Magufuli says Tanzania to open port office in Malawi
Tanzania is set to open a port office in Malawi within the next two months to enable Malawians to deal with port related issues, Tanzanian president John Magufuli when he hosted President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday.
“I have directed my minister of transport, Minister Kamwelwe and TPA [Tanzania Ports Authority] to open a TPA office in Lilongwe within a month or two, so that Malawian businesspeople shouldn’t have to come to Tanzania to deal with port issues; they can finish them while at home,” Magufuli said.
During the meeting, Magufuli noted that trade between Tanzania and Malawi has grown from $60 million in 2015 to $81 million in 2019/2020.
“This is a special opportunity that God has given us. We are supposed to move together. We are supposed to consider the best issues of economic development. We have no brothers; we have no fathers. We are supposed to move as Africans. Africa should move on its own. We are supposed to focus according to our environment,” Magufuli said.
He added that the only people that could drive Africans from poverty are the African leaders.
“That is the only way we can help our continent. Nobody should come and say they are here to solve the problems of our people. We, as leaders, are the ones who are supposed to change the economic development of our countries. And the best way is to move together as one,” he said.
Chakwera arrived in Tanzania on Wednesday morning for a three-day state visit to boost bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.
The Malawi leader has embarked on a tour of neighbouring countries. Tanzania is the fourth country he has visited after Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
He met Magufuli who is taking a break from campaigning ahead of elections next month.
But commentators point out that Chakwera is the third head of state to visit Tanzania in less than a month as President Magalufi seeks to show he has strong diplomatic relations with his neighbours.
Chakwera was received by Magufuli in the commercial hub Dar es Salaam and was accorded a state reception.
“The visit seeks to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries,” Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation Prof Palamagamba Kabudi said in a statement.
The two leaders are expected to lay the foundation stone at the Mbezi Luis Bus Terminal on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. The $22 million bus terminal, which is under construction, will accommodate upcountry and cross-border-bound buses including those to and from Malawi and will have a capacity of handling about 3,430 buses daily.
Prof Kabudi said the visit by Chakwera follows an invite DMagufuli extended to Malawi after his two-day State visit in April last year when Peter Mutharika was president.
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Chonde malawian President wear suits that are your size. You are failing to breathe in all these pictures. Relax, you are the president. Wear clothes that are your size and presidential. Suit is too tight on the belly.
Thanks Mr president for visiting your neighboring countries first which shows you that you will be walking in right track rather than quickly jump to overseas like achina USA , Canada,UK and Germany. Kumangopusisidwa nda zungu basi without knowing that in our neighbors we can also benefit just undermining the knowledge of black Africas while we are also African as well.
Ntchito 1 million zitheka basi. Pamenepa pakhalanso amalawi kulembedwapo. DPP voliyamu ikwere malilidwe
To see the comments in praise of one Lazarus Chakwera here still reminds me of how the DPP cadets used to do the same not long ago. Tanzania opening a port office in Malawi is not good news for the Malawi economy. They are just bolstering their position as an economy that is supported by consumptive behaviors of Malawians who only know how to import cars and other stuff from outside without themselves producing anything exportable through the same Tanzanian ports. The trade imbalance between Malawi and Tanzania is very huge and shows a huge deficit for Malawi. Ndiye anthu… Read more »
Truly speaking I did not waste my vote by voting Dr Laz, and thank you Magufuli for the promise, we know you are a man of his words, you will honour the promise.
It will be much promising if Magufuli said this from deep side of his heart and if he consulted because some times those sorrounding the president divert him
Haters where are you, Rome was not built in a day,” TSOKONOMBWE ANATHA MTUNDA NKUDUMPHA” timavutika tikapita ku TZ, apapa zikhala bwino kwambiri, by this time next year, malawi will be somewhere,
Slowly we’ll get there.
Thanks Mr President for having the wisdom yodzichepetsa to go and visit our neighboring countries, next destination should be Rwanda, go tap some wisdom from Kagame, surely he’ll invest something, but by the look on President Mangufuli during his speech yesterday, he was extremely happy to host our president Dr LM Chakwera.
That is how the lake has officially been lost. Amalawi anzanga vomerezani kuti nyama yapita. With the gesture by Magufuli how will we even bring up the lake issue. This is how you. can see that our friends are exceptionally clever. Kuluma nkuuzira.
How ironic Chakwera is not wearing a mask, which he always wears in Malawi. Just because Magufuli does not believe there is Covid 19 and our president has thrown the mask away.
Good development convenience wise but if they open the office in Lilongwe, are we saving money as a country ? or tanzania is going to make more money from us? Its time we make sure in any deal we are making more money than the other party.