Dodoma — DODOMA Region is set to spend 59.86bn/- for execution of various road projects and maintenance plans in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Speaking during the Regional Road Board session held in Dodoma on Thursday, the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) Dodoma Regional Engineer Lusako Kilembe said that the 2023/2024 proposed budget has been prepared basing on priorities and objectives to ensure that the funds are used well to improve road infrastructure.
He said that the budget proposal had also been prepared by considering the amount of funds allocated for the current fiscal year.
"The budget proposal of Dodoma Region in the infrastructure sector, especially roads, aims at improving the road network in the main streets in the city to make all areas accessible as well as to support the integration of road transport services in the region" he said.
Eng Kilembe noted that a total of 10.86bn/- was expected to cover various road maintenance works under TARURA in all councils of Dodoma Region for the financial year 2023/2024.
"We expect to spend 834.96m/- for road maintenance in Bahi District, 1.5bn/- in Chamwino District, 685.6m/- in Chemba District, 4.2bn/- in Dodoma, 682.4m/- in Kondoa,1.3bn/- in Kongwa and 865.5m/- in Mpwapwa District" he explained.
He stated that a total of 20.8bn/- has been proposed to finance various road development projects in Dodoma city to enable various areas to be accessible at all times with the aim of helping councils achieve other development plans.
"In the 2023/2024 financial year, we expect to implement road development projects in Bahi District worth 4.85bn/-, Chamwino 3.0bn/-, Chemba 2.7bn/-, Dodoma City 2.0bn/-, Kondoa 3.0bn/-, Kongwa 5.2 bn/- and Mpwapwa 5bn/- " he noted.
Eng Kilembe also said a total of 13.02bn/- from the fuel levy has been proposed to finance various road development projects in all regional councils to support road network in the region.
According to him, analysis shows that Bahi District will spend 950m/- , Chamwino 1.9bn/-, Dodoma CC 4.9bn/-, Kondoa 1bn/-, Kondoa Urban 1bn/-, Kongwa 950m/- and Mpwapwa 950m/-.
In addition, Eng Kilembe said that due to an increase in number of vehicles, a total of 5bn/- from the central government has been proposed to finance various road development projects in the councils for the year 2023/2024.
The Head of Maintenance from Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS) Engineer Salome Kabunga said that the agency has recommended a total of 228.5m/- as an unconstrained budget for the maintenance of highways with a total of 1,707.22 kilometres and 330 bridges.
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In addition, Eng Kabunga said that currently a large part of the Dodoma region roads network is in good condition where 91.5 per cent of asphalt roads are in good condition, 6 per cent are in satisfactory condition and 2.5 per cent are in bad condition.
For her part, Dodoma Regional Commissioner Ms Rosemary Senyamule expressed her sincere gratitude to President Samia Suluhu Hassan by continuing giving priority to the city of Dodoma by increasing the budget for transport infrastructure projects.
"We are doing well and we are here proposing this big budget due to the efforts of our President. We have seen in the past two years that TARURA budget has been increased by more than 300 per cent, we had a budget of approximately 32bn/- for the year 2020/2021 but in 2022/2023 it was increased up to 52bn/-" she said.
Ms Senyamule has also asked TARURA and Tanroads to ensure that they continue improving the quality of roads and set priorities in strategic areas, including increasing creativity in implementing road projects.
