PRIME Minister Mr Kasssim Majaliwa has directed 42 government institutions to relocate to the Capital City Dodoma by July this year.
The government has also directed all institutions carrying out construction projects in Dodoma Region to ensure that they are timely completed and live to construction standards including quality as well as considering value for money.
Speaking on Monday, on behalf of the Prime Minister during an official event to hand over building permits to 55 institutions that are set to relocate to Dodoma, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination), George Simbachawene said the latest directive nullifies the previous one which had required the institutions to have shifted to Dodoma by September last year.
Mr Simbachawene said from 2016, at least 65 government institutions were granted with the building permits, of which, 22 institutions have already accomplished erecting their edifices and have since relocated to Dodoma, 16 others are at various stages of completing construction, while 19 institutions are in preliminary stages to start executing their projects.
The minister said out of the 189 government institutions, 38 are required to relocate to Dodoma in the 2023/2024 financial year, while a total of 19 institutions are required to relocate to Dodoma in the 2024/2025 financial year.
He also directed 27 institutions, whose modus operandi requires them to remain in Dar es Salaam, to however, ensure that they have sub office with the hallmark of headquarters in Dodoma.
Also, the minister directed other institutions that were yet to initiate construction to present their proposals for plots of land to the office of the Prime Minister for joint coordination.
Mr Simbachawene said that the sixth phase government was fully implementing its plan to relocate and shift administrative offices from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma including all public servants.
He equally asked Dodoma regional officials, ministries, district councils, public entities, private sector, and all stakeholders to continue supporting the government’s initiatives in the implementation of the plan to relocate the headquarters from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
“I want to ask the Private Sector to continue participating fully in the plan for the government to have the modern headquarters of the country as well as different sectors including education, putting up five-star hotels, modern restaurants, as well as conference rooms that can accommodate international visitors, among others.
At the event to hand over building permits, Mr Simbachawene said that the objective to hand over equipment was part of recognising the government institutions in supporting the central government in relocating the country’s capital to Dodoma.
Institutions granted building permits yesterday will execute their projects in various areas within the city, including NCC-Link, Medeli, Njedengwa, Kisasa, Kikombo and Mtumba, while strictly observing city planning.
He further hinted that by March 2023, the judiciary would relocate in full swing to Dodoma, because its buildings were complete by 90 per cent.
The minister expressed his delight with the progress in the construction of the government city in Dodoma second phase. He said the construction of 26 multi-storey buildings at Mtumba Government Town, dubbed ‘Magufuli City’, has reached 70 per cent, saying it will fully be completed in October this year.
The Magufuli City project will transform the outlook of Dodoma City and become one of the landmarks in the capital, it is also in line with the ruling party CCM Election manifesto for 2020 to 2025.
It is also in line with the Third Five –Year Development Plan (FYDP III 2021/22 to 2025/26), which has placed top priority in developing the new capital. The document insists that key among the reasons for relocating the hub of government activities to Dodoma was the need to reposition public services closer to the people.
FYDP III for developing the new capital entailed the construction and strengthening of infrastructure for transport and travel, education, health, water, and government offices in response to increased demand from the increase in population.
According to the document, key interventions include to construct government town buildings and offices, strengthen infrastructures for sports, entertainment and arts, construct and strengthen travel and transport infrastructure, sustain efforts aimed at environmental conservation and green urban development of Dodoma City.
Other interventions include constructing business investment centres, strengthening the infrastructure for education, technical and vocational training and consolidating improvements to health infrastructure.