THE Ministry of Works yesterday presented a 2.28trn/- budget proposal for fiscal 2025/26, an increase of 28.87 percent from the 1.77trn/- sought for in the past financial year.

Abdallah Ulega, the minister, said that a total 90.4bn/- has been allocated for recurrent expenditures for the ministry and its agencies, while over 2trn/- is earmarked for development initiatives.

The estimates list strategic projects like the construction of key roads stimulating economic growth, improving access to social services and enhancing connectivity between regional capitals and neighboring countries.

The development budget includes more than 1trn/- from domestic sources and over 980bn/- expected from external funding, where the domestic portion comprises 688bn/- from the Road Fund and 520bn/- from the Consolidated Fund, he said.

Bypass roads to decongest growing cities, major repairs on highways and regional roads to ensure year-round usability are strategic components, also in upgrading ferry infrastructure and enhancing road safety, including weighbridge construction, he said.

Building public servants’ housing and government offices, strengthening local contractors’ capacity and completing airport construction projects were also cited.

Urgent infrastructure restoration follows severe damage caused by El Niño rains and Cyclone Hidaya at the end of 2023, he said, referring to the Crisis and Emergency Response Component (CERC) programme, where the government has signed 81 contracts valued at 556.9bn/-.

Of these, 72 are being executed by local contractors, in line with efforts to bolster domestic capacity, while the government is prioritizing the rehabilitation of the Dar es Salaam–Kibiti–Lindi–Mingoyo road (463 km), recently rendered impassable due to heavy rains.

Once completed, the upgraded road will provide a long-term solution to seasonal disruptions, where two contractors have been assigned to the Mtwara–Mingoyo–Masasi section, at a combined cost of 427bn/-, he stated.

One contractor was already on site and the second is set to begin work anytime during this month, he said.

“Climate change is a major challenge for the construction sector, both regionally and globally,” he said, pointing at the devastation caused by floods, especially in Somanga and parts of Morogoro such as Mlimba, Ifakara and Malinyi.

To mitigate future disasters, Tanroads has mapped flood-prone areas, working to upgrade infrastructure to withstand climate-induced events, where existing roads and bridges are being redesigned to meet modern climate resilience standards, he explained.

The government is also expanding emergency response capabilities, with such a centre in Kibaha having procured 4.91bn/- worth of equipment during the current financial year, including 5,750 meters of steel culverts and 4,500 cubic meters of gabion boxes and mattresses, he stated.

Additional regional response centers will be established in Mwanza, Arusha, Mbeya, and Dodoma, the minister noted, similarly unveiling a policy move to increase the contracting threshold for local firms from 10bn/- to 50bn/.

The move is in line with prioritizing Tanzanian companies for projects within this range, he said, asserting that this is a performance-based decision as many local firms are now matching or outperforming foreign firms.