Makonda cries foul over delayed Dar es Salaam city projects

Dar es Salaam. Implementation of various projects worth Sh3 trillion in Dar es Salaam was taking too long due to a number of factors, including delayed disbursement of funds, a meeting heard yesterday.

Speaking during a meeting called by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda, leaders from the city’s six councils (Kinondoni, Temeke, Ilala, Ubungo, Kigamboni and City) highlighted a number of factors that were delaying implementation of the projects.

Apart from delays in disbursement and availability of funds, in certain circumstances, the projects had to be reviewed, thus necessitating the delays.

In other areas, court cases saw implementation being halted for some time while in some cases, demands for compensation rose significantly, thus further delaying the execution stage.

The meeting comes within one week since President John Magufuli said he was unhappy with the pace of executing some development projects in the country’s commercial capital.

The President specifically pointed at Cocoa Beach expansion and Vinguguti abattoir as some of the projects that had stalled for no apparent reason.

Some of the projects being implemented by the Kinondoni Municipality include: Cocoa Beach expansion, the Sh9 billion Magomeni Modern Market, Mabwepande Hospital, the Sh9 billion Tandale Modern Market and the two-kilometre stretch from Goba to Makongo Juu, among others.

“The Cocoa Beach is currently undergoing a review…construction of the Magomeni modern market is done by 50 per cent...the Sh3.9 billion in compensation for the Goba-Makongo Juu Strech has not been released,” said Kinondoni District Commissioner Daniel Chongolo.

For the Mabwepande Hospital, he said, they have so far received only Sh1 billion and were waiting for further funds in the next fiscal year.

He however noted that a number of projects will still be completed within 2020 in line with the plans.

Dar es Salaam City Council director Spora Liana said the Sh50.9 billion Mbezi Luis Bus Terminal was progressing well, with Hainan International Ltd promising to deliver it within 18 months.

“So far we have paid compensation of Sh7.1 billion through own source funds and paid the contractor a sum of Sh10.1 billion as of September 23, this year, equivalent to Sh19.92 per cent,” she said.

However, she noted that they encountered some challenges in the course of implementing the project including long rains in the month of March and April, causing delay in putting up concrete.

In Kigamboni, District Commissioner Sarah Msafiri said, a majority of health and education projects were going on well except for road and water projects.

She however noted that being a new administrative district, Kigamboni was facing the challenge of allocation of funds.

She said the Tanzania Rural and urban Roads Fund (Tarura) and the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP) were overwhelmed on how to implement the projects due to little funds.

The other challenge she said was the construction of the road linking to Julius Nyerere Bridge that has currently been stalled due to a court case.

Ilala District Commissioner Sophia Mjema said some of the projects that were facing challenges included the Vingunguti abattoir, Kivule District Hospital and Pugu bio-fuel project.

She said there was a delay in starting the Vingunguti project whereby instead of March, it actually started earlier this month (September).

She said biofuel project has been stalling since 2014 and that district authorities have directed the contractor to either shape up or be dismissed.

On the Kivule Hospital, she said the project was supposed to be finalized this month but the contractor had requested a one-month extension to finalize some minor issues.

Ubungo District Commissioner Kisare Makori said they were implementing the Mburahati Modern Market where the first phase was underway and currently they had signed a contract with Suma JKT for the second phase and hoped to complete by January 2020.

Temeke District Commissioner Felix Lyaviva said the district has a total of 56 projects but currently only nine were under implementation.

In response to the challenges, Mr Makonda said all heads of department should work hand in hand with their subordinates to ensure all projects were completed by March 2020 on time.

He said he is aware of projects that were underperforming, including the Kisutu modern market that was supposed to start in 2015 but which was delayed until this year despite being allocated funds.

He charged that officials were undermining him in the Vingunguti abattoir project by deliberately misplacing files.