.jpg)
Dar es Salaam. ACT Wazalendo has called on the government to take urgent measures to address what it describes as growing challenges facing Tanzanians, including the democratic impasse, rising living costs, gaps in universal health insurance and inadequate preparations for heavy rains.
The opposition party also criticised the concentration of inland container depots (ICDs) in Dar es Salaam, saying the arrangement was contributing to congestion, road damage, pollution and loss of productive time.
Speaking during the party's monthly address, ACT Wazalendo Shadow Prime Minister Isihaka Mchinjita said the government had not provided adequate solutions to challenges affecting citizens.
He said the government should prioritise practical measures to improve people's livelihoods instead of relying on promises and official statements.
On democracy, ACT Wazalendo said Tanzania could not continue operating under what it termed a democratic impasse.
The party claimed that political and civil freedoms were under increasing pressure and that opposition parties continued to face difficulties in conducting political activities.
Mr Mchinjita also raised concerns over reported cases of alleged human rights violations, disappearances, abductions and killings, saying they required greater accountability.
He said the delay in the constitutional reform process could no longer be attributed to financial constraints, time or lack of expertise, arguing that the main challenge was political will.
ACT Wazalendo called for the immediate resumption of the constitutional review process, saying Tanzania needed a new constitution that would strengthen checks and balances, protect citizens' rights and promote institutional independence.
The party also demanded investigations into political incidents reported before, during and after the 2025 General Election.
It called for political cases to be reviewed and for an independent commission of inquiry, involving credible local and international institutions, to investigate the allegations.
The party also questioned the government's preparedness for heavy rains expected in various parts of the country.
Mr Mchinjita said the experience of the 2023/24 El Niño season should have provided sufficient lessons on the need for early intervention.
During that period, heavy rains caused deaths, displacement and damage to homes, farms, businesses and infrastructure in several areas.
ACT Wazalendo said it was concerned about the absence of sufficient clarity on the funds allocated for emergency preparedness and questioned whether adequate plans were in place to identify and assist people living in disaster-prone areas.
The party urged the government to reinforce bridges and culverts, clear drainage systems and prepare emergency supplies, including food, medicines and medical equipment.
It also proposed the establishment of a dedicated national disaster response team and called for greater capacity at the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA).
The party said authorities should identify high-risk areas, alert communities, prepare emergency shelters and strengthen rescue capacity before heavy rains begin.
“There is a major gap between the threat facing the country and the government's preparedness for the El Niño rains,” Mr Mchinjita said.
ACT Wazalendo also criticised the implementation of universal health insurance, saying millions of Tanzanians remained unable to access essential medical services because of treatment costs.
Mr Mchinjita cited dialysis and MRI scans among services that can impose a significant financial burden on patients.
He said dialysis can cost about TZS 200,000 per session, with some patients requiring several sessions a week, while an MRI scan can cost around TZS 400,000.
The party argued that the current system did not adequately cover some diseases and left many people, particularly those working in the informal sector, outside formal health insurance arrangements.
It proposed linking health insurance with the social security system to create a broader system covering workers in both the formal and informal sectors.
Mr Mchinjita said contributions should be based on an individual's ability to pay, while access to healthcare should be determined by medical need.
“People should contribute according to their ability but receive services according to their needs,” he said.
He also criticised situations in which public hospitals have modern medical equipment that citizens cannot afford to use or equipment remains out of service.
On the economy, ACT Wazalendo said rising prices of fuel, transport, construction materials and other essential commodities continued to put pressure on households.
Mr Mchinjita said falling prices in some areas had not fully reversed the increases recorded over recent months.
He questioned the value of economic growth if ordinary citizens continued to struggle to afford basic necessities.
“Economic growth that does not reduce the cost of living, create sufficient employment or improve people's ability to afford food, housing, healthcare and transport cannot be celebrated as a success,” he said.
The party urged the government to introduce a comprehensive plan to reduce the cost of living and review taxes and levies contributing to higher prices of essential goods.
It also called for stronger intervention by NFRA to purchase food and protect both farmers and consumers.
ACT Wazalendo further raised concerns over the concentration of dry ports and ICDs in Dar es Salaam.
The party said the proliferation of such facilities had contributed to traffic congestion, pollution, road deterioration, accidents and delays in the movement of goods.
Mr Mchinjita said the government should accelerate the development of Kwala and other strategic logistics centres while increasing the use of rail transport to move containers from the port.
ACT Wazalendo called for a halt to the issuance of new permits for dry ports in Dar es Salaam and urged the government to shift cargo-handling activities to strategic locations such as Kwala, Isaka, Kigoma and Mbeya.
It also called for increased railway capacity for container transportation and the construction of dedicated infrastructure for trucks.
The party also opposed any proposal to relocate residents from 10 wards in Temeke District, arguing that residents should not bear the cost of planning and infrastructure challenges.
ACT Wazalendo said the government should address underlying urban planning and logistics problems rather than relocating communities.
“An administration with modern ideas does not relocate citizens to conceal poor planning. An efficient port is not one that stores large volumes of cargo, but one that moves cargo quickly from the port to its final destination,” Mr Mchinjita said.