Tanzania has just inaugurated the Kigogo-Busisi Bridge across a section of Lake Victoria.
But could the China-built infrastructure the longest bridge in East Africa as claimed?
The Kigogo-Busisi is now called Magufuli Bridge in honor of the immeadiate, former President of Tanzania who died in office in March 2021.
It still being described as the ‘longest bridge,’ in the East African Community region.
The facility has just been completed and commissioned for service and was flagged off by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, during her official tour in the Lake Zone Regions.
Essentially the infrastructure stretches 3.0 kilometers long.
Forming a special crossing section over part of Lake Victoria, the largest water body in Africa, the bridge was built at the cost of USD 2.5 million.
A ferry which used to ferry across the creek, carrying people, vehicles and cargo, will now be rendered obsolete, as people and cars will simply walk or drive over the waters.
The John Magufuli Bridge spans the Mwanza Gulf on the southern shore of Lake Victoria and connects the towns of Busisi and Kigongo.
A key feature of the Magufuli bridge is a 520-metre low-pylon cable-stayed section, contributing to its record length.
Officially opened by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on 19 June, the project has been fully financed by the government of Tanzania and was built by a joint venture between two Chinese companies, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and China Railway 15th Bureau.
Before, travel across this part of Lake Victoria depended on ferries, thereby adding up to three hours to journey times.
The bridge connects Misungwi and Sengerema districts in the Mwanza region, also provides a crucial link between the region and neighboring countries Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda
The construction of the bridge began back in 2019 and it was first named the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge.
However, it was later renamed in honour of late President John Pombe Magufuli, who launched the project before his death.
The bridge is a key component of a broader 55-mile motorway project linking Mwanza, which is Tanzania’s second largest city, to the surrounding mining towns like Usagara, Sengerema, and Geita.
By reducing transport time and lowering costs, the bridge is expected to boost activity in key sectors in the area which include mining, agriculture, fishing, and tourism.
The JP Magufuli Bridge is described by officials in the Lake Zone as a powerful symbol of the area’s capacity to mobilize domestic resources for transformative infrastructure.