All Tanzanite-related business transactions will from this Saturday, 10th July 2021, be done at Mirerani hills. According to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, that this move attempts to encourage business in the precious gemstone’s hotbed. This is at the expense of mineral trading centers in Arusha in Manyara regions.
Speaking shortly after officially opening the Magufuli Tanzanite Center, the Premier expressed disappointment in the extreme poverty displayed by residents of Mirerani Hills, despite having Tanzanite gemstones deposits in the locality.
“It is high time that Mirerani lives up to its billing, the value of the precious gemstones found here is a contrast with the welfare and the economy of this area,” said the Prime Minister.
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Mr. Majaliwa further delegated the Permanent Secretary in the Minerals Ministry Professor Simon Msanjila the responsibility to amend a directive that would result in Tanzanite trading being done solely at Mirerani hills. He also instructed the Simanjiro District Executive Director (DED), Yefred Myenzi to assign plots for prospective investors in the EPZA.
“Tanzanite valuation and other processes should be done here, and this entails at opening up Export Processing Zones (EPZ) that would see investors trooping here,” he explained.
The Premier also said confining all Tanzanite related activities in Mirerani hills would make it easier to stimulate economic activities in the area.
“It is of no point of having such a parameter wall when a great deal of Mirerani residents is languishing in poverty.”
The Prime Minister also promised to address ‘indecent inspection’ among women and men when leaving the pits saying that the government would install special scanners at Mirerani.
The One Stop Center for Tanzanite dealers was built by SUMA-JKT, the income generating arm of the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF). It was finished in February last year. It is home to a number of facilities including an immigration office, a conference center, banks, police stations and Tanzania Revenue Authority Office (TRA).
