The president of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan officially opened the JP Magufuli Bridge and its connecting roads last week.
The crossing over Lake Victoria in the north of the country between Busisi and Kigongo is served by a ferry. The bridge will reduce the journey time from two hours to five minutes, boosting trade with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Magufuli Bridge crosses Lake Victoria in Tanzania. Credit: TANROADS
In her speech, the president urged state agencies to protect the bridge with regular inspections. Tanzania’s ministry of works and highways agency, TANROADS, responded with assurances that the bridge was designed to last 100 years and would be subject to a maintenance programme.
The US$260 million bridge was built by China Railway Construction Corporation (CCRCC). The cable-stayed span is 520m long.
