AFTER the festive
season retreat, President John Magufuli is today slated to begin a
five-day working visit to Zanzibar focused on a series of events,
including the 56th anniversary of the
Zanzibar revolution to be marked
on January 12.
Dr Magufuli is
expected to join the President and Chairman of the Revolutionary
Government of Zanzibar, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, at Amaan Stadium to mark
56 years after the majority locals in the islands overthrew the minority
rule under the sultan.
According to a
statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communications,
President Magufuli, accompanied by First Lady Janet, arrived in Dar es
Salaam yesterday from his home village in Chato District, Geita Region.
Dr Magufuli is
today expected to start his visit in the Isles by laying a foundation
stone for the construction of a building for the security and
intelligence services in Zanzibar, the statement read in part.
The president will
also lay a foundation stone for the construction of Mwanakwerekwe
Secondary School in Urban West after which he will proceed to launch a
five-star Hotel Verde Azam Luxury Resort and Spa in Mtoni.
As Zanzibar
celebrates 56 years of the revolution and 55 years anniversary since it
united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania on April
26, 1964, the revolutionary government has undertaken various
development projects.
These include the
ongoing expansion of Terminal II at the Abeid Amani Karume International
Airport (AAKIA) which is being executed by a Chinese company - Beijing
Construction Engineering Group.
Recently, Prime
Minister Kassim Majaliwa challenged investors in the tourism sector to
work closely with all domestic and international stakeholders to open up
more business opportunities in the country.
The premier
reiterated the government's determination to create and sustain a
conducive environment for investors, imploring more prospective
investors, Tanzanians in particular, to grab the available
opportunities.
Laying the
foundation stone for the imposing multibillion fourstar Golden Tulip
Airport Zanzibar Hotel at Kisauni, the premier said the country's
tourism sector was growing at an impressive rate, which demands similar
growth in the construction of tourist hotels.
He attributed the
rapid growth of the tourism sector to the country's peace and
tranquility, imploring all Tanzanians to work hard to safeguard the
existing peace and political stability.
"The country's
security is the responsibility of all citizens; let every one of us play
their part," said the premier, challenging particularly Tanzanians to
invest in the tourism sector that accounts for 27 per cent of Zanzibar's
GDP and over 80 per cent of foreign currency earnings.
Speaking at the
event, Zanzibar's Finance and Planning Minister, Mohammed Ramia
Abdiwawa, said Zanzibar still had a lot of investment opportunities and
invited potential domestic and international investors to invest.
Royal Group of
Companies Chief Executive Officer Hassan Mohammed Raza, whose firm has
invested 8.5 million US dollars (about 20bn/-) in the hotel, said the
construction works started in February last year and are scheduled for
completion in September this year.
He said the 60-room hotel will have three conference halls with 45, 200 and 600-person capacity.
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