The swearing-in ceremony was witnesses by high-ranking government officials including Vice-President Dr. Mohammed Gharib Bilal and Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda.

The seven-appointed ambassadors included H.E. Philip Marmo (China), H.E. Dr. Batilda Burian (Kenya), H.E. Dr. Diodorus Kamala (Belgium), H.E. Dr. Ladislaus Komba (Uganda), H.E. Shamim Nyanduga (Mozambique), H.E. Grace Mujuma (Zambia) and H.E. Ali Ahmed Saleh (Oman).

Ambassador Mohamed Hamza, who has been posted to Egypt, was present during the ceremony but had already taken the ambassadorial oath when he was appointed the Director of External Affairs for Zanzibar in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the ceremony, the new envoys said they would work toward strengthening trade and investment relations.

The new ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Dr Kamala, said he would bank on his experience in the East African Community (EAC) to represent Tanzania effectively in the European Union (EU), particularly on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA).

H.E. Dr Kamala once served as the Minister for East African Community but has been in the political wilderness after losing his Nkenge seat to Asumpta Mshama.

Ambassador Ahmed Saleh, who was Chargé d'Affaires in the Dubai consulate before his appointment, said he would encourage investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to invest in the agricultural sector, in exchange of resources arrangement.

Through the arrangement, UAE will be welcomed to invest in the agricultural sector to produce food while Tanzania will benefit from oil and natural gas from the UAE.

Ambassador Komba, who has been posted to Kampala, thanked the president for appointing him and said he would rely on God’s guidance to fulfill his duties.

H.E. Komba once served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism before he was dropped during a reshuffle.

H.E. Marmo said he will strengthen relations between Tanzania and China where he also pledged to deal with the issue of counterfeit products from that country.

“Tanzanians should also understand that not all Chinese products are fake. The Chinese are good entrepreneurs worth emulating,” H.E. Marmo, who served as State Minister in Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Co-ordination and Parliamentary Affairs), during the third-phase government, said.

H.E. Nyanduga, who was in charge of protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation prior to her new appointment, said she would make use of the Umoja Bridge and Mtwara Corridor to boost trade between Tanzania and Mozambique.


Source: Daily News, Tanzania