Samia pledges accelerated progress for Arusha Region

Arusha. President Samia Suluhu Hassan Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday pledged accelerated devel-opment for Arusha Region, revealing that her administration had already channelled Sh3.097 trillion into the region over the past fourand- a-half years.

Addressing a rally in Arusha,President Hassan, who is also the CCM Union presidential candidate, said the government had invested in infrastructure, health, education, water, agriculture, trade and mining and promised to continue expanding opportu-nities if re-elected.

On roads, she announced that construction of the 23-kilometre Mto wa Mbu–Selela road in Monduli was in the pipeline, while feasibility studies for the 27-kilometre Selela–Engaruka stretch had been completed.

 Plans for the 24-kilometre Engaruka–Ngarenaro road were also under way, alongside a 10-kilometre access road to hotels in Karatu. She pledged the modernisation of the Namanga One Stop Border Post to ease cross-border trade.

Within Arusha City, she said 10.2 kilo-metres of tarmac roads would be built in Oljoro, Engosheraton and Olasiti under the Safe Cities pro-ject. On health, President Hassan said referral and district hospitals had been upgraded with modern diagnostic and treatment facilities.

Mount Meru Hospital now had advanced equipment, while Kiliman-jaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) was being strengthened to handle cancer and heart conditions, reducing referrals to Dar es Salaam.

On education, she said Sh1.267 billion had been invested through Parliament’s approval to support free education, classroom construction and vocational centres.

The government planned to establish colleges and training institutions in every district and universities in each region. “We want our young people to gain skills to participate in projects such as the standard gauge railway and energy development,” she said.

 Turning to economic empowerment, she cited the construction of Mnadani Market in Arusha and other markets in Morogoro, Kilombero and Dodoma.

 In Arusha alone, 1,823 groups had benefited from Sh10.8 million in municipal loans for youth, women and people with disabilities.

She pledged a new Sh200 million fund to support small traders. On mining, the CCM candidate noted that the sector’s contribution to GDP had risen from 4.8 to 10 percent last year, with a target of 25 percent by 2025.

She said only 16 percent of Tanzania’s mineral resources had been surveyed, but this was expected to rise to 20 percent in the next five years, benefiting small-scale miners and rural youth.

She also touched on the floriculture industry, naming farms such as Kiliflora, Usa River, Arusha Blooms and Ngorongoro and said experts had been tasked with safeguarding the sector’s growth. Land had also been set aside for housing development to match the city’s expansion. “We have already invested Sh3.097 trillion in Arusha.

These projects show what we can achieve. If you give us your votes, we will be able to do even more,” she told cheering supporters. CCM Arusha Urban parliamentary candidate Paul Makonda told the rally that residents were living testimony to President Hassan’s achievements.

“From improved Nroads and hospitals to better schools and thriving business-es, Arusha has seen transformation under her leadership,” he said.

Mr Makonda, who previously served as Arusha Regional Commissioner, said he had directly implemented the President’s vision and assured voters that her current pledges would also be delivered.

CCM retired Vice-Chairman and for-mer Arusha Urban MP Abdulrahman Kinana praised President Hassan’s leadership, saying she had suc-cessfully implemented three sets of commitments – those of the party, of the late President John Magufuli and her own. “She has done it with wisdom and calm leadership.

Results are visible in every district and constituency. The CCM manifesto is 98 percent implemented and her campaign promises fulfilled in full,” he said. Mr Kinana urged Tanzanians to back President Hassan and CCM in the polls. “She has served with dedication and put the interests of Tanzanians first.

That is why I ask you to vote for her and to support CCM parliamentary and councillorship candidates,” he said.