Tanzania sets aside $2.4bln for grand infrastructure development

The government of Tanzania on Tuesday unveiled a 2.4-billion-US-dollar grand plan to improve infrastructure in the east African nation.

Makame Mbarawa, the Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, unveiled the plan in the National Assembly in Dodoma when tabling his ministry's budget for the 2016/17 financial year.

Mbarawa said the budget will be used for construction and rehabilitation of roads, railways, airports, ports, bridges and ferries.

"We will also use the money to buy a new aircraft for Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL and improvement of institutions under the ministry," said the minister.

He said the money will also be used to decongest the country's commercial capital Dar es Salaam through the construction of ring roads as well as a number of fly-overs and construction of a new commuter railway.

Mbarawa mentioned some of the projects as expansion of Dar es salaam-Chalinze into a six lane expressway and the purchase of new ferries.

He said the budget will also be used to lay an 80-pound railway line between Lolanguru and Tabora, Dar es Salaam-Kilosa, Igalula-Tabora and Tabora - Isaka covering more than 300 kilometres.

He said the budget will also involve the face-lifting of the Dar es Salaam port through rehabilitation of berths one to seven.

Mbarawa said major rehabilitation of Kigoma and Tabora airports were also part of the budget plan.

Songwe International Airport in the country's southern highland region of Mbeya will also get a face lift where plans will invole fixing of landing lights as well as navigational facilities and expansion of Mwanza airport on the shores of Lake Victoria.