Sagini Starts Work in Mbeya and Presses Directors

Mbeya’s new regional commissioner, Jumanne Sagini, has begun his tenure by setting three priorities: improving environmental cleanliness, completing a long-awaited four-lane road and developing a market for rice and avocado products.

Speaking at a reception for government officials and staff on the night of September 7, Sagini said cleanliness would be a major focus, following directives President Samia Suluhu Hassan gave when regional commissioners took office. He told public servants to remain accountable in their respective areas and instructed directors to supervise cleanliness in their jurisdictions.

The four-lane road has become a major source of frustration for residents and national leaders who encounter traffic congestion in Mbeya, Sagini said. He pledged to look for funding with the Tanzania National Roads Agency, known as Tanroads, and the regional administrative secretary, with the aim of completing the road and other stalled projects.

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If Mbeya City ranked first in environmental cleanliness for three consecutive years in the past, why can’t it do so again today? I will meet with experts, and we will put strategies in place. This is possible.

“If Mbeya City ranked first in environmental cleanliness for three consecutive years in the past, why can’t it do so again today? I will meet with experts, and we will put strategies in place. This is possible,” Sagini said.

He also linked Mbeya’s agricultural plans to President Samia’s call for rice to reach global markets. The region is a leading producer of avocados, he said, and could first sell its output to public and private institutions before packaging rice under the “Mbeya Rice” label. With more than 3.2 million people in the region, Sagini said, Mbeya itself provides an initial market. “We have no challenge, but an opportunity,” he said.

Sagini said he wanted officials in Mbeya to work through dialogue and cooperation, arguing that this would improve implementation and help residents. Chunya District Commissioner Alhaji Mbaraka Batenga said officials were ready to support him and pursue the expectations of the president and the public.

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We have no challenge, but an opportunity.