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We meet every Saturday at 10am at our office in Manzese, Sisi kwa Sisi
There is no fee for attending or joining
All cyclists welcome. Please spread the word to other cyclists you know.
On 21st January 2010 seven representatives of UWABA met with the Mayor of Dar es Salaam, Hon. Kimbisa. We spoke about the importance of cycling as a means of transport and the problems we experience on the roads when infrastructure is not built with our needs in mind. He listened to our ideas and said it is important that cyclists contribute ideas in policy making on roads. He invited us to a meeting about roads of Government and non-Government organisations which will take place in May.
UWABA has been participating as a stakeholder in the Transport Sector Consolidation Project (TSCP) under the Prime Minister's Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PMORALG). This project includes improvements to roads in Arusha, Tanga, Kigoma and Mwanza (design work being done by UWP) and Dodoma, Mbeya and Mwanza (design work being done by SMEC). UWABA and UWABATAN have been focusing on Tanga, ensuring safety for cyclists and cycle lanes are included in the designs, and we have also contributed ideas for the other towns/cities.
UWABA did a cycle on 6th December 2009 at the same time as cycles in many other countries around the world to call for leaders to take action on climate change at the Copenhagen climate change talks in Denmark as part of the Ride Planet Earth campaign. We cycled to Gezaulole where we met with Kali Mata. UWABA members together with members of African Partership on Climate Change Coalition (APCCC) took part.
Four UWABA committee members and one UWABATAN committee member took part in the Convention on Rural Roads which was organised by Tanzania Roads Association (TARA) with International Road Federation and Global Transport Knowledge Partnership (gTKP) and took place in Arusha 25-27 November 2009.
UWABA was part of the organising committee for World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in Tanzania and UWABA members took part in the march on the day - 15 November 2009. We cooperated with SUMATRA, Chakua, CTS and Amend.
UWABA are taking part in various meetings on climate change in Dar es Salaam and Morogoro. On 14th November 2009 Hussein Hamza Hamisi and Idrisa Zongo from UWABA participated in a meeting about climate change organised by Environmental Watch Association of Tanzania (EWAT) at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). They traveled to Morogoro by bicycle - a cycle of more than 200km - they cycled there on 13th and back on 15th. They made a presentation about how bicycles are a way of reducing carbon emissions from transport.
The 2009 Dar es Salaam Cycle Caravan took place on 24th October 2009, and more tha 150 cyclists took part. The theme was climate change and the guest of honour was Hon. Dr. Batilda Burian, Minister of State in the office of the Vice President responsible for Environment. She gave a speech about climate change and how cycling is a sustainable means of urban transport which should be encouraged. Our main sponsor was the British High Commission, and Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr Tony Brennan, also gave a speech about climate change. Our cycle caravan was one of more than 5200 events taking place in 181 countries on the same day, under the www.350.org campaign. Special guests Councillor Leondard Lupilya of Ilala Municipality, Mr Jason Rwiza Director of Planning in TANROADS, Ms Christine Kayoce head of road safety in TANROADS, and Inspector Abel Baltazar Swai who has responsibility for cyclists in the Traffic Police all took part by cycling with the caravan and giving speeches. The Guta company contributed a guta as a prize and other prizes distributed were 5 bicycles, a cycle for disabled person, 20 helmets and 140 reflector jackets.
On 6th October 2009 UWABA organised and took part in a seminar together with driving instructors from various driving schools. We discussed how to improve education so as to reduce crashes between vehicles and cycles. This seminar was organised under UWABA's Wamba Memorial Fund road safety project. The seminar took place in the National Institute of Transportation, Mabibo.
Dominata Rwechungura and Sosthenes Amlima, committee members of UWABA, travelled to Mbeya and took part in Road Safety week there 28 September – 3 October 2009. We taught a two day cycle safety course to 20 school students, as well as educating the general public about cycle safety.
On 26th September 2009 cyclists in Tanga region started a new NGO Umma wa Wapanda Baisikeli Tanga (UWABATAN). Four representatives of UWABA Dar es Salaam travelled to Tanga to help in setting up the new organsiation and to attend the first meeting.
UWABA is well underway in its cycle safety project, funded by Wamba Memorial Fund.
