Tanzania has completed the landmark $260 million John Magufuli Bridge, a 3.2-kilometer structure stretching across Lake Victoria and now officially recognized as East Africa’s longest bridge.
The bridge, which links Kigongo and Busisi in the Lake Zone, will be inaugurated on June 19, 2025, in a high-profile ceremony led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, according to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.
Constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway 15th Bureau (CR15B), the project was launched in 2019 under the late President John Magufuli and faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Entirely financed by Tanzania with over TZS 700 billion in local funds, the bridge represents a major milestone in the country’s infrastructure development.
Transport Minister Abdallah Ulega described the bridge as a “flagship national project” that enhances regional connectivity, reduces reliance on ferries, and unlocks economic opportunities. “This bridge is a game-changer for the Lake Zone and a symbol of our commitment to self-driven development,” Ulega said.
Previously known as the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge, the structure was renamed in honor of Magufuli, who initiated the project before his passing in 2021. The bridge will cut travel time across the lake from over three hours to just minutes, enhancing trade routes and improving road safety.
The bridge forms part of a wider 90-kilometer road network linking key towns in northwestern Tanzania, and is expected to boost trade with regional neighbors such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Officials say the John Magufuli Bridge marks a turning point in Tanzania’s domestic capacity to finance and execute transformative infrastructure projects.