Is Unity Bridge a white elephant?
'Coordination was lacking when the project was being implemented' Mr Mkulo
By Lucas Liganga
The magnificent Unity Bridge connecting Tanzania and Mozambique across Ruvuma River lacks vital supporting infrastructure and facilities, The Citizen has learnt.This means that it will be some time before the bridge plays a pivotal role in facilitating trade and the movement of people between the two countries.
Despite traversing the countries common border, there are no immigration and customs facilities or security checkpoints on either side of the bridge, which also lacks all-weather roads connecting it to other parts of Tanzania and Mozambique.
Finance and Economic Affairs minister Mustafa Mkulo yesterday blamed lack of coordination for the absence of important facilities at the Sh34 billion bridge.
Its unfortunate that there wasnt adequate coordination when the project was being implemented, Mr Mkulo told The Citizen by telephone.
He said he would direct the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to establish a customs office at the bridge as soon as possible.
Infrastructure Development minister Shukuru Kawambwa said he could not comment immediately. Call me tomorrow when I will be in a position to comment on the issue, he said.
Home Affairs minister Lawrence Masha could not be reached, and an aide who identified himself as George Mkaima said the minister was in his Nyamagana constituency in Mwanza Region attending a fundraiser organised by the Anglican Church.
Home Affairs deputy minister Khamis Kagashekis response when reached for comment was: Dont call me on Sundays when Im with my family. Please try to understand me.
Some commentators said the 720-metre bridge would be a white elephant as long as customs, immigration and other important facilities were not there.
They added that high expectations of increased trade and movement of people between Tanzania and Mozambique were premature despite the bridges official opening last week by President Jakaya Kikwete and his Mozambican counterpart, Mr Armando Guebuza.
Investigations by The Citizen have also established that roads leading to the bridge on either side were in a pathetic condition, making it difficult to access the link.
The nearest all-weather road on the Tanzanian side is 56 kilometres away in Masasi District. Mtwara and Lindi towns are 320 kilometres and 240 kilometres away, respectively.
On the Mozambican side, the nearest coastal town, Mocimboa da Praia, is 275 kilometres away, while the nearest paved road is 165 kilometres from the bridge.
The Controller and Auditor General (CAG) noted in his audit report for the 2008/9 financial year that the lack of necessary facilities and services rendered the bridge useless.
The CAG said accessing the bridge was difficult due to the absence of an all-weather road that was supposed to connect it to the Masasi-Tunduma road, adding that the nearest district headquarters in Mozambique was 165 kilometres away.
There were no plans to ensure sustainability of the bridge, the CAG report said, adding that lack of a joint committee or commission to oversee the operations and maintenance of the bridge was another major oversight.
Commenting on the matter, Nominated MP Ismail Jussa said yesterday that poor planning could turn the imposing multi-billion-shilling bridge into a white elephant.
The problem with us is that we dont look at the bigger picture when planning our projects. There is no proper coordination, and the Unity Bridge project is a perfect example, the CUF MP said.
Mr Jussa added it was likely that expert advice was ignored in planning the bridge and during the projects implementation for the sake of political expediency.
How could you build a bridge using billions of shillings of taxpayers money without building roads leading to it? the legislator queried.
Mr Jussa said the Machinga Complex being built in Dar es Salaam for small-scale traders could also end up being another white elephants because it lacked, among other amenities, a parking lot.
We tend to ignore our experts and let politicians do the planning. Such projects require serious planning, he said.
Chadema secretary-general Willibrod Slaa echoed Mr Jussas views, saying huge sums of money were being sunk into projects that did not benefit the people.
Its basically a question of poor planning. Many projects end up being white elephants because they are inspired by self-aggrandisement rather than the needs of the people at that particular time, the Karatu MP said.
He added that common sense dictated that roads and customs, immigration and security facilities were supposed to be built simultaneously with the bridge.
Inaugurating the bridge last week, presidents Kikwete and Guebuza directed relevant authorities in their countries to hasten the setting up of customs, immigration and security offices at the border post to make the bridge more useful.
We need the authorities to start working immediately so that our citizens can begin enjoying the fruits of the bridge rather than staying for years without benefitting from it, President Kikwete said.
He added that since the bridge had been opened for public use there was a need to formulate plans and strategies aimed at increasing trade and investments in not only Tanzania and Mozambique, but in other countrie