Mji Mpya and Karakata Residents Demand a Better Living Condition in the Midst of Recurrent Msimbazi River Flooding
By Samwel John (lead researcher), Mussa Raido (researcher & writer), Nasri Mohamed (videographer), Husna Shechonge (Federation leader)
Anangisye will never forget the night in 2014 when the Msimbazi River destroyed his house in Mji Mpya. It was raining and the river encroached on his and neighboring houses. Water first washed away a corner of his house, and by no time, the entire structure was gone. Anangisye’s neighbors helped him rescue some house utensils and furniture. A few hours after the traumatic event, he had a stroke which caused partial paralysis on the left side of his body.
The story of losing property or loved ones due to flooding is a common experience amongst residents in Dar es Salaam’s informal settlements. The Msimbazi River runs across the capital of Tanzania. It is an important source of human livelihood and mobility in the most populous city in the country. 80% of residents in Dar es Salaam live in informal settlements due to low housing prices and low living costs. Many residents are poor and they moved from rural areas to cities to access economic opportunities.
Urbanization aided the emergence of commercial and economic hubs in coastal cities. Josephine, a 48-year-old female living in Mji Mpya, moved from an inland village to coastal Dar es Salaam with her sister to work near the city center. When her husband left, she stayed in Dar es Salaam because she was able to continue her business and sold fruits to generate higher income.
It is also common for parents to move to the city first to financially support their kids. For instance, Swaumu, a 33-year-old female, grew up with her aunt when her parents worked in Dar es Salaam. Some families bounce between rural and urban destinations. Christina Pantaleo Alphonse and her husband followed circular migration patterns. When a fire burned down their business which was their major income source, they moved back to the village where they are from. When changed precipitation patterns decreased the yield of maize and rice production in the village, they decided to move back to Dar es Salaam.
Moving to coastal cities nevertheless puts migrants in vulnerable positions to shoulder negative consequences of environmental challenges. Ally Athumani Kongomela, a 66-year-old male left his parents and his village because the parents could no longer rely on agriculture and agro-business to feed the family. Climate change disrupted precipitation patterns and their crop yield relied heavily on rainfalls. Leaving the village did not spare Ally from damages induced by climate-related weather events. In 2015, the Msimbazi River swallowed his house in Mji Mpya.
For years, the Msimbazi River basin has been degrading. Deforestation and soil erosion also make it hard for the basin to retain water. Environmental events such as intense rainfalls, contributed by climate change, thus increase the likelihood of flooding. Since the 1997 El Nino rains, Dar es Salaam residents have witnessed at least one flood in the following years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Our research confirms the observation.
Interviewees reported flooding in the years of 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2020.
Residents in Mji Mpya and Karakata noticed soil erosion and heavy rainfalls years before the flood that left them homeless overnight. The Msimbazi River exacerbates and compounds economic and housing insecurity that Mji Mpya and Karakta residents already face. But some residents do not wish to leave their land, because land ownership still offers socio-economic stability. Ownership protects residents from land disputes and presents an opportunity to build generational wealth.
Another reason why some residents do not want to or cannot relocate is because they cannot afford higher rent. Yusuph Omary, who lives in Karakata began to see his neighbor’s houses breaking down five years before his house was destroyed by a river flood. When he owned land and a house, there was no need to pay rent. The flood put an additional financial burden on him, because now a major part of his income goes to rent. He also needs to save money to buy another piece of land, so there is even less disposable income. Another Karakata resident, Christina Pantaleo Alphonse shared that houses that are at less flood risk are more expensive. She and her husband cannot afford to move to houses that are much farther away from the Msimbazi River.
Families and communities are major support systems when formal socio-economic safety nets are weak. All residents we talked to received help from family members or neighbors before, during, or after floods took away properties or human lives. Neighbors look out for each other and inform residents when houses are at flood risk. Communities often work together to collect belongings when floods destroy houses. Family or neighbors also offer temporary free housing or financial support when a community member needs help, sometimes when the person or family is at risk of being homeless.
Anangisye has no plan to move elsewhere. Even though he advises people to think about climate and environmental challenges when deciding where to purchase land and build houses, he thinks the city of Dar es Salaam should also prioritize monitoring the changing climate and environmental conditions. This way, residents do not have to be trapped in the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment. Anangisye has not only his and the next generations’ welfare but also other families’ and the communities’ better future in mind.
