Samia: How Dodoma Sh630 billion airport will uplift the countryside

Dar es Salaam. The building of an international airport in the capital city, Dodoma, is no longer a pipe dream after President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday laid the foundation stone for the construction of the $272 million (about Sh626 billion) facility.

The laying of the foundation stone for Msalato International Airport comes almost two years after the government announced plans to build the facility and almost three years after government offices relocated to Dodoma from Dar es Salaam.

Construction of the airport, which is funded by a $272 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB), will include the building of a runway, main passenger aircraft parking apron, control tower, passengers’ terminal and office buildings, car parking lots, shops, supermarkets, and banking facilities.

Ancillary facilities include fuel depots, airport catering, general aviation facilities and electrical, mechanical services, including transformer and generator rooms, a mechanical ventilation plant, refuse disposal units and pump rooms.

The funding package comprises a $198.6 million loan from the AfDB, $23.52 million from the African Development Fund, and $50 million in co-financing from China’s Africa Growing Together Fund, which the AfDB manages.

President Hassan said the international airport in Dodoma will unlock and promote development in the countryside.

Located some 12 kilometres from the Dodoma central business district off the Dodoma-Arusha highway, the airport is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.

The project is part of Tanzania’s development plans that align with Tanzania Development Vision (TDV) 2025.

“Air transport is a fast and efficient way to ship and handle passengers and cargo and to expedite development. Its implementation has been given priority as per the transport policy of 2003,” President Hassan said.

She said the airport will foster other economic sectors like tourism and agriculture as well as regional integration and market creation.

“This big airport, along with others, is expected to spur the aviation industry domestically, especially in the Central Zone,” the Head of State added.

AfDB country manager Patricia Laverley said the air transport network will not only improve the domestic and regional connectivity through Dodoma but also connectivity for Tanzania and other continents like the Middle East, Asia, Europe and America.

“Allowing international flights to land here will help to transform Tanzania and improve the rural part of the country,” she said.

“On behalf of the president of the AfDB we would like to reaffirm our commitment to supporting your government to ensure that this airport is built by December 2024 and that it helps to transform the people of Tanzania so that this whole country becomes a middle income country,” said Dr Laverley.

Works and Transport minister Makame Mbarawa said the project will be implemented in two phases and the facility will be able to handle more than 1.5 million passengers annually.