Tanzania to penalise negligent contractors, says Works Minister

Speaking during an inspection tour of road and bridge rehabilitation works in the southern regions, Mr Ulega said that timely and quality delivery was non-negotiable, stressing that the upcoming short rainy season should not catch contractors unprepared.

“This is the best time to complete construction before the short rains begin. We do not expect to see citizens suffer again due to poor performance by contractors entrusted with building our roads and bridges,” Mr Ulega said.

The inspection follows directives from the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), in the wake of destruction caused by El Niño rains and Cyclone Hidaya, which severely affected several roads in the southern corridor.

The government said in May last year that the Hidaya tropical cyclone and El Niño rains left a devastating impact on the infrastructure and people’s property, revealing that the country needed a staggering Sh986 billion to revamp damaged roads and bridges.

The torrential El Niño rains that inundated the nation between September 2023 and April 2024, followed by the devastating Cyclone Hidaya on May 5, unleashed a barrage of strong winds, floods and landslides across various regions.

These calamities wreaked havoc on over 51,000 households and impacted the lives of 200,000 individuals, tragically claiming 155 lives in their wake.

Mr Ulega warned at the weekend that contractors who failed to meet project timelines would not be granted even a day’s extension.

“The government has entrusted you with the task of building durable infrastructure. Complete the work with quality and on schedule. We will not tolerate a repeat of the hardships citizens endured last year and this year,” he said.

During the tour, Mr Ulega also conveyed greetings from President Samia Suluhu Hassan to the residents of Lindi Region, where 13 major development projects are currently being implemented with support from the World Bank.

Mr Ulega, who is also the Member of Parliament for Mkuranga, urged contractors to increase the pace of work to ensure all projects are completed by September, ahead of the next rainy season.

The ongoing works are focused on major roads linking Dar es Salaam to the southern regions, including sections of the Marendego–Nangurukuru–Lindi–Mingoyo, Kiranjeranje–Namichiga, Tingi–Kipatimo, Nangurukuru–Liwale, and Liwale–Nachingwea roads, all of which were affected by the recent weather events.

To accelerate progress, Mr Ulega instructed contractors to hire more workers and extend working hours, including night shifts. He also highlighted that this would help provide employment opportunities for young people in the area.

During the visit, the minister inspected and expressed satisfaction with progress on the construction of several bridges, including Somanga–Mtama (60 metres), Mikereng’ende (40m), Njega II Matandu (60m), Miguruwe (39m), and Zinga (18m).

He further announced that the government, through the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads), has allocated over Sh9 billion for embankment works in difficult sections of the Nangurukuru–Liwale road, specifically in Njinjo and Ngea areas. The works are set to begin soon.

Mr Ulega urged Tanroads to conduct regular maintenance on the road to ensure year-round access, reduce travel time from an entire day to just four hours, and guarantee uninterrupted passenger transport services.

Meanwhile, Tanroads Lindi Regional Manager, Mr Emil Zengo, said the Somanga–Mtama bridge project is 42 percent complete, with 41 of the 43 support pillars already in place.

The Kipwata bridge (40m) has reached 40.9 percent completion, with all 34 support pillars installed. The Mikereng’ende bridge, also 40 metres long, is 51.5 percent complete with all 43 pillars constructed.

The Miguruwe bridge (39m), with 34 pillars—33 of which have been built—is now at 33 percent completion. The Njega II Matandu bridge (60m) has reached 16 percent completion.