Government Implements Emergency Measures to Ease Dar es Salaam Traffic Congestion
Dar es Salaam. The government has introduced a temporary plan to reduce traffic congestion in Dar es Salaam by opening junction roads in areas affected by the ongoing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.
The directive came from Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Ambassador Aisha Amour, during her visit on Saturday, December 6, 2025, to inspect the progress of the projects.
Ambassador Amour noted that congestion is expected to worsen during the Christmas and New Year period. She instructed that junction roads be opened and temporary lanes used to improve traffic flow.
"The quickest way to reduce congestion now is to open junctions while permanent works, including the BRT, continue," she said.
She also directed the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) to ensure all temporary roads are accessible and in good condition to facilitate transport for residents and businesses.
Presidential Approval for Major Traffic Relief Funding
The move follows instructions from the Minister of Works, Mr Abdallah Ulega, last week, calling on Tanroads to tackle congestion across the city. While inspecting the Mbagala Rangi Tatu–Kongowe road expansion (3.8km), Ulega revealed that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had approved over Sh54 billion to address traffic challenges in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions.
"I order all Tanroads managers nationwide to resolve traffic problems. Complaints without solutions are unacceptable," he said.
He also urged managers to ensure roads remain safe and functional during the rainy season and instructed the Pwani region Tanroads office to repair the old Morogoro road as an alternative route to ease congestion on the main Dar es Salaam–Chalinze corridor.
Temporary Asphalt Solutions for Construction Zones
To ensure effectiveness, Ambassador Amour instructed contractors on the Mwenge–Tegeta project to lay temporary asphalt on service lanes to improve vehicle movement during construction. She emphasized the government’s awareness of the inconvenience caused by major infrastructure projects and asked Tanroads to provide regular updates to road users on alternative routes.
"These updates will reduce complaints and allow citizens to plan their journeys," she said, urging drivers to follow traffic rules and temporary signs in construction zones to avoid accidents.
Dar es Salaam Tanroads Manager, Engineer Alinanuswe Kyamba, confirmed that the agency had begun implementing the directives, opening junctions and improving temporary roads to ease congestion. He added that Tanroads would continue monitoring the strategy to ensure quick relief for road users during ongoing construction.
