Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Magufuli’s legacy continues to be contested as his death marks one-year anniversary
Tanzanians on Thursday marked a one-year anniversary since the passing of John Magufuli who served as the fifth president of the East African nation. Magufuli legacy remains one of the highly contested topics as even now population is sharply divided on what should be the legacy of the man who was nick-named ‘bulldozer.’
Magufuli passed away on March 17, 2021, of heart-related complications, setting a new precedent in Tanzania for having been the first president to die while in office. He was succeeded by the then-Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Some Tanzanians remembered Mr Magufuli for his no-nonsense approach in enforcing discipline with the public service; a dedicated war against corruption and other forms of mismanagement of public funds; and the plans to rid Tanzania of poverty by embarking on such programs as industrialization among others.
But others pointed out Magufuli’s records in violations of people’s fundamental rights as well as his contribution to the shrinking of civic and political space in Tanzania. Critics pointed to the draconian laws and regulations passed under Magufuli’s watch as the last institutional legacy of his Presidency, which took Tanzania many steps back in the areas of multiparty democracy and human rights.
Magufuli’s approach in dealing with the opposition and criticism pushed the debate further with many opposition figures and activists taking the moment to remember trying and challenging times of their life.
As for President Samia, the passing of Mr Magufuli will always remain “a shock” to her, promising to follow in his footsteps in the efforts to fight for better lives for Tanzanians.
“All the projects, regardless of their scale, will be implemented,” President Samia emphasized during an occasion to mark Magufuli’s death that took part in his home town of Chato, Geita.
In a Twitter post, the Head of State assured Tanzanians that their country is stable despite the passing of Mr Magufuli and that, as her slogan reads, work should proceed.
“Let us continue to honour him by reliving the goods he did to our country,” Samia urged her compatriots. “And pray for him that he continues to rest in peace.”
AfDB commits $125.3 million to expand water resources in Dodoma
The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund on Wednesday approved a $125.3 million loan to finance the first phase of the Dodoma Resilient and Sustainable Water Development and Sanitation Program in Tanzania.
The money is expected to cover the construction of a dam and water treatment plant to address supply challenges in Dodoma City and the towns of Bahi, Chemba and Chamwino, according to a statement released Wednesday.
The program aims to improve water supply for multi-purpose use by developing water resources for Dodoma City and the three towns. It is expected to enhance access to potable water for two million people and provide better sanitation services for about 1.5 million people by 2051. Around 52 per cent of the beneficiaries will be female.
It will also ensure the sustainability of the water resources with related improved community management by catchment protection and management and build resilience against climate change and variability.
The program will create more than 640 jobs (140 permanent and 500 temporary) during the construction and operation of the dam and the water treatment plant.
“The program will contribute towards the attainment of national targets and Sustainable Development Goals (Goal #6) on water and sanitation by 2030 and strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene services as essential barriers to waterborne diseases, including prevention against Covid-19, in communities, healthcare facilities, schools, and other public places,” a statement quoted AfDB’s director responsible for Water Development and Sanitation Osward Chanda as saying.
The Bank Group is financing 94 per cent of the $132.9 million estimated costs of the first phase. The Tanzanian government will provide counterpart funding of the remaining 6 per cent. The Ministry of Water will execute the program, which is expected to take off in March 2022.
Turkey tackles Tanzania’s youth unemployment
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) built a carpentry workshop to support the furniture industry and increase youth employment in Tanzania, a statement released on Thursday explained.
According to reports, the agency equipped the workshop with technical machinery and tools and put it into service for 100 young members of Umoja Cooperative, headquartered in Dar es Salaam.
It is aimed to support youth employment by providing vocational training on furniture making for 100 young people every year at the workshop, which was equipped with modern furniture making machinery and tools.
The statement quotes Rajab Mwanakwetu, Chair of Umoja Cooperative, thanking TIKA on behalf of all members of the cooperative, stating that the cutting process used to take hours as they only used simple tools, but that they could now complete the process within minutes and thus increase their output and income.
On his part, Turkey’s ambassador to Tanzania noted that TIKA prioritized income-generating and employment creation projects for young people and women in Tanzania and would continue to carry out similar projects and programs in the future to support the country.
You can read an article from our contributor on How Turkey is Building its Influence in Tanzania.
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One Response
Any opposition party in Africa with leaders are trained, financed and controlled by foreign interests do not represent the interests of the local African citizens.
Such leaders get their salaries and marching orders from the foreign powers who finance and control them. Africa will never get anywhere until the African elites learn to CANDIDLY work with one another!
Corruption in Africa has HINDERED THE DEVELOPMENT in every country in continent and cannot be called A HUMAN RIGHT violation by elites who practices it. NOBODY HOLDING A PUBLIC OFFICE has the is right to be CORRUPT at the expense of the citizens she/he has sworn to protect!!
There is a concerted EFFORTS by CCM ruling elites and leaders of the opposition parties to OVERTLY marginalize or soil all the attempts made by the late John Pombe Magufuli to put Tanzania on a rapid development track.
These misguided elites heavily rely on FOREIGNERS to lead them.
Unfortunately, the foreign agenda has never served Africa since 1884/1885 Berlin Conference because these foreigners are focused on serving their own interests 100%!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwWZER3QGw