Tanzania must match its football ambitions with infrastructure

DAR ES SALAAM: THE countdown to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is already reshaping the landscape of Tanzania’s football infrastructure and nowhere is that transformation more visible than on the roads leading to the country’s major match venues.

Recent progress on access-road projects in Dar es Salaam has provided an encouraging sign that Tanzania is beginning to match its preparations for AFCON 2027 with the urgency demanded by a tournament of continental magnitude.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Regional Administration and Local Government, Riziki Shemdoe, has praised the progress of road construction linking several key venues.

His assessment is particularly significant because some of the projects had recorded virtually no progress as recently as July 30.

Yet, by August 3, work had begun simultaneously on the various sites, with the projects now recording an overall average completion rate of about 50 per cent.

That turnaround deserves recognition.

But it should also serve as a reminder that the real test is not how quickly construction starts, but whether the work is completed on time and to the required standard.

Shemdoe’s inspection of projects at Kigamboni, Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Leaders Club and Mbweni towards Major General Isamuhyo Stadium revealed significant differences in the pace of implementation.

Kigamboni is leading the way at an impressive 75 per cent completion, while the Leaders Club section has reached about 70 per cent.

By comparison, roads around Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and Mbweni are each at roughly 20 per cent.

The contrast raises an important question: what is being done differently where progress is faster and how can those lessons be applied to the slower projects?

Shemdoe’s answer was straightforward, contractors must increase productivity.

At Kigamboni, contractors indicated that the remaining concrete works could be completed at a rate of 50 metres per day.

The minister challenged them to double that output by working simultaneously from both ends of the section.

It is the kind of practical intervention that can make a major difference when time is becoming an increasingly valuable commodity.

The same urgency must apply to the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium access roads.

Shemdoe called on contractors to raise completion from about 50 per cent to at least 60 per cent by the end of the month, while making full use of construction materials already available on site.

Perhaps the most important message from the inspection was his call for longer working hours.

If AFCON 2027 is to be delivered successfully, Tanzania cannot afford a conventional approach to projects that have a fixed deadline and continental importance.

Shemdoe pointed to Kigamboni, where contractors are working around the clock, as evidence that 24-hour operations can accelerate progress.

This is where the sports dimension of the road projects becomes particularly important.

Football tournaments are not played only inside stadiums.

They are experienced on the roads, in parking areas, around hotels, at training grounds and throughout the cities hosting supporters and teams.

For fans attending matches, an impressive stadium can quickly lose its appeal if reaching it becomes a daily battle against congestion, poor roads and inadequate access.

The projects therefore represent more than construction works.

They are part of Tanzania’s overall AFCON 2027 match-day experience.

The programme includes the upgrading of the 1.3-kilometre Taifa Road, 430-metre Litapwasi Road and 200-metre Sotele Road to concrete standard.

The 700-metre Yanga Road will also be upgraded with concrete, while the 500-metre Dahomey Road is being improved to asphalt standard.

The 800-metre Mbalizi Road is also part of the programme, alongside improvements to the VIP parking area at Major General Isamuhyo Stadium.

These roads may appear modest when compared with the scale of an international tournament, but their importance should not be underestimated.

Every kilometre completed means easier movement for supporters, teams, officials, emergency services and residents.

More importantly, the benefits should continue long after the final whistle of AFCON 2027.

That is perhaps the strongest argument for maintaining the current momentum.

Tanzania should not view these projects merely as temporary preparations for a tournament.

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They should be treated as a long-term investment in urban mobility and sports infrastructure.

The government’s continued monitoring will, therefore, be crucial.

Contractors must be held accountable for deadlines, quality and productivity.

Where additional shifts, materials or coordination are required, those issues should be addressed without unnecessary delays.

The 2027 AFCON tournament will ultimately be judged by what happens on the pitch, but the quality of the experience outside the stadiums will also shape Tanzania’s reputation as a host.

The encouraging progress at Kigamboni and Leaders Club demonstrates what can be achieved when urgency is matched by action.

Now the challenge is to ensure that roads around Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Mbweni and the other project areas catch up.

Tanzania has been allowed to showcase its football passion to Africa. The roads to the stadiums must be ready to carry that passion.