Dar es Salaam Mayor Adam Kimbisa has said that the attempts to grab the Olympic torch should be condemned at the highest level. "Nobody will be in the position to grab the torch. People who come to snatch the torch and even want to destroy the torch should be condemned. Obstruction is unfair," said Kimbisa on Friday.
Dar es Salaam will be the eighth leg of the global torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games.
Kimbisa highlighted that the coming torch relay will be an honor to Dar es Salaam and preparation is excellent.
"Celebrations is high-geared. Our people is excited and waiting eagerly because it is an honor to the city of Dar es Salaam and people of Tanzania. The torch is a good opportunity for us to showcase where Tanzania is and how Tanzanian people is, as well as to display Tanzania's sports, economy, tourism and culture. It will help our country to project the profile of our country. We appreciate it very much," said the mayor.
"Hopefully, it will attract more tourists in the future and more investment to the country," added Kimbisa.
The sacred Olympic flame will arrive in Dar es Salaam on Saturday. The flame was ignited on March 24 in Ancient Olympia of Greece and was handed over to Beijing on March 31 after a six-day relay in Greece.
The 130-day torch relay will cover 137,000 kilometers before the flame returns to Beijing and enters the National Stadium on Aug. 8 for the Olympics' opening ceremony.
A total of 21,880 torchbearers will be participating in the unprecedented relay, which is being held under the theme of "Journey of Harmony".
(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2008)