On 27th and 28th August 2009, six UWABA members trained 62 secondary school students and 3 adults at Mbondole Secondary School in the outskirts of Dar es Salaam in cycle safety. The special guest was the Councillor of Msongora ward, Kassimu Yusufu Mng’ombe.
On 6th and 13th June 2009, UWABA members who have already graduated the training of trainers taught 24 of their fellow cyclists about cycle safety, using classrooms and open spaces of Nyerere School, Magomeni. Councillors of Makurumla Ward (Ndugu Rajabu) and Manzese Ward (Ndugu Manumbu) were special guests.
On 21st and 28th February 2009, four UWABA members trained 37 school students at Kigamboni Secondary School, Dar es Salaam in cycle safety. Mama Wamba was guest of honour.
From 18th to 21st November 2008, six UWABA members trained 60 secondary school students and 55 primary school students at Msongola in the outskirts of Dar es Salaam in cycle safety. The students, who regularly cycle to school, took part in theory and practical sessions and participatory discussions.
On 26 August 2009, 8 representatives of UWABA met with Commander James Kombe, the Commander of the Traffic Police and Road Safety, together with 12 officers and inspectors from Traffic Police Headquarters. At the meeting we discussed the problem of cars parking on service roads and pedestrian / cycle areas, we discussed educating cyclists in road safety, and we discussed how UWABA and the traffic police can cooperate.
Congratulations to Filbert Mbecha and Dominata Rwechungura who were elected to the committee on 22nd August 2009. Filbert Mbecha is the new treasurer and Dominata Rwechungura is a committee representative. Juma S Jongo and Rashid Karanji resigned from the committee - we thank them for their dedicated voluntary work.
15 UWABA members took part in the Make Roads Safe Africa, 2009 Conference on 8th July and a Road Safety Seminar on 9th-10th July 2009 in Dar es Salaam. These meetings were organised by the Commission for Global Road Safety as part of the Make Roads Safe campaign leading up to a UN Ministerial Summit on Road Safety in Moscow in November 2009. The conference was addressed by the Vice President of Tanzania, H.E. Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein.
At the meeting UWABA members participated in discussions and ensured that the road safety of vulnerable road users including cyclists is prioritized. UWABA also added signatures to the petition to call for a decade of action on road safety, and met with the global ambassador for the Make Roads Safe Campaign, Michelle Yeoh.
Mejah Mbuya, Filbert Mbecha and Edgar Paulo from UWABA travelled to Nairobi and attended a meeting of African civil society organisations working in the area of promoting cycling, on 6th and 7th July 2009. At the meeting, the African Bicycle Network (ABN) was founded. We also took part in a cycle event organised by our host organisation Uvumbuzi.
On 1st June 2009, UWABA members met with officials of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Subjects discussed included the JICA funded Kilwa Road as well as the Dar es Salaam Transport Master Plan, and how cyclists and non-motorized transport can be better catered for.
On 28th May, two UWABA members took part in a workshop in Tanga on Urban Development and Environmental Management, which included councillors in Tanga Municipal Council. At this workshop UWABA outlined our vision for how promotion of cycling as a means of transport can make towns and cities more attractive, pleasant and people-friendly. UWABA also presented a helmet and reflective jacket to the Mayor of Tanga, Hon. Kisauji.
On 7-8 May 2009, the UWABA chairman took part in a conference of NGOs working on road safety, in Brussels, Belgium. The conference was organised by the World Health Organisation. He made a presentation on UWABA's experience lobbying for road safety for cyclists in Dar es Salaam. This conference produced recommendations for the Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Moscow later this year. UWABA helped to ensure that these recommendations include protection of vulnerable road users and infrastucture designed for this protection.
On 21-23 October 2008, the UWABA chairman took part in a United Nations Environmental Program workshop on urban air quality in Nairobi, Kenya. At the workshop he highlighted how promoting cycling can improve urban air quality.
