The President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has cancelled Independence Day celebrations scheduled to hold soon and ordered that the budget instead be used to construct dormitories for children with special needs.

The 61st Independence Day event was estimated to cost $445,000, money that will be deployed to building eight dormitories in primary schools around Tanzania.

Tanzania’s Minister of State, George Simbachawene, announced that the money had been disbursed.

According to him, instead of having parades and other national celebrations, the country will mark Independence Day by having public dialogues on development.

He said: “The debates and conferences will be preceded by various schedules for regional and district leaders to carry out social activities in different areas including cleaning hospitals, schools, elderly homes and groups with special needs.”

Normally, Independence Day celebrations are commemorated with state banquets and pomp.

This is not the first time Tanzania will cancel the celebrations.

Former President, John Magufuli, cancelled celebrations in 2015 and deployed funds towards building a road in Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania.

He did the same in 2020 and ordered that the budget be deployed to buying medical facilities.