How Magufuli Scooped Africa Person of the Year 2018 Award

By Staff Reporter, London

Tanzania’s great performance and strides has triggered the African Leadership Magazine (ALM) to announced President John Magufuli as the 2018 winner for the award of the ALM Person of the Year-Political Leadership for 2018.  

The publisher of the Magazine Dr. Ken Giami unveiled that President Magufuli scooped 62.66 percent ahead of other three African Presidents namely: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader, APC, Nigeria (10.41%), H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa (8.82%) and H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana (18.11%).

 

According to Dr. Giam who unveiled the nominees and later the winners at the group’s corporate head office in the UK, the nominations for the 2018 edition of the Persons of the Year attracted submissions from East, West, South, North and Southern Africa.

The publisher stated that “all the nominees have risen above the obvious challenges that their milieus have thrown at them to achieve greatness in their own unique ways but in different roles.” The publisher stated that the shortlist was preceded by a call for the nomination which attracted over 250 entries, from within and outside the continent.

The annual African Leadership Magazine is designed to showcase and celebrate Africa’s finest business, political and diplomatic leaders who are contributing to the continents’ growth and Development.

The 2018 year, The African Leadership Magazine Persons of the year was consigned to four broad themes: Africans whose activities, policies and actions have contributed to Investment into Africa’s young people, jobs & wealth creation, promotion sustainable peace development, delivering democratic values;& promotion of Africa’s image globally.

This is the second award after the Africa 54 online Magazine named President Magufuli the second best Africa President for the year 2018 after the former President of Botswana Ian Khama. The award gala dinner will be held on 22^nd January, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa.

According to the Africa 54 online Magazine President Magufuli did wonders for the country of Tanzania probably than any other African Leaders. These are some of the wonders that make President Magufuli to continue receiving awards globally.

President Magufuli is the righteous person. This has been evidenced through the struggles he is making to curb corruption in the country. Since assuming office in November 2015, Magufuli has been rebuilding lost trust with Western donors by firing public officials deemed to be incompetent and corrupt.

For example, in 2016 Magufuli fired six senior officials in the Tanzania Revenue Authority, including Commissioner General Rashid Bade. Also suspended was the director general of the Tanzania Ports Authority, Ephraim Mgawe, over a scandal involving the non-payment of $40 million (35,1 million euros) in import taxes. Magufuli also sacked Edward Hoseah, the long-serving director general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), due to the slow pace of the fight against graft.

He has revived the national airline carrier (ATCL). Six new planes have been bought so far. Among these, four planes have been received and are all operating within and outside the country. Among these are two Airbus 220-300 jets, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and two new bombardiers. Credible sources explain that President Magufuli has prioritised investment in Air Tanzania to revive the loss-making carrier and boost the vital tourism sector, a top foreign exchange earner

Since 2016 the government of President Magufuli started implementing the policy of free secondary education to all Tanzania. This was and is the history that had never been made in this country. The government allocates more than US$ 62 million in the budget each year to cater the purpose.

In terms of roads construction, President Magufuli continues to link all the parts in the country and decreasing traffic jams in the cities. For example, recently, the President laid the foundation stone for the construction of 19.2km eight-lane duo in Dar es Salaam (Mbezi– Kibamba to decrease the jam in the city. There are so many examples of constructed roads and bridges but the space is not enough to explain them.

The signing of the a three-billion-US dollar landmark deal with an Egyptian company for the construction of the Stigler’s Gorge hydroelectric project in a game reserve is another impossible project that President Magufuli has worked hard to implement.

It was proposed by the Father of the Nation (Mwalimu Julius Nyerere) but it was not implemented until recently when the deal was inked between two governments (Tanzania and Egypt). The project will generate 2,115 megawatts which is more than all electricity generated from all other sources in Tanzania which currently stood at 1,560 megawatts.

President Magufuli recently nailed down the new formula used to calculate retirement benefits before the meagre of social security funds until 2023. The new regulations for pensioners that instituted 25 percent for lump sum and 75 percent monthly packages had provoked an outcry from workers, politicians and trade unionists.

It should be noted since taking power in 2015 President Magufuli has been working tirelessly to serve the interests of the country and its citizens through various projects and social services.

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