By Joseph Muhozi, Dodoma

The Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) has hailed the progress of Kigongo – Busisi Bridge Project, saying it appears to be on target to meet the completion date of February 24, 2024.

Speaking recently during an interview on TBC1, Tanroads’ Development Projects Executive Director, Eng. Boniface Mkumbo, said the contractor, namely China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCEEC), in collaboration with China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation (CR15BGC), has so far implemented 70 percent of the works, which is a remarkable increase of 46 percent in the two years of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s reign.

“It is a remarkable pace in just two years with a total of 368billion shillings paid to contractors… it points to progress that is likely to meet the scheduled deadline,” he said.

According to him, the Kigongo – Busisi Project is benefitting from the involvement of three consultants of which two are from South Korea and one from within the country, who are working closely to ensure the highest efficiency and standards at one of the country’s strategic projects which is expected to cost 716billion shillings at completion.

Tanroads says the project route consists of two major components, namely bridge works and road works. The former consist of an extra- dosed bridge with a total length of 3 km (including approach section) crossing a gulf on Lake Victoria. Road works consist of widening of 1.66 km of the existing road from 2 lanes to 4 lanes and construction of 1.16km on the Kigongo side and 0.5 km the Busisi side. The approach roads tie in with the existing surfaced road to the bridge.

The 3.2 kilometre long, 28-metre wide bridge will not only connect Misungwi and Sengerema districts in Mwanza Region but will also provide an important link between Mwanza Region and Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda and will be a catalyst for reducing poverty and spurring economic growth in a larger area of the country.

It is understood that the project, which has given Tanzanians an opportunity for capacity building, has created over 1,500 jobs, of which nearly 1,000 have been taken up by the wananchi.