Tanzanian President Set to Hold Dialogue With Opposition Leaders

 

President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania says she intends to meet leaders of the country’s opposition political parties for deliberations on a way forward on the country’s political direction.

In her first address to the Tanzanian parliament, President Samia said the government would defend media and citizen freedoms, including democratic rights – while insisting on the need to abide by the laws.

The president told MPs not to be hesitant in correcting the government and ministers in circumstances when they felt things were not being done in the right way.

She told ministers to be ready to be corrected for their mistakes, and urged legislators to be tough in such instances but use “parliamentary language” while doing so.

The president, who took over last month after the death of former President John Magufuli, outlined her government’s priorities in her first speech as president in parliament.

She said the government was keen on continuing with her predecessor’s economic focus including infrastructure development adding that she would not tolerate laziness and corruption.

She also cited her priority in making the country better in attracting local and foreign investment.

“I’d like to inform parliament and all Tanzanians that the direction and focus of the sixth administration will be to retain the good from the previous administrations, to improve what is currently working and bring new ideas.

“That is the meaning of our slogan ‘work continues’ – we’ll treasure what is working but we’ll also change where necessary for the country’s prosperity,” she said.