Kariakoo: Why Dar es Salaam’s oldest shopping centre still reigns supreme

From electronics and textiles to spices, shoes, and household goods, Kariakoo remains the heartbeat of Dar es Salaam’s economy.

But in recent years, the city has witnessed the rise of sleek shopping malls, air-conditioned complexes, and satellite business districts.

Places like Mlimani City in Ubungo, with its supermarkets, cinemas, and global brands, have introduced a modern shopping mall culture to Dar.

The East Africa Business Centre, also in Ubungo, which was launched recently is trying to capture the wholesale trade with Chinese imports and electronics.

Smaller hubs in Mwenge, Sinza, and Manzese, as well as new neighbourhood mini-malls, have emerged to offer convenience closer to residential areas.

Despite this wave of alternatives, Kariakoo’s dominance remains unshaken. Its appeal stretches far beyond Dar es Salaam, into Tanzania’s hinterland and even across the borders of East and Central Africa.

A market built on history

Kariakoo’s supremacy cannot be understood without tracing its history. The area itself takes its name from the “Carrier Corps” — the thousands of African porters recruited by the British during World War I to transport supplies. After the war, the colonial administration designated the area as a trading hub.

In the 1970s, President Julius Nyerere sought to formalize commerce in the bustling but chaotic market by commissioning the construction of the Kariakoo Market Corporation building.

Designed by Chinese architects and engineers, the concrete structure with its distinctive honeycomb ventilation remains one of Dar es Salaam’s most recognizable landmarks. When it opened in 1975, it became the largest covered market in East Africa.

“Kariakoo was always more than a marketplace,” explains Martin Mbwana, former chairman of traders’ association.

“It became a symbol of urban growth, a centre of commerce, and an anchor for small traders and entrepreneurs during the ujamaa period. To this day, its reputation as the place where ‘everything is available’ holds true,” he adds.

The hub that never sleeps

According to Mr Mbwana, that reputation has only grown over the years. Kariakoo today is not just a market but a vast ecosystem of trade.

Shops open early and often close late at night. Some sections, especially wholesale areas, operate almost round the clock as trucks unload goods destined for towns as far away as Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or Kigali in Rwanda.

For traders like Josephine Mboma from Ndola, Zambia, Kariakoo is indispensable as it provides a gateway to manufacturers in other parts of the world.

She travels to Dar at least once every two months to purchase bales of clothes, kitchenware, and cosmetics.

“Everything you want, you will find in Kariakoo—cheaper, faster, and in bulk,” she says while negotiating a deal for household goods. “Other places are good for certain products, but for serious business, Kariakoo is unmatched.”

The same sentiment is echoed by Emmanuel Niyonzima, a Burundian trader who deals in textiles. “In Bujumbura, if you ask, ‘Where did this fabric come from?’ the answer is always Kariakoo,” he laughs.

A regional artery

Kariakoo’s reach is regional. Traders from Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and even parts of Kenya and Uganda rely on it as a redistribution hub.

For many, Kariakoo provides a cheaper alternative to traveling directly to Dubai, Guangzhou, or Istanbul to source goods.

“In Kariakoo, you are essentially accessing the global supply chain,” notes Mr Mbwana “Importers bring in containers through Dar es Salaam port, and Kariakoo acts as the clearing house. It links the international wholesale market with the informal traders of East and Central Africa. That is why it is irreplaceable.”

On any given evening, lorries and buses loaded with goods depart Kariakoo, bound for Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, or border towns like Tunduma.

From there, merchandise filters across frontiers, sustaining livelihoods along the way.

Competition rises

And yet, Dar es Salaam has changed. The emergence of new commercial centres has diversified the city’s retail landscape.

Dar es Salaam’s commercial landscape has diversified rapidly over the past two decades, with new centres emerging to complement the city’s traditional markets.

