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UDP puts clean water at the centre of campaign pledge

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  Published in Politics and Government on Sunday, September 7th 2025 at 12:23 GMT by The Citizen
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UDP’s Clean‑Water Crusade: A Fresh Promise for Tanzania’s Future

In a bold move ahead of the 2025 general elections, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has declared that clean water will be the cornerstone of its national campaign pledge. The party’s manifesto—published on the The Citizen website—details a comprehensive strategy to overhaul Tanzania’s water supply and sanitation infrastructure, a sector that remains one of the most pressing challenges for the country’s public health and economic development.

The Rationale: A Nation in Need of Safe Water

Tanzania’s water crisis is well documented. According to recent reports by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, more than a third of the country’s population lives in areas where safe drinking water is scarce or unreliable. Rural communities, in particular, face repeated shortages, leading to outbreaks of diarrheal disease and other water‑borne illnesses that disproportionately affect children. The UDP’s campaign is framed around the premise that access to clean water is not just a health issue but a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for sustainable growth.

In the UDP’s statement, party leader Dr. Dismas Mwasikhe, a former presidential hopeful, emphasized that “water is the lifeblood of our nation. Without it, the other pillars of development—education, health, and agriculture—remain weak and unsteady.” He underscored that the party’s promise is rooted in a data‑driven assessment of Tanzania’s current water infrastructure, which he said is “outdated and inadequate for our population of 65 million.”

The Four‑Phase Water Plan

The UDP has laid out a four‑phase, ten‑year blueprint designed to reach every Tanzanian household and public institution with reliable, safe water. The plan’s core components include:

1. Infrastructure Upgrades
   - Borehole drilling and rehabilitation: The party intends to drill 3,000 new boreholes across the 26 regions, with an additional 1,200 boreholes earmarked for the most water‑scarce districts such as Tabora and Arusha.
   - Pipeline construction: Over 15,000 kilometers of new pipelines are planned, connecting major reservoirs to rural water points. The UDP has promised to use locally sourced materials where possible to stimulate the domestic construction sector.

2. Water Quality Assurance
   - Community Water Treatment Plants (CWTPs): The UDP proposes establishing 200 CWTPs that will treat water at the source before distribution, ensuring compliance with national and international safety standards.
   - Regular testing and monitoring: An integrated digital monitoring system will be introduced, enabling real‑time alerts for contamination incidents and ensuring accountability.

3. Sustainability and Maintenance
   - Community‑Led Maintenance Committees: Each water point will have a dedicated local committee trained in basic maintenance and water‑management protocols.
   - Financing mechanisms: The UDP will negotiate public‑private partnerships to fund maintenance, ensuring long‑term viability without overburdening the national budget.

4. Education and Hygiene Promotion
   - School‑based hygiene programmes: Schools will become hubs for clean‑water education, with the UDP pledging to equip every school with a functional water point and sanitation facilities.
   - Public awareness campaigns: The party plans nationwide campaigns that will promote hand‑washing, proper water storage, and community health practices.

Political and Economic Implications

The UDP’s clean‑water pledge is not merely a policy statement; it is a strategic bid to reshape the political narrative around infrastructure. While the ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has championed large‑scale water projects such as the Mwanza Water Project, critics argue that these initiatives have largely benefited urban centers at the expense of rural communities. By foregrounding rural water supply, the UDP seeks to tap into a constituency that has felt historically marginalized.

Economically, the UDP argues that improved water access will directly boost agricultural productivity. Tanzania’s economy heavily relies on subsistence farming, and irrigation shortages often limit crop yields. By expanding irrigation infrastructure, the party believes farmers can adopt higher‑yield varieties, diversify their produce, and increase household incomes. Dr. Mwasikhe has also highlighted that the water sector can create thousands of jobs—both during construction and for ongoing operation and maintenance—thus providing a dual benefit of infrastructure development and employment generation.

Support from International Partners

While the UDP’s plan is ambitious, the party has already secured preliminary support from international donors and development agencies. A spokesperson for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) praised the UDP’s holistic approach, noting that “the inclusion of quality assurance, community participation, and sustainability aligns with best practices in the water sector.” Likewise, the International Water Association (IWA) has expressed interest in collaborating on technical training and capacity building.

The UDP’s promise also resonates with a growing global focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, which calls for universal access to safe drinking water. Dr. Mwasikhe emphasized that the party’s plan is “a concrete pathway for Tanzania to meet its SDG commitments by 2030.”

Criticisms and Challenges

As with any ambitious infrastructure initiative, the UDP’s plan has met with skepticism from some quarters. Critics point out that Tanzania’s fiscal constraints might limit the party’s ability to mobilize the estimated $10 billion required for the ten‑year plan. Others worry that rapid implementation could compromise water quality standards if not carefully monitored.

The UDP has addressed these concerns by proposing a phased rollout that will begin with high‑priority regions—areas that already lack basic water services—and gradually expand as funding becomes available. The party also pledged to conduct independent audits of all water projects to ensure transparency and accountability.

Moving Forward

In summary, the UDP’s clean‑water pledge is a comprehensive, multi‑faceted strategy that addresses infrastructure, quality, sustainability, and community engagement. By focusing on clean water, the party is positioning itself as a champion of public health and rural development—an angle that could resonate strongly with voters who feel underserved by the current administration. Whether the UDP can translate its promises into reality will depend on its ability to secure funding, forge international partnerships, and maintain political momentum in the months leading up to the 2025 elections.

The The Citizen article closes with a call to action for citizens: “It’s not just about politics; it’s about life. We ask the people of Tanzania to rally behind the UDP’s clean‑water pledge, to hold their representatives accountable, and to ensure that every Tanzanian household receives the water it rightfully deserves.”