Joseph Isangura
On Wednesday, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Tanzanian Parliament urged a thorough review of the financing agreement for the Msalato International Airport project in Dodoma.
The project, which is set to cost a total of $329.47 million, has faced several challenges, particularly regarding the accuracy of its feasibility study and management, leading to increased costs.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is funding $271 million of the project, with the Tanzanian government expected to contribute an additional $57.84 million. However, following an audit of the project’s progress, the PAC identified significant issues, particularly related to the planning phase, which have contributed to a nearly Sh7 billion cost increase.
During her presentation of the 2024 PAC report, chairperson Naghenjwa Kaboyoka shared details from the technical audit of the Msalato Airport project. She explained that flaws in the feasibility study were a key factor in the increase of project costs, which had gone up by Sh3.04 billion.
One of the major concerns was the methodology used during the feasibility study, specifically the use of drones to measure the land’s elevation. Kaboyoka highlighted that the drones were not able to properly clear the project site, which led to discrepancies in the measurements. The drones mistakenly measured shrub levels instead of the actual ground level, which later caused issues when comparing the land’s true elevation to the design specifications.
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Kaboyoka referred to the 2011 Geometric Road Design Manual from the Ministry of Works, which stresses the importance of including critical factors like soil conditions, slope gradients, and road alignment in feasibility studies. These elements were not properly addressed, leading to further complications down the line.
In light of these findings, PAC has called for a reassessment of the project’s financing agreement and better oversight going forward. The committee emphasized the importance of improving planning and management practices to prevent further cost overruns and ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.
The Msalato International Airport is an important development for Tanzania, expected to boost the country’s transportation and trade infrastructure. But with costs rising and management concerns mounting, the government now faces growing pressure to address these issues and get the project back on track.
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