PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has expressed delight at the 'excellent service' achieved during his 10-year tenure in the nation's highest office, adding that he was now more than ready to hand over to his successor, according to constitutional dictates.
Speaking at a farewell dinner prepared by members of staff of the State House in Dar es Salaam on Friday, President Kikwete requested them to give all the needed support to his successor, who would be known after the general election next Sunday.
"My successor will be able to perform his duties with great success only if you will accord him the necessary support - perhaps even more than what I received in the last ten years," said Mr Kikwete.
He assured the public that he leaves office a very happy person despite the fact that he would be missing the colleagues with whom he had worked while serving the nation in the capacity of head of state.
The president said it would be impossible to meet all the people's needs even if he chooses to stay in power for good and that it was proper, therefore, to give a chance to others to see how they would fare.
"Even if I decide to extend the leadership term, I cannot handle each and every issue on board. The Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, led for 23 years, yet he could not solve all the problems.
He left the office to Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi to move on, who as well gave the relay stick to Mzee Benjamin Mkapa, who was my predecessor. The same applies to me someone else has to take over, " Mr Kikwete remarked.
Saying that there is an end to everything, he added: "To be sincere, I am happy that I am retiring from the presidency; I am going to miss you. But everything has an end. Ten years are enough for one to fulfil his leadership agenda.
I have played my part," he further said. President Kikwete was first elected as fourth president of the United Republic of Tanzania on December 14, 2005 and re-elected on October 31, 2010. In his more than 30 years of public service, President Kikwete served in different positions, military and government.
He joined the Cabinet in 1988 where he held several ministerial portfolios, including Minister for Finance, Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
He was the longest serving Foreign Minister in the history of Tanzania after serving in that position for a ten-year tenure.
In 2007, Mr Kikwete was elected Chairman of the SADC Organ on Security, Defence and Politics, where he was deeply involved in the search for peaceful solutions to political crises in the Southern Africa region, including political crises in Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
In the local scene, he had set out an ambitious agenda for faster and sustained economic growth. On January 31, 2008, President Kikwete was elected Chairman of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government, where he took a proactive role in resolution of conflicts in the Republic of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He also advanced to greater heights, relations between the AU, UN, EU and the international community at large. He has completed his chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC) and it was during his tenure that the EAC signed and ratified the Protocol on the Common Market.
He left negotiations on the Monetary Union at an advanced stage.
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