GOVERNMENT TO SET UP LEATHER FACTORIES

Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa addresses Tanzanians living in Botswana after attending a SADC meeting in Gaborone, Botswana on Monday.

Gaborone, Botswana - Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has said here that the government plans to set up leather processing factories in Dar es Salaam, Geita and Shinyanga regions in an industrialisation drive aimed at providing reliable market for skins from abattoirs in the regions.

The Premier said here while speaking to Tanzanians living in Botswana during a meeting held at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) on Monday.

Mr Majaliwa was in Botswana for one-day visit to represent President John Magufuli at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit and the community’s Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

“We have decided to set up the industries in the said regions so that skins and hides from the abattoirs are taken directly to the factories for production of leather,” Mr Majaliwa told the Tanzanians. He underscored the significance of industrialisation in boosting the economy, creating jobs and addition of value to local products.

The Prime Minister urged Tanzanians in the Diaspora to seek capital there and invest at home individually or through joint ventures. He said the doors are wide open for local and foreign investments, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

“We are highly proud of our countrymen in the Diaspora since we know they have things which can benefit fellow Tanzanians and the country.

“I urge you to come back home and identify areas of investments; even if you have projects here you can think of opening branches in Tanzania,” Mr Majaliwa urged.

Reacting to a question as to when would the government move to the designated capital of Dodoma; Mr Majaliwa said the government would continue allocating funds in each financial year to enable ministries to put up their offices in the central region.

“Dodoma has already been designated as the seat of the government while Dar es Salaam will remain the commercial city. It is worth noting that some ministries and institutions such as the Bank of Tanzania have already put up buildings in Dodoma,” he stated.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Association of Tanzanians in Botswana (ATB), Mr Neiman Kissasi, told the premier that the association was established in 1992 as a get-together union.

Mr Kissasi requested the government to educate the people on modern livestock keeping and shun pastoralism. Tanzanians in Botswana, according to Mr Kissasi, are as well longing for the government to open up economic opportunities in other regions rather than consolidating such openings in Dar es Salaam alone.

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