Why Tanzania’s capital is Dodoma
Tanzania decided in 1973 to move its capital from the coastal city of Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, in the middle of the country. For decades the move stalled, and only under President Magufuli and his successor did the government actually go. The State House opened there in 2023, fifty years after the decision.
Written from cited sourcesLast checked 28 September 2026Suggest a correction
- Dar es SalaamCapital from German colonial times; still the main port and commercial city
- DodomaDesignated 1973; the government moved mainly after 2016
An old idea
Dar es Salaam was a colonial choice. In 1891 the Germans picked it over Bagamoyo as the seat of government of German East Africa, for its harbour, and later thought about moving inland; during the First World War the colonial administration moved to Tabora.[1][3]
In 1959 the Legislative Council agreed that Dodoma would be the ideal place for a capital, but the idea was shelved because of the cost, and it came back in parliament in 1966.[1]
The 1973 decision
In October 1973 the ruling party, TANU, voted to move the capital from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, and President Julius Nyerere announced it.[1] Its supporters pointed to Dodoma’s central location and security, and to the chance to develop one of the country’s poorest areas instead of pouring money into reshaping Dar es Salaam, which had almost reached its limits.[1]
Dar es Salaam was to stay the main port and commercial capital, and a state agency was set up to build the new one.[3]
Fifty years to move
The move kept slipping. At one point it was due to be finished by 2005, but by then only the legislature met regularly in Dodoma.[2] Some called it a capital nobody wanted, a white elephant, while successive governments put education and health first.[3]
President John Magufuli, in office from 2015 to 2021, revived the plan, and many ministries moved to Dodoma under him, setting off a construction boom.[2] His successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan, finished the job: on 20 May 2023 she opened the new State House at Chamwino, Dodoma, with the president’s offices and official residence.[3][2]
Timeline
1891
Dar es Salaam
German East Africa’s government settles in Dar es Salaam.[1]
1959
First proposal
The Legislative Council favours Dodoma, but shelves the idea over cost.[1]
1973
The decision
2015–21
Magufuli’s push
Many ministries move to Dodoma.[2]
202320 May 2023
State House
The president’s new offices open in Dodoma.[3]
More capitals
- Why Ankara replaced Istanbul
- Why Australia built Canberra
- Why Belize built Belmopan
- Why Bolivia has two capitals
- Why Brazil built Brasília
- Why Burundi moved its capital to Gitega
- Why Canada’s capital is Ottawa
- Why Côte d’Ivoire’s capital is Yamoussoukro
- Why Germany’s capital moved from Bonn to Berlin
- Why India’s capital moved to New Delhi
- Why Indonesia is building Nusantara
- Why Kazakhstan moved its capital to Astana
- Why Myanmar built Naypyidaw
- Why Nigeria moved its capital to Abuja
- Why Pakistan built Islamabad
- Why Russia’s capital moved back to Moscow
- Why South Africa has three capitals
- Why the Netherlands is governed from The Hague
- Why the United States built Washington
Sources
- [1]Dodoma: The making of the nation’s capital (Part 1) · The Citizen (Tanzania)
- [2]Dodoma · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- [3]Tanzania has moved its capital from Dar after a 50-year wait – but is Dodoma ready? · The Conversation (Ambrose Kessy) · 2023
Map geometry from Natural Earth via world-atlas. See credits.