The Ministry of Works, through the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), has reopened the Dodoma–Iringa road section at Fufu following major rehabilitation works worth TZS 8.7 billion.
The 4-kilometre stretch, which had long been affected by flooding and traffic disruptions, has been reconstructed with an elevated embankment and four large box culverts to improve drainage and ensure year-round accessibility.
Speaking during the reopening ceremony on October 16, 2025, TANROADS Dodoma Regional Manager Engineer Zuhura Amani said the project was designed to provide a lasting solution to persistent flooding that had often cut off transport between Dodoma and Iringa.
“We have reconstructed the Fufu section that used to flood heavily. The old culverts were too small to handle water flow, forcing motorists to wait for hours before they could pass,” she said.
Engineer Zuhura said the project, implemented by local contractor GNSM Contractors Limited, was executed under a one-year contract and has reached 97 percent completion.
The remaining works include installing road markings and roadside safety barriers.
She commended the Sixth-Phase Government for prioritizing emergency road infrastructure projects, noting that in the 2023/24 financial year, a total of TZS 35.6 billion was allocated for emergency road interventions across the country.
Residents of Fufu Village have welcomed the project, saying it will ease transportation and promote trade in the area.
They also appealed for the construction of a livestock crossing and additional drainage channels to prevent erosion in nearby Geza Ulole Village.
Truck driver Juli Daudi, a frequent user of the highway, said the upgraded section has significantly reduced travel time.
“We used to spend up to 40 minutes on the gravel diversion road. Now it only takes about 10 minutes to pass through. This is a great relief for transporters,” he said.
The Fufu section forms part of the strategic Dodoma–Iringa highway, an important transport corridor linking central and southern Tanzania, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers across major economic zones.