The Government through the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) plans to spend 3.6tri/- in the next five years to widen its road network countrywide. With the plan, the government envisages to increase the distance of upgraded roads to tarmac level from the current 2,404,90 to about 3, 855.65 Km. TARURA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Victor Said, made the revelation in Dodoma yesterday, during the official launching of a three-day special meeting to discuss plans for strengthening the road networks in both rural and urban areas.
The meeting drew officials from TARURA countrywide, as well as others from the President's Office Regional Administration and Local Government. At the meeting, the TARURA boss revealed the strategies for implementation of the agency's Second Strategic Plan 2021/2022- 20252026, which details how the Government is fully committed to implementing infrastructure projects in efforts to spur the country's economic development.
According to Mr. Seif, TARURA came up with the Second Five-Year Strategic Plan, following the expiration of the First Five-Year Strategic Plan 2016/2017 - 2020/2021. And, he added, the second strategic plan aimed at keeping all roads which are at good states and those at a normal state to remain as they are, at the same time rehabilitating those at the worst state , so that they remain passable for an entire year.
Mr. Seif was presenting his authority's report for the past financial year and plans for the future before the Minister of State in the President's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Ummy Mwalimu, who was the Chief Guest at the meeting. According to Mr. Seif about 1.3tri/- was spent during the first five-year Strategic Plan. He expressed optimism that more roads and bridges would be set up as the Government provided more funds in implementing the projects in the second strategic plan.
Speaking at the meeting, Ms. Mwalimu underscored the need for TARURA to make sure that they deliver to the expectations of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is committed to improving the country's infrastructure. The Minister said that in order to keep her promise to Tanzanians, in this financial year (2021/2022) the budget for TARURA had been hiked, exuding confidence that the agency was at a better position to improve the roads network in the country.
In this financial year, Ms. Mwalimu said, her Ministry approved about 934.09bn/- for TARURA which is an increase of 449bn/- compared to the 2020/2021 budget. "Make sure that expectations of Tanzanians especially MPs are met as well as ensuring that the President's quest to have proper roads infrastructure is considered well," she said.
Responding to queries as to whether the Government was able to raise the 3.6tri/- in five years to implement the second five-year Strategic plan, the Minister exuded confidence that President Samia was serious with TARURA projects. "President Samia is serious about this, there is no way she can miss out 3.6 tri/- in five years to implement the projects and I believe that if we are serious enough within the Ministry that money can be obtained in the next three years even before the deadline.