Government to blame for corruption, says Lowassa

TANGA

The main opposition Chadema presidential candidate Edward Lowassa said Tuesday that indecisiveness and poor performance of the current government was a major cause of extreme poverty among Tanzanians.

He was speaking at a campaign rally at Korogwe Teachers College’s grounds in Tanga region.

He said if elected in October, his government will speed up economic changes and that government officials who will fail to cope with changes will be asked to voluntarily step aside. 

“I can assure you today that if elected in October polls, my government will make many changes by improving this country’s economy and wananchi lives in general, we need to speed up changes,” he said. 

LACK OF VISIONARY
According to Mr Lowassa the current government was not acting appropriately and that many things were being delayed because of lack of visionary and committed leaders.

He said Tanga was an industrial region, which is supposed to produce thousands of jobs to Tanzanians.

“If elected, my government will revive industries in this region, Tanga was well known for being a home of industries in this country, but everything has collapsed because of poor leadership,” he said.

Mr Lowassa used road route from Tanga to Dar es Salaam. His motorcade was stopped six times at different areas by wananchi who wanted to see him and express their problems, at Kabuku, Korogwe, Muheza, Mkata, Michungwani and Kwa Mkongwa areas.

However, water problem dominated Tanga region residents’ demands.

WATER SHORTAGE
According to the residents, for several years, they have been experiencing shortage of reliable, clean and safe water in their areas.

They asked Mr Lowassa to come up with a lasting solution to the problem since all other previous leaders have been giving them empty promises.

Mr Lowassa, who is backed by Ukawa, a coalition of four main opposition parties, said if elected in October, his government will immediately set plans to improve and supply clean and safe water to wananchi in all needy areas in the country.

“Water is a big problem in this country, I will make sure my government addresses this problem immediately, I will take appropriate actions on it," Mr Lowassa said.

Meanwhile, Chama Cha Mapinduzi has asked a Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) journalist embedded in Dr John Magufuli’s campaign entourage to leave, apparently over claims of unfavourable coverage of the party’s presidential candidate.

Mr Peter Elias, who was reporting for MCL publications-The Citizen, Mwananchi and Mwananspoti- was dropped from the team of journalists covering Dr Magufuli’s rallies, after Mwananchi newspaper run a story titled: "Dk Magufuli akabiliana na Ukawa Mbeya" (Meaning Dr Magufuli face off with Ukawa in Mbeya).

ACCUSSED OF SABOTAGE
In the story, Dr Magufuli was reported to have encountered Chadema supporters who saluted him using the opposition party’s two finger salute as well as songs and slogans.

It was reported that Dr Magufuli acknowledged the area was a Chadema stronghold but appealed for the support of the chanting group to spear head development in the area.

He told them to give him “peoples’ power” so that he could make “Mbeya for change (M4C),” in reference to the opposition party’s slogans. The group was reported roaring back in appreciation as the CCM candidate continued to plead for their votes. 

However, on Monday evening while in Iringa, Mr Elias was asked by CCM information officer Mr Godfrey Chongolo not to continue to report Dr Magufuli’s rallies, saying the party was disappointed by the said Mbeya story.

Mr Elias said he was instead told by Mr Chongolo that the Mbeya story should have been on how “Chadema youths rioted at Dr Magufuli’s rally.”

According to Mr Elias, the CCM officer accused him of sabotaging Dr Magufuli’s campaign to win the presidency.

“We are in a war for state house and when you write a story of how Dr Magufuli was met by pro-Chadema songs, slogans and sign, you are trying to imply that they (the youths) don’t support our candidate,” Chongolo told Mr Elias.