Karagwe. Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) presidential candidate, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has pledged to accelerate development in Karagwe through four key pillars — enhanced social services, economic empowerment, expansion of productive sectors, and modernised infrastructure.
Addressing thousands of residents in Karagwe on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, President Samia reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to inclusive growth, saying that national progress must benefit every Tanzanian without discrimination.
“Development is a journey taken step by step. If you wish to move forward, you must take the next step. That is why we continue to improve social services, strengthen infrastructure, and create an enabling environment for the people of Karagwe and all Tanzanians,” she said.
In the health sector, President Samia said her government has made substantial progress in constructing hospitals, health centres, and dispensaries, while ensuring a steady supply of essential medicines.
“Nationally, the availability of essential medicines now stands at 86 percent. We have not yet reached 100, but the progress is commendable. We will continue to improve healthcare until every Tanzanian can access quality medical services close to home,” she affirmed.
On education, she noted that the government continues to invest heavily in schools and vocational training institutions to equip young people with practical skills that align with emerging national projects.
“We are building Veta and technical colleges across the country so that our youth can work in key projects such as the oil pipeline, Mchuchuma iron mines, coal fields, ports, and the industries we are developing,” she said.
The President also announced that the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) is expanding its funding capacity to ensure that all qualified students can pursue higher education, regardless of their family background.
She added that significant investments in water supply aim to provide safe and clean water while developing irrigation schemes to boost both food and cash crop production.
“Water is no longer for domestic use only. We are investing in irrigation so that farmers can harvest twice a year, ensuring food security and strengthening agribusiness,” she said.
On energy, President Samia reiterated her government’s commitment to ensuring universal access to reliable and clean electricity.
“We have taken electricity to villages and hamlets nationwide. Access to power means safety, opportunity, and progress,” she told the cheering crowd.
Empowering citizens economically
President Samia underscored the government’s focus on lowering production costs through agricultural subsidies, which have enabled farmers to increase both yields and profits.
“Without subsidies, farmers would buy less fertiliser and harvest less. Now they pay half the price, produce more, and sell more — that is what genuine economic empowerment looks like,” she said.
She added that local councils’ 10 percent funds, TASAF, and other empowerment initiatives continue to provide affordable loans and opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs.
“We are building markets and bus terminals because they are vital business hubs. When people have access to capital and space to trade, we empower them economically,” she noted.
The President highlighted ongoing support for livestock keepers through subsidised vaccines and free distribution of poultry, as well as tax relief measures for coffee farmers.
“Today, coffee farmers receive full payments directly into their pockets without unnecessary deductions. We will continue identifying more areas where we can offer support,” she pledged.
Building productive sectors and infrastructure
President Samia emphasised that the government’s broader goal is to build a resilient economy driven by agriculture, industry, and infrastructure.
“Roads, ports, airports, and marine transport form the backbone of our economy. We are constructing tarmac roads and improving the Kemondo and Bukoba ports to promote trade and transport,” she said.
She added that the CCM manifesto prioritises industrial clusters in every district to increase the value of agricultural and fishery products.
“We are providing fishermen with loans for fish cages and boats to boost production. The fish will be processed locally and exported using Air Tanzania’s cargo planes,” she explained.
President Samia also vowed to revive coffee processing industries to ensure farmers benefit from value-added exports.
“We must stop selling raw coffee. Let’s process it here so that the farmer earns more. That is how we raise household incomes,” she said.
Local progress and citizens’ requests
Responding to requests from Karagwe residents, President Samia pledged to prioritise the construction of new markets, bus terminals, and cold storage facilities for crops such as avocados.
“We are implementing a nationwide programme to build cold storage facilities in key agricultural zones to reduce post-harvest losses,” she said.
She urged Karagwe residents to maintain their trust in CCM, assuring them that her administration would continue delivering tangible progress.
“We have done well, and if given another mandate, we will do even better,” she declared to loud applause.
Ngara parliamentary candidate Dotto Bahemu lauded President Samia’s leadership, saying the constituency had witnessed remarkable improvements in health and education.
He cited the construction of a new district hospital, three additional health centres worth over Sh3 billion, and the increase in dispensaries from 45 to 50.
“When President Samia took office, Ngara had only one district hospital. Today, we are seeing real change. She has turned promises into action,” he said.
Bahemu added that secondary schools in the area have grown from 25 to 31, with more than Sh7.9 billion invested in education.
“Under her leadership, Ngara has received Sh81 billion for various development projects. We have seen what she has done — and we know the kind of leader we want is Samia,” he declared
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