Relief as sea taxis launched for Kigamboni

DAR ES SALAM: THE government, in collaboration with Azam Marine and the Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical, and Electronics Services Agency (TEMESA), has launched a joint initiative to enhance transport services between Magogoni and Kigamboni.

The move is expected to resolve the long-standing transportation challenges at the crossing point. The launching of the collaboration went together with the inauguration of the two sea taxis bought by Azam Marine as part of the company’s 5.98bn/- investment to address the transport challenge to people at Magogoni and Kigamboni caused by shortage of ferries.

The funds will also be used to add more ferries, including renovating the existing passenger terminals and construction of the new buildings, building of floating dock as well as installation of new electronic scanners and ticketing system.

Speaking during the event, Minister for Works, Mr Abdallah Ulega underlined the importance of the private sector in boosting transport in areas separated by water bodies including islands and gulfs which require ferries for citizens to interact.

Mr Ulega noted that the sea taxis by the private investor will cut travelling time to five minutes from over 45 minutes spent by people at Magogoni and Kigamboni, ending decades of time wastage due to congestion.

Mr Ulega said currently at least 70,000 people travel between Magogoni and Kigamboni per day.

Mr Ulega said the Azam Marine’s sea taxis will complement other government-run ferries including the MV Kazi to provide travellers in the areas with effective transport which is predictable and affordable. He said that by May this year, Azam Marine will add more ferries, bringing the total number to eight.

According to Mr Ulega, each of the ferries has the capacity to carry 250 passengers at a time and takes six minutes for a single trip. Based on this average, in an hour, a single ferry can transport up to 2,500 passengers, depending on the trip it makes.

With eight ferries, over 20,000 passengers can be transported within an hour. “We need to diversify people’s transport preference in order to achieve their dreams, ranging from undertaking successful businesses to doing well in academics among other stuffs due to presence of a variety of transport services which are stable and affordable,” Mr Ulega said.

“History has been written. This is a beneficial partnership between the government and the private sector. I would like to thank President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose innovation and guidance to us on collaborating with the private sector to address citizens’ challenges are bringing about such progress,” he said.

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Highlighting the magnitude of demerits of congestions in Sub-Saharan Africa’s cities including Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, he said almost 10tri/- is being lost per year due to citizens’ time wastage as a result of delays by congestion which retard economic production.

In that regard, he urged the Azam Marine and other serious investors also to invest in other areas like Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika which demands similar investments such as ships and ferries to simplify citizens’ transport.

Azam Marine Managing Director, Mr Abubakar Aziz Salim said the sea taxis which cost 500/- as fare per passenger per trip will be operating from 5:00am morning to around 23:00 pm at night every day.

He said the two sea taxis which were launched yesterday as part of the ceremony each of them has a carrying capacity of 250 passengers.

He said the two taxis have capacity of transporting 5,000 people per hour and about over 50, 000 per day. Mr Salim said more vessels will be added by May this year to bring the total to eight.

“Our collaboration with TEMESA highlights our company’s vision of providing safer and reliable marine transport services. Together, we will improve citizens’ lives by enabling them attend their workplaces on time,” he said.

Mr Salim said the collaboration with TEMESA covers eight years and it will be reviewed every after three years.

He said their investment has created 60 direct jobs. Dar es Salaam Region Commissioner, Mr Albert Chamila said the Azam Marine investment offers a real time solution to transport challenge at Magogoni and Kigamboni.

He encouraged other investors to turn challenges into opportunities by coming up with strategic investments based on the win-win principle.