TANZANIA · RAILWAYS
Key Facts
- —The country Tanzania is one of East Africa’s larger economies, with Dodoma as its capital and Dar es Salaam as its main port.
- —What happened Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said on Saturday 24 October 2026 that Tanzania has secured Sh3.67 trillion (about US$1.4 billion) for two railway sections.
- —The route The sections run 424 km from Makutupora through Tabora to Isaka: 294 km to Tabora, then 130 km on to Isaka.
- —The delay Mbarawa said slow progress came from the contractor’s work planning, not from a lack of money, and that payments depend on certified work.
- —The new deadline Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), the state operator, said the section should reach its final stages by 2028.
- —Why it matters It is part of the planned Dar es Salaam to Mwanza line, meant to carry passengers and freight.
- —Still open The minister did not name the contractors taking over the remaining kilometres, or split the money between the lots.
The Tanzania rail link between Makutupora and Isaka has its money, Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said on Saturday 24 October. The Citizen of Dar es Salaam reported on Sunday 25 October that Sh3.67 trillion (about US$1.4 billion) is secured for 424 km of electric track.
For foreign investors, the Tanzania rail link is a missing stretch of the line meant to join Dar es Salaam with Mwanza. Mbarawa blamed delays on contractor planning rather than on funding, and the state railway now points to 2028.
What the Minister Announced at Nyahua
The Citizen’s photo shows Mbarawa at Nyahua, on the third section of the Tabora to Isaka works, on 24 October. It was the first day of a four-day tour of Sections Two to Five of the railway project.
The money covers Lots 3 and 4 of the Tanzania rail link, which total 424 km of main line. Lot 3 runs 294 km from Makutupora, in Singida Region, to Tabora, and Lot 4 runs 130 km on to Isaka, in Shinyanga Region.
Why the Work Fell Behind
“There is no funding problem,” Mbarawa said, adding that the main challenge had been the contractor’s own planning. He explained that money is released as the builder submits enough Interim Payment Certificates, the invoices that certify work already finished.
To speed things up, the works have been divided into five sections, The Citizen reported. It said One Group, first given a 100 km stretch, would now complete 45 km while other contractors take over the rest.
A Deadline That Has Moved
TRC Director General Machibya Shiwa said the corporation will tighten supervision of contractors. It has asked for a detailed daily plan, including bridge and embankment work, and Shiwa said the section should reach its final stages by 2028.
HabariLeo, a Swahili daily, reported in July that the Nyahua project manager expects Makutupora to Tabora to enter its finishing stages by late 2028. In January 2023, TanzaniaInvest reported that the Tabora to Isaka lot was due for completion in March 2026.
The Money Behind the Two Lots
Daily News reported on 1 September that the state railway put the Lot 3 contract at US$1.908 billion and Lot 4 at US$900.1 million. Together the two contracts come to about US$2.8 billion, twice the US$1.4 billion now announced.
The same report said the government signed a financing agreement of about US$1.277 billion in April 2026 for Lots 3 and 4. On 10 October, Daily News quoted Auditor General Charles Kichere saying the whole SGR project costs more than Sh35 trillion (about US$13.2 billion).
What Is Already Running
Passenger trains already run from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, and freight trains run to Ihumwa near Dodoma. As The Rio Times reported on 6 October, the line earned Sh169.37 billion (about US$64 million) between June 2024 and March 2026.
Tanzania also wants to move 1,500 containers a day by rail, a goal that depends on the line reaching beyond Dodoma. Further north, Daily News reported on 1 September that Lot 5, from Isaka to Mwanza, stood at 69.2% complete.
What It Means for US Readers
A finished line to Isaka would give shippers a rail option from Dar es Salaam toward Lake Victoria. The Citizen says the railway is meant to support trade with neighbouring countries.
Investors should treat the 2028 date with care, because the minister himself named contractor planning as the problem. Passenger trains currently run as far as Dodoma, so travellers will see no change soon.
What Is Not Known
The minister did not say which contractors take over the remaining kilometres, and The Citizen noted he gave no breakdown. Nor is it known how the US$1.4 billion is split between the two lots.
It is not known whether the Sh3.67 trillion (about US$1.4 billion) is the US$1.277 billion financing agreement of April 2026, other government money, or both. Mbarawa gave no date for passenger service to Tabora, and the 2028 target refers only to the final stages of this section.
More: Tanzania news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has Tanzania secured for the Makutupora to Isaka railway?
Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said Tanzania has secured Sh3.67 trillion (about US$1.4 billion) for the Tanzania rail link. The money is for Lots 3 and 4, covering 424 km.
Where does the Tanzania rail link run?
It runs from Makutupora in Singida Region through Tabora to Isaka in Shinyanga Region. Lot 3 covers 294 km to Tabora, and Lot 4 covers 130 km from Tabora to Isaka.
Why has construction been late?
The minister said the delay came mainly from the contractor’s work planning, not from a shortage of funds. Payments depend on the contractor submitting enough certificates for work completed.
When will the Tanzania rail link be finished?
The state railway corporation, TRC, said the section should reach its final stages by 2028. No opening date for train services has been announced.
Can tourists ride the electric train now?
Passenger trains run between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. The Tanzania rail link to Tabora and Isaka is still under construction.
Sources: The Citizen, report on funding for the Makutupora to Isaka railway link, 25 October 2026; Daily News, From roadbed to economic transformation: SGR lays the track for Tanzania’s Vision 2050, 1 September 2026; Daily News, CAG inspects Makutupora-Kigoma, Tabora-Mwanza SGR projects, 10 October 2026; HabariLeo (Swahili), Mradi SGR Makutopora – Tabora kukamilika 2028, 18 July 2026; TanzaniaInvest, Tanzania Starts Construction of Phase 4 of SGR Connecting Tabora and Isaka, 18 January 2023.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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