CHADEMA to make minerals benefit the majority of Tanzanians

CHADEMA's Union presidential candidate has urged immediate overhauling of mining laws to make minerals benefit the majority of Tanzanians.

Addressing a rally at Geita bus stand on Saturday, Dr Wilbrod Slaa, said neither the residents of Geita nor Tanzanians in general have so far benefited from the country's mineral resources.

He said the country's mineral resources were finite and would be depleted after a few decades of mining.

“Chadema plans to overhaul all mining laws to make minerals benefit Tanzanians, if we will be elected to form a government,” he said.

Dr Slaa provided statistics indicating that minerals output continued to decline over time.

"We want to see to it that Tanzanians benefit before minerals are finished," he said.

He said changes in the mining laws would include reviewing of the royalty payment by miners.Dr Slaa said the changes would be effected within the first 100 days after his election to the State House.

The Chadema presidential hopeful said 2005 and 2007 annual gold production declined from 42,270 kilogrammes to 39,750 and later 37,100. Dr Slaa continues his campaigns in Ilemela on Monday.

Meanwhile, business went to a stand still in Mwanza city on Sunday as crowds blocked streets to get a glimpse of the Chadema Union presidential candidate, Dr Slaa, as his convoy drove to his hotel. This was part of a massive turnout at Milongo Primary School grounds in Mwanza that broke the record of all his campaign rallies in six regions he has so far covered.

The police did not use tear gas to disperse the people who were struggling to shake hands with the outspoken opposition leader who was in a mini-bus. Many police were deployed in the streets, co-operating with Chadema's Blue Brigade and intelligence officials to keep order, as huge crowds marched.

During a rally at Nyamagana Stadium, Dr Slaa attacked the Home Affairs Minister, Mr Lawrence Masha, for using his office to intimidate Chadema's parliamentary candidate for Nyamagana Constituency, Mr Ezekiel Wenje.He read before thousands of Mwanza city residents a copy of a letter wrote by Mr Masha addressed to Nation Media Group (NMG) Limited which Dr Slaa said was signed by Minister Masha.

“It is wrong for a candidate to use his powers as a government executive to suppress his opponent. This is the abuse of power and it amounts to conflict of interest,” Dr Slaa said amid applause.

He further said his party has filed a petition against Mwanza Returning officer challenging his credibility to oversee the electoral process in the Nyamagana Constituency.

“We no longer have confidence in the Returning officer, we have filed the petition… and hope NEC will be fair on this matter,” he said Dr Slaa spent a big portion of the rally attacking the CCM presidential candidate, Dr Jakaya Kikwete and his government.

He criticised the president for what he described as "failure to deliver on 2005 his electoral
promises." He said Mr Kikwete and his government have failed to provide solutions to poverty, disease and grand corruption (ufisadi).

For the people to get rid of poverty, Dr Slaa said his party is in the process to draw up a grand industrial development strategy so as to add value to locally produced goods.He said Tanzania has a lot of raw materials which could be processed locally to create jobs, generate revenue, attract direct investment and boost the manufacturing sector.