World Bank pumps USD 360 Million into Towns and Cities Facelifting project

A total of 45 urban centers will be undergoing major facelift through a grand project worth USD 360 million, commencing from September 2023.

The initiative running under the Tanzania Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness entails the construction of roads network and other priority infrastructures in a total of 45 city, town and municipal councils across the country.

The works involve road construction, commodity markets rehabilitations, and commuter bus terminals building and repairing of water drainage systems, among others.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA), Engineer Victor Seif said the first phase of the project will cost USD 228 million and gets implemented in Dodoma, Arusha, Kigoma, Tabora, Mwanza, Ilemela, Geita, Kahama, Morogoro, Songea, Sumbawanga and Mbeya regions.

The other phase proposed to start in January 2024 will see the other 18 councils covered.

These are the urban precincts in Tanga, Kibaha, Korogwe, Singida, Babati, Iringa, Njombe, Shinyanga, Bariadi, Musoma and Kilimanjaro.

Others are Bukoba, Mpanda, Lindi, Mtwara, Kasulu, Mnyamba, Masasi, Tunduma, Makambako, Handeni, Bagamoyo, Tarime, Bunda, Chato, Mbulu, Mbinga, Nzega, Kondoa, Newala, Ifakara, Mafinga and Vwawa.

The World Bank has bankrolled USD 360 million to service the Tanzania Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness (TACTI) project.

Previously the World Bank implemented other similar programs including the Urban Local Government Strengthening Program (ULGSP) and the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP).

The other project is the Tanzania Strategic Cities Project (TSCP) which was executed during 2011-2020, through funds from the World Bank (IDA Credit) and a grant from the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Engineer Seif pointed out that the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency was already executing other major infrastructural projects within the TARUA fiscal year 2023/24 budget.

“We are repairing 21,057 kilometers of road stretch of the country’s road network, whereby the development will also incorporate construction of a total of 427 km stretch of tarmac road.

Within this financial year TARURA has received 1858.517 billion/- from the central government for various projects such as the construction of new roads and the rehabilitation of others.

“Part of the budget amounting to 710 billion/ is funded from internal sources while 148.207 billion/- has been accrued from external sources supporting foreign funded projects such as the Tanzanian Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness (TACTIC), and the Tanzania Roads to Inclusion and Socio-economic opportunities (RISE).”