14.09.2022

Living History in Dar Es Salaam

The plot is located at the heart of the great city of Dar Es Salaam. Here you can see the stunning view of the port and the skyline. © UEM

For the signing of the deed of gift, a delegation of the UEM and its African Region gathered at Kigamboni. © UEM

The church on the plot in Kigamboni. Until today, people gather here to worship and pray. From left: Timo Pauler, Executive Secretary Finance & Administration, UEM; Rev. Dr. Ernest Kadiva, Deputy Executive Secretary Africa Region, UEM; Rev. Volker Martin Dally, General Secretary, UEM. © UEM

On August 25, 2022,  the ELCT-ECD* donated a land of 6.000 sq. m. to the UEM*. The land is located in Dar Es Salaam inner city, a place called Kigamboni.  It was received in a joyful ceremony and an atmosphere of thankfulness to ECD at the Azania Front Cathedral (Here you find the link to our first story about the celebration).
 
The land that the ECD is now donating to the UEM was inherited from the German missionary Greiner. His mission was aimed at reinforcing human dignity and promoting human rights in his time. Greiner bought it as part of a larger plot called Ng’ambo in 1890 for about 12.000 rupees, because he was envisaged to see this land as an asset in making contact with the people. This way, he wanted to start a Christian squatter of Dar es Salaam, ensuring peoples’ development. Greiner established a coconut plantation and a ranch, where at the time of 1891 about 20 people would live together. They started building houses for accomodation in this area, thereby developing Ng‘ambo to become one of the christian centers of Dar Es Salaam. At the time, other places in ownership of the mission were Immanuelskap and Kisutu. Many of the inhabitants of Ng‘ambo were local staff and freed slaves, and over time some of them would take christianity as their own religion. To meet their spiritual needs, they built at this place one of the first church buildings of the 19th century that is in renovated form preserved there until today.
 
After Tanganyika independence the property was placed under ELCT Eastern and Coastal Diocese ownership. However at different times a large part of Ng’ambo property area was privatized by the government for its use and the church retained a small area. The retained area is where the church built by the first German missionaries is situated and has been preserved for historical memories.
 
In today’s UEM work, the goal for which the plot was obtained in the first place is made possible through the work of the UEM. Here people come together to worship, learn and grow together. UEM has decided to use this precious gift of the ECD to build a new African Regional Office. It will be dedicated to solidarity and oneness among the african members of UEM and to fruitful exchange with the two other UEM Regions, Asia and Germany.
 
In the Future, we will see gatherings and conferences at the site that is well connected to the airport and the other side of the harbor. Since it is located in the center of Dar Es Salaam, the property is likely to grow in value and to provide a unique basis for UEM operations in all African member churches.
 
What started as a missionary ground 130 years ago is now the basis for mission again in the learning, serving and praying communion that is the internationalised UEM.

*ELCT-ECD: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tansania - Eastern Coastal Diocese, a member of the UEM.

*UEM: United Evangelical Mission, Communion of Churches in three continents.