In three decades from now, Tanzania is set to record a population explosion; according to experts, the country is heading towards having nearly 140 million residents by the year 2050.
That was among the observations noted during the just concluded budget sessions of the East African Legislative Assembly in that regional parliamentarians warned of focused major population burst for Uganda and Tanzania in 30 years period.
Moving the motion, a legislator from Kenya, Ms Nancy Abisai told the East African Parliament sitting here that population growth has doubled in a number of countries in the world but in East Africa it is Uganda and Tanzania that are expected to double their population by the year 2050.
Ms Abisai told the house that Uganda, which has a populace of 39 million, is expected to have over 100 million in the next thirty four years, while Tanzania which has an estimated population of 53.7 million people as of 2016 will see this growth reach 137 million people during the same period.
In line with that, the East African Legislative Assembly has directed the EAC Council of Ministers to develop a regional urban planning policy for Uganda and Tanzania, as well as Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi which will help to have better co-ordinated cities and cross-border towns.
The legislators also called upon minister to hatch remedial measures to intercept and curb disasters in urban areas, citing recent cases of collapsing buildings in Nairobi, floods in East African cities and similar catastrophies.
A Resolution to that effect was adopted by the Assembly following the Resolution moved by Ms Nancy Abisai who further wants the Council of Ministers to establish an Urban Development Desk at the EAC to co-ordinate urban development matters in the region.
In order to harmonise ideas and have a regional position on Habitat 111 agenda, the Assembly has urged the Council through the EAC Secretariat to convene a regional position on habitat matters.
The Resolution takes cognisance of the fact that the scale and pace of urbanization is opening up unforeseen possibilities. “Large concentrations of people and goods providing for increased opportunities for creativity, larger labour markets, and higher levels of productivity, not to speak of the cultural and political opportunities associated with urban life is the norm” a section of the Resolution states.
The Resolution supported by the House also states that urban planning mitigates the impacts of disasters. Policies and programmes to reduce poverty can not only increase the productivity of the poor in the region, but can also raise consumption, thereby boosting local economic development for the benefit of all.
Cities that are inhospitable to business and that deter investors usually represent even worse prospects for their poorest residents. During debate, Legislators; Christopher Opoka; Kirunda Kivejinja; Sarah Bonaya and Frederic Ngenzebuhoro all supported the Motion.
Analysts contend that the recent rainstorms, mudslides and floods in the capital cities of some of the EAC Partner States and other weather phenomena have exacted devastating tolls on property, human welfare, natural resources and the economies. More than 95 per cent, of all deaths caused by disasters have occurred in areas which are mostly unplanned.
Among the factors that have contributed most to the damage inflicted during a hazard event is the location of infrastructure and housing developments as well as how they have been constructed, and how land use affects the natural environment recurring natural phenomena into human and economic disasters.
Leave a Reply