Historical buildings ‘still protected’

Dar es Salaam. Historical buildings and monuments will not be demolished despite revocation of the government notice protecting them, according to Chief Secretary Ombeni Sefue.

Mr Sefue told The Citizen in an exclusive interview at State House last week that the revocation was meant to allow demolition of old buildings that had no historical value. “Yes, it is true that some of the buildings are very old, but they have no historical value.

Such buildings are being demolished because they have nothing do to with the country’s history,” he said shortly after announcing the new line-up of permanent secretaries and their deputies.

The Chief Secretary was reacting to a story carried by this newspaper last week revealing that iconic landmarks such as the Askari Monument, Old Post Office and Karimjee Hall were no longer protected against demolition after the government revoked the Antiquities Declaration of Conservation Areas Notice No. 2006.

Mr Sefue said the revocation of the notice was intended to waive the protection of old buildings that were of no importance to the country’s history.

For example, he said, a building such as the one housing the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tanzania office, which initially was the first headquarters of the ministry of Health, would not be demolished because it has historical value.

On February 20, 2007, the then minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof Jumanne Maghembe, revoked the Antiquities Declaration of Conservation Areas Notice No. 2006, opening the door to the demolition of historical buildings and monuments.

Prof Maghembe had explained that the revocation was a government decision, adding that the government decided to revoke the protection of historical buildings and monuments to pave the way for the construction of high-rise structures that would help boost economic growth.

The demolished buildings would be replaced by high-rise buildings that would speed up economic growth through the provision of various services, he said.

Mr John Kimaro, the Assistant Director for Conservation and Technology in the Antiquities Division of the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, said political will to protect historical monuments was lacking.

“A country with no history does not deserve to be called a country. If we lose the history of Dar es Salaam future generations will point accusing fingers at us,” he said.

A German architect living in Tanzania expressed concern over the demolitions that have been going on in Dar es Salaam in the last 10 years, saying the city was very close to a point of no return because it will have rid itself of features and characters that gave it its identity.

Ms Annika Seifert said historical buildings in Dar es Salaam tell the remarkable story of a nation going from precolonial through colonial to post-independence times.

The Citizen learned over the weekend that plans were afoot to form a pressure group aimed at putting pressure to the government to stop further demolitions of historical buildings and protect those that were still intact.

“Each high-rise construction that is allowed to be built in every nook and corner of the city centre against the civic interest of the country has adverse impacts and becomes irreversible for more than 100 years,’’ said one member of the group who preferred to remain anonymous fearing to be reprimanded by the government.

Meanwhile, the Dar es Salaam Tourism Executive Board (DTEB) is undertaking a project aimed at marking heritage buildings in Dar es Salaam to save them from demolition.

DTEB chief executive officer Charles Lupilya said over the weekend that the project will involve the marking of 28 historical buildings and monuments.

He said three buildings of Azania Front Lutheran Church, the Dar es Salaam City Council and the St. Joseph’s Cathedral have already been marked, adding that the marking involved putting up a granite plaque explaining why the building or monument should not be demolished.

For example, said Mr Lupilya, a granite plaque placed at the Azania Front Lutheran Church along the Kivukoni Front reads: “Azania Front Lutheran Church constructed in 1898 to 1901 in a Gothic style. The building is owned by the Tanzania Lutheran Church.”

The plaque adds: “Since its construction it has been used as a Lutheran Church Cathedral. This building is protected under the Antiquities Act No. 10 of 1964 as amended by Act No. 22 of 1979. Let’s protect it for today’s and future generations.”

Mr Lupilya said DTEB was implementing the project in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism which is vested with the protection of historical and heritage antiquities, adding that one plaque cost about Sh1.5 million.

On May 6, 2006, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism made a list of 28 buildings and monuments to be protected because of their historical and cultural importance .

The notice that published the list also advised all developers within the Dar es Salaam city centre to consult the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism before making any developments in the area.

The declared protected buildings and sites in Dar es Salaam City Centre were the Askari Monument, City Garden along Samora Avenue/Shabaan Robert Garden Street, Mnazi Mmoja Grounds, National Stadium, The White Fathers Building and Lutheran Church Kivukoni.

Others are St Joseph’s Cathedral, City Council offices (City Hall), Old Boma, Two buildings on both sides of the central station bus stand, the Karimjee Hall, The International Motors Ltd building and the British Council Building.

Also on the list are the Tanganyika Meat building, Ocean road Hospital, Twiga House Building (Acacia House and Civil Service Commission), the State House, St Alban’s Church, The house opposite YMCA House, Forodhani Hotel (now Court of Appeal), Development House (NDC along Kivukoni Front), Central Statistics House, International Revenue Office, Cosy Café, which is found at Makunganya and Mkwepu streets opposite Billicanas and two Hindu Temples next to Kisutu Secondary School.

Others are Town Jamaat Khan Mosque at Aggrey Street, Arab Mosque which is found at the centre of Zanaki and Market streets, the Botanical Garden opposite Karimjee Hall and the Dar es Salaam City conservation that extends from the Zanzibar boat piers along Sokoine Drive, Shabaan Robert Street and Garden Avenue to the Ocean along Ocean Road.

The whole area East and South of these streets, including the sea front adjacent to Kivukoni Front and Ocean Road is a designated conservation area.

“Cultural heritage in Tanzania was irreplaceable and it is protected by the Antiquities Act No. 10 of 1964, an Act that provides for the preservation and protection of sites and articles of archaeological, historical or natural interest…” the notice had said.