KIKWETE PLEDGES IMPROVEMENTS TO SINGIDA AIRSTRIP
During a just concluded visit to the Singido region in Central Tanzania has President Kikwete promised the local business community improvements to the local airfield, like a longer runway and a small passenger terminal, to accommodate larger turboprop aircraft like the ATR 72 commonly used by for instance Precision Air. Presently the murram and grass airstrip is able to have single engine and smaller twin engine light aircraft land, mostly on charter basis which is for most Tanzanians prohibitively expensive. Road connections to Singida are open year round on all weather murram or tarmac, facilitating trade and commerce, but few tourist grade hotels or restaurants are presently found in the town and surrounding centres.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority had two years ago outlined plans to progressively rehabilitate and expand existing aviation infrastructure across the country but was until now preoccupied with the main and secondary airport, before embarking on work on the smaller airstrips.
Singida, located literally in the geographical centre of the country, has comparably few tourist attractions but is renowned for at least two significant pre-historic rock painting sites in Mjukhuda and Mtintimo. The municipality has two lakes in close vicinity, Lake Singida and Lake Kindai which have seasonal flamingo populations and feature large scenic rock outcrops. The nearest national park is Tarangire, outside the Singida district boundaries, where visitors pass by road from Arusha, which is some 350 km distant.
