Hundreds of Tanzanians gathered on June 19, 2025, to witness President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially open the JP Magufuli Bridge — now the longest bridge in East and Central Africa.

Spanning 3.0 kilometers across Lake Victoria, with an additional 1.6 kilometers of access roads, the bridge links Kigongo in Mwanza to Busisi in Sengerema District, improving access to Geita Region and beyond. It replaces slow ferry services with faster, safer travel, transforming regional transport.

Built at a cost of 718.9 billion Tanzanian shillings, the bridge strengthens Tanzania’s trade links with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, and Kenya. It now ranks as the sixth-longest bridge on the African continent.

The inauguration ceremony drew key national leaders, including Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, former President Jakaya Kikwete, and Janeth Magufuli, widow of the late President John Magufuli, for whom the bridge is named.