Tanzania’s roads show measurable progress

**DAR ES SALAAM: **THE completion of emergency bridges in flood-prone communities, construction of major road infrastructure and rehabilitation of thousands of kilometres of roads marked key developments in Tanzania’s transport sector during President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s first year in her second term.

Between November 3, 2025, and October 2026, the government continued investing in roads and bridges to restore transport links disrupted by extreme weather, improve connections between regions and economic centres and strengthen access to markets and essential social services.

One of the most significant interventions was the implementation of 81 emergency road and bridge projects under the Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC), following damage caused by El Niño rains and Cyclone Hidaya.

The programme became an early test of the administration’s ability to respond to infrastructure damage and restore connections for communities affected by flooding.

During the first 100 days of President Samia’s second term, the then Minister for Works Abdallah Ulega reported that 40 of the 81 projects had been completed.

By April 2026, the number had increased to 78, with the remaining three at advanced stages of implementation.

Presenting the Ministry of Works’ 2026/27 budget estimates in Parliament on May this year, Mr Ulega said the projects had received 556.93bn/- and were being implemented across 22 regions of Mainland Tanzania.

“Implementation of these projects has reached 97.6 per cent, with 78 projects completed and awaiting formal handover procedures, while three are in the final stages of completion,” he pointed out.

The interventions were designed to address damage to 63 bridges, 827 kilometres of roads, 84 kilometres of drainage channels and 225 culverts across 139 districts.

The scale of the programme demonstrates the government’s efforts to restore infrastructure affected by extreme weather.

It also highlights the importance of building roads and bridges that can withstand increasingly severe weather conditions.

The government’s response during the first 100 days provided an early indication of the administration’s priorities, while the April 2026 update showed further progress in completing the emergency works.

Beyond the emergency programme, the Ministry of Works reported that nine major bridges had been completed by April 2026.

They include Mitomoni in Ruvuma, Mirumba in Katavi, Nzali in Dodoma, Doma, Chakwale and Nguyami in Morogoro, Mkili in Ruvuma, Kalebe in Kagera and Itembe in Simiyu.

The ministry said construction of another 11 bridges was ongoing, while preparations were underway for 13 additional bridges.

The completed structures are expected to improve connectivity, reduce transport disruptions and support the movement of people and goods, particularly in areas where rivers and seasonal flooding have historically affected access.

The government’s performance in this area is also linked to commitments in the CCM 2025–2030 Election Manifesto, which prioritises the expansion, rehabilitation and maintenance of transport infrastructure to improve connectivity and support economic activities.

President Samia’s address at the inauguration of the 13th Parliament on November 14, 2025, also placed infrastructure development within the wider national agenda of strengthening economic corridors and improving transport links.

The first-year road and bridge programme can therefore be assessed against the administration’s broader commitment to improve national and regional connectivity.

On road construction, the ministry reported that it had completed construction and rehabilitation of 243.13 kilometres of paved roads and 94.36 kilometres of gravel roads by April 2026.

The figures were recorded against annual targets of 450 kilometres of paved roads and 820 kilometres of gravel roads for the 2025/26 financial year.

Although the progress represents work undertaken during the financial year in which President Samia’s first year fell, the reporting period began in July 2025, four months before her November 3 swearing-in.

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The figures should therefore be understood as financial-year progress rather than output delivered entirely during the presidential review period. The ministry also intensified maintenance of existing infrastructure.

Between July 2025 and April 2026, routine maintenance was carried out on 16,782.58 kilometres of roads, while 1,383 bridges received maintenance works.

These interventions are important because the condition of existing infrastructure directly affects transport costs, road safety and the reliability of connections between rural communities and urban centres.

In addition, the government undertook special maintenance on 1,101.12 kilometres of roads and repaired 147.13 kilometres of rough road sections during the same reporting period.

The Ministry of Works said the maintenance programme was intended to preserve public investment and ensure that roads remained safe and passable throughout the year.

The progress recorded in the regions further illustrates the impact of the emergency interventions.

In Katavi Region, the construction of the 55-metre Katuma River Bridge at Sitalike was completed in January 2026 at a cost of 9.16bn/-.

The previous crossing had been severely affected by heavy rainfall in 2024, forcing the closure of the road towards Sumbawanga for 11 days.

The new bridge restored a more reliable connection along an important transport corridor linking Tunduma, Sumbawanga, Mpanda, Kigoma and Nyakanazi, which also facilitates the movement of goods to and from neighbouring countries.

In Kagera Region, five emergency projects involving bridges, culverts and connecting roads were completed at a cost of 45bn/-.

The works were intended to restore transport links affected by the El Niño rains and improve access for communities that had experienced difficulties during periods of heavy rainfall.

Morogoro Region also benefited from emergency bridge construction, with seven bridges built through six projects supported by the World Bank. They include Mjonga, Bwage, Doma, Chakwale, Nguyami, Ngerengere and Kihonda.

The interventions demonstrate how national infrastructure programmes translate into practical improvements in areas where damaged crossings can disrupt access to markets, schools and health facilities.

Road safety was another area addressed during the period. In Mbeya Region, TANROADS installed streetlights at Sungwa, Lupa and Bitimanyanga bridges along key transport routes.

TANROADS Regional Manager Engineer Suleiman Bishanga said the agency installed 40 streetlights at Sungwa Bridge, more than 39 at Lupa Bridge and over 42 at Bitimanyanga Bridge during the first 100 days of President Samia’s second term.

The lighting was intended to improve visibility and reduce risks for motorists travelling at night.

Lupa Tingatinga resident Bahati Mwampetele said the streetlights had also changed economic activities in the area by enabling residents to continue conducting business after dark.

“In the past, we used to go to sleep early, but now, with the streetlights, we can conduct business until night and our income has increased,” he said.

Despite the progress, several strategic projects remain under implementation and will require continued government attention beyond the first year.

One example is the Jangwani Bridge in Dar es Salaam, which is intended to reduce the effects of flooding that frequently disrupts traffic along Morogoro Road.

In October 2026, the Ministry of Works reported that construction had reached 46 per cent, with completion expected in December 2027.

The project illustrates the difference between infrastructure completed during the review period and investments that are still being implemented to address longstanding transport challenges. Another important issue is the need to sustain funding for road maintenance.

Construction of new roads and bridges can improve connectivity, but without regular maintenance, infrastructure can deteriorate, increasing transport costs and creating fresh challenges for road users.

As President Samia completes her first year in the current term, the roads and bridges sector present a record of measurable progress, particularly in emergency infrastructure restoration and the completion of major bridges.

The completion of 78 out of 81 emergency projects by April 2026, alongside nine major bridges and hundreds of kilometres of road construction and rehabilitation, represents important progress in strengthening the country’s transport network.

However, the remaining projects, ongoing bridge construction and the need to improve road maintenance show that the infrastructure agenda is far from complete.

The next phase will require timely completion of ongoing projects, stronger supervision of contractors and sustained investment in climate-resilient infrastructure.

By and large, the success of the programme will be measured not only by kilometres of roads constructed or bridges completed, but also by whether farmers can transport their produce to markets, patients can reach health facilities, children can travel to school and businesses can move goods reliably, even during the rainy season.

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