International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP) seeks to initiate multi-stakeholder partnerships with the private sector, the public sector and the civil society in order to formulate and implement measures to improve water security for all parties. The Mlalakua River is a highly polluted river (solid and liquid waste from households and industries) in Dar es Salaam. To hinder further pollution and to restore the river a partnership with private entities (CocaCola, Nabaki Afrika), governmental institutions ((WRBWB, NEMC, KMC) and civil society organizations (BORDA, Nipe Fagio) is searching for solutions and their implementation.

The initial goals were:

1. Create reliable solid waste management services in 5 sub wards;
2. 1 faecal sludge scheme operating;
3. Remove 100% of solid waste from the river;
4. Improve the wastewater management of industries and institutions;
5. Demarcate a river buffer zone and prevent further riverbank erosion.

Project Results

The overall objective of the Mlalakua River Restoration Project (MRRP) was to restore the health of the Mlalakua River and to prevent further pollution on a sustained basis. This could only be achieved through the collective engagement of all relevant stakeholders, restoring the river’s natural functions, and building systems to ensure sustainable management of solid and liquid waste to prevent further pollution. From the start, it was clear that experiences drawn from this initiative would be used to inspire and to inform actions aimed at improving the conditions of other rivers and streams in Dar es Salaam. This case reflects success in the Exit and Scale Phase of the WRAF. To assess impacts and lessons learnt in the MRRP, partners dedicated the last two steering committee meetings to ensure final commitments from each partner – i.e. what will they do to keep carrying out relevant activities after the project is closed – and to gather lessons learnt, which led to the publication of a jointly-written brochure on shared experiences.

The project was officially closed and handed over to the public sector and partners during the final learning event on 18 March 2016, held at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MOWI) and chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the MOWI. This was the occasion to present the partnership approach and the lessons learnt to a wide number of stakeholders, including community members, local government authorities, CSOs, water resources management authorities, and development partners.

In terms of scaling up, the Mlalakua partnership experience inspired at least three initiatives replicating the spirit of the project, i.e. the Cleanest Mtaa Competition, the Neighbourhood Solid Waste Practice, and a decentralized faecal sludge treatment plant. It was also the starting point of broader discussions on Dar Es Salaam industrial wastewater management.