Residents of Katerero and Ibwela in Tanzania’s Kagera region are set to benefit from a new bridge designed to improve transport and strengthen connectivity between Bukoba, Muleba and Karagwe districts.
The Kalebe Bridge is expected to ease the movement of people and goods, particularly agricultural produce transported to markets in the region and beyond.
The new infrastructure replaces an older bridge that frequently became difficult to use during the rainy season, disrupting transport and economic activity in the area.
Kenneth Mkude, an engineer supervising the project, said the new bridge is 60 metres long and 11 metres wide.
He said the previous bridge was smaller and could carry vehicles with loads of only up to 10 tonnes, limiting the movement of commercial traffic.
The project also included improvements to the road embankment and 1.2 kilometres of bridge approaches.
Mkude said the improvements were intended to address flooding problems that occurred when heavy rainfall caused water to flow over the old bridge.
“This project will make transport easier and support economic and social activities for residents and other users,” he said.
He urged motorists and other road users to protect the infrastructure to ensure it remains functional for many years.
He also called on pedestrians to use the designated walkway instead of sharing the vehicle lane, saying this would help reduce the risk of accidents.
The project was implemented by local contractor Mirembe Construction Co. Ltd and has reached 100% completion.
The contractor has completed the section of the bridge used by vehicles and is undertaking final cleaning works, including removing soil and debris beneath the bridge to improve water flow.
The bridge is expected to provide a more reliable transport link for communities and businesses while supporting the movement of agricultural produce across Kagera.