Govt signs 22bn/- contract for construction of two markets in Mwanza

MWANZA: THE government has signed a contract worth over 22bn/-for the construction of Kirumba and Mkuyuni markets in Ilemela and Nyamagana districts in Mwanza Region.

The projects to be implemented in the two districts are part of the World Bank (WB) funded Tanzania Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness (TACTIC) Project, said the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Engineer Victor Seif, on Wednesday during the signing of the contracts.

He explained that the WB has provided 410 million US dollars for improvement of infrastructures in 45 towns in Tanzania, as well as capacity building for councils to strengthen urban development management and revenue collection.

The overall objective of the World Bank project is to enhance the growth management of town councils and cities, enabling them to provide quality services to citizens.

The six-year TACTIC project is implemented in three phases, from the 2022/2023 financial year, with the first phase currently underway from November 2023 and will be completed in February next year.

“In the second phase, activities will include the construction of markets for goods and various crops, local and upcountry bus stations, open resting gardens, as well as ferry services.”

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“Implementation of the project in Nyamagana that is signed today (Wednesday), is for construction of Mkuyuni fish market which will cost about 7.36bn/-. The contractor is M/s Comfix and Engineering Ltd,” said the CEO.

It is a 12-month project, which is slated to begin next month to October next year, involving the construction of fish market buildings, as well as the in and out roads.

The 12-month project is scheduled to begin next month and run until October next year. It will involve the construction of fish market buildings, along with the development of access roads.

In Ilemela, the project is composed of the construction of Kirumba market and upgrading of the 2.9-kilometer access roads.

It is also a-one year project set to begin next month and will be implemented by M/s China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation contractor at a tune of 14.1bn/-, said the TARURA boss.

Gracing the event, Minister in the President’s Office-Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, directed the contractors for both projects to complete them in the agreed time, warning that there will be no time extension.

He also directed the public leaders in Mwanza to make thorough projects’ supervision, saying that the implementation is part of 2020-2025 Chama Cha Mapinduzi Manifesto.

The Minister added that President Samia Suluhu Hassan is determined to upgrade the neighbourhoods, villages and towns, in the name of economic promotion among Tanzanians.

She is fulfilling this through improvement of road infrastructures, mostly at the tarmac level, to smoothen movement of people and goods.

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“The President is implementing the vision of the first President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere as he is the one who initiated the towns’ planning and upgrading system.

“Her vision therefore is to have the new Tanzania, new Mwanza and new cities at the standards she loves to see. Mwanza was her first choice to provide the funds for cities’ improvements. You should therefore be proud of this,” said Mr Mchengerwa.

He also praised TACTIC first phase progress in Mwanza that is for improvements of road infrastructures, after the TARURA boss said that the implementation has reached 60.1 and 55.02 per cent in Nyamagana and Ilemela respectively.