By Business Insider Reporter
The Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) in Dar es Salaam region has resumed the construction of several key roads that had been temporarily halted due to prolonged heavy rainfall over the past two months.
According to Eng. Geofrey Mkinga, TARURA Regional Manager for Dar es Salaam, the rains made it impossible for contractors to proceed with their assigned infrastructure projects.
The poor weather conditions severely impacted access to quarry sites, hindered the collection of construction materials, and made it unfeasible to lay foundations or earth materials.
“As we initially informed the public, a number of roadworks were suspended due to excessive rainfall. However, we have now instructed all contractors to return to their respective sites and resume construction with immediate effect,” Eng. Mkinga said during a site inspection.
Mkinga visited several ongoing projects, including 500-metre Tabata–Mazda road, Tabata–Kinyerezi–Sokoni road (concrete standard), 9km Kivule–Msongola road and 2.7km road to the Majohe District Hospital.
He emphasised that the government remains committed to ensuring the timely completion of these infrastructure projects, particularly as they are essential to improving access to services and facilitating economic activities in Dar es Salaam’s growing peri-urban areas.
Deadlines and contractor accountability
In a firm directive, Eng. Mkinga ordered the contractor for the Msongola–Kivule road to reach advanced stages of construction – including base preparation and drainage installation – by December 2025.
The final layer of asphalt and surface finishing will follow once foundational works are complete.
“As you can see, the road to the district hospital in Majohe was in poor condition, and residents had been complaining for a long time. Now the project is progressing well, and we expect it to significantly ease transportation challenges,” Mkinga noted.
Echoing this sentiment, Eng. John Magori, TARURA’s Ilala District Manager, stressed that contractors in all wards have already resumed work.
He confirmed that active construction is taking place in central Dar es Salaam, Tabata, Kitunda, and Upanga, among others.
“We are closely monitoring contractors to ensure full compliance with their contracts and timelines. Our goal is to eliminate road infrastructure challenges in all areas under contract,” Magori said.
Community gratitude and progress
Local residents have welcomed the return to work. Mr. Peter Marwa, a resident of Msongola Ward, thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for prioritising road infrastructure in Kivule Constituency.
“These roads will significantly reduce the daily transportation burden we’ve endured for years, especially during the rainy season,” said Marwa.
Meanwhile, Eng. Lookman Msanguka, the contractor for the Segerea road project, admitted that operations had been suspended due to unworkable conditions caused by the rains.
However, he confirmed that work has resumed and pledged to complete the project on schedule.
“You can’t carry out earthworks or lay concrete during heavy rains, so we had no choice but to pause. But now, we are fully mobilised and catching up with the project milestones,” he said.
Critical push for urban mobility
The resumption of TARURA’s road projects in Dar es Salaam comes at a critical time, as the city continues to grapple with rapid urbanisation, flooding, and traffic congestion.
Efficient road networks are vital to unlocking economic potential, improving access to health and education services, and reducing logistical costs for businesses. With continued government investment and contractor accountability, the city’s road infrastructure is poised to play a transformative role in its development agenda.
