Magufuli launches Sh232-billion road in Njombe Region
What you need to know:
- President John Magufuli launches a Sh232.6-billion road linking Igawa and Mafinga in Njombe Region constructed with World Bank’s funding.
Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli on Thursday, April 11 inaugurated the Sh232.6-billion worth road linking Igawa and Mafinga in Njombe Region.
The road was constructed with funds from World Bank.
President Magufuli continued with his tour of the region on Thursday.
Speaking at the live televised event, the Head of State said the government has started servicing the loan issued for construction of the road.
“There isn’t a country in the world that doesn’t borrow. All countries do. When you are trusted, lenders build confidence on your ability to service the loan. For our part, we try to be very careful with our borrowing, and we strictly direct the money into development projects,” he said.
Earlier, Works, Transport and Communications minister Isack Kamwele said the road section, which is part of the Dar es Salaam to Tunduma road, covers 138.7 kilometres.
He said the road was important in promoting the country’s economy as it connects Tanzania with neighbouring countries of Malawi, and Zambia, but goes beyond linking the country to the southern parts of the continent.
“Today, you have laid the foundation stone for this road whose construction has been completed. It is part of the major way linking landlocked countries to the Dar es Salaam Port,” said the minister.
He promised to implement pledges made by the Head of State including building the six-kilometre road to Makambako to the tarmac level.
“I have already directed the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) in the region to include four more kilometres of the road going to the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) barracks in Makambako making a total of 10 kilometres,” he said.
For his part, Njombe Regional Commissioner Christopher Ole Sendeka said the region was providing public education to end a wave of child killings that rocked it in recent months.
“You have made it clear that persisting incidents of child killings will threaten my survival and that of my subordinates. I should caution citizens that I will land like a hawk on anybody who will attempt at perpetrating the killings,” he said.