When Mlimani City opened its doors in 2007, it introduced modern mall culture to Tanzania, offering urban families not just a place to shop but also a weekend destination for leisure, complete with supermarkets, cinemas, and international brands.

In Ubungo, the East Africa Business Centre carved out a niche as a wholesale hub, attracting traders with its wide selection of electronics and fast-moving consumer goods.

Other areas have developed their own specialties. Mwenge, long known for its roadside artisans, established itself as the go-to destination for crafts and furniture, while Manzese evolved into a bustling marketplace where spare parts and affordable food draw steady crowds.

In Sinza and other middle-class neighbourhoods, smaller plazas have sprouted, housing boutiques, pharmacies, and fast-food outlets that cater to the growing demand for convenience closer to residential areas.

Together, these hubs have reshaped the city’s retail ecosystem—broadening options for consumers while redefining the way Dar es Salaam shops and trades.

These developments have chipped away at Kariakoo’s monopoly by offering convenience and a more organized shopping experience.

Congestion, limited parking, and the risk of petty crime in Kariakoo have driven some consumers toward these alternatives.

Still, analysts argue that the new centres serve different niches rather than directly threatening Kariakoo.

“The alternatives are complementary,” says Mr Mbwana. “The malls cater to lifestyle shopping, while Kariakoo is about scale, bulk, and variety. Both are necessary for a growing city.”

Challenges Kariakoo must confront

But Kariakoo’s supremacy is not without strain. Both traders and shoppers often point to a set of persistent challenges that weigh heavily on the market’s daily operations.

Congestion is perhaps the most obvious, with narrow streets perpetually clogged by traffic, handcarts, and crowds of buyers, slowing down both business and transport.

Security is another concern: while the market attracts thousands every day, it is also a hotspot for pickpocketing and occasional scams that discourage some visitors.

Regulation and taxation add to the frustrations. Traders complain of inconsistent enforcement of levies, with some accusing authorities of harassment or unfair practices. On top of this lies a widening modernization gap.

Whereas malls across the city provide air-conditioned order, electronic billing, and card payments, Kariakoo still runs largely on traditional bargaining, manual accounting, and cash transactions.

Attempts to address these issues have been made, but progress has been uneven. Proposals for electronic payment systems, tighter security, and infrastructure upgrades have surfaced several times, yet many of these plans have either stalled or failed to take root.

As a result, Kariakoo continues to thrive on its own terms—dynamic and indispensable, but carrying the weight of challenges that remain unresolved.

Why it endures

Yet despite these hurdles, Kariakoo endures and thrives. The reasons are both economic and cultural.

First, it remains the cheapest source of goods.

Bulk buying and intense competition among traders drive prices down.

Second, it is the widest in variety, whether it is imported electronics, Congolese fabrics, or fresh cassava, Kariakoo has it.

Third, it is deeply connected to regional supply chains, serving as a lifeline for small traders in neighbouring countries.

There is also an intangible pull. “Kariakoo is an experience,” says Severine Mushi, the current chairman of the traders’ association.

“You go there not just to buy, but to negotiate, to feel the energy, to see the real economy at work. In a mall you are just a customer. In Kariakoo, you are part of the hustle.”

The road ahead

As Dar es Salaam grows into a megacity — with a population projected to surpass 10 million by 2030 — the question is not whether Kariakoo will survive, but how it will adapt.

 Urban planners argue that modernization is inevitable if the market is to cope with increasing demand. Others fear that over-regulation could strip Kariakoo of the very dynamism that makes it special.

According to Mr Mushi though Kariakoo may not have the polished glass facades of Mlimani City or the organised parking of the East Africa Business Centre, but its unmatched blend of affordability, variety, and regional reach keeps it firmly on the throne of Tanzania’s commerce.

“These are just extensions given the proximity of Kariakoo to all major facilities including the port of Dar es Salaam,” he says.

As he succinctly puts it: “You can build as many malls as you want. Kariakoo is not just a market — it is an institution.”