Cycling and our roads with Mejah Mbuya

By Mahali Infrastructure TZ

Today we’re sitting with an environmental activist namely Mejah Mbuya. He is the chairman and one of the founders of UWABA ‘the union for cyclists in Dar es Salaam’ in his words “I believe your environment shapes your attitude....”

It’s obvious that cycling in Dar es Salaam on tarmac roads is dicey, as many of the roads have no pavement ensuring you’ll have to squeeze yourself here and there which is uncomfortable and often dangerous. “As of 2011 according to TANROADS there are 12, 786 km trunk roads out of which 5,130 km are paved and 7,656 km unpaved in the country. Where in region roads there cover 21,105 km out of which 840 km are paved and 20,265 km unpaved.

Yet we’re in a country which has a trade deficit between its imports and exports to the minus; ‘Balance of Trade in Tanzania as reported by the Bank of Tanzania averaged at -303.47 USD Million since 2006 to 2013...’ with one of the biggest imports being fuel.

An unpaved road in Dar es Salaam
kinondoni district

You’d think then investing in a form of transport that doesn’t use fuel by creating more paved roads (with cycle routs) is a wise decision but well... When Mejah Mbuya and Elaine Baker formed UWABA back in 2006 it was from observing the challenges they faced as cyclists in Dar es Salaam.

“Even on the few paved roads the pavements will go in front of bus stops. These areas are often busy with waiting commuters as well as the busses themselves which pick them up.” Mejah. Also they wished a way to be able to submit these grievances to the authority and knew there’d be strength in numbers.

To date UWABA has 271 members “These are registered but in reality we have 40 or so active members who attend our weekly meetings. One thing that we’ve been proud of is our ‘Dar es Salaam bicycle caravans’ which have involved hundreds of bikers in Dar es Salaam who come from varied backgrounds from expatriates to middle class and low class working Tanzanians as well children and physically challenged individuals. We get an average of 100 physically challenged persons on each caravan.”

The caravans he speaks of so far have amounted to 12 where the EU has been the main sponsor since 2010, with the latest being on May 11th this year. This caravan was graced by Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr Seif Rashid; the mayor of Ilala Municipal Jerry Silaa; the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Information Youth Culture & Sports Prof Elisante Ole Gabriel. This year they were promoting the health benefits of cycling as well as a solution to increasing Dar traffic.

The caravans in the past have also used their platform to promote awareness on other social issues for instance the May 2013 caravan which promoted being ‘active’ and closing the ‘inter generational gap’ where among the 700 cyclists present were elders, children, middle-aged to teenagers alike.

Cyclists waiting to go on their bicycle caravan
in Dar es Salaam on the Sunday of May 11th'14

“Dar es Salaam cycle caravan has become a vehicle for social change, not only for advocating road safety for cyclists, but also to raise awareness on other pressing social issues. Like the caravan in March 2013, where we raised awareness on sickle cell disease and managed to fund raise $50,000USD to the sickle cell centre in Tanzania.”

The caravans visually demonstrate to the motorist drivers that cyclists also have a right to use roads. The caravan also encourages safety for the cyclists by providing all cyclists there with reflector jackets and sometimes helmets.
According to The Police Traffic Force administration of Tanzania, since 2006 till 2008 accidents involving cyclist mortality increased at a rate of 20% in the whole country with 143 deaths in 2001 to 516 deaths in 2008.

In 2012 there were 405 reported deaths of cyclists accounting for 10.2% of the road accident mortality. In 2013 the number rose to 447 accounting for 11.2% of the total road accident mortality rate for the year. Mind you these are the deaths from accidents that are reported to the police. It’s harrowing that our roads are so unfriendly to non motorists as the largest deaths in the year 2012 and 2013 are of pedestrians accounting for 30.5% and 31.2% respectively of the road accident mortality rate in the country.

Some of the highlights achieved by the caravans by UWABA have been the chances of meeting concerned government leaders. “One time we got Hon Dr John P. Magufuli the Minister of Works he cycled from Mnazi Mmoja to Biafra grounds in Dar es Salaam. He was real excited you may know he’s from the cycling zone of Tanzania (Kagera, Mwanza & Bukoba) and so he was skidding doing these cool moves; I mean he was real excited. By the end of this he stipulated that all new roads in Tanzania here on; should include pavement for cyclists and pedestrians.” Mejah

Hon Minisiter of Health and Social Welfare
Dr Seif Rashid being interviewed
at the May 11th'14 Caravan of UWABA

Other prominent government personnel the UWABA has met through their caravan includes Hon Azan Zungu the MP of Ilala Dar es Salaam and Hon Magreth Sitta (former Minister).

At the moment Dar es Salaam’s major roads are undergoing transformation as trunk roads, bus stations, terminals, pedestrian walkways and depots are being constructed existing roads have been widened in order to keep the mixed traffic lanes and to include the new cycle routs and walkways.

Some of this success in implementing cycle pavements and walkways in these new roads. Is from the prompting of UWABA particularly with the Morogoro Rd/Kawawa Rd and Bagamoyo Rd. “We’re still concerned with the follow up from our law enforcement for these cycle routs to remain exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians. As you may know current cycle routs in our Trunk Roads are as well used by motorists particularly during rush hour. We have close relations with the police force but between them and TANROADS there can be mixed reviews on how these road pavements are to be utilized.” Added Mejah

Members of the May 11th'14 UWABA
caravan cleaning the beach in
Dar as part of the
program of the caravan

UWABA is in partnership with Re-cycle a UK based NGO which provided training to members of UWABA on bicycle mechanics. Also UWABA has within it a bicycle messenger business initiative called FASTA. “Among the dedicated members of UWABA we've formed FASTA this is a way for them to add to their income as most of them come from humble backgrounds. FASTA is a bicycle courier service operating since 2011 with 15 members. It works as a corporation where everything earned is shared. Just recently FASTA opened its offices at Nafasi Artspace in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam…”

Well as it goes a study commissioned last year by the Tanzanian broadsheet & The Guardian; on the effects of traffic jams on the Dar es Salaam economy noted that the jams are having a great economic impact on production and the economy. At least Tshs 411 billion (about Ushs 616.5 billion) in revenue is lost every year to chronic traffic jams, the researchers concluded.

So as UWABA would tell you using the bicycle even three times a week would save you fuel, improve your health and save your environment; statistics that are showing up globally. I thought to feature this man and this cycling society because as we’re improving our line infrastructures particularly roads in Tanzania.

Elaine Baker the other co-founder of
UWABA at the May 11th'14
caravan in Dar es Salaam

It’s important to remember how important walking and cycling is to our environment and our health. Just imagine if we only used bicycles in our city center in Dar es Salaam, we’d all move much quicker, we’d look sexier and decrease our medical bills not to mention we’d breathe cleaner air deficient of carbon monoxide meaning our brains will have more oxygen to work with. Do check out UWABA on Facebook and join this group which has tips on how to be a safe, efficient cycler in Dar es Salaam.