Protests as Arusha is named world’s 8th ‘worst city’

[Gangi Longa]

Front Page 1​

Protests as Arusha is named world's 8th ‘worst city'
Did ‘Travel Bible' drive only on Sanawari rugged, filthy road?
By Arusha Times Reporter
It was once described by former US President Bill Clinton as ‘the Geneva of Africa'.
But that view is not shared by travel advisor Lonely Planet, which has just named Arusha as a destination to be avoided in its recently released list of the ‘world's most hated' places.
Officials and residents have reacted angrily to the blacklisting. "This is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of our town," stated the Municipal Director, Mr. Raphael Mbunda. He refuted LP's claims that the town was a ‘rusty, dirty place' infested with crime and tourist-hounding hooligans.
"I can't comment about crime but the municipality is improving in terms of planning and even cleanliness," Mr Mbunda maintained, adding that in the next fiscal year (July 2010) the council will embark on a 2 billion/- World Bank-funded program to improve the town structures as well as its roads.
As for crime, the Arusha Regional Police Commander, Mr Basilio Matei, thinks the reports are exaggerated; "We have never had any serious case of tourists or any other visitor being attacked or robbed," he said.

He however had no comment regarding the proposed tourist police department that was suggested by local tour operators two years ago but remains a non-starter project.
"All I know is that tourists are usually advised on dangerous places in town that they should avoid while here," he added. "Of course there are those who get too adventurous and end up in trouble but usually never run into serious problems."
The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, whose headquarters are based here, expressed the view that Arusha's positioning has been driven by ‘dirty campaigns' led by neighbouring tourism competitors.

"Arusha is fast coming up as the pivotal center of East African tourism, a position that threatens other urban
centers in other countries which in the past played the
roles of connecting ‘cities' to EA tourism attractions such as game parks and beaches," Mr Mustafa Akonaay, the TATO Executive Secretary, stated.
A number of tour operators and hotel owners based here have also expressed their concern regarding the ‘worst city' status. "I am surprised Nairobi is not on the list," said one anonymous operator. "It is so far the dirtiest and most unsafe place in East Africa."
‘Lonely Planet', Australian based travel advisor and publisher of travel books as well as TV documentaries, is depended upon by close to 900,000 international travelers and tourists to an extent of being referred as the ‘Travel Bible'.
The listing states that Arusha holds eighth position in the Lonely Planet's lineup of world's worst cities.
The other cities named in the 2010 top ten are Detroit (US), Accra (Ghana), Seoul (Korea), Los Angeles (US), Wolverhampton (UK), San Salvador (Central America), Chennai (India) and Chetumal (Mexico).
Authorities in most of those cities have already protested such positioning.
To some observers Lonely Planet could have reached the conclusion of Arusha being a rusty, dirty place probably by driving on local government neglected areas such as the Sanawari road which arguably could be one of the worst, urban roads in the world.
Of late the road has become a tourist attraction, a microcosm of inept local governments. The road's potholes and chaotic traffic are monumental. The only time after the colonial era that the road got some sort of repair was about a decade ago when Hillary Clinton then, First Lady of the United States and now Secretary of State, visited an NGO known as Osotwa at the foothills of Mount Meru. She had no option but to persevere a tedious drive on that chaotic road.
Nevertheless, in September 2007, it is reported in a blog, the Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler climbed Kilimanjaro. "Lonely Tony's blog-page contains just a few photos and scraps of text which, in the finest Lonely Planet tradition, are riddled with errors and largely inaccurate. (JUST KIDDING!)". The writer may not have been kidding because cities named recently as "worst" have already protested.
Wolverhampton, England Council bosses led a fightback against the world-famous travel bible's list of the 'nine most hated cities', reports Mail on Line.
They claimed that no one from the Lonely Planet had even been to Wolverhampton before adding it to the list via an online poll.
Malcolm Gwinnett, deputy mayor of Wolverhampton, said: 'The people who have come up with this list obviously don't have a clue what they are talking about.
Crime-hit Detroit, Michigan, topped the poll ahead of Accra, Ghana, which was described as 'ugly, chaotic and sprawling'.

LONELY PLANET'S NINE MOST HATED CITIES ARE....

• <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Detroit, Michigan <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Accra, Ghana <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Seoul, South Korea <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Los Angeles, USA <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Wolverhampton, England <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> San Salvador, El Salvador <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Chennai, India <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black" class=MsoNormal> Arusha, Tanzania
• Chetumal, Mexico

http://www.arushatimes.co.tz/front_page_1.htm

 

[Rodelite]

Duh....Hii Kali kweli....!!
Haya ...Richmonduli okoa jahazi basi....!!!

 

[BAK]

Mhhhh! hii ni dalili nchi inaenda mrama. Juzi kulikuwa na article kwamba Dar ni mji wa nane kwa uchafu uliokithiri Duniani na ni ya tatu kwa nchi za Africa, sasa tena Arusha nayo inachafuliwa. Watalii wataanza kufikiria mara mbili mbili kutia mguu ndani ya nchi yetu.

