TANZANIA’S President Samia Suluhu Hassan has criticised the Members of Parliament for discussing petty issues in parliament instead of debating the national agenda.
She further blamed the Speaker of the National Assembly, Job Ndugai, for letting the MPs concentrate on petty issues when they should be having a serious budget discussion.
In the past one week, most MPs (from her party) have been spending ample time on eulogising her predecessor, the late John Magufuli who passed away one month ago.
She said: “I have been following discussion from The House, and I am quite disappointed with the kind of debates going on in Parliament. It’s not healthy for the nation.”
Attempting to end the legacy debate that has made some MPs draw comparison between her and Magufuli, she said: “Magufuli and I are one and the same thing.”
She was speaking during the national religious workshop, which was organised by various religious heavy weights to pray and discuss Magufulis bequest.
Recently, some members of the parliament were head-debating on the legacy of late Magufuli and the relative “strengths and weaknesses of the fifth phase government versus the sixth phase.”
January Makamba, an MP from Bumbuli constituency, in Tanga, supported the idea of constructively criticizing the fifth phase government as a means of paving way for improvements to be done by the sixth phase government.
“The late President Magufuli legacy is like a tailor who made us a nice robe. If this robe has some protruding threads, it is our duty to cut and if there is a loose button, we have to enhance it. But doing so does not mean to repudiate the good job done by the clothes mender,” Makamba said insisting that all praise of better will remain to the tailor.
Makamba was supported by Nape Nnauye, MP from Mtama Constituency while vehemently being opposed by Joseph Kasheku Musukuma from Geita Rural Constituency.
Again, the Speaker of the Parliament recently criticized the fifth phase government’s decision to reject the Bagamoyo Port Project arguing that, “the fifth phase government President, John Magufuli was wrongly advised.”
President Samia in that workshop, she pointed out her government top national agenda which includes to promote national values of unity, equality, freedom, and fraternity; strengthening macro-economy; fighting against corruption; dealing with economic saboteurs; waging a war against money laundering; and hunting drug pushers.
Other priorities mentioned by President Samia are the reinforcement of public servants’ discipline; promoting access to education services; enhancing training for jobs; supporting access to health services; and improving access to clean and potable water services; promoting the rule of law; upholding freedom of expression; and advancing democratic governance.
She also promised to oversee the implementation of major strategic projects to their completion; improving business environment for small and medium enterprises; boosting entrepreneurs working in micro and small enterprises; and improving our international relations.
Respecting state neutrality regarding matters of religious faith and constructively working with faith-based organization in promoting peace and harmonious life, was also echoed by President Samia.
“These priorities belonged to the fifth phase government and still belong to the sixth phase government as a single agenda that I have taken oath to oversee in my capacity of the sixth phase President,” she emphasized.
For this reason, she sharply criticized some social media users and members of parliament who have been busy comparing and contrasting the performances of the fifth and sixth phase governments.
The national religious workshop was organized by various religious superior’s operative in Tanzania, as a means of praying for the nation and thanking God for the life of the late President of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli.
