Tanzania's youngest party promise Health Insurance to all citizens

By Our Correspondent, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania

Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo), the youngest political party in Tanzania, has said that it will make sure every Tanzanian has health insurance, pay pensions to every Tanzanian when becoming old as well as restoring dignity and respect for every Tanzanian, especially women and children, against stigma or harassment.

Zitto Kabwe, the ACT-Wazalendo
party leader

Zitto Kabwe, the ACT-Wazalendo party leader told the party’s general conference in Dar es Salaam Wednesday August 5.

“Our party will create a government which enables every citizen to have health insurance cover and pays pension to every Tanzanian who has reached an age where it is impossible to continue engaging in production activities. We will ensure that elders are well taken care of to enjoy their old age,” he declared.

According to the National Health Insurance Fund, as of December 2019, health insurance membership coverage stood at 4,856,062 beneficiaries which is equivalent to 9% of the total Tanzanian population.

Almost 91% of the population are forced to pay ‘expensive’ medical services direct from their pockets or through other private insurances.

Kabwe said that the party is working to ensure that it creates a government that respects the rule of law, dignity, freedom and well-being of the people.

“We are going to share with Tanzanians from the Mainland and Zanzibar, the kind of nation we aspire to build. We want a Tanzania with people of good social status and true happiness, who care about others, with a fair system of justice, true democracy, freedom as well as inclusive, strong and prosperous economy”

Taxation and business formalization systems will focus on efficiency and business growth, to take measures which do not undermine traders, he stated.

ACT-Wazalendo, the youngest and most organised political party in the country, wants to form a government that will improve and facilitate the prosperity of the informal sector especially small businesses that are mostly run by women and youth.

“We will also invest heavily in science and technology to enable it to be a catalyst for creating opportunities and promoting an inclusive economy. Our government will ensure that professionals in various fields are placed in a balanced environment to assist the nation in promoting an economy that improves the lives of people,” he emphasized.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Employment Estimates in Tanzania Mainland 2018, the projections reveals that unemployment rate in the country stood at 9.7%.

The party nominated former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bernard Membe, as its presidential candidate in the October general election and the long-time opposition chief, Seif Sharrif Hamad as Zanzibar presidential candidate.

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bernard Membe (L) in a discussion with long-time opposition chief, Seif Sharrif Hamad.

Membe who served as Member of Parliament for Mtama constituency from 2000 to 2015, led the Foreign Affairs docket from 2007 to 2015.

He served as a national security analyst at the President's Office from 1978 to 1989. He thereafter attended Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC where he studied international relations from 1990 to 1992. In 1992, he was assigned to serve as an Advisor of the Tanzanian High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada, where he served until 2000.

Hamad or ‘Maalim’ as widely known by his supporters is a long time Zanzibar politician served as Member of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Council and Zanzibar Minister of Education (1977–1980), founding member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives (1980–1989) and Member of Tanzanian Parliament (1977), Member of the Central Committee and National Executive Committee of Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) - Tanzanian’s Ruling Party (1977–1987).

He became Zanzibar Chief Minister from 6 February 1984 to 22 January 1988, soon after his dismissal, he was expelled from the sole legal party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), after disputes with party officials.

From May 1989 - November, 1991 he was imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.

When Tanzania adopted a multiparty political system in 1992, Hamad along with other former CCM members founded the Civil United Front party and elected as the Secretary General.

He was First Vice President of Zanzibar from 2010 to 2015. - Africa