Huyu MD kaniacha hoi hapa, Municipal Director, Mr. Raphael Mbunda. He refuted LP's claims that the town was a &#8216;rusty, dirty place' infested with crime and tourist-hounding hooligans.
"I can't comment about crime but the municipality is improving in terms of planning and even cleanliness,"

 

[Genekai]

Mhu! Kama A-town inaelekea huko basi kazi ipo!

 

[Saint Ivuga]

Duh!!! kila kitu mbona kinaenda mrama? elimu yenyewe ndio hiyo div.four nyingiiiii...wat is our future?

 

[Maria Roza]

Mh mbona sioni Caracas nadhani huko ni hatari zaidi ya Arusha!

 

[Smatta]

mkuu mbona naona hapo kuna msela anauliza mbona Nrb haijawekwa kuwa moja ya cities chafu, ashatembea mwenzangu ama huwa anaona zile picha za slums of Kenya anadhani kwote kuko hivyo?

 

[Mfamaji]

Kwa uchafu tu ? wala hamna la kujitetea.

 

[Ben Saanane]

Najua tuna mapungufu yetu sisi kama nchi,lakini hii hoja ni mbinu chafu zinazochezwa na Kenya katika ku-ipa sifa mbaya Tanzania.Wenzetu hawa wamekua na kampenichafu dhidi ya Tanzania kwa mda mrefu.

Dawa yao ni siku nitakapokua ktk Madaraka tu,najua jinsi ya ku-deal na watu kama hawa.Wamejitahidi sana kutuharibia sifa,viongozi wetu nao wanshindwa kuchukua hatua za kurekebisha kasoro ndani ya miji yetu ya kitalii,kujitangaza na pia kupambana na mbinu chafu za majirani wetu.Hatua kali za kibiashara zinahitajika hapa.

 

[PauliMasao]

Huyu MD kaniacha hoi hapa, Municipal Director, Mr. Raphael Mbunda. He refuted LP's claims that the town was a &#8216;rusty, dirty place' infested with crime and tourist-hounding hooligans
Call a spade a spade, yaliondikwa ni kweli mtupu hakuna haja ya kuficha ficha, wanaoathirika ni wakazi wa Arusha na siyo tuu watalii as if they are some special species wanaohitaji extra protection. Ukitaka kujua kwa nini mji wa Arusha ni mchafu nenda pale Manispaa ya Arusha. Kitu kitakachokukaribisha pale kwenye ngazi unapoingia mapokezi ni harufu mbaya inayotoka kwenye vyoo vyao. Sasa kama Municpal Director haipati hiyo harufu atawezaje kusimamia usafi katika jiji lake? Arusha ni mji mchafu sana hasa wakati wa mvua, taka taka nyingi hutapakaa mabarabarani na huzagaa kwa muda mrefu kabla ya kuokotwa. Magari yanaobeba taka pia yanachangia kuuchafua mji wa Arusha. Magari hayo huenda mbio na kwa vile takataka hizo hazifunikwi takataka nyepesi na karatasi hupeperuka na kusambazwa sehemu magari hayo yanapopita.
Ujambazi usiseme, ni kitu cha kawaida na nasikia majeruhi wengi mahospitalini ni innocent people waliojeruhiwa kwa risasi. Nani asiyejua idadi ya watu waliouwawa huko Arusha na hakuna aliyekamtwa au kuhukumiwa kwa kumwua mtu. Mtu anapouwawa kwa risasi inakuwa ni gumzo la mji kwa muda mfupi, simanzi tele na baadae ni business as usual mpaka utakaposikia tena tukio lingine la mtu kufa kwa risasi na hakuna aliyekamatwa. Something has to be done, Arusha inatisha sana. Pia ukipita maeneo ya Clock Tower utaona vile watalii wanavyozongwa zongwa na wauza batik, utasikia mtalii akisema No Thank You, No Thank You! mara kumi hivi huku akitembea kwa kasi kuepuka usumbufu wa wafanyabiashara wadogo wadogo wakitaka kuwauzia watalii hao vitu kwa nguvu. Ukiona nyuso za watalii hao utaona wanabugudhiwa kweli kweli. Yanayoandikwa kuhusu Arusha ni ya kweli na kitu kinachotakiwa kufanywa ni kutafutwa ufumbuzi wa matatizo hayo, period.

 

[Smatta]

Najua tuna mapungufu yetu sisi kama nchi,lakini hii hoja ni mbinu chafu zinazochezwa na Kenya katika ku-ipa sifa mbaya Tanzania.Wenzetu hawa wamekua na kampenichafu dhidi ya Tanzania kwa mda mrefu.

