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Zanzibar’s Second Vice President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla has given the Ministry of Construction and Transport and the Urban Municipal Council one week to clear and repair blocked drainage channels in parts of the Urban District, amid preparations for heavy rains.
Mr Hemed issued the directive after inspecting drainage systems in several areas of the Urban-West Region and expressing concern over stagnant wastewater and poor sanitation.
He said blocked drains posed a potential health risk to residents and could worsen flooding and sanitation problems during periods of heavy rainfall.
The inspection covered Mfenesi Mazizi, Mayugwani Kwa Wagonga Vyuma near the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Gulioni near the former Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA) offices and the area outside the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (ZECO) headquarters.
“The sanitation situation is not satisfactory in the areas we have visited,” Mr Hemed said, calling for sustained maintenance rather than occasional cleaning of drainage systems.
He directed the Ministry of Construction and Transport, in collaboration with other relevant institutions, to identify drains where wastewater was not flowing properly and undertake repairs within seven days.
The directive comes as authorities prepare for expected heavy rains associated with the El Niño weather pattern, raising concerns over the capacity of drainage systems to cope with increased water flows.
Mr Hemed also called for stronger public education on sanitation, urging local leaders to work directly with residents to raise awareness about the health risks associated with living near stagnant wastewater and unclean surroundings.
He said preventing disease outbreaks required both government action and greater community participation in keeping residential and business areas clean.
Mr Hemed further directed the Urban Municipal Council to make cleaning and maintaining drainage systems part of its routine operations, particularly in areas with persistent sanitation challenges.
He said sanitation efforts should not be driven solely by the threat of heavy rains.
“Cleaning should not only be done because of the expected El Niño rains. It should be part of the daily work schedule to ensure the city remains clean,” he said.
At Mayugwani Kwa Wagonga Vyuma, Mr Hemed urged residents and traders to cooperate with government efforts to address the drainage problem, including plans that may require people to vacate areas earmarked for intervention.
Permanent Secretary in the President's Office responsible for Regional Administration, Local Government and Special Departments, Issa Mahfoudh Haji, said authorities had already started a sanitation operation in several parts of the Urban District.
He said the operation, involving the Zanzibar Disaster Management Commission and other institutions, would continue, particularly in areas considered vulnerable.
Mr Haji said some of the drainage problems had been linked to ongoing road infrastructure works in the Urban-West Region, adding that measures were being taken to address the resulting challenges.
Urban District Commissioner Dr Said Haji Mrisho said the district government had undertaken various measures to improve drainage conditions but acknowledged that major repairs were needed in some areas.
He called for coordinated efforts between government institutions and communities to restore the drainage systems and ensure wastewater flows without obstruction.