The long-awaited Nzali Bridge, constructed at a cost of TZS 14.5 billion, has officially opened, offering residents of Nzali and Itiso a safer and more reliable route that promises to transform daily life and boost local development.
Regional Commissioner Rosemary Senyamule said the bridge reflects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s commitment to improving citizens’ welfare through strategic infrastructure investment.
It will enhance access to healthcare, ensure children can attend school without disruption, and facilitate trade by allowing farmers to transport their produce more efficiently.
"Before this bridge, residents faced immense challenges, including fatalities among people and livestock, loss of property, delayed medical attention, children missing school, and farmers struggling to move their crops," RC Senyamule said during the official opening ceremony.
She urged the community to leverage the bridge to expand economic activities and trade while protecting the infrastructure.
"The government will take strict legal action against anyone who damages or steals public property," she added.
Engineer Zuhura Amani, Dodoma TANROADS Manager, explained that construction began on November 15, 2024, and involved a 60-meter-long, 11.4-meter-wide bridge, four culverts, and 1.5 kilometers of approach roads.
He confirmed that 98 percent of the construction is complete, with minor finishing works expected to conclude by December 30.
The Nzali Bridge is set to change the lives of thousands of residents, providing reliable connectivity, reducing travel risks, and creating new opportunities for trade and economic growth.
For communities long affected by seasonal floods and poor access, the bridge is more than a structure it is a gateway to development and prosperity.