Makambako

Last updated
Makambako
Town and district
Makambako Station.jpg
The Makambako Rail station.
Makambako Town in Njombe.svg
location in Njombe Region
Coordinates: 8°51′S34°50′E / 8.850°S 34.833°E / -8.850; 34.833
CountryFlag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania
Region Njombe Region
District Makambako Urban District
Area
 • Town and district 341.1 sq mi (883.4 km2)
Population
 (2022 census) [1]
 • Town and district 146,481
 • Density430/sq mi (170/km2)
 •  Urban
[2]
116,232
Time zone UTC+3 (EAT)
Website www.makambakotc.go.tz

Makambako is a medium-sized town and district in the Njombe Region of the Tanzanian Southern Highlands, located roughly 40 miles north of Njombe city by road. [3] [4] It is located at junction of the A104 and B4 roads between Njombe, Iringa, and Mbeya. Its population according to the 2002 Tanzanian census was 51,049. [5]

Contents

Etymology

The name of the town come from "Makhambako" (singular Likhambako), a Bena word for bulls. This was the name of the forest which had large tree called Likhambako. Bena residing in this area performed religious rituals at that tree leading to the whole forest being referred to as Makhambako. There are few trees found in Miti ya Makhambako Street in Ubena Ward, which are protected for history of the name of the town.

History

Makambako was visited by Paul Theroux who in his book Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town described it not as a town but "a collection of hovels on stretch of paved road where idle people sat or stood." [6]

The town of Makambako has seen fast development. As a result, the northwest Wabena are advocating for Makambako to become its own district. [7]

Makambako's rapid development owes to being the location where Songea Road branches off Tanzania Zambia Road (TANZAM), Presence of Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)'s railway station. Presence of TAZARA railway station lead to establishment of police station, TAZARA workers quarters, development of TAZARA water intake at Bwawani which is now being developed by the government. Presence of Tanzania People Defence Force (TPDF) Legion. All these led to the influx of workers from different parts of Tanzania as a well as people from nearby villages to trade in the area. These development led to development of market, modern and local bars etc making it the business centre.

Geography

Makambako is now a town, located in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, approximately 60 kilometers north of the district capital of Njombe. The town of Makambako contains the settlements of Ikwete, Maguvani, Ubena, Kipagamo, Idofi, Mlowa, Mkolango, Lyamkena, Kiumba, Mwembetogwa, Mjimwema, Kitisi, Kivavi and Kilimahewa. [8]


The Makambako Plateau is one of three agroecological zones in the Njombe District, the other two being the Eastern Highlands and the Njombe Plateau. [9]

Maize is commonly grown in the plateau [9] while Makambako is notable for tomato cultivation and trade. [10]

Culture

Ethnic groups

The largest ethnic group in Makambako town are the Bena. Their living arrangements include large, polygamous, extended families and on average, there are more than five children in a household. Farming responsibility is left to women with almost all of them following an occupation. Female headed households are more dependent on subsistence food, operating as "street vendors" or with mobile fast-food kitchens.

[11]

Other group of people includes Kinga from Makete district who famous in trading activities. Pangwa from Ludewa District and Hehe are from nearby Iringa Region.

There is also a significant number of people from other regions who came to work as Soldiers, Police officers and Railway workers who have established permanent settlement in the town.

Language

Kiswahili is widely spoken just as other urban areas of Tanzania.

The native tribe of this area are Bena who are at adjacent to the Iringa Region where Hehe is spoken hence many residents speak Kisovi a variation of Kibena [12] which some vocabulary and pronunciation resemble that of Hehe counterparts

Education

There are several educational institutions in Makambako including primary schools, secondary schools and one university. Some of these include primary schools like Azimio Primary School, Makambako primary School, Maendeleo primary school, Uhuru primary school, Umoja primary school, also secondary schools like Makambako secondary school, Lyamkena secondary school, Maguvani secondary school, Kipagamo secondary school, Naboti secondary school, genesis secondary school, Mcf-Makambako Girls Secondary School, Ngogo secondary school, Mukilima secondary school. Also there is one university named St. Joseph University of Tanzania. [13]

Health services

Governmental Health Institutions

Makambako Town Hospital which is located in Ubena District which is within the Town CBD.

Makambako District hospital: There is the ongoing construction of the new Makambako District hospital in Mlowa Ward.

Lyamkena Dispensary where during COVID-19 Outbreak there was quarantine facilities provided there though no patient was reported

Religious Health Institutions

Saint Joseph Hospital Ikelu: This is found in Ikelu, Iliunda, Makambako Town along the Dar es Salaam - Songea Road. The hospital is in the level of District Hospitals.

RC Mission Dispensary which is located at Bwawani, Mjimwema Ward in Makambako Town and the Kitanewa Dispensary in the town of Kitanewa. [14] The Makambako Parish is run by the Benedictine Sisters, Congregation of Saint Agnes, Saint Bikira Maria wa Huruma. [15] Under the Archdiocese of Songea.

