CONGESTION will be eased significantly at the Tunduma border post with Zambia with the construction of a new 1,800-acre dry port within the vicinity and introducing scanning of cargo in vehicles before reaching the border.

Samia Suluhu Hassan, the ruling party's presidential candidate, made this affirmation at a rally in Tunduma, Songwe Region yesterday that border post improvement projects form part of the government’s wider agenda to streamline trade, boost regional connectivity and cement Tunduma’s position as among East Africa’s busiest transit corridors.

The campaigning president said that cargo volumes through Dar es Salaam port have jumped from 16m tonnes to 28m tonnes in four years, while transit cargo passing through Tunduma rose from 3m tonnes to 9m tonnes during the period.

The surge has brought economic opportunities but also caused truck queues and traffic challenges at the border, compelling urgent action, she stated, noting the government is building a 75-kilometre double lane highway from Mbeya to Tunduma to reduce queuing.

Rehabilitating the Tanzania-Zambia railway is also being taken up, along with opening the new dry port so that cargo trucks no longer line the roads. “With pre-border scanning, goods will be processed before reaching the border, reducing delays and improving services,” she stated

She further disclosed that Tanzania and Zambia are in advanced liaison to ensure both countries’ revenue agencies operate 24 hours a day to speed up customs clearance. “The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) already works round the clock, and we want Zambia to match this for seamless trade,” she said.

Alongside trade facilitation, the government is investing in a 730kV transmission line from Iringa to deliver 400kV of power intensity to Tunduma and Rukwa, while exporting 330kV to Zambia, she elaborated.

The project is part of Tanzania’s regional energy ambitions and its clean energy drive, which has seen households in Songwe receive free or subsidised gas cylinders to reduce dependence on charcoal and firewood, she stated.

Women in Tunduma hailed the cooking energy shift, saying it has transformed their lives. “Life isn’t the same anymore—we no longer spend hours searching for firewood,” said one resident. “Now we have more time for economic and social activities.”

CCM candidates vying for votes in the region also pointed out major social investments, with Momba, constituency candidate Contesta Sichalwe highlighting that all 74 villages now have electricity compared to 20 villages five years ago, while 21bn/- has been spent on water supply and 14 new dispensaries built.

David Silinde, the Tunduma parliamentary candidate, pointed at seven new secondary schools—including the modern Dr Samia Secondary School, four new health centres and ongoing water projects, all billed at 5bn/-.

Daniel Chongolo, a former CCM secretary general and parliamentary polls candidate, asserted that subsidised fertiliser and farm inputs have lifted agricultural production. Loans for higher learning students have expanded opportunities for younger people, he added.