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Morogoro
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Morogoro is a city located in the eastern part of Tanzania, approximately 196 kilometers (122 miles) west of Dar es Salaam.[3] It serves as the capital of the Morogoro Region. Informally, it is referred to as Mji kasoro bahari, which translates to city short of an ocean/port.[4]
Key Information
In Morogoro, the non-profit organization APOPO trains Gambian pouched rats known as HeroRATS, for landmine detection as well as the detection of tuberculosis. Notably, the Sokoine University of Agriculture is based in Morogoro. The city is also home to various missions that provide educational and medical facilities, benefiting the local community.
Mindu Dam
[edit]The Mindu Dam, situated on the Ngerengere River, stands as the primary water source for Morogoro, meeting approximately 80% of the city's water demands. Despite its critical role, the dam has been a focal point of controversy since its inception in 1978. The formation of a reservoir behind the dam has led to a surge in bilharzia infection rates,[5] while the city's water supply has suffered pollution from mercury runoff originating from nearby gold mining activities.[6] Furthermore, deforestation in the dam's vicinity has accelerated sedimentation, adversely affecting its capacity.[7]
In an effort to mitigate these challenges, a program funded by USAID/MCC, with a budget of $8.31 million, was initiated in 2012–13. The program's objective was to restore the quality of drinking water resources from the Uluguru Mountains by establishing an inlet and treatment plant near the Regional Governance offices at the upper end of Boma Road. This initiative aimed to benefit the Morogoro Water Supply Authority (MORUWASA) by enhancing the quality and availability of water resources.
Geography, agriculture, and climate
[edit]The city is situated at the foothills of the Uluguru Mountains and serves as a significant agricultural center in the region. Morogoro is the site of many Sisal plantations.[8] The climate in Morogoro is warm and tropical with average highs ranging from 32 °C (90.7 °F) to 27.8 °C (82.6 °F), and lows ranging from 16.7 °C (62.1 °F) to 12.4 °C (54.3 °F).
| Climate data for Morogoro (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.2 (90.0) |
32.6 (90.7) |
31.8 (89.2) |
29.8 (85.6) |
28.7 (83.7) |
28.1 (82.6) |
27.8 (82.0) |
28.7 (83.7) |
30.3 (86.5) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.3 (90.1) |
32.6 (90.7) |
30.6 (87.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.7 (62.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
15.7 (60.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
13.0 (55.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
12.6 (54.7) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
16.2 (61.2) |
16.6 (61.9) |
14.9 (58.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 100.4 (3.95) |
78.0 (3.07) |
141.8 (5.58) |
203.8 (8.02) |
74.5 (2.93) |
15.3 (0.60) |
10.0 (0.39) |
8.2 (0.32) |
7.1 (0.28) |
39.5 (1.56) |
52.7 (2.07) |
91.2 (3.59) |
822.5 (32.38) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.5 | 5.8 | 11.9 | 18.0 | 10.8 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 5.8 | 7.2 | 78.8 |
| Source: NOAA[9] | |||||||||||||
Education
[edit]Morogoro is home to several notable universities and colleges, including Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Muslim University of Morogoro, St. Joseph University College, and Jordan University College. Mzumbe University is located approximately 26 kilometers south of the town along the Iringa Highway. The municipality also houses renowned institutions such as Ardhi Institute Morogoro, Morogoro Teachers College, and LITI (Livestock Training Institute).
Morogoro boasts several notable secondary schools, including Kilakala Girls High School, one of the oldest in the country and previously known as Marian College. The region is also home to Morogoro Secondary School, formerly Aga Khan Secondary School, Forest Hill Secondary, Jabal Hira Muslim Secondary, Kigurunyembe Secondary, Lutheran Junior Seminary, St. Francis de Sales Seminary, Kimamba Secondary, Sua Secondary, Ifakara Secondary, St. Peter's Seminary, Lupanga Practising Secondary School (a recently established institution near Kigurunyembe Teacher's College), and Kola Hill Secondary School. Additionally, Morogoro is host to the Morogoro International School, an English-language institution established in 1975.[10]
Transport
[edit]In Morogoro, transportation options include public transport buses called dala dalas, which cater to commuting needs within the town and nearby areas. The fares for these buses usually range from Tsh. 500 to 700 for trips within the town to nearby locations. For quicker travel within the town, motorcycles, known as boda bodas, and three-wheeled vehicles called Bajajs are popular choices. The fares for these modes of transportation vary based on the distance traveled.
