Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Regional Administration and Local Government (Tamisemi), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, has directed contractor China Railways and Bridges Corporation (CRBC) to complete seven remaining roads under the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project Phase II (DMDP II) by August 14, 2026, warning that no extension of time will be granted.
The directive was issued during an inspection tour of infrastructure projects in Ubungo Municipality on June 13, where the minister reviewed progress on 23 roads covering 52.37 kilometres being constructed across 11 wards under the World Bank-funded urban development programme.
The seven roads are part of a package of nine tarmac roads with a combined length of 5.42 kilometres being built in the wards of Sinza, Mburahati, Mabibo and Makurumla.
Prof. Shemdoe expressed dissatisfaction with delays in the project, dismissing the contractor’s explanation that difficulties in sourcing bitumen due to the Middle East conflict had affected implementation.
He instructed the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura) not to grant any additional time beyond the contractual completion date, saying the contractor must find alternative sources of materials and accelerate construction works.
“The contractor must do everything possible to complete the remaining roads within the agreed timeframe. Residents have waited long enough for these roads, and further delays are unacceptable,” he said.
To ensure timely completion, the minister directed Tarura and the project consultant, NIMETA Consult (T), to assess whether part of the remaining work could be subcontracted to accelerate implementation.
The inspection also exposed concerns over delays in processing payments for World Bank-funded projects. Prof. Shemdoe ordered the removal of Tarura’s Head of Finance and Accounts responsible for managing project funds, citing inefficiency in handling payments.
He further instructed Tamisemi Permanent Secretary Adolf Ndunguru to take disciplinary action against two accounting officers linked to the unit managing World Bank project finances and replace them with officials capable of delivering services more efficiently.
The minister commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for facilitating the implementation of infrastructure projects in Ubungo through four road construction contracts worth more than Sh77.4 billion under DMDP II.
Residents welcomed the intervention, expressing hope that the government’s firm stance would help speed up completion of the long-delayed roads.
A Sinza resident, Mr Jawa Waziri, thanked the minister for inspecting the Sinza Lion road and for directing the contractor to complete the project on time, saying the unfinished road had become a major inconvenience for local residents and businesses.
The DMDP II project is part of broader efforts to improve urban mobility, drainage and public infrastructure in Dar es Salaam as the city continues to experience rapid population growth and increasing demand for transport services.
