Going beyond generalisation: perspective on the persistence of urban floods in Dar es Salaam

The paper discusses the persistence of floods focusing attention on the city of Dar es Salaam (DSM), where over 10% of the Tanzanian population resides. Beyond the metaphor of exploding population growth, the city has witnessed recurring floods. Whilst studies abound on the vulnerability and socio-economic losses associated with flood hazards, limited studies exist about the persistence of flood hazards in DSM. This study attempts to analyse (i) the various factors that exacerbate flooding in Dar es Salaam; and (ii) the extent of interdependency and interconnection of the various factors. A thorough systematic desk review of the literature was conducted focusing on Dar es Salaam. The literature surveyed shows how colonial planning legacy has (in)directly shaped the geomorphology of DSM, and instigated the persistence of present-day floods. Specifically, rapid spatial urbanization in informality, weak capacity in spatial development control, limited coverage of drainage infrastructure, geomorphology, climate change and variability, and low coverage of solid waste collection were discovered as the major factors exacerbating floods in DSM. Besides the interdependency and interconnected nature of these factors, the review showed how the persistence of flood hazards in Dar es Salaam is influenced by the coexistence and synergistic forces of the aforementioned: rapid spatial urbanization with informality, weak capacity in spatial development control, limited coverage of drainage infrastructure, geomorphology, climate change and variability and low coverage of solid waste collection. The study recommends that urban planners pay attention to city-specific context and the interlinked nature of the factors exacerbating floods in tailoring interventions.