Government creates three new regions

The government will create three new regions and several districts, divisions and councils, the Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, announced in Parliament recently. The decision, which aims at easing administration of the vast country, will increase the number of regions in the country to 29 from the current 26. One of the new regions, according to the Premier, will be known as Njoluma, comprising Njombe, Ludewa and Makete districts, which are currently parts of Iringa Region. The second new region would be known as Simiu, which will be carved out of Shinyanga Region and the third one will be Geita Region.

Tanzania's Prime Minister Mr. Mizengo Peter Pinda during parliamentary debate sessions in Dodoma.

Announcing the decision in the august House, Mr Pinda said talks on the establishment of Mpanda Region and the upgrading of Arusha Municipality into a city status were in progress. Reports indicate that the cost of establishing a region stands at between Sh4 and Sh6 billion, while the cost of establishing a new district is about Sh1 billion. The costs arise from the construction of headquarters, financing of running of the new administration centre, creation of essential infrastructures and from hiring of new civil servants. Mr Pinda announced the government’s decision to create the new administration areas while winding up his budget speech in the House.

He enumerated some of the proposed new districts as Butiama in Mara Region, Mbogwe in Rukwa Region and Nyang'wale and Ushetu in Mwanza Region. Others are Kwela and Bulele in Rukwa Region, Kaliua and Ikungi in Singida Region, Kalambo, Ushelu and Gairo in Morogoro Region, Mkalama and Nyasa in Ruvuma Region and Uvinza in Kigoma Region. According to the Premier, the government also intends to establish new district councils of Kaliua, Uvinza, Kakong'o, Kalambo and Mkalama. Others are Nyasa, Nyang'wale, Kahama, Masasi and Lindi. The minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, in-charge of Regional Administration and Local Government, Ms Celina Kombani, however, said no budget had been set aside for the new regions and districts in the 2010/11 financial year. Ms Kombani explained that the new administrative areas were not incorporated in this fiscal year’s budget because of ongoing process of demarcating them. She assured wananchi in those areas that they would participate in the demarcation process before decisions to be reached are sent to President Jakaya Kikwete for his blessings.