's quarter one financials during a press conference that was held in Dar es Salaam recently. With her is Bank M's Head of Products, Mr. Johnbrighton Ngowi.

Dar es Salaam, April 10, 2016: Bank M Tanzania plc, has recorded a robust performance in the first quarter of the current year. In what has become customary for the Bank, it posted a record growth in balance sheet as well as profitability.

The nine year old Corporate and Investment Bank registered a pre-tax profit of TZS 7.4Bln during the first three months of the current year compared to TZS 6.13Bln for the same period last year.

According to the just released financial statements of the Bank for the first quarter ending on 31st March 2016, a large part of the profit has come from interest income which amounted to TZS 22.11 Bln, an increase of 32% over the corresponding period last year. Non- interest income was reported at TZS 6.6 Bln also recorded a strong growth of 15% against the income realised for the corresponding period in the previous financial year.

The financials are also indicative of the prudent lending practices adopted by the Bank as is evident from the NPLs (non-performing loans) remaining below the rate of 3% which stands well below the industry average.

WAZIRI MAHIGA APOKEA NAKALA ZA HATI ZA UTAMBULISHO KUTOKA KWA MABALOZI WATEULE WA SUDANI KUSINI NA JAMHURI YA CZECH

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Kikanda na Kimataifa Balozi Augustine Mahiga (kulia) akipokea Nakala za Hati za Utambulisho kutoka kwa Balozi mteule wa Jamhuri ya Czech, Mhe. Pavel Rezac, na kisha kufanya nae mazungumzo yaliyojikita katika kukuza ushirikiano kati ya Tanzania na Jamhuri ya Czech.

Waziri Mahiga akizungumza na Balozi Mteule Mhe. Pavel Rezac.

Waziri Mahiga akiwa katika picha ya pamoja na Balozi Mteule wa Jamhuri ya Czech Mhe. Pavel Rezac.

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Kikanda na Kimataifa Balozi Augustine Mahiga (kulia) akipokea Nakala za Hati za Utambulisho kutoka kwa Balozi mteule wa Jamhuri ya Sudani Kusini, Mhe. Mariano Deng Ngor, na kisha kufanya nae mazungumzo yaliyojikita katika kukuza Ushirikiano katika sekta mbalimbali kati ya Tanzania na Jamhuri ya Sudani Kusini.

Waziri Mahiga akizungumza na Balozi Mteule Mhe. Mariano Deng Ngor.

Waziri Mahiga (wa pili kutoka kulia) akiwa katika picha ya pamoja na Balozi Mteule wa Jamhuri ya Sudani Kusini Mhe. Mariano Deng Ngor (wa tatu kutoka kushoto), Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Afrika Balozi Samwel Shelukindo (wa kwanza kushoto), Afisa Ubalozi wa Sudani Kusini nchini (wa pili kutoka kulia) na Afisa Mambo ya Nje, Bw. Eric Ngilangwa (wa kwanza kulia).

Waziri Mahiga (wa pili kutoka kulia) akiwa katika picha ya pamoja na Balozi Mteule wa Jamhuri ya Sudani Kusini Mhe. Mariano Deng Ngor (wa tatu kutoka kushoto), Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Afrika Balozi Samwel Shelukindo (wa kwanza kushoto), Afisa Ubalozi wa Sudani Kusini nchini (wa pili kutoka kulia) na Afisa Mambo ya Nje, Bw. Eric Ngilangwa (wa kwanza kulia).

Picha na Reginald Philip

ETIHAD AIRWAYS AWARDED FOR BEST IFE / CONNECTIVITY LAUNCH BY AN AIRLINE 2016

Etihad Airways has been presented with the award for ‘Best IFE/Connectivity Launch by an Airline 2016’ by leading industry magazine PAX International. The awards ceremony took place at the Aircraft Interiors Expo held in Hamburg, Germany.

The airline won the award based on the high levels of technology and innovation of its E-BOX inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system and the content offered on its global route network. The accolade adds to a string of awards collected by the airline over the past year for its superior IFEC services, including Inflight magazine’s Airline of the Year award 2015, PAX International magazine’s award for Best New IFE/Connectivity Launch 2015, Inflight magazine’s Best Airline In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) provider for the Middle East 2016, and the World Travel Award for Leading Airline Inflight Entertainment.

Shane O’Hare, Etihad Airways’ Senior Vice President Marketing, said: “This award, voted by PAX International’s readers over a six-month period, is recognition of Etihad Airways’ commitment to ensure our guests continue to enjoy cutting-edge IFE technology and the latest communications solutions on all our aircraft.”

Etihad Airways operates a fully connected fleet of modern Airbus and Boeing long-haul wide-body and short-haul narrow-body aircraft.

The airline’s Live TV service is available on 50 wide-body aircraft, bringing quality content from seven television channels including BBC World News, Sport 24 and CNN, the top three most viewed channels, and CNBC, euronews, Japan’s NHK World Premium and Sky News Arabia.

KENYA GOVERNMENT AMONG LOSERS IN CHASE BANK FALL AFTER PUMPING IN $2M FOR SMEs

Chase Bank customers outside a closed Mama Ngina Street branch in Nairobi after the lender was put under receivership by the Central Bank of Kenya on April 7, 2016.

The Kenya government is among lenders whose money, to the tune of $197 million, is locked up in Chase Bank, which was placed under receivership on Wednesday.

Also in limbo are some 55,000 depositors who had pumped over Ksh92 billion ($892.38 million) into the bank as at December 2015.

The East African has learnt that the government gave some Ksh202 million ($2 million) to the privately owned bank between 2010 and 2011 for on-lending to agribusiness and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Curiously, about a half of the amount was given directly by the National Treasury, which under the law should not be involved in dealings with private commercial banks except when settling third party obligations.

