Africa-Press – Tanzania. WHEN the late President John Magufuli made a tough declaration in Dodoma in July 2016 that he was relocating the country’s capital from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, some Tanzanians thought it was impossible— however, today, he is on record that he made it.
Even as hundreds of people gathered at his home in Chato, Geita Region to bury him, today- one of the dreams initiated by the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, that delayed to be implemented for many years has finally come true under the leadership of the fallen Pan-African icon.
As the Almighty God might have planned, this has finally been witnessed answering Mwalimu Nyerere’s long-term dream.
The late President Magufuli’s enthusiasm and success in carrying out the ‘shift to Dodoma’, effectively makes one of Mwalimu Nyerere’s cherished dreams come true.
According to former Speaker of the National Assembly, Pius Msekwa, this was a decision that was made by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling party TANU at the beginning of September, 1973-after a lengthy process of discussions at all the different decision-making levels of that party, including what one may reasonably call a ‘referendum’ held at the lowest party levels.
“I was a participant in the making of that decision; simply because, even after my appointment as Vice Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam, Mwalimu Nyerere decided that I should retain my membership of NEC as a co-opted member,’’ said Mr Msekwa, in one of his articles published by the ‘Daily News’ on Thursdays.
There must be many factors which facilitated the achievement of this unprecedented success; but the leading one was the courage and determination of the President Magufuli himself.
This was fully supported by all the relevant stakeholders, including the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, which issued a statement published in the ‘Daily News’ on July 28th, 2016 reading as follows: “The Private Sector sees the government’s intention to shift to Dodoma as a new business opportunity, because a lot of new investments are required to meet the demands of the increasing population”.
Today, the Dodoma business community can never complain, because many of them are in busy economic activities and minting money in a flourishing market provided by Hotels, Bars, Restaurants and different kinds of businesses mushrooming in the city. And this is why; Dodoma residents will never forget the departed Tanzanian, who sad enough passed away on March 17, 2021 after battling heart complications.
Leading by example, the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa was the first to shift from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma after the presidential decree.
Earlier, he had made the commitment himself that would shift to the new capital city (Dodoma) in September 201 and hence, directed all the ministers to follow suit.
Historically, it all started in 1966, when Joseph Nyerere (Member of Parliament), young brother of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, asked for the Speaker to introduce a ‘Private Member’s Motion’ in the National Assembly, calling for the relocation of the seat of Government from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
His request was granted, and the relevant motion was moved and duly debated in the National Assembly. But when the time came for the government side to express its views on the matter, Mr Paul Bomani, the Minister for Finance, warned the House about the high costs that would be involved in implementing the project-a move which ideally delayed the ambitious dream.
On 24th September, 1973, TANU’s then bi-annual National Conference was held and in the course of his opening speech at the meeting, Mwalimu Nyerere made the following authoritative statement: “I would like to take this opportunity to complete an assignment that was assigned to me by the National Executive Committee in one of its recent meeting here in Dar es Salaam.
“Among the issues discussed at that meeting was the question of whether or not the Government Capital city should be shifted from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.” Mwalimu felt strongly that with the government being relocated to Dodoma, majority of the peasants living in area would be uplifted economically and above all geographically it is located at the centre of the country. This was also supported by his decision that Dodoma State House should be built in Chamwino village, right in the middle of the rural peasants.
Before he passed away, the late Dr Magufuli ensured that all important infrastructures were being built and leading by example in October 2019, he officially shifted to the country’s capital from Dar es Salaam.
On rising to power, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, being the sixth phase government leader declared that all the past regimes’ work should be continued in her slogan of Kazi iendelee (loosely translating as work continues.)
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