Samia uplifts entrepreneurs

• Pays courtesy visit on Cardinal Rugambwa

TABORA: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday rubbed shoulders with a section of small entrepreneurs at the Parking Market in Nzega Township, Tabora Region, pledging to boost their business capital.

The rare moment occurred when Dr Samia accompanied by her team, walked past the thronged streets of the market, visiting several stalls while sharing light moments with different vendors.

President Samia who is in a working tour of the region, said she wanted to talk to them and hear their challenges.

As she walked past the crowd that gathered alongside the road, the president was received with applause. Wearing a jovial mood, Dr Samia toured the market area, inquiring some of the food prices and groceries from the vendors, who are conducting business within the area.

Upon visiting a food kiosk which belonged to a woman, she wanted to know how the price for a breakfast. The vendor replied it was 2,000/- for a full breakfast consisting of pancake, soup and beans.

She, however, asked the woman on the progress of her business and the entrepreneur recounted that currently, her business was not faring well as she could not get enough customers.

While bidding farewell to the woman, the food vendor asked for a support of 100,000/- working capital to boost her business as well as improve the area she was conducting her food business, which was not in good condition.

“I will give you 500,000/-, which you will use as capital and regarding the improvement of your kiosk the member of parliament for this constituency is present here am sure he has heard and is going to do something,” said Dr Samia

Walking by a grocery kiosk, Dr Samia met with another lady who was selling various groceries whereby she bought tomatoes and other cooking ingredients. The grocery keeper also requested the president to support her with a working capital.

Besides, she also had some times with women selling fried fish and had a conversation with them regarding the status of their business.

Also, Dr Samia also shared a light moment with a group of women at a coffee drinking point, where she extended a similar plea to support entrepreneurs.

In the course, President Samia instructed some of his assistants to take note of the needs of the women entrepreneurs and work on their requests.

When she was leaving the market area, she stood for some seconds to talk to the crowd that had been standing on the road sides, indicating that she decided to carry out a tour at the market as the government intends to revamp the area.

Before touring the market area, President Samia inspected and laid a foundation stone at the Kilimi seed farm in Nzega and ‘Samia Block Farm’, which are part of the government’s efforts towards achieving seed-self-sufficient by 2030.

‘Samia Block Farm’ in Nzega District, Tabora Region, will source its water from the Kilimi Dam by using sophisticated irrigation system, including pivot system which is automated.

This was said on Wednesday by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe, while briefing President Samia on the progress of the project as part of her working visit in the region.

Dr Samia laid a foundation stone for the project, which the government has allocated 6.2bn/- for completion of its first phase.

Mr Bashe said the total area of the project is about 1,100 hectares, with 140 hectares of water catchment area, 97 hectares of the dam reserved area and about 860 hectares for farming.

Meanwhile, President Samia on Wednesday made a courtesy call on is Eminence Cardinal Protase Rugambwa, the Coadjutor Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora.

The visit intended to congratulate him for being ordained by the Pope Francis in the Vatican City, Italy recently, to serve as the Cardinal.

Earlier, on July this year, the Pope appointed 21 new cardinals, including the Coadjutor Archbishop of Tabora, Archbishop Rugambwa, whereby shortly after the appointment and the ordaining ceremony Dr Samia extended her heartfelt congratulation through her X handle formerly Twitter.

The visit is a first for President Dr Samia to meet in person with Cardinal Rugambwa from which among others she presented him a chasuble, signalling best wishes as he assumes a top leadership responsibility of the Roman Catholic Church.

President Samia also had some moment with students at the church owned Saint Mary Secondary School based in the region. This was the first school for the father of the nation, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere to teach.