Special expert panel formed to work on Magufuli strategy

CCM Union presidential aspirant Dr John Magufuli has formed a special panel of experts composed of scholars and a variety of professionals to chew over workable plans to address critical issues facing the country upon victory on October 25.

Addressing reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the party’s campaign team member, Mr January Makamba, said the experts were drawn from the private sector, high learning institutions, civil societies and non-government institutions.

The panel, according to Mr Makamba, will help the government to see how to cut unnecessary expenditures, sketching plans to improve the government’s performances as well as reviewing burdensome taxes imposed on business people.

Mr Makamba added that the panel was also tasked to discuss all laws that have to be reviewed, pointing out all critical challenges for immediate solutions and suggest structure of the next cabinet.

“Other responsibilities of the panel are to suggest immediate solutions toward challenges facing public servants such as teachers, doctors, nurses, soldiers, police, and employment for youth and groups of graduates as well as to suggest the reasonable methodology to distribute 50m/- for each village,” he said.

On the other hand, he told reporters that the ruling CCM is becoming more popular as the general election draws closer, insisting that reality on the ground gives the party confidence of running away with a landslide victory.

Mr Makamba said the party is well arranged and organised to win the election basing on the integrity of their candidates. “As of this weekend, our presidential candidate has already conducted 240 official meetings in 203 constituencies on 22 Mainland regions and other 865 impromptu meetings,” he explained.

He said to ensure the party emerges victorious, some senior senior members, including the Secretary General, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, former president Benjamin Mkapa and others have joined the campaign team.

Meanwhile, CCM presidential running mate Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan has said that the party if voted into office is set to revive the Isaka Dry Port in Kahama District, Shinyanga Region to boost economic development and other services.

In addition, Ms Hassan insisted that the party was also committed to revive the central railway line that facilitates the transportation of goods to the Isaka Dry Port, which is an inland container that provides clearing and forwarding services for shippers from in and outside the country.

“CCM is aware of the port, and has lined its revival plans in the CCM 2015-2020 manifesto,” she said adding that the revival of the port will help tackle unemployment rates among the youth in the area.

Commenting on the central railway line, Ms Hassan said that the railway is set to be constructed in standard gauge that concurs with international standards.

Early, the party’s parliamentary candidate for Msalala, Mr Ezekiel Maige, said the poor condition of the railway line has led to decline of youth employment rate in the Isaka Dry Port, appealing to the next government to work on the problem.

Mr Maige said the poor condition of the railway line that led to the closing down of the port has left over 8,000 youth, who used to work at the port jobless. Isaka Dry Port provides clearing and forwarding services for a variety of cargo, eliminating the necessity of transport to and from Dar es Salaam for shippers from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda Congo and North West.

Earlier in Kahama constituency, Ms Samia assured the residents that the party was committed to ensure availability of quality and health facilities.

She reiterated her commitment to work diligently to ensure maternal and children deaths are controlled by ensuring quality and improved health facilities in maternity and children wards.

OP Daily News