Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan will on this Thursday address the Parliament for the first time since assuming the presidency last month.
President Samia was sworn in as Tanzania’s sixth president on March 19th, 2021, two days after the sudden demise of her predecessor Dr John Magufuli.
The late President Magufuli inaugurated the 12th Parliament in November, last year, detailing his government priorities after he and Ms Samia, then the vice-president, had been re-elected in the October 28th 2020 polls.
“On the 22nd (April), Thursday, the honourable President of Tanzania, Ms Samia, will be here to address the Parliament at around 4pm…this means she will be addressing the nation too, therefore, it is important to be here,” Speaker of the National Assembly, Job Ndugai, yesterday informed legislators on Monday.
The Speaker made the announcement immediately after the Minister of State, President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) Ms Ummy Mwalimu had tabled the 2021/22 budget estimates of 7.68tri/-.
Mr Ndugai used the opportunity to call upon lawmakers who were outside of the capital city of Dodoma to return so that they don’t miss the much-awaited event.
He further asked those with arrangements to travel outside the capital to reschedule their programmes and be available on the day.
The Speaker said the president’s address to the parliament will be attended by many key figures including retired presidents, ambassadors and other national leaders.
The Speaker further informed the legislators that after her speech, the President will have an iftar with the MPs, staff of the Parliament and other invited guests.
With this being President Samia’s first speech in the Parliament, lawmakers and Tanzanians would certainly be eagerly awaiting for the event, to know her plans for the country during the next four years plus.
She has already insisted that her government will take off from where the previous fifth phase government finished, with the main focus on completing the initiated flagship projects and starting implementing new ones that would further accelerate the envisaged socio-economic development.
Speaking on Sunday during an event organised by the religious leaders to make special prayers for the late Dr Magufuli and honour his leadership, President Samia mentioned over ten agenda items that her government will implement.
She said those agenda items were continuation of what Dr Magufuli engineered in the previous phase, including carrying on national values such as national unity, solidarity and the union.
President Samia affirmed that she would also continue with efforts to promote macroeconomics and translate it into microeconomics for the ordinary Tanzanians.
She vowed to sustain the fight against corruption, embezzlement and theft of public funds as well as to continue installing accountability in public services delivery.
Ms Samia further said her government will increase efforts to strengthen social services provision and availability of safe water, provision of justice and accomplish strategic projects.
The president also promised to strengthen the business environment by implementing the blueprint as well as improve international relations.
