VIDEO: President Samia's address to the nation on Independence Eve

President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday December 8, addressed the nation on the eve of Tanganyika's (Tanzania) 60th Independence anniversary.

In a televised address that lasted about 45 minutes the President underscored some of the achievements that Tanzania as an independent nation has achieved in the past 60 years.

She said Tanzanians have every reason to be proud of their nation wherever they are.

“It is true that we have not reached where we want to be but all the same where we are is better than where we were at Independence. By all means what we have achieved in the 60 years of our independence is greater than during the colonial days.”

From the secure boundaries to a vibrant infrastructure of over 11,000 kilometers of a tarmac road network as opposed to just over 1000 km that was bequeathed to the young nation of Tanganyika at Independence.

She touched on the construction of the Standard Gauge railway which she said will link Tanzania to other neighbouring countries.

“At independence Tanganyika had a railway network of 2500km plus another 200km; also we have managed to construct the Tazara network and the standard gauge railway. In terms of electricity before Independence we could only produce 17.5Megawats of electricity today we produce 1909 megawatts and we expect to add more than 2000 megawatts with the completion of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam.”

The president also among other issues talked of the need to further strengthen Air Tanzania and as a result she said the government has made an order of five more aircraft

The president also said the country has over the years strengthened its international cooperation from two foreign missions in 1961 to 44 embassies across the world.

More follows……..

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