Arusha. Arusha is preparing for an East African Community (EAC) summit that will see the official opening of a key road.
The 42-kilometre Arusha Bypass is one of the major road projects to be successfully completed under EAC cooperation.
“One of the highlights of the summit will be the opening of the road,”said Arusha regional commissioner John Mongella.
EAC heads of state scheduled to meet in Arusha on Friday for the summit, which will be preceded by a retreat on Thursday.
Mr Mongella said preparations for the high level events were underway and that it will be preceded by the opening of the outering road.
The highway, commonly known among Arusha residents as “East Africa”, skirts the city on its western and southern fringes towards Moshi.
It begins at Ngaramtoni on the Arusha-Namanga road, crosses the Arusha-Dodoma road near Arusha Airport, and ends in Usa River.
The new road has relieved the city’s central business district and the busy Arusha-Moshi highway, which is expected to be upgraded to a four-lane dual carriage.
Transport experts say it has also facilitated traffic from Kenya to connect with the Central Corridor in Singida Region.
The road was completed a few years ago, and was constructed through a $50 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The bypass has also been a boon to some Arusha residents as it has opened up the barren southern fringes of the city for settlement.
These are Murriet,Kwa Mrombo,Oljoro and others which until recently were dusty areas bereft of water and modern houses.
The suburbs have seen fast growth in recent years, with the rapid construction of modern houses and shopping centres.
The Arusha Bypass is one of three regional road projects that have benefitted Arusha, which is the EAC headquarters.
The others include the 14km Arusha-Tengeru dual carriageway, which is part of the Arusha-Holili-Taveta-Voi road.
The other is the 243km Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road that was completed and inaugurated by the EAC leaders in 2012.
Mr Mongella told The Citizen the inauguration of the road will take place on Friday morning ahead of the summit, which will kick off around midday.
He said President Samia Suluhu Hassan will arrive in Arusha tomorrow for the summit.
“The other heads of state will be here on Thursday,” he said. Thursday has been reserved for the leaders’ retreat.
The retreat will discuss the implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol, according to the EAC Secretariat.
Among those expected at the summit to be held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) is the current chair, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
The Kenyan leader is expected to hand over the chair to Burundian President Evariste Ndyeshimiye, according to EAC sources said.
Mr Mongella confirmed that President Felix Tshisekedi of the DR Congo, which recently joined the EAC, will also arrive in Arusha on Thursday.
This is expected to be the first physical meeting of the EAC leaders for several years following the outbreak of Covid 19 and strained relations among some member states.
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