Massive funding to repair roads in offing

MOPROGORO: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday revealed that the government has allocated more than 300 million US dollars (about 804.2bn/-) to repair transport infrastructures damaged by floods as a result of rains, which hit the country in the last long rainy season.

“It is my promise to you that we will repair all the damaged infrastructures and repair them to the standards better than quality before,” Dr Samia said.

The Head of State made the statement when addressing the residents of Mikumi during her working visit to Kilosa District in Morogoro Region.

Dr Samia said her visit to the region was aimed at inspecting the use of funds provided by the government in implementing development projects and to solve the challenges of the people including infrastructures damaged by floods.

In the course, she noted that the government has a plan to develop the Lwembe Valley by allocating 7.2bn/-for conducting research from the beginning of the valley to its border and developing it by building dams and banks to prevent it flooding. “We don’t want to hear about floods in Tanzania again,” she pointed out.

She added that despite the valley preventing floods, it will also be used for irrigation to produce rice and sugarcane twice a year and in turn empower the citizens to increase their incomes through agriculture.

According to Dr Samia, the government is developing Katrin Agriculture Research Institute which will produce modern sugarcane seedlings that are acceptable in industries and will be distributed free to the farmers.

“The government will continue to subsidise fertilisers while planning to subsidise seeds in the country,” she added.

The President also said the government is there to solve the citizens’ problems even if they are not 100 per cent addressed, but at least reduced so that people live a decent life with electricity, water, modern hospitals, roads and schools among others.

On electricity, the Head of State said that Rural Energy Agency (REA) is continuing to work to connect electricity to the remaining hamlets, whilst insisting that villagers use electricity for personal development including doing business to generate income.

Similarly, the President pledged to continue constructing roads to facilitate transport and transportation in the area, saying the government is implementing the current road projects, but the new projects will be placed in next Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) manifesto.

Equally, she called on the citizens to invest in hotels and lodges for tourists, who visit Mikumi National Park, saying since the launch of the Royal Tour film, the number of tourists visiting the park has increased from 54,021 in 2019/2020 to 138,844 in 2023/2024.

ALSO READ: Tanzania out to contain sugar gap

The President also noted that the government’s plans to connect the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) electric train services to facilitate transport and transportation of goods and people.

“We know that there is rice and sugarcane here in Mikumi, so if we connect these railways, they will carry the crops and send them where they are needed,” she said.

On the other hand, she called on the citizens to participate in local government elections this year and elect leaders, who are ready to work with the authority for the development of the country. Similarly, Dr Samia reminded them to maintain peace towards the general election next year.

In a related development, President Samia launched the Great Ruaha Bridge with a length of 133m and Mikumi – Ifakara road (Kidatu section) with a length of 66.9km which cost 157bn/-.

Speaking during the launch of the bridge and road, Minister for Works, Innocent Bashungwa said the infrastructures are among the implementation of CCM manifesto.

CCM Manifesto 2020/2025 pledged to strengthen road links by constructing 32 large bridges and 3 small ones in various councils in the country so as to facilitate movement of people and their goods.

In recognising the importance of transport, CCM manifesto also pledged to improve infrastructures so as to open economic and social opportunities in urban and rural areas.

Earlier, President Samia laid the foundation stone of the new Mzumbe University campus at the Meakani area which is 5 km from the old Mzumbe campus in Morogoro.