Author: MAUREEN ODUNGA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS President John Magufuli embarks on his second five-year term, the focus now lies on throwing more weight in completing projects initiated in the first term, and new ones promised during election campaigns.
Addressing a mammoth audience who gathered to witness his swearing in ceremony yesterday at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma, the President recounted his earlier pledges made during campaign rallies to continue implementing strategic projects for the country’s economic growth.
On the first day of work, Dr Magufuli assured the people that his administration will work to ensure all the pledges, including the plan to execute the Dodoma ring-road are realised.
In the coming five years, the government pledged to finalise ongoing major projects, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), roads, bridges, fly-overs, weigh bridges, public buildings and many others, considering that any effective and well-functioning economy of a country desires extensive and efficient infrastructure network.
The Head of State observed that Dodoma City has started experiencing congestion due to the government shift in the region. It is on this backdrop that Tanzania has exerted a lot of force in the development of its infrastructure as an enabling sector of boosting the economy. In plain words, President Magufuli once attributed that “We can’t turn the country into a middle-income level without improving the road infrastructure first.”
Under his previous administration, different major projects were being implemented, some of which have been completed and others are still ongoing at various parts of the country. Some of the road projects are considered as strategic ventures to boost economic growth of the country.
Tanzania is currently considered the international gateway for several of its landlocked neighbouring countries of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, DR Congo, Zambia and Malawi, which are all dependent to some extent on the country’s transport network for their access to global markets.
Former Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Eng Isack Kamwelwe once attributed that the task of connecting all the 26 regions, 139 districts and 185 councils was progressing well.
“A total of 12,111 kilometers have been constructed to tarmac level in various parts of the country, whereby trunk roads comprise of 8,671 km and 1,415 km in the case of regional roads. “For the case of bridges, the country now maintains about 8,020 bridges, the number consisting of 77 major bridges among others,” said Eng Kamwelwe.
Completion of the Mfugale Flyover has witnessed the first overpass cutting down long traffic jams at the Mandela expressway and Nyerere Road, making travel easier for residents and non-residents who use the road to reach the airport among other areas.
The long awaited mega interchange project at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam was officially launched in 2017 by the president with the goal of easing traffic congestion at the busy intersection and in turn boost the country’s economy is now in its final stages of completion.
Also, Dar es Salaam comprises of the eight-lane highway from Kimara to Kibaha. Besides the 19 kilometer stretch, other areas will have 12 lanes, a move aimed to decongest the commercial capital of the country in further strengthening trade activities.
However, the ongoing construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is another milestone project that aims to improve both the social economic lives of Tanzanians and the people in neighbouring countries.
Moreover, renovation, expansion and construction of airports in various parts of the country is continuing. Such initiative has seen over 100bn/- being allocated for the same in uplifting the aviation industry.
Another milestone is the completion of terminal III building at the Julius Nyerere International Airport, with a capacity of handling 6 million passengers annually, thus bringing to 8 million the total number of passengers per year.
In the coming five years, the government will maintain and improve sea/water services by constructing oil tanks at various ports, construction of 12-15 berths, construction of central workshop, construction of entrance channel and turning basin, construction of Ihumwa dry port and many others.
The improvement will continue for Mtwara, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa ports, apart from improving TAZARA infrastructures.
