World Bank Sh1 trillion financing to transform Dar road network

Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam’s road network is poised for a substantial transformation in the coming years, with the imminent implementation of Phase Two of the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP).

This development comes on the heels of the signing of a Sh988.9 billion loan agreement with the World Bank (WB) yesterday.

DMDP Phase Two will encompass the enhancement of a 250-kilometre stretch of road infrastructure to tarmac standards, alongside the construction of modern waste disposal facilities, state-of-the-art marketplaces, canals, and nine bus terminals.

These ambitious projects are slated for implementation across all municipal councils within the Dar es Salaam Region.

Finance minister Mwigulu Nchemba and WB Country Representative Nathan Belete signed the agreement yesterday at the sub-offices of the Treasury in Dar es Salaam.

Speaking to reporters after signing the loan deal, Dr Nchemba said the event is crucial to the journey of infrastructure development in the Dar es Salaam Region and will change the outlooks of the various areas of the region.

“The Members of Parliament from Dar es Salaam put much pressure on me about this project, so today we have reached a good stage. This project is a continuation of the implementation of the Third Development Plan for 2023/26 and a result of the CCM Manifesto for the year 2020/25.

“Phase Two will involve the upgrading of the road network to reduce congestion, the construction of drainage systems, marketing infrastructure, and minimising the effects of climate change,” said Dr Nchemba.

For his part, Mr Belete said, “today we are very happy because DMDP is one of the projects that gave us pressure within the WB in the country. This is a very important project not only for Tanzania but also for the World Bank because it responds to the short- and long-term needs of Dar es Salaam.

“Dar es Salaam is the largest region of Tanzania with 5.4 million residents, and its port enables Tanzania and six neighbouring landlocked countries to access the international market. We are proud to support the efforts for the growth of this region,” said Mr Belete.

For his part, the Minister in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, said Phase Two of the DMDP will reach all five district councils of Dar es Salaam and will upgrade roads, bus stations, markets and the dump infrastructure.

“Dar es Salaam has been troubled by solid waste as the projects will be involved in how to collect, transport and keep that solid waste through dumps, this step will do away with this state of dirtiness in this region.

“We are going to build 18 modern markets, drainage systems that will control floods and nine bus stations and its implementation will start soon,” said Mr Mchengerwa.

Kigamboni MP Faustine Ndugulile said the government’s move to sign the loan deal was a joy for the residents of the Dar es Salaam region, who had been waiting for so long about the implementation of Phase Two of the DMDP project.

“We are very happy; it was not an easy job, and we fought a lot because the priority of Dar es Salaam is roads, so what we are now supposed to do is start its implementation as soon as possible and have tenders announced so that the works can start in April as we were promised,” said Mr Ndugulile.

Dar es Salaam Mp (Special Seats, CCM) Mariamu Kisangi thanked the government and WB for reaching that stage, saying they were eagerly waiting for it and that the project will improve the road infrastructure of the region.