Garbage gets cash boost

Posted By: Dar Post May 21, 2015

Debris at Mbezi Beach on Friday. Photo contributed: Abigail Snyder.

Debris at Mbezi Beach after May’s floods. Photo contributed: Abigail Snyder

A multi-billion shilling project is set to get rid of Dar es Salaam’s garbage nuisance, the National Assembly heard.

Deputy Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office  for Regional Administration and Local Government, Kassim Majaliwa says government has set aside about 600 billion TSH ($276 million USD) for Dar’s infrastructure which is partly aimed at employing a modern technology to handle the garbage.

Part of the money will go to fixing Dar’s waste management infrastructure, which is said to be part of the problem.

“The plan for establishing a dumping place, which would be operated using modern technology of recycling garbage in cooperation with Best Green Solution Company has been already prepared”, says Majaliwa.

Out of 4,292 tons generated everyday in the city, only 2,115 tons get collected says Bumbwini Member of Parliament Ramadhani Haji Saleh.

“The feedback we get from local communities we work with, is one of skepticism, that what we see on paper may not translate to action and implementation. Community action to take responsibility for their own waste is growing, but lack of enforcement of environmental laws by the government, as well as lack of a centralized, cohesive  and professional waste collection system and availability of more conveniently located dumps or transfer stations, has left these same citizens  doubtful about real change,” says a statement by public advocacy organization Nipe Fagio.

“Our belief is if the government can really deliver what they say, they can restore faith amongst their citizens.”

 

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