Samia orders urban cleanup, calling Dar es Salaam's state a disgrace
President Samia Suluhu Hassan speaks to leaders after swearing in the newly appointed regional commissioners for Mbeya, Geita, Pwani and Mwanza, as well as the Regional Administrative Secretary for Pwani, at the Tunguu State House in Zanzibar on September 2, 2026. PHOTO | COURTESY
Zanzibar. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has criticised the state of cleanliness in Tanzania’s cities, singling out Dar es Salaam as she urged local leaders to take greater responsibility for keeping urban areas clean.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, during the swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed leaders at the Tunguu State Lodge in Zanzibar, President Hassan described the condition of the country’s cities as a ‘disgrace.’
“Our cities are extremely dirty. A disgrace! Dar es Salaam is dirty,” she said.
She said the city’s cleanliness problems extend beyond its main roads and tourist-facing areas, with litter visible along routes from Julius Nyerere International Airport to the city centre.
She said she had personally noticed plastic waste, bottles and piles of sand along the road during journeys through the city.
“Cities should not be dirty. As we say we want to grow economically and increase our GDP (gross domestic product), we must also maintain the cleanliness of our country,” she said.
President Hassan said cleanliness was particularly important as Tanzania seeks to attract more tourists, noting that visitors do not only travel to see wildlife and beaches but also explore cities such as Dar es Salaam.
She questioned the practice of awarding waste collection contracts to councillors who lack the equipment and capacity to provide the service effectively.
“Give the contracts to those who can do the work, contractors who can clean the cities,” she said.
The President also questioned why proposals from large companies seeking to invest in waste management, including projects to convert waste into fertiliser or electricity, often stall.
She said authorities sometimes focus on minor disagreements, including tax arrangements and electricity pricing, instead of considering the wider benefits such investments could bring.
President Hassan directed leaders to strengthen supervision of cleanliness in their areas, saying better waste management would help reduce diseases associated with poor sanitation, including cholera.
“Cleanliness is everything,” she said.
Furthermore, she cautioned leaders against allowing waste to accumulate in their neighbourhoods, saying urban cleanliness should be treated as a leadership responsibility.
