The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, has ordered M/s China Railway Construction Engineering Group to complete the construction of roads leading to and surrounding the new stadium for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Arusha by May 2027, emphasizing that no time extension will be granted.
Prof. Shemdoe made the announcement on March 20, 2026, in Arusha during the signing ceremony for the road infrastructure improvement contract linked to the new AFCON stadium under construction in the city.
“The contractor must complete these roads, for which we signed contracts today, by May 2027. There will be no extension of time for completing these roads,” Prof. Shemdoe stressed.
He expressed gratitude to President Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan for approving over TZS 80 billion to finance the road projects, noting that TARURA’s infrastructure developments play a critical role in stimulating economic growth and improving citizens’ quality of life.
Arusha Urban Member of Parliament and Minister for Information, Arts, Culture, and Sports, Hon. Paul Makonda, thanked the Prime Minister’s Office – PMO-RALG for mobilizing funds for major development projects in the city.
He highlighted several initiatives, including the construction of a modern bus terminal, a new market, a city conference hall, and the AFCON stadium.
TARURA Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Victor Seff, explained that alongside the stadium, the government signed a contract to construct essential road infrastructure totaling 21.2 kilometers.
The project includes a 100-meter-wide bridge along Essuri Road, which will connect to and surround the stadium.
Engineer Seff added that the total cost of the project is TZS 82,908,500,000. Of this, TZS 81,500,250,000 will cover detailed design and construction by the contractor, while TZS 1,408,500,000 is allocated for the consultant’s preliminary design and employer requirements preparation.
