Deputy Minister for Works, Eng. Godfrey Kasekenya, has set a July deadline for the completion of the Manyovu/Mugina One-Stop Border Post (OSBP), urging the contractor, China’s Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd, to deliver the project on time.
The model customs facility, under construction in Manyovu, Buhigwe District in Kigoma Region along the Tanzania-Burundi border, is designed to consolidate all border services in one location.
Officials say it will streamline operations, reduce delays, and boost trade between Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“When this facility is operational, it will ease the movement of passengers and cargo through Manyovu and Mugina borders, creating investment opportunities for local communities,” Eng. Kasekenya said.
He stressed that the government is determined to upgrade all major roads in the region to tarmac standards in the near term, further facilitating trade, particularly with the DRC’s Kivu region.
Buhigwe District Commissioner, Colonel Michael Massala Ngayalina, welcomed the investment, which exceeds TZS 47 billion, and pledged to safeguard the project to ensure it delivers lasting benefits to both citizens and the nation.
Eng. Narcis Choma, TANROADS Kigoma Regional Manager, said the OSBP and its connecting roads will be constructed with value for money in mind and completed within the agreed timeline.
The Manyovu OSBP forms part of the government’s broader strategy to open up Kigoma Region, enhancing cross-border trade and fostering closer relations with Burundi and the DRC.