DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 29 -- Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi on Saturday held a rally to mark the launch of President John Magufuli's re-election bid in the country's capital Dodoma.
Magufuli, who took office in Nov. 2017 after succeeding former President Jakaya Kikwete, is seeking re-election for a second and final five-year term in the Oct. 28 general election.
In his address at the rally, Magufuli promised to complete unfinished projects and start new ones aimed at making Tanzania "a great nation" if re-elected.
Magufuli, who outlined achievements made by his administration in the first five-year term, said the next five years will focus on improving the growth of gross domestic product to eight percent annually and reduction of the inflation rate.
He also mentioned some of the new plans to be implemented in the next five years as the purchase of five new planes for the national airline, creation of job opportunities for eight million people and increasing tourism earnings.
"We have the capability to implement these projects. And we will implement them with speed using local resources," Magufuli added.
Magufuli is facing competition from 14 other presidential candidates. About 29.2 million Tanzanians have registered to vote in this year's election, compared to some 23 million voters registered in 2017.