President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço, on Friday October 30, 2026, jointly cut a ribbon to officially inaugurate 59.1 kilometres of tarmac roads in Mtumba, marking another milestone in Tanzania’s decades-long effort to establish Dodoma as its capital.
The roads are expected to improve connectivity within the Mtumba- government city, facilitate access to public institutions and support the growth of surrounding areas as more government offices and diplomatic missions establish their presence.
Presenting details of the project during the ceremony, Minister of State in the Prime Miniter’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Prof Riziki Shemdoe, said the network comprises 11.7 kilometres of dual carriageways (double lane-road) and 36 kilometres of single carriageways (single lane-road).
“Of the roads constructed here, 11.7 kilometres are dual carriageways, while 36 kilometres are single carriageways. We have also constructed 52 bus stops,” he said.
Beyond improving vehicle movement, the project includes facilities intended to make the government city more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
Prof Shemdoe said 59.1 kilometres of pedestrian walkways and a similar length of cycling routes had been constructed alongside the road network.
The development also incorporates measures to address flooding, an important consideration for the long-term protection of roads and other public infrastructure.
“To prevent flooding from reaching this government city, we have constructed three dams,” Prof Shemdoe said.
He added that 1,635 streetlights had been installed along the roads to improve visibility and make movement safer at night.
“We have installed 1,635 streetlights, so when you pass through this area at night, the situation is completely different,” he said.
The facilities are expected to benefit government employees, visitors and other road users, while the designated bus stops could improve public transport access as activities in Mtumba expand.
Prof Shemdoe thanked President Samia for supporting the infrastructure development and for the decision to name some of the roads after Tanzania’s former presidents.
He cited roads named after the country's founding President, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, and other former leaders, including President Samia herself, saying the gesture recognised their contributions to the country's development.
The inauguration was part of a broader programme in which the two presidents were scheduled to officially open government infrastructure in Mtumba, including office buildings housing ministries and public institutions.
President Lourenço's participation in the ceremony also highlighted the diplomatic relationship between Tanzania and Angola, with the Angolan leader accompanied by First Lady Anna Afonso Lourenço.
Tanzania's decision to move its capital from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma dates back to October 1, 1973, when Nyerere announced the relocation following a decision by the ruling party's National Executive Committee.
The implementation, however, faced financial and logistical challenges, making the transfer of government operations a gradual process that involved successive administrations.
The second-phase government under Ali Hassan Mwinyi, the third under Benjamin Mkapa and the fourth under Jakaya Kikwete all contributed to the relocation efforts before the fifth-phase government under the late President John Magufuli accelerated the process.
Samia, who served as Vice President under Magufuli, continued the implementation after becoming President in 2021.