By MUHARRAM MACATTA:
The re-election of President Kikwete was not only a proof of his popularity
among the citizens but also a strong statement that Tanzanians still had a
lot of faith in his leadership.
It was a confirmation that voters were happy with success and efforts of his
administration in addressing national issues.
It’s true that the nation has made great strides in bettering education,
agriculture, infrastructure and healthcare.
There is also improvement in animal husbandry and fisheries, tourism,
mineral and in poverty eradication.
Taking from his campaign promises, Kikwete’s priority
will be elimination of corruption which has maimed the nation for a long
time.
His economic plan for Tanzania consists primarily of doing more of what his
administration tried to do in his first term.
This entails obtaining more international assistance and accelerating the
training of indigenous personnel to manage their own affairs.
He will also seek to jump-start reconstruction of railways, airports and
harbours as well as ensuring political and economic security.
But to realize this, the President needs to make a
realistic appraisal of the current situation and put in place contingency
plans for what could go wrong.
Defeating poverty and corruption in our nation is going
to be the defining issue for years to come.
But for the time being, let Tanzanians give President
Kikwete a chance, a fresh start to do what he thinks is in the best
interests of the country.
This doesn’t mean an end to all constructive criticism.
But for truly patriotic Tanzanians, it does mean a willingness to put the
bile, anger and passion of the past aside.
It means being accommodative, even giving a man you might
have voted against a chance to prove himself.
President Kikwete needs the backing of his former
opponents, at least for a while.
It is time to call for a truce and turn again to solving
the national problems that face us.
I am sure that the President’s economic plans are driven
by a desire to solve national challenges.
For instance, initiatives such as Kilimo Kwanza and the
new Minerals Act are altruistic and profit-driven. We should therefore
ensure their successful implementation.
Our country has until recently been forced to import
food, despite having vast fertile land.
Such an agricultural initiative will help the people to
turn their raw materials into jobs creating a livelihood for the population
and equipping them with skills.
Many of the challenges that are found in Tanzania are
poverty-related.
By empowering the people to create their own wealth
through processing and value addition on raw materials and mineral
resources, a wealthier, skilled middle class may begin to emerge.
President Kikwete is also keen on seeing exploitation of
gas and oil deposits in the country.
With the rising global oil prices and greater demand for
the commodity finding alternative oil reserves is critical to the life of
the nation.
There are three stages in mineral development –
exploration, exploitation and marketing.
At the moment, oil development is in the first stage,
with a move into the second stage anticipated soon.
The shift into this second stage will require a
considerable workforce, and his aim is to make use of local labour in
developing those oil and gas reserves.
To this end, President Kikwete, with a back-ground of
finance has cultivated a good working relationship with donor and
development partners.
His role in oil, electricity and gas development is vital
in the expansion, maturity and promotion of sustainable Tanzanian-owned
businesses in our potentially rich nation.
These initiatives are meant to improve quality of life by
raising living standards.
Having been given the mandate of leadership for the next
five years, now it’s up to President Kikwete to prove that he was indeed,
the best man for the job.
We should give Kikwete time to prove himself
MUHARRAM MACATTA
Re-election of President Kikwete was not only a proof of his popularity
among the citizens but also a strong statement that Tanzanians still had a
lot of faith in his leadership.
It was a confirmation that voters were happy with success and efforts of his
administration in addressing national issues.
It’s true that the nation has made great strides in bettering education,
agriculture, infrastructure and healthcare.
There is also improvement in animal husbandry and fisheries, tourism,
mineral and in poverty eradication.
Taking from his campaign promises, Kikwete’s priority
will be elimination of corruption which has maimed the nation for a long
time.
His economic plan for Tanzania consists primarily of doing more of what his
administration tried to do in his first term.
This entails obtaining more international assistance and accelerating the
training of indigenous personnel to manage their own affairs.
He will also seek to jump-start reconstruction of railways, airports and
harbours as well as ensuring political and economic security.
But to realize this, the President needs to make a
realistic appraisal of the current situation and put in place contingency
plans for what could go wrong.
Defeating poverty and corruption in our nation is going
to be the defining issue for years to come.
But for the time being, let Tanzanians give President
Kikwete a chance, a fresh start to do what he thinks is in the best
interests of the country.
This doesn’t mean an end to all constructive criticism.
But for truly patriotic Tanzanians, it does mean a willingness to put the
bile, anger and passion of the past aside.
It means being accommodative, even giving a man you might
have voted against a chance to prove himself.
President Kikwete needs the backing of his former
opponents, at least for a while.
It is time to call for a truce and turn again to solving
the national problems that face us.
I am sure that the President’s economic plans are driven
by a desire to solve national challenges.
For instance, initiatives such as Kilimo Kwanza and the
new Minerals Act are altruistic and profit-driven. We should therefore
ensure their successful implementation.
Our country has until recently been forced to import
food, despite having vast fertile land.
Such an agricultural initiative will help the people to
turn their raw materials into jobs creating a livelihood for the population
and equipping them with skills.
Many of the challenges that are found in Tanzania are
poverty-related.
By empowering the people to create their own wealth
through processing and value addition on raw materials and mineral
resources, a wealthier, skilled middle class may begin to emerge.
President Kikwete is also keen on seeing exploitation of
gas and oil deposits in the country.
With the rising global oil prices and greater demand for
the commodity finding alternative oil reserves is critical to the life of
the nation.
There are three stages in mineral development –
exploration, exploitation and marketing.
At the moment, oil development is in the first stage,
with a move into the second stage anticipated soon.
The shift into this second stage will require a
considerable workforce, and his aim is to make use of local labour in
developing those oil and gas reserves.
To this end, President Kikwete, with a back-ground of
finance has cultivated a good working relationship with donor and
development partners.
His role in oil, electricity and gas development is vital
in the expansion, maturity and promotion of sustainable Tanzanian-owned
businesses in our potentially rich nation.
These initiatives are meant to improve quality of life by
raising living standards.
Having been given the mandate of leadership for the next
five years, now it’s up to President Kikwete to prove that he was indeed,
the best man for the job.
V
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