Author: NELLY MTEMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government has signed a contract with two contractors worth 221.7bn/- for the construction of outer ring roads stretching over 112 kilometer in the designated capital city, Dodoma.
The contract was signed by Tanzania National Roads (Tanroads) Executive Director Eng Patrick Mfugale on behalf of the government with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and AVIC International.
The formality was witnessed by the Minister for Works, Communication and Transport, Eng Issac Kamwelwe.
Eng Mfugale said the construction had been necessitated after the government acquired a soft loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and its partners committing 83.4 per cent or 412bn/-.
To fast track the ring roads construction, Eng Mfugale said, the project’s aim, among others, is to decongest Dodoma. The country’s fastest growing city has been divided in two sections.
The CCECC will undertake construction of 52.3-kilometre section from Nala-Veyula-Mtumba to Ihumwa dry port at a cost of 100.84bn/-.
The second stretch of 60 kilometres will be under Avic International, and will embrace Ihumwa Dry port-Mtumburu-Nala-Veyula. He said the four-lane roads’ construction must be done within 36-months as per contract terms.
The roads will be four lanes with a centre reserve planned to stretch about 12 meters – the widest in the country infrastructure development history. In addition, the road reserve will be marked on 75 meter on each side.
“We also plan to rehabilitate a number of interior roads along the way,” Eng Mfugale announced, explaining that the project will also involve construction of five full equipped health centres in Muhomanyika, Veyula, Nala and Ihumwa.
The executive director says the infrastructure is set to be constructed with consideration to future expansion plan and will have all needed inlets to facilitate delivery of social services such as key utilities – water natural gas and electricity.
“We will implement other projects to enable the key project to be more impactful to the community and these include improving water, education and health services,” Mfugale stressed.
The tender to implement the project had 114 bidders expressing interest but only 40 companies submitted the tender documents.
Eng Mfugale said that the government will spend at least 16.8bn/- to compensate residents who will pave the way for the implementation of the project.
Earlier, Minister Kamwelwe commended the projects, saying it was the best reward for capital city residents from the fifth phase government.
Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Dr Binilith Mahenge said the road will make the capital city one of its kind in East Africa and most attractive city. He expressed the region commitment to support implementation of the project.
