THE tarmac road network has significantly expanded from 13 percent in 2000 to an expected 90 percent by the end of this year, the Road Fund Board (RFB) has declared.

Rashid Kalimbaga, the RFB acting chief executive officer, made this observation here yesterday when briefing the media on the performance of the board in the past four years, an affirmation with discounts an online datum that as of June 2023, tarmac roads in Tanzania, including both national and district roads, represented approximately 2.31 percent of the total road network.

The datum indicated that the country had 3,337.66 kilometers of tarmac roads of which 2,743.81 km are in good condition, while the board noted that the growth in tarmac networks had improved transportation and uplifted economic activities nationwide.

Highlighting improvements in the quality of the road network, he said that the proportion of district roads elevated to tarmac had increased from 10 percent in 2000 to 60 percent. Road infrastructure has an estimated value of 39.5tron/- or about 23percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

The government has been strengthening financial and institutional capacity to protect these roads and ensure they serve their intended purpose for the planned lifespan, he stated, affirming that road traffic accounts for over 90 percent of passenger transport and 80 percent of cargo transport.

The efficiency of government development plans—particularly in rural development, job creation, and industrial growth—depends largely on the quality of road transport services, he emphasized.

The government has strengthened the capacity of institutions responsible for road management, including Tanroads, TARURA and RFB, with financial and institutional capacity for regular road maintenance.

“As a result, over 90 percent of the national road network and 60 percent of district roads are now in good and fair condition,” he stated, noting that an average of 900bn/- was annually allocated over the past four years for road maintenance.

This funding has facilitated the implementation of around 700 national road maintenance projects and 900 district road projects each year, ensuring that most roads remain accessible throughout the year, he elaborated.

Whenever road connections are disrupted by floods or other natural disasters, the government quickly provides funds to restore connectivity, ensuring that essential services such as education, healthcare and economic activities don’t suffer prolonged disruption.

"If maintenance is neglected, roads will deteriorate prematurely, diminishing their value and increasing transportation costs. This would also mean a loss of the government’s investment," he said.

Under the law, the Road Fund Board is tasked with securing adequate funding for road maintenance, distributing funds to road agencies and monitoring their use. The fuel levy is the main source of Road Fund revenue, for 96 percent of its total income.

The current fuel levy for road maintenance stands at 263/- per litre of petrol and diesel, while other revenue sources include transit charges for foreign vehicles and overweight penalties, he added.