Minister Prof. Riziki Shemdoe Commends TARSI for Advancing Road Infrastructure Safety Capacity Building

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, has commended the Tanzania Road Safety Initiative (TARSI) for its significant contribution to strengthening the capacity of road sector professionals through Road Infrastructure Safety Training. He urged the organization to continue expanding these training programs across the country.

Speaking during the official opening of the Road Infrastructure Safety Training Tanzania 2026 held at Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, Prof. Shemdoe stated that the training plays a vital role in equipping engineers, planners, contractors, and policymakers with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve road infrastructure safety and reduce road traffic crashes, injuries, and preventable fatalities.

“Training 800 engineers is a commendable achievement, but it is not enough. I encourage TARSI to continue reaching more engineers so they can acquire the knowledge and skills needed to improve the safety of our roads under TANROADS and TARURA,” emphasized Prof. Shemdoe.

In addition, he called upon TARSI to extend the Road Infrastructure Safety Training to universities and higher learning institutions offering Civil Engineering and Road Engineering programs. He noted that integrating road infrastructure safety into academic curricula would help produce future professionals capable of designing, constructing, and maintaining safer road networks throughout Tanzania.

Prof. Shemdoe also urged participants of the training to serve as role models in complying with traffic laws and road signs. He further encouraged TARSI and the participants to continue providing road safety education to communities in order to increase public awareness of safe road use and help prevent crashes that result in injuries, disabilities, and loss of life.

Speaking on behalf of TARSI, the Executive Director, Eng. Maliki Barongo, stated that the primary objective of the training is to strengthen stakeholders’ ability to participate in, plan, and implement road safety measures within road infrastructure projects, particularly during the design and construction stages.

He explained that the training was developed in response to the growing need within the road infrastructure engineering sector to ensure that safety considerations are fully integrated into infrastructure planning, design, construction, and maintenance processes.

“These training programs form part of TARSI’s broader commitment to supporting Tanzania’s efforts to reduce road traffic fatalities and serious injuries through safer, more sustainable, and inclusive road infrastructure that serves all road users,” said Eng. Barongo.

The Road Infrastructure Safety Training Tanzania 2026 brought together engineers, planners, contractors, policymakers, and road safety practitioners from across the country to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and explore practical approaches for improving road safety through safer infrastructure development.