By Citizen Reporters
In Summary
e also visited the CCM office in Mtwara Rural
District, Mitengo Primary Court, Mtonya Mikindani Ward office, Mtwara
Urban MP Hasnein Murji’s office and Mtwara Rural MP Hawa Ghasia’s
residential house, which were all destroyed by rioters.
Mtwara. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda yesterday visited Mtwara Town to inspect areas affected by last week’s violence.
He also laid the foundation stone for a sprawling cement manufacturing plant.
The plant -- property of Dangote Cement Company --
will have the capacity of producing three million tonnes of cement
annually once established.
Speaking during the laying of the foundation
stone, Mr Pinda urged Mtwara residents to be patient and support
government plans, which upon being successfully implemented would
improve the economy of Mtwara and the nation at large
He also revealed that so far there were over 50 firms that were interested in investing in Mtwara Region.
Mr Pinda said once the cement plant starts operating, it would create over 1,000 jobs for Mtwara residents.
“There will be more than 300 cargo vehicles coming
to Mtwara to take cement for distribution to other parts of the
country,” he said.
During his morning tour of areas affected by last
week’s riots when people protested against the construction of a gas
pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam, Mr Pinda received a report on the
property that was destroyed.
He also visited the CCM office in Mtwara Rural
District, Mitengo Primary Court, Mtonya Mikindani Ward office, Mtwara
Urban MP Hasnein Murji’s office and Mtwara Rural MP Hawa Ghasia’s
residential house, which were all destroyed by rioters.
Presenting a report before the Prime Minister,
Mtonya Ward acting executive officer Yusuf Kaliwanja said the value of
the office was Sh32 milion, while the stalls owned by traders in Mtwara
Town, which were also destroyed, were valued at Sh33 milion. He added
that the value of the MP’s office was yet to be established.
However, Mtwara Urban MP and other legislators in the district were conspicuously absent during the Prime Minister’s tour.
However, Mr Murji later said confusion surrounded the schedule.
“I was invited but the timetable did not
indicate that the Prime Minister would visit residential areas of the
affected people that is why I did not show up,” said Mr Murji.
He said because he represents his people in the
constituency, it was not important to visit only areas of government
leaders, promising that he would today visit all people who were
affected by the riots.
He added that Mtwara residents were against
construction of a gas pipeline because it was risking employment
opportunities for locals and that people were not ready to see “aliens”
taking all opportunities their land could provide.
Additional reporting by Elisha Magolanga
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