Excitement as Magufuli due to make first presidential visit to Arusha
Arusha Regional Commissioner Felix Ntibenda
The President arrives in the city this afternoon for a three day
state visit of the region. During his visit, President Magufuli is
expected to commission officers at the Tanzania Military Academy in
Monduli on Saturday.
According to Arusha Regional Commissioner Felix Ntibenda, the plane
carrying president Magufuli is due to touch down at the Kilimanjaro
International Airport (KIA) at 1400hrs today and his motorcade will
proceed to the regional State House in Arusha.
“All is set for the arrival of President Magufuli, I urge Arusha
residents to turn up in large numbers to welcome the Head of State,”
Ntibenda said.
The Regional Commissioner said security has been beefed up with
extra security personnel manning the city which has for the last few
days being experiencing spells of heavy downpour.
Magufuli’s Arusha visit will be the first since he assumed the top
most office in November 5 last year. It will also be of particular
interest to Arusha, a region which is an opposition stronghold.
However, a cross section of Arusha residents interviewed by The
Guardian said they are not aware of the high profile visit to the
tourism circuit but was still upbeat over his arrival.
“I’m not aware of his visit to Arusha but we should count ourselves
lucky this time,” mused Joachim Mlay, a businessman in the city.
Mama Lukumay, a vegetable seller at city market was equally
jubilant of the visit saying it will help address key issues in the
region.
“If he is really coming then we hope that the usual harassments we get from city militias will come to an end,” she said.
For the better part of last week, the city’s Uzunguni area was
abuzz with activity with security personnel from the Police Force and
the intelligence unit manning the area where the regional State House is
located.
Of interest was also the refurbishment being done on the building
that will house the Chief of Armed forces when he arrives today.
Sources privy to the president’s visit confided to The Guardian
that the Regional Police Commander Liberatus Sabas was busy in meetings
to ensure that the president has a pleasant stay in the region. True to
the information, his phone was busy for the better part of yesterday and
until we went to print he was not reachable for comments.
President Magufuli’s austerity measures have not only impressed
Tanzanians but neighbouring countries as well with many praising his
curb of frugality sparing the government huge sums of money.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
