DART: UAE firm to deploy buses on BRT I from January 2026

Mwananchi Communication Ltd

Dar es Salaam. The United Arab Emirates-based Emirates National Group (ENG) is expected to begin operating 177 buses on the first phase of Dar es Salaam’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in January 2026, the government said.

The buses, designated for the Kimara–Posta–Kariakoo corridor, are currently under production and are expected to be deployed early next year, according to the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Dart) Head of Communications and Public Relations, Mr William Gatambi.

“We had expected the buses to be in Tanzania by now, but we’ve been informed they are still being manufactured,” said Mr Gatambi. “Everything is on track for the project to commence in January next year.”

The entry of ENG follows a government agreement with the UAE firm to operate and maintain the BRT’s first-phase routes under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement signed this year.

The investor will manage five terminals, 27 stations, four feeder stations, and employ its own drivers, effectively taking over from the interim operator, UDART.

“UDART was a temporary operator while the government finalised the search for a long-term investor,” Mr Gatambi clarified.

The move is expected to revitalise Dar es Salaam’s public transport system, which has faced operational setbacks that escalated recently.

Dart said earlier this year that the city’s BRT network will eventually consist of six phases, each to be managed by separate service providers, urging qualified local firms to prepare to participate in future phases.

Launched in 2016, the first phase of the BRT project spans 21 kilometres, linking Kimara, Ubungo, Kivukoni, Morocco and Gerezani.

The second phase, currently under trial operations, covers 20.3 kilometres along Kilwa Road and part of Kawawa Road. The search for a new operator began in 2019 after the firm that initially won the tender was disqualified for breaching contractual terms.

ENG was awarded the tender in 2020, but implementation was delayed pending resolution of contractual and logistical issues.

With ENG set to begin operations in January 2026, authorities hope the project will deliver a more reliable, efficient and sustainable urban transport system for Dar es Salaam residents.