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Transporters divided as government plans new road, bridge tolls

5 mins read

Transporters divided as government plans new road, bridge tolls

Habari za Dharura

October 30, 2026 Admin0

Dar es Salaam. Transporters have been divided over the government’s plan to introduce road and bridge tolls, with some supporting the move to finance new infrastructure while others argue that motorists already contribute to road maintenance through fuel levies.

The debate follows remarks by Works Minister Masanja Kadogosa in Parliament on October 28, when he said the government could introduce road and bridge tolls to meet growing maintenance demands and address the impact of increased traffic and heavier vehicles on infrastructure.

“Do not be surprised if we introduce road and bridge tolls, Honourable Members of Parliament; these are some of the measures we may need to take to cope with the growing demands on our infrastructure,” he told the lawmakers.

He attributed the growing pressure on roads to increased economic activity and frequent use of the infrastructure, urging lawmakers to support the government in taking measures to address the challenge.

However, the proposal has drawn criticism from transport associations, which say the government should first disclose its annual Road Fund collections, allocations for road maintenance and the existing funding gap before considering additional charges.

Tanzania Medium-Small Truck Owners Association (Tamstoa) chairman, Mr Chuki Shabani, said transport operators opposed the proposal because they already contribute to road maintenance through levies included in fuel prices. “Our position as an association is that we already contribute to the Road Fund through levies paid by all transport and transport service providers. The minister should tell us how much is collected annually, how much is allocated to the roads budget and how much the shortfall is before introducing another charge,” he said.

“Otherwise, he will be imposing an additional burden on us. We oppose the proposal until the government properly involves us in the discussions,” added Mr Shabani. He said the government needed to account for existing funds before asking motorists and transport operators to pay more.

He questioned why additional charges were being considered when concerns had been raised over the use of revenue collected through the Roads Fund for purposes other than road maintenance.

“I once attended a budget session in Parliament where MPs complained that money from the Road Fund was being taken to finance other activities instead of maintaining our roads. Today, another funding mechanism is planned for the same purpose without being told how much is collected, how much is needed or how much is missing. The government must answer these questions first,” he said.

Mr Shabani said the discussion should involve all road users, including owners of lorries, buses, taxis, bajaj and motorcycles, as well as private motorists who also contribute through fuel purchases.

He added that the minister should consult transport stakeholders before making decisions that could increase operating costs across the sector.

Truck Owners Association of Tanzania (Tatoa) representative, Mr Elias Lukumay, said he understood the proposal to mean that tolls could be intended for new roads rather than existing infrastructure supported through the Road Fund.

“I understood the minister to be talking about finding additional resources to ensure that roads remain passable throughout the year. However, I was not sure whether he meant the roads we already have or new roads that need to be built to meet current demand,” he said.

“My understanding was that the tolls could be intended for new roads. The roads we already use are maintained through the Road Fund, which receives contributions from fuel purchases,” added Mr Lukumay.

He said toll roads were used in other countries to finance infrastructure development and cited the Kigamboni Bridge in Dar es Salaam as an example of a facility where motorists pay to cross.

He said the government needed to clarify the scope of the proposal to avoid confusion among road users and transport operators.

Tanzania Bus Owners Association (Taboa) representative, Mr Joseph Priscus, also questioned the introduction of additional tolls, warning that they could increase operating costs and eventually push up transport fares and the prices of goods.

“I do not oppose paying tolls altogether, but the government should be careful about introducing charges everywhere. We already contribute through fuel levies, which means road users are already paying towards road maintenance,” he said.

Mr Priscus said that if existing funds were insufficient, the government should disclose how much was needed and consider increasing the contribution through fuel prices by a small amount, perhaps Sh20 or Sh50, rather than introducing charges every time a vehicle used a road.

He said additional tolls could force transport operators to raise their charges to cover the extra costs, with consequences for passengers and businesses that depend on road transport.

He also called on the government to consider charging foreign vehicles using Tanzanian roads, arguing that Tanzanian transporters faced various charges when operating in neighbouring countries.

“When we travel to Zambia or the Democratic Republic of Congo, we pay several charges. The government should also look at how foreign vehicles using our roads contribute,” he said.

He maintained that the government should first ensure that existing Road Fund revenue was directed towards its intended purpose before introducing further levies.

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