Tabora

Tabora
Captives in Tabora (1907)
Tabora Location in Tanzania
Coordinates: 5°1′S 32°48′E / 5.017°S 32.8°E / -5.017; 32.8
Country	Tanzania
Region	Tabora Region
District
Population (2002)
- Total	127,880
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)

Tabora (German : Weidmannsheil) is the capital city of Tanzania's Tabora Region with a population of 127,880 (2002 census)^{[citation needed]}. Tabora region is one of the largest geographical regions of Tanzania.

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History

Tabora was founded by Arab traders in the 1850s (known back then as Kazeh) and became a centre of the slave trade. In 1871 the place was devastated by the forces of the Wanyamwezi ruler Mirambo. Although the German East Africa protectorate was proclaimed over the region in 1885, as late as 1891 travellers reported it to be a lawless town and the German colonial administration did not gain control of it until later that year. As a major station on the Central Line it became the most important administrative centre of central German East Africa and according to some sources was renamed Weidmannsheil.

During the East African Campaign of World War I colonial armed forces of the Belgian Congo ('Force Publique') under the command of General Tombeur captured the city on 19 September 1916 after some heavy fighting. The name of the town was restored to the Arab one after 1919.

Of a more recent character is a noteworthy visit by John Legend in August 2008 to Tabora and the Millenium Development program run by the UNDP close to Tabora.

Social Economic Situation

Tabora and its people mainly rely on agricultural activities either as sustenance farmers or as small scale tobacco farmers. Tabora also hosts a ballast quarry.

Food and Culture

Indian shops (1906)

Street in Tabora (1907)

Tabora's streets are lined with century old Mango trees planted by Omani traders. Known as the fruit capital of Western Tanzania, markets are often filled with local produce.

Tabora has many small local restaurants where you'll find the typical restaurant food for Tanzania like Ugali (a thick maize porridge), chips or rice with either beans, beef or chicken. For breakfast or lunch you will almost always be able to get chipsi-mayai (chips and egg) which is basically a couple of eggs fried together with some chips. Although in general the food is pretty bland, it is usually served with Tanzanian chilly sauce which gives the meal some serious character.

A local specialty is the pumpkin in peanut butter sauce. A dish that goes excellent with the exquisite rice pilau served widely throughout the region.

Should you feel more in a snack mood than you can always get a local sambusa (samosa), some goat meet on a stick or some freshly roasted corn of the cob, all widely available in Tabora. Should you feel more like a healthy snack, than there is a plethora of fruit you can choose from in the large regional market of Tabora. Whether it is pineapple, watermelon or some bananas, you will find it in Tabora's undoubtedly busiest place.

Tourism

Tabora does not have many tourist attractions and it is this lack of attractions which gives Tabora its charm. Tabora is well off the beaten track and besides the odd expat or volunteer you won't find many tourists in Tabora. If you do end up in Tabora as a tourist and don't want to stay in your hotel room, you might want to check out Fort Boma, erected at the end of the 19th century by the Germans. Unfortunately you won't be able to take any pictures of this colonial relic since it is still in use by the Military of Tanzania. Another colonial remnant is the train station of Tabora.

Tabora is also the perfect place to do a day trip to Kwihara, 15 kilometres Southwest of Tabora. Kwihara, formerly known as Kazeh was an important town in the slave trade until the Germans started developing Tabora. Kazeh's most well known visitors were undoubtedly David Livingstone and Sir Henry Morton Stanley who were highly impressed by the town of Kazeh. The only thing that reminds of these sad and glorious days is a small museum in the dedication of Dr. Livingstone, unsurprisingly called the Livingstone Museum which can be visited for a mere 2000 Tanzanian Shillings.

Another day trip from Tabora is Igombe Dam, a local forest reserve. It is said that it is possible to walk to and from the reserve for a scenic picnic, but one is probably better off taking a taxi at least one way and try walking or hitching a ride back to Tabora.

Should you get stranded in Tabora on a Friday night it might be well worth to go and check out the Orion Tabora Hotel to see the local house band perform and try your luck at the dance floor with the local Tanzanians.

Nightlife

Tabora is the administrative capital of Tabora Region. On evenings, locals can choose from a variety of options including Club Bubbles and Club Royal. Located a mere 1 km apart, this region of the city remains active until church services begin on Sunday mornings.

Transport

Dirt roads connect Tabora to the capital Dodoma and to Mwanza in the north. Salt flats in the west prevent a direct road from connecting to Kigoma.

Tabora is a junction on the Central railway line which goes west to Lake Tanganyika and north to the port of Mwanza on Lake Victoria. Trains leave three times a week in any direction, making Tabora a perfect stop over for a day or two.

Tabora also has its own airport from which you can take daily flights to Kigoma and from there to Dar Es Salaam. Although like all other means of transport in Tanzania, don't be surprised if Precision Air is not that precise on time.

Getting around in Tabora can be done in several ways. Tabora is small enough to walk from one side of town to the other, even though it is by far and large the largest town of the region. Most people choose between a bicycle taxi, a motorbike taxi or a regular taxi, the first being the cheapest and most uncomfortable and the last being the most expensive and safest way. Although the motorbikes will get you to your destination fast, they are most certainly not the safest mode of transport in Tabora. Accidents have been known to happen with dramatic consequences as the driver usually does not have a spare helmet for the passenger.

See also

• Railway stations in Tanzania
• Transport in Tanzania

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tabora

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 1212m (Red dots are rail lines)

Sources

• Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition (at encyclopedia.com)
• Tabora page at fizzylogic.com
• The Rough Guide to Tanzania, Jens Finke, 2nd Edition April 2006, ISBN 978-1-84353-532-7
• Tabora Region Socio-Economic Profile, joint publication by the The Planning Commission Dar Es Salaam and Regional Commissioner's Office Tabora, 1998

Coordinates: 5°01′S 32°48′E / 5.017°S 32.8°E / -5.017; 32.8