Dar es Salaam faces local governance breakdown as burnt ward offices halt services and instil fear

This situation has forced local leaders to change the way they operate. Instead of waiting for residents to come to their offices, some leaders now travel to meet citizens wherever they are, following phone arrangements to agree on a suitable location.

According to residents, not all services are currently available. Critical documents — such as those required for land regularisation — are no longer accessible. Worse still, some leaders are too frightened to be reached at all.

This is the new reality facing communities, who are struggling to obtain services from their local government offices after several were burned down on October 29, 2025 during violent unrest.

The disturbances, sparked by protests, led to the torching of these offices, police posts, petrol stations, vehicles, private homes, rickshaws, and motorcycles, with businesses also left in ruins.

These events have sown deep fear among local government leaders. Some are unwilling even to identify themselves by their titles, saying they do not know what the arsonists intend to do next.

Nevertheless, there are leaders who have steeled themselves. After their offices were destroyed, they now operate from makeshift spaces — roadside food stalls and under trees — while exercising caution.

Amid all this, the Ministry of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government – Tamisemi) has instructed leaders whose offices were burnt to temporarily relocate their services to unaffected offices in nearby areas while district councils coordinate the restoration of the destroyed facilities.

Leaders gripped by fear

The Citizen visited several affected local government offices where services are now being offered either in food vendors’ shacks close to the burnt offices, under trees, or elsewhere. Some leaders wait for residents’ phone calls while staying in their homes.

It has emerged that some leaders fear continuing their duties, saying that those who set fire to the offices could easily burn their homes as well.

On November 26, at Ubungo Kisiwani, the ward chairperson and the executive officer continued offering services — one from a food vendor’s stall, the other from beneath a tree beside the burnt office.

The executive officer had placed a plastic table, an old bench, and a single plastic chair inside a rickety shack made of rusty iron sheets, bringing along two stamps and a few files to continue working.

Meanwhile, the chairperson used the shade of a nearby tree as a temporary office.

When approached to speak about his working environment since the October 29 arson attack, the chairperson expressed deep fear and reluctance:

“I don’t want to say anything. Don’t bring trouble to me — what if they come and burn my house? I don’t want that,” he told The Citizen.

What was once the ward office now stands as a burnt-out shell, covered in ash.

At Mabibo NIT, anyone seeking services must now call the leader and arrange a meeting point. The office building is in ruins, and no officials could be seen — only motorcycle taxi riders waiting nearby.

“Leaders don’t come here anymore. If you have their numbers, call them,” said Siraji Manepe, a bodaboda rider.

He added that services now depend entirely on contacting the chairperson or the executive officer to organise where to meet.

This is the same situation in Shekilango, Sinza, and Magomeni — all of whose offices were burnt on October 29. To obtain any service, one must call the relevant leader and arrange a meeting point.

“Most leaders now work wherever they are. If you need help, you call them — but don’t go to their homes; they’re afraid,” said Juma Seko of Shekilango.

Kibamba Ward Chairperson Sembuli Mgendi said it has become extremely difficult to serve residents because all key documents, stamps, and work tools were destroyed in the fire.

He said key services have stalled, including issuing introduction letters, stamping documents, and processing land regularisation paperwork — which has hindered access to title deeds.

“We have no functioning office, no tools. Everything was burnt. We simply have no way to provide normal services,” he said.

For Stop Over Ward Chairperson Alex Msuka, staying in the office is impossible because it was burnt down. He now offers services outside — but not from his home — because he fears what the arsonists may be planning.

“There is a lot of fear among us. You even hesitate to mention your title. When someone calls you ‘chairman’, you worry they might be targeting you,” he said.

Residents’ perspective

Dominick Maina of Sinza said it has become extremely difficult to reach local leaders because many are afraid and no longer have offices.

“You call them, and they ask who you are, then more questions. They feel hunted and lack peace of mind. We are the ones suffering because services are no longer easy to access,” he said.

Saumu Hamza of Magomeni added that several services are simply unavailable because the offices — and their official stamps — were destroyed.

“Most of the leaders’ stamps were burnt. Only the chairperson’s stamp survived. Some documents require the executive officer’s stamp — and that one is gone. It’s a real challenge,” she said.

She explained that she failed to obtain her introduction letter for her employer and had to pay extra to be verified through alternative means.

Mussa Kaisi of Mabibo said his important documents kept in the ward office were burnt, forcing him to start the entire process of replacing them.

“I left them with the leaders thinking the office was safe. Unfortunately, they were burnt along with many others. We’ve agreed to restart the process of preparing new documents,” he said.

Government response

When contacted, Tamisemi Minister Professor Riziki Shemdoe urged residents in affected wards to seek services from nearby wards.

“Residents should go to neighbouring wards to access the required services while the Government works on restoring the burnt offices,” he said.

He also directed local leaders to operate from neighbouring safe offices while district councils organise service restoration.

“First, we sympathise with residents facing these difficulties. Leaders should go to nearby safe offices to deliver services, and residents should follow them there,” he said.