Highlights of key Union achievements under Samia leadership
THE Sixth Phase Government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan has continued to record major achievements in the country.
As it attained two years on Sunday, the government has several key achievements obtained via the Vice- President’s Office (VPO), which is charged with a responsibility to coordinate Union matters as well as strengthening relationship between the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar on non-Union matters.
Equally, the VPO is responsible for coordination and supervision and environmental management and indeed, it has in the past two years continued to foresee issues pertaining to environmental management, supervision and coordination.
Indeed, during the two years that Dr Samia has been in office, there has been a lot of changes in both sectors under the VPO office.
Union
Contentious Union matters have been resolved. On August 21, 2021, a solution for 11 unresolved Union contentious matters was obtained during a joint committee meeting between the government of the URT and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar at the meeting that was held in Zanzibar.
The resolved controversial Union matters include irrigation on the economic zone of the main sea, importation of milk from Zanzibar, employment for public servants from Zanzibar in the public institutions located in the URT, distribution of revenue accrued from the General Budget Support (GBS) and the loan agreement of finance for rehabilitation of the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital.
Others are the loan agreement for the construction of the Chake Chake-Wete Road in Pemba, a loan agreement for financing the Mpigaduri Port, Supervision of the formulae and tax collection in telephone services being undertaken by the Zanzibar Revenue Board (ZRB), revenue collected by the Zanzibar Immigration Department, appointment of the vice-chairperson of the Tanzania Revenue Appeal Tribunal (TRAT) from Zanzibar as well as appointment of a board member of the Deposit Insurance Board (DIB) from Zanzibar.
On December 6, 2022 the joint committee meeting from both sides of the Union was held in the country’s capital Dodoma, whereas eight different unresolved Union matters were discussed and four of them were resolved and hence removed from controversial Union matters.
The resolved matters included complaints from Zanzibar businesspersons on double taxation, whereas they were complaining of paying Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Withholding Tax respectively.
Also, there was a complaint from the Zanzibar Electric Company (ZECO) on skyrocketing utility charges from the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) and a loan agreement for financing the project for the construction of Terminal II of the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport
Education
During the two years of the Sixth Phase Government, in collaboration with experts and stakeholders from different institutions of the URT and Zanzibar, the government managed to publish and launch a book titled ‘Muungano wa Tanganyika and Zanzibar’, detailing issues of the Union, which is currently available in both hard and soft copies. This book has been authorized to be used for teaching in secondary schools.
In provision of massive education concerning the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, several methods were applied like organising major symposiums including 57 years of Union anniversary and 58 Union anniversaries that were conducted on 26 April, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
The two events were attended by different top leaders, political figures, students and members of the public at large and they were beamed live by different mainstream media outlets including social media.
This is part of efforts by the government in creating awareness on the union that was initiated by our leaders, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and the late Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume.
Environment campaign
During the two years of President Samia in office, the VPO has continued to coordinate various environment issues countrywide by initiating robust national campaign for environmental protection and cleanliness, a campaign that was launched on June 5th, 2021 by Vice-President, Dr Philip Mpango, aiming at increasing stakeholders participation in preserving environment.
This campaign involves members from the public sector and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who are part of a special joint committee for coordination as well as environment ambassadors who are doing a great job in awareness campaigns.
Also there is yet another campaign dubbed ‘Soma na Mti’ which was launched on January 21, 2022, which involves pupils from primary, secondary schools as well as students from higher learning institutions who are engaged to participate in tree planting in their areas so as to preserve environment.
National Environment Policy
On February 12, 2021 Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango launched the National Environment Policy, 2021 in Dodoma.
The policy includes several issues, including controlling electronic waste, supervision of use of chemicals as well as controlling pollution during exploration and drilling of oil and gas, climate change, supervision and proper use of the modern biotechnology among others.
National Environmental Master Plan for Strategic Interventions (2022-2032)
Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa launched the master plan during the climax of World Environment Day on June 05, 2022 in Dodoma. The plan is expected to be implemented for 10 years and it outlines various environmental challenges and the strategies to find the solutions depending on the nature of the areas.
Some of the issues earmarked include land degradation, destruction of water sources, effects of climate change, environmental pollution, deforestation and destruction of forests, among others.
In looking for solutions to the various challenges, the master plan has outlined various strategic steps to be taken by considering geographical locations and ecological systems of the various areas.
The guideline for carbon business
Carbon business is among the important tool in averting issues of climate change in the world which is conducted amongst member states of the climate change and Kyoto protocols as well as the Paris Agreement
In considering that, the government has prepared regulations and national guideline for supervising carbon business in the country with a view to providing conditions to stakeholders who are doing carbon business within the United Republic of Tanzania.
It is evident that the success obtained during the sixth phase government under Dr Samia is a result of the united community whereas all people from both sides of the union are committed to bringing development to their country without being interfered by anybody.
All people living in both sides of the Union are free to conduct their activities without any interference and the VPO will continue partnering with all local and international stakeholders in implementing plans, strategies and different programmes for protecting and preserving environment for sustainable development.
Participation of Tanzania on international conferences
During the two years, Tanzania participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland and Sharm El- Sheikh Climate Change Conference held in Egypt.
In both conferences, Tanzania continued to urge developed countries to provide funding to developing countries including Tanzania in order to avert challenges resulting from climate change impacts.
Tanzania used the two conferences to outline the country’s various strategies to protect and preserve environment though planting tree exercises currently being undertaken countrywide as well as enacting regulations and a guideline for carbon business in the country aiming at bringing positive results.
This include among others, attracting investors from different nations in the world to tap investment potentials in the country especially in the carbon business. It is evident that all the success attained during the sixth phase government is a result of unified nation.
The government will continue collaborating with stakeholders from both inside and outside the country in implementing plans strategies and various programmes for protecting environment for sustainable development.
