The government has pledged to modernize Arusha city’s road network, starting more urgently with the 14-kilometre stretch from Tengeru to Usa River on the road to Moshi and the section from around the Kilombero Market to Kisongo on the westward main road to Singida and Dodoma. The promise was made by two cabinet ministers, Mr Abdallah Ulega and Dr Mwigulu Nchemba , for works and finance respectively, during a recent visit to Arusha. Dr Nchemba, in particular, underscored roads as an important “parameter for economic development” when he responded to a plea for roads and street lights made by the Regional Commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda. Arusha is the headquarters of the East African Community (EAC) and gateway to the globally famous Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park, the world’s unparalleled safari-land experience. For his part, Mr Ulega urged the contractor for the Usa River Road to work day and night to complete the project even ahead of time. All the roads shall be double dual carriageways. The road to Kisongo shall pass by the recently modernized Arusha Airport, which the government also wants to start operating day and night. A major bypass already runs from Tengeru to the Ngarenaro area to connect with the highway to Nairobi, Kenya, through the Namanga border point. Arusha is exactly midway between Cairo in Egypt and Cape Town in South Africa. Improving the city’s network is therefore seen as crucial not only for internal transportation but also for cross-Africa surface travel.
ARUSHA ROADS SET FOR MAJOR UPGRADE
