The city sits on the eastern edge of Lake Victoria, close to the International borders of Tanzania with Kenya and Uganda. Musoma is located approximately 60 kilometres (37mi), directly south of the geographical point where the borders of the three East African countries intersect. The town is located approximately 225 kilometres (140mi), by road, northeast of Mwanza, the nearest large city.[2] Musoma lies approximately 480 kilometres (300mi), by road, northwest of Arusha, the location of the headquarters of the East African Community.[3] The coordinates of Musoma are:1° 30' 0.00"S, 33° 48' 0.00"E (Latitude:-1.5000; Longitude:33.8000).
History and Etymology
Small shops near the bus station.
The name Musoma comes from the word Omusoma which means, a spit. The name refers to Musoma's many spits pointing into the surrounding Lake Victoria.
Among the current resident ethnic groups of Mara, the site that later developed into the town of Musoma was first settled by the Kurya subtribe of Abhakabhwa, commonly called Wakabwa. They also gave the name to the location. Hence, Musoma originates from the Kabwa word 'Omusoma', which actually means a piece of land that protrudes into the Lake, essentially, a peninsula. All the kingdoms in Mara, which are actually sub-kingdoms of people with a common ancestry use the word 'Omusoma' (for the Wakabwa, as well as the Wajita and the closely related sub tribes of Wakwaya, Waruri, Wakara, and Wakerewe) and 'Omosoma' (for the many Kurianic sub-tribes such as Abhakerobha - commonly called Wakiroba; Wasimbiti, Wakenye, nk.). The full name is actually "Omosoma (or 'Omusoma') ghwa Nyabhamba".
Musoma was hotly contested and witnessed many intra-ethnic wars, particularly between the Wakabwa and their kins, the Wakiroba - who were second to arrive in the location after the Wakabwa. The Wakabwa brought in their allies, the non-Bantu Luo and were on the tip of winning the war. The Wakiroba turned to their allies, the Wakwaya but were still heading for defeat. Seeing the situation worsen, the Wakwaya and Wakiroba sought support from the Germans, who at that time had arrived in Mwanza but not yet conquered present day Mara. It was under severe attacks by the German Canons that the Wakabwa and their allies the Luo could be defeated and chased away from the area. A legacy of this war are several mass graves just outside Musoma, particularly in Nyabhange (now commonly called Nyabangi) in Kiroba Land. From that time on, the Wakiroba and Wakwaya became resident neighbors of Musoma, dominating its population for a very long time. Now Musoma is significantly cosmopolitan.
The first headquarters of the occupying Germans was established in Nyabangi, but - just like in the case of Bagamoyo on the Indian Ocean Coast, which was the first Capital of German East Africa - it was abandoned due to shallow waters that made an unsuitable location for a harbour. Musoma became the new capital. Today, the old German 'Boma' is testimony to this history of Musoma.
Geography
The southern shore of Lake Victoria in Musoma.
The city is situated in a heavily indented bay. The Mara River, after which the administrative region of Mara Region is named, flows into Lake Victoria, in nearby Kirumi in Kiroba/Simbiti Land.
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Population
The 2002 national census put the population of Musoma at 104,851.[5] The 2012 Census showed a population of 134,327.[6]
People
Tanzania's founding leader, President Julius Kambarage Nyerere and Tanzania's former Prime Minister, Joseph Sinde Warioba, both attended Mwisenge Middle School in Musoma. The politician and ambassador Paul Bomani was born in Musoma in 1925.[7]
Musoma is home to the Wakiroba subtribe of the Kuria, and to the Kwaya subtribe that is closely related with Wajita, Waruri, Wasimbiti and Wakara. It is also home to the Wajita, Waruri, Wakara, all Kuria sub tribes (including the Wazanaki and Waikizu), and the Luo, among others. Over time, several ethnic groups from other parts of Tanzania and East Africa have chosen Musoma as their home, such as Somalis. Altogether more than 12 ethnic groups live in Musoma.
Notable persons from Musoma and Mara Musoma has produced many famous Tanzanians. Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the father of the nation and de facto leader of its people from 1954 when he became Chairman of Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), attended Mwisenge Primary School in Musoma. So did Justice Joseph Sinde Warioba, the country's former Prime Minister and Vice President. In fact the student list of Mwisenge reads like a 'who is who' in Tanzania's first Republic: Joseph Warioba Butiku, Col. Selemani Kitundu, Moses Mang'ombe, and others.Other senior politicians from Mara include late Bhoke Munanka, Stephen Wassira, late Abel Mwanga, Makongoro Nyerere, Nimrod Mkono, Dr.Steven Kebwe, Shyrose Bhanji, Gaudencia Kabaka and Athony Mtaka .
