DAR ES SALAAM: DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Dotto Biteko, has urged Tanzanians to participate in giving their views on three bills aimed at improving the country's democratic framework and electoral procedures.
The bills, which were tabled in the parliament last November, include the National Electoral Commission Bill 2023, the Political Parties Affairs Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023, and the Presidential, Parliamentary, and Local Government Elections Bill 2023.
Dr Biteko emphasised that participating in the process would automatically support the efforts of President Samia Suluhu Hassan in building a better Tanzania in the political, economic and social spheres.
He made the remarks while speaking to citizens in Mbogwe District, Geita Region, during a New Year's ceremony organised by the Mbogwe MP.
The ceremony was attended by other leaders in Geita Region, led by Regional Commissioner Martine Shigela.
"I call upon Tanzanians to contribute their views on the three bills, which were presented in Parliament for the first reading in November last year," the Deputy Prime Minister said, adding; "The public is required to express their views from January 6th to 10th this year regarding the amendment of these laws."
He stated that their views would help build a better country instead of simply complaining and staying behind.
Dr Biteko noted that the President has been doing an excellent job of uniting Tanzanians, regardless of their political, religious, or ethnic affiliations.
He cited the President's decision to lift the ban on political rallies as an example of her commitment to building solidarity and unity in the country.
Regarding the upcoming local government elections, Dr Biteko called upon citizens to choose the best leaders and urged them not to be divided by the election.
He encouraged them to focus on issues that connect them, such as roads, water, and electricity, and not allow anyone to sow hatred among them.
In his New Year's greetings, Dr Biteko emphasised the importance of embracing love, forgiveness and helping and valuing each other in order to progress together.
In a related development, Dr Biteko discussed the status of electricity accessibility in the district, stating that power availability would continue to improve with the construction of a new transmission line that will bring electricity to the district from the Nyakanazi substation.
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He also mentioned plans to build another line to transmit electricity from Kahama to the district and construct a cooling station to distribute power. Similar stations will be built in other districts across the country.
Earlier, Geita Regional Commissioner Mr Shigella expressed satisfaction with the implementation of development projects in Mbogwe District, including education, water, electricity, roads and healthcare.
He highlighted that 90 per cent of the villages in the region have already been connected to electricity, with work still underway to connect the remaining 10 per cent, equivalent to 50 villages.
Mbogwe Member of Parliament Nicodemus Maganga commended the Deputy Prime Minister for attending the event and praised the well-organised implementation of development projects, including in the mining sector, in Mbogwe District.
