AfricaPress-Tanzania: CCM presidential candidate, Dr John Magufuli was on Thursday accorded a grand reception in Hai Constituency, Kilimanjaro Region, a former Chadema stronghold and home to main opposition leader, Mr Freeman Mbowe.
The road from Moshi town to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) was painted yellow and green as mammoth crowds paraded along the highway waiting for Dr Magufuli.
The residents who wore smiling faces were seen waving ‘masale’ tree branches to Dr Magufuli’s motorcade.
According to a resident of Boman’gombe in Hai District, Mr Ephrahim Sayo, waving the branches to Dr Magufuli meant asking for forgiveness to him.
“These leaves are always used to ask for forgiveness, it is a sign of showing regret after doing something wrong. Hai residents are trying to show Dr Magufuli that what they did in the past was wrong,” he said.
Upon his arrival at ‘Half London ‘ grounds, Bomang’ombe, Dr Magufuli told voters that it was the first time to witness such a massive crowd in Hai District.
“This is a new record, I had never seen a big crowd like this in Hai District before, and this means you are going to vote for CCM on October 28,” he said.
In his speech, Dr Magufuli gave ten solid promises that if re-elected in the forthcoming 2020 General Election, his government will implement immediately with the purpose of changing lives in Hai District and Tanzania in general.
He said his government worked hard in the past five years to resolve various problems by implementing a number of major projects and promised to continue working hard to address the remaining challenges.
In the past five years, the government improved water supply services, health services and free basic education, recalled Dr Magufuli, adding that his government also constructed and renovated schools including Machame Girls Secondary school and many others.
The CCM presidential flag bearer promised to end water challenges in Hai constituency. Dr Magufuli said he was aware of water rationing in some areas in the district and that if re-elected on October 28 along with MP from CCM, it would be easy for his government to address their problems.
He mentioned another challenge as the construction of a 25 kilometre road in the constituency.
He said the government managed to build around 3,500 kilometres of tarmac road in the past five years across the country, including flyovers, bridges and many other infrastructures, insisting that it will not fail to build only 25 kilometres in the constituency.
“The problem here is that for many years, the government had no connection with its people, you missed the point when you elected a person who never supported development programmes, there was no one to speak for you,” he said.
Mr Mbowe had been MP for Hai constituency for 15 years in different periods.
Dr Magufuli further promised to improve the benefits and welfare for workers in plantations and industries. He said there has been a persistent problem of poor payment for workers in the district.
He also promised to ensure supply of electricity to all remaining villages in the constituency in just two years after election, noting there were still some few villages without electricity in Hai and that they will be given a priority soon after the election.
Moreover, Dr Magufuli promised to end the shortage of health workers in various hospitals in Hai District. He said there is a shortage of 403 workers in the district.
“In the past five years, the government employed a number of health workers, but unfortunately, your representative did not care much to report problems in his area, I would like to ask you to elect a good and focused leader this time around so that he can present your problems as required and on time,” he said.
Dr Magufuli also promised to build a health centre at Longai area to avail health services to wananchi in the surrounding areas.
He further pledged to resolve land disputes at Sanya Station and KIA, while assuring Hai residents that soon after election, his government will resolve the problem of renting farming land at higher prices so that farmers could enjoy practicing profitable agriculture.
Dr Magufuli also promised to build a modern market for crops, especially bananas at Kwa Sadala. He asked voters to elect him, CCM councillors and MP, Mr Saashishe Mafuwe.
