Arty facelift to boost Dar es Salaam tourism

Dar es Salaam authorities are continuing in their efforts to beautify the city and turn it into a major tourist destination.

Central to the campaign has been the installation of works of art in strategic places, with much of the focus on the downtown Ilala area, home to the Central Business District.

Sculptures have been installed at the following Ilala roundabouts: Msimbazi, Ngazija, Uhuru and Jamhuri, while the gardens along Bibi Tibi Street have been restored. However local media cite Bugurini and Ilala markets as being most in need of an upgrade.

The project is part of a five-year plan by the ministry of lands and housing, the tourism ministry and the city administration.

The mayor of Ilala, Jerry Silaa, compared Arusha in northern Tanzania as a role model, saying that visitors take photographs in Arusha but not in Dar es Salaam.

A huge influx of people moving into Dar es Salaam over the last two decades has put pressure on the city's infrastructure, particularly sanitation, often leading to less than photogenic sights.