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Completion of the longest bridge in East Africa takes shape as the expected completion time is announced for December 2024. Once completed, the multimillion Magufuli Bridge is expected to be the longest bridge in East Africa, spanning a distance of 3.2-kilometers. Its construction is progressing steadily, at 88.2% completion, as noted by the Tanzania National Roads Agency. Having started construction in 2019, the Magufuli Bridge is expected to ensure faster and safer transportation of passengers and cargo across Lake Victoria. Furthermore, the bridge will replace ferries, which are currently being used as the main mode of transport. The ferries face numerous challenges, such as breaking down often and delaying passengers on the shore for up to two hours. Upon completion, the bridge is expected to cut down travel time from 45 minutes to five minutes to cross the lake.
The Significance of the Longest Bridge in East Africa Once Completed.
The construction of the longest bridge in East Africa is expected to be significantly beneficial. Firstly, the bridge is expected to ensure faster and seamless travel across Africa’s largest freshwater lake for passengers and cargo. Stretching from Kigongo to Busisi in Mwanza, the bridge is expected to facilitate connection between these regions in Tanzania. The completion of the bridge is expected to ensure interconnectivity not only in Tanzania but across the East and Central African region. Once completed, the bridge will significantly increase daily traffic capacity from 1,200 to 12,000 vehicles. This will facilitate the transformation of Mwanza into a major commercial hub for the Lake Victoria region. Landlocked countries such as Uganda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo will have cause to be jubilant once the bridge is opened.The State of Affairs Regarding the Construction of the Magufuli Bridge
The construction of the longest bridge in East Africa has received accolades from Tanzania’s citizens. Peter Ngonyani, a 35-year-old Kigongo resident near the Kigongo-Busisi ferry on Lake Victoria in Tanzania’s northwestern Mwanza region, is all smiles. “This bridge is a saviour to people on both sides of the lake. It is a saviour to our lives and businesses,” said Ngonyani. He noted that before the bridge’s construction, residents relied on an unreliable ferry to cross Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa. “The ferry took more than two hours to commute on both sides of the lake. But now it takes less than five minutes to drive through the bridge,” he said. Upon completion, the Magufuli Bridge would be the only extra-dosed cable-stayed bridge in the Lake Victoria region and the longest of its kind in Africa, said Zhang Junle, managing director of CCECC in Tanzania.The Multimillion Magufuli Bridge as One of Tanzania’s Most Ambitious Projects
Tanzania has proven that it is at the forefront of ensuring a seamless transportation network in the country. Complementing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network, the longest bridge in East Africa will create a multimodal transportation system further to boost trade and economic development in the region. Moreover, this integrated approach will benefit not only Tanzania but also its neighbouring countries, opening up new opportunities for regional cooperation and growth. The $265 million project, fully funded by the Tanzanian government, is being executed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) and the China Railway 15th Bureau. The completion of the longest bridge in East Africa is one that will revolutionize Tanzania’s economic and social landscape positively. |