Transportation

Road

The 322 kilometres road between Songea and Makambako was funded by the ADB and was built between 1980 and 1985. [16] There is a regular quick bus service. [17] The trunk road between Tanzania and Zambia (Tan-Zam Road), founded by The World Bank and completed in 1973, goes through the district.

Railway

Makambako lies along the TAZARA Railway. The bridge section of the railway in Makambako was said to have been completed in early 1973. [18]

Public works

Makambako is a major centre for rural planning in the region and contains a Rural Service Centre, where thousands of plots have been surveyed and allocated to developers. [19] Councillors based in Makambako are also responsible for the facilitation and planning of other works in the area.

Makambako was connected by electricity in 1981, however, high installation costs has meant that by 1992, only 2% used electricity for cooking and only 22% had it installed. [19] The Italian organization, ABB-SAE Sadelmi has erected high-tension power lines and worked on the rehabilitation of the National Grid between Makambako and Mbeya. [20]

In 1992, a piped water supply project received financial and technical assistance from UNICEF, but even after completion, it was considered inadequate, requiring continued potable water dependency on boreholes, dams and streams. [19] Facing an acute problem of water, the Makambako Shallow Wells Project is expected to ease water woes. Organized under the auspices of the GEF/Small Grants Programme, the project started in September 2008 and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Ubena Cultural Reforms Association is the Grantee of the US$36,799 grant. [21]

Tourism

Hotels include: [22]

  1. Villa Park Hotel
  2. Mini Villa Park Lodge
  3. Midtown lodge
  4. Masemba guest house
  5. Double masemba guest house
  6. Jay Jay Highlands Hotel
  7. The Makambako Lutheran Centre
  8. Lupyana guest house.
  9. DS HOTEL
  10. Manlucho Resort
  11. Maranatha Lodge

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iringa</span> City in Iringa Region, Tanzania

Iringa is a city in Tanzania with a population of 202,490 and situated at a latitude of 7.77°S and longitude of 35.69°E. The name is derived from the Hehe word lilinga, meaning fort. Iringa is the administrative capital of Iringa Region. Iringa Municipal Council is the administrative designation of the Municipality of Iringa. Iringa has been one of the coldest regions in Tanzania due to its geographical location but that has attracted a lot of tourists from colder regions abroad especially Western Europe. Iringa also hosts one of Africa’s largest national parks the Ruaha National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruvuma Region</span> Region of Tanzania

Ruvuma Region(Mkoa wa Ruvuma in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions The region covers a land area of 63,669 km2 (24,583 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Latvia. The region is also bordered to the north by the Morogoro Region, to the northeast by the Lindi Region, to the east by the Mtwara Region,the west by Lake Nyasa with Malawi and to the northwest by the Njombe Region. The regional capital is the municipality of Songea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TAZARA Railway</span> Railway in Tanzania and Zambia

The Tazara Railway, also called the Uhuru Railway or the Tanzam Railway, is a railway in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in east Tanzania with the town of Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province. The single-track railway is 1,860 km (1,160 mi) long and is operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Songea</span> Capital of Ruvuma Region, Tanzania

Songea is the capital of Ruvuma Region in southwestern Tanzania. It is located along the A19 road. The city has a population of 286,285, and is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Songea. Between 1905 and 1907, the city was a centre of African resistance during the Maji Maji Rebellion in German East Africa. The city is poised to experience significant economic growth in the near future as the Mtwara Corridor opens up in a few years. It is projected to be the sixth fastest growing city on the African continent between 2020 and 2025, with a 5.74% growth.

Mpwapwa is a market town, in the Dodoma Region of Tanzania. It is the district capital of Mpwapwa District. According to the 2012 Tanzania National Census, the population of Mpwapwa was 21,337.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iringa Region</span> Region of Tanzania

Iringa Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers an area of 35,503 km2 (13,708 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Guinea Bissau. Iringa Region is bordered to the east by Morogoro Region and south by Njombe Region. On the west the region is bordered by Mbeya Region. Dodoma Region and Singida Region border Iringa on the north. The regional capital is the city Iringa for which the city is named after. According to the 2012 census, the region has a total population of 941,238. Iringa Region is home to Ruaha National Park, Tanzania's second national largest park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mbeya Region</span> Region of Tanzania

Mbeya Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers an area of 35,954 km2 (13,882 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Guinea Bissau. Mbeya Region is bordered to the east by Singida Region, Iringa Region and Njombe Region. The region is bordered to the south by Malawi and Lake Nyasa. To the north the region borders southern Tabora Region. Lastly, Mbeya is bordered to the west by Songwe Region. The regional capital is the city of Mbeya. According to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 2,707,410.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ifakara</span> Town in Morogoro Region, Tanzania

Ifakara is a town in the Kilombero District, Morogoro Region, south central Tanzania. It is the headquarters of the Kilombero District administration and the main trading centre for Kilombero and Ulanga districts. The town is located near the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) line, at the edge of the Kilombero Valley, a vast swampland flooded by the mighty Kilombero River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Njombe District</span>

Njombe District is a former district of the Iringa Region of Tanzania. The current Njombe districts are Njombe Rural District and Njombe Urban District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mbarali District</span> District of Mbeya Region, Tanzania

Mbarali District is one of the seven districts of Mbeya Region, Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by Iringa region and east by Njombe region. To the south the district is bordered by Mbeya Rural District and to the west by Chunya District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Udzungwa Mountains</span> Mountain range in south-central Tanzania

The Udzungwa Mountains are a mountain range in south-central Tanzania. The mountains are mostly within Iringa Region, south of Tanzania's capital Dodoma. The Udzungwa Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and are home to a biodiverse community of flora and fauna with large numbers of endemic species.

