Magufuli woos envoys to set base in Dodoma

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli wants representatives of foreign embassies and international organisations in Tanzania to move their offices to Dodoma, promising that the government will ensure befitting utilities were established for their comfort.

The President said he was pleased with the response by the missions that were ready to shift to Dodoma which is now the official seat of government.

“Some (envoys) have whispered to me here that they will speed up plans to settle here in Dodoma,” said Dr Magufuli today, July 30, 2018 as he was handing over land allotment certificates to the envoys at a televised function in Dodoma.  

The Head of State used a comparative revenue list among key cities to drum up the support for Dodoma, telling the dignitaries that they “deserved to live in a city that was leading in revenue collection.” He further said the city will be well secured for their safety.

Dr Magufuli told the envoys he was optimistic with infrastructural expansion currently going on in the city to accommodate a huge influx of people and visitors since his administration operationalized the policy to make Dodoma Tanzania’s capital.   

The function was addressed by among others the minister for lands William Lukuvi and his foreign affairs counterpart Dr Augustine Mahiga. Dodoma regional commissioner Dr Binelith Mahenge was also present.

President Magufuli handed over title deeds to 67 embassies and international organizations.

Countries that received the Lands Certificate of Occupancy include; Rwanda, Kuwait, South Africa, Algeria, Japan, Qatar, India, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Mozambique, Egypt, Switzerland, South Korea, Palestine, Namibia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Canada, United Kingdom, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Zambia, Burundi and Vietnam.

Others are; Germany, Indonesia, Uganda, Oman, Netherlands, China, France, Kenya, Yemen, Pakistan, United States of America, United Arabic Emirates, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Angola, Comoro, Cuba, DRC, European Union, Vatican, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Libya, Malawi, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Russia, Saharawi, South Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Syria and Turkey.

The international organizations are; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the World Bank (WB), AfDB, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Monetary Funds (IMF).

He said Dodoma is located in the middle of the country’s, making it more secure and easy to reach other parts, noting that more efforts were being done to improve infrastructure and social services in the city.

He said he has today instructed the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) and the ministry of Works, Communications and Transport to announce the tender for the construction of the Msalato Airport to enable large planes to land in the city.

“We have also written to the African Development Bank (AfDB) requesting $200 million loan for the three kilometer runway project,” he said.

Speaking during the event, Mr Lukuvi said 62 embassies and five international organizations have each been given over five acres of land located in Ihumwa area.

“We are ready to consider application from various countries that will need to increase the size of their plots or who would want to be relocated to other places,” he said.

For his part, the minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga said title deeds were yet to be given numbers pending to fulfillment of legal, administrative and budgetary procedures from respective countries.