… as a 10bn/- project for two bus terminals in Arusha is on the drawing board as part of a drive to add a notch to Arusha as the seat of the East African Community (EAC), its civic leadership is in the process of establishing two large bus terminals here, which will link all six member states of the regional bloc by a road network.

The project cost is estimated at around 10 billion/- .

The Arusha City Director, Mr Athumani Kihamia has revealed that locations for the proposed terminals had been earmarked, Moshono being the envisaged host of the larger one, to cater for buses traveling between Arusha, Nairobi and Mombasa (Kenya) as well as Kampala (Uganda), plus linking the region with Dar-essalaam, Tanga and Morogoro.

The second one will be constructed in Olasiti Ward and become the main station for passenger vehicles traveling between Arusha and Kigali (Rwanda), Bujumbura (Burundi) via the Great North Road which connects Cape Town (South Africa) to Cairo (Egypt).

The station will also serve routes linking the northern zone with the lake zone regions (Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu and Kigoma) as well as Manyara, Dodoma, Singida, Tabora and Iringa as well as southern highlands regions.

“We have written to the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government (TAMISEMI) seeking permission for applying for loans in the range of 10 billion/- from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fund the proposed projects,” said Mr Kihamia, adding that the works at Moshono would commence in March.

The city director was briefing the Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, during the latter’s joint meeting with members of the business communities of Arusha and Manyara regions.

The event at the Arusha Technical College (ATC) hall attracted more than 100 delegates. Members of the business communities wanted to know what the city was planning as far as bus terminals were concerned, as Arusha currently lacks a satisfactory docking station, the small one in the town centre being crowded and under extreme pressure.

Dr Kijaji said Arusha needed to upgrade its infrastructures, including roads and public buildings, to match its status as EAC headquarters, as well as the hub of the tourism industry, plus living up to its name as ‘Geneva of Africa,'” she added.

Source: All Africa

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