Assessment of Prevention and Control of Squatters in Mwanza City, Tanzania through Social Responsibility Approach

Abstract

This study assessed prevention and control of squatters in Nyamagana as well as Ilemela municipalities in Mwanza city, Tanzania through social responsibility approach. The major research question was, “How can social responsibility approach help to prevent and control the increase of squatters in Mwanza City?” Also, sub-research questions guided the study. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative research approaches through a case study strategy. The study involved 390 respondents that included municipal officials, local government leaders at grass root level, local residents, Civil Society Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs).

Purposive sampling procedure was employed to get Mwanza City Council officials as well as municipal officials and civil society organization leaders. Furthermore, convenience as well as snow ball and simple random sampling procedures were employed to get respondents from squatters. Interviews, questionnaire, focus group discussion and observation yielded primary data, while documentary review provided secondary data for this study. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis, while statistical analyses were employed for quantitative data that furnished summary presented in form of tables and histograms.

Findings revealed that more females than males migrated to Mwanza city squatter areas. Moreover, results from this study disclosed that more youth aged between 18 and 35 years migrated as well as settled in squatter areas than those 55 and above years old. Results from this study further revealed that respondents for this study had varied education levels with a higher illiteracy level among female respondents than male respondents in the study area. Several pull factors that accounted for people to migrate from rural areas to Mwanza city in squatter settlements were disclosed.

In addition, it was exposed that besides some initiatives already instituted, the government had future plans in dealing with squatter settlements in Mwanza city. Moreover, individuals and entities are participating minimally in curbing identified deviant behaviours in the study areas. For example, to some extent, an international NGO, Railway Children Africa in collaboration with local partners are dealing with rehabilitation of street children who mostly originate from squatter settlements. By employing Concentric Zone Theory, results from this study led the researcher postulate the following Mwanza city five concentric zones: the Central Business District (CBD); zone of transition between residential and commercial areas; a low‐class residential area; a commuter zone; a middle and high‐class residential area. Besides, results from this study paved the way for providing salient recommendations. Among such recommendations, the most important includes that accrued from analysis guided through Conceptual Framework whereby it is suggested that there is need for all persons, as individuals, civil society organizations that include Faith-Based Organizations together with the government machineries (central government, local government authorities including public entities), to control and prevent squatter settlements plus institute a fight to curb prevailing deviant behaviours in Mwanza city areas that include squatter settlements.