The Ministry of Works, through the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), has completed the construction of an elevated section at Mtanana floodplain, officially reopening the road for public use.
Speaking during the reopening ceremony today, Acting TANROADS Regional Manager for Dodoma, Engineer Elisony Mweladzi, said the Mtanana floodplain, which connects to Kibaigwa, had long been affected by heavy flooding during rainy seasons. This often resulted in road closures for several hours, leaving road users stranded.
“The emergency project was executed by local contractor Estim Construction Co. under a one-year contract worth TZS 26 billion. The six-kilometer stretch has been rebuilt and elevated by three meters. We have also installed eight large culverts to allow smooth water flow and will mount 250 streetlights,” said Eng. Mweladzi.
He noted that before the upgrade, vehicles were forced to wait for over eight hours when floods occurred, causing delays especially for passenger buses.
“Today, the road is open for vehicles while we finalize minor works. The project is now 99 percent complete,” he added.
Eng. Mweladzi thanked the Sixth-Phase Government, the Ministry of Works, and TANROADS Chief Executive Engineer Mohamed Besta for funding emergency projects caused by the 2023–2024 El Niño rains.
Project Supervisor for the Kibaigwa–Mtanana road, Engineer James Obed, emphasized that the high-quality improvements will permanently eliminate flooding challenges in the area.
Drivers have expressed relief over the reopening. Alexander Morris, a driver for Esther Bus Company, said travel time from Kibaigwa to Mtanana will now take just four minutes instead of 25–30 minutes.
“Before, we sometimes had to sleep on the road due to flooding, but this upgrade has completely changed the situation,” he said.
Said Salum, a driver for Shabiby Line, noted that the new road will ease congestion, especially compared to the long detours they previously used.
Truck drivers transporting goods within and outside the country also welcomed the development. Rajab Idd from Shinyanga and John Ndeyisamiye from Burundi recalled the tough times when vehicles were stuck for more than six hours. They thanked the government for addressing the challenge.