Msimbazi flooding cure in the pipeline.

FLOODS that have been wreaking havoc in Msimbazi Valley are likely to be history, as plans are now underway to upgrade the area by building waterways and other drainage system infrastructure.

This follows the agreement between the World Bank and Tanzania in response to flooding caused by heavy rainfall annually in the commercial capital, triggering serious consequences.
Speaking after the meeting with World Bank delegation in Washington DC yesterday, Minister for Finance and Planning, c, said the institution had agreed to help solve the flooding problem.
He said the World Bank had already begun conducting feasibility study in the valley, particularly from Magomeni Mapipa area towards the area styled ‘fire’, to establish the actual cost of building the envisaged infrastructure.
“We have clarified to the delegation about this challenge that has repeatedly led to the loss of human life, damaging of properties and the perennial problem of drainage that turns roads into rivers rendering roads impassable, so they have shown the intention to end this problem once and for all,” he said.
Dar es Salaam, a coastal city of five million, suffers from frequent floods due to poor public drainage systems and unplanned housing settlements.
Dr Mpango further said after the World Bank team finished their work in collaboration with the city authorities, they believe a permanent solution would be found. Meanwhile, the government has said it cannot transfer the responsibility to pay pension retirees of the previous Postal and Telecommunication Agency of the East African Community to one of the social security funds as the exercise to merge the funds was yet to be completed.
Deputy Finance and Planning minister, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, gave the position in the National Assembly yesterday, when responding to a basic question by Ludewa MP, Mr Deo Ngalawa (CCM), on when the government would be ready to transfer such payments to one of the pension funds.
Ms Kijaji said the government through Tanzania Posts Corporation (TPC) continued with the role of paying monthly pension to retirees