TANZANIA · ROADS
Key Facts
- —The country Tanzania is an East African country whose national roads agency, Tanroads, runs its main road network, including projects at the Zambia border.
- —Why it matters The removal concerns a 1,675-metre road at the Tunduma border post, a crossing that links Tanzania with Zambia and serves regional trade.
- —Why now The contract deadline is 31 October 2026, so only about two weeks remain, and the contractor has been given 14 days to finish.
- —What happened On the night of Thursday 15 October, Works Minister Masanja Kadogosa removed acting Songwe manager Fredrick Mande over supervision of the road.
- —The numbers The contract is worth 6.8 billion Tanzanian shillings (about US$2.6 million), and 4.4 billion (about US$1.7 million) had been paid.
- —What it means for US readers Traders, miners and shippers that rely on the Tanzania-Zambia corridor watch border delays, so a deadline and a minister’s return visit matter.
- —Still open Who replaces Mande, whether the contractor meets the deadline, and whether the ministry’s account is the full story.
The Tanzania Tanroads Songwe manager removal was ordered by Works Minister Masanja Kadogosa after a night inspection on Thursday 15 October. He took Engineer Fredrick Mande, acting regional manager of the roads agency, off the post over a delayed Tunduma border road.
For US readers, this is a story about a trade route and not only a personnel change. The road is meant to ease traffic at the Tunduma crossing with Zambia, and the government wants it finished by 31 October.
Tanroads is Tanzania’s national roads agency, and Songwe is the south-western region where Tunduma faces Nakonde in Zambia. Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi had earlier said he was dissatisfied with the pace of the work.
The Tanzania Tanroads Songwe Manager Removal Explained
Kadogosa inspected the project at night on Thursday 15 October, acting on a directive from Vice President Ndejembi. The ministry’s account, as relayed by both outlets, says Mande failed to supervise the work properly and must now return to Tanroads headquarters.
Mande held the post in an acting capacity, and no successor has been named in the reports reviewed. The minister said steps are under way to find another manager for Songwe region.
BongoFive, a private outlet, and HabariLeo, which belongs to a state-owned publisher, both ran the account in Swahili on the morning of Friday 16 October. Their texts match closely, but neither carries a response from Mande, and the ministry statement itself could not be located.
The ministry says the road project is meant to improve the flow of vehicles and goods at the Tanzania-Zambia border. It is also meant to reduce congestion, speed up customs services and make regional trade easier.
What the Minister Ordered at the Border Road
The Forodha-OSBP-Tunduma road is 1,675 metres long, and its contract requires completion by 31 October 2026. Only about two weeks therefore remain, and the reports describe progress as slow.
Kadogosa gave the contractor two weeks to finish the remaining work. He promised to return within seven days to check that the pace of construction has increased.
Ndejembi said the contractor had received 4.4 billion Tanzanian shillings (about US$1.7 million) of a 6.8 billion contract (about US$2.6 million). He said information reaching him showed that is over 60 percent of the value, while progress did not match the payments.
The dollar figures use the Bank of Tanzania’s mid-point rate of about 2,634 shillings per dollar on 16 October. They are rounded and approximate.
Kadogosa also told every Tanroads regional manager to run projects openly and accountably. He said each project needs three distinct roles, namely a project supervisor, the contractor and a supervisor who represents the government.
He warned that supervisors who lean towards one side can weaken independent oversight of public projects. The reports reviewed do not say whether other managers face a review.
Why the Tunduma Crossing Matters for Trade
Tunduma in Tanzania faces Nakonde in Zambia, and the two towns share a one-stop border post that opened in October 2019. A one-stop post lets officials of both countries process cargo and travellers in a single place.
The Citizen wrote in November 2024 that truckers still faced long waits on the Tanzanian side. It blamed inefficient border operations and limited infrastructure, and it described a truck parking area under construction in Tunduma.
The ministry presents the new road as part of the answer to that congestion. The reports reviewed give no traffic counts or waiting times, so the size of the problem is not measured here.
Tanzania’s role as a gateway for its neighbours is set out in Tanzania Neighbours Explained, East Africa Borders and Trade. Freight plans on the same corridor are covered in Tanzania Targets 1,500 Rail Containers a Day.
The Vice President also toured the Iganjo power station in Mbeya region on Friday 16 October, part of the Tanzania-Zambia power link covered in Tanzania Zambia Power Line Project 92% Done. The reports reviewed do not link that project to the road.
What It Means for US Readers
Zambia is a copper-producing country, and miners, traders and shippers that move goods through Tanzania depend on predictable border crossings. A finished road at Tunduma could shorten queues, but only if the work is completed and the post runs smoothly.
The response shows the government acting fast, with a deadline, a follow-up visit and a warning to all managers. Investors and contractors working with Tanroads should expect closer scrutiny of supervision and payments.
Travellers and drivers using the Tunduma crossing should expect works and possible delays while the road is finished. Check current conditions with local operators before planning a crossing.
What Is Not Known
The reports reviewed do not say whether Mande was dismissed, disciplined or simply reassigned to headquarters. They also do not allege misconduct by anyone, and the ministry’s reason is that he failed to supervise the project properly.
The contractor is not named, and the reports give no figure for how much of the road is built. Whether the payments were made on schedule, and why progress lagged, has not been explained publicly.
It is not known who will take over as Songwe manager, or whether the 31 October deadline will be met. Kadogosa’s return visit within seven days should show whether construction has sped up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was removed from the Tanroads Songwe post?
Engineer Fredrick Mande, the acting manager of Tanroads in Songwe region, was removed from the post. He was told to return to Tanroads headquarters.
Why was the Songwe manager removed?
The ministry says he failed to supervise the Forodha-OSBP-Tunduma road project properly. No wrongdoing is alleged in the reports reviewed.
When must the Tunduma border road be finished?
The contract requires completion by 31 October 2026. The minister gave the contractor two weeks from 15 October to finish the remaining work.
What is Tanroads?
Tanroads is Tanzania’s national roads agency, and it manages projects in each region through regional managers. The Works Minister oversees it.
How much has the contractor been paid?
The Vice President said the contractor had received 4.4 billion Tanzanian shillings (about US$1.7 million) of 6.8 billion (about US$2.6 million). That is over 60 percent of the value.
What happens next at Tunduma?
The minister promised to return within seven days to check progress. The ministry says it is looking for another manager for Songwe region.
Sources: BongoFive, Iganjo power station, 16 October 2026; HabariLeo, 16 October 2026; BongoFive, 16 October 2026; The Citizen, 14 November 2024; Bank of Tanzania, exchange rates, 16 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief