President Jakaya Kikwete has advised the Minister for Works, Dr John Magufuli, to continue with plans to ensure that the Kyaka-Bugene Road is completed on time regardless of interference by a few people who intend to frustrate the project.
The president made the remarks when laying the foundation stone for the upgrading of the 59.1km Kyaka-Bugene road to tarmac level.
Mr Kikwete said that the challenges that beset the project should not hinder its completion.
Dr Magufuli had earlier asked the president’s support on the project after four persons refused to have their houses demolished to pave the way for the project demanding more money.
The four persons, including one Nekemia Kazimoto, who was at one time the chairman of the Workers’ Union, has refused to accept a compensation of 101 million shillings from the government, threatening to go to court to stop demolition of his house if more money is not availed.
When laying the foundation stone at Omugakorongo, Ndama Ward in Karawe District, President Kikwete said that development has its own challenges. He noted that there are people like Kazimoto who will try to hinder societal development.
“We will not allow a few people to hinder development projects that will benefit many Tanzanians, Mr Magufuli said. I have heard your call and I support you. Continue with your plans of building tarmac roads, so that people in Kagera Region and Tanzanians in general will reap the fruits of development,” he said.
Mr Kikwete said the project was listed in electoral promises to the public in his first presidential campaign in 2005 and it is also the implementation of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) 2010 manifesto.
He said the main purpose of building the road to tarmac level is to reduce the hassle that many people travelling to and from Kagera would go through, like travelling for three to five days through Kenya and Uganda, just to get to Kagera from Dar es Salaam.
“But with a tarmac road, it will only take one day to get to Kagera from Dar es Salaam,” he explained, adding that by 2015 about 18,000 km of the country’s road network would be tarmac. P resident Kikwete said it was the intention of his government to ensure that by 2015 almost all regions should be united to the national tarmac road network.
He appealed to Tanzanians to utilise well the opportunity to speed up their development. He, however, warned people to avoid constructing houses in road reserves. He said those who deserve to get compensation would be paid. Dr Magufuli told the gathering that the project started in 2009, at a cost of 64.9bn/- and will take 27 months to complete.
He said the project is on track, although it is facing a few challenges including failure by a consulting company from India — Sai company, in collaboration with a Data company from Tanzania, to execute their duties according to agreed contracts.
The two companies’ contracts were terminated even though they had already been paid more than 1bn/- and the work is now being handled by seven experts from Tanroads. He said that about 400 people whose houses were demolished, were compensated a total amount of 2.8bn/.
However, four people, who include Mr Kazimoto have refused to accept their share of the compensation.“ Even if they go to court, we normally do not interfere with the work of courts, but construction of the road will continue through areas that have been marked,” Dr Magufuli pointed out.
Source Tanzania Daily News
