Tanzania: President Magufuli laid Foundation Stone for the Construction of Busisi Bridge on Lake Victoria

By Abdul Rahman Suagibu –

NEW AFRICA DAILY  NEWS, Freetown, Sierra Leone- TANZANIA, President John Magufuli laid the foundation stone of the Kigongo-Busisi bridge which is the longest in East Africa and the sixth-longest in Africa.

It is estimated that, the bridge is 3.2 kilometers long and 28.45 meters wide that will make a travel connection from the Kigongo and Busisi areas in the Mwanza and Geita regions in Northern Tanzania ease transport and trade with neighboring countries -Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.

The 180-tonne capacity bridge will allow 1,600 vehicles to pass at a time and will thus, in Mwanza becoming a commercial nave in the Lake Zone.

The bridge will substitute to the present ferry connecting the shores, expressively negating transport challenges and improve on regional trade.

The project is valued at $300 million and is being developed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Group (CCECG) and the China Railway and is entirely financed by the Government of Tanzania.

Engineer Patrick Mfugale, CEO of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) said during the ceremony for the launch of the project, that the construction of the bridge is scheduled for completion in July 2023.

President Magufuli stated, the start of construction of the bridge is a show of proof that, Tanzania is not poor and that the bridge will boost trade between Tanzania and its neighbors.

Together with the construction of the Kigongo-Busisi bridge, Tanzania is currently building several other major bridges: Wami (Coast), Magara (Manyara), Sukuma (Mwanza), Kitengule (Kagera), Primary (Singida), Ruhuhu (Ruvuma), and Selander (Dar es Salaam).

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Suagibu Reports,  Africa Correspondent

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