AT Last, the government yesterday accepted to take over the second phase of a rehabilitated portion of a 5.1 km of a dual carriage road stretch which starts from Mtoni Mtongani to Mbagala rangi tatu along Kilwa road in Dar es Salaam, which earlier it had refused on account of its low quality standards. The road which was being rehabilitated by the assistance of the Japanese government was recently inaugurated by the Vice-President Dr. Mohammed Gharib Bilal in a colorful ceremony which was attended by the Japanese Ambassador accredited in the country Masaki Okada. This is a portion of the second phase of the rehabilitation road project earlier completed in 2009 but the government could not accept its handing over by a contracting firm, Kajima Corporation Limited when it had discovered to have low quality standards. The Minister for Works Dr. John Magufuli said during the inauguration that, when the government took over a completed first phase portion between Bendara Tatu and Mtoni Mtongani that covers a distance of 6.6 Km stretches found it with a problem of lower standards and added that it was a mistake done. Magufuli described the major reasons why the government had refused to accept the handing over of the road portion and clearly stated how the two governments arrived into a mutual agreement. He said that, Japan and Tanzania established the joint task force in June 2011 in order to achieve a mutually agreeable solution for Kilwa Road in a harmonious spirit, based on friendships. He noted that, when the time to hand over the second phase rehabilitated portion came, government road experts were careful enough when they discovered to have to some irregularities that his office could not accept for such irregularities could not conform to the standards agreed in contract. However, he added that the government ordered the constructing firm to repeat the work. “We refused to take on the road when it was completed in 2009 as it was rehabilitated in low quality standards” he said adding that, after having discovered this the government consulted the Japanese contractor and a probing enquiry team was formed to investigate further the trend, whose result showed that a component of the soil used was not as per the required quality standards. He said that, the road was placed under supervision for a period of one year under which experts discovered various such irregularities including pavement distress, potholes, and some formation of cracks on the road surface which the specifications showed were low as per the standards needed.
A rehabilitated portion of the Kilwa Road on the ouitskirts of the Dar es Salaam city.
After undergoing a sample test of a soil in a laboratory, it was discovered that such irregularities were caused by a contractor deliberately and their presence was contrary to the required standards signed in a contract. These signs were discovered within a year’s time under which the road was used as per the contract signed. It’s within this period known as supervision time when the government refused to accept the handing over unless all the needed logistics were first cleared and put in good place, an aspect that brought a mutual of misunderstanding between the government and the contractor, said Magufuli. In view of this, a contractor was summoned by the Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS) Board of Directors and was commissioned to repeat the rehabilitation work, although earlier the contractor threatened not to do the work as a sign to disagree with the TANROADS results after its investigations, but later agreed to accomplish. The agreement was reached after long discussion between the two parties which was convened in respect of the regulations which governs the exchange of notes No. 7 of the contractual agreement. The two governments held a humble discussion that led to the amicable agreement that decided that the contractor should repeat the work at their own costs. Magufuli noted that, this is a lesson that should serve as an example for others who tend to do any shoddy construction in any of the construction work entered into agreement with the Tanzania government. The Vice-President Mohammed Gharib Bilal has also cautioned people to take care of the road and avoid vandalism of some of the iron parts used during construction. He has however, asked the police force to work in collaboration with them people in order to ensure possible safety. Earlier, the expansion and the rehabilitation project of a dual carriage way has first and second phase rehabilitation process. The whole project has total kilometers of 11.6 along Kilwa road whose rehabilitation aimed to reduce the long standing traffic congestion in the city of Dar es Salaam. This truck road plays an important role for the Dar es Salaam and its vicinity as it is one of the major commuter road leading to the city centre as well as one of the essential industrial roads to Dar es Salaam port. It is also a starting point from the metropolitan city to southern Tanzania such as the Lindi and Mtwara regions which are strategic areas of the economic development of the country.
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