Urban Development Control is Failing

Above: Street layout in outskirts of Washington DC, United States of America well arranged and are full accessed (All pictures are screen capture from google earth, viewed on 30 January 2009 17:30).

Bellow: Street layouts in Songea Municipality (Lizabon and Ruvuma settlements) represents typical layout in Tanzania urban areas.

The implementation of urban plans is the task of the local Government Authorities (CAP 378). In Tanzania, the implementation of these plans is very poor due to the fact that local Governments has limited financial and technical resources. Moreover, they have other priorities while urban planning is given less attention. According to Ministry of Lands, the deficit of urban planning and development experts is higher than 70% for both urban planners, surveyors, land officers and valuers. Lack of machinery and inadequate coordination among the urban planning implementing agencies also contribute to haphazard and disjointed urban development.

Squatter settlements have continued to mushroom due to inadequate and incompetent development control mechanisms, poor and outdated planning standards and planning laws. Irregular developments and consequent densification of the previous planned and buildup areas are common features of failing urban management framework.

In 1991 the Government of Tanzania, through UNDP, formally requested participation in the UNCHS (Habitat) “Global Sustainable Project” which intensified in 1992 with the piloting of the (Sustainable Cities Program) SCP as the 'Sustainable Dar es Salaam Proje"ct (SDP). The SDP was supported financially and technically by UNDP, UNHCS (Habitat) and Dar es Salaam City Council was expected to strength the weakened urban management framework.

As it showed significant success in Dar es Salaam, in 1997 replicated to ten other cities and municipalities in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar namely: Arusha, Dodoma, Iringa, Mbeya, Morogoro, Moshi, Mwanza, Tabora, Tanga and Zanzibar. Later on, in 2001 Songea, Shinyanga and Kibaha joined joined but were financed by Ministry of Lands and Human Settlement Development. To date all local authorities including Cities, Municipalities, Towns and small Towns practice Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) under the Local Government Grant namely Urban Development and Environmental Management Grant (UDEM).

As it was expected to solved, resolved or addressed most of problems and challenges, however instead challanges and problems are even increasing. Squatter settlement and unguided development in already planned areas still mushrooming. Misunderstandings between Ministries of Lands and Local government are confusing urban development stakeholders. Not only that, but also the UDEM Grant does not finance planning for new plots and surveying. Squatter settlements will stay …