Author: MASATO MASATO, Zanzibar
AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR President, Dr Hussein Mwinyi on Saturday (November 21, 2020) issued 13 directives to newly appointed ministers, saying only exemplary performance will guarantee their jobs.
“I don’t expect to make any changes soon, but I won’t hesitate to act should anyone of you fail to deliver…I have great hopes on you,” Dr Mwinyi told his appointees soon after they had taken oath of office at the State House grounds here.
He added, “Your appointment as per our contract has no timeframe, performance is the only determinant of how long you will remain in office.”
The president directed all ministers to immediately study thoroughly and understand their respective portfolios and all departments under them and work out budget backed action plans.
In preparation of the work plans, the president ordered adherence to Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM) 2020/2025 Election Manifesto, House of Representatives inaugural speech; election campaign pledges; stakeholders’ views; and Development Vision 2050.
He further ordered the ministers to inspect all public-funded projects to check the quality of work, procurement procedures, payments to contractors and execution period.
“My few days in office have already exposed massive blunders in project implementation,” said Dr Mwinyi, making reference to Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital and Zanzibar Ports Corporation.
Dr Mwinyi also ordered the ministers to institute accountability in public offices because, “We have already promised to deliver to wananchi.”
He demanded unconditional provision of rights to the people. “Employees have to get all their benefits—travel, overtime and all other allowances. Citizens as well have to receive all services they deserve.”
Another directive centred on good governance, with Dr Mwinyi ordering an end to corrupt practices, theft and embezzlement of public resources.
“Theft, corruption and embezzlement in terms of endless seminars and unproductive travels remain rampant…I want a stop to all that,” he said.
Collection of sufficient government revenues and creativity in work places are other directives which President Mwinyi issued to his lieutenants.
He ordered bureaucracy-free services to wananchi, directing ministers to promptly make proper decisions. “Make timely and apt decisions in the public interest…it’s unfortunate that some government offices don’t even respond to letters they receive from complaining citizens.”
The president told the ministers to thoroughly review the laws and propose amendments to any legislation found to impede speedy implementation of programmes and projects for the people’s social and economic prosperity.
“Laws should never be an obstacle in serving the people…we enacted them and we can amend them to suit the demand of the present times,” he said.
Dr Mwinyi instructed ministers to nurture close and cordial working relationship with the media, providing all information related to the development of the people.
“Through the media, release all information to wananchi…they have to know all that you are doing. Never work in hiding…talk about all successes and challenges,” he said.
He ordered attentive listening to people’s problems and neatness of both offices and environment in general. “Our streets are filthy, I will no longer tolerate seeing what I currently see in our city and councils,” fumed the president.
The president ordered all ministers to heed the 13 general directives and use them as their working yardstick, insisting that each ministry will soon receive specific instructions to suit the respective portfolio.
All the 13 ministers whom the president appointed on Thursday were at the Ikulu grounds for the swearing-in event.
The Ministers who took oath are four Ministers of State, President’s Office, with their portfolios in brackets, Haroun Ali Suleiman (Constitution, Legal Affairs, Public Service and Good Governance); Jamal Kassim Ali (Finance and Planning); Masoud Ali Mohammed (Regional Administration and Special Departments) and Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga (Economy and Investment).
Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed, the lone minister in the Second Vice-President’s Office, responsible for Policy, Coordination and House of Representatives Affairs was also sworn in.
Others were Riziki Pembe Juma (Land and Human Settlement Development); Simai Mohamed Said (Education and Vocational Training); Tabia Maulid Mwita (Information, Youth, Culture and Sports); Dr Soud Nahodha Hassan (Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock); Suleiman Masoud Makame (Water and Energy); Abdallah Hussein Kombo (Blue Economy and Fisheries); Rahma Kassim Ali (Infrastructure, Communication and Transport); and Lela Mohammed Mussa (Tourism and Antiquities).
