It is by the grace of God that we have been among those chosen to celebrate the new year of 2020 today as we also reminisce and appreciate strides recorded by the government of Tanzania last year.
According to the 2018 Global Peace Index Report released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Tanzania was ranked the 7th in Africa and the 1st in the East African region.
Last year, Tanzania continued to undergo economic transformations through the Vision 2025 that aims at steering the country to middle income economy by 2025.
The fifth phase government under President John Magufuli, enters its fifth year since he was elected for the first term in 2015 and the stage is now being set for the General Election in October, this year.
Major strides have been recorded during the past four years of Dr Magufuli leadership.
Last year alone, the government continued to inject funds for execution of infrastructure projects which are crucial for pushing ahead the development agenda.
Top on the list of projects launched last year is the 2,115 mega-watts- Nyerere Hydro-power plant along Rufiji River to be constructed at 6.5trl/-.
The ongoing execution of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar-es-Salaam- Morogoro-Dodoma at the cost of 7.04trl- can also never be underestimated.
In July, this year, Dr Magufuli and the Egyptian Minister for Energy, Mr Mohammed Shaker, laid a foundation stone for the mega project.
Cairo-based JV Arab Contractors Company and the El Sewedy Electric, an Egyptian engineering firm, are executing the project.
The litany of infrastructure schemes also includes the 3.2 km-Kigongo-Busisi across Lake Victoria whose construction will be financed through domestic revenues.
Once completed, the bridge, whose construction was launched by President Magufuli early December last year, will be the longest above lake waters in the East African region.
China Civil Engineering Construction Group (CCECG) and China Railway 15th Bureau Group Co Ltd won the tender for the project.
Such major development projects are aimed at easing movement of goods and people and steer the country to development as outlined in Tanzania's Development Vision 2025.
For instance, due to endemic traffic congestion in Dar es Salaam, construction of Mfugale Flyover at the junction of Mandela Expressway and Nyerere Road at Tazara area has been completed to ease traffic congestion at the busy junction.
Not only that, construction of the 1.03km Tanzanite Bridge across the Indian Ocean to link the famous Coco Beach and Aga Khan area along Obama Drive in the city is proceeding at an impressing pace.
The Tanzanite Bridge will also involve upgrading of 5.2km of link roads, connecting the bridge on either side. Exim Bank of South Korea and the government of Tanzania are co-funding the $126.26 million project.
Upon completion of the construction works in 2021, the bridge is expected to ease congestion under the government’s grand plan to save $174 million dollars that is lost to traffic congestion annually.
That aside, construction is also underway for the Ubungo Interchange at the junction of Mandela Expressway, Morogoro and Sam Nujoma Road, and is slated to be completed by December this year.
Execution of the 200.73bn/- project which is planned to decongest the country's major gateway to the hinterland from the Dar es Salam Port and the city centre is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation (CCECC).
According to the contractor, completion of the scheme had reached over 40 per cent towards the end of last year.
While implementation of the interchange is continuing, construction work is also underway to expand a stretch of 19.2km to four lanes on either way from Kimara Stopover in Dar es Salaam and Kibaha Township in Coast Region.
The expansion and erection of flyovers at some spots will cost US 61.086 million dollars.
All these initiatives are expected to boost trade between Tanzania and its landlinked neighbouring countries that use Dar es Salaam Port for its exports and imports.
In the aviation sector, revamping of the Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has continued to receive an impetus with the recent arrival of brand new Bombardier Q-400, which was recently impounded in Canada.
Speaking during an event to receive the plane at Mwanza Airport recently, Dr Magufuli told the gathering that Tanzania is now turning its focus on direct cargo flights to Europe to stimulate trade in areas of horticultural products, frozen meat, fish fillet as well as sea food and other perishables.
The newly acquired plane, according to Managing Director of ATCL, Eng Ladislaus Matindi, the equipment has a capacity to carry 78 passengers.
These include 10 in business class and 68 passengers for the economy class, a slight difference from the previously three acquired Bombardier Q-400 planes whose capacity is to accommodate only six passengers in the business class.
This becomes the eighth aircraft to be purchased by President Magufuli's administration. The aircraft include two Boeing 787-8 Dream liners, two Airbus A-220-300 and 4 Bombardiers.
Three planes which were being operated by the Tanzania Government Flight Agency (TGFA) were added to the ATCL's fleet.
Apart from refurbishing the national carrier, President Magufuli presided over a ceremony for the launching of Terminal 3 at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA). The 314bn/- facility will increase the number of passengers using the airport from just 2.5 million to 8 million per annum.
Terminal 1 and 2 were operating beyond their capacity of handling 2.5 million passengers annually.
Last but not least, the government invested massively in construction of ships to operate in inland lakes, mainly Lake Victoria and Lake Nyasa.
The projects, with the total cost of 150bn/-, also involve refurbishment of two vessels and construction of a slipway.
Some of the ships being constricted are "MV Mwanza" with a planned capacity to carry 1,200 passengers, 400 tonnes of cargo, 20 small vehicles and three trucks whose cost is pegged at US dollars 39m ( about 89.7bn/- ).
MV Victoria's planned capacity is 1,200 passengers, 100 tonnes of cargo whilst MV Butiama is slated to carry 200 passengers and 700 tonnes of cargo.