'Jakaya Kikwete Ngorongoro Tower,' Pops Up in Town

The foundation stone for what is bound to be Arusha's tallest building was laid by President Jakaya Kikwete at the city center last Friday.

Named after the outgoing head of the state, the structure which is currently under construction and on its third floor above the ground, will feature 18 storey and is coming up next to the Makongoro Road's roundabout junction and adjacent to the Bank of Tanzania (BOT).

The 'Jakaya Kikwete Ngorongoro Tower,' is a massive investment by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA). Of the 18 floors 15 are above the ground and three underground .

The tallest buildings in the country's safari capital at the moment remains is structure which houses the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) building in Njiro, some ten kilometers from the city centre.

Built in the 70s, to host high level management training, the ESAMI building, towering 14 storey high, used to the pedestal of the city, especially being aided by the fact that it is perched on top of the Themi Hill.

The'Jakaya Kikwete Ngorongoro Tower,' tower under construction, was initiated by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA). It is due for completion in November next year.

Being constructed at the cost of nearly 43 billion/- by Catic International Engineering (Tanzania) Limited, the mammoth structure is going to be a one-stop shopping, business and hospitality centre comprising commercial banks, restaurants, a high class hotel, retail shops and office spaces, among others.

The works for the new building are progressing rapidly; the rate of construction proceeds at two storey per month and so far, the underground structures and three top floors have been completed.

The Tower will transform for the better, the intersection connecting three roads: Makongoro Road, the East African Boulevard and Goliondoi Street.

"The building must change the profile of Arusha City, in addition to providing added employment opportunities to local residents," said the Board Chairperson for the NCAA Ambassador Mwanaidi Maajar, adding that the investment will also be a good source of revenue for both the Ngorongoro Conservation and the government.

Ambassador Maajar pointed out that while the NCAA is supposed to raise money from wildlife-based tourism, the industry usually suffers massive backlashes during global financial crunches, disease outbreaks such as Ebola and threats of terrorism.

The proposed 'Jakaya Kikwete Ngorongoro Tower,' was initiated by the NCAA to be a supplementary revenue generating investment, which will help cushion the authority during 'bad times.' Ngorongoro Conservation, which pegs its tourism prowess on the legendary crater, is the most visited destination in the country, recording 600,000 tourists per annum.

Earning about 55 billion/- a year, the NCAA is financially sound. In fact, the Head of State himself praised the management for that.

"You could have decided to use your profits for staff bonuses, increased salaries and other ways of patting oneself on the back, but this is a brilliant economic idea; investing turnovers to yield even more profit," said President Kikwete but cautioned the NCAA against resting on their laurels, but should work hard to ensure the World Heritage Site offered more than just wildlife species contained in a caldera.