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Proud as Samia sees Kigongo-Busisi Bridge project execution record 70pc

THE two years of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has observed smooth implementation of the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge project.

Execution of the project now stands at 70 per cent as contractors and engineers attribute the progress to timely disbursement of funds and close supervision from all government bodies and citizen at large.

According to the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Development Projects Executive Director, Engineer Boniface Mkumbo, the project is experiencing smooth execution and is expected to be completed on February 24th, 2024.

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In a live programme on TBC 1 television, Eng Mkumbo clearly said that the bridge was at 24 per cents in 2021 when Dr Samia ascended into power.

“It is a remarkable pace in just two years; the project has attained 70 per cent of execution with a total of 368b/- paid to contractors,” he said, observing that the progress was on track to meet the scheduled deadline.

He commended President Dr Samia’s government for timely disbursement of fund which has been smoothing the implementation of the projects.

According to him, both the contractors and employees (workforces) have been receiving their payment on time, more significantly timely dishing out of fund has the paramount impacts on obtaining necessary materials including cement and steel for the construction process.

He said that so far the government is satisfied with the progress of the project as it meet the entire agreed standard as per the project contract to reflect value for money that will amount to 716bn/-as a total cost after completion.

However, he mentioned intensive supervision and monitoring from all projects consultancies, TANROAD’s regional and headquarter representative, regional government, the responsible ministry, the regional and central government at large as key in making the expectations fulfilled.

“Regardless of contractors to meet the standard the projects involves three consultancies of which two from South Korea and one from within the country, closely supervision play role in ensuring the project is implemented at high efficiency and in time,” Eng Mkumbo said.

He noted shortly after full implementation of the project on February next year, the bridge will be ready for usage, while under assessment for the time frame of three years.

Equally, TANROADS Mwanza Regional Manager, Engineer Ambrose Paschal noted that since the six phase government there has been no delay of fund disbursement which acts as the lubricant for timely implementation of the projects to the point that the  contractors work day and night, 24 honours.

He said so far the projects has created 1058 job opportunities of which, 966 are local employees from every corner of the country, who are earning their living while acquiring construction skills for future country major strategic project implementation.

Recently in an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News’, Eng Paschal said that by the end of this March the contractors will start putting deck, an important stage in bridge building from which, the floor for vehicles and pedestrians to path is constructed.

The Kigongo- Busisi Bridge Project is a 3.2 kilometre long, 28-metre wider, which form four road lanes for vehicle traffic leaving aside 2.5 kilometre for pedestrians (Emergence lane).

The project is been undertaken by a China-based company known as China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCEEC) in collaboration with the China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation (CR15BGC), full funded by the government at a cost of

The largest bridge in East and Central Africa is expected to spark social, political and economic activities, such as business, agriculture, tourism and fishing by connecting the Misungwi and Sengerema districts via the Lake Victoria in Mwanza Region, vehicles users will use only four minute compared to two hours that are spent now in ferry transport.

Moreover, it is the gate way for the East African Countries including Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda to the country largest second city, opening new market and opportunities.