About the Archdiocese
Early Missionary Work, Foundation and Present Day
The history of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam dates back to its establishment as the Apostolic Prefecture of Southern Zanguebar (Zanzibar) by Pope Leo XIII on November 16, 1897. The territory was carved out from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Zanguebar. Subsequently, it was elevated to the status of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Zanguebar on September 15, 1902, and later renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Dar-es-Salaam by Pope Pius X on August 10, 1906. Over the years, the Archdiocese underwent territorial changes, losing areas on November 12, 1913, to form the Apostolic Prefecture of Lindi and on March 3, 1922, to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Iringa.
On March 25, 1953, Pope Pius XII further elevated the circumscription to the status of a Metropolitan Archdiocese. However, additional territorial adjustments occurred on April 21, 1964, leading to the formation of the Diocese of Mahenge and, later on December 12, 1964, establishing the then Apostolic Administration of Zanzibar and Pemba, now known as the Diocese of Zanzibar, both as its suffragans.
The Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam is located within two administrative regions of Dar es Salaam and Pwani (Coast) along the shores of the Indian Ocean. Currently the Archdiocese subsists in twelve districts namely Ilala, Temeke, Kinondoni, Ubungo, and Kigamboni in Dar es Salaam and Kisarawe, Mafia, Mkuranga, Kibaha town, Kibaha, Kibiti and Rufiji districts of Pwani region.
The Archdiocese covers a total area of 39,849 km2 (15,385.7 mi2) including the Island of Mafia, with an estimated population of 65,000 people. Since its inauguration, the Archdiocese has worked hard under its mission of inspiring and empowering the people of God’s family through deeper evangelization, socio-economic development, provision of health services, better education rooted in its vision of building an integral human development focusing on the salvation of souls and wellbeing of the body.
The Archdiocese has both pastoral and development departments that harmoniously work to empower the poor and the marginalized people of both genders to raise their life standards through job creation for personal income generation so as they become self-reliant.
The Church operates in a catchment area with a population of 9.5 million people in both regions of Dar es Salaam and Pwani. Catholics account for 1,800,000 of the population served.
A significant event in the history of the Archdiocese was the visit by Pope John Paul II in September 1990 when he visited Tanzania; the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam being one of the five Dioceses that were visited. This symbolizes a special recognition and connection with the highest authority in the Catholic Church.
In executing its pastoral mission, the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam has witnessed a rapid population growth resulting from rural-urban migration and natural population growth. Up until 1969, the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam had 11 parishes when it was handed over to the first African ordinary, namely Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa by the late Archbishop Edgar Maranta (1930-1969). The number of the faithful kept increasing under his leadership and when he retired in 1992, the number of parishes had increased to 22. Polycarp Cardinal Pengo who took over from Cardinal Rugambwa continued to care for the Church and by the time he retired in 2019, the number of parishes had reached 116.
The number of the faithful and parishes continued to increase under the leadership of Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwai’chi OFM Cap, and up to January 2025 the number of Parishes reached 170. However, by the Grace of God a New Diocese of Bagamoyo was erected on the 7th March 2025, taking 16 Parishes from the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam thus making it to remain with 154 Parishes.There are still more parishes about to be opened in the near future once they meet the required standards.
The Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam is a unique diocese from the rest in Tanzania in that it provides pastoral care to people with different ethnic origins across and beyond Tanzania with different needs and expectations.
The Archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam has a well-established and vibrant lay apostolate and organizations such as Small Christian Communities, Women Association (WAWATA), Men Association (UWAKA), Youth Association (VIWAWA) and Holy Childhood association (UTOTO MTAKATIFU). These lay organizations are the life blood of the Archdiocese.
These associations bring together their targeted cohort at family and community levels. Leaders of these associations are chosen by members and there are representatives at parish and at diocesan levels.
Vocations to consecrated life in the Archdiocese are promising; this offers hope for sustainability of its apostolate. For example, by the end of 2024, there were 127 major seminarians in different formation institutions.
On social development, the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam has made a significant impact in the life of the people it serves in the areas of education and health. The Archdiocese operates and supervises 30 health facilities, 35 pre-primary schools, 8primary schools, 21 secondary schools and 8 vocational training schools and orphanages. Most of these social facilities are located in remote areas where majority of the very poor live and where often the government services are not available. The aim of the Archdiocese is to ensure that these populations, despite of their poverty, have a right to basic services to enable them enjoy dignified life. Catholic social services are daily touching lives of thousands of poor people regardless of their religious affiliation, colour, economic status or any other social attribute.
Furthermore, the Archdiocese owns Tumaini Media which is a Catholic communication institution with three (3) media outlets namely, Radio Tumaini, Tumaini Television and a weekly newspaper called TUMAINI LETU. The Tumaini Media was established in 1994 with the start of a private radio station (Tumaini Radio FM) followed by a weekly newspaper called TUMAINI LETU in 2004. The media institution expanded further in 2009 by starting Tumaini Television with the intention of making it a Catholic Television for the Catholic Church of Tanzania under the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC). Although it is owned by the Catholic Church, most (60%) of the programs cover non-religious matters as required by Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
The media aims at promoting pastoral apostolate of the Church and socially promoting acceptable human values among Tanzanian community including peace, justice, charity, propagating unity among different people of different religious and ethnic affiliations and catalyzing social economic development. Tumaini Media is credited for its ability to broadcast in more than one region provision of a fair share of community programs that appeal to non-Catholic audiences as well as an audience base (reaching out to more than 15 million subscribers). Thanks to our practical experience in the media field that dates back to more than 20 years of informing, transforming and educating the public.
Administrative and management systems in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam
The Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam has five-year strategic plan (2024-2028) which provides strategic direction on priority issues for implementation by all actors in the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese has various policies that provide guidance on how to conduct business in the Archdiocese for all people working in the name of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam. Such policies include financial and human resource manuals, child safeguarding policy, sexual harassment policy, gender policy and accounting policy.
In order to ensure effectiveness in its interventions, professionalism is prioritized. Annual audit is conducted to ensure value for money, effective resource use and to set up necessary controls. Donors supporting various programs are provided with separate account to facilitate accountability and compliance.
In conducting its business, the Archdiocese ensures that it is sensitive to the needs of the times. To that end, pastoral and social proprieties of the Archdiocese aligns with the domestic (diocese), national as well as global priorities. For example, Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and AMECEA resolutions (2022) are mainstreamed in the five years’ strategic plan 2024-2028..
