Dodoma
In his keynote address to the CCM
National Congress after he was elected the party’s National Chairman on
Saturday, President John Magufuli told delegates that before the end of
his first term in office, the entire government would have been moved
from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
Dr Magufuli repeated the commitment here
yesterday at the solemn occasion to mark the Heroes Day at national
level, saying that his government was serious this time around. He added
that he was honouring the dream by the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu
Julius Nyerere.
“It does not click in our minds that
Mwalimu expressed his intention to ensure that Dodoma becomes the
country’s capital, only to see his children and grand children failing
him,’’ Dr Magufuli stated.
When invited by the president to greet
the mammoth crowd at the function, the prime minister directed all the
ministers to put measures in place to shift from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma
immediately.
He said he had already ordered the
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms Jenister Mhagama,
to ensure that everything was in order and that all ministers should
start to shift to the new capital immediately.
“I understand that all ministers have
houses in Dodoma. In that regard, I am directing all of them to move
from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma as soon as possible,” he said, amid cheers
from residents who turned out to witness the historic Heroes Day.
Mr Majaliwa further said that
immediately after he accomplishes his mission to move to Dodoma, all
ministers and heads of foreign missions accredited to Tanzania would
follow. “In our campaign pledges last year, we said our government would
deliver various opportunities to our people. This will be one of the
opportunities. This is a challenge to businesspeople to build more
hotels, lodges, guest houses and other essential structures,’’ he added.
Addressing the nation on the occasion of
the Heroes Day, President Magufuli said he was happy to see many people
attending the occasion. “Your presence here is an indicator that Dodoma
is really our country’s capital. Dr Magufuli told his audience that it
was not pleasing to see all Members of Parliament (MPs) in Dodoma while
members of the Cabinet, that had less than 30 people, were staying in
Dar es Salaam in contrast to Mwalimu’s dream to transfer all government
business to Dodoma.
“Four years and four months remain in my
term since I took oath of office. Therefore, within this period, my
entire government will be in Dodoma,’’ he said, amid cheers. Dr Magufuli
said he had started with Dodoma Airport as preparations to shift his
government were in place, adding that bigger aircraft will be landing at
the airport without any problem.
Prominent Dodoma Region resident and
retired Prime Minister, Mr John Malecela, was another person to be
invited by the president to greet the crowd. In his greetings, Mr
Malecela thanked the president for expressing his intention to expedite
the capital transfer programme, saying the presidential directive was
the best ever present to Dodoma residents.
Next was retired Union President Ali
Hassan Mwinyi who asked Tanzanians to pray for Dr Magufuli so that his
dream to transfer all government business from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma
comes to fruition
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