Tanzania has signed a deal to construct a 3.2km long bridge on Lake Victoria, a project that will cost approximately $265 million.
The bridge will be built over the Gulf of Mwanza, and will link the Kigongo and Busisi areas in Mwanza region.
The bridge, having a full capacity of 180 tonnes, will be connected to a 34-kilometre road, with 28.4 metres wide from Mwanza, allowing 1600 vehicles to pass at a time.
The construction tender for the bridge was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Group (CCECG) and China Railway 15th Bureau Group Co Ltd, although the details of commencement and completion have not yet been revealed.
The aim of the bridge is to link Tanzania with neighbouring Uganda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, thus accelerating trade and boosting the regional economy by reducing the transport time.
The bridge will replace the Mwanza ferry and improve communications between the commercial hub of Mwanza.
The money used to build the bridge comes from public funds, with over 1000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs being created during the construction period.
