President John Magufuli said that there should be bigger fines for people who litter the city and people who can ‘whistle blow’ on these culprits should be encouraged and awarded even up to 80 per cent of the fine.
“The government is taking numerous steps at giving the city of Dar es Salaam which is the mirror of our country a facelift but this can only be done if its residents change their ways. It often puzzles me why a person when in Kilimanjaro doesn’t litter but doesn’t think twice to the same in Dar es Salaam,” he explained.
According to the globamethane.org website, the capacity of solid waste collection in Dar es Salaam reached in 2012 is around 1,533 tonnes of solid waste per day which is only 37 per cent of total solid waste generated in the city.
President Magufuli said in their efforts to beautify the city, the government has on several occasions put up streetlights that are often knocked down by irresponsible motorists. “Now the relevant authorities have to build concrete slabs to ensure that there is little damage when they are knocked down.
He said that it was sad to note that when the streetlights are knocked by drivers, they are usually witnessed by either other drivers or law enforcers, but little is done to book the culprits and replace damaged poles.
“Allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate the Regional Commissioner (Paul Makonda) for his efforts to beautify the city. Please support his efforts,” he called on the public.
President Magufuli also took the opportunity to urge the city fathers to play their part in cleaning up the city, hastening to caution that they should refrain from using their own companies to do the job.
He said that he would like Dar es Salaam to look like European cities with numerous flyovers and expanded roads, but said that it would be pointless to have all these if cleanliness of the city isn’t maintained.
