In his keynote address to the CCM National Congress after he was elected the party’s National Chairman on Saturday, President John Magufuli told delegates that before the end of his first term in office, the entire government would have been moved from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
Dr Magufuli repeated the commitment here yesterday at the solemn occasion to mark the Heroes Day at national level, saying that his government was serious this time around. He added that he was honouring the dream by the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
“It does not click in our minds that Mwalimu expressed his intention to ensure that Dodoma becomes the country’s capital, only to see his children and grand children failing him,’’ Dr Magufuli stated.
When invited by the president to greet the mammoth crowd at the function, the prime minister directed all the ministers to put measures in place to shift from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma immediately.
He said he had already ordered the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms Jenister Mhagama, to ensure that everything was in order and that all ministers should start to shift to the new capital immediately.
“I understand that all ministers have houses in Dodoma. In that regard, I am directing all of them to move from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma as soon as possible,” he said, amid cheers from residents who turned out to witness the historic Heroes Day.
Mr Majaliwa further said that immediately after he accomplishes his mission to move to Dodoma, all ministers and heads of foreign missions accredited to Tanzania would follow. “In our campaign pledges last year, we said our government would deliver various opportunities to our people. This will be one of the opportunities. This is a challenge to business people to build more hotels, lodges, guest houses and other essential structures,’’ he added.
Addressing the nation on the occasion of the Heroes Day, President Magufuli said he was happy to see many people attending the occasion. “Your presence here is an indicator that Dodoma is really our country’s capital. Dr Magufuli told his audience that it was not pleasing to see all Members of Parliament (MPs) in Dodoma while members of the Cabinet, that had less than 30 people, were staying in Dar es Salaam in contrast to Mwalimu’s dream to transfer all government business to Dodoma.
“Four years and four months remain in my term since I took oath of office. Therefore, within this period, my entire government will be in Dodoma,’’ he said, amid cheers. Dr Magufuli said he had started with Dodoma Airport as preparations to shift his government were in place, adding that bigger aircraft will be landing at the airport without any problem.
Prominent Dodoma Region resident and retired Prime Minister, Mr John Malecela, was another person to be invited by the president to greet the crowd. In his greetings, Mr Malecela thanked the president for expressing his intention to expedite the capital transfer programme, saying the presidential directive was the best ever present to Dodoma residents.
Next was retired Union President Ali Hassan Mwinyi who asked Tanzanians to pray for Dr Magufuli so that his dream to transfer all government business from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma comes to fruition.
Daily News
No comments:
Post a Comment