TARURA grants 100-day extension to Geita road contractor
GEITA: THE government, through the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA), has granted a 100-day extension to the contractor implementing the Tanzania Cities Transformative Infrastructure and Competitiveness Project (TACTICS) in Geita Town.
The 15-month (458-day) contract, which began on November 20, 2023, was originally set to be completed by February 19, 2025.
However, due to delays in implementation, the contractor has been given more time to finalise the works.
Project Consultant Engineer, Mr Rechnold Manyanga, presented the extension details to Geita Regional Commissioner, Mr Martin Shigela, during an inspection visit to assess progress on the 17-kilometre tarmac road network under construction.
Engineer Manyanga said the project, being executed by Sichuan Road and Bridge (Group) Corporation Ltd, has only reached 61 per cent completion.
He noted that before this new extension, the contractor had already received an additional 250 days (about 8.4 months) to complete the project, and by now, progress was expected to have reached at least 95 per cent.
Engineer Manyanga confirmed, “The contractor has been officially notified. The extension, starting November 1, 2025, will end on February 8, 2026, by which all work must be completed.”
He added that the project’s total cost stands at 22.23bn/-, of which 8.06bn/- has already been paid to the contractor for certified works.
According to Engineer Manyanga, challenges hampering progress include delays in the supply of construction materials, shortage and inefficiency of equipment, and the late delivery of heavy machinery required for crushing aggregates and producing asphalt.
“The contractor has failed to complete the project within the contractual timeframe despite being given an eight-month extension, attending several high-level meetings, and receiving multiple directives to increase resources,” he stated.
On his part, Geita Regional Commissioner Shigela reaffirmed the sixth-phase government’s commitment to fulfilling all its promises, particularly in improving infrastructure to stimulate economic development.
“Looking at the remaining work, it is far greater than the time left,” he said. “The contractor has already spent over two years without meeting the required targets. I honestly doubt that 100 days will be enough to finish the job.”
Mr Shigela directed the Geita Town Council to intensify supervision of the project and ensure that the contractor increases daily working hours from 10 to 14 to make up for lost time.
He also urged TARURA engineers and the supervising consultant to closely monitor progress and hold the contractor accountable so that he could meet the new deadline.
The TACTICS project aims to enhance urban infrastructure and competitiveness in selected towns across Tanzania by improving roads, drainage systems and related public services to boost investment, trade and local development.