Dawa yao ni siku nitakapokua ktk Madaraka tu,najua jinsi ya ku-deal na watu kama hawa.Wamejitahidi sana kutuharibia sifa,viongozi wetu nao wanshindwa kuchukua hatua za kurekebisha kasoro ndani ya miji yetu ya kitalii,kujitangaza na pia kupambana na mbinu chafu za majirani wetu.Hatua kali za kibiashara zinahitajika hapa.

*Died laughing* sasa watanzania wangoje hadi unapovishwa taji????

 

[bona]

well i live in arusha, members to honest, what they the reports says can just be true due to the following facts
1. the city is totally unplanned, there are very few streest which are planned namely, njiro,greenfield and city centre thats all apart from that are house built unplanned.
there are a lot of cute houses but most are in unplanned/unsurveyed areas.
2. apart from the planned places the remaining places are truly dirty not to mention the problem of water, almost everywhere water is problem.
3. crime i think its general problem of most poor countries as the army of unemployed people is huge almost everywhere and these are the ones causing small robbery in streets, the big crime are planned for specific target and again is the problem everywhere.
4. life is ubsurdly expensive here, the so called geneva of africa is just about the presence of aicc the way i see it, u cant imagine even tanga is well planned and cleaner than arusha

 

[Nanu]

Nadhani kama kuna mtu ametembelea Arusha karibuni, kwa kweli security iko down to earth. People are being killed by armed robbers now and then and you can only hear of very few cases. Police themselves are said to be involved in those scandals. In Arusha now most of the structures for homes you see being built belongs to policemen. Others have two to three cars late models of GX110 etc and worse enough they are parked at the police quarters. Others have even tried to modernise the quarters which they were only required to do "chokaa" painting but they have put grills and expensive paints. This sends a message that police now has more than the salary source of income!!!! If you happen to be in Arusha do your own investigations you will connect what is actually happening on the ground.
In terms of infrastructures it is the poorly planned city which its roads just outside AICC and main roads (MOSHI-AR-NBO and AR-MAK-) have potholes all over. It is just a mess.
Cleanliness, the city is just dirty, visit the market places, visit bus stands, and generally streets are not cleaned enough.
This report should be taken as a challenge and whatever is raised should be addressed.
It is true that NBO is not any better in terms of security, infrastrucure and cleanliness, at least it should be listed as one of its own in EA. But again who knows who was the reseacher and story writer, it may be the Kenyan, and ofcourse charity starts at home...!!!!!!

 

[Ben Saanane]

*Died laughing* sasa watanzania wangoje hadi unapovishwa taji????

Ikibidi,kama itahitaji mtu mwenye uwezo wa ku-deal na watu kama ninyi!

 

[TIMING]

well i live in arusha, members to honest, what they the reports says can just be true due to the following facts
1. the city is totally unplanned, there are very few streest which are planned namely, njiro,greenfield and city centre thats all apart from that are house built unplanned.
there are a lot of cute houses but most are in unplanned/unsurveyed areas.
2. apart from the planned places the remaining places are truly dirty not to mention the problem of water, almost everywhere water is problem.
3. crime i think its general problem of most poor countries as the army of unemployed people is huge almost everywhere and these are the ones causing small robbery in streets, the big crime are planned for specific target and again is the problem everywhere.
4. life is ubsurdly expensive here, the so called geneva of africa is just about the presence of aicc the way i see it, u cant imagine even tanga is well planned and cleaner than arusha

Mkuu ni kweli kabisa, arusha haina plan, haina barabara, haina mitaa, imekua kama pori lililovamiwa na kujengwajengwa tu!!! ni mji ulioachwa ukue kama hauna planners sasa hata usafi umekua tabu. ni tushukuru tu kwamba kuna ardhi nzuri na hewa nzuri lakini arusha inatia aibu.

napata tabu sana kujua watu wa manispaa wanashindwa vipi kuweka mipangomiji stahiki.

sijui na mwanza itakua namba ngapi maana kule nako ni balaam nyingine

 

[Kimbweka]

The Geneva of Africa! Mipango miji!Manispaa angalieni ukweli na mtende kazi zenu ipasavyo

 

[Smatta]

It is true that NBO is not any better in terms of security, infrastrucure and cleanliness, at least it should be listed as one of its own in EA. But again who knows who was the reseacher and story writer, it may be the Kenyan, and ofcourse charity starts at home...!!!!!!

Are you sure? Do you know which status we were given last week by the UN? Usione Kibera ukadharau, we are trully a city, wachana na miji yenu ya Tanzania, ambapo hata kutuma pesa nje ya nchi ni shida..

 

[Ben Saanane]

Are you sure? Do you know which status we were given last week by the UN? Usione Kibera ukadharau, we are trully a city, wachana na miji yenu ya Tanzania, ambapo hata kutuma pesa nje ya nchi ni shida..

Ha ha haaaaa,man are you sober??? wewe ni burudani kweli sometimes,you are a big joke!lol