Political will will improve the living standard of the poor majority in the country.

In ten years, Tanzania has recorded a 7 per cent GDP growth with the remaining poor living standard of people, whereby, more than 60 percent of the Tanzanians live below the International poverty line despite constancy increase in the country’s GDP.  By the end of 2012 the number of the poor was more than 14 million.

It time now for the government leaders to wake up and commit to ensure the improvement living standard of the poor majority in the country.  There should be a political will as what happened to Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32^nd US president who commits to establish an American standard of living without leaving behind any fraction of his people. He vision for the security and economic liberty of the American people in war and peace. 

“It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.”

His words matter as much now as they did over sixty years ago. Our country needs to improve the living standard of the poor majority, most of who lives in rural areas (over 75%) and depend on Agriculture.

   

According to Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, there must be sustained growth of the agriculture sector that increases the productivity of small-holder farmers to at least 6 percent a year for a decade. Employment creating manufacturing sector that grows at an average rate of 12 -15 percent for a decade can reduce poverty at a fast rate.

“We need an effective state that can manage and use public resources effectively, invest in infrastructure, particularly reliable power, water supply, good roads and promote a better business climate,” 

However, Professor Lucian Msambichaka from the Department of Economics at the University of Dar se salaam once said countries with larger numbers of leaders without political will to develop the people contribute much on people’s poverty as they are not ready to serve the poor.

“Political commitments among key leaders need to focus on the goals they need to achieve to rescue the poor from poverty.”

In order to reduce Poverty in our country, the government should have special attention and focus on agriculture activities, on which about 80% of the Tanzanians depend.  And to improve the sector, Hand hoe (cultivate about 70% of the crops) should be  replaced by the use of tractors and merchandise equipment, there should be value addition to the produce and the improvement of the price of goods produced. 

Let's be content to have true individual freedom in the country; an individual with economic security and independence. 

"True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. “Necessitous men are not free men.” People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made".- Franklin Roosevelt.

.