The Ministry of Construction, through the Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS) in the Ruvuma region, has commenced the construction of the Mitomoni Bridge over the Ruvuma River, which spans 45 meters and will connect the Nyasa and Songea districts.
The TANROADS Manager in Ruvuma, Engineer Saleh Juma, stated that they are committed to completing the construction of the Mitomoni Bridge swiftly to ensure that the residents of both districts have reliable transportation and logistics, stimulate development, and access social services with ease.
Engineer Saleh mentioned that the cost of constructing the bridge is 9.295 billion shillings, funded by the World Bank, and is being built by the Tanzanian company Ovans Construction Ltd, with the project currently at 65% completion.
According to Engineer Saleh, the bridge will connect to the Unyoni-Mpapa-Lipalamba-Mkenda road and the Likuyufusi-Mkenda road, and is among the major projects being implemented by the government in the Ruvuma region, expected to resolve communication challenges between the Nyasa and Songea districts and the neighboring country of Mozambique.
“Our plan is to ensure that this bridge is completed by September; we believe that the remaining work is within our capacity to finish as scheduled, thus alleviating the concerns of the residents of both districts who have long suffered and faced significant hardships due to crossing the Ruvuma River,” Saleh said.
He added that the bridge has been needed for a long time because residents of the Mitomoni villages on the Nyasa side and Mkalawa in rural Songea face difficulties during the rainy season, as the Ruvuma River swells, leading to communication breakdowns and hindering their development activities.
He explained that the bridge is crucial for facilitating communication and will open up various development opportunities for the residents, boosting the economy of Nyasa, Mbinga, and the Ruvuma region as a whole, while also strengthening the security of our nation.
The project supervisor, Engineer Pius Gwegendao, stated that they will ensure the contractor builds the bridge to the required standards.
Engineer Emanuel Bilai, the contractor's representative, stated that the project involves the construction of a bridge measuring 45 meters in length along with an 8-kilometer connecting paved road.
He mentioned that so far, one pillar has been constructed, and work on the second pillar is ongoing. They have also begun building the central walls in the water, and once completed, the bridge will accommodate two vehicles simultaneously while providing pedestrian pathways on both sides.
Residents from the villages of Mitomoni in Nyasa District and Milawa in Songea District have expressed their gratitude to the government for initiating the construction of this bridge, which will alleviate the struggles of crossing the Ruvuma River using canoes, a method that is not safe.
Zuber Mohamed, the chairman of Mkalawa Village, noted that many of their relatives have lost their lives after being swept away by the waters while attempting to cross the river during the rainy season due to the absence of a reliable bridge.
He said that the bridge's construction will bring great blessings and benefits to them, as it will help save many lives, facilitate access to social services, and boost their economy.
He commended the supervisors and workers involved in the bridge's construction for the excellent work they are doing and urged the government to support the contractor in completing this project promptly, as it is urgently needed to ease transportation communication.Ali Mpaiche, the chairman of Mitomoni Village, remarked that children often miss school when trying to cross to the other side, and pregnant women fail to cross the road, with some losing their lives due to the inability to reach health service centers in time.
