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The sleepy town of Tabora, in the hinterland of
western Tanzania, remains a key transit point in the country. The Central
Line railway branches at Tabora to both
Kigoma and
Mwanza, and visitors travelling by train often use
Tabora as a stopover point during their journeys. The regions around Tabora
are famous throughout Tanzania for the honey they produce, and large jerry
cans and bottles of the famous liquid can be bought in the village market.
Historically, Tabora was once a major trading point and stopover for
caravans that connected Lake Tanganyika and Central Africa
with the coastal town of
Bagamoyo to the
northeast. It’s former importance is illustrated by the fact that the
infamous trader Tippu Tip, who lived during the 19th century, made Tabora
the centre of his vast trading empire of ivory and slaves. The town was also
an important mission station during early European exploration of Tanzania.
Stanley and Livingstone both stopped here on their journeys. During the
German occupation, Tabora was one of the most populated and prosperous towns
in the whole of East Africa. |
TANZANIA