CONSTRUCTION RESUME AT KWALA DRY PORT PROJECT IN TANZANIA

Construction works to complete the Kwala project are expected to resume this month as procedures to acquire a contractor are at the final touches. It was revealed that the construction will be completed in four months and the facility will begin operations in January, next year.

The project in Kibaha District, Coast Region which will decongest Dar es Salaam Port, had stalled while reaching 65 percent due to some contractual challenges. Deputy Minister for Works and Transport, Atupele Mwakibete, visited the site on Wednesday and ordered immediate completion of procedures to acquire a contractor so that the works resume by mid this month.

The deputy minister was informed that procedures to obtain a contractor were at the final stages after the closure of the window for bidding for tender under the Tanzanian National e-Procurement System (TANePS) on Tuesday this week.

After the closure of the tender bidding, now it awaits the completion of contractor evaluation, which is the final step for endorsing a contractor for the job.

“The issue of evaluation should be done in time, make it even two days so that things can move without delays,” Mr. Mwakibete directed the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).

The project consists of the construction of the dry port for 36bn/- and a 15.5-kilometer tarmac road connecting Morogoro Highway at the Vigwaza area with the Kwala Dry Port.

ESTIM Construction Co. Ltd is constructing the road under the supervision of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS).

Road construction has reached 63 percent. When briefing the deputy minister, TPA’s Estate Manager Alexander Ndibalema said the project to construct the dry port began in June 2019 and was supposed to be completed within four months.

The TPA secured a total of 502 hectares area for the project, did a feasibility study on 120 hectares, and developed 60 hectares of the land by fencing it.

“On July 15 a contractor will be at the site to start the work and complete it in December this year. We expect that operations will begin in January next year,” Mr. Ndibalema stated.

Commenting, TANROADS’ Resident Engineer, Jacob Mambo said they will implement directives by the deputy minister and they would ensure that the road contractor gets back to the site immediately after payment has been made.

He assured the deputy minister that once the payments have been made the construction will be competed in September this year.