UWABA member Amar Shanghavi together with other members have produced a video about UWABA and cycle safety. You can download it here:
The 2008 Dar es Salaam Cycle Caravan went very well on 25th October 2008. 150 cyclists took part. The guest of honour Azzan Zungu MP of Ilala gave a speach about the importance of cycling as a mode of city transport and Councillor Lupilya of Ilala Municipality cycled in the caravan and was interviewed on TV - Channel 10 and DTV. The ambassador of Ireland and her husband also cycled in the caravan. We were on the front page of the Sunday Citizen newspaper. Prizes of three bicycles, a three wheeled passenger cycle, a cycle for disabled person, 20 helmets and 20 reflective jackets were won by participants in the raffle. We would like to thank sponsors the Irish embassy and those who contributed in-kind Guta company, Business Times, Ilala Municipality and Ultimate Security. We hope the event shows the importance of cycling and safety for Dar es Salaam's cyclists.
On 23-25 September 2008 the chairman of UWABA, Mejah Mbuya, representated UWABA at a workshop on transport sector governance in Africa in Yaonde, Cameroon. The workshop was organised by Global Transport Knowledge Partnership (gTKP). Mejah gave a presentation on UWABA's experience in interacting with Government.
In September 2008 UWABA members helped researchers Eyasu Markus Woldesmyas from Ethiopia and Alphonse Nkurunziza from Rwanda who are doing research under ITC, Netherlands. This research is about cycle transport in Dar es Salaam and UWABA helped to collect survey data.
On the 1st August 2008 UWABA moved our office to Manzese Sisi kwa Sisi, after our rent contract for our previous office in Mabibo finished. Welcome to visit our office where there is lots of information available on cycling issues in Dar es Salaam.
On 21-23 July 2008 UWABA organised a training of trainers in cycle safety at the National Institute of Transport in Mabibo. Our facilitator was Andrew Wheeldon from Bicycling Empowerment Network, South Africa. We received a grant from Wamba Memorial Fund to run this course as well as to run a project in cycle safety which we are starting now. There were 24 participants in the training - a representative of TANROADS, a representative of the Traffic Police, three teachers from Msongole and Kigamboni schools, two representatives of HUWATA and 14 UWABA members. These participants are now preparing to train school students at various schools in Dar es Salaam region.
On 19th April 2008 UWABA celebrated an opening ceremony for our office. Representatives of SUMATRA and local Government were special guests. We also had a presentation of prizes of helmets, t-shirts and reflective jackets to 27 most active UWABA members. We would like to thank IBike / International Bicycle Fund in the USA and La Stazione delle Biciclette in Milan, Italy for their generous donations which assisted us to set up our office and provide these cycle safety prizes.
On 10th March 2008 five representatives of UWABA met with Mrs Mlamba of the transport unit of the Dar es Salaam City Council. Below you can read about this meeting:
On 19th January 2008 the National Institute of Transportion (NIT) gave a seminar on road safety for cyclists to 21 UWABA members.
Participants were taught about the rules or the road and fundamentals of road safety for cyclists, road signs and markings and defensive cycling. Important topics covered included ensuring the cycle is road-worthy, how to cycle safely on the road, the importance of road users respecting each other, rights and responsibilities in the case of accidents occurring, the Road Traffic Act, road junctions, signals and the meaning of road signs.
At the end of the seminar, the UWABA members thanked the National Institute of Transportation for this important community service to increase road safety for cyclists. The Head of the Road Safety Department of the National Institute of Transportation, Mr Chard Wemba expressed his intention that this would be the first step and that through further cooperation with UWABA many more cyclists can benefit from learning more about road safety.
On 14th January 2008 four representatives of UWABA met with the Road Safety Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure. Unfortunately this was not a successful meeting as we were given only 15 minutes despite our appointment being for one hour.
In January 2008 we received a second reply from TANROADS answering our further questions about the roads under construction - Sam Nujoma Road, Nelson Mandela Road and Kilwa Road. This was a helpful letter and answered our questions. In addition, we met with TANROADS headquarters on 27 September to give a presentation. We are continuing to follow up to see that the committments made in the letters are implemented.
