ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE
Transport|Energy|Telecommunication
ROAD TRANSPORT
Mwanza as one of the country’s northern most regions.
Together with Mara in the east and Kagera to the west they form a ring
of roads around Lake Victoria which connect to Kenya and Uganda, both
which countries are fellow members of the East African Community. Mwanza
region is crucially placed to play a key role in the development of such
a ring network around the lake. Already an all-weather tarmac trunk road
connects Mwanza to the Kenya Republic via Mara region. The western wing
via Kagera region to the Republic of Uganda is yet to be developed to
tarmac standards.
Mwanza is strategically connected to central Mainland
by a trunk road into Shinyanga region and Tabora to the south.
MARINE TRANSPORT
The region is well served by marine transport making use of the waters
of Lake Victoria which connect the region not only to Mara and Kagera
regions of Tanzania but also to the neighbouring republics of Uganda and
Kenya. Passengers, cargo and services are carried constantly via the lake
to various parts of the region and also to other areas which border the
lake.
It is claimed by TRC that the parastatal uses about 84% of its passenger
vessels’ capacity and an average of 76.1 percent of the capacity of its
cargo vessels. Private marine transport mainly ferries, also exist and
are important in moving passengers and cargo within the region especially
between ports in Mwanza, Sengerema and Geita districts.
RAILWAYS TRANSPORT
The central railway line starts off in Dar es Salaam, the biggest port
city in Tanzania, and wends its way to Kigoma to the west but branches
at Tabora in central Tanzania northwards to Mwanza region. Mwanza City
is an important and busy terminal since it is here that railway wagon
ferries leave for Port Bell in the Uganda Republic which uses the port
of Dar es Salaam as its outlet overseas. Hence, a significant part of
Uganda and Mwanza region imports and exports are carried by this railway
line. Cotton produced in Mwanza region is the major export crop. Cattle
for the beef market in Dar es Salaam are also moved along this life line.
Passengers to Dar es Salaam from this region rely heavily on this railway
transport system. Coffee from Uganda is also exported via this line.
In order to facilitate the movement of these goods, services
and passengers on this line, the region has a number of railway stations.
These are Mwanza terminal, Mwanza South, Fela, Mantare, Bukwimba and Malya
stations.
AIR SERVICES
Mainland’s third most important is in airport serves Mwanza City. It can
accommodate the landing of Boeing 737 aircraft. The airport is 881 air
kilometers from Dar es Salaam. Charter services at the airport exist which
in the year 2000/2001 were provided by the Desert Locust Control Organisation,
Auric Air Services Ltd., and Renair.
In the year 2000 Mwanza airport in international traffic
accounted for 395 aircraft movements involving 2,542 passengers on scheduled
services. Non-scheduled services involved 522 aircraft movements serving
1,631 passengers. In terms of air freight the airport moved 110.1 tons
of cargo on scheduled services. Non-scheduled services moved 20,689 tonnes
mostly fish products loaded at the airport for overseas destinations.
Non-commercial aircraft movements reached 821 in that year accounting
for 2,972 passengers.
For domestic traffic in 2000 Mwanza airport passengers
increased from 48,228 in 1998 to 72,508 in 1999 and 74,674 in 2000. Domestic
airfreight varied from 1,667.3 tonnes in 1998 to 1089.9 tonnes in 1999
and 1,537.4 tonnes in the year 2000. In addition domestic mail amounted
to 205.8 tonnes in 1998, 193.1 tonnes in 1999 and 249.4 tonnes in 2000.
This data was supplied by the Tanzania Civil Aviation
Authority through “Civil Aviation Statistics of Tanzania 2000.”
ENERGY
Electricity
Electricity is the power source for industries, commercial premises, service
institutions and even domestic premises. During the 1988 Census of 292,962
households in the region 15,785 or 5.4% were supplied with electricity.
Fuelwood
It is claimed that the amount
of total forest cover for the region is 3,374 sq. kms. by the year 2002.
Of the region’s estimated population of 2,703,603 for that year over 90%
depended on fuelwood for domestic cooking. Therefore, this forest cover
is under considerable pressure. Estimates of roundwood requirements per
capita are put as 2 cubic metres per year. Hence, in the year 2002, the
region required 5.4 million cubic metres of roundwood to satisfy its demand.
Fossil fuels
When it comes to cooking the regionals households depend on fuelwood in
the form of firewood or charcoal. But when it comes to lighting some 90%
of the region’s households depend on kerosene. Even in urban areas a significant
proportion of residents use kerosene for lighting rather than electricity.
Of course fossil fuels also do energize transport, industries and various
commercial establishments.
POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATION
TTCL in is the land based telephone service provider
for the region. In addition there exists e-mail services and cellular
telephone services provided by a number of private and semi-private telecommunication
companies. These are Vodacom, Celtel and Mobitel. But land based telephones
are still dominant.
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