Editorial
Analysis
Security breach dents nation’s
image
A sad but rare incident occurred last week, where tourists on a climbing
expedition to Mt. Meru in the Arusha National Park were waylaid and robbed by
armed bandits.
The tourists, whose trip had been organised by Moshi-based Asante Tours and
Safaris, are said to have been robbed of US$ 4,560 (about Tsh.4.8 million) and
Tsh. 500,000 of cash.
Corrective measures were immediately taken by the tour operator, who refunded
the tourists the money stolen from them. This is indeed an exemplary move, which
has restored the reputation of the tour company and the tourists’ confidence as
well.
The tourists commended the authorities for their intervention, which enabled
them to continue with their journey to climb Mount Meru. It is said that such an
incident has never occurred in recent memory.
Although the tourists assured the local authorities that they would continue
with their safari, the government should not sit back and relax. After all, a
breach in the security arrangements did take place and word of this is already
out. The security at the national parks is not so foolproof after all.
To one of our country’s main forex earning inlets, this could mean decreased
revenue through tourism if the situation is not checked. According to press
reports, the police have already mounted a tight patrol along the road to Arusha
National park.
There is one question though that’s top in our minds: where were the law
enforcers when the robbery took place?
We have to admit that a psychological damage has been done and it will take a
long time to convince tourists that Tanzanian national parks are completely
safe.
Welcome move to protect farmers’
interests
Private sector, worldwide, is a catalyst in many countries’ economic
development. Going to history, during the era of communism, those countries
embracing the said centralised economies — like those in Eastern Europe and some
African countries like Tanzania — just marched around the tree.
After the fall of the Iron Curtain and communism, those centralised economy
countries opened up and started aping the Western economic culture, Tanzania
included.
The private sector is now at the helm of everything and the economy is growing
at six per cent a year, faster than any other time in the country’s 43-year-old
post independence period.
And the private sector does not comprise only tycoons, big banks, industries but
also SMEs—Small and Medium Enterprises. Despite still being in a transition
period, from the Ujamaa era to capitalism — the ruling party CCM does not want
to hear that word — the government is trying very hard to boost the private
sector, including setting up laws and regulations to suit the sector.
Of late, the government knowing the contribution of SMEs has started to
construct and modernise various commodities and fish markets across the country.
That is very encouraging indeed.
In Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, work on such markets is already underway with
assistance from the Japanese government. The Kibaigwa modern maize market in
Dodoma is already operational.
The Tandale grain market in Dar es Salaam is set for expansion and modernisation
in order to ease congestion. Most of the renovation is to help the market get
more business.
The government has appreciated the role played by the market and plans are
underway to give it a facelift so that it matches Temeke and Makumbusho markets,
both in Dar es Salaam.
This government initiative is very welcome as earlier unscrupulous middlemen
were the norm of the, day swindling the country’s farmers, who did not know
where to sell their produce. Farmers were thus heavily left to rely on
middlemen, who bring in their agricultural products to the market.
The move to modernise and build new commodities markets is a clear indication of
the government’s commitment to protecting the farmers and small businessmen,
thus lifting the individual’s state along with that of the nation.
Analysis
Dire need to modernise urban
transport
By Muhammad Shaaban
COMPETITION for bus passengers and routes is intense. Poaching passengers by
offering lower fares is not uncommon. Flaunting by bus touts, who are actually
thugs, is regular. Overcrowding is frequent and unavoidable. There are no fixed
departure times for the journeys, the drivers wait for the bus to get full. This
is the reality of urban bus transportation in Dar es Salaam, much like a fish
market.
No one can deny the fact that public transport in Dar es Salaam is chaotic,
unsafe and outdated. The daladala business is thriving no doubt, but it runs in
a total unsystematic way apart from the buses being of obsolete technology. Due
to this, the bus operators and passengers alike lead a work life, which is
exasperating.
Things have to change. Unless we resolve for the better, the situation will get
worse than better. With the population of Dar es Salaam almost four million, the
traffic congestion is likely to worsen. Bus transportation remains one of the
best means of tackling this chaotic situation.
Modern buses and organisation can automatically change the situation, as it will
discipline the passengers and the bus operators. The ways of modernising bus
transportation include, unifying the management of the bus operators, having
systematic schedules, having better and modern buses, improved fare collection
systems, well-attended bus stations, more eye-catching bus stops and wayside
passenger’s shelters.
Management
For the administration, the best workable scheme is to unite all the bus
operators to form a joint bus company, with each participant getting a
proportionate share of the profits. Instead of several individual owners, we can
have one company owned either by the government or privately.
Working under one roof with a united leadership would bring synergy, a closely
controlled way of working, improve the profitability and above all, improve the
services for the fare-paying passenger.
This is quite possible; we have the UDA (Usafiri Dar es Salaam) as a good
example of prudent management.
Schedules
The schedules should be orderly and efficient. The buses should follow specified
routes according to specified times throughout the day. For example, if a bus
route is from Stesheni to Mikocheni, all timings from the point it departs and
reaches each stop up to the destination should be calculated. These timings
should be presented in the schedules and followed accordingly, every day. The
frequency of departures can be every 15 minutes or 30 minutes depending on the
popularity of the routes.
The bus
The bus itself should be modern. The bus fleet should be made of top quality
custom-built buses equipped with individual seats, air-conditioning,
electronically operated destination display system and computerised fare
collection equipment.
The buses should have a carrying capacity of about 50 seating and 10 standing
passengers. They should be big in size like the Double Decker bus in London, not
mini buses or vipanyas. They should have electronic doors, which the driver can
open them to allow you board the bus; this would make bus touts to disappear, as
there would be no conductors.
