Day Head of State led Uhuru fete differently
Dar es Salaam.
President John Magufuli yesterday led Tanzanians in a clean-up exercise
that underlined the country’s 54th independence anniversary, directing
that the spirit of tidying up neighbourhoods should become a permanent
feature.
Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa were also in separate locations leading people who poured into the streets and neighbourhoods en masse to undertake cleaning.
The President declared last month that there wouldn’t be the usual festivities that have traditionally characterised Independence Day and instead, everybody should take part in a clean-up campaign. “It would be shameful to spend huge sums of money celebrating when our people are dying of cholera,” he said.
Dr Magufuli joined fishermen and fishmongers at Magogoni to remove piles of garbage near the beach, only few metres from the State House southern gate along the Barack Obama Drive. First Lady Janet Magufuli and her children also took part in the exercise which lasted 40 minutes.
Yesterday, the President stressed the need to fight diseases by making sure people’s surroundings are clean: “I hope Tanzanians will understand the value of clean environment, for it is a big shame that cholera is still troubling us while we can easily eradicate it if we to commit ourselves to cleanness,” said Dr Magufuli, adding:
“Let this not be the end... we should sustain this spirit, for if we are to commit only a day in a year to clean up our neighbourhoods, then we’ll be very strange people.”
When Dr Magufuli started the cleaning, his security detail barred people from getting close, but things changed when the President strode to the shore and sat down with fishermen and invited them to air their problems. They did that, and he promised he would work on them. He even asked his aide de camp to take down the contacts of their leader so they could later communicate.
From there, he proceeded to a pile of garbage with an army of people, and in just a few minutes the whole place was clean. People were openly ecstatic as everybody abandoned their chores at the Ferry Fish Market to get a glimpse of the science teacher-turned president.
The fishermen chanted songs in praise of Dr Magufuli as they cleaned up the place with him: “Tingatinga anasafisha nchi” (The Bulldozer is cleaning the country). Other lines went thus: “The end of corrupt officials has come/A true patriot is here and thus we no longer want to immigrate to Europe/We want you rule for 20 years.”
Some said although the State House is only a stone’s throw from their workplace (the fish market), they had never enjoyed a close encounter with any past president.
“This is my 14th year here, but I never saw any president come out of that gate and clear garbage with us and embrace us as their next-door neighbours... this is unbelievable,” said Mr Karimu Mtolea, a fisherman.
At the end of the clean-up, Dr Magufuli thanked all Tanzanians who dedicated their time to clean up their surroundings. “First I thank you, my neighbours, for giving me a hand, and to all others who took part in this campaign today elsewhere; I urge you to keep up the spirit.”
At Kariakoo, PM Majaliwa said the clean-up campaign should become routine so that Tanzania can have a good image in the eyes of foreigners who visit the country.
At the Kariakoo Market, he directed the leaders of the traders to be at his office next Monday at 10am to brief him on their strategies to improve the provision of services.
“I know it is not proper to place your merchandise on the floor. I need your leaders to come and tell me what plans they have to rectify this situation,” the PM said amid cheers.
Elsewhere, the Vice President, Ms Hassan, directed the three municipalities in the city to take legal action against firms which have been awarded tenders to collect garbage in streets but failed to fulfill their contractual obligations.
She gave the directive at Oysterbay and Kinondoni Morocco sections of the city where she took part in the clean-up.
“I want to see these things done; municipal authorities should take action against tenderers who fail to honour their contracts,” she said, adding:
“Time to lough with each other is over; we want to see our city clean and shining.”
Meanwhile, the Kinondoni District Commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda, said his office would soon start reviewing contracts of companies that have been awarded tenders to collect garbage in the municipality.
Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa were also in separate locations leading people who poured into the streets and neighbourhoods en masse to undertake cleaning.
The President declared last month that there wouldn’t be the usual festivities that have traditionally characterised Independence Day and instead, everybody should take part in a clean-up campaign. “It would be shameful to spend huge sums of money celebrating when our people are dying of cholera,” he said.
Dr Magufuli joined fishermen and fishmongers at Magogoni to remove piles of garbage near the beach, only few metres from the State House southern gate along the Barack Obama Drive. First Lady Janet Magufuli and her children also took part in the exercise which lasted 40 minutes.
Yesterday, the President stressed the need to fight diseases by making sure people’s surroundings are clean: “I hope Tanzanians will understand the value of clean environment, for it is a big shame that cholera is still troubling us while we can easily eradicate it if we to commit ourselves to cleanness,” said Dr Magufuli, adding:
“Let this not be the end... we should sustain this spirit, for if we are to commit only a day in a year to clean up our neighbourhoods, then we’ll be very strange people.”
When Dr Magufuli started the cleaning, his security detail barred people from getting close, but things changed when the President strode to the shore and sat down with fishermen and invited them to air their problems. They did that, and he promised he would work on them. He even asked his aide de camp to take down the contacts of their leader so they could later communicate.
From there, he proceeded to a pile of garbage with an army of people, and in just a few minutes the whole place was clean. People were openly ecstatic as everybody abandoned their chores at the Ferry Fish Market to get a glimpse of the science teacher-turned president.
The fishermen chanted songs in praise of Dr Magufuli as they cleaned up the place with him: “Tingatinga anasafisha nchi” (The Bulldozer is cleaning the country). Other lines went thus: “The end of corrupt officials has come/A true patriot is here and thus we no longer want to immigrate to Europe/We want you rule for 20 years.”
Some said although the State House is only a stone’s throw from their workplace (the fish market), they had never enjoyed a close encounter with any past president.
“This is my 14th year here, but I never saw any president come out of that gate and clear garbage with us and embrace us as their next-door neighbours... this is unbelievable,” said Mr Karimu Mtolea, a fisherman.
At the end of the clean-up, Dr Magufuli thanked all Tanzanians who dedicated their time to clean up their surroundings. “First I thank you, my neighbours, for giving me a hand, and to all others who took part in this campaign today elsewhere; I urge you to keep up the spirit.”
At Kariakoo, PM Majaliwa said the clean-up campaign should become routine so that Tanzania can have a good image in the eyes of foreigners who visit the country.
At the Kariakoo Market, he directed the leaders of the traders to be at his office next Monday at 10am to brief him on their strategies to improve the provision of services.
“I know it is not proper to place your merchandise on the floor. I need your leaders to come and tell me what plans they have to rectify this situation,” the PM said amid cheers.
Elsewhere, the Vice President, Ms Hassan, directed the three municipalities in the city to take legal action against firms which have been awarded tenders to collect garbage in streets but failed to fulfill their contractual obligations.
She gave the directive at Oysterbay and Kinondoni Morocco sections of the city where she took part in the clean-up.
“I want to see these things done; municipal authorities should take action against tenderers who fail to honour their contracts,” she said, adding:
“Time to lough with each other is over; we want to see our city clean and shining.”
Meanwhile, the Kinondoni District Commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda, said his office would soon start reviewing contracts of companies that have been awarded tenders to collect garbage in the municipality.
Day Head of State led Uhuru fete differently
Reviewed by mudy mandai
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3:28 AM
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Reviewed by mudy mandai
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3:28 AM
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