By Our Correspondent, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania
Residents of Tanzania's commercial city of Dar es Salaam who claimed to be fed up with the inconvenience and slowness of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DRT) bus services, have attacked and stoned four buses Wednesday evening according to police force.
The Commander of the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone, Jumanne Muliro in an interview with a local media outlet on Wednesday, confirmed the incident and said that violence has occurred at four DRT stations of Gerezani, Magomeni Mapipa, Usalama and Kagera, adding that the police are already questioning several people over the incidents.
"Chaos erupted at Gerezani and it happened in Magomeni Mapipa, Usalama and Kagera. There was a bus that delayed after a breakdown at Gerezani. People could not bear to wait, they stoned the bus. Later, a another DRT bus broke down at Magomeni Mapipa, the passengers got off and some furious ones picked stones and damaged some of the windows of the bus." explained Commander Muliro.
He said that the police force responsibility is to ensure that security iis maintained. "So far, we are questioning some people who are alleged to have been part of the riots." He said.
He added that apart from damages to the DRT buses, the Usalama and Kagera DRT station facilities were also stoned and damaged.
“The police arrived and controlled the situation in Kagera because buses were traveling from Ubungo to Kimara. The situation was contained." He said insisting that with all reasoning for poor service provision by DRT, the act of destroying or damaging transport infrastructure is an offence and cannot be entertained.
The police force has confirmed the arrest of three people in connection with the incidents.
On September 30, 2015 the Africa Development Bank approved a loan to support Tanzania Government’s efforts to decongest the city of Dar es salaam, where on 23rd October, 2015 The Government of Tanzania entered into the agreement with the Bank to fund the project.
The development objective of Dar Es Salaam Urban Transport Improvement Project for Tanzania was to improve transport mobility, accessibility, safety, and quality of transport service delivery along the selected corridors in the city.
The objective have totally failed for lack of sustainability.
"With the dwindling number of buses serving the city corridors, the estimated 400,000 people cannot be served efficiently daily." Said Abdallah Mohamed a passenger. "People cannot withstand continuous delays on the road caused by unroadworthy buses.
Earlier on the day, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila visited the operation areas and told the passengers that by next November, the service provider who has been awarded the tender to import buses will have already imported the buses into the country to address the transportation challenges on the road.
"The government has recognized the deterioration of the buses and for that reason has approved a small amount of money so that the stranded buses can be repaired to save the current challenge, I believe that by November, the service provider who won the tender will have already started importing the buses" said Chalamila.
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