Mwanza — MWANZA: MORE than 2,000 citizens who are alleged to have invaded an area belonging to the Mwanza Airport in Ilemela District are expected to be relocated to allow expansion of the airport by December this year.

The people who expect to be relocated are from the 800 houses built in Mhonze, Kihili and Bulyanhulu streets in Ilemela Municipal Council.

This was said recently by Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Amos Makalla during a special visit to inspect the development of the area insisting that the government has planned to relocate the citizens without causing any inconveniences.

"First, we are starting the journey to transform our airport into an international one, we want to ensure the safety of citizens and the planes as well," RC Makalla said.

In addition to that procedure Mr Makalla instructed the Tanzania Aviation Authority (TAA) to prepare drawings for the passenger building, the expansion of the hotel and the 'shopping mall' in order to improve the provision of services to the passengers.

He said that the work should be done quickly to facilitate the provision of better services that will result from the better international infrastructure that will be built here.

"I came here on my just third work (as RC) of Mwanza and I instructed you to start construction immediately, luckily you have 11bn/- to start with and the first task you should start with is to design the best way to build a building that will become an international in order to transfer it our field to be international," said Mr Makalla.

For his part, area Manager Mr Mussa Mchola said that the government has already made various improvements in the construction site a step that has contributed to the existence of a better infrastructure in air transport in the country.

"The government has made various strategic improvements such as the lengthening of the runway, the expansion and construction of the last layer of asphalt as well as the construction of a new cargo building and internal access roads for vehicles as well as water systems waste," He said Mr Mchola.