Fuel shortages, power blackouts and traffic jams: Tanzania's dangerous combination

When my sister and her husband visited me last week, they wanted to take the opportunity of being in Dar es Salaam to sample some commodities from one of East Africa's largest markets, Kariakoo. The situation was nothing out of the ordinary as the streets were seemingly busy, congested with people of all walks of life thronging the place for various reasons.

It's not everyone who visits this place has good intentions. As we were walking along one of the busiest and crowded streets, I was surprised to find my right foot knocking against something. What surprised me is that I had scanned the road while walking, I hadn't seen any stone or boulder on the tarred road. When I looked down, I discovered that I had stepped upon someone's foot.

I quickly turned around to see the owner of that foot and apologise since I believe in making peace with everyone. I was surprised that the guy was becoming aggressive, pointing at his foot as if it had been stepped upon by a tractor or something heavy. He was strategically positioned so that I turn my heard towards a certain angle. He also made sure that he caught the attention of the other guys I was walking with. When everyone was busy trying to come to terms with this guy - whose dressing left a lot to be desired and whose skin showed that it had not been washed for a long time, the clothes were not only tattered but were dirty – another guy was busy searching my pockets.

The guy succeeded to get all the money that I had from the pocket but was very unlucky as I detected his intentions and got hold of his hand before he could successfully fish-out the money out of the pocket. In fact, I intercepted his hand while it was almost out of the pocket and had it not for the shirt that I was wearing, he could have succeeded.

When he saw that he had been discovered, and when we learnt that the whole scenario was a set up, it was our turn to turn the tables and start scolding them. As peace-loving citizens we did not resort to violence but left them walking away with their tails in between their legs like dogs. Such is life.

After that narrow escape, I became more careful and no one could play the same trick again. In fact I was now vigilant to such an extent that I did not want anyone standing closer to me for no reason. We continued with our journey and as we went into most of the shops, especially those that are located inside some buildings or in corridors and so on, business in those areas was almost zero as there was no electricity. In fact, the shops were engulfed with darkness to such an extent that shopkeepers had to use torches.

Upon trying to figure out the problem, I discovered that electricity had been cut due to load-shedding. I knew that that was common but wondered as to why the owners had failed to purchase generators them knowing very well that electricity was problematic. The shop owners told me that they had the generators but could not operate them as there was no fuel. I quickly remembered the problem of fuel that was gripping the nation and upon a closer look on the streets, I also discovered that vehicles in the area were very few.

Under normal circumstances it will be impassable in Kariakoo as vehicles, pushcarts, pedestrians and everyone will be struggling to pass through these narrow roads, but on this day, it was a different tune. Only pushcarts and pedestrians were visible due to the fuel crisis.

Since time was not on our side, we were left without a choice but to buy some clothes and other items under those conditions. We then proceeded to a certain shop where , by the use of a torch, bought a lady's suit. The suit was not only unique but good. After paying, trying out various sizes and colours, the shopkeeper packed it for us and we left there convinced and happy. We went around buying other items, but it was until we got home that we noticed that the suit we had bought was of two different colours. The skirt had a slightly darker colour as compared to the jacket. The differences could not be seen using the torch but were clearly visible under day light.

We had no option but to return the suit the following day to the shopkeeper who was equally elated that we had brought it back because she was going to run a loss since no one could have bought a similar suit that had remain in the shop. These are some of the problems that wananchi come across due to the shortage of fuel and power. Many businesses are bleeding because of the shortage of these two precious commodities, not to mention the problem of traffic jams that is making it almost impossible for someone to move from one part of the city to the other.

The government should do something to solve these problems. On the problem of fuel, the media reported last week that two major fuel suppliers in this country have remained adamant while closing shop as their service stations are still to operate. It is a shame that things have come to that level and I believe that the government should take deterrent measures when dealing with this problem.

BP Oil Company is said to have defied a government directive to resume supplying the commodity by Wednesday evening, last week. Engen is also said to be under probe. I believe that the government should never be held at ransom by such investors. I know there is need for the investors to make a profit and this means the government should not cut fuel prices for the sake of it, or for political gains. If operators cannot make profits after these fuel cuts then the government should revise the price cuts and put in place measures that makes it profitable.

Wananchi are tired of these problems and the sooner they are solved the better. Traffic jams are a nuisance in this city and only those who are escorted by the police and having the roads opened for them don't know what it is like to be in a traffic jam. With the fuel being scarce, it becomes counterproductive to stay long hours in traffic jams, consuming the little fuel that the motorists have.

It is unfortunate that wananchi are the ones to suffer. They are the ones who are left without a choice as their options are limited. Traffic jams, fuel shortages and power blackouts becomes a dangerous combination for the ordinary person on the street who does not have any option but to endure them all. The government should do something touchable to deal with these problems. God bless us allegations

bongoblast@thisda.co.tz/symeniah.blogspot.com/0657651300