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While the world saw Speakers of Parliament, lawmakers and 2,044 delegates gather in Arusha, few knew the sleepless nights and painstaking preparations behind the hosting of the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly.

The efforts came into focus in Dodoma on Monday when Mtama MP Nape Nnauye moved a special motion congratulating President Samia Suluhu Hassan on the successful hosting of the historic Assembly, seconded by Mlalo MP Rashid Shangazi.

Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU is 137 years old. Tanzania had never hosted its Assembly until the 153rd edition, held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) from October 5 to 9, 2026.

The gathering was held under the theme: Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all.

The scale of the event was considerable, with official records showing that 2,044 participants from more than 150 countries attended.

They included 56 Speakers of Parliament, 51 Deputy Speakers and 624 MPs, and women accounted for 39.4 percent of the parliamentarians.

Seconding the motion, Mr Shangazi said the successful gathering demonstrated Tanzania’s reputation for peace and hospitality.

‘Truly, I did not hear even one guest complaining that they got lost or faced any problem while in Tanzania,’ he said.

‘This is something to be highly commended. Tanzania remains an island of peace. Despite everything that has been said, we remain a peaceful nation. That is why the international community trusted us, came to Tanzania and successfully held this major meeting before departing safely,’ added the MP.

He said the achievement would not have been possible without the people who worked behind the scenes, arguing that their contributions deserved recognition in the country’s parliamentary records.

One of them was National Assembly Clerk Baraka Leonard, whose preparations began in September 2025 when he led a delegation to Trkiye to study arrangements for hosting the Assembly.

From protocol and documentation to flags and simultaneous interpretation, Mr Leonard oversaw preparations intended to ensure that every detail met international standards.

Another key figure was AICC managing director Christine Mwakatobe, who oversaw the conference facilities and services during the five-day gathering.

The centre had to ensure that lighting, microphones and internet connectivity remained reliable while accommodating thousands of delegates and supporting more than 2,000 simultaneous connections.

Mr Shangazi also acknowledged the contribution of Arusha Regional Commissioner, security agencies, immigration officials, the city council and residents, who helped manage visiting dignitaries, motorcades and cultural tours.

He singled out Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, Ambassador Dr Hoyce Temu, for her role in managing the country’s IPU affairs for more than five years.

Mr Shangazi said the campaign to bring the Assembly to Tanzania had begun at the IPU headquarters in Geneva, where Dr Temu worked to secure international support.

The effort culminated in Angola, where four candidates from Malawi, Senegal, Somalia and Tanzania contested the IPU presidency.

Tanzania’s candidate, Dr Tulia Ackson, won in the first round, becoming the organisation’s president and paving the way for the country to host the 153rd Assembly.

The gathering concluded with the election of Australia’s Milton Dick as Dr Ackson’s successor, marking the end of an Assembly held during her presidency.

Mr Shangazi urged Parliament to record the names of those involved in Hansard so future generations could recognise their contribution to Tanzania’s first hosting of the event in 137 years.

He also noted that the Assembly took place during the tenure of Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu.

Among the most memorable aspects, he said, was the response to Tanzanian food.

‘Tanzanian food became the unexpected star of the conference. Unlike in many European nations where food is preserved and frozen for months, Tanzania offered fresh food straight from the farms,’ said Mr Shangazi.

‘Whether it was chicken, vitumbua or nyama choma, they had happy and cheerful faces. During Tanzania Night, you could see guests from nations known to be very culturally reserved, trying to even put vitumbua in their pockets to take away,’ he said.

He said the experience showcased the country’s hospitality, food culture and authenticity, demonstrating how cultural exchanges could strengthen Tanzania’s international image.

Beyond hospitality, the Assembly provided a platform for parliamentary discussions on good governance, trust and inclusion, with delegates examining ways to strengthen parliamentary action around the theme.

For Tanzania, the benefits could extend beyond the immediate spending associated with accommodation, food and tourism.

Mr Shangazi said the gathering had brought influential political leaders and potential investors to the country, creating opportunities for future investment and business partnerships.

He argued that visitors who experienced Tanzania during the Assembly could return with their families or recommend the country to others, potentially supporting tourism and investment over the coming years.

The country is also preparing to accommodate larger international gatherings.

A new conference centre capable of hosting between 2,500 and 3,000 delegates is being built opposite the AICC in Arusha, with another major conference centre under construction in Zanzibar.

Once completed, the facilities could expand Tanzania’s capacity to host international conferences and attract visitors whose spending supports tourism and related businesses.

As Parliament unanimously passed the motion congratulating President Hassan, the debate highlighted the people and institutions behind Tanzania’s first hosting of the IPU Assembly.

Their work, Mr Shangazi said, deserved recognition alongside the event’s international visibility and the opportunities it could create for the country.

In the past, some walked four to five hours to collect a single 20-litre jerrycan. Government interventions and the Same-Mwanga-Korogwe Water Supply Project have improved access for some residents, but in three of the village’s five hamlets, water remains difficult to obtain.

The over-Sh300 billion project, launched in March last year. Upon completion, it is expected to supply 103 million litres of water per day, up from the current 51.5 million litres. Phase One currently serves approximately 100,000 people in Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions.

The government is currently collecting funds for phase two to continue, its start and completion dates remain unknown. Once the entire project is completed, it is expected to serve approximately 450,000 people by 2038. Phase Two of the project is awaiting government funding and its start and completion dates remain unknown. Once the entire project is completed, it is expected to serve approximately 450,000 people by 2038.

Ishinde has five hamlets: Ishinde Stand, Kibaoni Igingo, Kigogo, Kisakeni and Morondwe. Residents of Ishinde Stand and Kibaoni Igingo have seen improvements, but those in the other three continue to face shortages.

