President Magufuli suspends 12 engineers over Morogoro bridge fiasco

Morogoro. President John Magufuli yesterday suspended 12 engineers of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) and warned the responsible minister over what he termed to be carelessness in repairing the Kiyegeya Bridge.

Dr Magufuli who visited Kiyegeya Bridge that was washed away by floods on March 2 this year also issued a seven-day ultimatum for the Tanroads to restore the bridge which disrupted transport along the central corridor which stretches from the port of Dar es Salaam.

It is estimated about 80 per cent of goods in transit that have been imported by the Port of Dar es Salaam pass through the Iringa Road to Tunduma-Nakonde border, destined for Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and through the Kasumulu-Songwe border to Malawi.

The remaining part is what is transported via the Dar es Salaam-Morogoro-Dodoma Road to Rwanda and Burundi and Uganda.

The Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Isack Kamwelwe and Tanroads chief executive officer Patrick Mfugale were given the “final warning” for inaction on the bridge.

“After seven days, I will send my people and I don’t want to hear any challenge with the passage of vehicles here,” said Dr Magufuli in a tour that was later televised by the state broadcaster.

“I also want to see a small commission formed to investigate these people and assess the economic impact of this crisis,” he said.

President Magufuli inspected the site and proposed better places which he said Tanroads could create diversions.

Some residents who gathered at the bridge site had a chance to air their views on the status of infrastructure in the area.

One of them said the Kiyegeya Bridge was not the only challenge as another bridge connecting villages with Berega hospital was also not functioning.

Dr Magufuli ordered the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura) to make sure the bridge is fixed in seven days.

The villagers also said the economic activities were paralysed by the collapse of bridge in the area.

Magubike resident Yonathan Piason said the road was used to transport produces to the market outside Morogoro region.

“In spite of the suspensions, I ask the government to continue trusting the engineers who are doing good job of the country,” said Mr Piason.