{President Jakaya Kikwete has issued commission to a total of 171 cadets who graduated at the Tanzania Military Academy over the week end in Monduli district, Arusha region.}
At the 2013/14 intake, there were about 156 male and 15 female cadets, among them, 4 were from Kenya, 3 from Rwanda and 2 from Seychelles.
During the function, President Kikwete laid a foundation stone for the construction of 552 housing units being built in Monduli to accommodate army officers.
The project, being undertaken by the Chinese firm of Shanghai Construction Group is part of the ongoing construction of 10,000 army houses built in nine regions of Arusha, Tanga, Kigoma, Kagera, Morogoro, Dodoma, Pemba, Dar es Salaam and Coast Region.
President Kikwete who doubles as the Chief of Defense Forces, announced the new development during the occasion to lay the foundation stone for construction of 552 new residential housing units for the army at the Sokoine Barracks in Monduli district, being constructed by the ‘Shanghai Construction Group-General Company,’ of China.
The Monduli houses are part of the countrywide ongoing construction of 10,000 units.
“Any sensible government or leader will never undermine the prominence of investing in armed forces,” he said.
The Head of State further noted that the importance of having a well-equipped army can only be realized once alien invasion starts testing the nation’s independence.
“The idea of ensuring that all members of the armed forces get quality accommodation did not start from me but dates back to the third-phase government under former President Benjamin William Mkapa who also realized its significance; during my reign I not only ensured that the project is implemented, but also speeded it up from its initial 15-year tome-frame master-plan, squeezing it to be accomplished in just seven years,” he noted.
Kikwete said the government started the project with a 21bn/-loan from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) which the state was supposed to pay 100bn/- with interest, but this proved to be too expensive that is why the Defense ministry sought assistance from Beijing.
“We also had to cut down the number of houses to be constructed using the USD 300 billion loan from China (of which Tanzania footed USD 15 billion) from the initial 10,000 units to the current 6,064 houses so as to ensure that each apartment is of highest quality and standard,” he said.
In another development, President Kikwete said Tanzania like any other country cannot continue to rely on “wonders to achieve development but rather actually invest in science and technology.”
The President was speaking at the second graduation ceremony for Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, in Arusha over the weekend where he was also awarded with an honorary PHD.
According to a communiqué from the Directorate of Presidential Communications which circulated the media yesterday, President Kikwete called on Tanzanians to stop being arrogant politicize matters associated with the advancement of science and technology.
The Head of State encouraged Tanzanians to use the internet even more, “what we have learnt is that there is no magic or shortcut to achieving development. We have no way out but to invest in science and technology if we want to move to the next level.”
He added: “the only way out is for us to train more scientists and provide suitable infrastructures so as to enable them conduct researches comfortably. It is obvious that for many years we haven’t been giving the field more priority,” said the President.
He added that people should pursue education which is beneficial to the country rather than wasting time arguing about politics.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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