Efforts underway to turn Mwanza into a green city

Mwanza. The Lake Zone largest urban conglomerate is one of the Tanzanian towns that are set to benefit from an initiative that seeks to bring sustainable, green growth to emerging cities.

Dubbed Green and Smart Cities, the European Union-funded urban development programme aims to raise the quality of life in cities through green infrastructure investments, local economic growth, the circular economy, and e-governance.

The programme would also result in increased income to city residents and more revenue collection by local councils.

The initiative is part of collaborative efforts between the EU and the government of Tanzania to improve urban resilience and economic sustainability in Mwanza, Tanga, and Pemba.

The programme also seeks to conserve the environment of the economically growing cities in the country. In Mwanza, the construction of a new Nyegezi bus terminal, a central market, and a modern bus stand in the Nyamhongolo area are among 16 projects that are being implemented through the programme.

Mr Edward Mwamotela, the economist for Mwanza City, mentions the increase in revenue collections as one of the benefits that will be gained once the projects are completed.

“We expect to collect more than Sh2.5 billion annually from the new Nyegezi Bus Terminal, compared to the about Sh480 million we collected in the previous financial year. More revenue will increase our ability to implement development projects,” said Mr Mwamotela in an interview. The construction of the Sh15.8 billion Nyegezi Bus Terminal is estimated to be 98 percent complete, he said.

Speaking about the central market being constructed for Sh20.7 billion, Mr Mwamotela said the facility will bring in more than Sh3.8 billion in revenue compared to the Sh780 million collected previously. He said the project is expected to be completed by the end of April 2023.

Other projects that will be implemented under the Green and Smart Cities programme include the construction of a truck terminal in the Buhongwa area, a modern Nyakato slaughterhouse, the Machinga complex in Nyegezi, the Lwanhima industrial park, and the Mkuyuni fish market. Others are the construction of the Machinga complex at Igoma and Mchafukoga areas.

“The council has already allocated more than Sh7 billion to complete the construction of a modern slaughterhouse in the Nyakato area, where we will also install a power generation system using livestock excrement to run the slaughterhouse,” said Mr Mwamotela.

The strengthening of learning and teaching infrastructure in public schools and the construction of ward offices, five health centres, and five health laboratories are other projects expected to be implemented through the programme.

Mr Herbert Bilia, the head of planning and coordination at Ilemela Municipality, said along with the construction of a modern bus stand in the Nyamhongolo area, the municipality is also implementing environmental and business infrastructure projects in the Lake Victoria area.

“We are implementing a project to improve the Kirumba estuary, which contributes more than Sh700 million in revenue to the municipality every year. We are also improving the Igombe Estuary with the aim of adding value to the fishery products,” he said.

In Tanga, the programme aims at improving the infrastructure for the production and transportation of food products, the fish market, and environmental conservation through tree planting, garbage control, and the collection of solid waste on the streets, according to the Green and Smart Cities project coordinator, Mr Kizito Nkwabi.

Ms Rachel Kaduma, the assistant director of Urban and Rural Development in the President’s Office, Regional Administration, and Local Governments (PO-RALG), said the government has put in place a system that will ensure all projects are implemented on time.

On the other hand, the acting national authorising officer of the EDF Support Unit in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Mr Jonathan Mpuya, advised the local authorities to conduct feasibility studies of all projects to speed up adoption and implementation.

He said that the studies will detail the anticipated challenges and opportunities that are facing the projects, the level of finances required, the kind of stakeholders to be engaged with, and many other good things that, if adopted, will simplify the implementation of those projects in the country.

The coordinator of the Regional and Local Government Strengthening Programme (RLGSP) from PO-RALG, Ms Lemmy Shumbusho, said they are looking for stakeholders, encouraging public-private partnership (PPP) projects, and encouraging the councils to invest in revenue-generating projects, among others.

EU official Mr Martino Vinci urged the beneficiary cities to collaborate with the private sector on the projects for the well-being of the people and the country at large.