Tanzania’s President and the ‘4 Rs’: where she has excelled

Despite criticism, the President of Tanzania has made notable strides across the “4 Rs” — Resilience, Reform, Rebuilding, and Reconstruction. Here’s a breakdown of some of her key successes:

1. Resilience: Strengthening the Nation’s Capacity

The President has led Tanzania through significant challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to economic difficulties. Despite global supply chain disruptions, her administration maintained steady GDP growth around 4.9% by prioritising key sectors like agriculture and mining. Investments in health infrastructure also increased by 30%, enhancing the country’s ability to manage infectious diseases.

Successes:

Maintained GDP growth amid global challenges: President Samia’s administration focused on agriculture and mining to navigate economic turbulence. Support for agriculture, including better access to fertilizers and extension services, secured food production and exports. In mining, streamlined regulations and improved transparency attracted foreign investment, boosting exports like gold. These strategies helped sustain a 4.9% GDP growth in 2022, despite global slowdowns.

Enhanced healthcare response: Under President Samia, healthcare investments expanded, with new facilities in underserved regions and improved medical supplies. By 2023, Tanzania administered over 25 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. Increased funding for medical research strengthened the response to emerging diseases, including the swift containment of a recent Marburg virus outbreak.

2. Reform: Driving Institutional and Policy Changes

One of the President’s major achievements is her commitment to reform, focusing on reducing corruption and improving transparency. Her administration’s new measures under the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) have increased accountability and cut costs in government contracts. She has also promoted women and youth in leadership, with women now holding 37% of cabinet positions, a national record. Additionally, reforms to streamline the business environment have improved Tanzania’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking, attracting foreign investment in energy and infrastructure.

President Samia is also heavily invested in social and environmental reform. She is known as the pioneer of the ‘Clean Cooking’ initiative, which aims to reduce the harmful environmental and health impacts of traditional cooking methods. As one of the champions of this initiative, she has promoted the use of clean, sustainable energy solutions, particularly for cooking, to reduce indoor air pollution. Her leadership on this issue is vital, as nearly 900 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still rely on biomass for cooking, which contributes to deforestation and respiratory diseases.

Successes:

Strengthened anti-corruption measures: The establishment of the PPRA and the adoption of an electronic procurement system (e-GP) have reduced fraud and renegotiated inflated contracts, saving millions. In 2022 alone, stricter bidding processes saved $150 million on infrastructure contracts, enhancing trust with international partners.

Increased women’s representation in government: Women now hold 37% of cabinet positions, with 2023 seeing the historic appointment of the first female Minister of Defence. This progress has inspired other sectors, including the judiciary and private businesses, to follow suit, boosting gender equality in leadership.

Improved business environment and investor confidence: Reforms such as simplifying business registration and tax processes led to a 15-place rise in Tanzania’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking from 2021 to 2023. This improvement attracted major foreign investments, including a $1 billion renewable energy project and a $500 million infrastructure project, creating jobs and modernising the economy.

Contributed to sustainable and environmentally friendly policy and activism: President Samia called for the African Development Fund to be replenished with USD $12 billion for clean cooking by 2030. She also launched the African Women Clean Cooking Support Programme, a gender-responsive programme at COP28, to make clean cooking a priority in Africa. Lastly, she launched Tanzania’s National Clean Cooking Strategy 10-year strategy.

3. Rebuilding: Fostering Economic Growth and Opportunity

Rebuilding the economy post-pandemic has been a priority for the President, with a focus on reviving tourism, which accounts for 10% of Tanzania’s GDP and was hard hit by the pandemic. Targeted campaigns and infrastructure investment have led to a 50% rise in tourist numbers. Additionally, her administration launched programmes to support agriculture and small businesses, helping farmers and entrepreneurs regain stability, boosting rural development, and reducing poverty.

Successes:

Tourism revival: The “Rediscover Tanzania” campaign, along with digital marketing and international partnerships, spurred a 50% rise in tourism, especially in the Serengeti and Zanzibar. Re-opening national parks and expanding airports like Julius Nyerere and Kilimanjaro International were key to this recovery.

Agriculture support: The Agriculture Transformation Initiative introduced subsidies, irrigation access, and modern farming technologies, leading to a 20% increase in crop yields in regions like Dodoma and Morogoro. This improved food security and enabled surplus crop exports, strengthening the economy.

4. Reconstruction: Building Infrastructure and Connectivity

In reconstruction efforts, the President has focused on large-scale infrastructure projects to boost connectivity and economic growth. Under her leadership, Tanzania has heavily invested in modernising the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), enhancing trade across East Africa. This project is expected to improve transportation efficiency by 40% and reduce costs for businesses. She has also championed new airport construction and upgraded Dar es Salaam’s port, transforming it into one of the region’s busiest and strengthening Tanzania’s logistics network, positioning the country as a key East African trade hub.

Successes:

SGR Modernisation: The President’s push to modernise the SGR has already improved trade efficiency between Tanzania and its neighbours by 40%. The railway has significantly reduced transportation times between Dar es Salaam and cities like Mwanza and Dodoma, boosting Tanzanian products’ competitiveness in regional markets and connecting landlocked countries like Uganda and Rwanda.

Dar es Salaam Port: Major upgrades to Dar es Salaam’s port, including deeper berths and modern cargo handling, have reduced vessel waiting times by 70%, allowing the port to handle larger ships and process over 17 million tons of cargo annually. This has expanded Tanzania’s export capacity for key commodities such as coffee, cashews, and minerals.