<Citizen>  Friday December 27,  2013

Katavi. Chinese investors said on Tuesday plans were afoot to construct a motorcycle manufacturing plant in Tanzania.

The general manager of Fekon factory which is a subsidiary of Fu-Tang Company that manufactures Fekon motorcycles, Mr Zheng Bing, said procedures for putting up the plant in Tanzania have begun.

He was speaking at Kibaoni Village at Mlele in Katavi Region shortly after the company and the Chinese ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Lu Youqing, presented Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda with 44 motorcycles.

Dr Lu Youqing said the motorcycles would help in accelerating development in the district.

"I believe these motorcycles will help to accelerate development and subsequently boost the income of residents in the district," said Dr Lu whose embassy donated 20 bikes and the Chinese company donated 24 motorcycles.

Dr Lu said he would have liked to see each Chinese buying one kilogram of food from Tanzania in order to create a big market for crops. China has a population of 1.3 billion.

Receiving the donation, Prime Minister Pinda thanked Dr Lu and Fu-Tang Company for the motorcycles, saying they will be used by village executives in overseeing development activities, adding that some of the motorcycles would be used in health centres and secondary schools.