By: Thomson Philip
South Africa
November 27th this year, Tanzanians will go to polls to choose local leaders who will serve them for next five years.
They are important elections as per the country’s constitution, most of the services are served at local levels.
They will be the first elections in the history of the East African country to be conducted under the First Female President Samia Hassan Suluhu.
Since assuming power, President Samia has made various reforms that have been felt individually among majority Tanzanianians.
As a foreigner and great follower of President Samia’s perfomance, I am persuaded not to remain silent but ink down these achivements that will trigger Tanzanians to elect Chama cha Mapinduzi ( CCM) leaders in coming elections.
Join me in this analysis and be part of it.
Electrified Villages in Tanzania
President Samia has made Tanzania to be the First country in East African region and the fifth country in Africa to electify many villages in a short period of her leardership. According to a recent report by the Rural Energy Agency (REA), President Samia has successfully electrified 98 per cent of all villages across the country.
Such great stride in the energy sector is in line with the ruling party CCM's 2020-2025 Election Manifesto, which directs the government to supply electricity to all streets and villages by 2025.
With one year ahead to the deadline, the sixth phase government under President Samia is on track to beat the envisioned goal of connecting all villages with electricity infrastructure, which is critical in elevating citizens' living standard.
According to REA as of July this year, the power agency connected with electricity a total of 12,031 villages, equivalent to 98 per cent of all villages.Only 287 villages are not connected with power, but they will be connected to power before December this year.
The six African countries with percentages of rural electrification in blackets are Egypt ( 100%), Morroco ( 100%), Tunisia ( 100%), Algeria ( 99.6%), Gabon (98.6) and Tanzania ( 98%). Kenya is the second country with 62.7 percent rural electrification. Uganda, Rwanda, DRC and Somalia are nowhere to be seen in the perfoming list.
Road Infrastructure
President Samia has registered significant achievements in the construction of rural and urban road networks, leading to significant improvements in communities and economies.
According to statistics issued recently, district road network under the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) has increased from 108,946 kilometres to 144,429 kilometres, over the past three years, equivalent to 32.6 per cent.
This expansion surpasses the CCM Election Manifesto (2020-2025) target of 143,881 kilometres by 2025, according to the report presented by TARURA to the media.
According to the report by June 2023, weather road networks in the districts had reached 42,059 kilometres, exceeding the manifesto’s target of 35,000 kilometres. “As of June, this year, the tarmac road network in the districts had reached 3,337 kilometres, surpassing the manifesto’s goal, which aimed to expand tarmac roads from 2,025 to 3,100 kilometres by 2025,” the report states.
Constructed Schools
The government under President Samia has spent 1.29tri/- in the past two years on education infrastructure development projects in a bid to improve teaching and learning environment in public primary and secondary schools. According to available resports, of the disbursed total amount, 484.3bn/- was allocated to construction of new 342 pre-primary and primary schools with 9,189 classrooms.
According to the report, the funds have covered the construction of 346 new teachers’ residential units, 28 dormitories and renovation of 45 old schools. The remaining 837.8bn/- was allocated to the local government authorities for construction of new 486 secondary schools with 21,990 classrooms, 280 teachers’ residential units, 221 dormitories, renovation of 21 old secondary schools, 151 laboratories and 23 conference halls.
As for the enrolment of students, the report states that, as of January 26, 2024, in pre-primary school, 1,268,917 were enrolled of which boys are 642,979. The list included 2,366 pupils who fall into the special needs category. 1,549,743 standard one students were enrolled as of January 26, 2024, whereby boys are 772,019. Of the total students, 3,311 fall in the special needs group.
SGR Train Services
In August this year, President Samia officially launched the first commercial operation of the country's electric standard gauge railway (SGR) train service from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania. The train speed significantly reduces travel times and facilitate the efficient movement of goods and people throughout Tanzania.
The SGR railway has the ability to carry heavy loads at high speed as opposed to the current Meter gauge Railway (MGR). Tanzania’s. SGR uses electric locomotives and has the capacity to transport passengers and cargo shipments at 160 kilometers per hour.
Travel time using the electric SGR train between Dar es salaam and Dodoma takes about three and half hours, while it takes more than nine hours of travel by bus between the two destinations.
The government had ordered 1,430 cargo wagons, which will enhance freight transportation from the port of Dar es Salaam to upcountry regions and neighboring landlocked countries, including Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The entire SGR project in Tanzania will cover 1,560 km from Dar es Salaam to the Mwanza Region, out of the entire 2,102-km railway that will be connected to Burundi and the DRC. The electric SGR train will also help decongest cargo from the Dar es Salaam port, as it will have the capacity to move 17 million tonnes of cargo annually.
The construction of the SGR railway project is undertaken in tandem with the upgrading of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority railway, which covers 1,860 km and connects the Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.