Mara has also produced many top rank military leaders of the country, including three Chiefs of Defence Forces: Generals David Musuguri, Late Ernest Kyaro, and George Waitara. Other generals from Mara include Late Maj. General Mwita Marwa, Brg. Gen Christopher Gimonge, and Lt. Gen Sylvester Ryoba, Late Col. Dr M M Nsimba and Lt. Col. Dr. Josiah Mekere.
A list of retired Ambassadors who hail from Mara include late James Ndobho, Nimrod Lugoe and Charles Nyirabu (late) and Ambassador Joshua Opanga. Also on the list of notable retired Ambassadors to hail from Mara Region are the former lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Ambassador Dr. Marwa Mwita Matiko (now Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania), Ambassador Mrs Nyasugara Kadege, Ambassador Dr. James Nzagi and Ambassador Professor Joram Mukama Biswaro who is now AU Chairperson's Representative in South Sudan.
Mara has also produced several top notch academics. The list of senior academicians from Mara include: Prof Dominic Kamabarage the Vice Chancelor for Mwalimu Julius Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology, Prof Majura Selekwa who heads the Mechatronics and Robotics Laboratories at North Dakota State University in USA, Transportation Engineering Professor Deo Chimba of Tennessee State University in USA, Professor Thobias Sando of University of North Florida, Economics professor Samuel Mwita Wangwe, Professor Lloyd M. Binagi, Professor Kohi, Professor Bwatondi, Professor Mohabe Nyirabu and the late Professor Paul Masyenene Biswalo, Professor Sarungi, Professor Daudi Mukangara, Professor Julius Nyang'oro and Professor Sospeter Muhongo, Tanzania's first professor of Geology. Prof. Muhongo is now a minister, Prof Nyankomo Wambura Marwa, associate professor in Blockchain Economics and Development Finance at the University of Johannesburg Business and visiting researcher at Stellenbosch School Business School in South Africa . He also worked with Herbert Smith Center for Technology Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of New Brunswick Canada. Francis Shasha Matambalya, Tanzania's first indigenous professor of international trade was also born in Musoma. He is a scholar of international repute in his area of specialization. Professor Ibrahim Juma, a judge with Tanzania's Court of Appeal also hails from Musoma. Mara has also produced several chemists such as Abdallah A. Kalimbika, Emmanuel Marwa, Peter Musiba, Magori Nyangi and Robert Christopher. Also Geologist Christopher Mkono hail from Mara
Other important people to hail from Mara are Alphayo Kidata, Head of TRA, Dr Samwel Nyantahe of CTI, Musiba Masamba the Meteorologist of Tanzania Meteorological Agency, Dr.Ayub Ryoba of TBC and Esther Matiko the Tarime Urban MP.
Mara has also produced several top-notch athletes: Footballer Mohammed Bakari Tall (Simba and National Team), footballer Mbwana Samata (Simba, TP Mazembe, and National Team; winner of the African Football Champions League with TP Mazembe), footballer Amir Kiemba (Simba and National Team, footballer Ally Mchumira (The Young Africans 'Yanga' and National Team), the Isangura Brothers (boxing, Olympians, and Commonwealth Games Medal Winners), the late Bhoke Matambalya (Jeshi Stars and national teams, ladies basketball and netball), the late Feada Faru (Jeshi Stars and national teams, ladies basketball and netball)and Late Sulusi (National athletics), Late Samuel Mahesa (JKT & Jeshi Stars Basketball and National Team).
Mara has also produced several successful business people in Tanzania and East Africa. Probably the most popular of them is industrialist Mwita Gachuma, who possesses several factories in Mwanza. He is also a hotelier. Others include Mr. Vedastus Manyinyi Mathayo who is also a businessman of remarkable stature, numbering among the few local billionaires in Tanzania who hail from Mara.Also there are emerging international social entrepreneurs like Prof Nyankomo Wambura Marwa under his Canadian flagship company of Matumaini Capital Inc. Source: Masimulizi ya Historia ya Watu wa Mara. Mara Elders Meetings.
Economic activity
Ferry M.V. Musoma in the port of Musoma town.
Many people in Musoma are engaged in fishing Nile perch from the lake, or own and run small businesses, or are simply employed in the public sector or private sector (both formal and informal). Those living in Musoma Rural District are also Pastoralists, and many grow cotton as a cash crop. There are plans underway to construct a railway line from the port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean, through Arusha, around Serengeti National Park to Musoma. From Musoma, goods will be transferred to barges and transported over Lake Victoria, to Port Bell in Kampala. The project is a joint venture between the governments of Tanzania and Uganda and is expected to cost about US$1.9 billion.[8] The city is also served by Musoma Airport.