Sports and culture
[edit]In the Tanzanian Premier League, Morogoro is represented by the football club Mtibwa Sugar F.C. The city is also known for its musical heritage. Salim Abdullah, the founder of the Cuban Marimba Band, hails from Morogoro, and the Morogoro Jazz Band was established in 1944.[11] During the mid-1960s to the 1970s, Morogoro was home to Mbaraka Mwinshehe, a highly influential musician known for his skills as a lead guitarist and singer-songwriter in Tanzania.[11] Additionally, the Amani Center in Morogoro provides support to over 3,400 disabled individuals in the surrounding villages.[12]
Sister cities
[edit]The city of Milwaukee, in the state of Wisconsin, United States, has a sister city relationship with Morogoro, as designated by Sister Cities International.[13] Additionally, Morogoro is twinned with Linköping in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland.[14]
Fuel tanker explosion
[edit]On August 10, 2019, Morogoro experienced a devastating incident when a fuel tanker exploded in the town. The explosion led to the loss of 100 lives and caused injuries to at least 47 others. This event stands as one of the most significant disasters of its nature to occur in Tanzania.[15][16]
Notable People
[edit]- Salum Machaku (born 1990), footballer
Gallery
[edit]-
The Uluguru Mountains in the background of Morogoro city
-
Waterfalls in Morogoro
-
Sisal plantations in the outskirts of Morogoro (Uluguru Mountains in the background)
-
Aerial view
-
The Jamhuri Stadium
References
[edit]- ^ ""Statistical Abstract 2011", Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics, page 3". Archived from the original on November 5, 2013.
- ^ Citypopulation.de Population of the major cities in Tanzania
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Morogoro, Tanzania". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
- ^ "Amani Home". city short of an ocean.
- ^ IRDC Archive: The Essential Health Interventions Project Archived 2007-05-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Mindu destruction setting stage for a catastrophe". Archived from the original on January 16, 2005.
- ^ Smith, Celina; Schaafsma, Marije; Platts, Philip; Mwakalila, Shadrack; White, Sue; Ashagre, Biniam (June 22, 2014). "Water for Everyone". The Arc Journal. hdl:1826/9342 – via dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk.
- ^ "Highland Estate". www.estates.co.tz. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- ^ "Morogoro 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.
- ^ "School History | Morogoro International School".
- ^ a b Askew, Kelly Michelle (2002). Performing the nation: Swahili music and cultural politics in Tanzania. University Of Chicago Press. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-226-02981-8.
- ^ "Amani Home". Amani Centre Morogoro.
- ^ "Milwaukee's Sister Cities". city.milwaukee.gov.
- ^ "Vaasa twin Cities". britannica.com.
- ^ "Death toll of Morogoro fuel tanker fire hits 100". The Citizen (Tanzania). Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: The Citizen (Tanzania). 21 August 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Toll from Tanzania truck blast reaches 100". NTV Uganda. Kampala, Uganda: NTV Uganda. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
External links
[edit]Morogoro
View on GrokipediaHistory
Pre-colonial and colonial periods
The Morogoro region, encompassing the Uluguru Mountains and adjacent fertile plains, was primarily settled by Bantu-speaking ethnic groups, including the matrilineal Luguru people, who established agricultural communities focused on subsistence farming and clan-based land tenure systems prior to European contact.[5][6] These settlements exploited the area's topography for terraced cultivation and water resources, with population densities higher in the highlands due to defensive advantages against raids.[5] The Luguru faced periodic slave raids from northern Kamba groups and southern Ngoni expansions, as well as localized captures by figures like Kisabengo, who controlled fortified villages along caravan routes for provisioning ivory, slaves, and gum copal traders from Zanzibar.[5][7] Arab and Swahili coastal influences reached the interior via trade paths passing through Morogoro as a gateway, though direct settlement remained limited; traders marked routes with planted trees for shade and navigation, facilitating the export of local goods in exchange for cloth and beads before the 1880s.[8][9] Contact intensified in the 19th century with escaped slaves from Zanzibar contributing to early urban nucleation around natural springs, but indigenous Luguru autonomy persisted until German incursions.[10] German colonization integrated Morogoro into East Africa Protectorate from the late 1880s, with formal administration established by 1891 as part of resource extraction efforts; the region served as a military and logistical hub during World War I, including operations around nearby Mahenge.[11] The Central Railway, constructed starting in 1905, extended from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro by 1907, enabling efficient transport of goods and settlers while altering local land use for European plantations.[12] Sisal cultivation began experimentally in the 1890s, propagated from initial imports near Tanga, with early estates in Morogoro emphasizing forced labor recruitment that shifted indigenous patterns from communal to wage-based systems.