The construction of the SGR railway project is executed simultaneously with improving marine, air, and surface transportation to improve the country's connectivity
Longest Bridge in the Region
In Tanzania, things are moving in high speed like sound. The discussion is now centred on the completion of the longest J.P. Magufuli Bridge (Kigongo-Busisi) bridge in East and Central Africa and the sixth longest on the African continent preceded as the 6th followed by the October Bridge (Egypt) at 20.5 km, the the third Mainland Bridge (Nigeria) – (11.8 km) the Suez Bridge (Egypt) – (3.9 km), the Mozambique Island Bridge (3.8 km) and the Mozambique Bridge (3.67 km).
The bridge connects the Usagara-Sengerema-Geita Highway across Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania.
The commitment by President Samia has made the completion of the bridge to stand at 93% currently. The bridge is being financed 100 per cent by the government of Tanzania and constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Contractor in partnership with China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation (CCECC – CR15G JV), both from China.
The bridge design uses long-span bridge technology known as an “Extra Dosed Bridge,” featuring three main pylons, each 40 meters high, spaced 160 meters apart. The bridge has a width of 28.45 meters, which includes two carriageways, each 7.0 meters wide for vehicles, with 2.5-meter-wide emergency lanes on each side.
It also features 2.5-meter walkways on both sides, a 2.45-meter median separating traffic directions, 0.5-meter guardrails for vehicles, and 0.5-meter handrails for pedestrians.
The 180-tonne capacity bridge will allow 1,600 vehicles to pass at a time and represents an alternative to the current ferry connecting the shores reducing transport time and facilitating regional trade.
The bridge will represent a key link for the Mwanza Region, neighboring regions, and bordering countries and is expected to become a major attraction in Mwanza and a symbol of Tanzania, Ambrose stressed.
The bridge is the gate way to economy in the lake in Tanzania and bordering countries. The bridge will enable mining companies to transport heavy equipment and minerals more cost-effectively.
Currently, transportation costs account for a significant portion of operational expenses in the mining sector.
The bridge is projected to reduce these costs by 10-15 per cent making the mining sector more competitive.With reduced costs and improved logistics, gold and other minerals can be exported more efficiently.
This could lead to a 10 per cent increase in mineral exports from the Lake Zone within the first few years of the bridge’s operation.
For agriculture sector, the Lake Zone is Tanzania’s breadbasket, producing over 60 per cent of the country’s coffee, cotton and tobacco.
Improved transport via the bridge will facilitate quicker and more cost-effective movement of these goods to markets.
Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, supports a thriving fishing industry, providing livelihoods for millions.
The bridge will streamline fish distribution channels to inland and international markets, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The bridge will enable fish processors and traders to transport fresh fish more quickly to inland and international markets, reducing spoilage and increasing profitability.
It is estimated that the bridge would help increase fish exports from the Lake Zone by 12 per cent over the next five years.
The historical bridge will also support the development of local fish processing industries, creating jobs and adding value to the region’s primary resources.
Air Tanzania
Under President Samia, ATCL has managed to have a total of 16 aircraft, of which 15 aircraft are new and have been purchased as a result of ATCL’s revitalisation programme that began in 2016 and one aircraft is old.
In addition to commercial benefits, the increase of planes and flights also creates employment opportunities for Tanzanians and boosting the tourism industry.
Currently, ATCL serves 14 local destinations: Mwanza, Bukoba, Songea, Zanzibar, Katavi, Dar es Salaam, Geita, Kigoma, Dodoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, and Tabora.
In addition, ATC serves the following regional and international destinations including Entebbe-Uganda; Nairobi – Kenya; Bujumbura – Burundi; Hahaya-Comoro; Lubumbashi – DRC; Ndola, Lusaka – Zambia; Harare- Zimbabwe; Mumbai – In- dia; Guangzhou – China and Dubai – UAE
The expansion of flights and routes are not only enhancing commercial benefits but also create employment opportunities and boost the tourism sector, he added.
As of June, this year, ATCL had employed 826 people, including 118 pilots, 178 technicians and engineers, and 530 other staff members.
The new aircraft symbolizes the government’s ambitious plans to develop a vibrant and robust aviation sector, positioning Tanzania as a prime destination for investment, trade and tourism.
President Samia during her state visit to the Republic of Korea in June this year, reiterated the nation’s vision of developing a strong aviation industry to attract investment, trade and tourism.
Despite global challenges, including Covid-19, the aviation sector has shown resilience, thanks to substantial government investments.
These investments align with the National Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP III – 2021/22 – 2025/26) and CCM’s 2020-2025 Election Manifesto.
Thomson is a social development expert living and working in Pretoria for the last 20 years. Thomson has visited Tanzania several times for consultancies and family holidays in Serengeti and Mikumi national parks