INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY:Samia stresses unity, solidarity

DODOMA:AS Tanzania celebrated its 62nd anniversary of independence, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has urged Tanzanians to maintain unity and solidarity for the prosperity of the nation.

If these things are preserved, the Head of State said, everyone will be able to work hard, creatively, and with more knowledge to develop the nation.

Dr Samia delivered the remarks yesterday at the Jakaya Kikwete Conference Hall in DodomIa, as part of the 62nd anniversary of independence and the first meeting of preparing the National Devel- opment Vision 2050.

“Despite various chal- lenges we experienced in 62 years of independence, it has been a successful period dominated by peace and stability. Our country has achieved great progress in every sector whether social or economic,” she said.

She added: “My promise is to continue all the good things that have enabled our country to achieve development and to learn from the challenges that my predecessors faced,” she added.

“In addition to strong leader- ship, other pillars that have brought us this far is our peace, unity, and solidarity.”

Let us continue to uphold them.” President Samia further said since 62 years have provided the leaders with knowledge and maturity, it is sufficient to assess the country’s growth and decide how best to go.

“As a result, we can proudly look back on our accomplishments, which include forging national unity and making significant progress.

”Throughout the different phases of government, from the first to the current sixth phase, the country has made significant progress towards achieving its development goals.

Each phase has built upon the progress of the previous phase, resulting in continuous development over the past six decades of independent Tanzania. Key sectors such as education, health, communication, water, agriculture, infrastructure and mining have all achieved major milestones that the country is today proud of.

The theme for this year’s Independence Day is “62 Years of Independence: Unity and Solidarity is a Catalyst for Our Nation’s Development.” Over the past 62 years, various sectors have made significant contributions to the country’s development.

In recent years, Tanzania has experienced remarkable economic growth, with the agriculture sector playing a major role in the progress.

By harnessing the potential of agriculture, Tanzania aims to build a thriving economy, reduce poverty and ensure food security for all its citizens.

Agriculture is the main source of food and livelihoods in Tanzania, employing ap- proximately 65 per cent of the population.

The sector contributes 27 per cent and 21 per cent, respectively, to Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar’s Gross Domestic Product (URT 2021, SMZ 2020).

Additionally, the sector contributes about 30 per cent of total export revenues and provides 65 per cent of the country’s industrial raw materials.

This potential makes agriculture an engine for inclusive growth, significantly contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

For the financial year 2023/2024, the budget allocation for agriculture has increased to a staggering 970bn/-, compared to the 954bn/-allocated in the previous year (2022/2023).

In the 2021/2022 financial year, the budget for agriculture was a mere 294bn/-.

The country has also made significant improvements in the transportation sector, with a reliable road network that connects all regions.

With modern and well- built roads, it is now easier to travel from the northern to the southern regions of the country.

According to available data, Tanzania has a total road network of 91,049 kilometres, with 33,012 kilometres being national roads and the remaining 58,037 kilometres as district, urban, and feeder roads.

In the mining sector, Tanzania has made significant progress over the past 62 years of independence, thanks to swift regulatory reforms and other measures.

The government has taken radical measures to address loopholes that led to the exploitation of mineral resources by unscrupulous individuals and illicit financial flows with in the sector.

Reports indicate that mining is one of the leading economic sectors in the country, accounting for about 50 per cent of total exports.

In terms of water servic- es, Tanzania has made great strides in providing access to clean water, significantly easing the burden of water fetching, especially for women.

According to the Ministry of Water, from July 2022 to June 2023, access to water services in urban areas has increased to an average of 88 per cent and is expected to reach 91 per cent by end of this year.

In terms of electricity, the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) was established in 1964 as a public power utility, with efforts to supply electricity to rural areas gaining momentum.

Electricity is seen as an essential element for improving livelihoods in rural areas and reducing rural-urban migra- tion and deforestation.