AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS the country prepares for the next general election later this year, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) is edging closer to relocating its base to the capital city of Dodoma.
This comes after the contractor of the new NEC headquarters in the capital city revealed here that the project has reached over 90 per cent.
The completion of the office premises will,thus, enable the national electoral body to relocate its activities from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, and that for the first time, the general election results will be announced from the country’s capital.
The contractor of the eight-storey building said at the weekend that any time from now, SUMA-JKT will hand over the building to NEC.
SUMA-JKT Operation Commander, Major James Philemon, made the revelation here shortly after a media tour at the facility to oversee the ongoing construction of the offices located at Njedengwa area on the outskirts of Dodoma City.
The project is now being undertaken by the National Service-SUMA JKT after the first contractor – Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) was relieved for failure to cope with contractual terms, notably the agreed timeframe.
The contract between SUMA-JKT and NEC was signed on January 7, 2020, after which the army started clearing the area for the project. According to major Philemon, the actual construction began on January 17.
Immediately after the signing ceremony, NEC Director of Election Dr Wilson Charles insisted that all activities related to the 2020 general election at the national level will be conducted in Dodoma.
Dr Charles, who accompanied NEC chairman Professor Semistocles Kaijage gave an assurance when he visited the project site in January, 2020, insisting that the implementation of the project would be completed this April.
According to the Head of National Service, Brigadier General Charles Mbuge, the army was fully committed to ensure that all projects under SUMA-JKT were completed on time and with high quality and efficiency.
“The army works for 24 hours that is why you have witnessed many of our projects being handed over to our clients on time,’’ said Mr Mbuge.
On his part Mr Lazaro Masanja who is Suma JKT project manager said at the weekend that he expects to hand over the completed project at high quality and standards.
“We have the best workforce and experienced enough for such construction that offers quality work and reflects the client’s funds,’’ said Eng Masanja.
According to him, the new NEC building will have three separate buildings—main building, results centre and the warehouse centre which will be used to preserve the electoral body’s crucial documents.
“We have the best workforce and experienced enough for such construction that offers quality work and reflects a client’s funds,’’ said Eng Masanja.
