Latest news with #JohnMagufuli
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tanzanian PM to step down in surprise move
Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has announced that he will not seek re-election in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, effectively preventing him from being re-appointed. Majaliwa had earlier said that he would defend his legislative seat for a fourth time in October before making the surprise announcement on Wednesday. The 64-year-old was appointed prime minister in 2015 and was seen as a possible successor of the late President John Magufuli after his death in 2021. He has continued to hold the position under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking to retain the presidency under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Majaliwa, who has represented the coastal Ruangwa region since 2010, said his decision was guided by God and he had made it "in good faith". "It is time to give others the opportunity to unite and build on the development foundation we've established," said Majaliwa, without elaborating on his reasons to pull out from the elections. It comes just a week after Majaliwa said that he would seek another term in parliament. Why Samia's hesitant reforms are fuelling Tanzanian political anger Could this be the end of the road for Tanzania's great survivor? He also told Ruangwa residents last September that he would run again, with his unexpected withdrawal sparking speculation of a power struggle within the ruling party. Majaliwa said he would continue serving as a senior CCM official and support Samia's presidential bid. In Tanzania, the prime minister leads the government business in parliament and is appointed by the president from among the elected MPs. Seen as a quiet but firm leader, Majaliwa is credited with ensuring a smooth and calm political transition after Magufuli's death. The former teacher rose to become an influential figure within the CCM party, which has governed Tanzania since 1977. He served as a junior minister under former President Jakaya Kikwete. His exit follows that of Vice-President Philip Mpango, who in May announced his retirement from politics. Analysts say the withdrawal of the two senior politicians gives President Samia space to consolidate her control of CCM and craft her second-term leadership line-up. The country is due to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections, with CCM expected to retain power. The main opposition party, Chadema, has been banned for refusing to sign up to a code of ethics because it wants a series of electoral reforms. Initially praised for easing the restrictions Magufuli had imposed on the opposition and the media, Samia has been criticised for what rights groups see as renewed repression. She took up power in 2021 after Magufuli's death, becoming the country's first female president. Senior Chadema politicians have been arrested and several opposition figures abducted and murdered. Samia's government defends the crackdown on opposition as a move to ensure peace in the country. Additional reporting by Alfred Lasteck in Dar es Salaam Are East African governments uniting to silence dissent? 'Struggling to be alive': Kenyan activist speaks of 'sexual torture' in Tanzania Kenyan president apologises to Tanzania over deportation row 'Manhandled and choked' - Tanzanian activist recounts abduction Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kassim Majaliwa: Tanzanian prime minister steps down from October elections
Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has announced that he will not seek re-election in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, effectively preventing him from being re-appointed. Majaliwa had earlier said that he would defend his legislative seat for a fourth time in October before making the surprise announcement on Wednesday. The 64-year-old was appointed prime minister in 2015 and was seen as a possible successor of the late President John Magufuli after his death in 2021. He has continued to hold the position under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking to retain the presidency under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Majaliwa, who has represented the coastal Ruangwa region since 2010, said his decision was guided by God and he had made it "in good faith". "It is time to give others the opportunity to unite and build on the development foundation we've established," said Majaliwa, without elaborating on his reasons to pull out from the elections. It comes just a week after Majaliwa said that he would seek another term in parliament. Why Samia's hesitant reforms are fuelling Tanzanian political angerCould this be the end of the road for Tanzania's great survivor?He also told Ruangwa residents last September that he would run again, with his unexpected withdrawal sparking speculation of a power struggle within the ruling party. Majaliwa said he would continue serving as a senior CCM official and support Samia's presidential bid. In Tanzania, the prime minister leads the government business in parliament and is appointed by the president from among the elected MPs. Seen as a quiet but firm leader, Majaliwa is credited with ensuring a smooth and calm political transition after Magufuli's death. The former teacher rose to become an influential figure within the CCM party, which has governed Tanzania since 1977. He served as a junior minister under former President Jakaya exit follows that of Vice-President Philip Mpango, who in May announced his retirement from politics. Analysts say the withdrawal of the two senior politicians gives President Samia space to consolidate her control of CCM and craft her second-term leadership country is due to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections, with CCM expected to retain power. The main opposition party, Chadema, has been banned for refusing to sign up to a code of ethics because it wants a series of electoral reforms. Initially praised for easing the restrictions Magufuli had imposed on the opposition and the media, Samia has been criticised for what rights groups see as renewed repression. She took up power in 2021 after Magufuli's death, becoming the country's first female president. Senior Chadema politicians have been arrested and several opposition figures abducted and murdered. Samia's government defends the crackdown on opposition as a move to ensure peace in the country. Additional reporting by Alfred Lasteck in Dar es Salaam You may also be interested in: Are East African governments uniting to silence dissent?'Struggling to be alive': Kenyan activist speaks of 'sexual torture' in TanzaniaKenyan president apologises to Tanzania over deportation row'Manhandled and choked' - Tanzanian activist recounts abduction Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Reuters
12-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Tanzania sees economic growth rising to 6% this year
DAR ES SALAAM, June 12 (Reuters) - Tanzania's economic growth is forecast to rise to 6% this year from 5.5% last year, its planning and investment minister said on Thursday. Minister Kitila Mkumbo added that the budget deficit was seen at 3.0% of gross domestic product (GDP) next fiscal year, from 3.4% of GDP this year. The East African country is set to hold an election in October. President Samia Suluhu Hassan is seeking to remain in power, having taken office in 2021 after the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli.