[13] Under British mandate rule from 1919, Morogoro's economy pivoted toward export-oriented agriculture, with sisal plantations expanding on the outskirts to leverage the railway for global markets; production peaked in the 1950s at over 200,000 tons annually across Tanganyika, driven by settler estates that converted communal lands and induced labor migrations from rural interiors.[14] Colonial policies enforced soil conservation and tenure reforms, eroding traditional clan control in the Uluguru Mountains while introducing cash crop monocultures that increased vulnerability to market fluctuations and environmental degradation.[15] Administrative centers solidified Morogoro's role as a district hub, with population growth tied to plantation labor demands rather than indigenous expansion.[11]Independence era and Ujamaa policies
Following Tanzania's independence on December 9, 1961, Morogoro served as a key regional administrative center in the Eastern Zone, facilitating the implementation of President Julius Nyerere's nationalization policies outlined in the 1967 Arusha Declaration, which transferred major industries including agriculture-related enterprises to state control.[16] In Morogoro, a predominantly agricultural area with sisal plantations and smallholder farms, these measures centralized production under parastatals, aiming for self-reliance but often resulting in bureaucratic inefficiencies that hampered local output.[17] The Ujamaa policy, formalized in 1967 and intensified through villagization from 1972 to 1976, compelled over 11 million rural Tanzanians, including Morogoro's farming communities, to relocate to planned villages, disrupting traditional dispersed homesteads and communal grazing patterns essential for crop rotation and soil fertility.[18] In Morogoro District, this forced consolidation led to reduced agricultural productivity, as farmers lost access to familial lands and faced coerced collective farming without adequate incentives or infrastructure, contributing to crop yield declines estimated at 20-30% in staple foods like maize and cassava during the mid-1970s. Empirical studies attribute these outcomes to the policy's coercive nature, which prioritized ideological conformity over market signals and individual effort, fostering food shortages that necessitated imports despite fertile Uluguru slopes.[19][20] Morogoro also hosted African National Congress (ANC) exile training camps and the pivotal 1969 Morogoro Conference (April 25 to May 1), where ANC leaders adopted the "Strategy and Tactics" document emphasizing armed struggle and mass mobilization against apartheid, marking a strategic shift for southern African liberation movements.[21] While bolstering Tanzania's pan-African credentials, the influx of thousands of exiles strained local resources in Morogoro, diverting food, housing, and medical supplies from residents amid Ujamaa's own scarcities, with causal effects including heightened competition for arable land and informal black-market activities that undermined villagization discipline.[22] Nationally, Tanzania's GDP per capita stagnated during the Ujamaa era, rising nominally from approximately $130 in 1970 to $280 by 1980 but contracting in real terms by over 40% when adjusted for inflation and population growth, reflecting policy-induced inefficiencies replicated in regions like Morogoro. This contributed to rural-urban migration outflows, with Morogoro experiencing net depopulation in some villages as farmers evaded collectivization, exacerbating labor shortages and perpetuating a cycle of low investment in agriculture.[23] Academic analyses, drawing from government records and farmer testimonies, link these trends directly to villagization's disruption of proven subsistence practices rather than external factors alone.[24]Post-1980s reforms and modern developments
In the mid-1980s, Tanzania initiated structural adjustment programs (SAPs) under IMF and World Bank auspices, beginning with the Economic Recovery Programme in 1986, which dismantled Ujamaa-era collectivization and promoted market liberalization, including decontrol of agricultural prices and inputs.[25][26] In Morogoro Region, these reforms catalyzed a resurgence in private smallholder farming by reducing state monopolies on crop marketing and enabling farmer access to markets, leading to expanded production of cash crops such as rice in districts like Kilombero and Kilosa, where output rose amid improved incentives despite initial input shortages.[27][28] By the 1990s and 2000s, IMF-backed reforms further liberalized trade and investment, contributing to national GDP growth averaging 4-6% annually and spurring urbanization in secondary cities like Morogoro, where the urban population expanded from approximately 170,000 in 1988 to over 300,000 by 2002, driven by rural-to-urban migration and service sector opportunities.[29][30] The informal sector in Morogoro's wards absorbed much of this labor influx, with activities like street vending and small-scale trading comprising up to 60% of urban employment by the early 2000s, reflecting adaptive responses to incomplete formal job creation amid persistent regulatory hurdles.