Tanzania has finished building the Magufuli Bridge, now the longest in East Africa. Stretching 3.2 kilometers across Lake Victoria, the bridge is a major infrastructure milestone that improves regional connectivity.
According to guardian, the project, which cost approximately $300 million, is part of the country’s ongoing investment in infrastructure development.
The bridge, constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Group (CCECG) and China Railway, was fully financed by the Tanzanian government.
Construction began in December 2019 under former President John Magufuli, with completion delayed from the initial July 2023 deadline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bridge was named the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge, and was later renamed in honor of former President Magufuli, who launched the project before his death in 2021. It was completed on October 6, 2023, according to China’s People’s Daily.
“As the last tank of cement was poured on Sunday, the construction of the Magufuli Bridge was completed by two Chinese companies in Tanzania’s northwestern Mwanza region,” the People’s Daily said in an online post.
“The Magufuli Bridge is the only extra-dosed cable-stayed bridge in the Lake Victoria region and the longest of its kind in Africa.”
The bridge will also become among the Top 10 longest bridges in Africa.
The bridge connects Misungwi and Sengerema districts and provides a crucial link between Tanzania and neighbouring countries of Rwanda, Burundi and Ugabda
