JPM: Why I picked Slaa
President John Magufuli with Dr Willibrod Slaa after holding talks at State House yesterday. President Magufuli appointed the former opposition politician ambassador last year. Dr Slaa was until his appointment living in Canada after leaving Tanzania in 2015. PHOTO | STATE HOUSE
Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli said yesterday that Dr Willibrod Slaa’s manifest abhorrence of fraud and theft was the secret behind the Head of State’s decision to appoint him ambassador.
The President appointed Dr Slaa last November. However, Dr Slaa – a former secretary-general of the opposition Chadema, who quit the party and politics on the eve of the October 2015 General Election – has yet to be assigned a diplomatic duty station.
State House said in a statement that President Magufuli picked Dr Slaa for the position due to the patriotism he had exhibited in the past.
“His patriotic spirit is among attributes that made me appoint him to the position, bearing in mind that he can work wherever he is posted, and will deliver,” the President said, adding: “Dr Slaa is a clean person who speaks from the bottom of his heart. He loves this country because of his spirit that abhors fraud and theft.”
For his part, Dr Slaa commended President Magufuli and his fifth phase government for sound leadership that had vision and enthusiasm in implementing major programmes in the interests of the nation and its people.
Programmes mentioned by Dr Slaa include the implementation of major development projects such as the standard gauge railway and construction of a flyover at the junction of Nyerere and Mandela roads in Dar es Salaam.
He also cited the huge power generation plant to be built at Stieglers’ Gorge along the Rufiji River and the war on grand corruption and general malfeasance.
“I’m happy because the fifth phase government is implementing step by step development programmes, the implementation of which we have been advocating for about 20 years. I have personally been shouting out against the weaknesses that were there,” Dr Slaa said.
He added that politics was a science which had foundations that must be adhered to, noting that the foundations were identifying problems and the means of effectively addressing them.
“Partisanship on development issues has no benefits for the country,” Dr Slaa said, adding, “we have inadequate electricity supply. The Stieglers’ Gorge project is on line to be implemented. So, too, are other major projects. All these are issues of principle.”
Dr Slaa contested the presidency through Chadema in 2010.
