President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to launch the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Tabora to Kigoma on Monday, July 20. It is a milestone worthy of recognition. For decades, the people of Kigoma have campaigned for a modern railway to connect the region with the rest of the country. That aspiration is finally becoming a reality, albeit later than many had hoped.
However, the railway was never an end in itself. It was envisioned as one component of a broader transport and logistics system capable of transforming Kigoma into Tanzania's western trade gateway and strengthening its role in the Great Lakes region.
Kigoma occupies a strategic geographical position. Through the Port of Kigoma, Tanzania serves eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a region rich in minerals and with growing trade potential.
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