Tanzanian Economic Development 2014-2024

Mt Kilimanjaro

Today (Sunday 10 March, 2024) marks the end of my eleventh visit to Tanzania. The first in January 2014 was to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. It was memorable and easily the most challenging physical activity of my life.

Our porters, guides and cook (9 in all for two of us)
on the eight day trek

This is how we lived for eight days

Sun at 4.34am 1 Feb 2014

5.20am

5.28 am

My second visit less than two months later was to visit Bunda as Anglican Aid has the previous year started a school there. I travelled the next day to Musoma where I met the bishop. On this recent trip I reflected on the massive  (and they are massive in terms of impact) changes that are noticeable. Unfortunately I have no photos of the infrastructure of the early visits.

Roads and Traffic

In 2014 as I drove into Bunda with my Ugandan driver, we were stopped by a white suited police officer wearing his rifle  over his shoulder. Having been stopped many times similarly in Uganda and  Rwanda this was no great drama. That is until the driver turned to me and said " He wants you to buy him a cup of tea." Naively my response was to say didn't he bring his thermos with him.  As I have come to learn African diplomacy would not allow him to explicitly tell me that he was asking for money to allow us to go. As my moral compass shifted to don't let this guy do this, I remembered my five hours at the Congolese border  where despite having a multiple entry visa (US$206 no less) I was advised that the officer issuing this had made a mistake and I would have to pay US$200 again. Maintaining my outrage I eventually paid after five hours hoping to sit this out but being told the office would close I paid the money.

So what to do with a gun toting police officer "asking for a cup of tea. $3 later (which was probably too much we proceeded.

2024 I was returning from Bunda, driving myself and approaching the town of Bweri and was stopped by two police officers. I politely asked what the reason for stopping was and was shown a speed gun showing I had exceeded the speed by 17kmh. I shrugged my shoulders and said write me a ticket. He spoke to my colleage who explained I was being warned. So ten years apart the government has done a great job, assisted by teachnology which has police carrying small EFTPOS type machines which issue infringement notices. Police now know to ask for a bribe you may be asking the person who will report you and your speed gun is audited. In addition if your traffic infringement is unpaid, if you are stopped in future the EFTPOS like machine has a link and can determine if your car registration has outstanding fies unpaid. Unlike Australia, the owner of the car is liable for any driver  infringiments and your car is taken to the local police compound until you pay the fine at the bank and show a receipt to release your car.

The infrastructral changes are phenomenal. In 2014 driving to Musoma from Mwanza, a distance of 220kms. In 2014 that was a five hour drive on potholed dirt road for most of the journey with bitumen sections. Diversions were in place where roadworks were in progress. My drive two days ago was 3hours 15 minutes to Mwanza Airport, 215 kms away. It was a marked difference driving on tarred roads except in one place where there was a diversion.

Ten year ago cars were rare in Musoma. The economy functioned on push bikes carrying everything. 100kg bags of grain, food, groceries and small items all were carried on bicyles. Anything too big for a bike was carried on a cart sometimes pulled by bicycle but bigger carts were pushed by hand often many kilometres. Trucks carried large items. Over my next few visits motor cycles started making a presence. On a holiday in China I discovered why. The economic zone of Chongqin had started mass producing motor cycles in six factories the smallest of which employed ten thousand people. The US$1,000 motor cycle appeared everywhere in Africa and certainly was noticeable in Musoma. 

Motor cycles carry items like doors, 200kgs of grain and the motor cycle taxi is big business in Musoma. People no longer walk but for AU$0.60 can get a taxi to work. The Indian Bujaji is a three or four seat rickshaw equivalent with an engine. I have taken them to the bus station 8kms away for $3. Toyota Coasters with 22 or 29 seats have made woring in nearby locations like Tarime economic and allowed families not to be separated. None of these was evident ten years ago.

Taxi bike stand. Many around

Motor cycles trailer

A common sight across Tanzania

In either 2018 or 2019 I was amazed to see traffic lights in Musoma. There had been a huge increase in motor vehicles, which previously consisted of Landrovers or Toyota Landcruisers owned by NGOs and churches which traversed impassable roads. By now many had become economically able to purchase a Toyota which has a monopoly in most of Africa. In Tanzania you purchase what is often a late model car that has had only two years use in Japan and because of some emission laws is no longer economically viable. These are exported and sold. Many are like new on arrival with low mileage. Also the motor cycle traffic was  constant, but not yet like Asia. The lights were added to up the road with traffic crossing lights. No one takes notice of the lights and routinely go through -including me. But if people stand at a pedestrian crossing I will stop on a green light to allow people to cross and others due stop too.

Technology

It's only since 2022 when I started coming as a volunteer that I have seen the technological challenges. While at Anglican Aid we were frustrated at receiving reports in single sheets or photos. It was on spending time seeing how people worked using laptops up to 15 years old, phones that go back to the early 2000s and no internet it was clear that this was a priority for improvement.

In use in 2022

Through generous friends and colleagues
over thirty laptops have brough the diocese
schools and Bible College into the 21st Century

The BBC Principal, like me has two screens

A router which serves to provide internet at Bunda Girls Secondary School. Installed late 2023

Internet tower in rural area. Every community of over 150 people (note well NBN Australia) is by law required to be provided with internet

The BBC library is now equipped with
twenty Dell laptops (Thanks Mark Rowan and
Sydney Diocesan Services) plus internet which costs AU$35 monthly

To be continued. Next blog will cover water, eating out, tax, household goods