In Summary
Dr
Magufuli spoke on the security situation in the Coast Region for the first time
as he began his three day tour of the region.
He
told the residents of Kibaha Town that people living in areas marred by
insecurity are to blame if the pace at which factories are constructed in their
areas remains low.
Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli warned yesterday that
reports of insecurity in Kibiti, Mkuranga and Rufiji districts in Coast Region
would affect investors’ confidence and forestall the government’s drive towards
industrialisation in the areas.
Dr Magufuli spoke on the security situation in the Coast
Region for the first time as he began his three day tour of the region.
He told the residents of Kibaha Town that people living in
areas marred by insecurity are to blame if the pace at which factories are
constructed in their areas remains low.
The President was responding to an earlier report by
Regional Commissioner Evarist Ndikilo who indicated that until now, there was a
total of 371 factories in his region; 89 out of which are mid-sized. However,
Mr Ndikilo said Mkuranga and Kibiti districts were still lagging behind in the
drive towards industrialisation due to poor road infrastructure and shortage of
power.
During his speech, President Magufuli told a cheerful
audience that he was aware of the challenges they were facing in the region,
but he asked them to cooperate with the police in identifying the perpetrators
of the killings being reported in the area, as part of the efforts to attract
investors.
The President said that the central government has already
disbursed funds (through the Road Fund) to district councils in the region for
the construction of roads, and noted that Mkuranga and Kibiti were lagging
behind because of insecurity.
“Those who cause insecurity in this region are holding back
development efforts. You (the residents of Coast Region) know them, and should
now identify them, lest, you remain without factories,’’ said Dr Magufuli.
“Who among investors would go to build a factory in an area
where people are killing each other?’’ queried the Head of State as he asked
them to cooperate with the police as the government sought a lasting solution
to the security challenges in the districts.
Until recently, reports show that 39 people, including local
leaders and police officers have been killed in Mkuranga, Kibiti and Rifiji
districts.
Despite government’s interventions, cases of sporadic
killings have continued to occur, making the residents of Coast Region to live
in fear.
Just yesterday, terrified Kibiti residents fled from their
homes on hearing gunshots, fearing another wave of attacks.
Most of the time, when the attacks and killings occurr, the
perpetrators have remained unknown.
Power strategy
Meanwhile, Dr Magufuli revealed plans by his government to
build an electricity dam at Stiegler’s Gorge, in Rujifi District as part of the
efforts to boost the supply of electric power for the industrialisation drive.
For several decades the Stiegler’s Gorge hydroelectric
project has been seen by Tanzania as a key component of the country’s hydropower
master plan.
This plan, completed during the mid-1980s, identified eight
potential hydropower projects in the Rufiji Basin.
According to Dr Magufuli, a team of experts led by
Ethiopia’s Minister of Energy would soon arrive in Tanzania to try and assess
the possibility of constructing the dam for power generation.
“Ethiopia has made huge strides in power generation. I once
asked the country’s Prime Minister to tell me the secret behind their success.
He promised to show me how. Just, last night, I had a phone conversation with
him, and he agreed to send in the team,’’ said President Magufuli.
An earlier feasibility study showed that a 130-metre gravity
arch dam can be constructed in phases at Stiegler’s Gorge. Four phases were
proposed, these being sequentially 300 MW, 600 MW, 300 MW and 900 MW phases,
reports show.
The Citizen
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