Kigamboni bridge set for mid-April opening

 
Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Prof Makame Mbarawa, yesterday said the 640-metre Kigamboni Bridge will be officially opened in April 16, this year.

The bridge is being constructed in partnership with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the government at the tune of USD143.5 (216bn/-).

Its construction started in September, 2012 and will connect the Dar es Salaam central business district with Kigamboni Ward across the Kurasini creek. 

Speaking soon after inspecting the construction process, Prof Mbarawa said currently contractors were testing the bridge using special light vehicles before handing it over to the government.

The minister called for the bridge to be used sustainably to ensure the facility lasts for a long time. “This is a 640-metre bridge with six-lanes, three on each side, and the users should be extra-careful when using the facility.”

Prof Mbarawa said the government would put in place strict laws for people found going against rules and regulations governing the use of the bridge. He urged drivers who would be using the facility to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

NSSF boss, Eng Karim Mattaka, said contractors were busy working on the final touches of the bridge including assessing whether it would have the ability to handle the weight of vehicles once handed over to the government.

He said the first phase of assessment of the bridge has been completed and they were currently progressing with the second phase. He revealed that the testing would go up to the fourth phase before allowing the facility to be used.

The bridge’s construction is meant to boost the domestic tourism sector in Tanzania since Kigamboni area in Dar ss Salaam’s south is rich in holiday beach spaces but was initially chosen by the public due to the Kurasini Creek that separates it from the rest of the city and lack of reliable ferry services, explained Mattaka.

 In addition, it will promote the establishment of a new city in Kigamboni which has a capacity to accommodate 1.2 million residents and that is expected to be the next tourist hub seeking to make longer the stay of international tourists in Dar es Salaam that are currently using the city only as a gateway to other tourism destinations in Central Africa. 

According to Tanzanian Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), there are currently two vessels with capacities to transport a total of 1,000 passengers and 78 vehicles per trip, totalling a carriage of 60,000 passengers daily from the city to Kigamboni. 

After the inaugurating the new bridge, the PPRA is planning to acquire a new vessel with a capacity to transport 1,000 passengers and 30 vehicles to meet the rapid population growth and economic activities expected in the area.