Floods chaos: Lindi, Mtwara fares triple

Dar/Lindi. Travellers between Dar es Salaam and Lindi/Mtwara face tripled fares and significantly longer journeys due to impassable bridges washed away by floods.

The 470-kilometre highway connecting Dar es Salaam, Lindi and Mtwara was shut down on Sunday after flash floods washed away at least four main bridges over the Mbwemkuru, Somanga, Mikereng’ende and Matandu Rivers in Kilwa district in the Lindi region.

With the closure of the road, those seeking to travel between Dar es Salaam and Lindi/Mtwara should either travel by air or use the Songea/Makambako route and pay handsomely.

While normally, a bus trip between Dar es Salaam and Mtwara costs just about Sh37,000 and takes roughly nine to 10 hours, going via Makambako or Songea costs at least Sh116,000 and takes up to 20 hours or more.

The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) has granted permission to bus operators plying from Dar es Salaam to the southern-eastern regions of the country and vice versa to use alternative routes, which, in this case, means via Makambako/Songea.

Latra’s Head of Public Relations and Communications Department, Salum Pazzy, said that there has been extensive damage to the road from Dar es Salaam to Lindi and Mtwara via Kilwa, specifically in the areas of Somanga, Njia nne, Masaninga, Cheketu and Matandu, rendering the road completely impassable.

“Due to ongoing rains, transporters from Dar es Salaam to Lindi/Mtwara must pass via Makambako/Somgea and Iringa until the damaged roads are fixed,” he said.

He, however, said that with competition in the business, bus operators were charging Sh95,000 instead of Sh100,000 from Dar es Salaam to Lindi via Makambako/Songea.

He noted that drivers are now forced to drive a total distance of 1,552 kilometres from Dar es Salaam to Lindi via Makambako/Songea from the previous distance of 470 kilometres due to the current situation.

Similarly, drivers will drive a distance of 1,727 kilometres from Dar es Salaam to Mtwara via Makambako/Songea, unlike when they drove 542 kilometres to transport passengers to the same destination via the closed road.

Mr Pazzy urged drivers who are not familiar with the said route to take extra caution, especially when passing through hilly or mountainous areas, and to avoid driving buses on flooded roads.

“In light of this challenge, the authority will continue to collaborate with transporters and the Police Force to ensure that passengers are able to continue with their journey and are returned to the stations where they began their travels,” he said.

Hands-on minister

With the disaster, the Works minister, Mr Innocent Bashungwa, said yesterday that he will not leave the affected area as he seeks to ensure that his directive to bring the situation to normalcy within 72 hours is effectively done.

He said when he visited the Matandu River area yesterday that he would strive to reach all areas that were affected, even if it meant using boats.

“In any way possible, I will strive to reach all affected areas, even if it means using boats. I cannot leave until the directives I have issued for 72 hours are fulfilled,” Mr Bashungwa said.

Mr. Bashungwa also instructed the Tanzania Roads Agency (Tanroad) and the contractor responsible for the construction of the Matandu River Bridge to ensure they increased the number of trucks for transporting stones to expedite the construction.

The supervisor of the construction of the Matandu River Bridge, Mr Joseph Peneza, who is the Director of Makapu Constructors Company, received the Minister’s instructions and promised to add 20 trucks for transporting stones.

Reported by Hellen Nachilongo in Dar es Salaam and Bahati Mwatesa in Kilwa, Lindi