Tanzania scraps 61st Independence Day Celebration, dedicates funds towards welfare of children

Tanzania has disbursed an amount of $445,000 meant for their Independence Day  celebrations towards the building of dormitories for children with special needs.

This means, there will be no Independence Day National event on Friday December 9 when they country would have had their annual event to commemorate its 61st anniversary.

Tanzania’s Minister of State at the Vice President’s Office, George Simbachawene says instead of having their usual parades and other national celebrations, they will for this year commemorate the Day by having public dialogues on development.

“The debates and conferences will be preceded by various schedules for regional and district leaders to carry out social activities in different areas including cleaning hospitals, schools, elderly homes and groups with special needs,” he told journalists.

The country’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan made the decision to cancel the celebrations due to the extravagance attached to such ceremonies, according to reports.

Samia Suluhu Hassan has since assuming office in 2021 championed the cause of woman and children in the East African country with her recent charge for the conduct of an assessment on various laws to identify and fill the gaps in promoting their welfare.