Preserve national heritage: forum

Dar es Salaam. The Antiquities Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism was yesterday urged to partner with architectural experts in reassessing buildings for demolition in the city.

This was said yesterday by Dar es Salaam Centre for Architectural Heritage (Darch) chief executive officer Aida Mulokozi at the Dar es Salaam Heritage Day forum held at the National Museum. The forum focused on promoting public awareness on the preservation of national heritage.

Ms Mulokozi said there were only 25 buildings exempted from demolition, which made other buildings be listed for demolition, something that threatened Tanzania’s historical attractions and identities.

“We encourage local communities and Dar es Salaam residents to consider the importance of cultural and architectural heritage for their lives, identity and society at large. This is to promote cultural and architectural diversity. So, concerted effort is needed to protect and conserve it,” she explained.

Historic buildings

Darch, which is a non-profit organisation and a joint initiative with various organisations, has been protesting against demolitions of historic buildings in the City Geographic Base (CBD) that took place in previous decades.

It deals with saving and promoting historical architecture across East Africa through research, documentation, training, community outreach and public cultural events.

For his part, the acting permanent secretary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Commission in the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Dr Moshi Kimizi, said “it is vital to think of ways that can develop the city without destroying the nation’s historical components.”

Benefits

He added that heritage should be preserved in order to be a constant reminder of Tanzania’s culture and history for present and future generations.

Moreover, the National Museum director-general, Prof Audax Mabula, said the buildings could provide economic opportunities, especially through tourism, employment and others.

“The buildings are very valuable in terms of architectural designs and value, which shouldn’t be compromised,” he noted.

Shift of focus

Heritage stakeholders have always criticised the authorities for what they call a well-orchestrated strategy to deface the old centre of Dar es Salaam City by replacing characteristic historical structures with concrete and high glass buildings.

Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa and is a development catalyst for Tanzania, where there has been an explosion of vertical growth with unchecked and little consideration for sustainability.

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has specifically come under attack for demolishing old, historical properties and replacing them with skyscrapers.

In his response, NHC director-general Nehemiah Mchechu said at a forum that last year the NHC was willing to work with Darch and other stakeholders on new strategies for sustainable management of their portfolio of historical buildings if approached with economically viable proposals. In the meantime, he added, the state-owned housing firm had shifted its focus from the city centre to other areas of Dar es Salaam, including Kawe and Luguruni.

“The people killing the city are not from NHC. It is the private sector. NHC has very few high buildings in the Central Business District,” Mr Mchechu told the forum that took place in September 2015 jointly organised by Darch, the National Museum and the House of Culture.

Conservation of historical buildings

He said as much as NHC was interested in conserving historical buildings in the city centre, conservation should be balanced with economic development.

“There is no building (in the CBD) that you will find with a plaque telling you the history of that building,” said Mr Mchechu, adding that NHC owned many old buildings, but they were not necessarily historical.

Part of the Darch project has been the restoration of the Old Boma, one of the oldest structures in Dar es Salaam, which is still standing along Sokoine Drive. It was being restored with funding from the EU in collaboration with the Dar es Salaam City Council. The EU envoy said the preservation of the Old Boma was an iconic step for the city in preserving the heritage and charm of Dar es Salaam in the face of rapid globalisation, which was marking the city with large glass buildings.

“It saddens me to see the unique character of Dar es Salaam too quickly given up for immediate gains and buildings, which were once on the list of protected buildings suddenly removed and replaced in the name of development,” said ambassador Filiberto Sebregondi, former Head of EU Mission in Tanzania. He noted that the preservation of old buildings was central to economic and development work, which was done in Europe and many other parts of the world.

Loss of identity

“Heritage should instead be seen as part of development, it provides character, history, and a grounding sense of origin for the people, who live in the area,” he said. Former Dar es Salaam mayor Kleist Sykes quipped: “Dar es Salaam has lost its identity. All I can say is that it is very sad. I was born in Dar es Salaam, I was raised here and grew up here, but today we have a different Dar es Salaam,” said the 65-year-old senior citizen, who served as mayor between 2000 and 2005.

Mr Sykes said Dar es Salaam had a master plan: “With all these concrete and glass structures coming up, nobody can show me a copy of the city’s master plan, but it was there.” He explained that the government commissioned a Canadian firm to develop a master plan for Dar es Salaam in 1974 and was updated by an Australian firm in 1978.

“But as I am talking here today the whereabouts of the master plan is not known,” said Mr Sykes. He noted that Mnazi Mmoja used to be a very big rest and playground, but had been turned into a restricted area.