Bukoba

Region

Bukoba is a town on the western coast of Lake Victoria in northwestern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Kagera region with about 90,000 inhabitants ( 2007 estimate ), as last officially 81 221 inhabitants ( 2002 census ).

The 1996 sunken ferry Bukoba was named after the city.

Geopolitical data

Bukoba is located 1 ° south of the equator on the shores of Lake Victoria at an altitude of 1134 m above sea level. Bukoba is the largest city and the administrative headquarters of the Regional Commissioners of the Kagera region. In addition, the city is threefold episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bukoba, the Northwest Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania and the Orthodox Diocese of Bukoba.

History

Early history and colonial period

The first settlement on the ground of today's Bukobas can be detected since the beginning of recorded time. In the 1970s, workers found during the construction of an additional port in Bukoba blast furnaces for iron melt from this period that were operated with up to 1700 ° C.

The name Bukoba is derived from the original inhabitants of the region, the people of Koba. This mingled with the invading from the north of the Haya people who today inhabit the region. Bukoba lies in the center of the historic Empire Buhaya, whose economic basis was based on a relatively intensive cultivation of bananas.

In 1890 the Silesian physician and former Governor of Equatoria, Emin Pasha chose after his conversion by Ottoman in German services from the fishing village of Bukoba for the establishment of a station. The German colonial administration built a fort in which the 7th Company of the protection force was stationed. Bukoba became the seat of a Residentur for the territory of Haya. In 1910 started the construction of a radio station for wireless telegraphy, which began its work on 20 March 1911. However, the interest of German settlers and businessmen remained low despite the good climatic conditions. The city prospered by coffee cultivation and growers from the people of Haya regarded as one of the wealthiest nations in colonial Tanganyika. This trend continued under the British Crown.

Independence and Bukoba disaster

After independence and with decline of coffee prices, the economic impact Bukobas sank. Today is mainly influenced by Indian businessmen the economic events of the city.

The city was also the largest maritime disaster in the history of East Africa ( and one of the greatest maritime disasters in freshwater lakes ) as on 21 May 1996, the same ferry Bukoba capsized completely overloaded approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Mwanza on the trip from Mwanza to Bukoba known, up to a thousand people were killed. She had been approved for 430 passengers.

Economy

Bukoba to Mwanza is the second largest port of Tanzania on Lake Victoria. There is a ferry to Mwanza and Kampala in Uganda and a small airport with regular daily flights to Mwanza. There are also bus services among others in the Ugandan capital Kampala.

The city is dominated by the regional coffee cultivation. In the city there are two major coffee - processing plants ( TANICA and BUKOP ), which are the major employers in the city.

Attractions

The city is regarded as a pleasant tourist town because of the climate. In addition, it is considered by their connections to Mwanza, Rwanda and Uganda, an important crossroad for travelers.

Tourist destinations include the Bunena Church a church in the Gothic Revival style, was built by the Catholic mission in the south of the city in 1913. In addition, between Lake Hotel and harbor are a few houses from German colonial times. Among them is the former German fort ( Boma ). Overall, a visit to the city worthwhile but less through its tourist attractions than by their pleasant and friendly urban climate.

Near Bukoba there are also the only beach that is free of the bilharzia worm. There, it is thus possible to bathe.

Sports

Bukoba is represented with the team Kagera Sugar in the Tanzanian Premier League. In the 2007/2008 season they reached there the 5th place in the table.