Dar es Salaam – The new cabinet is expected to be formed in coming few days and ahead of it the elected President John Magufuli has appointed a former junior minister as the new prime minister of the country.
In the previous government the 54-year-old Majaliwa Kassim Majaliwa was a deputy local government minister and was overseeing school education.
The appointment comes as a surprise to all and since November 5 when the Magufuli assumed office this is his biggest decision.
Magufuli’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has been lately under great pressure to reduce corruption across the country and simultaneously ensure the economic growth too.
The CCM has been in power since the independence of Tanzania in 1961 when the colonial rule came to an end.
Magufuli has already taken strict decisions in couple of segments after taking the chair. He has ordered cuts in tax exemptions and also restrictions of government officials on foreign travel. The moves are considered to be the beginning of fiscal belt-tightening.
Majaliwa is to take oath on Friday. His appointment was approved by about three-quarters of votes in the parliament.
Member of Parliament Zainab Vullu said Majaliwa is a little known politician and so his appointment is a surprise to him.
Majaliwa has succeeded Mizengo Pinda, who was caught in accusation of graft in 2014 to which he had always denied.
Pinda took the chair in 2008.
The general elections in Tanzania on October 25 went peacefully, but the semi-autonomous island Zanzibar annulled it over irregularities.
