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Capital transfer: True dream or pipe dream?
2007-09-04 09:11:55
By Editor
The decision to shift the country`s capital from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma was made more than four decades ago.
This was done after people`s opinion have been sought from all over the country.
The move was followed by establishment of the Capital Development Authority, which was headquartered in Dodoma.
Construction work of the newly designated at capital city then began, after some of the basic infrastructure had been put in place.
CDA also became involved in an ambitious tree-planting exercise, which began transforming the central Tanzania town’s newly built area into a green zone.
A Parliament House was built and the Bunge began alternating its sessions in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, until it was finally resolved that parliamentary meetings would only take place in the designated capital. This continues as the case until now.
In addition, diplomatic missions were allocated plots for constructing their official residences as the ruling party chose to shift its head office to Dodoma.
All these were clear signs that the capital transfer was imminent.
However, there are questions that need to be asked at the moment.
One: How many government ministries have shifted to Dodoma to date?
Two: How many foreign missions have already constructed their residences in Dodoma?
Three: What basic services have been put in place to facilitate the presumed capital transfer?
Four: Are the reasons advanced for shifting the capital to Dodoma still valid today?
Taking into account the presumed answers to the above-mentioned questions, the still-publicised government intention to move its headquarters to Dodoma is, to use a kind phrase, clinically dead.
For that reason, the government should be humble enough to admit that the project has been abandoned.
Otherwise, if the authorities are still determined to go ahead with the project, then we suggest that the government should deeply weigh its commitment and the resulting implications, before proceeding to put in place the major infrastructure needed to support the move.
It will also be prudent to tell the wananchi the cost involved and both the short and long term benefits of the move.
By saying so, it is not that we are opposed to the construction of the new capital.
What we are stating is that given the existing situation, there is no need to pretend that something is taking place towards achieving the goal of building a capital city.
We understand that there might be a political cost to be paid if, for example, the people of Dodoma Region are told point blank that the plan to station the country’s new capital in their midst has been thrown overboard.
If the hesitation to tell the truth is due to such fear, then for how long shall these people be kept in the dark, believing that they will eventually host the main government apparatus, while that is a mere pipe dream?
The wisest thing that has to be stated at this precise moment is that if we are going to build this capital, let us do it. If not, let us say so.
Wishful thinking alone is not going to make the capital transfer materialize.
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