Transport in Tanzania includes road, rail, air and maritime networks. The road network is 86,472 kilometres (53,731 mi) long, of which 12,786 kilometres (7,945 mi) is classified as trunk road and 21,105 kilometres (13,114 mi) as regional road. The rail network consists of 3,682 kilometres (2,288 mi) of track. Commuter rail service is in Dar es Salaam only. There are 28 airports, with Julius Nyerere International being the largest and the busiest. Ferries connect Mainland Tanzania with the islands of Zanzibar. Several other ferries are active on the countries' rivers and lakes.
Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, after which he led its successor state, Tanzania, as president from 1964 to 1985. He was a founding member and chair of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) party, and of its successor Chama Cha Mapinduzi, from 1954 to 1990. Ideologically an African nationalist and African socialist, he promoted a political philosophy known as Ujamaa.
The Bank of Tanzania is the central bank of the United Republic of Tanzania. It is responsible for issuing the national currency, the Tanzanian shilling.
Mara Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers an area of 21,760 km2 (8,400 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of El Salvador. The neighboring regions are Mwanza Region and Simiyu Region, Arusha Region, and Kagera Region. The Mara Region borders Kenya .The regional capital is the municipality of Musoma. Mara Region is known for being the home of Serengeti National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and also the birth place of Tanzania's founding father Julius Nyerere. Under British colonial occupation, the Mara Region was a district called the Lake Province, which became the Lake Region after independence in 1961.
Bunda is one of the seven districts of Mara Region in the United Republic of Tanzania, East Africa. It is bordered to the north by the Musoma Rural District and Butiama District, to the east by Serengeti District, to the south by Bariadi District and Busega District, and to the west by Lake Victoria. The district administration town is also called Bunda, located on the north-south trans-national all tarmac highway from Kenya to Zambia via Tarime and the lakeside municipalities of Musoma, Mwanza, and thereon to Mbeya in southern Tanzania. The district has four divisions: Kenkombyo, Nansimo, Serengeti and Chamuriho.
Mwanza Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers a land area of 25,233 km2 (9,743 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of North Macedonia. Mwanza Region is bordered to the north through Lake Victoria by the Kagera Region and Mara Region, to the east by Simiyu Region, to the south by the Shinyanga Region and to the west by Geita Region. The regional capital is the city of Mwanza. According to the 2022 national census, the region had a population of 3,699,872 and national census of 2012 had 2,772,509. Mwanza Region is the second region with high population in Tanzania after Dar es Salaam Region.
The Zanaki are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group from the heart of Mara Region, Tanzania, to the east of Lake Victoria. The group is subdivided into the Birus and the Buturis.
The Kuria people (also known as the AbaKurya, are a Bantu community in Tarime District of Mara Region in Tanzania and southern Kenya. Their homeland is bounded on the east by the Migori River and on the west by the Mara River estuary. Traditionally a pastoral and farming community, the Kuria grow maize, beans and cassava as food crops and coffee and maize as cash crops.
The Tanzania FA Cup is the top knockout tournament of the Tanzanian football.
Paul Lazaro Bomani was a Tanzanian politician and ambassador to the United States and Mexico.
Ukerewe is the fifth-largest lake island in the world. With an area of 530 km2 (200 sq mi), it is also the largest island in Lake Victoria and the largest lake island in Africa.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tanzania:
Railway stations in Tanzania include:
Rift Valley Resources Limited is a mineral exploration company with tenements in highly prospective areas of Tanzania.
Butiama District is one of the seven districts of Mara Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by Roya District across the Kirumi Bridge on the Mara river. Its administrative centre is the town of Butiama. Julius Nyerere was born in Butiama; the Mwalimu Nyerere Museum is located in his town of birth.
Busega District is one of the five districts of Simiyu Region of Tanzania, East Africa. Its administrative centre is the town of Nyashimo. It is bordered to the north by Lake Victoria and Bunda District, to the east by Bariadi District, and to the south by Magu District.
The Tanzanian Championship is the second tier of league football in Tanzania. The league is made up of sixteen teams that play thirty rounds, home and away.The league was formed in 1930.
Kijereshi Game Reserve is a protected area located in Simiyu Region of Tanzania.
Mwalimu Nyerere University (MJNUAT), whose complete name is Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology (MJNUAT), is a public university in Tanzania. MJNUAT focuses on the instruction of agricultural sciences, agricultural mechanization, and agribusiness.
↑ "Musoma Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
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Tanzania 