The other amount was given to the bank by the Youth Fund, which has been in the news over the loss of Ksh180 million ($1.8 million) for payments for work not done.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich defended the deposit as normal, saying other banks with a focus on micro-businesses also benefited.

RISE IN NUMBER OF BAD LOANS SHOULD NOT CAUSE PANIC, BARCLAYS BANK KENYA MANAGING DIRECTOR SAYS

Barclays Bank of Kenya managing director Jeremy Awori.

An increase in bad bank loans should not cause panic as it comes after several years of fast lending growth, the chief executive of Barclays Kenya said on Wednesday.

The rise in bad debts over the past year has fuelled concerns about the stability of the country's 43 lenders after the central bank had to take control of a third in nine months last week.

Central bank data showed gross non-performing loans with the East African nation's banks rose to 6.8 per cent of the total in the year to February from 5.7 per cent last year.

Barclays Kenya Chief Executive Jeremy Awori said annual lending growth in the sector had been running at above 20 per cent in recent years, meaning the quality of some loans could have dropped.

"It is cyclical ... We shouldn't have a sense of paranoia and panic about non-performing loans increasing ," the chief of Kenya's fifth-largest lender told reporters.

TIGO SASA YA PILI KWA UKUBWA KATIKA KAMPUNI ZA SIMU TANZANIA

Meneja Mkuu wa Tigo, Diego Gutierrez

Dar es Salaam, Aprili 14, 2016. Ushindani unazidi kupamba moto miongoni mwa kampuni za simu nchini ambapo katika kipindi cha miezi mitatu cha kati ya Oktoba na Desemba mwaka 2015, ni jumla ya watumiaji wapya 1,448,782 tu ambao walijisali kutumia huduma zao za mawasiliano.

Ushindani huu ambao umechochewa na kuingia kwa kampuni mpya katika sekta ya mawasiliano Tanzania, umefikisha jumla kuu ya watumiaji wa huduma ya mawasiliano nchini kufikia 39.8 milioni kwa mujibu wa takwimu zilizotolewa hivi karibuni na Mamlaka ya Mawasilano Tanzania, (TCRA).

Kampuni ya MIC Tanzania Ltd- ijulikanayo kwa jina lingine kama Tigo – ilisajili juma ya wateja wapya 488,886 katika kipindi hicho cha miezi mitatu sawa na asilimia 34.

Idadi hii ya wateja wapya inaifanya Tigo kuwa na jumla ya wateja 11,115,991 na kuifanya kampuni hiyo kuwa katika nafasi ya pili kwa ukubwa imiliki asilimia 28 la soko la mawasiliano nchini na hivyo kuipita Airtel ambayo imekuwa katika nafasi hiyo kwa kipindi cha takriban muongo mmoja.

MABENKI SASA KUPATA TAARIFA ZA WADAIWA WA HESLB

Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Bodi ya Mikopo ya Wanafunzi wa Elimu ya Juu (HESLB) Bw. Jerry Sabi (kushoto) na Mtendaji Mkuu wa Kampuni ya CreditInfo Tanzania Ltd Bw. Davith Kahwa wakisaini mkataba ambao utaiziwezesha taasisi za kifedha zinazotoa mikopo nchini kuhakiki taarifa za waombaji mikopo, ambao ni wanufaika wa mikopo ya elimu ya juu, kabla ya kuwapa mikopo mipya. Wengine ni Bw. Frimat Tarimo, Mwanasheria wa HESLB na Bw. Van Reynders, Meneja wa CreditInfo Tanzania.

Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Bodi ya Mikopo ya Wanafunzi wa Elimu ya Juu (HESLB) Bw. Jerry Sabi (kushoto) na Bw. Davith Kahwa, Mtendaji Mkuu wa CreditInfo Tanzania Ltd wakibadilishana nakala za mkataba ambao utaiziwezesha taasisi za kifedha zinazotoa mikopo nchini kuhakiki taarifa za waombaji mikopo, ambao ni wanufaika wa mikopo ya elimu ya juu, kabla ya kuwapa mikopo mipya. Wengine ni Bw. Robert Kibona na Bw. Frimat Tarimo kutoka HESLB na Bw. Van Reynders, Meneja wa CreditInfo Tanzania.

Bodi ya Mikopo ya Wanafunzi wa Elimu ya Juu (HESLB) mwishoni mwa wiki imesaini mkataba na Kampuni ya CreditInfo Tanzania Ltd utakaowezesha taarifa za wadaiwa wa mikopo ya elimu ya juu kufikishwa katika Kitengo Uratibu za Taarifa za Mikopo (Credit Reference Bureau) kilichopo katika Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT).

Kampuni ya CreditInfo Ltd ina leseni iliyotolewa na Benki Kuu ya Tanzania kwa ajili ya kufanya kazi hiyo.

Hivyo basi, mnufaika wa mikopo ya elimu ya juu ambaye ataomba mkopo kutoka kwenye taasisi yoyote ya kifedha hapa nchini, taasisi hiyo itakuwa na uwezo wa kuhakiki kama mwombaji huyo ni munufaika wa mkopo wa elimu ya juu na ikiwa ana nidhamu ya kurejesha mikopo.

Kwa mujibu wa mkataba huo, HESLB itawasilisha orodha ya wadaiwa wa mikopo ya elimu ya juu kwa kampuni ya CreditInfo ambayo itahakikisha taarifa za wakopaji zinapatikana kwa taasisi zote za kifedha, yakiwemo mabenki, ili taasisi hizo zijiridhishe kabla ya kutoa mikopo mipya kwa wanufaika wa mikopo ya elimu ya juu.