PM orders rural road agency to fight bribes

LUDOVICK KAZOKA in Dodoma

PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa yesterday launched the Tanzania Rural and Urban Road Agency (TARURA), directing it to address corruption in road projects’ tender processes.

The Premier directed the new authority responsible for rural and urban roads networks to kick out rampant corruption that prevails in tender processes, especially for road projects.

“Only capable contractors should be hired to execute road projects through competitive tendering,” remarked the Premier. He also ordered TARURA to address poor supervision of the construc tion contracts between contractors and authorities in road projects, emphasising on transparency in all contracts for public works.

Mr Majaliwa warned some district council leaders whom he accused of re-channelling funds allocated for roadworks to other projects, reiterating that funds should be used as per the planned projects.

He said that TARURA would facilitate improvements of rural and urban road networks, enabling people to transport crops and other items from rural to urban areas.

“The new agency is key towards boosting agricultural productivity by facilitating transportation of crops to market. It will also be useful for our economic growth,” he observed, adding that TARURA will help to transform the livelihoods of people, reducing the risks and time they spend on roads.

Mr Majaliwa said the new agency would facilitate provision of social services to people especially in rural areas. He also approved the allocation of funds from Roads Fund to Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROAD) and TARURA at 70 and 30 per cent, respectively.

Earlier, the Minister of State in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr George Simbachawene, pleaded with the Premier to review allocation of funds from the Road Funds towards TANROAD and TARURA.

“TARURA is the key to social development and it will uplift the level of national economy,” he argued, noting that the road infra structure helps to improve agricultural production as well as facilitating smooth delivery of social services to the citizens.

The Minister pointed out that the road network under local government authorities covers 108,942.2 kilometres, which are over half of the entire country’s road network