The effects extend beyond household needs, affecting children’s school attendance, farming, family budgets and the time available for income-generating activities.

Hours spent searching for water

In Morondwe Hamlet, residents partly depend on a government-provided solar-powered water system. When sunshine is insufficient, however, the system struggles to meet demand. Residents may then spend Sh6,000 to buy five jerrycans of water.

For 75-year-old Mariam Mshana, fetching water remains a physical challenge. She has lived in Morondwe since marrying in 1975 and remembers walking to and from Vumari for up to five hours to collect a single 20-litre jerrycan.

Although the distance has since reduced, she says age makes the task difficult.

‘At my age, I am unable to fetch a lot of water. Carrying one jerrycan, I have to rest two or three times before I get home. In a family of five people, we need more than five jerrycans a day,’ she said.

The shortage also affects children’s education. Some attend school in dirty clothes because their families lack enough water, while others miss classes altogether.

‘When they miss school, parents may be summoned by teachers,’ she said.

Ms Mshana added that previous water initiatives had sometimes collapsed after infrastructure fell into disrepair, forcing residents to resume long journeys in search of water.

Farming affected by shortages

In Morondwe, unreliable water supplies have also undermined farming.

Hamlet chairperson Juma Mshana said residents had previously cultivated more crops when a water project sponsored by the Rotary Club was operational.

‘Morondwe has very fertile land. We used to produce large quantities of crops when we had a water project sponsored by the Rotary Club. That project ended when the new project kicked off. We were left with only one well to serve the entire hamlet,’ he said.

Without reliable water, residents spend more time searching for supplies and less on farming and other economic activities.

‘If we had access to clean and safe water, residents would have no excuse for failing to participate in government initiatives. Not knowing exactly when we will get water, or why we do not have it, kills people’s morale and discourages them from taking part in other social activities,’ he said.

Walking for a bucket

In Kisakeni Hamlet, residents face similar difficulties.

Chairperson Sesilia Mgala said the government had provided a community water tank outside the main Same-Mwanga-Korogwe project, but supplies sometimes stopped for three or four consecutive days.

‘When the Same-Mwanga-Korogwe Water Project was introduced, many of us installed the necessary facilities in our homes because we expected to receive water. Unfortunately, our area was not connected to the project. At my age of 62, how can I continue walking for about an hour just to fetch a bucket of water?’ she asked.

The shortage also affects farmers and livestock keepers, who struggle to irrigate crops and provide water for their animals.

Mr Deusdedit Mchala, a resident of the Mareti area in Kisakeni, said about 16 families faced serious shortages.

‘We can’t build modern houses due to a lack of water. The current economic situation and the rising cost of living have made things even more difficult for us,’ he said.

Mr Mchala added that children sometimes went to school in dirty uniforms and warned that inadequate water supplies could increase health risks during disease outbreaks.

Paying more for water

In Kigogo Hamlet, the shortage has placed an additional burden on household budgets.

During an interview in August, Ms Flomina Mgonja said residents had been without water since April 26 and were paying Sh3,000 to transport five buckets on a motorcycle.

‘We previously had water sponsored by the Rotary Club, but the project ended when the current project started, which left us thirsty and spending a lot of money and time to get water,’ she said.

The shortage has also affected small-scale farming, with some residents abandoning vegetable production because they can no longer irrigate their crops.

Mr Emmanuel Maghembe of the Same-Mwanga-Korogwe Water Supply Project said the disruption in Kigogo had resulted from a pump breakdown. The government had spent Sh10 million to restore supplies, he said.

In Kisakeni, some households in elevated areas had yet to be connected to the water infrastructure, he added.

Uneven progress Not all residents of Ishinde have experienced the same difficulties.

Mr Godfrey Mbwambo, a resident of Ishinde Stand, said access to clean and safe water had improved, although some households still had to walk to collect it.

‘I am glad that access to clean and safe water in Ishinde Stand Hamlet was made available, but there are still some residents who walk for 30 minutes to fetch water, especially those whose houses do not have water facilities installed,’ he said.

Mr Maghembe said Ishinde was initially excluded from the project’s first phase. The government later directed officials to extend services to villages along the central area between Same and Mwanga districts.

Morondwe, which lies in the Ishenge area, is included in the second phase, whose preliminary implementation has started, he said.

He added that areas such as Mareti had not been settled when the project was designed but had since developed, making their inclusion in the second phase necessary.

The limits of solar power Some of the challenges are also linked to the technology used by communities.

Meteorologist Ramadhan Shaba said Ishinde’s mountainous terrain could influence sunshine levels in different parts of the village.

As moist air rises over mountains, it cools and may form clouds, reducing the sunlight reaching the ground. Cloudier conditions are generally more common during wetter months, particularly between October and May.

For communities relying on solar-powered water systems, clouds and rain can reduce the energy reaching solar panels, limiting the amount of water pumped.

Mr Shaba said such systems should account for local weather conditions and be supported by sufficient water storage and reliable backup systems.

Mr Maghembe said the new project was designed to improve reliability through a high-pressure system connected to the national electricity grid.

‘We are connected to the national electricity grid that passes through Iyungi and Hale. The main objective is to ensure that all citizens receive water through this project, even when there is a power outage, except when the fault occurs on the national electricity grid,’ he said.

For some Ishinde residents, the project has reduced the distances they previously travelled to collect water. But families in Morondwe, Kisakeni and Kigogo continue to count the cost in time, transport expenses, lost farming opportunities and the difficulties children face at school.

The second phase offers the prospect of wider coverage. Until it reaches the remaining communities, however, many families must still decide how far to walk, how much to spend and what household needs to sacrifice to secure enough water for the day.