Here you can read the letters:
(we received the letter in January 2008)
Climate change is a crucial issue for Tanzania as the majority of Tanzanians depend on stable rainfall patterns for their livelihood. As cyclists, UWABA help contribute to reducing this problem by not emitting carbon dioxide while travelling. On 8th December 2007 UWABA joined forces with Centre for Energy Environment Science & Technology (CEEST), Envirocare, Joint Environment and Development Management Action (JEMA), Journalists Environmental Association of Tanzania (JET), Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Tanzania Association of NGOs (TANGO), Tanzania Coalition for Sustainable Development (TCSD), Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environmental Organization (TaTEDO) and Tanzania Youth Environment Network (TAYEN) to organise a cycle for climate change. We cycled from our office in Mabibo to the Vice President's Office where we made a speech and were welcomed by the Deputy Director of the Environment Department Mr Stephen Nkondokaya. The next stage in our plan was to cycle to the embassy of the United States of America to deliver letters from the 10 NGOs. However we were stopped and told to disburse by police and told we could not proceed as a group near the US embassy without a letter of invitation from the US embassy. We had previously notified the police of our event and had requested the US embassy several times to receive us and our letters on the day, but it appears the embassy was not interested in receiving our views and even went to the extent of stopping our group cycle. We received coverage on Channel 10 news and in the Majira newspaper so we hope our event helped to send a strong message on climate change to world leaders holding talks in Bali, Indonesia.
Click on the following links to find out more:
UWABA partnering with CHABADA had a successful and enjoyable cycle caravan event on 20th October 2007. More than 200 people took part in the relaxed cycle from Mnazi Mmoja around Dar es Salaam, including men, women and children, disabled and able-bodied cyclists. Our guest of honour was Mr Leonard Lupilya, a Councillor in Ilala Municipal Council. Speeches highlighted issues of safety and better infrastructure for cyclists and promoting cycling as a sustainable form of city transport. Raffle prizes of a guta (three wheeled goods-transport cycle), three bicycles, 20 helmets and 20 reflective jackets were given out as raffle prizes to participants. Thanks to our sponsors the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Guta Company, Bakhresa Company, the Chinese embassy, Clouds FM and Ilala Municipal Council.
UWABA received a donation of Tsh 400,000 from IBike / International Bicycle Fund on 9th August 2007 and this together with donations from UWABA members has allowed us to set up a small office / information centre. At the moment we are preparing the office so that we can make into a place where people can find information on cycle issues in Dar es Salaam and elsewhere. We have also bought a three-wheeled cycle (guta) which will enable us to generate an ongoing income to pay office rent in the future.
On 13th August 2007 UWABA opened its own PO Box - it is PO Box 90361, Dar es Salaam. We welcome communication by post.
UWABA met with Carl Bro Associates who are the consultants for the design of Nelson Mandela Road on 12th July 2007. You can read notes of our meeting here:
We have opened an UWABA bank account at the National Microfinance Bank, Magomeni Branch, Dar es Salaam. Our account number is 2052300909.
We have found a new meeting place - Mahakama ya Ndizi, Mabibo, at the cycle fundi near Maktaba Baa. This is a very appropriate meeting place for us as there are many two-wheel and three-wheel cyclists in the area.
On 15th May 2007 UWABA participated in a meeting at Ilala Municipal Council on the traffic congestion issue. We contributed our ideas on how cycling could help ease congestion and on problems such as too many parked cars on streets.
Congratulations to Rashid Karanji and Sosthenes Amlima who were elected to the UWABA committee on 5th May 2007.
On 4th April 2007 Ilala Municipality announced that three-wheeled goods-transport cycles (maguta) would no longer be allowed in the city centre or Kariakoo areas. This would put guta-operators out of business, increase poverty, create problems in transporting goods in these areas and cause more polluting and congesting vans and trucks to use these roads.
UWABA campaigned against this policy. We collected 835 signatures for our petition against the policy. On 12th April 2007 we met the the Mayor of Ilala. On 28 April 2007 the Mayor of Ilala announced that maguta and mikokoteni would continue to be allowed in the city and Kariakoo. We congratulate the mayor on his example of good governance in listening to the people's ideas and making a good decision. We will continue to work with Ilala Municipality to help tackle the traffic congestion problem.
Mlimani City Shopping Centre were refusing to allow bicycles into their car park or security guards to travel to work by bicycle. UWABA communicated with their management to complain about this policy and they have agreed to change their policy and to put in place parking facilities for bicycles. We will continue to follow this up to ensure they carry out their promises.
