GAIRO: TANZANIA Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA), through the World Bank-funded RISE project, has completed the construction of the 21.5-kilometre Iyogwe–Chogohali road in Gairo District, Morogoro Region, significantly improving connectivity between Iyogwe and Chogohali wards and neighbouring Mvomero District.
The project has eliminated long-standing transport barriers that previously isolated communities, especially during the rainy season when river crossings became impassable, cutting off access to essential services such as health care, schools and district offices.
TARURA Gairo District Manager, Engineer Simon Masala, made the statement on Friday in Morogoro noting that the works included the construction of nine small culverts and a major four-opening bridge, which has permanently resolved the transport bottlenecks that affected residents for years.
ALSO READ: Tanzania unveils plans to enroll all poor households into a Universal Health Insurance scheme
“We received funds from the World Bank through the RISE project, where after receiving the funds we directed them to this road to remove the obstacles that prevented our citizens from Chogohali from accessing services in our Gairo district,” the Engineer said.
Elaborating, he said that villages on the other side of the river depend on all social services such as health centers and a secondary school on the Iyogwe side and the district headquarters in Gairo.
Additionally, he said the new road has opened up a key economic corridor between Gairo and Mvomero, allowing farmers and traders to transport and sell goods more easily, instead of taking a detour of over 60 kilometres through alternative routes.
Residents have welcomed the project, saying it has improved access to social services and boosted safety, particularly for expectant mothers who previously faced serious risks during the rainy season while crossing the river to access health facilities.