Serengeti. Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has ordered the Ministry of Works to ask contractors who halted road projects because of financial issues to come back to the sites right away, allowing the paused construction to continue without additional delays.
He released the order at Serengeti on Tuesday, July 1, 2026, amid a public gathering marking the start of his five-day official trip to the Mara Region.
Dr. Nchemba stated that the government's previous choice to reallocate money from certain road initiatives was intentional, with the purpose of supporting key national developments, such as the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Project and the Magufuli Bridge.
"It isn't as though we failed to recognize the significance of these roads. The choice was essential since those large-scale initiatives, such as the Mwalimu Nyerere Hydropower Project, were greatly required yet encountered substantial external obstacles," he stated.
He mentioned that the growth of power transmission facilities has allowed electricity to be available in every village across the country, yet demand continues to exceed supply, resulting in shortages and restrictions that impact manufacturing and economic operations.
"That incident led us to focus on the dam initiative. The government restricted its finances to finish it, which had reached approximately 70% completion at that time. Without the resolve of the late President John Magufuli and his vice president back then, this project wouldn’t have been finished," he stated.
Dr. Nchemba mentioned that the initiative was costing over Sh300 billion each month, posing challenges in maintaining financial support for additional infrastructure projects, such as road developments in the Mara Region.
He mentioned that the government has recently implemented steps to restart delayed initiatives, such as rerouting money that was earlier directed via the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) into the Road Fund.
He listed the impacted routes as Tarime–Mugumu and Sanzate–Mugumu, along with additional ones, stating that execution would restart during the 2026/27 fiscal period.
He mentioned that the Mara region was not isolated, with comparable delays occurring across the country.
At the same gathering, the Prime Minister directed an halt to the seizure of vendors' equipment, especially for those operating on a smaller scale, stating that violators should receive fines as stipulated by legal regulations.
"The habit of seizing items like motorbikes, bikes, carts, and mobile food vendor supplies should come to an end. It is unnecessary to ruin a person's assets. This is their place of work. We have to take action responsibly," he stated.
Regarding public officials charged with carelessness and violations of ethics, Dr Nchemba cautioned that the government will impose severe measures, stating that those found guilty will not be relocated but handled directly at their current positions, such as being fired.
"I have directed public sector agencies that any government employee violating rules will not be reassigned. They will face consequences at their current positions, including termination," he stated.
The Deputy Minister of Lands, Housing, and Human Settlements Development, Mr. Kaspar Mmuya stated that actions have been implemented to resolve land conflicts, such as initiatives to conduct surveys across all 78 villages within the Serengeti District.
He mentioned that the project would be finished in five years and would offer a permanent resolution for conflicts over boundaries among villages, districts, and organizations.
The Minister for Defense and National Service, Dr. Rhimo Nyansaho, stated that finishing road initiatives in Serengeti will enhance local transportation and connect the area to different sections of the Mara Region and further afield.
Professor Nyansaho called on citizens to maintain harmony, emphasizing that peace goes beyond faith, race, and political ties, and is a collective duty.
Prior to the event, Dr Nchemba visited the Serengeti District Council headquarters, mentioning that the government has built 150 administrative structures within local councils during the last five years.
As stated by Jeje Jeje, the Mara regional manager of the Tanzania Building Authority (TBA), the project, which is anticipated to exceed Sh4.5 billion in costs, is currently 42% finished and aims to be completed by April 2028.
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