Private sector nods to Dodoma

LYDIA SHEKIGHENDA

THE government has been challenged to prepare clear-cut strategies that will enable the private sector to come up with an appropriate business plan on how to tap the emerging potential in the form of the move to Dodoma, the new capital designate.

Both the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TSPF) and an economist from the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) have positively received the government’s directives to shift to the new capital.

They equally see the move as an important step to diversify industrial sector, open business opportunities in the region and decongest the country’s commercial city--Dar es Salaam.

“The private sector sees the government intention to shift to Dodoma as new business opportunity because a lot of investments will be required to meet the demand of the increasing population,” TPSF Executive Director, Mr Godfrey Simbeye, told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

President John Magufuli recently expressed his commitment to relocate his office to Dodoma before the end of his five-year term.

The Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, also confirmed that he will move to the new capital by September, directing all ministers to immediately do the same. The TPSF chief noted that there should be a clear plan for the implementation phases, indicating which offices and when they are required to be moved to Dodoma within a specific timeframe.

Mr Simbeye said that moving to Dodoma was not the government’s business alone but should involve as many stakeholders as possible –and, therefore, the transfer programme should be clear cut and transparent for the business community to tap the budding potentials.

According to the 2012 national census, Dar es Salaam Region had a population of 4,364,541 while Dodoma had 2,083,588 people. Relocating government offices to the new capital will thus lead to the population increase in the region.

There is a lot of potentials to be explored by the business community to meet the anticipated population increase. Some of the areas that would probably need serious investment include schools, hospitals, commercial and residential buildings, construction of hotels, food supply and expansion of aviation services. He, however, noted that he has no doubt with the implementation of the plan since it has got all the blessings of the president.

“The people should not doubt the implementation of this plan at government level because the head of state has expressed his commitment to ensure that the shift is successful ... he is assured of getting funds for its implementation,” Mr Simbeye noted.

He noted that the government’s decision to move to Dodoma was not a novelty as it has been done in other countries such as Nigeria whereby Abuja was turned into an administrative federal capital while Lagos remained the commercial capital.

“Dar es Salaam will also remain the commercial capital… even its regional administration will be more powerful,” Mr Simbeye said. An economist with the CTI, Mr Hussein Kamote, said that the government’s decision will positively contribute to the growth of the country’s industrial.

According to him, at present, 70 per cent of factories in the country have been built in Dar es Salaam. Hence, the construction of the new ones in Dodoma will help to reduce the number of youth coming to the commercial hub in search of employment.