Through an ambitious program, the country proposes to upgrade all the villages and hamlets into more developed and self-reliant townships.
Tanzania has more than 12,000 villages, located mostly in rural parts of the country, where also over 80 percent of the population resides.
So far the country has succeeded in linking more than 10,000 villages to the National Electricity Grid.
At least, that is what the Minister from the President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Mohammed Mchengerwa revealed during his tour of Arusha recently.
The Minister explained here that the government was heavily investing in projects targeting to eliminate the long time national pet-peeves; that is poverty, ignorance and diseases, but this time right from village levels.
“We are in the process of turning villages into townships. This means that everything that is available in urban areas will also be made accessible in rural areas as well… We are building Primary and Secondary Schools; establishing colleges from grassroots levels depending on particular residents’ requirements; this also goes in sync with improving infrastructure, power supplies and other basic needs.”
President’s Office Minister, Mohammed Mchengerwa
The Minister was speaking during an exclusive visit by members of the Parliamentary Governance and Local Government Committee from the National Assembly in Dodoma.
The Legislators were inspecting projects being executed under the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) in Arusha-Rural and Karatu Districts. These projects cover school buildings, staff housing, road and bridge constructions, health centers, agriculture and livestock keeping.
Under the same initiative, the government sees the possibility of converting all remote villages into small townships that will be self-reliant on practically everything.
According to Mchengerwa, the government has already injected 2.03 trillion/- into his ministry to that effect.
But the funds are beside the original grants being disbursed under TASAF for other community development projects.
After their visit, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee, Abdallah Jaffar Chaurembo, expressed satisfaction on the was poverty aleviating programs were being undertaken under Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF).
In some areas, like at Oldonyowas Village of Arusha DC, residents also contributed additional funds and manpower to speed up the process.
Arusha is among the five mainland regions receiving over 130 billion/- being state-disbursed funds injected countrywide to benefit 3.5 million people.
The TASAF Executive Director, Ladislaus Mwamanga previously stated during the National Launch that this new fourth phase will be executed in 33 Councils in Arusha, Njombe, Geita, Mwanza and Simiyu regions in span of one year from November 2021 to October 2022.
This is the Fourth Phase for Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) development projects in which the 130 billion/- will be invested in 1500 poverty reduction schemes to be realized in the five mainland regions for the next twelve months.
TASAF Executive Director, Ladislaus Mwamanga
Over 600 projects will address the issue of employment creation among the youth; 372 projects for infrastructure, and 528 projects will deal with TASAF core mission of boosting domestic income for less fortunate homes.
The first and second phases of TASAF executed between 2005 and 2015 benefitted 2 million people in Lindi and Mtwara Regions, accounting for 5.3 percent of the country’s population.
In the third phase 743 projects, addressing Health, Water, Education and Infrastructural developments were executed in 13 district councils in Arusha and Njombe Districts.
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