Tanzania has moved its capital from Dar after a 50-year wait - but is Dodoma ready?

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Tanzania designated Dodoma as its new capital in place of the seaside city of Dar es Salaam following a public referendum 50 years ago.

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Provider:

The Conversation

URL:

https://theconversation.com/tanzania-has-moved-its-capital-from-dar-after-a-50-year-wait-but-is-dodoma-ready-206508

Retrieved on:

Sunday, June 4, 2023

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Geotags:

NIGERIA, DAR, CHAMWINO, MSALATO, TANZANIA

Summary

Key Points:

Tanzania designated Dodoma as its new capital in place of the seaside city of Dar es Salaam following a public referendum 50 years ago.
Since then, the country has made small steps towards this goal – including the relocation of Parliament in 2017 – but Dodoma remained the national capital only in name.

What’s the background to Tanzania’s capital city relocation?

To take advantage of Dar es Salaam’s protected harbour, the German government chose Dar es Salaam as the capital of German East Africa rather than the well-established port of Bagamoyo a mere 60km north.
The first president of Tanzania, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, announced the planned move from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in 1973.
It was decided that Dar es Salaam would continue to serve as the nation’s principal port and commercial capital.
Dodoma was a capital nobody desired, and some called it a political hoax or a white elephant project.

Why was the relocation necessary?

Moving the capital aimed to redistribute some of the population and ease pressure on resources and public services in Dar es Salaam.
The rate of population growth in Dar es Salaam region has decreased from 5.6% in 2012 to 2.1% in 2022.
Uneven development: Tanzania’s development was heavily concentrated in Dar es Salaam and other coastal regions.

Why has it taken so long?

Despite the clear benefits, the relocation process has been slow due to a combination of political, economic, and logistical factors.
But the 50-year journey culminated on 20 May 2023, with the opening of the new State House building in Chamwino, Dodoma.

What challenges does Dodoma face as the new capital?

Two districts in Dodoma region, Dodoma and Chamwino, comprise the new capital city with roughly 765,179 and 486,176 people respectively.
Service provision in Dodoma has been improving but still lags behind Dar es Salaam.
It is anticipated that by the end of 2023, more than 1,500 officials will have moved to Dodoma as part of the relocation.
Despite these efforts by the government, Dodoma might not be fully ready to handle a massive population influx from other regions.

What can Tanzania learn from other African countries?

The country can also learn from South Africa’s approach of developing more than one city as a capital.
Tanzania should continue to invest in the development of Dar es Salaam as an economic hub and maximise its growth potential.
By considering these lessons, Tanzania can ensure a successful transition, and promote long-term growth and development in Dodoma and the whole country.