Mwanza. With the sun casting its glow across the placid waters of Lake Victoria, history was etched into the heart of Tanzania on Thursday, June 19, 2025, as President Samia Suluhu Hassan inaugurated the majestic J.P. Magufuli Bridge—an engineering marvel stretching three kilometres across Africa’s largest lake.
Set against the scenic expanse of Kigongo and Busisi, the newly completed bridge is not merely a passage over water; it is a symbol of a nation’s resolve to connect its people, foster trade, and immortalise the dreams of its visionary leaders.
Flanked by a 1.6-kilometre connecting road, the bridge links the Mwanza Region with the greater Lake Zone and neighbouring countries, creating a vital transport artery in the northern corridor.
In her address, President Samia painted a vivid picture of a long and sometimes tragic journey to this milestone.
She recalled Tanzania’s decades-long struggle to bridge the gap carved out by Lake Victoria since the first ferry was introduced in 1968.
Despite successive efforts, she said, ferries remained insufficient, prompting the rise of private boat services whose limited safety standards often led to heartbreaking accidents.
“You remember one of the most poignant stories, which was told by the late President John Magufuli himself. He had come here to propose to our dear sister Janeth. On his return, he hesitated to use a ferry and instead rode his motorbike along a much longer route. Only later did he learn that one of the boats he nearly boarded had capsized, claiming lives.”
It was these painful experiences, President Samia explained, that stirred the late President Magufuli to commission the bridge.
His vision was clear: a safe, permanent connection between Kigongo and Busisi—no longer should Tanzanians risk their lives to cross their own country.
Construction of the J.P. Magufuli Bridge officially began in February 2020.
At the time of President Magufuli’s death in March 2021, the project had reached just under a quarter of its completion.
Since then, under the stewardship of President Samia, the bridge has not only taken shape but now proudly stands as a testament to continuity in leadership and the triumph of infrastructure over isolation.
Moments before cutting the ribbon, President Samia took a symbolic walk across the bridge—each step a tribute to the years of labour, leadership, and lives that led to this day.
She then flagged off the first vehicle to cross the structure, opening the gateway for thousands who will now travel safer and faster between the lake’s opposing shores.
“This is not just a bridge,” President Samia told the cheering crowd.
“It is a strategic link in a regional infrastructure web that will accelerate trade, tourism, and unity within Tanzania and with our neighbours.”
Indeed, the bridge forms part of the greater Usagara–Sengerema–Geita road, itself a segment of the key highway stretching from Sirari near the Kenyan border to Mtukula on the Ugandan border, while the other leads to Nyakanazi and then to Rusumo border post with Rwanda and to Kabanga/Kobero border post with Burundi.
More than a monument of concrete and steel, it is an enabler of ambition—for Tanzanians dreaming of market access, for regional truckers shortening journeys, and for families long separated by ferry schedules and unpredictable waters.
Joining the President at the ceremonial launch were foreign envoys from partner countries—Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and China—together with Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, former President Jakaya Kikwete, cabinet ministers, regional leaders, and jubilant citizens from all walks of life.
Their presence underscored the project’s regional importance and the unity it inspires.
The minister for Works, Mr Abdallah Ulega, also addressed the gathering.
While celebrating the bridge’s opening, he reminded citizens that it is also a public asset deserving of decorum.
He encouraged those wishing to use the bridge for social activities such as wedding photography, choir recordings, or religious events, to seek permission from the Mwanza Regional Manager of TANROADS under the ministry of Works.
“We will not bar anyone from celebrating special moments at this iconic site,” Mr Ulega said.
“However, it must be done in an orderly and well-coordinated manner.”
