Infrastructure

Electricity and mobile phone network

I had heard from friends that finally electricity supplies now cover the island and a report in the Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen of 2018 suggests that an increase in the supply was imminent.

However, this does not mean that every household now has electricity or could afford to be connected. Mobile phone networks are now widespread over the island.

 

Transport

As mentioned below, the residents of Mafia have long complained about the difficulties of getting on and off the island and travelling around when there. While tourists and government servants could afford the short plane hop from Kilindoni to Dar es Salaam, many people had to rely on sailing craft to get to the mainland. This could often be perilous, as I heard many times during my own visits, and found a recent report on the BBC Swahili website of a dhow which capsized, with the death of 6 of its 7 passengers.

Majahazi at anchor, Kilindoni

On my 2010 visit, I had seen the new jetty under construction at Kilindoni, which would allow steamships to berth and discharge both passengers and cargo, and this was opened by the Prime Minister in October 2014.

There is a good picture here of the jetty as it neared completion in 2013.

A few years later, a new ferryboat was purchased which it was hoped would make travel to the mainland faster, safer and easier

Roads

Ever since my first visit to Mafia in 1965, I had heard complaints about the two main roads running north to south, from Kilindoni to Bweni, and east to west, from Kilindoni to Utende. The latter was little more than a sandy track, while the former often became impassable during the rainy season, especially in the northern sector.

road in northern Mafia 2010

Even during the dry season, the 25-mile journey from Kanga village to Kilindoni could take 4 hours in the only vehicle available, a large lorry which held both people and goods and often broke down.

Under the US Millenium project, 150 km of road improvements were financed, making travel much easier and allowing other kinds of vehicles to travel more easily over the island, including minibuses (daladala), which set up passenger services, and autorickshaws (tuktuk).

autorickshaws in Kilindoni 2010

The same fund was used to improve the airport, including building a longer runway which allowed bigger planes to land.

Public Services

The website of the Mafia District Council (Halmashauri ya Wilaya) gives the following snapshot:

  • Population: 46, 438
  • Primary Schools: 34
  • Secondary schools: 6
  • Hospitals: 1
  • Clinics (Zahanati): 16

It is also noted that 71% of households have access to water, but this is unlikely to mean running water in each household.

girls carrying water

While the above figures suggest ongoing improvement, the District Council website goes on to state that in terms of education there are still significant gaps in provision.