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Inside ACT Wazalendo’s grand plan for transport, infrastructure overhaul
What you need to know:
- ACT Wazalendo promises that all national and regional roads will be paved within five years, effectively ending dusty, impassable routes.
Dar es Salaam. ACT Wazalendo has unveiled an ambitious plan to position Tanzania as Africa’s leading maritime transport hub and a key trade gateway for the Great Lakes region, pledging sweeping upgrades in rail, road, port, air, and ferry services over the next five years.
The opposition party says it will capitalise on the country’s strategic location, bordering several landlocked states, to boost regional trade, lower transport costs, and ease the movement of goods and people.
Central to this agenda is scrapping bureaucratic bottlenecks for exporters so that Tanzanians benefit more from cross-border commerce.
Under the plan, ACT Wazalendo promises that all national and regional roads will be paved within five years, effectively ending dusty, impassable routes.
District roads will also be upgraded to gravel or tarmac standards to support farmers, manufacturers, and traders year-round.
Railway expansion features prominently, with commitments to fast-track the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, launch new lines from Tabora to Kigoma and the Burundi border, and revive the dormant northern railway linking Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Arusha.
A new southern SGR is proposed from Dar es Salaam to Lindi, Mtwara, and Ruvuma, along with mining link lines to Mchuchuma, Liganga, and Kabanga Nickel for export through Mtwara, Dar es Salaam, and Bagamoyo ports.
Urban commuters in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, and Mwanza would benefit from dedicated city rail services, while the party pledges to increase train frequencies and introduce round-the-clock operations.
In maritime transport, the party plans to acquire 15 large ferries, rehabilitate existing vessels, and strengthen the state-run Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical, and Electronics Services Agency (TEMESA) to manage them nationwide.
Mtwara Port would be upgraded to serve Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia as well as support southern oil and gas projects, while Tanga Port and the proposed Mwambani facility would form the main northern hub.
Kigoma Port would also be expanded to handle increased cargo for eastern Congo and Burundi.
The manifesto also sets out aviation reform, proposing the dissolution of the national carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), in favour of a new state-owned airline that directly owns its fleet.
The plan further includes investment in airport upgrades and stricter airline management to improve services.
ACT Wazalendo also pledges to complete stalled projects like the Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone and promote public–private partnerships in maritime transport to boost efficiency and service quality.
If implemented, the party says its transport vision would not only ease domestic travel but also position Tanzania as a competitive logistics powerhouse for the region.
