The first stage of the Tanzania Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness (TACTIC) initiative, which will transform 12 cities, is being carried out thanks to contracts totaling 276.2 billion dollars that the government has signed.
The implementation of the initiative, in accordance with Mr. Mohamed Mchengerwa, Minister of State in the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Governments (PO-RALG), will not only boost people’s incomes but also the internal tax collections of the councils.
Arusha City Council, Geita Town Council, Kigoma Ujiji MC, Dodoma City Council, Ilemela Municipal Council (MC), Mbeya City Council, Kahama MC, Mwanza City Council, Morogoro MC, Tabora MC Sumbawanga MC and Songea MC are some of the cities where the first tier will be implemented.
Mr. Mchengerwa mentioned recently in Dar es Salaam at the signing of a contract with the respective contractors that PO-RALG, through the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA), is anticipated to build more than 140 kilometers of tarmac roads as well as water drainage systems of more than 20 kilometers in the identified councils in phase I.
The contracts that were made are for carrying out the TACTIC’s first tier. The minister noted that they want to build 147.54 km of asphalt roads, a 24.66 km drain network, markets, commuter bus terminals, the installation of street solar lighting, among other things.
In addition, Mr. Mchengwera expressed optimism that the project will enhance transportation and related environments and that it will in some places lessen the effects of various natural disasters like flooding.
Additionally, he instructed all District Executive Directors (DEDs) in every council across the country to effectively oversee the development projects in their jurisdictions. The minister also gave the contractors instructions to complete the projects on schedule, with the condition that, if at all possible, they should be finished early to allow citizens to make use of them.
He emphasized the topic of assessing value for money and said, “I want to assure you contractors; there will be no further extension of time after this agreed term finishes”.
For his part, Mr. Dennis Londo, the chair of the parliamentary local government affairs committee, asked people to protect the built-in infrastructure in order to save the cost of rebuilding it, which he claimed is a burden on the state.
The TACTIC project is being carried out by the government via PORALG for a loan of 410 million US dollars, according to earlier project details given by project engineer Humphrey Kanyenye.
The project will be carried out in three stages; the first, involving 12 cities, will begin in the fiscal year 2023–2024; the second, involving 15 councils; and the third, involving 18 cities, will begin in the fiscal year 2024–2025. He further stated that the project will be implemented over a six-year period beginning with the fiscal year 2022/2023.