The first three rows of seats should be reserved for lady passengers.
There should be stop bells (special buttons near the seat); by pressing them,
the driver and other passengers would know that someone wants to alight at an
authorised bus stop. No, need to shout ‘Shusha’ - the word used in daladalas
when some one wants to alight.
The routes
All the routes should be specific and can follow special numbers to show the
routes. These routes should be electronically displayed on the front top of the
bus. Apart from this display to be moving continuously, they should be visible
at night.
Let’s say a bus going from Stesheni to Mwananyamala has the number 22. The
display would show, ‘22 Stesheni to Mwananyamala via new post office’. This
route and number should be used to make the schedules.
All major corridors and arterial roads should be served in these routes to get
more passengers instead of waiting for the bus to get full.
Fare collection
There should be computerised fare collecting system. Electronic card system
should be introduced to pay the fares. The passenger just waves the card across
the machine, collects the ticket and takes a seat.
There should monthly pass, which can be bought for one time price of say Tsh.
20,000. This is for the regular bus rider; he/she can travel any time, any where
as many times before reloading it again after a month’s time.
The prepaid card is for the sometimes traveler; it has no expiry but a specified
balance which is deducted as he travels but he gets discount as well. A similar
card can be for students at a lesser price. Although cashless, in the modern-day
phenomenon there should be facilities for the coin-paying passenger. Such
passengers should tender exact change.
Bus stations
The bus stations should be up to date and should be well attended for passenger
convenience. A bus going from station A should reach station B before turning
back to go to station A, instead of U-turning just anywhere on the road. They
should also have shelters for passengers.
Bus stops and wayside passenger shelters
There should be many bus stops to cater more passengers. Such stops should have
wayside passenger shelters which should be of same designs and attractive for
easy location. They should have timetables indicating the times and the routes
in the destinations through that stop.
Mass transportation is one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gases.
The recent announcement that Dar es Salaam would soon have a modern Bus Rapid
Transport is a very good initiative by the government. The above proposals are
meant to give an insight into how the modern bus transport should be. Such
initiative should be implemented in other cities of Tanzania as well.
Coastal city sans public
beach!
By Express Correspondent
DAR ES SALAAM being surrounded by the azure Indian Ocean waters often gives
impression that the beautiful palm trees and soft sandy beaches, should be
crowded with swimmers and revelers most of the time, all year round. Leave alone
due to the hot climate of Dar.
However, this is quickly dissipated by the fact that no free public beach
exists. With the popular Oysterbay beach banned for the public, only the rich
enjoy their time out at private beaches or hotels.
A survey by The Express takes memories to Oysterbay beach, some seven kilometers
north of the port of Dar es Salaam. Oysterbay was a sparkling and a popular
swimming and outing place, some years back.
The beach with its clean and calm water and shaded by scores of trees that cool
down the sand and ease the smothering summer heat and humidity, was a perfect
enjoyable place for many.
During the weekend, the beach used to appear like a cosmopolitan City as it
attracted several nationalities and different ages. “There was a time when
Oysterbay was attracted by hundreds of people, during hot days people used to go
and enjoy the cool breeze of the Indian Ocean which has soothing and healthy
effects on the lungs. In fact, not only on the weekends, Oysterbay was crowded
throughout the week,” says a businessman of Mikocheni area.
“Children of all races were playing together in the sand. They were collecting
shells and building sand castles,” says a Dar resident, Ramadhani who was a
regular visitor to Oysterbay. He adds, “People of all ages used to drink Kitale
and Madafu, the vendors used to do brisk business; now, their earnings are in a
shambles”.
One kid who used to visit every Friday says, “We used to go with my sister every
Friday evening to take horse riding which was available there.”
Oysterbay was such that if one would watch people on a busy weekend day, one
would see joy on their faces although they may have been through different
dilemmas and workloads. They forget their worries. Amid such joyous moments,
they seemingly do not want to spoil those moments thinking that one day the
beach would be banned.
The Express toured the area and found the beach deserted. The once famous beach
has turned an isolated beach; a foreigner visiting the area now may not believe
this lonely beach was once a vibrant beach.
Swimming, beach sports and recreational activities on the beach area were banned
to the public amid fears of shark attacks and environmental litter. Although
rumors say that the ban was set by selfish individuals living in the area, who
wanted some peace and quiet.
Investigations have revealed that there are some people who go in groups as far
as Bagamoyo to enjoy free public beach. “We can’t afford private and hotel
beaches, which are costly and restricted to public,” says a city resident.
He says, “We used to go to swim in Banda Beach, not anymore”. He explains that
it is because now as the area is over crowded with fishmongers and is not safe
as there are too many vibakas. He adds, “it is embarrassing and a shame when
relatives from abroad come and we tell them that we don’t have a free public
beach, they consider it ridiculous, because Dar is a coastal city.”
The Express found out that along the Ocean Road, opposite the Aga Khan Hospital
is a strip of beach that was also used for swimming. It is also banned because
the ocean is polluted with untreated sewage and human filth.
The fact remains, we have no free public beach, and that’s a shame. Conceivably
as some people said, “Of course, if there are no litterbins, there will be
litter”. Alternatively, others are saying, “We don’t think the sharks are there
anymore, as we are told sharks do not live in such waters”. Possibly, we can
have the optimism to see things change.
We hope the City authorities will ease the rules and allow people once more to
go and enjoy themselves, certainly with general regulations so that we can once
again proudly have a public beach.
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