Dar es Salaam. lango kuu la kiuchumi Tanzania, barabara zake ni hatari kwa magari. Barabara kuu zote zipo kwenye ujenzi, zile za mitaani na zenye kuunganisha vitongoji, zimesheheni mashimo.
Hatari zaidi, upo mfumo wa kuziba mashimo kwa kuweka viraka. Mafundi wanachonga lile shimo, wanalitanua na kulipa umbo la pembe nne. Baada ya utanuzi huo, wanaliacha hadi miezi miwili. Hatari kwa madereva, hasa wageni wa barabara husika.
Wazoefu huendesha kwa uzoefu. Anafika mahali anapunguza mwendo kwa sababu ameshajua shimo lililochongwa lipo karibu. Hakuna taa wala alama za tahadhari kuwa mbele kuna shimo.
Miezi michache iliyopita nchi ilipita kwenye mafuriko. Dar es Salaam iliathirika. Miundombinu ikatoneshwa, sasa ni mibovu ajabu. Zile hadithi kuwa watu wanaoishi mabondeni ndiyo hawapo salama, tafsiri inahama.
Dar es Salaam kila sehemu ni bondeni. Hata maeneo yaliyopo uwanda wa juu yalikumbwa na mafuriko na sasa barabara ni taabani. Unapoendesha gari Dar es Salaam, nenda taratibu. Utaua chombo, unaweza kupoteza maisha pia.
Anzia Mikocheni hadi Tegeta, Mbezi Beach mpaka Ununio, usiku unaweza kukuta magari mitaroni. Ukimuuliza dereva, anasema alikuwa anakwepa shimo. Mwenyewe aliendesha mwendo wa kasi akidhani barabara ni salama. Dar siyo salama.
Ujenzi holela, fedha zinazidi nguvu sayansi. Utatuzi wa matatizo kwa kutumia mawazo kidogo yenye mtazamo wa muda mfupi, badala ya kufikiria miaka mingi ijayo. Hapa ndipo nchi inaumizwa na inauawa taratibu. Bila hatua za haraka tutarithisha watoto na wajukuu nchi mfu.
Mvua kidogo, barabara zinatengeneza matundu kila mahali. Dar es Salaam haina barabara ambayo unaweza kuendesha japo kilomita 120 kwa saa, hata kama barabarani upo peke yako na hakuna alama za udhibiti mwendo. Sababu barabara ni mbovu, haziaminiki. Ni mitego tupu kwa madereva.
Barabara zinazojengwa, zinabanwa na kuwekewa matofali yenye kuakisi taa. Yale matofali barabarani ni salama kama dereva unaendesha kipindi ambacho hakuna gari lingine linatokea unapoelekea. Hatari zaidi, dereva wa gari linalokuelekea awashe taa kali. Hutaona tofali. Madereva wengi huyagonga matofali na kuharibu magari.
Askari wa usalama barabarani na magari ya breakdown, kwao ni mtaji gari likigonga tofali barabarani. Mimi ni shuhuda wa tukio la gari aina ya Toyota IST, liligonga tofali eneo la Makumbusho, Kijitonyama, mbele ya Millenium Tower. Kulitoa gari pale kulipeleka Kituo cha Polisi Kijitonyama, kadirio la kilomita moja na nusu, breakdown walilipwa Sh250,000 na trafiki akataka apewe Sh150,000, eti ili amalize kesi.
Trafiki akasema, asingelipwa hiyo pesa, angeandika ripoti kwenda Tanroads kuwa gari lile, IST, liliharibu tofali la ukingo wa barabara. Ukiangalia, tofali ni zima, IST uso wa mbele umeharibika, hadi mifuko ya usalama (airbags), ilitoka.
Ni Tanzania na Watanzania. Trafiki (askari wa usalama barabarani), anafika kwenye ajali, hataki kujua watu ndani ya gari wapo salama kiasi gani, anaomba Sh150,000, eti ndiyo amsaidie mwenye gari kuepuka kesi. Unajiuliza, hata ukienda mahakamani, kesi ya uzito gani?
Kuhusu ubovu wa barabara Dar es Salaam, mashimo na uwekaji viraka unaochukua muda mrefu, inadhihirisha namna ambavyo ujenzi unafanyika chini kabisa ya viwango mbele ya viongozi wanaoomba bajeti, wanaopewa na kuzisimamia. Wataalamu pia wapo.
Janga la taifa ni rushwa na ufisadi. Viongozi na wataalamu wanaotegemewa kuisaidia nchi, wanafuja fedha za miradi, matokeo yake miundombinu inajengwa nchini ya kiwango. Makandarasi wanahonga kushinda zabuni. Vigezo vya kisayansi havina tija mbele ya mlungula.
Kifo cha nchi ni kuwa na viongozi wenye kuwaza leo badala ya kesho. Matatizo mengi Dar es Salaam ni ujenzi unaoingilia njia za maji. Mwenye fedha anahamisha uelekeo wa maji, matokeo yake madhara makubwa hutokea pale mvua zinaponyesha mfululizo. Maji yanapanda hadi kwenye miinuko.
Kama mapinduzi ya fikra hayatakaribishwa Tanzania, ikapatikana tiba ya jinsi ya kutatua matatizo ya watu kwa usahihi, rushwa ikachukiwa kutoka ndani ya fikra na moyoni, suluhu zikatazamwa za kudumu na kujenga dhamira ya kuiacha nchi salama kwa vizazi vijavyo, historia itatoa hukumu mbaya kwa hiki kizazi chetu kinachoishi sasa.
Ukipita Unguja, kasi ya ujenzi wa barabara ni kubwa. Barabara bora na imara kabisa. Unaweza kupata jawabu kwamba miaka mitatu ijayo, Unguja (Zanzibar), itakuwa jiji lenye barabara nzuri na za uhakika, wakati Dar es Salaam ikibaki hohehahe na barabara zake zinazoua magari.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
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Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit
Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.
While Tanzania’s Ministry of Health declared last week that all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg, the WHO called for additional testing at international reference laboratories.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”Amelia Clemence, public health researcher
Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).
“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.
Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.
Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.
The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.
“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.
She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.
“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.
Cross-border transmission
The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.
The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.
Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”
The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.
The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.
Transparency urged
Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.
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“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.
“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.
The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Source: allafrica.com
