EDITORIAL: Samia’S administration appears promising, but...
In her live-broadcast address in the august National Assembly in Dodoma on Thursday, April 22, 2021, President Samia Suluhu Hassan ranged far and wide on Tanzania of the foreseeable future.
The president outlined a whole raft of measures designed by her government to further stimulate economic growth across the board – myriad challenges notwithstanding.
In that regard, the sixth-phase Union Government of President Hassan will prioritise the provision of social services to all Tanzanians regardless – including quality Education and Healthcare, as well as the supply of clean and safe water countrywide.
In seeking to enhance general good governance and accountability, President Hassan pledged to intensify the war on grand corruption which was fairly well fought under the Presidency of her precursor and mentor, the late Dr John Magufuli.
In efforts to bolster meaningful and sustainable socioeconomic development on the ground, the new government will – among gazillions of other functional measures – put in place a friendly business environment for current and potential-cum-prospective investors, both local and foreign.
The President also said she will find time now and then to interact with Tanzanians at large, and the political opposition in particular. This is in seeking to uphold and bolster the country’s enviable tradition of unity, stability, peace and tranquillity dating back to when ‘Tanganyika’ secured political independence from alien rule nearly 60 years ago.
But, when all is said and done, not much of sustainable socioeconomic development can be achieved in a country that knows no stability, mainly due to internecine internal conflicts, political and otherwise.
So, while the President Hassan government is busy pursuing economic growth and meaningful socio-economic development, it must bear in mind that it is virtually impossible to achieve such lofty goals in a socio-politically unstable country.
Sustainable socioeconomic development and national unity-cum-stability are twins that must be reared together. So, while the new govt appears promising, we must nonetheless ensure continued peace and stability.
SIMBA, DO WELL IN CAF TUSSLES
Tanzania’s Simba Sports Club (‘Simba’) is to compete in the quarterfinals of the African Champions Football League (Caf-2020/2021) slated for May 14, and end with the finals in July.
Simba is among the eight clubs that have qualified for the quarterfinals. The others are South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Cheifs; Morocco’s Waydad Casablanca; Tunisia’s Esperance; Egypt’s Al Ahly; Algeria’s CR Belaouizdad and MC Alger.
Records show that Simba are yet to reach the Caf semi-finals in the history of the Championship. But, the club has reached the quarterfinals stage for the third time since 2003.
This year, Simba performed relatively well in the Groups stage, in which they won four, lost one and drew one out of the six matches they played. They thus finished at the top of the Group’s standings, with 13 points under its proverbial belt.
But, the players should not as yet rest on their laurels, as the semi-final and final matches are still to be played.
Simba players must indeed go out there and make a real difference in the quarterfinal knockouts – and, hopefully, the semi-final knockouts as well – if they are to secure the Caf title this time.
C’mon, Simba; go on out there and GET IT DONE!
