Each year, 5th June marks World Environment Day, a day for raising global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth. This year’s Sunday 5th June saw UWABA (Umma wa Wapanda Baiskeli; or “Public Cycling Community”), a cycling community in Dar es Salaam in cooperation with European Union, organizing the cycle caravan. This is to support low carbon transport, to promote environmental alternatives to high carbon transport as well as putting emphasis on the presence (or absence) of bicycle roads/routes in the city.

With the motivation to do the mapping for the city, Ramani Huria fully participated to support the initiatives by UWABA community and map the possible bicycle routes around the city. This was done through tracking the caravan’s route with the use of GPS unit tied on the bicycle.

GPS attached to a bicycle. PHOTO CREDIT: Ramani Huria

The event was scheduled to start at 7 AM at the Mnazi Mmoja grounds with registration of the participants, provision of free reflector jackets, bicycle helmets and bicycle reflectors to all participants.

Participants with their reflector jackets on. PHOTO CREDIT: Ramani Huria

Most of the attendees for the event ranged from disabled people with hand bikes and abled people including women, children and men with the coverage of different media sources.

Disabled participants in the back and a lady with her child. PHOTO CREDIT: Ramani Huria

After all attendee arrives, including January Yusuph Makamba, a minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Union Affairs and Environment, the caravan started at 08:45 AM. The route went along Bibi Titi road, Ohio Street, Sokoine Driveway, Chimara Street, Barack Obama Drive to Agha Khan Hospital, where people had short break to catch their breath. After that, the caravan continued to Salender Bridge and took the United Nations Road to Morogoro Road (Fire Squad Headquarters), followed the Morogoro Road and caught Lumumba road back to Mnazi Mmoja.

Throughout the process, the routes used for the caravan were basically not only meant for cycling purposes, but rather, they were roads for general uses such as cars, motorcycles etc. With the escort and support from traffic police, cars within the major roads were blocked leaving clear way for the caravan to go through. This isn’t an everyday occurrence, with cyclists usually competing for space with traffic.

The caravan’s route (GPS traces) around the city centre.

Back at Mnazi Mmoja, while attendees had snacks and water to eat and drink, Mr. Mejah Mbuya, chairperson for UWABA gave a short speech on the importance of using bicycles as low carbon transport around the city. With the fact that Dar es Salaam is much affected by traffic jams, Mr. Mbuya emphasized on the use of bicycles to minimize it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ramani Huria

At the end of the event, 5 hand bikes to 5 lucky disabled people, and 15 bicycles were awarded to 15 people who attended the caravan. Unfortunately, no attendee from Ramani Huria team won any bicycle, but did have fun while mapping!

15 bikes for winners. PHOTO CREDIT: Ramani Huria

Ramani Huria is looking forward to joining forces with UWABA in mapping and promoting low carbon transport i.e bicycle usage throughout Dar es Salaam.[:sw]Kila mwaka,tarehe 5 juni inawakilisha siku ya mazingira duniani, siku ya kuhamasisha ulimwengu kuchukua hatua chanya kimazingira za kutunza hali  na sayari ya dunia. Mwaka huu tarehe 5 juni

Tulishuhudia UWABA (Umma wa Wapanda Baiskeli),jumuiya ya waendesha baiskeli Dar es Salaam wakishirikiana na umoja wa Ulaya, waliandaa msafara wa kuendesha baiskeli. Hii ilikuwa na lengo la kusaidia kupunguza hewa ya ukaa, kuhamasisha njia mbadala ya  kupungza usafiri unaotoa hewa ya ukaa pia na kuweka msisistizo katika kuwepo (au kutokuwepo) kwa njia za baisikeli katika jiji.

Katika kuhamasisha kutengeneza ramani ya jiji, Ramani Huria walishiriki kikamilifu kwenye mipango ya jumuiya ya UWABA na kutengeneza ramani ya njia za baiskeli zilizopo katika  jiji. Hii ilifanyika kwa kufuatilia msafara wa baiskeli kwa kutumia kifaa cha GPS ambacho kilifungwa kwenye baiskeli.

GPS imefungwa kwenye baiskeli. PICHA IMEPIGWA: Ramani Huria.

Tukio  lilianze saa 1 asubuhi kama lilivyopangwa kutokea viwanja vya Mnazi Mmoja kwa usajili  wa

Washiriki, na kugawiwa bure  makoti ya kuendeshea baiskeli , helementi za baiskeli na reflector za baiskeli kwa washiriki wote.

Washiriki wakiwa wamevaa makoti ya kuendeshea baiskeli. PICHA IMEPIGWA: Ramani Huria

Washiriki wengi wa tukio walikuwa walemavu na baiskeli zao maalum na watu wasio walemavu wakiwemo wanawake, watoto na watu waliotoka katika vyombo vya habari mbalimbali.

Washiriki wenye ulemavu, nyuma mama akiwa na mtoto wake.PICHA IMEPIGWA: Ramani Huria.

Baada ya washiriki wote kufika, akiwemo waziri wa nchi ofisi ya makamu wa raisi muungano na mazingira Mh. January Yusuph Makamba,msafara ulianza saa 2:45 asubuhi.Msafars ulipitia barabara ya Bibi titi mtaa wa Ohio,barabara ya Sokoine, mtaa wa Chimara, barabara ya Barack Obama kuelekea hospitali ya Agha Khan, ambapo kulikuwa na mapumziko mafupi. Baada ya hapomsafara uliendelea kuelekea daraja la Salender na kupitia barabara ya umoja wa mataifa kuelekea barabara ya Mororgoro (makao makuu ya zima moto) na kupitia barabara ya lumumba kurudi mnazi mmoja.
Muda wote wa zoezi, njia zilizotumiwa na msafara hazikuwa kwa ajili ya waendesha baiskeli,bali zilikuwa ni barabara za matumizi mbalimbali kama vile magari pikipiki n.k.kwa msaada wa polisi wa barabarani magari yalikuwa yanatumia barabara kubwa yalizuiwa ili kupisha msafara

Njia za msafara zinavyoonekana( kifaa cha GPS) katika jiji

Baada ya kurudi viwanja vya mnazi mmoja, wakati washiriiki wakipata maji,Mwenyekiti wa UWABA Mr.Mejah Mbuya alitoa hotuba fupi juu ya umuhimu wa kutumia usafiri wa baiskeli kama njia ya kupunguza hewa ya ukaa,ukizingatia ukweli kwamba Dar es salaam inakabiliwa na msongamano mkubwa wa magari Mr Mboya alisisitiza katika kutumia usafiri wa baiskeli kupunguza msongamano huo.

PICHA IMETOLEWA; Ramani Huria.

Mwisho wa tukio,Walemavu watano walibahatik kupata baiskeli maalum na baiskeli nyingine kumina tano zilitolewa kwa washiriki kumi na tano.Kwa bahati Mbaya hakuna mshiriki kutoka Ramani Huria aliyefanikiwa kupata baiskeli lakini tulifurahia zoezi zima.

Baiskeli kumi na tano kwa washindi. PICHA IMETOLEWA;Ramani Huria.

Ramani Huria inatarajia kushirikiana na juhudi za UWABA katika kutengeneza zamani na kuhamasisha utumiaji wa usafiri unaozalisha hewa ndogo ya ukaa kama vile matumizi ya baiskeli ndani ya jiji zima la Dar es Salaam.

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