The Government, through the Ministry of Works in collaboration with Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), has intensified efforts to control vehicle overloading and protect road infrastructure while expanding opportunities for local contractors in major development projects.
Speaking in Dodoma on March 30, 2026, TANROADS Acting Chief Executive, Efatha Mlavi, said the country has expanded its vehicle load monitoring systems to safeguard roads from premature damage caused by overloaded trucks.
He said the number of fixed weighbridges has increased from 67 to 79, while mobile weighbridges have risen from 17 to 22, strengthening the government’s ability to monitor vehicle weights along key transport corridors.
Mlavi explained that the Government has also installed 20 modern Weigh-in-Motion systems that measure vehicle loads while vehicles are moving. The technology reduces congestion at weighbridge stations and improves efficiency in enforcing load regulations.
To further enhance transparency and accountability, CCTV cameras have been installed at 13 weighbridge stations across the country.
Alongside infrastructure protection, the Government is implementing strategies to increase the participation of Tanzanian contractors in large infrastructure projects.
Mlavi said assessments show that local contractors currently participate in only about 10 percent of major construction projects, prompting the Government to introduce deliberate measures aimed at strengthening their involvement.
One of the key strategies is ensuring that all road and bridge maintenance works are executed by local contractors. Currently, more than 1,036 maintenance projects worth over TZS 390 billion are implemented annually by Tanzanian firms.
The Government has also allocated 10 percent of the annual development budget to practical training projects designed to build the capacity of local contractors.
Under this arrangement, four projects worth TZS 53.6 billion have been specifically reserved for women contractors to enhance their participation in the construction sector.
In addition, at least 30 percent of the development budget has been earmarked to benefit local contractors and special groups, including youth, women, the elderly and people with special needs.
Mlavi further revealed that the Government has amended public procurement regulations to raise the financial threshold for projects reserved for local contractors from TZS 10 billion to TZS 50 billion, a move expected to significantly increase their participation in large infrastructure works.
On disaster response, he said Tanzania experienced severe infrastructure damage between 2023 and 2024 due to heavy El Niño rains and the impact of Cyclone Hidaya.
In response, the Government implemented 81 emergency bridge construction projects across 22 regions under the Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) at a total cost of TZS 556.93 billion.
Out of these projects, 70 representing 74 percent of the total value are being implemented by local contractors.
As of March 2026, 76 projects have reached substantial completion, while six projects located in regions including Dar es Salaam, Kagera Region and Ruvuma Region are in their final stages.
Beyond infrastructure development, TANROADS has continued to strengthen the capacity of local professionals through on-the-job training programs for university students and graduates.
The training provides practical experience in project management, bridge construction, modern engineering technologies and quality control.
Mlavi said the initiative has been implemented in several strategic national projects including the Tanzanite Bridge, the J.P. Magufuli Bridge, the ongoing Pangani Bridge project and the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project.
Despite the progress, Mlavi identified climate change, rapid urbanization and increasing construction material costs as some of the key challenges affecting infrastructure development.
He said TANROADS is responding by constructing climate-resilient infrastructure, expanding road networks and adopting alternative technologies aimed at reducing costs without compromising quality.
Urban transport solutions are also being prioritized, including the expansion of the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit system, road widening, flyover construction and the development of ring roads in cities such as Dodoma, Iringa and Arusha.
The initiatives reflect the Government’s broader commitment to protecting road infrastructure, strengthening transport networks and increasing the participation of Tanzanian contractors in national development projects.
