Delays in the construction of Sumbawanga Airport in Rukwa Region took the centre stage as members of the Regional Road Board (RRB) met here over the weekend.
The members of the 44 RRB expressed dissatisfaction over the delay of 55.9bn/- airport project for almost a decade. The members also aired similar concern last October during the 36 RRB.
The Rukwa Regional Commissioner RC, Mr Joseph Mkirikiti, who is the chairman of the board meeting, said the new airport would have enormous economic gain for the region and the country as whole.
“The terminal is viable economically as it will serve as the gateway to neighbouring Zambia, DR-Congo, Rwanda and Burundi,” added the RC.
Nine years ago, Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA) allocated 20m/- for evaluation of 187 hectors of land for the construction of a new terminal at Kisumba village in Sumbawanga municipality. The spacious new terminal area is located 20kilometres from Sumbawanga Township.
At the meeting, the TANROADS’s Acting Regional Manager, MgeniMwanga, said preparations for construction of the airport at tarmac level have been completed.
“Already contractor Sino-Shine Overseas Construction and Investment East Africa Limited has been contracted to execute the project… ” she said.
“The government had already spent over 3.7bn/- to compensate the people to pave the way for the construction of the project,” Ms Mgeni said.
She further explained that the government has allocated over 2.8bn/- which will be utilised for preliminary construction of the project. The airport fund comes from both the government and European Investment Bank (EIB).
The then Rukwa RC, Engineer Stella Manyanya in 2021 requested the government to focus on building a new terminal in the region, rather than upgrading 187 hectors of land which were lying idle since 1984 when the region set them aside for construction of the new modern airport.