CCM presidential candidate Samia Suluhu Hassan has unveiled plans to transform Mbeya into a 24-hour economy by introducing modern traffic management systems, including the installation of road traffic lights and the construction of a flyover at the Mwanjelwa area.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Mbeya Urban Constituency yesterday, Samia stated that the city’s growing commercial vibrancy requires urgent infrastructure upgrades to ease congestion and enable businesses to operate smoothly around the clock.

 “We want Mbeya to operate day and night as a true commercial hub. That is why we will install traffic lights in key junctions and work on building an upper bridge at Mwanjelwa to decongest the area. This will unlock trade and facilitate 24-hour business operations,” she said.

The Mwanjelwa area, a bustling trading centre in the Southern Highlands, has long been plagued by heavy traffic, often causing delays for traders and commuters. Samia said addressing this challenge would open new opportunities for traders, transport operators and small businesses that depend on a steady flow of customers.

In addition to infrastructure, Samia pledged to introduce reforms in the healthcare sector to protect families from crippling costs. She promised a new system that ensures patients’ relatives are not forced to pay hospital bills during or after treatment before being allowed to take their loved ones home in case of death.

“No family will again be subjected to such pain. Hospitals will no longer hold bodies or delay care because of unpaid charges, but can continue paying while home in agreed basis,” she assured.

Samia also outlined her broader development plan, committing to double the agriculture sector’s growth from the current 4.6 percent to 10 percent within the next five years.

She said the government will intensify investments in subsidised farm inputs, expand irrigation and use rural electrification to set up agricultural zones that will particularly benefit young farmers.

Highlighting Kyela District’s potential, Samia pledged to support the establishment of a cocoa processing factory to add value to the crop, generate jobs and boost farmers’ earnings.

Samia underscored that her administration would place youth at the centre of economic transformation, creating jobs through agribusiness, agro-processing industries and improved trading environments in urban centres like Mbeya.

“By modernising agriculture and establishing factories, we are building a future where youth are not job seekers but job creators,” she emphasised.

Her pledges in Mbeya combined urban solutions, traffic management and modern city infrastructure—with rural strategies focused on farming and value addition. 

Kyela Constituency parliamentary candidate, Dr Tulia Ackson, praised Samia’s track record, saying the reforms undertaken in the past four years have laid a strong foundation for further growth. She pointed to Samia’s efforts in reviving the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic, stabilising inflation, and strengthening the investment climate that has attracted new industries and jobs.

Dr Tulia said the in the past four years, the government had also championed women and youth empowerment programmes, enabling more Tanzanians to access capital for small and medium enterprises. “Through deliberate policies, Samia has ensured that women and young people are no longer left behind in economic opportunities. Her leadership has been inclusive, people-centred and transformative,” she said.

She further highlighted reforms in education and healthcare, including the expansion of free secondary schooling, improvement of teaching infrastructure, and major investments in hospital equipment and specialist services. According to her, the initiatives have already touched the daily lives of Tanzanians and reflect Samia’s determination to build a stronger, fairer nation.