Tanzania: Tanzania in Talks With Chinese Investor to Revive Bagamoyo Port, Says President Samia

Dar es Salaam - President Samia Suluhu Hassana has said that the Government has begun talks to revive the Bagamoyo Port construction project. "Regarding the Bagamoyo Port project, let me give you the good news that we have started talks to revive the whole project. We are going to start talks with the investors that came for the project with the aim of opening it for the benefit of our nation," she said and added;. "As for Mchuchuma and Liganga, I have given instructions, the government is in talks with the Investors to see what the problem is, the government can dedicate itself because the Investor has given up and now steel prices in the world market has risen, it is time to speed up the project." The project, which broke ground four years ago and was set to be run by China Merchants Holding International (CMHI,, would have been the largest port in East Africa and was a key component in China's $900-billion Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious transnational infrastructure building program. "They told us once they build the port, there should be no other port to be built all the way from Tanga to Mtwara south," said Magfuli and added;. Magufuli also argued the construction of Bagamoyo port, whose foundation stone was laid by his predecessor Jakaya Kikwete, would undermine the ongoing $522-million expansion of Dar es Salaam port that would enable it triple its current capacity when complete by the end of 2019. Magufuli said the $50-million given out to compensate those displaced by the new port project "Did not reach the beneficiaries in Bagamoyo but was diverted to benefit few individuals in Dar es Salaam."