What Magufuli’s sweeping changes mean to Dar residents

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli yesterday made two sweeping changes including immediate disbandment of the Dar es Salaam City Council (DCC) aimed at accelerating implementation of development projects in the city.

Another change announced by the Head of State is provision of 52 hectares of land to Kibamba Constituency aimed at widening scope of citizens’ engagement in development activities in the region, insisting management of the Sh51-billion bus terminal at Mbezi Louis should benefit ordinary Tanzanians.

The President announced those changes as he commenced his three-day tour of Dar es Salaam during the commissioning of the Sh229.9 billion Ubungo interchange as well as the Sh50.95 billion Mbezi Louis Bus Terminal.

However, the interchange was named in honour of Chief Secretary Ambassador John Kijazi who died last week, while the Mbezi Louis Bus Terminal will now be known as the Magufuli Bus Terminal.

Speaking at the Magufuli Bus Terminal, the President noted the arrangement was such that the DCC collected monies from municipal councils of Temeke, Kigamboni, Ilala, Kinondoni and Ubungo without having any development projects with councillors receiving allowances without being elected.

Under the new governance structure of the city, one municipality would be elevated to status of the city, while the others would remain municipalities just as in Dodoma and Mwanza.

“It is better that the budget for the DCC be directed to implementation of roads projects, such would be better spending of taxpayers’ money,” he observed.

“So, those who were looking for mayoral positions should prepare themselves psychologically. The draft has already been sent to my office. I hope, I could sign it after the visit.”

He said the DCC budget was being misused, proposing that being at the city centre, Ilala qualified for the elevation.

According to him, after spending over Sh660 billion for road projects, Ubungo and Kigamboni districts remained districts with poor roads.

He pledged massive investment in the areas as the country launched new phase of improving roads in the city.

A councillor in the outgoing leadership, who asked not to be named, told The Citizen that the disbanding of the DCC would serve expenses including salaries, allowances, accommodation and transport incurred by the government to heads of departments.

“The last budget we prepared amounted to Sh17 billion with revenue collected from leasing houses, fees collected from parking services, dumping services, Udart and several others,” said the source.

Speaking at the Magufuli Bus Terminal, the Head of State provided 52 acres of land to Kimbamba Constituency that was previously under Agriculture ministry.

The President’s decision was in response to constituency’s lawmaker Issa Mtemvu who said the 52 acres have been idle for the last 10 years, but they could be helpful in supporting people development and recreational services.

In his response, the President said he had been touched by the MP’s humbleness, therefore granting his request for the interests of citizens.

“You are not asking the land for building your house, rather for the benefit of citizens who queued in order to vote for me, you and councillors,” he said.

“I’m giving you the 52 acres as a gift so that you can develop it for the interests of citizens,” he said.

During the event, Dr Magufuli approved the terminal to be named Magufuli Bus Terminal on condition that petty traders and ordinary Tanzanians should benefit from the Sh59.95 billion investment.

“Experience shows that once good projects like this are completed petty traders and ordinary people are sidelined. I will be hurt if that happens here considering the fact that the terminal has been named after me,” he said.

“Such acts would be interpreted that I was the one who had sidelined them, something that I won’t accept. However, by calling the bus station after me, Mr Jafo (Minister of State in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government) may have self-deprecated because you are now forced to do what I want.”

He said the presence of a hotel, immigration office and a guest house at the bus terminal will hardly benefit ordinary Tanzanians, challenging the PO-RALG minister, Works permanent secretary and the regional commissioner to ensure the ordinary people were not chased and they too reap benefits of the project.

Launching the Kijazi Interchange, the President directed government officials to sack contractors who would refer Covid-19 to stalled implementation of development projects.