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DAR ES SALAAM: The Olympic torch Sunday ended a shortened but trouble-free relay in the Tanzanian commercial capital Dar Es Salaam, the sole African leg of the flame's journey to Beijing.
While no pro-Tibet rallies had been planned, the original 25-kilometre (15-mile) torch relay was scaled down to a two-hour, five-kilometre (three-mile) trail.
The relay ended at 3:00 pm (1200 GMT) after some 80 runners passed the flame under pouring rain. Police ringed the route and a helicopter followed its journey.
Tanzanian Vice President Mohamed Shein lit the torch at the start of the relay, and said: "I am excited that Tanzania is only country out of 53 African nations to host the relay.
"This is a rare opportunity (for) our nation and a challenge for the government and the people to promote sports," Shein said, adding: "Tanzania unreservedly supports the Beijing Olympics."
UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-HABITAT Anna Tibaijuka, who was the last to carry the torch, was equally upbeat.
"I am very proud that Tanzania is celebrating this moment. We have been given a great honour," she said.
"This is a moment of solidarity for Tanzania, Africa and the world in the spirit of the Olympics," she added.
After stumbling through an obstacle course of pro-Tibet protests in Europe and the United States, controversy again preceded the event in China-friendly Tanzania as the highest-profile member of the torch relay pulled out.
Kenya's Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai cited concerns over what she said was China's role in conflict and human rights violations in Tibet, Myanmar and the Sudanese region of Darfur for her no-show.
"I have decided to show solidarity with other people on the issues of human rights in Sudan's Darfur region, Tibet and Burma," Maathai said.
Defending worldwide protests over Tibet, Maathai said: "They are having an impact. That is why we are hearing about them. I hope the world and China will hear their voice."
Tanzania, long a socialist country with close ties to the eastern Communist bloc, enjoys excellent relations with China since diplomatic ties were established in 1964.
The Asian giant, which has an aggressive economic policy on the mineral-rich continent, is a major investor in the east African nation's fledgling economy.
Bilateral trade stood at 794 million US dollars (500 million euros) in 2007, close to a 50 per cent increase from the previous year. - AFP/ac
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