The stand-up and Take-Action events took place across the country between 16 and 17 October 2009. Collectively 1.8 Million people stood up in various locations which ranged from churches, mosques, football pitches and mass rallies and youth dooms just to mention a few places.

The grand event was the mass rally held at Mnazi Mmoja Grounds which brought together 700,000 people and was attended by development partners, politicians, CSO Representatives, Government Officials and the actual people who are afflicted by poverty. The event was graced by the presence of the Minister of Finance Mustapha Mkullo.

Apart from the serious issues of people voicing out their views on the state of poverty and gave their assessment of how Tanzania was fairing in terms of MDGS, there was also drama, musical and poetical performance all which carried the banner theme of this years event which was, “SIMAMA CHUKA ATUA JUU YA ULEMAVU”, Stand-up and Take Action Against Disabilities.

The multitudes of poor people in their various forms of affliction with poverty took to the stage to say what their taking of the poverty situation was.

Among other issues the CSOs  and actual people who are afflicted by poverty decried the poor health service system in Tanzania, peasant mostly from rural Tanzania and the periphery of urban cities like Dar es Salaam gave first hand narrations of how their sisters, wives and nieces had lost their lives due to preventable pregnancy related illnesses.

The people chanted the word, “We can not stay seat when 59 women die each day of pregnancy caused death, which could have been easily prevented had the government been keen”.
Reacting to the people’s comments the Finance Minister of finance agreed with the people’s views and pledged that government will take the comments serious and undertake remedial actions in the few years which are remaining before the MGDs set deadline of 2015.

The Minister also commended the Civil Society for leading the process of Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) implementation. He said the CSO has played a very crucial role in pushing the government to hasten progress towards the attainment of the MDGS and monitoring whether it is on track on the 8 goals.

The Minister also hinted that government is working on modalities of institutionalizing the participation of CSOs in the government anti-poverty processes including decision-making regarding the priorities taken which aim at achieving the MDGS.