Dr Anna Tibaijuka
According to the 2012 official census the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dar_es_Salaam_Region" \o "Dar es Salaam Region" Dar es Salaam Region population is about 4,364,541 but will be about nine million by 2017, the government has stated.
Urban population has increased from 7.9 million equivalents to 23.1 percent in 2002 to 12.7 million being 29.1 percent of the national population by 2012.
Presenting ministerial budget estimate for the 2014/2015 financial year, minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement, Dr Anna Tibaijuka told parliament that the rising urban population in major towns and cities, especially Dar es Salaam is a blow development.
“This is a serious challenge to city planners who fail to provide both economic and social services, a situation leading to squatters” she said, adding that there is dire need to have city and town plans for the future.
According to United Nations estimates, 70 percent of the city's population lives in informal settlements. The poor residents crowd into downtown area or large slums, many without running water or basic services, reads the report. It states that the wealthier, however, live in beachside mansions in the city's northern districts
Experiencing rapid and unplanned population growth due to intense migratory movements, the city faces serious problems with sanitation, overcrowding, poor housing, pollution and inadequate water, callings for serious actions by the government.
Reports show that Dar es Salaam has become the most densely populated area in Tanzania, and the city with the most rapid population growth in East Africa.
The city’s population moved from 356,000 inhabitants in 1967 to 2.5 million in 2002. Since 1965, it is estimated that approximately 69 percent of the population growth was caused by rural-urban migration.
Opposition leader in Parliament, Freeman Mbowe while contributing in the ministerial debate warned the government that the increasing population was a threat to peace and development, stating the need for better planning of cities.
He said official reports show that Dar es Salaams population is growing at 5.7 percent annually.
“Squatters are increasing in the city due to rural urban migration and if the rush to urban areas is not controlled through planning it will explode” he noted.
Explaining government’s efforts the minister said the government in collaboration with the city authority continued working on the envisaged city master plan in the 2013/2014.
She noted that both parties are finalizing on the plan, adding that consultant experts have been appointed and are now working on the plan by considering views of various stakeholders.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)s 2013 General report states that at the current growth rate of 2.7 percent, the population of Tanzania will double in the next 26 years – to about 90 million persons in 2038.
According to the report Tanzania, on average is sparsely populated with population density of 51 persons per square kilometre and lower significant variation exists across regions.
“Mainland population density is 49, while population density in Zanzibar stands at 530. Dar es Salaam population density is over 3,133 persons per square kilometres while Mjini Magharibi region in Zanzibar is 2,581” read the report in part.
Collaborative evidence from Tanzania Demographic Health Survey (TDHS) indicates that the rapid population growth will be sustained for the next couple of decades.
Fertility, which is the main determinant of population growth in Tanzania, remains high and significantly above replacement level, characterized by a heightened East-West regional gradient of 3.9 to 7.1 children per woman, according to the survey.
“A national average is 5.4, and buoyed by early onset of fertility (19.5 years), high unmet need for contraception by 25 percent and built-in momentum occasioned by young/youthful population age structure.
“At this rate the population of Tanzania may hit 100 million by 2050,” read the survey findings.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
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