Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan inaugurated a sprawling new Government City in Dodoma on Friday, unveiling modern ministry buildings, roads and infrastructure built at a cost of around 700 billion Tanzanian shillings ($270 million).
Footage shows senior government officials attending the inauguration ceremony and watching traditional dance performances. The inauguration was also attended by Angolan President Joao Lourenco and First Lady Ana Afonso Dias Lourenco.
The development at Mtumba forms part of Tanzania’s decades-long effort to shift government operations from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, bringing ministries and public institutions together in purpose-built offices.
According to Tanzanian officials, the project includes around 59 kilometres of paved roads, modern communication networks and facilities intended to improve government coordination and public services.
“I am confident that the completion of the buildings, roads, bridges and other essential infrastructure facilities inaugurated today will further increase productivity and efficiency in achieving these objectives,” Hassan said.
Hassan noted that the project had been financed entirely through domestic resources, without loans from financial institutions, and urged public servants to ensure the investment translated into better services, greater efficiency and accountability.
She also called on government institutions to strengthen their digital systems, warning that citizens should not have to travel to Dodoma simply to follow up on administrative matters.
Minister of State for Planning and Investment Kitila Mkumbo outlined plans to turn the complex into a ‘smart city’, with electric vehicle charging points, natural gas refuelling facilities and underground power cables.
“[Hassan] previously instructed us to lead by example by ensuring that government vehicles switch to electric or gas-powered alternatives. In line with that directive, we have established a gas refuelling station within this city,” Mkumbo said.
“Furthermore, as you may have noticed, under the supervision of the former Minister of Energy, the electricity cables have been installed underground. You will not see any overhead power lines, but electricity is available throughout the city,” he added.
Dodoma resident Faida Rajabu welcomed the development, expressing hope that concentrating government institutions in the capital would improve access to public services and encourage investment beyond Dodoma.
“Dodoma should serve as a showcase for the nation, while also opening up development opportunities for other regions, such as Mwanza and Mbeya, so that we can achieve balanced national development and move our country forward,” she said.
Dodoma was designated Tanzania’s capital in 1973, but many government institutions remained in Dar es Salaam for decades. The relocation programme gained renewed momentum under former President John Magufuli in 2016, with construction of the current phase of Mtumba Government City beginning in 2021.
The Government City has been designed with room for future expansion, with officials saying its master plan allows for the development of additional administrative facilities over the next century.
Source: Viory
