CDA directed to improve master plan

SIFA LUBASI in Dodoma

Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, speaks with some traders when he made a tour at Majengo Main Market in Dodoma Municipality yesterday. (Photo by PMO)

PRIME Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, has directed Capital Development Authority (CDA) to demolish mud thatched houses and those built without following the master plan in the municipal centre of the new designated capital.

He gave the directive here yesterday during his two-day official tour to inspect preparations for the Dodoma Municipality to assume its status as the new capital. He called upon the authority to provide plots of land to those who will need them in order to build houses.
“There is a demand for more than 1,000 plots of land for high and medium standard houses by February, next year, when the first batch of government workers will be shifting to Dodoma,” he said.
Mr Majaliwa said they have formed a team of 10 people to do the master plan of the envisaged Dodoma City. "The team will give its recommendation. We do not want to repeat the mistakes we made in Dar es Salaam," he said.
He said there was great work to transform the municipality so it reflects the status of government headquarters. The premier also urged CDA to speed up finalising the process with Tanzania Investment Bank (TIB) in order to commence surveying plots of land in November.
In another development, the premier assured civil servants who will be shifting to Dodoma of reliable health services, following the improvement of public health facilities and new investments by the private sector.
Mr Majaliwa made the assurance here yesterday, during his visit to Dodoma Referral Hospital as part of activities on his two-day official tour to inspect preparations for the Dodoma Municipality to assume its status as the new capital.
The premier shifted officially to Dodoma on Friday and will be followed by other ministerial civil servants. President John Magufuli has said that before the end of his first term in office, the entire government will have been moved from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
“Civil servants who are scheduled to shift to the new designated capital are worried about access to reliable health services. I assure them that there is no such a problem.
The region has hospitals which provide good services,” Mr Majaliwa said. He directed that the health centres and dispensaries in the region should be improved so as to meet the demand following the anticipated population boom.
“Doors are also open for private investors to invest in the health sector in the region. We believe that the private sector will contribute fairly,” he said. Dodoma Regional Medical Officer, Dr James Charles, asked the government to give priority to the hospital so that it offers quality services.
He said the hospital has been serving 2.3 million people annually from Dodoma and neighbouring regions including Singida, Iringa, Manyara and Tabora.
“The hospital status was upgraded following a wide range of services available at the facility including orthopaedic surgery and we have specialists doctors who provide quality services,” Mr Charles said.
He asked the government to upgrade the status of the hospital to a special zone hospital because it has been serving a big number of patients including the 6,000 who undergo surgery per year.
Dr Charles said that they are well prepared to serve the population as the government relocates to Dodoma because the region has five large hospitals including Dodoma Referral Hospital, Benjamini Mkapa Hospital, Dodoma Christian Medical Centre (DCMC), Mirembe Hospital and St Gema.
The premier also visited Majengo market and urged traders to tap the emerging potentials from the government shift to Dodoma.
About 2,700 civil servants are expected to move to the new designated capital. He said the civil servants will shift with their families, thus it is a good opportunity for traders to improve their businesses.