Kigoma. ACT Wazalendo parliamentary candidate for Kigoma Urban Constituency, Zitto Kabwe, has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform Kigoma into a trade and transport hub for the Great Lakes region, should voters give his party a new mandate in the 2025 General Election.
Addressing a large rally at the Mwanga Community Centre Grounds on Sunday, Mr Kabwe outlined a 15-point plan aimed at revitalising the local economy, creating jobs, and improving public services.
His pledges ranged from port and market infrastructure to social welfare and youth empowerment initiatives.
“It is time to awaken and choose leaders who deliver, not just promise,” Mr Kabwe told residents. “We have shown before that true leadership delivers results you can see and feel. Now we must build on that foundation to make Kigoma the economic centre it was meant to be.”
Mr Kabwe, who previously served as MP for Kigoma Urban, cited major achievements during ACT Wazalendo’s earlier leadership of the Kigoma Ujiji Municipality between 2015 and 2020, including new roads, drainage systems, schools, markets, and the construction of the Ujiji and Kibirizi ports.
“These successes are proof of what true leadership can achieve when it listens to the people,” he said, adding that the ruling party had “failed to turn promises into progress.”
Turning Kigoma into a regional trade powerhouse
At the heart of Mr Kabwe’s plan is a push to make Kigoma a Trade and Transport Hub for the Great Lakes, anchored on the expansion of Kigoma Port. He pledged to ensure that port operation contracts benefit local residents and not “foreign interests,” while promoting Kigoma as a final destination for regional cargo.
He also committed to closely monitor the Shipyard Project at Katabe-Bangwe and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) extension to ensure timely completion and maximum benefit for the community.
Empowering the blue economy
Recognising fishing as a key sector contributing 30 percent of the local economy, Mr Kabwe promised reforms to ease levies on fishermen, introduce modern boats powered by alternative energy, promote fish farming, and upgrade landing sites and storage facilities.
He also pledged to complete strategic markets—including the Mwanga International Market and Kibirizi Market—as part of broader efforts to empower small-scale traders and strengthen Kigoma’s informal economy.
Urban renewal
Zitto’s plan includes reviving Ujiji Town as a historic trade centre through road and port projects, improved flood control, and a new Ujiji City Project to spur economic activity. He also promised to build stormwater drainage systems, rehabilitate neighbourhood roads, and turn flood-prone areas like Katubuka ponds into economic zones.
He said Kigoma’s expansion would be guided by the development of satellite towns in Bangwe, Kagera, and Gungu, supported by modern planning and essential infrastructure.
Jobs, education, and health for all
To tackle unemployment, Mr Kabwe proposed a Sh1 billion interest-free fund for small entrepreneurs, bodaboda operators, and women traders. The fund would also help youth purchase their own motorcycles to “end exploitative contracts.”
On social services, he pledged to restore community health insurance, eliminate delivery costs for expectant mothers, and ensure free maternal healthcare.
He also promised to establish a Technical School and Kigoma University, as well as four new high schools—two for sciences and two for arts—to prepare youth for future opportunities.
Justice, industry, and inclusion
Zitto further vowed to ensure fair compensation for residents affected by the Kigoma Special Economic Zone (KISEZ), airport expansion, and flood control projects. He also called for new industries, such as fish processing plants, to boost job creation and lower product prices.
“We promised, we delivered. Trust us to build our city again,” Mr Kabwe declared, urging voters to choose ACT Wazalendo candidates at all levels. “The 2025 elections are our time to reject stagnation and embrace change.”
He closed his address with a call for unity and courage:
“Together, we will open doors of opportunity, defeat poverty, and make Kigoma Urban the envy of Tanzania. This is our time—let’s seize it.”