[31] In the 2020s, government strategies have targeted Morogoro for agro-industrial development, including the 2025 Integrated Industrial Development Strategy designating it as an agribusiness cluster hub with incentives for processing facilities in rice, sugar, and horticulture to add value and boost exports.[32] A 2024 initiative emphasized revitalizing the region through infrastructure upgrades and private investment in milling and packaging, aiming to leverage its fertile Uluguru foothills for national food security while addressing value chain inefficiencies.[33] Reform-era land reallocations for commercial agriculture have nonetheless fueled tensions, exemplified by 2015 ethnic clashes in Kilosa District where farmers attacked Maasai pastoralists, burning homes and displacing communities over disputed grazing lands amid expansions for crop cultivation, highlighting unresolved conflicts between sedentary farming incentives and traditional herding under state-mediated titling.[34][35] These incidents, resulting in deaths and property destruction, underscore how liberalization's emphasis on productive land use has exacerbated zero-sum resource competitions without adequate adjudication mechanisms.[36]Geography and environment
Location and topography
Morogoro lies in eastern Tanzania, positioned approximately 195 kilometers west by road from Dar es Salaam along the A7 highway. The city center sits at an elevation of 504 meters above sea level, within coordinates roughly 6°50′S latitude and 37°40′E longitude.[37] Nestled at the southern foothills of the Uluguru Mountains, which form a north-south ridge rising to 2,630 meters at their highest point, Morogoro occupies a basin-like valley topography conducive to alluvial sediment accumulation.[38] Key features include the Mkindo River valley to the north, draining from the adjacent Nguru Mountains and supporting lower-elevation plains around 380–800 meters.[39] The broader Morogoro Region spans 70,624 square kilometers of varied terrain, with southern boundaries adjoining the Nyerere National Park, formerly the northern extent of Selous Game Reserve.[40] Regional soils differ by elevation and slope: oxisols dominate hilly and mountainous zones, while valley areas feature clay loams and sandy clays with higher fertility from riverine deposits, enabling crop suitability but exposing steeper gradients to interrill and rill erosion intensified by deforestation.[3][41][42] This configuration underscores the area's potential for valley-based agriculture alongside risks of sediment loss on deforested uplands.[3]Climate and natural resources
Morogoro exhibits a tropical sub-humid climate with bimodal rainfall patterns, featuring long rains from March to May peaking in April and short rains from October to December.[43] Annual precipitation averages approximately 1189 mm, with variability contributing to agricultural challenges through irregular distribution that can lead to droughts in dry months or excess runoff during peaks.[44] A notable example is the flash flood on January 11, 2018, triggered by over 80 mm of rainfall in one day, which caused localized inundation and underscored the hydrological impacts of intense short-duration events.[45] Temperatures are consistently warm, with average highs of 33°C in February and lows of 22°C, while the dry season from June to August brings milder conditions with highs around 28°C.[46] This climate supports savanna vegetation but exposes rain-fed farming to risks from rainfall inconsistencies, as evidenced by historical patterns of below-average precipitation in certain years affecting crop cycles. Natural resources encompass fertile soils in the lowlands and foothills, conducive to maize and rice cultivation due to nutrient-rich profiles from weathered volcanic parent material in the Uluguru Mountains.[3] Montane forests provide timber, while rivers draining the highlands hold untapped hydropower potential amid Tanzania's broader renewable energy landscape.[47] Deforestation poses a key degradation issue, with Global Forest Watch satellite data recording 22.7 kha of natural forest loss in Morogoro in 2023, equivalent to 9.55 Mt CO₂ emissions, amid ongoing annual declines.[48] From 2001 to 2017, 27% of montane forests suffered disturbance, 70% from outright deforestation linked to agricultural expansion.[49] Adjacent Uluguru Mountains reserves harbor high biodiversity, including 108 strictly endemic plant species—predominantly shrubs and herbs—and numerous endemic vertebrates, positioning the area as a critical node in the Eastern Arc Mountains' conservation framework.[50][51]Demographics
Population trends and composition
The population of Morogoro Region has exhibited steady growth, rising from 1,220,564 inhabitants in the 1988 census to 3,197,104 in the 2022 census, reflecting an average annual increase of approximately 3.7% between 2012 and 2022.[52][53] This expansion is driven by a combination of high natural increase and net in-migration, with the 2022 figure marking a 44% rise from the 2012 count of 2,218,492.[52] In contrast, Morogoro Municipal—the urban core—recorded 471,409 residents in 2022, up from 315,866 in 2012, with projections estimating around 498,000 by 2025 based on recent growth trajectories of about 4% annually.[1][54]| Census Year | Morogoro Region Population | Morogoro Municipal Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 1,220,564 | Not separately enumerated |
| 2002 | 1,753,362 | 117,601 |
| 2012 | 2,218,492 | 315,866 |
| 2022 | 3,197,104 | 471,409 |