Business Insider
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
East Africa's longest bridge nears launch as Tanzania wraps $260 million project
Spanning 3.2 kilometers across Lake Victoria, the bridge will officially open to traffic on June 19, 2025, with Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan expected to lead the inauguration, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced during a tour of the site. The Minister for Works, Abdallah Ulega, hailed the project as a flagship achievement of the Sixth Phase Government, emphasizing its strategic importance for national development. ' The JP Magufuli Bridge stands as a powerful symbol of our country's capacity to mobilize domestic resources for transformative infrastructure, ' Ulega stated. ' It will ease travel between Kigongo and Busisi, reduce dependence on ferry transport, and unlock the vast economic potential of the Lake Zone.' The bridge replaces a long-standing reliance on ferries, which often required up to three hours to cross the lake due to boarding delays and safety risks. Its completion is expected to significantly reduce travel time, improve safety, and enhance the movement of goods and people across the region. Named in honor of the late President John Magufuli, the project symbolizes both his infrastructural legacy and Tanzania's long-term commitment to regional development. The John Magufuli Bridge In 2019, the government of Tanzania, under former President John Magufuli, contracted a consortium of two Chinese state-owned engineering and construction companies to design and build this transport infrastructure project. The two firms are China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway 15th Bureau (CR15B) but the construction was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bridge was earlier named the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge, but was later renamed in honor of former President Magufuli, who launched the project before his death in 2021. Funded entirely with over TZS 700 billion in domestic resources, the project is one of Tanzania's most ambitious infrastructure achievements to date, according to The Citizen. It connects the towns of Kigongo and Busisi and forms a crucial link in a broader 90-kilometre highway network connecting Usagara, Sengerema, and Geita—an area rich in economic activity, particularly mining.
Zawya
27-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Tanzania: World Bank injects $200mln for Dodoma transport upgrade
The World Bank has approved a $200 million loan to upgrade Dodoma's transport infrastructure, supporting Tanzania's push to transform its administrative capital into a commercial hub. The funds will kick-start the Dodoma Integrated and Sustainable Transport (DIST) project, aimed at improving roads and public transport. The initiative seeks to open economic opportunities for the city's rapidly expanding population, which is now growing at 6.4 percent a year, nearing one million residents in 2023. Once a dusty township, Dodoma's prominence rose in 2016 when the late President John Magufuli began relocating government operations from Dar es Salaam, implementing a 1973 resolution during the tenure of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. Today, nearly all key government agencies are headquartered in Dodoma, accelerating urban expansion. Since 2000, the city's built-up area has grown from 11 square kilometres to 60 square kilometres in 2024, straining resources for infrastructure and services. Despite its administrative importance, Dodoma lags behind economically. As of September 2024, its per capita GDP stood at Tsh1.9 million ($714), significantly lower than Dar es Salaam's Tsh5.74 million ($2,157), according to data from the Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics. The World Bank, through its International Development Association (IDA), projects that DIST will benefit over half of Dodoma's residents, create 10,000 new jobs by 2030 and boost the city's economic output by at least two percent. In addition to roads and public transport, the project will enhance pedestrian walkways and cycling lanes in the central business district and suburbs. Implementation of the DIST project will involve several government agencies, including the Tanzania National Roads Agency, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority, the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency and the Dodoma City Council. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
