The story behind the iconic Kariakoo Market

Dar es Salaam. On Saturday night July 10, an inferno errupted at the iconic Kariakoo Market, incidentally it was on the same date that the architect of this building Beda Amuli died 5 years ago.
The market whose existence dates back to the colonial days is found in the heart of Dar es Salaam serving millions of people in East and Central Africa.
It was from this market that an entire business area which is now worth trillions of shillings was named.
Kariakoo hosts an extensive market which is a major contribution to Dar es Salaam's economy. Kariakoo neighbourhood, at the intersection of Mkunguni, Swahili, Sikukuu and Nyamwezi streets.
Before the Kariakoo market was built, there was a building of steel structures, a military camp called Carrier Corps, a British carrier company which local people simply pronounced as ‘Kariakoo’.
When this company left, the building was used as a market but later it became very dilapidated.
In 1970, the Dar es Salaam City Council wanted to develop the market and the late Beda Amuli got the project. According to sources privy to Amuli, a city engineer interviewed him and he showed him some sketches of a market from Israel.
 The said engineer once said: "Amuli had done a market project as his 4th year project when he was in Israel and there he had done some research for the project. This student idea gave me a guidance to design a real African market".
The concept Amuli developed was based on a Traditional African market.

Where he said: "An African market is normally under trees. So, we made trees from concrete.”
“The client (City Council) had no idea what they wanted. But since I had done research on markets before this, I had a clear vision what should be built" Amuli is quoted to have said.
He was the first African architect in East and Central Africa to own architectural office in 1969.

In 1966 he became the first indigenous Tanzanian Architect to be registered. He was the first president of the Architect Association of Tanzania, (AAT) in 1982, and the first chairman of the Architect and Quantity Survey Registration Board (AQRB) in 1997.

Amuli made sketches which were approved by the City Council at Karimjee Hall., Engineers Gordon Melvin & Partners made structures for him and once he was satisfied, started to design the market.
It is not clear how much he was paid for the job.

The City Council wanted it built as quickly as possible hence they offered the construction contract to Mecco without tendering it.

Construction work began in 1971 and its foundation stone was laid by the then 1st VP Abdul Jumbe Mwinyi on September 7, 1973.

The Kariakoo market building is said to have cost Sh23.3 million, and was officially opened by the then President Julius Nyerere on December 8, 1975 as part of the 14th independence anniversary.
The popular market, which also serves East and Central African countries has two floors which are connected by one in a basement.
The market is divided into three places first floor, centre and basement which is popular known in Swahili language as ‘Shimoni’.
Kariakoo market apart from being surrounded by several shops, still it is the main market for Agricultural products and veterinary medicine shops.

Kariakoo is not only a market place but a very important point in sports of Tanzania since it hosts two Main Clubs; Simba Sports Club at Msimbazi Street and Young African Sports Club ‘Yanga’ at Jangwani Street.
And that when these two clubs play it called “Kariakoo Derby” which has since become one of the biggest derbies in African football.