The Mayor of Kibaha Municipality, Dr Nicas Mawazo, has directed the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) in Kibaha to stop what he described as unnecessary delays and provide clear answers over the long-standing water shortage affecting Viziwaziwa Ward, despite the existence of water infrastructure.
Speaking during his ward-to-ward tour in Viziwaziwa on December 23, 2025, Dr Mawazo said residents have endured water problems for too long without satisfactory explanations from the responsible authority.
He criticised DAWASA for failing to openly communicate the real causes of the problem and the steps being taken to resolve it.
The mayor also condemned the actions of illegal technicians who deceive residents by connecting water pipes through unlawful means, saying such practices tarnish DAWASA’s image and worsen mistrust between citizens and service providers. He warned that such behaviour would no longer be tolerated.
Dr Mawazo said if the Minister for Water, Mr Jumaa Aweso, deems it appropriate due to persistent failure by the authority to address public complaints, DAWASA’s operations in the area should be returned under municipal control to strengthen accountability and discipline among officials hiding behind unresponsive systems.
He further instructed water meter readers to stop issuing inflated bills to residents when there is no water supply, describing the practice as unfair and unethical.
The mayor urged officials and technicians entrusted with public responsibilities to assess their performance and serve citizens with integrity.
“If some officials are failing to perform their duties, they should vacate public offices,” Dr Mawazo said, adding that President Samia Suluhu Hassan expects visible results, particularly as the government implements its 100-day performance strategies.
The mayor also directed the chairperson of the Social Services Committee to convene a meeting with DAWASA officials to openly explain the source of the challenges and outline concrete measures being taken to address them.
During the visit, residents also raised concerns over land disputes. Dr Mawazo issued a stern warning to local government leaders to immediately stop the illegal sale of land and actions that fuel conflicts within communities.
Some residents, including Mr Andrew Luweneko, called on the municipality to conduct a thorough investigation into DAWASA’s operations to ease tensions between the authority and citizens.
“We contributed Sh2 million to get water in the Dawasa–Kwagoda area. DAWASA brought pipes from Frank, but months have passed without water. When we dug up the pipes, we found they had been buried without being connected,” Mr Luweneko said.
Viziwaziwa Ward councillor, Mr Mohammed Chamba, acknowledged that water shortages are widespread across all streets in the ward.
He said although pipes are in place, water does not flow, making it difficult to identify the exact source of the problem.
On her part, DAWASA Kibaha engineer, Ms Eleminata Matinde Marwa, said Viziwaziwa Ward currently has water infrastructure serving about 40 per cent of residents. She explained that the system has been overwhelmed by a rapid increase in users.
Ms Marwa said DAWASA has included the area in its 2025/2026 work plan, which involves constructing a 38-kilometre water distribution network expected to be completed within six months.
She noted that the authority is currently at the stage of estimating materials and project costs as part of preparations to address the water crisis.