Hotels & Lodges

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Construction of Hotels and other industry takes Arusha’s economy to new heights

Posted: Saturday October 04, 2008 4:27 PM BT

The construction industry is booming in Arusha and four major projects to be undertaken soon will employ thousands of people. The projects that are earmarked for implementation before the end of this year or early next year include the rehabilitation of Arusha-Namanga road, construction of the East African Community headquarters; and construction of Holiday Inn, Movenpick and Kempiski hotels.

Setting camp for the Arusha-Namanga road works has already started at a plot near Radio Habari Maalum while construction of EAC's headquarters is due to start by October this year.

Movenpick Hotels have announced plans to build a hotel and resort in Usa River, a township 20 kilometres from Arusha. The Movenpick group currently manages a successful hotel in Dar es Salaam and the Arusha property will be the second in the country. What was formerly known as Novotel Mount Meru is being rehabilitated and massively expanded to serve as the Holiday Inn while Hotel 77 will soon be flattened and on that spot a grand Kempiski Hotel and entertainment complex will be constructed.

About 400 local people will be employed during the upgrading of the Arusha-Namanga road set to start anytime from next month.

These would include 150 technicians and 250 casual labourers, according to the Arusha regional manager of the National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Mr. Deudedith Kakonko.

Reconstruction of the 110 kilometre long road would be undertaken by a Chinese firm, China Geo Engineering Limited of Beijing, which is currently assembling equipment at the Lengijave camp site.

Mr. Kakonko said upgrading of the road, first tarmaced more than 50 years ago, would start simultaneously at Arusha and Namanga and would be completed within three years.

Giving details of the multi-billion shilling project before reporters, the regional TANROADS boss, said the road would be reconstructed on the existing one with its width expanded to eleven metres.

Two major bridges would be built alongside with 10 multi-cell box culverts. Other existing bridges and culverts especially on the 30 km stretch from Arusha would be reinforced.

The project would cost Sh. 82billion ($ 60million), a loan from the Africa Development Bank (AfDB). Similar upgrading is underway between Namanga and the Kenyan town of Athi River since January this year.

The entire project for the 135 km long Arusha-Athi River road will cost about $ 140 million, a loan from AfDB, through its funding agency, the African Development Fund.

The Tanzania and Kenya governments will provide counterpart funds to the tune of about $ 8m to augment the loans.

The road project would also include upgrading of the Namanga border town into a 'One Stop Centre' for trade facilitation within the EA region.

The latter component, dubbed East African Trade and Transport Facilitation Project, will be funded jointly by AfDB and the World Bank.

According to Mr. Kakonko, design work on the proposed Namanga border post is still being worked out. Several buildings will have to be pulled down to pave way for the trade facilitation centre to be funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JIBC)

Namanga is the most busiest of all border posts between Kenya and Tanzania.

It is the main entry point for tourists crossing overland from Kenya heading for tourist attractions in the northern Tanzania.

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