Dar es Salaam – Tanzanian President John Magufuli canceled the independence day celebrations today and opted to keep the country neat and clean.
The 55-year-old shovelled leaves and rubbish in the commercial part of Dar es Salaam and dozens of fishermen joined him doing the same outside the palace.
Magufuli, who came to power this October, urged the people to work together and keep workplaces, homes, cities and country as a whole clean, safe and healthy. He said this is a new Tanzania, the country has changed.
The country is currently struggling from a major cholera outbreak and the president, son of a peasant farmer, said it would be shameful when people die out of such disease.
Thousands of people from across Tanzania took part in the clean-up mission on the independence day including former president Jakaya Kikwete.
Kikwete said he is happy with the exercise and urged people to give full support to the campaign of Magufuli in fighting disease like cholera.
Kikwete further added he is happy with other measures of the president too including tax evasion.
Magufuli is nicknamed as The Bulldozer in the country for his new road construction programme. He has also promised to tackle corruption in the country and pursued a programme of austerity.
With his no-nonsense approach the president has announced several of cost-cutting measures in Tanzania including ban of foreign travel by government officials unless it is very much required and approved by Magufuli himself.
Last month the president curtailed the cost of party to inaugurate the new parliament to $7,000 from $100,000.
