UDP candidate pledges to transform lives

DAR ES SALAAM: WHEN Ms Saum Rashid, United Democratic Party’s (UDP) presidential candidate, speaks about leadership, her words carry a sense of conviction born from experience and service.

To her, leadership is not about power, prestige, or privilege—it is about deliberate commitment to citizens, about investing in their hopes and translating them into meaningful change.

Her leadership journey began far earlier than politics.

It was in the corridors of her primary school that the young Saum first felt the stirrings of ambition.

She recalls with pride how in Standard Two, after climbing to third position in her class, she realised the strength of self-belief.

That single achievement sparked a lifelong determination to strive, to lead and to serve.

“I used to volunteer a lot while at school,” she recalls, noting that her willingness to try new things, whether class assignments or student projects, laid the foundation for her later life.

Academic success, she believes, served as a blueprint—proof that consistency, discipline, and curiosity can guide not only students but also leaders in public life.

Her first formal encounter with organised leadership came in 2007 when she joined the Tanzania Women Cross Party Platform (Ulingo Institute), a forum that advocates for women’s leadership.

Through Ulingo, Saum received training that sharpened her political and organisational skills. The experience, she says, ignited her ambitions further.

“Through the training I could realise that I’m stepping forward every day,” she said.

“It gave me the courage to pursue leadership positions.”

Her first test came when she vied for and won the position of UDP’s women wing secretary. A few years later, in 2018, she c l i m b e d high export.

This, she insists, will raise per capita income, strengthen the economy and create sustainable jobs. In education, her stance is bold: fee-free education from primary school to university. She insists this is not a utopian dream but an achievable investment.

“We want to ensure our youth acquire practical skills that enable them to create jobs and become selfreliant,” she says.

Her plan is to overhaul the system so that education produces innovators, not job seekers. Special emphasis will be placed on science, technology, and vocational training. Corruption, she says, remains a major impediment to development.

She pledges to strengthen state anti-corruption agencies, especially the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), while embedding civic education to make bribery socially unacceptable.

“All Tanzanians deserve quality services without favour or bribes,” she insists.

Equally, she believes technology must be at the heart of governance, saying her plan is to expand digital services, create interoperable platforms across sectors, and boost efficiency in public offices.

“We will adopt interoperability to ensure all economic sectors are digitally connected,” she says.

Ms Saum insists that Tanzania’s wealth of natural resources must work for its people. She points to the mineral-rich Geita Region, which she believes has the potential to uplift communities if managed properly.

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“The mineral resources available benefit all Tanzanians starting with local residents,” she says.

Her plan includes empowering smallscale miners by providing capital, modern equipment, and technical support. She pledges to offer subsidies and ensure resources are processed locally before export.

“If we are to attract investors, it must be meaningful investment that benefits both locals and foreign partners,” she stresses.

Turning to water resources, she outlines ambitious plans to end water scarcity.

“When we talk about lifting the burden of water from women’s heads, we mean providing real solutions,” she says.

H e r strategies include sustainable management of Lake Victoria and other bodies, drilling deep wells, investing in rainwater harvesting and modernising supply systems.

On land use, her manifesto envisions productive agriculture, supported by affordable farm inputs and modern techniques.

UDP also pledges to build at least one processing factory in every region to promote value addition, create jobs and drive local economies.

Beyond economics, Saum recognises the cultural and social strength of sports. She vows to support football academies and sports programmes as pathways to professional careers.

“Tanzania is full of talent, but little has been done to nurture it,” she says.

She also plans youth development programmes that encourage innovation, small business creation, and entrepreneurship, ensuring young people have real opportunities to thrive. Ultimately, she presents herself not only as a candidate but as a reformer with a clear vision.

“We have the economic resources; what we need now are capable and committed leaders—councillors, MPs, and a government that delivers,” she says.

With her running mate, Mr Faki Juma, she believes UDP offers Tanzanians a fresh option—one that combines grassroots leadership with progressive policies.

Her campaign is built on optimism and urgency. She tells voters: “If you trust us and give us the mandate, we will implement these plans within a short time. Leadership is about service and service is about citizens.”

As the October General Election approaches, Saum candidacy adds a new chapter to Tanzania’s political story.

She symbolises persistence, a woman who rose from classroom ranks to the national stage, carrying with her the belief that true leadership begins not in palaces or boardrooms, but in the quiet conviction of service.