We have received a letter from the Minister of Infrastructure to say that he supports our efforts in setting up this important organisation for cyclists.
UWABA worked with AALOCOM and CHABADA to organise a cycle caravan on 14th October 2006. There was an excellent turn-out and everyone enjoyed the event. We started at Mnazi Mmoja, cycled through the city and returned to Mnazi Mmoja. The police closed part of the road for us. Five California bikes were given out as raffle prizes. The Deputy Mayor of Dar es Salaam city, Dr Mwilima was the special guest. We hope this cycling caravan contributed to encouraging cycling in Dar es Salaam, encouraging safe cycling and demonstrating to the Government the importance of cycle lanes and cycle-friendly roads.
A group of UWABA members met with the management and staff of TANROADS Dar es Salaam region to make a presentation on 24th May 2006. Our presentation consisted of a presentation and slide shows of our photos from the photo library. Download our presentation here:
UWABA took part in the Tanzania Social Forum from 22nd to 25th March 2006 at Mnazi Moja. We met other organisations and raised awareness about UWABA. Here is a photo of our stand:
UWABA has been registered by the Ministry for Community Gender and Children under the Non-Governmental Organisations Act, 2002. Our registration number is 02NGO/0683. We were registered on 23rd February 2006 and we received our certificate 2nd March 2006. We have also introduced ourselves to the Regional Commissioner's Office of Dar es Salaam.
(Kiswahili)
Fredrick "Mejah" Mbuya, Mbezi - Chairperson
Elaine Baker-Guni, Kigamboni - Secretary
Filbert Mbecha, Mabibo - Treasurer
Dominata Rwechungura, Mabibo
Sosthenes Amlima, Ubungo
Our meetings are usually conducted in Kiswahili but minutes are available here in both English and Kiswahili:
(English and Kiswahili)
(Kiswahili) - you can print and distribute these. Print two-sided and then cut into four pieces.
(Kiswahili) - you can print and put these up.
The Sunday Citizen newspaper published an article about UWABA on 12 March 2006. You can read it here:
UWABA has worked with Robert Bartlett of Schorrell Analysis to produce a chapter of an e-book "The global book of transport - Chapter 2 - Tanzania, bicycles in Dar es Salaam". You can download this document here:
We have brainstormed and come up with the following:
We are gathering photos related to cycling issues in Dar es Salaam
Here you can download road traffic laws of Tanzania
The source of these laws is the Tanzania Parliament website www.bunge.go.tz
Here you can download the National Transport Policy of Tanzania
Here you can download the National Road Safety Policy
In 2008, deaths in road crashes of 516 pedal cyclists in Tanzania mainland were reported. This figure has been increasing steadily since 2001, when 143 pedal cyclists deaths in Tanzania mainland were recorded. This is equivalent to an average growth in pedal cyclists deaths of 20% each year from 2001 to 2008.
In 2008, 23 deaths of cyclists were recorded in Dar es Salaam (Ilala-5, Kinondoni-15 and Temeke-3). 364 injuries to cyclists were recorded (Ilala-103, Kinondoni-177 and Temeke-84). 6% of deaths on the road in Dar es Salaam were deaths of cyclists (2008).
18% of road crash deaths in Tanzania mainland were deaths of pedal cyclists in 2008.
In 2007 in Dar es Salaam region (Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke), 310 accidents involving pedal cyclists were reported. In Tanzania mainland in 2007, 1660 accidents involving pedal cyclists were recorded.
In Tanzania mainland in 2007, 7% of vehicles involved in road crashes were pedal cycles. In Dar es Salaam in 2007, 2% of vehicles involved in road crashes were pedal cycles.
In Dar es Salaam in 2007, mistakes by pedal cyclists were recorded as the cause of 2% of road crashes. In Tanzania mainland in 2007, mistakes by pedal cyclists were recorded as the cause of 6% of road crashes. Dangerous driving caused 47% of road crashes, mechanical defect 10%, and high speed 8%.
The source of this data is the Traffic Police Headquarters.
Here is a map of Dar es Salaam roads:
The source of this map is the TANROADS website www.tanroads.org
