Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday revealed that the government will spend 34bn/- for refurbishing the popular Kariakoo Market ravaged by inferno four months ago.
President Samia said upon completion, the refurbished state-of-the-art structure will accommodate 2,500 traders. The president was speaking at the Coco Beach area in Dar es Salaam shortly after arriving from Glasgow, Scotland where she had attended the UN climate Change conference (COP26).
She added that plans were also underway to construct a modern market for petty traders at Jangwani area, in the city.
“We have secured the funds for constructing a modern market at Kariakoo area, to replace the one that was destroyed by fire a few months ago, also another market will be built at Jangwani area,” she said.
“We are going to use the same design, to construct two structures at the same place. I want to see the construction work at Kariakoo start immediately,” she added.
The president therefore instructed the Minister for finance and Planning Dr Mwigulu Nchemba and the State Minister, President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) Ummy Mwalimu to ensure the construction begins immediately.
The fire at Kariakoo Market left hundreds of stores burnt down to ashes, destroying property worth billions of shillings. The Head of State also maintained that the government’s move to relocate petty traders was done with a good intention of giving the city a good image and that all the hawkers will be allocated to other convenient places for them to do business.
President Samia also commended hawkers for their cooperation during the ongoing relocation exercise, assuring that the government is working to create a conducive environment for the petty traders to continue doing business in designated areas. Speaking of the Coco Beach area, she said the government will construct stalls to accommodate 300 business people.
Earlier, President Samia inspected the construction of the Tanzanite Bridge which crosses the Indian Ocean. The 1.03-kilometre length bridge with 20.5 metres width is constructed at the cost of 243.75bn/- by the Southern Korean GS Engineering Corporation.
“The bridge is 97 per cent complete, hopefully the official inauguration will be held during the commemoration of the 60th Independence Anniversary,” she said.
The bridge connects roads linking Aga Khan Hospital with the Obama, Kenyatta and Toure roads to Coco Beach. Upon completion, the modern bridge will ease traffic on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, which accommodates many vehicles to and from the city centre.
The bridge is expected to carry a 180-tonnage capacity ferrying 55,000 vehicles per day, something that will greatly reduce congestion on the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road.
Recently the Chief Executive Officer of Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) Eng Rogatus Mativila said what remains is the construction of the tar coat on the bridge surface, drainage trenches, and putting up street lights.
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