President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, ended his visit to Tanzania with a moving tribute to President John Magufuli, who died in office in March last year.
Dr. Adesina traveled to the north-western town of Chato to pay homage to the late Magufuli, whom he described as “a dear friend, brother and partner.”
The Bank chief was received in Chato by the late President’s family members and relatives led by his brother, Goldian Joseph Magufuli.
Laying a wreath on Magufuli’s grave, Adesina reminisced about how they shared a common love and passion for the accelerated development of Africa. In the book of condolences, Dr. Adesina described the late President as a determined and visionary leader for Tanzania and the whole of the African continent.
“I miss our engaging discussions about Africa. I miss our discussions on your vision for Tanzania. In a very short time, you transformed Tanzania. You were bold. You were determined. I thank God for your life. I thank God for your outstanding service to Tanzania; for all you did to improve the lives of your people, whom you loved very dearly”.
Dr. Adesina
The African Development Bank (AfDB) chief left Chato for Dar es Salaam where he met with late Magufuli’s wife, Janet. Adesina assured her that the Bank Group would continue supporting the late President’s projects to fulfill his desires for a prosperous Tanzania, particularly in the development of modern infrastructure.
Magufuli, who was elected as the country’s fifth president in 2015, initiated mega infrastructure projects, such as the multinational Standard Gauge Railway, to ease the transfer of goods between the port of Dar es Salaam and the city of Kigali in Rwanda and subsequently to Bujumbura in Burundi, and Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Tanzanian government is currently developing its part of the railway, starting from the Dar es Salaam – Isaka – Mwanza section.
The late president also expanded major highways, linking cities in Tanzania and connecting to neighboring countries to boost trade, reduce poverty and improve livelihoods.
Tanzania launches works on major Dodoma road
During the three-day official visit to the East African nation, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina joined Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan to formally launch the construction of the landmark Dodoma City Outer Ring Road project.
The 112.3-kilometer road project, largely funded by the African Development Bank, forms part of the Trans-African Highway Corridor that links Cape Town to Cairo via Dodoma, crossing the Central Corridor via Dar es Salaam to the interior of Tanzania.
Speaking at the event, the Bank Chief recalled how the late Magufuli had expressed interest in building the road to decongest the city. “I told him the African Development Bank would strongly support Tanzania. I told him he should consider it done”, Adesina said.
President Hassan thanked the Bank for its vital role in the country’s development. “We salute the African Development Bank for its strategic support to Tanzania, especially its support in infrastructure development,” she said as she paid tribute to her predecessor, the late President John Magufuli, for initiating the project. “This road will open markets for us, enabling us to produce more and build the economy”, she added.
Adesina was loudly cheered by residents and Tanzania’s government officials as he highlighted the various projects in Tanzania that the African Development Bank is funding.
“As we lay the foundation stone today, we are also laying the foundation stone for a better future for Tanzania. The Dodoma Outer Ring Road is more than a road project. It will include well-designed social infrastructure that benefits the youth and women, strengthen the institutional capacity of the executing agencies, and deliver improved road safety measures”.
Dr. Adesina
The African Development Bank Group approved funding for the Dodoma City Outer Ring Road in 2019. The total project cost is $214.69 million, with the Bank providing nearly 65% of the funding or about $137.3 million. A further $41.8 million comes from the Africa Growing Together Fund, financed by the People’s Bank of China. The Tanzanian government’s contribution to the project is $34.5 million.
The road project forms part of a masterplan to transform greater Dodoma into a thriving, sustainable city for its 2.4 million people. It serves the regional markets in Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, demonstrating one of the African Development Bank’s High Five priorities – ‘Integrate Africa’.
Once completed, the road is expected to improve accessibility to and around Dodoma City and the region. It will also reduce transport costs and travel times.
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