DISTRICT councils across the country fail to utilize internal revenues to create and implement development projects, the Uhuru Torch team has declared.

Uhuru Torch team leader Godfrey Mzava said in a report before President Samia Suluhu Hassan here yesterday that districts instead rely on funds from the central government and public institutions.

Just a few councils are implementing development projects using internal funds, while many councils do not have satisfactory explanations regarding the use of internal revenue collected, especially in the area of project implementation, he specified.

If it happens that the Uhuru Torch race for 2025 is directed at addressing projects funded by internal revenue of local government authorities the results will be abysmal, he told the gathering.

He strongly asserted that tax deductions from government funds allocated for development projects are not respected by local government authorities in many areas.

Speaking at the climax of the 2024 National Uhuru Torch Race and the launch of the Uhuru Torch history book here yesterday, the team leader told the president that the rates of these taxes are known and are set according to the law, but the relevant authorities fail to fulfil their obligations to ensure they are deducted and returned to the TRA. 

This challenge has been noticed during the race as it has been evident in many projects being implemented in the country. “This is an area to follow up closely,” he said, pointing out that many public project tenders are awarded outside the digital public procurement system (NeST).

This is contrary to the Public Procurement Act of 2023 and laws against the mismanagement of public assets and unsatisfactory public tendering, he stated, 

He also raised worries on electricity supply in rural areas under the supervision of the Rural Energy Agency (REA), affirming that its implementation is problematic in many areas, so this area needs priority in monitoring.

President Samia participated in a memorial church service to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of the late Mwalimu Nyerere, inspected the Youth Week exhibition concluded at Furahisha grounds, and launched a book on the Uhuru Torch authored by Job Lusinde and edited by Dr Bashiru Ally.

The president used the occasion to appeal to the wider public to participate fully in the local government elections on November 27, underlining that it’s holding and results will give a picture on what to expect in the general election, late 2025.

The civic polls are a significant opportunity to enhance democracy and participation in community development, she stated, asking Tanzanians to distinguish between the voter list used in local government elections and the permanent voter register used in the general election. 

Participating in the upcoming elections will demonstrate public participation in the development of their regions, alongside creating, managing and implementing economic activities at the community level for the inclusive development of people in those administrative areas, she emphasised.

Ridhiwani Kikwete, the Labour, Youth, Employment, and Disabled Persons state minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said in presenting a report on Youth Week activities that the torch has been carried across 37,235.62 km across 31 regions, spending an average of one day in each district.

The running team visited 195 councils in the 195 days it lasted, led by six youths from Zanzibar, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam regions, while the team leader for the race was picked from Mwanza.

During this race, 150,159,594 trees were planted and 1,595 projects valued at 11trn/- launched and inspected, compared to 1,424 projects valued at 5.3trn/- completed during the same exercise last year.

Additionally, 16 projects valued at 8.6bn/- were rejected after being found to have deficiencies and were handed over to the anti-corruption watchdog for thorough investigation, the minister stated.