The Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) in Dar es Salaam has resumed road construction works that were temporarily halted due to heavy rains, a move expected to ease transport challenges across several parts of the city.
Speaking during a project inspection tour, TARURA Dar es Salaam Regional Manager, Engineer Geofrey Mkinga, said the suspension of works over the past two months was unavoidable, given the intensity of rainfall that made site operations and material sourcing difficult.
“We had earlier informed the public that most construction activities had paused due to prolonged rains. We have now directed all contractors to return to their sites and continue work without further delay,” he said.
Engineer Mkinga inspected progress on several key roads including the 500-meter Tabata–Mazda stretch, the concrete-standard Tabata–Kinyerezi–Sokoni road, the 9-kilometre Kivule–Msongola road, and the 2.7-kilometre road leading to Majohe District Hospital.
“During the rainy season, it’s impossible to haul materials or carry out excavation and earthwork. You can’t lay soil-based foundations under wet conditions,” he explained.
Mkinga emphasized the need for contractors to move swiftly to recover lost time and meet project deadlines. For the Msongola–Kivule road, he instructed the contractor to complete the initial phases by December, including asphalt sub-base and drainage installation.
“The section leading to the hospital was in a poor state and residents had long raised concerns. Right now, no works are on hold and progress is satisfactory,” he noted.
In Ilala Municipality, TARURA Manager Engineer John Magori echoed the commitment to fast-tracking works and holding contractors accountable for timely delivery.
“We are closely monitoring contractors across all wards to ensure they perform according to schedule. Works have resumed in several key areas including Tabata, Kitunda, and parts of the city centre,” he said.
Residents have already begun to see improvements. Peter Marwa, a resident of Msongola, expressed appreciation to the government for its efforts.
“We thank President Samia Suluhu Hassan for prioritizing these roads. Once complete, they will significantly reduce our transport hardships,” he said.
Meanwhile, Engineer Lookman Msanguka, the contractor working on the Segerea road, confirmed that their project had also resumed after a temporary suspension caused by rains.
“We couldn’t proceed with concrete and sub-base works during heavy rains, so we paused for about two months. Now we are back on site and committed to completing the work in line with our contractual obligations,” he said.
TARURA’s renewed pace of implementation signals a broader push to improve urban mobility and support socio-economic development, as the city prepares for further infrastructure expansion under the ongoing national development agenda.
