MWANZA, TANZANIA – A crowd of Tanzanians lined the shores of Lake Victoria early Thursday as President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially opened the JP Magufuli Bridge, a 3-kilometre structure now recognized as the longest bridge in East and Central Africa.
The event took place on June 19 at the Kigongo end of the bridge in Mwanza Region, where the president began her visit with a tour of the site and a technical briefing from engineers. She later unveiled a commemorative plaque before proceeding to the Busisi side, marking the formal opening of the bridge to public traffic.
Constructed at a cost of TSh 718.9 billion, the bridge replaces a ferry-dependent route that previously slowed the movement of people and goods between Kigongo and Busisi, a key corridor connecting Mwanza to the Geita Region and beyond. It includes an additional 1.6 kilometres of access roads.
Former president Jakaya Kikwete, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, Works Minister Abdallah Ulega, CCM Vice Chairman Stephen Wasira, and former First Lady Janeth Magufuli were among the dignitaries present. The project, named after the late President John Pombe Magufuli, was described as a major step forward for national integration.
Tanzania’s latest infrastructure development is expected to improve connectivity with neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its completion is also expected to boost trade and transport in the region.
Cheers broke out as President Samia waved the national flag, allowing the first vehicles to cross the bridge. A passenger minibus led the procession, followed by buses and private vehicles carrying commuters who celebrated the occasion with applause and song.
Local businesses along the route anticipate a rise in economic activity now that ferry delays are no longer a bottleneck for trade and transport.
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