Residents of Kigoma are experiencing major changes in transport and economic activities as large-scale road projects implemented by the government continue to improve connectivity across the region.
Minister of Works Abdallah Ulega said infrastructure development under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration has helped open up Kigoma, reducing travel challenges that had affected residents and businesses for decades.
Speaking during an inspection tour of ongoing road projects in the region, Ulega said the expansion of the road network has significantly changed Kigoma’s economic outlook by making remote areas more accessible.
He said that before 2021, Kigoma had 259 kilometres of tarmac roads built over nearly six decades of independence, but the government has added 335 kilometres of paved roads in the past five years.
“This means that in only five years, the government has constructed more paved roads than were built in the previous 60 years,” Ulega said.
The minister said Kigoma now has a total of 594 kilometres of tarmac roads, representing more than double the previous network.
He added that the government has invested more than TZS 600 billion in nine strategic infrastructure projects in the region as part of efforts to improve movement of people and goods.
Among the projects inspected was the 65-kilometre Mkongoro–Chankere–Mwamgongo–Kagunga road in Kigoma Rural, a route that passes through the East African Rift Valley and required specialised engineering due to its challenging landscape.
The road, financed through the Road Fund, is expected to strengthen links between communities and support economic activities in areas that were previously difficult to access.
For residents and traders, the improvements have brought direct benefits, including reduced transport costs and shorter travel times.
Kigoma Urban MP Clayton Chipando, popularly known as Baba Levo, said the improved road network has contributed to a decline in bus fares between Kigoma and Dar es Salaam.
He said fares that previously stood at about TZS 120,000 have dropped to around TZS 70,000, while travel time has reduced by about eight hours.
“Improved roads have changed how people move, trade and access opportunities. The difference is visible to residents who have experienced the challenges before these developments,” Chipando said.
Kigoma North MP Kiza Mayeye said continued investment in infrastructure was important because the region plays a strategic role in Tanzania’s trade links with neighbouring countries, particularly Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He cited the Kasulu–Manyovu route as an example of how improved roads have transformed daily life, noting that journeys that previously took several days can now be completed within hours.
“Better roads have simplified movement and created a better environment for business and trade,” Mayeye said.
The improved infrastructure has also supported growth in other sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.
Stakeholders say increased accessibility has contributed to rising visitor numbers at Gombe National Park and encouraged more business activities in the region.
The government says continued investment in transport infrastructure remains a key priority as it seeks to connect communities, expand economic opportunities and improve access to services across Tanzania.
