A Casual View of Tanzania

June 16, 2025

Zaarin -- Founder n·h·g

I will not talk about the problems in western nations in this message, as it is clear the parties are so invested in our destruction, that it is a waste of effort to suggest solutions when the parties see assistance only as provocations. Instead, I will introduce you to a part of the world that actually has a bright future ahead of it, Tanzania, on the African continent.

My introduction to Tanzania, came to me in a dream when two weeks after graduating, I had been attending job interview after job interview, but nothing more substantial. In my dream, I had bought a condo in Tanzania, overlooking a beautiful lake and surrounded by lush trees or jungle. I met my neighbor in the hallway and I confessed I thought there were no Caucasians in Africa. He laughed deeply and said “Oh, we have Amercians, Europeans, all kinds of white people, Welcome!” and he gave me a big hug. The rest of the dream was me buying things for my new apartment.

This dream haunted me through-out my life, as it was made up of information that was not in my conscious mind. My brain had been collecting and organizing information on this country, without me even noticing it. When I awoke, I had to look up Tanzania in an encyclopedia to understand things in the dream. So firstly, it was a message about how powerful the mind is, and secondly, I always thought it was a message that I should look overseas for work. If I was that age again now, I would be seriously considering it, as this country has no future for the next generation. In Tanzania, its brightest days are ahead of it.

Otherwise, I didn’t spend too much of my life thinking about Tanzania. Often I would overhear someone mention ‘Tazmania’. My ears would perk up and I would think “are they talking about my country?”

That was until during the pandemic when the death of its sitting President, John Magufuli became international news. For most of my investment life I tried to follow the trades of the big money. Like a redditor mirroring the trades of Nancy Pelosi’s husband, I would pay attention to big infrastructure developments and try to figure out ways I could take advantage of the growth they would bring. If such development came with intrigue like the death of a politician and the reversal of policy, I was particularly interested. My rationale was that I was riding the coat tails of someone who was investing orders of magnitude more than I, and if they were having people executed to push their agenda forward, they were dedicated. Their dedication would translate into more returns for me. When I head that he had died under dubious circumstances, and it brought with it a complete 180° in government policy, I was foaming to get my investment prepared.

Dam When Tanzania’s President John Magufuli came to power in 2015, he had a bold nationalist vision for Tanzania’s development. Nicknamed the “Bulldozer” for his aggressive infrastructure agenda and his austerity programs, Magufuli was determined to break the country’s reliance on foreign donors, and instead develop Tanzania’s internal resources for growth. His presidency marked a sharp departure from the dependency model that defined much of the country’s history post-independence.

Among the most prominent state-funded project is the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, a $2.9 billion initiative intended to generate over 2,000 MW of electricity from the Rufiji River. Funded almost entirely by the Tanzanian government, this project symbolized his commitment to self-sufficiency, even amid international criticism over its environmental impact.

His other projects include:


On February 27, 2021 Magufuli gave a speech to the people in Chato, and despite rumors of ill health, (he had been making fewer appearances since the end of 2020) there were no visible signs of it. He spoke and interacted with the people there just fine. For weeks thereafter, he was not seen, with speculation about his health increasing. Finally, on March 12, the government said that the President had taken ill and was receiving treatment. Five days later, it announced that he was dead.

Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan assumed office and while his plans continued to completion, everything else about the government changed. Her ideas may be influenced by her education during her time studying economics in Manchester, England. She had a different leadership style—more diplomatic, open to global cooperation, and pragmatic in tone. Samia reversed many of Magufuli’s authoritarian measures, removing the ban on media outlets critical of his regime, removed key Magufuli loyalists from influential government and party positions, ordered the release of numerous political prisoners, easing tensions with opposition groups and civil society organizations, among other sweeping reforms.

Domestically, Samia accelerated public health responses, particularly in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, by embracing vaccination campaigns and preventive measures that were previously downplayed.

Samia reopened Tanzania to global partnerships and renewed cooperation with international donors and organizations. Under her leadership, Tanzania re-engaged with institutions such as the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund to attract development.

Some of the international partners include:
China

bridge United States


The European union (EU) and French Development Agency (AFD) co-finance:

Germany and the UK support governance reforms, climate adaptation projects, and public service innovation through programs like the Human Development Innovation Fund (HDIF).

Japan has contributed to pandemic preparedness, health infrastructure, and technical training, especially in refugee-hosting regions.

Saudi Arabia and Poland are more recent development players, focusing on agricultural modernization, food security, and water access.

Samia Suluhu Hassan seems a peculiar choice for John Magufuli’s running mate since they have such different points of view. Tanzania is the union of two stares, Tanganyika and Zanzibar. While the internal selection process of the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, is not publicly known, it is likely the candidates themselves do not select their running mate. In the interest of national unity, the party, in general, tries to choose one person from each of the states on the presidential ticket. If you look at past elections, it is not without fail, but it does seem to fit a balancing pattern.

Tanzania is an important cog in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), serving as a key partner in Africa’s infrastructure development. The Exim Bank of China has been a primary source of financing for Tanzania’s infrastructure projects, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), port expansions, and energy initiatives. These projects are essential for boosting Tanzania’s connectivity, regional trade, and long-term economic growth, positioning the country as a strategic player in East Africa and beyond.

Tanzania must remain vigilant against the potential debt trap that has affected other nations. Large loans can introduce long-term expenses that sometimes overshadow the sustainability of these projects, taking money from social programs to pay back the debt. As western nations are learning now, excessive government debt reduces the quality of life of its citizens.

tanzania John Magufuli was wary of foreign investment and tried to cultivate local sources of funding for infrastructure development. By strengthening domestic financial systems and encouraging private sector investments, Tanzania can reduce its dependency on foreign loans and create a more resilient and self-sufficient economy.

The only other thing I wanted encourage the Tanzanian people to do is to split the ruling party into two parts. If it were me deciding how to split it, I would divide members who are socialist leaning into one party and those who think free markets are more important into another party. Of course, they can always adapt their ideology to the desires of the populace. An utterly defeated party can remake themselves knowing that those ideas are not what the people want. The important thing is is that the electorate can have a decision of which direction they want their nation to take.

Harnessing the will of the people adds stability to the direction of government, since the demands of the people do not normally change radically from day to day, but change slowly over long periods.

If your goal is to court international development and investment, knowing that if a President dies unexpectedly in office, (barring a coup from external powers) his policies will continue. This will calm market fears. Having a leader, not to mention a member of the same party, make radical changes in policy in a short space of time is jarring to investors.

So let's all encourage the United Republic of Tanzania to continue to rise with vision, dignity, and strength. You stand at a pivotal moment in history — with the opportunity to shape a future that reflects the values, culture, and aspirations of your own people. Do not feel bound to follow the path laid by others, whether from the West or the enticements of the East. Instead, chart your own course — one that honors your sovereignty, serves your citizens, and leads by example on the African continent and beyond.

Zaarin -- Founder n·h·g