On 25th September 2024, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Mbamba Bay Port on the shore of Lake Nyasa (aka Lake Malawi), in the Nyasa District, Ruvuma Region, in southern Tanzania.
At the event, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Transport Hon. David Kihenzile highlighted that upon completion the port is set to open trade with Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique.
On his part, the Deputy Director General of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Engineer Juma Kijavara, noted that the project, which is being constructed on an area of 49,700 square meters for TZS 81 billion, is currently 6% complete and is expected to be finished within 24 months.
Along with laying the foundation stone of the Mbamba Bay Port, President Samia inaugurated the 66-kilometer Mbinga-Mbamba Bay road that has been completed to asphalt standards, connecting the Ruvuma Region with Mtwara and Mbeya, as well as the neighboring country of Malawi via Lake Nyasa.
The road is part of the main highway of the Mtwara Corridor, which has a total length of 826 kilometers stretching from Mtwara to Mbamba Bay.
The construction of the road which cost TZS 122.76 billion was overseen by the Ministry of Works through the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), with the contractor being China Henan International Cooperation Group from China and the consulting engineer from SMEC International from Australia.
During the implementation of this road, a total of TZS 637.4 million was used to compensate citizens affected by the construction.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan through her X account highlighted: “This was a good day of work and conversations with the people of Mbinga where work continues on the construction of Mbamba Bay Port, providing opportunities for the people of the Ruvuma Region to conduct reliable business on Lake Nyasa. It is greatly encouraging to see how development projects are transforming the lives of millions of citizens across different parts of our country.”
Mbamba Bay and the Ruvuma Region
Mbamba Bay is a small town situated in the Nyasa District of Tanzania’s Ruvuma Region, along the shores of Lake Nyasa.
The town is a key access point to the lake and is integral to local trade and tourist attractions such as Mbamba Hill Forest Reserve, Katambara Caves, and Mbamba Island.
The Mbamba Bay contributes to the local economy with local fishing activities and trade with neighboring countries, especially Malawi.
Irrigated farming, especially rice production, is another key sector, alongside the cultivation of diverse crops including maize, rice, millet, and sorghum, and root crops like sweet potatoes, cassava, and vegetables.
Forestry activities such as timber and honey production, livestock farming (cattle, goats, and small animals), and the processing of livestock products (milk, meat) are also prominent.
According to the Ruvuma website, the region presents investment opportunities in the processing of agricultural products, particularly ginger, oil crops, vegetables, and fruits.
It also offers opportunities in oilseed production (sunflower, sesame, peanuts) and cash crops such as coffee, cashew nuts, and tobacco.
Additionally, fishing and aquaculture, tourism focusing on wildlife conservation and natural attractions, electricity and water supply, construction of homes and shelters, transport and logistics, the development of shopping malls, large event and conference halls, and mining are all significant investment avenues in Ruvuma.
In the near future, the region will connect with Tanzania’s standard gauge railway (SGR) 1,000 kilometers section running from Mtwara in the Indian Ocean to Mbamba Bay, expecting to boost coal, graphite, and mineral trade.
