Frustrated Mbeya traders and MPs force action on delayed Sh138 billion dual carriageway
Lawmakers in Mbeya, Tanzania, are pressuring the government to resume construction on a stalled 32-kilometer dual carriageway project. The Finance Minister has confirmed that payments to the contractor have been made and ordered work to restart immediately.
Why it matters
Infrastructure delays directly impact local economic development and public health, as residents suffer from the environmental nuisance of dust and stalled transit.
Mbeya . Lawmakers in Mbeya Region have welcomed Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omary with complaints over road infrastructure, citing dust as a nuisance to citizens, traders, and entrepreneurs, and urging him to intervene to resolve the challenge.
However, the Minister stated that Sh9 billion owed to the contractor has already been paid, instructing construction to resume immediately while stressing that the government will monitor to ensure the project, along with the Kiwira River Water Project, is completed promptly.
Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups and Mbeya Special Seats MP, Ms Maryprisca Mahundi speaks during the closing of the Southern Highlands Nane Nane exhibitions held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the John Mwakangale grounds in Mbeya. PHOTO | SADAM SADICK
The government had pledged to build the 32-kilometre dual carriageway from Nsalaga to Ifisi for Sh138 billion, which was due for completion in April 2025.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in