Kadogosa issues 30-day ultimatum to road contractor

SHINYANGA: A CONTRACTOR upgrading the 73-kilometre Kahama-Kakola road in Shinyanga Region faces daily deductions of 0.1 per cent of the contract if he fails to meet the revised December 7 deadline, Works Minister Masanja Kadogosa has warned.

Mr Kadogosa also gave the contractor 30 days to return equipment removed from the construction site. He issued the directives yesterday while inspecting sections of the road at Ilogi and Lunguya villages.

The project is being funded entirely by Bulyanhulu Gold Mine, with China Construction Engineering Civil Company (CCECC) undertaking the works. The minister also ordered people who had encroached on the road reserve to vacate the affected areas.

He directed the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) to mark buildings earmarked for removal ahead of construction of the road linking Ilogi in Msalala District Council to Nyankungu in Geita Region.

Shinyanga TANROADS Regional Manager, Ntuli Mwaikokisye, said the project began in June 2024 and was initially scheduled for completion in September 2026.

“The contractor had so far received 20bn/- and had requested an additional 9bn/- , which is at the processing stage,” he said.

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Mr Mwaikokisye said 408m/- had been allocated to compensate property owners affected by the project, of which 405m/- had already been paid.

He said the contractor was six per cent behind schedule and had requested an extension until December to complete the works. CCECC East Africa General Manager, Wang Lei, assured Mr Kadogosa that the company would complete the project by December.

Msalala Member of Parliament, Mabula Magangila, said the completed road would create economic opportunities by improving connectivity between Geita Region and about nine wards.

Kahama Urban Member of Parliament Benjamini Ngayiwa said the road was also expected to boost revenue collection in Kahama Municipality.

Lunguya residents Josephat Mhoja and Diana Bishela welcomed the project, saying it had already improved business activities in the area. They appealed for street lighting to be installed once the road was completed.