Future Visions and Urban Development in Dar es Salaam

Transcription

1 Future Visions and Urban Development in Dar es Salaam There is a building boom in Dar es Salaam. Some of the new skyscrapers include hotels and offices. But most of the space is flats, for example in these 40-storey blocks near the railway station which look out over the harbour. An extreme example of what may happen can be found in the plans for Kigamboni City. This is a proposed new satellite city which could house as many as 500,000 people. It is planned for the area over the ferry from the mouth of Dar es Salaam harbour, extending about 12 km along the coast and almost as far South. A new road bridge that will link it with the Chang ombe industrial area will open soon. The map below shows where it is.

2 The next map shows how two urban geographers expect Dar es Saalaam, including Kigamboni, to develop and absorb future growth even without the new city:

3 But this is the vision of the planners of Kigamboni City: And here is their concept of the international business zone just across from the ferry (with the golf course and beach in the background):

4 This picture shows their vision of one of the residential zones, designed in a European style in a superior living environment : The suburb will have its own water supply, from boreholes, some parks and water features, a tourism and recreation area along the coast, and remotely controlled traffic signals designed so that traffic never has to stop. A small area is earmarked for the resettlement (in flats) of those who already live in the area. But thousands already commute on the ferries to work in Dar es Salaam, and there does not appear to be any extra provision for domestic workers or those who will work in lower paid roles in the new offices or hotels. They will have to commute, on long daladala rides from informal suburbs farther out. Proposals like this are springing up in a number of cities in Africa in Lagos, Nairobi, Luanda, Johannesburg and many other places. Some appear to be modelled on Dubai and other prospering cities. They are aimed primarily at the emerging African elites. They are a product of rapidly increasing inequality which can be found in Europe, America, the Middle East and many parts of Asia rich business and professional classes, alongside poorly paid workers and an underclass which barely survives. In May 2014 the Tanzanian Government put Kigamboni City on hold perhaps wisely as it was becoming increasingly unpopular with those directly affected. But this development, and others with a similar approach, are not going to go away. The Kigamboni Development Authority still exists. There is money to be made from this kind of development. Investment in urban infrastructure is urgently needed roads, bridges, liquid and solid waste disposal, surface water drainage, flood

5 protection, water and electricity supply, etc. But investment in a self-contained suburb will not bring many benefits to the mass of the people of Dar es Salaam. SELECT REFERENCES: Hill, A., & Lindner, C. (2010). Modelling informal urban growth under rapid urbanisation. A CA based land use simulation model for the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. TU Dortmund University. Ndezi, T. (2009). The limit of community initiatives in addressing resettlement in Kurasini ward, Tanzania. Environment and Urbanization, 21(1), Pieterse, E. (2014). Filling the void: an agenda for tackling African urbanisation. In S. Parnell & E. Pieterse (Eds.), Africa s Urban Revolution. London and New York: Zed Books. UN-Habitat. (2014). The State of African Cities Reimagining sustainable urban transitions. Nairobi. URT. (2010). Three Dimensional Master Plan For Kigamboni New City. Dar es Salaam: MLHHSD. Watson, V. (2013). African urban fantasies: dreams or nightmares? Environment and Urbanization, 26(1), This note is based on a presentation by Sarah Brennan at a Britain Tanzania Society/SOAS seminar in London on 10 November Sarah is an urban planner who has recently completed a master s degree at University College London. She would like to acknowledge the help of the Centre for Community Initiatives, Tanzanian Federation of the Urban Poor, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, and the Development Planning Unit, University College London, and may be contacted at brennan.sarah1@gmail.com