Environmental Degradation in Mbeya Urban: A Case of River Sources, 1920s – 1950s

• Published in: International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research Vol. 7; no. 4
• Main Author: Mwandete, Yusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 24.08.2025
• ISSN: 2582-2160; 2582-2160
• DOI: 10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.54081

The degradation of river sources has been a critical problem throughout history of humankind, and initiatives to protect the river sources from damage have had many consequences and limitations, leaving many significant lessons to be learned. This paper traces the causes of degradation of environment at river sources during the British colonial rule in Tanganyika from the 1920s to the 1950s, using evidence from river sources in Mbeya Urban. The discussion analyzes the initiatives taken by British colonial officials to conserve the river sources and the limitations which hindered their efforts. Population growth in Mbeya, which led to overcrowding, unguided settlements, cultivation on steep slopes, sand quarrying, deforestation, grassfires, grazing and soil erosion was the main cause of this problem. The paper reveals that ant-erosion rules, creation of forest reserves and controlling sand quarrying and fires in the areas of river sources were the main three British colonial conservation interventions. The interventions resulted into ecological changes for human settlements and forests, created employments to some local people and aroused political awareness among local people of Mbeya. Therefore, this paper advances the historiography of environmental history in Tanganyika (present-day Tanzania). It shows an understanding of historical ecological, political, economic and social effects of colonial rule in Mbeya Urban and more broadly in Africa.