MORE than 14 million Tanzanians have attended CCM campaign rallies presidential candidate Samia Suluhu Hassan since the official launch of the party’s election campaigns in late August.

Briefing reporters on the ongoing election campaign yesterday in Dodoma, Kenani Kihongosi, CCM secretary for advocacy, ideology, publicity and Training  said Samia has so far held 77 campaign rallies across 21 regions, covering the Central, Western, Coastal, Southern, Southern Highlands, Pemba, Unguja and Northern zones, attracting major turnouts at every stop. 
“Over 14.62 million people have participated in the rallies physically, while another 31.6 million have followed them through broadcast and online platforms,” he said.
The high level of public engagement is being viewed as a strong endorsement of Samia’s leadership record over the past four years, during which she has spearheaded ambitious reforms in infrastructure, healthcare, education, water supply, and the economy.

Since assuming the presidency in 2021, Samia has overseen transformative national projects, including the near completion of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), which advanced from 37 to 99.55 per cent completion under her leadership — and major progress in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connecting Dar es Salaam to Makutupora, Tabora, Isaka and Mwanza.
Her administration has also expanded Tanzania’s road network by 15,366 kilometres, procured six new passenger aircraft and one cargo plane for Air Tanzania, and implemented 1,633 water supply projects, the majority of which serve rural communities.
In the social sectors, the government has built 1,368 new health centres, increasing the number of emergency units from seven to 116, and adding 183 maternity and surgical facilities. The education sector has seen a rise in the number of primary schools to 19,783 and secondary schools to 5,926, alongside a significant rise in the higher education loan budget, from 464bn/- to 786bn/-
Economic growth has also been steady, climbing from 3.9 percent in 2021 to 5.5 percent in 2024, with projections reaching 6 percent by the end of 2025. During this period, over 8 million new jobs have been created.
Her initiatives include free treatment for cancer, diabetes and kidney patients; health insurance for children, the elderly and people with disabilities; and a 200bn/- support package for small-scale traders.
With just 24 days remaining before the 29 October General Election, Samia is set to begin her Lake Zone campaign tour covering Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Geita, Mara and Kagera regions, areas that have also benefited from her administration’s development projects. Among the completed projects are the Kigongo Busisi (Magufuli) Bridge, the Butimba Water Project serving 450,000 residents, and the Lake Victoria Water Project benefiting nearly 87,000 people in Tinde and Shelui.
Kihongosi said  the turnout at Samia’s rallies demonstrates the people’s appreciation for the progress made under her government and their confidence in her vision for continued development and national unity.