Water and Politics in Africa

This week we’ll take a deep dive into a privatisation project that took place in Dar es Salaam in 2004. Next week we’ll take a broader look at some structural issues surrounding privatisation and donor conditionality.    First, there are highly contested preconceptions on what ‘privatisation’ means, what it looks like, and who it benefits. The often politicised debate sees disparaging criticism from leftist mainstream media and critical development scholars, countered by zealous support from private companies and right wing think tanks such as the Adam Smith Institute . However, it is important to refrain from thinking that privatisation is categorically good, or categorically bad. Using ‘broad brush strokes’ prevents an exploration of its complex reality.       Dar es Salaam        In 2003, in order for Tanzania to qualify for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, the government was asked to privatise Dar es Salaam’s water supply. In exchange, a  $143 million loan from the