Minister of Works Abdallah Ulega has authorized passenger vehicles to start using the third phase of the Rapid Bus (DART) corridor from JNIA International Airport to Gongo la Mboto. The decision aims to ease the chronic traffic congestion along Nyerere Road.
The minister made the announcement after inspecting the completed project, which is now 100 percent ready, and stressed the importance of keeping the road functional until the dedicated rapid bus service becomes operational.
“President Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed that, in the interim period while the rapid bus service is not yet running on the Gongo la Mboto corridor, the Regional Commissioner’s office should coordinate arrangements for other vehicles to use the road. This will ensure citizens continue with their daily activities without delays,” said Ulega.
He noted that it is impractical for newly built roads to remain underutilized while residents continue to face daily traffic jams.
Earlier, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila had requested that the rapid bus lanes be temporarily opened to other passenger vehicles until the bus system becomes fully operational.
Local businesswoman Mariam John, whose food business operates in Gongo la Mboto, praised the government’s ongoing infrastructure investments and urged citizens to maintain peace.
She appealed to Tanzanians to prevent a repeat of the October 29, 2025 incident, which caused loss of life, property damage, and disrupted livelihoods.
“We urge all Tanzanians to avoid repeating past mistakes. Peace is crucial for our country. Let us unite, following Mwalimu Nyerere’s vision, to build and sustain peace in Tanzania,” she said.
Acting Director of Projects at TANROADS, Eng. Malima Kusesa, said the third phase of the rapid bus corridor stretches 23.3 kilometers and was completed at a cost of TZS 231.6 billion by Sinohydro Corporation.
The project is funded by the World Bank under the Dar Urban Transport Improvement Project (DUTIP), in partnership with the Government of Tanzania.