DODOMA: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday conferred over 17,000 medals to various influential top government leaders including retired Heads of State and incumbent heads of security organs as part of commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
For the case of the retired Heads of State, an Order of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was offered to former Presidents, who are still around and those who departed in honour of their exemplary service to the country.
Under the category the former President Dr Jakaya Kikwete and the late Dr John Pombe Magufuli were among of those, who were conferred the medals yesterday at the Chamwino State House in Dodoma.
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Speaking during the ceremony, Director of the State House Services, Mr Charlse Mwankupili noted that President Samia has bestowed 17,850 medals in line with the Presidential Affairs Act, (Cap.9 RE 2002).
A total of 26 recipients of the medals were bestowed on behalf of others from the total of 17,850 people qualified.
According to him, the medals were based in five categories including the Order of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Order of the National Torch, Union Medal, Medal of Long Service and Medal of Long service and Good Conduct.
For the former Presidents, Dr Kikwete and the late Dr Magufuli were honoured with the Order of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere that is conferred to the retired both living and the late Heads of State, who ascended to power constitutionally and continued to demonstrate exemplary life with integrity, discipline and respect after their service.
The Order of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was received by Ms Salma Kikwete on behalf of the fourth phase President Kikwete and Ms Janeth Magufuli, on behalf of the late Magufuli.
In another development, the former Prime Minister and First Vice President, Mr John Malecela was conferred the Order of the National Torch (Second Class) as per the President’s mandate that allows her to bestow the order to a seating vice president and retired vice presidents of the Union.
On top of that, the order was also conferred to Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal who is the country’s ex-vice president under the fourth phase government.
The Order of the National Torch is also conferred to both retired and the late prime ministers who completed their tenures without experiencing any scandal and continue upholding the Prime Minister Office’s ethical conduct.
The former Prime Minister, Mr Frederick Sumaye who served in the third phase government was bestowed.
In another hand, President Dr Samia conferred the Union Medal to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF), General Jacob Mkunda, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Camillus Wambura, the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service’s Director General, Ambassador Ali Idi Siwa as well as to Commissioner General of the Tanzania Prisons Services, Mr Mzee Ramadhani Nyamka.
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Other security organs top leaders who bestowed the Union Medal were the Commissioner General of Immigration, Dr Anna Makakala and Commissioner General of the Fire and Rescue Force, Mr John Masunga.
The Union Medal (fourth class) is provided to officers of the Union’s security organs. Moreover, the Head of State conferred the Medal of Exemplary Service to among others TPDF’s Lieutenant General, Salum Haji Othman and Commissioner of Police Ms Suzan Salome Kaganda.
The Medal of Exemplary Service is conferred by the president to serving officers of TPDF especially from a Major Rank and above, the Tanzania Police Force, Immigration Services, Tanzania Prisons Services, Fire and Rescue Force from adjutant rank and above.
It is also bestowed to senior officers of the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service who served consecutively for 20 years.
Dr Samia further conferred the Medal of Long service to TPDF officers who are in service, Tanzania Police Force (TPF), Immigration Force, Tanzania Prisons Force, Fire and Rescue Force and Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service who served consecutively for 15 years.
The star rank officers should have been serving as seniors with integrity.
In a related development, she conferred Medal of Long service and Good Conduct to non-security officers who are still in service at the TPDF, Assistant Inspectors, Station Sergeant, Sergeant and Corporals of the Tanzania Police Force, Immigration Force, Tanzania Prisons Force, Fire and Rescue Force and Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services who served for 15 consecutive years with integrity.
