The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. John Magufuli, has officially inaugurated the bridge linking Dar es Salaam’s central business district to the Kigamboni ward across the Kurasini creek, on 19th April 2016.
Dubbed “Kigamboni Bridge” and “Nyerere Bridge”, the new 680-meter long bridge comprises six car lanes and two pedestrian lanes, 2.5 meters in width.
The bridge offers an alternative link to the new Kigamboni district, and with a total capacity of 1,320 tons, it is expected to aid cargo transport to and from the Dar es Salaam port.
In addition, the bridge is expected to promote the building of a new city in Kigamboni, a city which is expected to the next tourist hub in the Dar es Salaam region, with the capacity to accommodate 1.2 million residents.
The bridge was built at a total cost of TZS 254.12 bn, of which 60% was provided by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and 40% by the Government of Tanzania.
The opening ceremony was attended, among others, by the Ambassador of China in Tanzania, Dr. Lu Youqing, and the Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Engineer Edwin Ngonyani.
The construction of the Kigamboni Bridge began in February 2012 and was due to be completed towards the end of 2015.