Dawoodi Bohra Community — Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam ('Haven of Peace') has hosted a Dawoodi Bohra community since the late 19th century, when Indian Ocean trade routes brought Bohra merchants from Gujarat to the East African coast. The Bohra presence in mainland Tanzania grew alongside the German and then British colonial administrations, as Bohra traders supplied hardware, textiles, and provisions to settlers and colonial enterprises. After Tanganyika's independence in 1961 and the formation of Tanzania in 1964, the Bohra community remained, adapting to the post-colonial economy and contributing to local trade and professional life. The Dar es Salaam jamat has its own masjid and Aamil, conducts full Ashara Mubaraka programs, and maintains strong ties with the Dawat in Mumbai. The community has produced doctors, engineers, and educators who have integrated deeply into Tanzanian society while preserving Bohra religious identity across three and four generations.