PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has asked Tanzania to continue upholding the national unity, peace and love as well as maintaining the cooperation on building the economy for current and future generations.
She made the statement yesterday in her social media platforms, as the county was marking 61 years of independence, asking Tanzanians to maintain focus on strategies that will help in taking the country to a next level of development.
“I’m wishing good luck to all Tanzanians in marking 61 years of Independence, we have had a journey of challenges and many successes that the country is bragging on, let’s spend a day thinking of how we shall develop our country,” she wrote on her social media platforms.
For his part, the Vice-President Dr Phillip Mpango reminded Tanzanians on the importance of conserving environment for the benefits of current and future generations.
“We have a responsibility of conserving our environment for the betterment of the current and coming generations,” said Dr Mpango in his message to Tanzanians.
This year’s Independence Day wasn’t marked in staged events as President Samia had directed that the 960m/- funds earmarked for the event should be used to construct some schools’ dormitories for students with special needs.
Usually, the country marks the Independence Day with special parade, pomp funfair and with huge convoys of former leaders and invited delegates from outside the country.
However, this time around, the Head of State directed the Prime Minister’s office (Regional Administration and Local Government) to organise key public dialogues and conferences at Regional and Districts levels, the platforms that will be tailored to enable citizens to meet with their respective leaders to deliberate on the country’s socioeconomic achievements attained within 61 years of independence.
The President’s decision was unveiled earlier this week by the Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, Policy, Parliament and Coordination, George Simbachawene.
“According to the directives from the President, cerebrations of the country’s key historical day will in this year be celebrated in a different style, including holding dialogues that will allow gatherings to welcome Tanzanians from all Regions and Districts and discuss various topics pertaining to their country’s past, present and future,” he said.
Expressing President Samia’s directives, Mr Simbachawene noted that this year’s celebration would not be greeted with national parade or any state event as it has always been in the past years.
“And as part of quickly implementing directives from the President, we have already disbursed 960m/- to the intended schools so that they can be spent on projects for the construction of the much awaited structures for accommodation of the students with special needs,” he pointed out.
Last year’s Uhuru celebrations were marked in different styles as the country’s independence turned 60 in which government ministries and departments highlighted various achievements recorded within the period.
President Samia said Tanzania has accomplished so much in the last 60 years, adding: “Not only is our country one of Africa’s ten fastest-growing economies, but we’ve also managed to keep inflation under control and the shilling is stable in comparison to other currencies.”
