While mega-projects rise across East Africa, a community in Handeni District remains trapped in a time warp, waiting for a bridge promised since independence.

For the residents of Kwamsisi and Miono villages in Tanzania's Tanga Region, the Mligazi River is not a resource; it is a barrier that dictates their survival. An investigation by The Citizen has revealed that for over 60 years—since the days of Tanganyika's independence in 1961—villagers have relied on rotting logs and perilous makeshift crossings to access schools, hospitals, and markets.

A Life-and-Death Crossing

The situation is dire. During the rainy season, the river swells, cutting off entire communities for weeks. The "bridge" currently in use is a skeletal structure of timber and mud, prone to washing away without warning. It is a terrifying daily commute for students and traders alike.

"I have a child in Form Six," says Kauye Semboga, a resident of Kwamsisi. "Every time it rains, their education stops. We are told the budget is coming, the engineers are coming. But the only thing that comes is the water."

Data from the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) paints a grim picture of neglect. While 70% of bridges in the district have seen repairs, the Mligazi crossing remains in the "assessment stage"—a bureaucratic limbo that has lasted generations.

• The Economic Cost: Farmers watch their produce rot because they cannot cross the river to reach markets in Bagamoyo or Dar es Salaam. The bridge is the economic artery of the region, and it is severed.
• The Safety Hazard: Motorcycles and three-wheelers (Bajajis) frequently accident on the slippery logs. It is a miracle that more lives haven't been lost, residents say, but they fear their luck is running out.

The Contrast of Development

The plight of Handeni stands in stark contrast to the gleaming infrastructure projects being celebrated elsewhere, such as the new Magufuli Bridge on Lake Victoria. It highlights the uneven nature of development, where remote rural pockets are left behind in the rush for modernization.

District Manager Judica Makyao cites "financial constraints" and the need to prioritize urgent needs. But for the villagers who have waited 60 years, there is no need more urgent than a safe passage home. As the next rainy season approaches, the logs of Mligazi River will once again be the only thing standing between a community and total isolation.