President Jakaya Kikwete has promised Tanzanians state-of-the-art Internet connectivity and fast link to the outside world, declaring the country had entered a new era in telecommunications.

Speaking at the inauguration of the SEACOM global fibre optic landing point in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Mr Kikwete said the project came with massive social economic benefits, which Tanzanians should waste no time to seize.

The Dar es Salaam point links the country to a marine backbone fibre. From the city, the network would extend to the rest of the country and to neighbouring Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.

Mr Kikwete said Tanzanians would not wait long as basic infrastructure operated by the Tanzanian Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) had already reached Dodoma.

Other local companies already hooked to the system included the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL), Songo Songo gas and the Tanzanian Railways Limited.

The event in Dar es Salaam was watched by audience in several other countries including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique.

By December this year, Tanzania expects to have laid down more than 7,000 feeder kilometres of the network in what promised to be a real milestone in Information and Communication technology.

The head of state said some beneficiaries including the University of Dodoma, Prime Minister's Office Regional Administration and Local Government, Ministry of Communications Science and Technology and the Parliament in Dodoma were already connected.

SEACOM Chief executive officer Mr Brian Herlihy who was present said the cable would enhance delivery of public services in schools and medical institutions among others. He said eight companies had already bought capacity from SEACOM in Tanzania making a total of 25 companies in East Africa.

Meanwhile Kikwete has urged police to fight the increasing wave of cyber crime. He said the adoption of new technology had brought its own challenges that would require a modern force to fight.

Kikwete pledged the government's support to aid the establishment and equipping and training of a police unit to fight cyber crime.

He spoke yesterday at the Police College in Dar-es-salaam when officiating Assistant Superintendents'(ASP's) of Police's graduation during which 291 officers graduated.

Earlier Inspector General of Police, Said Mwema urged the police force to transform its image from that of oppressor to friend of the people.

Additional reporting by Alex Bitekeye