Makambako
Encyclopedia
Makambako is a medium-sized town and ward in Njombe district
in the Iringa Region
of the Tanzanian Southern Highlands, located roughly 40 miles north of Njombe
city by road. It is located at junction of the A104 and B4 roads between Njombe, Iringa
, and Mbeya
. Its population according to the 2002 Tanzanian census
is 51,049.
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."
The town of Makambako has seen fast development. As a result, the northwest Wabena are advocating for Makambako to become its own district.
. The ward of Makambako contains the settlements of Ikwete Ilangboli, Maguvani, Ubena, Kipagamo, Idofi, Mlowa
, Mkolango, Lyamkena, Kiumba
, Mwembetogwa, Mjimwema, Kilimahewa and Kigamo.
The Makambako Plateau is one of three agroecological zones in the Njombe District, the other two being the Eastern Highlands and the Njombe Plateau.
Maize is commonly grown in the plateau while Makambako is notable for tomato cultivation and trade.
and Makambako was funded by the ODA and was built between 1980 and 1985. There is a regular quick bus service.
Makambako lies along the TAZARA Railway. The bridge section of the railway in Makambako was said to have been completed in early 1973.
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. 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.
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. 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.
Njombe
Njombe is one of the 7 districts of the Iringa Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the North by the Mufindi District, to the South by the Ludewa District, to the East by the Morogoro and Ruvuma Regions, to the West by the Makete District and to the Northwest by the Mbeya Region.According to the...
in the Iringa Region
Iringa Region
Iringa is one of Tanzania's 26 administrative regions. The regional capital is Iringa. The total area is , of which land area is 56,864 km sq and water area is 2,070 km² ....
of the Tanzanian Southern Highlands, located roughly 40 miles north of Njombe
Njombe
Njombe is one of the 7 districts of the Iringa Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the North by the Mufindi District, to the South by the Ludewa District, to the East by the Morogoro and Ruvuma Regions, to the West by the Makete District and to the Northwest by the Mbeya Region.According to the...
city by road. It is located at junction of the A104 and B4 roads between Njombe, Iringa
Iringa
Iringa is a city in Tanzania with a population of 112,900 . It is 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....
, and Mbeya
Mbeya
Mbeya is a city located in southwest Tanzania, Africa. Mbeya's urban population was 280,000 in 2005. Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding rural Mbeya region ....
. Its population according to the 2002 Tanzanian census
Tanzanian census (2002)
The 2002 Tanzanian census was conducted in August 2002 by the National Bureau of Statistics of the Government of Tanzania.This included a census of agriculture in the country providing important data about the economy.-External links:*...
is 51,049.
History
Makambako was visited by Paul TherouxPaul Theroux
Paul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work of travel writing is perhaps The Great Railway Bazaar . He has also published numerous works of fiction, some of which were made into feature films. He was awarded the 1981 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his...
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."
The town of Makambako has seen fast development. As a result, the northwest Wabena are advocating for Makambako to become its own district.
Geography
Makambako is located in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, approximately 40 miles north of the district capital of NjombeNjombe
Njombe is one of the 7 districts of the Iringa Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the North by the Mufindi District, to the South by the Ludewa District, to the East by the Morogoro and Ruvuma Regions, to the West by the Makete District and to the Northwest by the Mbeya Region.According to the...
. The ward of Makambako contains the settlements of Ikwete Ilangboli, Maguvani, Ubena, Kipagamo, Idofi, Mlowa
Mlowa
' is an administrative ward in the Iringa Rural district of the Iringa Region of Tanzania. According to the 2002 census, the ward has a total population of 7,746....
, Mkolango, Lyamkena, Kiumba
Kiumba
Kiumba is a settlement in Kenya's Central Province....
, Mwembetogwa, Mjimwema, Kilimahewa and Kigamo.
The Makambako Plateau is one of three agroecological zones in the Njombe District, the other two being the Eastern Highlands and the Njombe Plateau.
Maize is commonly grown in the plateau while Makambako is notable for tomato cultivation and trade.
Ethnic groups
The largest ethnic group in Makambako town are the Kinga. 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 hawkers" or with mobile fast-food kitchens.Education
There are several primary, secondary, and day schools in Makambako. Some of these include Iyayi Primary School, Azimio Primary School, SaaHiiHii Makambako Secondary School, Maelezo ya Makambako Secondary School, Mcf-Makambako Girls Secondary School, Ashira Secondary School, and Mramba Day Secondary School.Health services
Under the Archdiocese of Songea, there are two health services dispensaries in Makambako District, the Makambako Dispensary in the town of Makambako and the Kitanewa Dispensary in the town of Kitanewa. The Makambako Parish is run by the Benedictine Sisters, Congregation of Saint Agnes, Saint Bikire Maria wa Huruma.Transportation
The 322 kilometres road between SongeaSongea
Songea is the capital of the Ruvuma Region in southeastern Tanzania. It is located along the A19 road. The city has a population of approximately 130,000, 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...
and Makambako was funded by the ODA and was built between 1980 and 1985. There is a regular quick bus service.
Makambako lies along the TAZARA Railway. The bridge section of the railway in Makambako was said to have been completed in early 1973.
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. 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. 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.
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. 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.