DOMINO TOWER: ZANZIBAR ON RIGHT BLUE ECONOMY PATH
The government of the semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago of the United Republic of Tanzania has unveiled plans which border on the grandiose: the construction of what would become the tallest skyscraper in sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, Africa – and much of the world – are all agog to see what the 70-storey, $1.3 billion (roughly Sh3.01 trillion) ‘Zanzibar Domino Commercial Tower’ will be like when its construction is completed.
Reportedly, the Domino Tower – to be built on a man-made island with a marina for yachts and cruise/pleasure craft – will be located about 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the site of the Stone Town (‘Mji Mkongwe’), which is itself a Unesco World Heritage Site. After completion of the construction and commissioning of the clearly imposing structure, it will be open for business – including the tourism business.
More specifically, the structure will have a total of 560 residential apartments, two luxury hotels, a ‘wedding chapel,’ a marina for yachts/pleasure boats, et cetera, et cetera.
We have deliberately gone to relatively great lengths here on this matter. This is with a view to illustrating the point that the Zanzibar Government of President Hussein Ali Mwinyi is steadily but surely on the right path to an integrated and holistic development of a blue economy for the Spice Islands.
The Isles’ blue economy policy enunciated in 2020 requires Zanzibar to engage in development activities that are largely based upon the archipelago’s huge number of ocean-related opportunities and other potentials for an all-inclusive, sustainable socioeconomic development. In all fairness – and without an iota of prejudice – we are happy to say that the Zanzibaris are correct in undertaking the ‘Domino Commercial Tower’ project.
If nothing else, that venture does have relatively huge potential for the tourism industry and several other sectors of the economy, including trade/business, shipping and logistics in general.
START C’WEALTH GAMES PREPS
Tanzania will be among 72 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations competing in the multisport Commonwealth Games, pitting 5,054 athletes against each other in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to August 8, 2022. Tanzania has competed in 12 of the 13 quadrennial Games since 1966 – missing out only in the 1986 Games.
In terms of the country’s sports history, it did relatively well in the 2006 Games, ranking nineteenth in the medal tally with two medals – and twenty-fourth in the All-time Tally of Medals: 21 medals overall.
However, Tanzania has not won any medal in the past four editions – and, while only 11 months remain to the Birmingham-2022 Games, our sports associations must start scouting for and preparing athletes for the prestigious event.
This is if we are to excel at the Games – and make President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s regime proud.
Indeed, many of the other participating countries have already started preparing for the Games – and, as sages have said down the ages: ‘it’s the early bird that catches the worm!’
Tanzania has many youth whose athletics talent is still latent, and only needs to be appropriately developed for phenomenal success.
So, let’s ‘get it done’ in Birmingham-2022 to heal the wounds of the recent Tokyo Olympics in which we miserably failed to shine.