Kifanya is a town and ward in Njombe Urban District in the Njombe Region of the Tanzanian Southern Highlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wangama</span> Town and ward in Njombe Region, Tanzania

Wangama is a town and ward in Wanging'ombe District in the Njombe Region of the Tanzanian Southern Highlands. The population of the ward, according to the 2002 Tanzanian census, was 3,649.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Njombe</span> City of Njombe Region in Tanzania

Njombe is a town in southern Tanzania. It is the regional capital of Njombe Region as well as the district headquarter of Njombe Rural District and Njombe Urban District. It is located at nearly 2000 meters of altitude on the eastern edge of the Kipengere Range and has the reputation of being a cold town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Njombe Region</span> Region of Tanzania

Njombe Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers a land area of 21,347 km2 (8,242 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of El Salvador. Njombe Region is bordered to the north by the Iringa Region and Mbeya Region, to the east by Morogoro Region, to the south by the Ruvuma Region and to the west by Lake Nyasa. The regional capital is the municipality of Njombe. According to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 702,097.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Njombe Urban District</span> District in Njombe Region, Tanzania

Njombe Urban District is one of the six districts of the Njombe Region of Tanzania, East Africa. The administrative seat for the district is in the city of Njombe.

Makambako Urban District is one of the six districts of the Njombe Region of Tanzania. Its administrative seat is Makambako town. It is bordered to the north and east by Mufindi District, to the south by Njombe Rural District and to the west by Wanging'ombe District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamwino District, Dodoma</span> District in Dodoma Region, Tanzania

Chamwino District is one of the seven districts of the Dodoma Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by Chemba District, to the east by Manyara Region, Kongwa District and Mpwapwa District, to the south by Iringa Region, and to the west by Singida Region, Bahi District and Dodoma District. Its administrative seat is the town of Chamwino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanzam Highway</span> Highway from Lusaka, Zambia to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The Tanzam Highway leads from Lusaka in Zambia to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The highway was built from 1968 to 1973 in several stages and was intended to provide seaport access for Zambia and to expand the transport options for Zambia, Malawi and the then Zaire.

References

  1. ↑ Citypopulation.de
  2. ↑ Citypopulation.de Population of cities & urban localities in Tanzania
  3. ↑ IDS bulletin, Volume 23. University of Sussex. Institute of Development Studies. 1992. p. 18.
  4. ↑ Google Maps (Map). Google.
  5. ↑ "2002 Population and Housing Census General Report". National Bureau of Statistics of Tanzania, accessed via GeoHive. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  6. ↑ Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2004. p. 267. ISBN   0-618-44687-7.
  7. ↑ Nyaluke, David. "Ethnicity and Political Competition in Tanzania". p. 8. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Village Statistics - Iringa Region". National Bureau of Statistics of Tanzania. August 2002. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Wardell, Andrew (June 1993). "Makambako Plateau". ILEIA Newsletter. 9 (2).[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ Kurosaki, Ryugo (March 2007). "Multiple uses of small-scale valley bottom land: case study of the Matengo in southern Tanzania". African Study Monographs, Suppl. 36, 19-38. p. 13. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  11. ↑ Mohamed-Salih, Margaret A. (1994). Inducing food insecurity: perspectives on food policies in Eastern and Southern Africa. Nordic Africa Institute. p. 112. ISBN   91-7106-359-5.
  12. ↑ Levens, Joshua Philip (December 2006). "Kibena, A Beginner's Dictionary (also with some Kigogo)". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  13. ↑ "The Organisation Structure of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training". moe.go.tz. Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. Retrieved October 25, 2010.[ dead link ]
  14. ↑ "Health Services". Metropolitan of Songea. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Afrique". st-benoit-du-lac.com. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  16. ↑ "SONGEA-MAKAMBAKO ROAD PROJECT, TANZANIA". The National Archives. Archived from the original on August 3, 2004. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Professional and lay care in the Tanzanian village of Ilembula". herkules.oulu.fi. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  18. ↑ George T. Yu (1975). China's African policy: a study of Tanzania:Praeger special studies in international politics and government . Praeger. ISBN   0-275-09060-4.
  19. 1 2 3 Improving rural regional settlement systems in Africa: with special reference to rural service centres. United Nations Centre for Human Settlements. 1993. pp. 46–47. ISBN   92-1-131213-2.
  20. ↑ "Italians in Tanzania". diplomacy.edu. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  21. ↑ "GEF/SGP Project - Makambako Shallow Wells Project". sgp.undp.org. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  22. ↑ "Makambako". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.