Dar pays price of defiance

SUNDAY NEWS Reporter

DAR ES SALAAM Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Paul Makonda leads members of the region’s Defence and Security Committee at Tandale kwa Mtogole area to inspect damage caused by recent heavy rains that pounded the city, recently. (Photo by Iddy Mwema)

• Rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure begins
• WB offers 1bn/- for Jangwani, Msimbazi valleys clean-up

HARDLY two days after heavy rains pounded Dar es Salaam City and its environs, leaving a trail of destructions to infrastructure such as roads, bridges and houses, the city is now paying the price of the defiance of its residents, as authorities have started rehabilitation work to bring life back to normalcy.

Complementing regional authorities in the rehabilitation work, the World Bank (WB) has offered 1bn/- for the clean-up of Msimbazi and Jangwani valleys, a work that is expected to start next week after completion of procedures to pick a contractor.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Paul Makonda spoke yesterday of the planned works to rehabilitate the destroyed infrastructures as he toured various areas in the region, to establish the level of destruction caused by the torrential rains.

During his inspection tour, Mr Makonda ordered the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) to construct a temporary bridge to replace Malecela Bridge that was washed away at Mbezi Beach area in Kinondoni District.

“As Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) continues with rehabilitation work TPDF would chip in by constructing a temporary bridge at Mbezi Beach area so that residents can continue with normal life,” he said.

The RC called upon Mbezi Beach residents to accord full cooperation to military engineers to expedite the construction of the bridge. He said apart from rehabilitation work by Tanroads and TPDF, the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) was also working on its structures to restore power to affected areas and bring economic activities back to normalcy.

However, the Regional Commissioner ordered residents living in flood prone areas to vacate as weather forecasts by the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) showed more torrential rains were expected in the coming days.

Individuals involved in retrieving sand from valleys for construction were also warned against the practice due to environmental degradation. “When the government asks you to vacate hazardous areas, it doesn’t mean that it hates you. I again humbly ask you to take precautionary measures to save your lives.

There are some people who have blocked the flow of rivers by turning the areas into dumping sites. Others dig sand for construction, a practice that gravely harms environment,” he said.

He added that statistics show that there are 200 houses constructed in hazardous area in Kinondoni Municipality out of which 190 have already been destroyed.

Dar es Salaam Region and its environs experienced heavy rains from Wednesday to Thursday this week, killing at least four people and destroying road and power infrastructures.

Houses were flooded and roads rendered impassable. According to Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Mr Lazaro Mambosasa deaths occurred in areas of Mwananyamala, Tabata Kimanga and Kiluvya in the city.