CCM presidential candidate, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has pledged to address long-standing human-wildlife conflicts in the country, assuring residents that her government will continue to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods while advancing broad-based development.

Speaking at a campaign rally yesterday in Tunduru District, Ruvuma Region, Samia said five drones will be deployed in the district to help combat elephant invasions, part of a wider national strategy to reduce clashes between communities and wild animals.

She stressed that protecting citizens’ safety and farm productivity remains a top government priority.

Alongside this, Samia outlined major achievements and future commitments for Tunduru. In the past five years, 31 water projects have been implemented, raising access to safe water in rural areas to 85 percent, while Tunduru town has seen an improvement from 24 percent to 78 percent.

She announced that a 3.1bn/- mega water project is already lined up to ensure the remaining gaps are fully addressed in the next five years.

Health and education sectors have also seen significant progress. 20 new dispensaries and five health centres will be constructed, adding to existing facilities, while eight new secondary schools, four new primary schools, additional classrooms and teachers’ houses have already been built.

The improved district loan system, where councils set aside 10 percent of revenues to support economic activities, has grown from 600/- to 1.4nb/-, empowering more local groups.
On infrastructure, Samia promised the completion of the Tunduru–Namtumbo and Mtwara–Tandahimba–Tunduru road projects to improve connectivity.

Irrigation schemes will also be expanded from the current 21, up from only seven in previous years, boosting agricultural production. She noted that food production in Tunduru has already increased from 155,944 tonnes to over 251,000 tonnes, while commercial crop production has risen from 31 million to 42 million tonnes.

Plans are also underway to build processing plants, including coffee factories, to add value to farm produce.

Samia assured Tunduru residents that her government’s next term would accelerate investments in agriculture, infrastructure, power supply and social services, making the district a model for rural transformation.

Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, CCM Secretary General, urged Tunduru residents to turn out in large numbers on polling day to vote for President Samia, as well as CCM parliamentary and councillor candidates, in order to consolidate development gains.

Sikudhani Chitambo, CCM parliamentary candidate for Tunduru North, said primary education in the constituency has received 6.6bn/- and secondary education 10.3bn/-, while agriculture has been boosted with over 6bn/- and subsidised fertiliser to increase yields.

He further pointed to a 150bn/- mega power project that will significantly strengthen electricity supply once completed.

Fadhili Chilombe, CCM parliamentary candidate for Tunduru South, noted that 35bn/- has been injected into local projects in the constituency.

He hailed the planned tarmacking of the 350-kilometre Tunduru–Mtwara road, which he said had long been a source of hardship for residents.