Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila has given owners and operators of long-distance regional bus companies one week to resume operating from the Magufuli Bus Terminal, except for six companies that already have permits to drop off passengers in the city centre.
Chalamila said the measure is part of the Government’s efforts to reduce traffic congestion in central Dar es Salaam, stressing that long-distance buses should start and end their journeys at the Magufuli Bus Terminal instead of entering the city centre to pick up or drop off passengers.
Speaking to journalists, Chalamila said bus owners and operators should use the period leading up to August 17, 2026, to ensure their buses begin using the Magufuli Bus Terminal, with enforcement of the arrangement officially starting after the deadline.
According to Chalamila, passengers arriving at the Magufuli Bus Terminal will continue their journeys to different parts of Dar es Salaam using local transport services, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses, daladalas, bajajis and motorcycles.
He added that the respective bus companies may also provide shuttle services to help passengers travel from the Magufuli Bus Terminal to various destinations across the city.
Chalamila said the measure is also aimed at protecting employment and business opportunities for local transport operators, arguing that when large regional buses enter the city centre, they interfere with services and business opportunities that can be provided by other players within the transport chain.
The Regional Commissioner urged bus owners and operators to use the one-week period to prepare for implementation of the new arrangement, stressing that after August 17, 2026, buses covered by the directive will be required to operate through the Magufuli Bus Terminal.
The move is expected to help reduce the number of large regional buses entering central Dar es Salaam, ease traffic congestion and strengthen the role of local transport operators in connecting passengers from the Magufuli Bus Terminal to their final destinations.
