AfricaPress-Tanzania: Incumbent President John Magufuli has reaffirmed yesterday that his first assignment if re-elected will be to construct an ultramodern sports arena in Dodoma to suit its rapid growing city status.
Speaking at a jam-packed Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma during the official opening of Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s election campaigns for both presidential and legislative candidates, Magufuli said he was forced to start with a sports arena after finding the venue was overloaded to the extent many others had to remain outside the stadium.
““Dodoma is full, the stadium is full to the extent some people have remained outside, this is a challenge to me. Therefore the first thing when I am re-elected is to construct the state of the arts stadium here in Dodoma,” said President Magufuli.
JPM said there was an increase in revenues generated by both sports and artistry works.
The presence of music mega stars such as Harmonize (Rajab Kahali), Ali Kiba, Diamond Platinumz (Nassib Abdul) who set the stage ablaze with their smash hits accompanied with spectacular stagecraft, helped much to glorify the occasion.
“I have seen how people suffer in this small venue,” said JPM after witnessing a bewildered crowd when Harmonize, Ali Kiba and Diamond performed.
Magufuli lauded the artistes’ performance and he himself promised to join them in night-long gigs.
He said, Tanzania, with the help of God gallantly shruggled off coronavirus scare that is why artistes are able to perform and sports men and women capable of playing after seeing off coronavirus.
Also performed yesterday included Wasafi’s Lavalava, poet Mrisho Mpoto, song divas Maua Sama, Shilole and Nandi and Barnaba. Many others came later as there were over 200 artistes listed for the occasion.
The site where the state of the arts sports complex would be constructed was unveiled four months ago in Dodoma by the Minister for Information, Arts, Culture and Sports Harrison Mwakyembe.
Construction work which is scheduled to run for 30 months was stalled by series of seismic, topographical and feasibility studies that the minister said had to be repeated to ensure maximum safety of the structure and the spectators.
It is said the new stadium would cost between 80million and 100million US dollars to be able to accommodate a seating capacity of between 85,000-105,000 spectators.
According to the Minister all the essential surveys have been completed giving way the state to advance into the construction stage.
While seismic survey is a low impact, non-invasive method of gathering information about the location, topographical is an accurate depiction of a site-property, area of land, which is scaled and detailed according to the spatial considerations and is the summary of the on-site data capture processes.
Ideally, the completion of the Dodoma sports complex could place Tanzania on a better position to bid for hosting major sports events such as African Nations Champions for home-based players (CHAN), finals and Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
According report released by Mwakyembe, the state had acquired 350hectors much more than 150hectors that was needed for the project.
