[SHORT THREAD] Settlements emerge with raison d’être (examples: Mzizima as a fishing village, Kazeh as a convenient caravan trade junction). Settlements are living organisms. They morph. Mzizima became Dar es Salaam. Kazeh became Tabora. All with expanded raison d’être. https://twitter.com/youngibis/status/1315916817085464576

2. As settlements morph, their forms of governance and the political-economy of the moment matter. The shape and character of Dar is informed by how the Sultan governed it, the Germans’ planning style, the dictates of colonial economy and administrative posture...

3....and the developmentalist ideology of the new independence leadership. So, while “town planning” has been part of the development jargon since colonial times, no town plan has been carried through faithfully, and most are outdated or lack dynamism and imagination, and

4...until now, no serious resources have been set aside for necessary city amenities. Now, to answer @saidmuhammed question: most city amenities are public services, funded by government. For example, no metro public transport anywhere in the world (except Hong Kong) makes profit

5. While city services are built by governments, cities aren’t. The most important thing in urban planning is not where the money comes from, but imagination - planning for the next 100 years. Cities that don’t do this will miss out on opportunities that the future wil bring.

6. Finally, cities are the future. At some point, all of humanity will be living in them. By 2027, majority of Tanzanians will be living in cities. 80% of global GDP is generated in cities. Getting cities to function is extremely important.

7. For us, while it is important to focus on Dar, Arusha, Mbeya and so on, we may need to look at places like Mombo, Tunduma, Malampaka, Chalinze, Gairo, Igunga, Busega and so forth as cities of the future, and expand their raison d’être and plan accordingly. That’s our future.