The Minister of Works, Abdallah Ulega, has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT 4) project in Dar es Salaam, particularly the section from Ubungo Sam Nujoma Bridge to Mwenge, and the National Library (Posta), covering 13.5 kilometers.
The construction from Mwenge to Tegeta (DAWASA), spanning 15.63 kilometers, is being handled by two contractors, M/s China Geo Engineering and M/s Shandong Group Co. Ltd.
During an inspection on March 5, 2025, Minister Ulega harshly criticized M/s China Geo Engineering for failing to meet project deadlines, despite receiving full payment.
The contractor has been blamed for not having enough equipment, a small workforce, and causing severe traffic jams in Dar es Salaam.
"Contractor M/s China Geo Engineering is taking us for a ride, and you, the Consulting Engineer, are just watching! Everywhere they've dug, there’s no concrete.
Why is it that with just one month left on the contract, you’re still working with only one concrete production plant?" Minister Ulega said sharply.
He also instructed the representative of M/s China Geo Engineering to ensure the company’s executives arrive in Tanzania before the end of March 2025. The Minister emphasized that the government would use diplomatic means if necessary.
Workers from M/s China Geo Engineering have complained about delayed salary payments and missing overtime benefits.
In response, Minister Ulega ordered the contractor to ensure all payments are made within two hours and warned that strict action would be taken if the payments were not made.
"The government will not tolerate further delays. The work must be completed on time, or we will take strict measures," Minister Ulega emphasized.
Alois Matei, the Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Works, assured that all instructions from Minister Ulega would be followed, including the arrival of the executives of the companies handling the BRT projects before March ends.
Minister Ulega also addressed the Morogoro Road expansion project, rejecting the completion dates of May and August 2025, and insisted that the section from Kimara to Ubungo be completed by April.