New road to link Dar, Cairo
China Henan International Cooperation Group Co Ltd assistant president and chief representative in Tanzania GuoZhijian (left) and Tanroads chief executive officer Patrick Mfugale sign the contract to build Mayamya Ðmela road, during a ceremony held in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO I MICHAEL JAMSON
What you need to know:
- This was said by the minister for works, Dr John Magufuli, during a ceremony to sign contracts with three Chinese companies to implement various road construction projects.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanians could drive to Cairo Egypt and South Africa in their cars when a project to construct a 99.35 kilometre tarmac road between Mayamaya and Mela is completed in the next 36 months.
This was said by the minister for works, Dr John Magufuli, during a ceremony to sign contracts with three Chinese companies to implement various road construction projects.
“The completion of the project will see Tanzania connected by tarmac road with South Africa on one side and Cairo on the other,” said Dr Magufuli.
The government signed a pact with China Henan International Cooperation Group Co Ltd (Chico), China Railway Seventh Group Co Ltd, and Sichuan Road and Bridge (Group) Corporation Ltd.
The projects include construction of Mayamaya to Mela road (99.35 Kilometres worth Sh100.14 billion), Mela to Bonga road (88.8 kilometres worth Sh88.37 billion) and Mangaka to Mtambaswala (65.5 kilometres worth Sh59.66 billion) respectively.
The projects would be supervised by Crowm Tech Consultant Ltd which won a contract to supervise the construction of Mayamaya to Mela road (worth Sh2.7 billion), H.P Gauff Inginieure Gmbh & KG-JBG of Germany (Sh5.2 billion contract) to supervise Mela to Bonga road.
The government is implementing its Road Sector Support Project 2 (RSSP 2) which until its completion will cost Sh539 billion. The project is supported by Africa Development Bank (65.8 per cent), Japan International Cooperation Agency (29.2 per cent) and the government of Tanzania (5 per cent).
“Today we have signed contracts worth Sh256 billion, we are expecting to sign contracts to construct Tunduru – Napukanya and Tunduru – Makanga Mtambaswala immediately after AfDB gives its go-ahead,” said Tanroads chief executive officer Patrick Mfugale.
On the other hand AfDB senior transport engineer Patrick Musa said the construction of the roads would help to spur economic growth in the region and nationwide.
“Intervention in infrastructure is very important for investment which in turn will boost economic growth,” said Mr Musa.
He said that the completion of Mtwara road would help to reduce travel time from Mbinga to Mtwara by up to 15 hours.
The completion of 99.35 kilometres of Mayamaya to Mela road would see Tanzanians connected directly to Cairo and South Africa.
