JK: CCM ONLY PARTY WITH VISIONARY POLICIES

AfricaPress-Tanzania: FORMER President Dr Jakaya Kikwete has launched campaign rallies in Lindi Region, urging citizens in the area to vote for CCM because it is the only political party with visionary development policies.

He told a public rally here that CCM is not only the ruling party in the country but also the longest reigning party in Africa that has remained strong with policies that have helped take the country forward.

Dr Kikwete said going forward the party will always be focusing on further economic growth of the country.

“Our country has made tremendous and laudable progress in terms of development and it all down to the visionary policies the country has had since the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) and TANU that later formed CCM,” he said.

He insisted the need for the Lindi people to vote for CCM and enable President John Magufuli to continue accomplishing all the projects he has started, which he said will bring further economic growth to the country.

The former leader assured the wananchi that the CCM government was committed to fulfill all projects it initiated including the implementation of a multi-trillion Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Lindi region.

Dr Kikwete said that the CCM 2020-2025 manifesto has outlined the need to ensure the development of the project worth 30bn US dollars and complete it in the next five years.

He said the implementation of the project will see massive economic transformation in the southern region, making it a centre of development through economic generating activities and creation of employment opportunities set to emerge during and after the execution of the project.

Dr Kikwete asked Lindi people to ignore claims by the opposition that the strategic project is dead, stressing that the undertaking is alive and will kick off and be completed in the next five years.

The former Head of State said the government is determined to see the project being carried and has since completed the initial preparation to implement the project.

“The government is very determined to see this project become a reality and that is why, it provided 5.2bn/- compensation to villagers to pave way for the project,” he noted.

He also mentioned the execution of a 300 megawatt power project in Lind and Mtwara regions as among the projects outlined by CCM manifesto, with the major objectives being towards improving the livelihood of the people.

Other pledges made by CCM in Lindi are to increase the cashew nut productivity from 325,000 to 700,000 tonnes.

He said in the past, cashew nut farming in Lindi faced a lot of challenges but the government managed to settle them by coming up with new strategies that has seen the production of the crop benefit the farmers.

Dr Kikwete said that the CCM government has also set priorities to develop many other sectors including education, health, tourism and electricity among others.

He said the CCM 2015/2020 manifesto has been implemented by 85 per cent in Lindi Region.

He mentioned some of the success projects in the last manifesto as education, water, health and electricity especially in rural areas.