Concluding thoughts

So, our time is coming to an end! Hopefully, the last seven posts have shown that water management in Africa in general, and in Tanzania in particular, is more complicated than stereotypical representations of a ‘hot and dusty’ continent might have you think. Physical scarcity is present, but the barriers to effective water management are, above all else, political and economic. Colonial legacies in hydropolitics continue to complicate matters, benefitting some states and hindering others. Tanzania’s history of segregation sets a complicated scene for its urban water management as class based divisions proliferate, whilst its relationship with other riparian states has in the past challenged its development of the Nile Basin. The ever presence of the World Bank continues to influence management decisions, without any democratic accountability.

Rufiji River, one of Tanzanias many natural water resources
 

By looking at the broader political landscape of Tanzania, rather than a more focused examination, we are able to understand the different pressures facing different governing bodies, without speculating on the political position of the Tanzanian government itself, or the reasoning behind particular decisions. It is clear, for instance, that the World Bank is more closely involved in Tanzanian water management than in most countries. However, it is also important to note that the Tanzanian ‘government was not dragged into water privatisation kicking its feet’ (Action Aid: 8). I am not judging the way water has been managed. I’m more interested in attempting to understand some of the factors that may have influenced the hydropolitical landscape as a whole. This is a perfect example of why it’s important to avoid ‘broad brush strokes’ and vast generalisations, instead recognising and attempting to understand the different agendas, opinions and water requirements that exist throughout Tanzania.

 

This has been a truly eye-opening for me and, I hope, for you.  No one type of management is categorically good, or bad. Its perceived success will always depend on the way that water is valued within a society. Thank you for reading!

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