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TANZANIA
Msasani and Masaki exist side by side, along old colonial boundaries for European settlement in Dar es Salaam.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has been an outlier amongst the mega-cities of Africa for years. Decades of socialist rural-first development policy after independence meant that cities like Nairobi, a close neighbor, grew much faster, much quicker. Dar was seen for years as a modest second-tier port town, rather than a powerhouse.
That all began to change in the mid-1980s as people began flocking to Dar in vast numbers. Although it was late to the race, today it is Africa's fastest growing city, projected to reach a population of
6.2 million by 2025. That's an increase of
85% since 2010.
The old colonial border in Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam - Msasani and Masaki.
This vast growth has led to sprawling informal areas spidering outward from the city centre. Above, Masaki still retains its exclusive, wealthy character, while the poorer suburb of Msasani exists in a dense jumble across the road. Most expats and wealthy residents live in the enclaves of Masaki and Oyster Bay, formerly "European areas" reserved for the British and German colonial overlords and clearly represented in maps from the period.
Like many cities in the Global South, Dar is plagued by standstill traffic, vast inequalities of wealth, and extreme poverty. However there are reasons to celebrate: a new Chinese-funded bus rapid transit service recently opened, and several construction mega-projects are underway to alleviate traffic. The city centre is crowned with yellow construction cranes, building the next generation of Tanzanian office blocks. And the city is home to Africa's fastest growing
emerging middle class.
The beachfront in Nungwi, on the northern tip of Zanzibar island, is colonized with expensive multinational hotel chains which cater to the super-rich and can cost upwards of $7,000 per night. The strain that this puts on the service delivery system in this region (for electricity and water) is
massive. Researchers found that, on average, tourists were using 16 times more fresh water a day per head than locals: 93.2 litres of water per day, whereas in the five-star hotels the average daily consumption per room was 3,195 litres.
Zanzibar island is rich with history and culture that beckons to tourists from around the world. On the far northern tip of the island lies the village of Nungwi, a name synonymous with relaxation, crystal clear water and white sand beaches, "full moon" parties, and if you care to dig a little deeper, water scarcity and poverty.
The beachfront in Nungwi is colonized with expensive multinational hotel chains, some of which cater to the super-rich and cost upwards of $7,000 per night (like the Essque Zalu, pictured below). The strain that these hotels put on the service delivery system in this region (for electricity and water) is
massive. On the other hand, most residents of Nungwi
support the tourism industry and report it has had a positive effect on their lives. Hotels bring jobs, and tourists bring money. Is this a balance that we can hope to continue as sustainable?
Kunduchi Wet-n-Wild water park, near Dar es Salaam.
Kunduchi Wet-n-Wild water park is a playground for Dar's wealthy residents to relax in the oppressive heat and humidity. Across the fence however, a modest fishing village exists in a simple and altogether separate reality of poverty. The day I was there, the fishermen dismissed the resort with a wave of their hand. "It doesn't matter to us", they told me.
Revealing these juxtapositions is an important part of understanding the full story. Pictures on the Kunduchi
Facebook page, for example, crop out the village entirely.
Downtown Dar es Salaam.
Dar's city centre is a stunning mixture of the old and new, order and chaos. Above, the new Bus Rapid Transit line cuts through the colonial centre of town with a graceful arc. The tall buildings, themselves a hodgepodge of styles and order, encircle one of the many dense slums in the Kariakoo neighborhood.
Jingwani River vallery, Dar es Salaam.
The Jangwani river separates Masaki, Oyster Bay, and the city centre from the rest of the sprawling city. Inevitably perhaps, informal settlements have sprouted up within the flood plain of the river. This relentless encroachment into the polluted Jangwani occasionally has dire consequences. The river ecosystem is beginning to take back these structures from the owners who were forced out for reasons of safety.
Flood damage in the Jingwani River vallery, Dar es Salaam.
Abandoned homes in the Jingwani River vallery, Dar es Salaam.
This hotel in Nungwi, Zanzibar offers rooms starting at $480 per night.
Nungwi, Zanzibar.
Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam.
Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam.
Another view of Msasani and Masaki, Dar es Salaam.
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Unequal Scenes - Tanzania
Also just recent, our Mabibo market....
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Haya majiji mawili yana shida sana, ingawa kuna namna yanazidiana..............inasikitisha kuona wa bongo kujiona Dar ni bora sana kwa kujaza madude meeengi ya uongo uongo na kuringishia vitu ambavyo hata si vyao. Ukweli ni kuwa majiji yetu haya ikiwemo mengine yaliyo kusini mwa jangwa la sahara kwa ujumla kuna shida sana ya namna tunavyoishi hasa maeneo ya watu masikini..............huko huwa hakuna ustaarabu na mifano mingi ya kushindwa kwa uongozi. Dar kwa ujumla ina changamoto chungu nzima, mabara bara mabovu, masoko machafu n.k kuna bara bara zipo Mbweni, Boko na Bunju ambako tunaweza sema 'ushuani' mvua kidogo tu ya jana hazipitiki kabisa, mradi wa DMPD ulielekeza nguvu zaidi uswahilini ili angalau na wao wapumue, lakini kwa ujumla wake ni bado kabisa.
kuna siku humu niliona jamaa ka post picha ya Feza Boys secondary aki 'brag' kuwa ni shule ya uma.........inakasirisha sana kuona mTanzania mwenzangu anadanganya ili tuonekane tu siye ni bora, na tena ukisoma maandiko yake unagundua huyu ni 'chawa', masikini, hana elimu na expusure..........kuna maeneo tuko bora ni vema tukayazungumzia hayo zaidi