Press Release
Rufiji Floods Are Man Made Making

Hizb ut Tahrir / Tanzania sincerely offers condolences and extends a message of comfort to all victims of the Rufiji and Kibiti Districts floods in the coastal region.

Due to these catastrophic floods that affected lives, more than 23,000 households, 33,930.24 hectares of crops with a total of 88,000 individuals in need of essential services and disrupts socio- economic activities. Hizb ut Tahrir would like to explain the followings:

a.  These floods are man-made design due to the technical flaw of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam (JNHPP) project plus negligence and irresponsibility of politicians. As in March 2024, the dam had already filled a level of 164.8 cubic meters which is the equivalent of 14. 6 million litres, in which it could no longer handle to contain further flow of water into its reservoir, consequently compelled to discharge water that caused the Rufiji River to flood leading to affecting surrounded inhabitants. Negligence and irresponsibility can be traced since a technical team of the dam provided advanced warnings and foresaw the coming destruction, while politicians waited to provide relief services instead of preventing or evacuated people.

b.  These floods are a manifestation that are within capitalism projects especially mega ones, and are not in position to care for the welfare of the people but are for the interests of the capitalists and greedy politicians without any real concerns of the citizens. This mega project along with others branded as ‘strategic projects’ with the aim to help people, surprisingly, even before commencement, its operation has already destroyed their lives, properties and wiped out their ’hand to mouth’ agricultural activities.

c.   Developing nations despite claiming attained independence, yet in their undertakings swimming in the model of colonial legacy. Colonial projects were not aimed at all to benefit locals and surrounding areas, only aimed at achieving colonial economic interests.

d.  Resources without proper ideological focus do not bring real change in the welfare of the people. Africa has a huge amount of resources that can standardize socio economic lives, since it has no ideological independence, they end up being grabbed by Western capitalist exploitation with crumbs in the greedy politician’s pockets. River Rufiji is an asset of large water body stretching about 600 km, its dam enjoys 3^rd place in Africa, yet before starting its operation has brought destruction.

The ideology of Capitalism is an inherent failure from its roots and systems. Its main concern is interest not caring of the people. It is only Islam under Khilafah (Caliphate) state that can sincerely take care of people’s affairs since it has spiritual strength of linking all worldly human actions with the Hereafter.

Masoud Msellem
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Tanzania