Tanzania Is Still Trading

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The watch is stunning but beware of slippers or your shoes can easily be 'ghosted' for a moment.

The author encountered a prayer at the dawn prayer at Mtoro Mosque, Mahiwa Street, located in the heart of Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, Africa.

The writer, who spent 11 days in the country, was startled when he discovered that almost all pilgrims attending any mosque would put shoes or slippers in plastic upon arriving at the mosque's stairs.

The parcel containing the slippers will then be cut down and placed in the corner or pillar of the mosque located not far from where they are praying.

It was a bit overwhelming when some of them put the parcel in the foreground near the priest's stand.

TODAY Dar es Salaam surrounds Mtoro Mosque for the Saturn prayers

However, the question was answered when the authors found that slippers were placed on a special shelf provided near the place where the 'leech' was taken after completing the tazkirah.

Unfortunately, the incident took place and the author had to return to his hotel 50 meters from the mosque.

Omar Hasaan, a mosque congressman, said the activities of stealing slippers or shoes at mosques in Tanzania were no stranger but were more serious and linked to street beggars, used shoe dealers and 'foxes' disguised as mosque pilgrims.

Unfortunately this issue may be resolved if the mosque installs a closed-circuit camera (CCTV) like most mosque management in Malaysia.

The authors of the humanitarian program and the Victim Worship Mission in collaboration with the Muslim Care Malaysia Society (Muslim Care) and Sinar Victim Services in Tanzania, have recently found that the capital of Dar es Salaam is slightly more developed than other African cities such as N'Djamena, Chad; Khartoum, Sudan; Niamey, Niger or Lilongwe, Malawi.

Beautiful view of the Azam Marine Ferry jetty

Its population reached 50 million people, making it a densely populated city.

The weather is very similar to that of Malaysia except for its location on the coast overlooking the Indian Ocean, which makes the author comfortable to move even in the sun.

No need to worry about being chased by street beggars as the author finds his situation far different from Jakarta, Indonesia; Jaipur, India or Cairo, Egypt has never been visited before.

While there are skeptical views of Africans who are considered harsh and aggressive, the actual situation is different here.

The people of Tanzania do not look strange or look down on 'outsiders' but they are easily approached to start a conversation.

A view of Dar es Salaam's capital city filled with business premises and hawkers

It may be that the diverse population of Arabs, Oman and Chinese besides the country is a tourist attraction among the factors they are familiar with and the presence of foreigners.

It's a good idea to learn a little bit of the local Swahili language as this language is easy to remember and they are very friendly when they know 'outsiders' trying to use their daily language.

Among the most popular are 'Assante' which means thank you, Habare (hello), good morning (jumbo) and Na Kula Nani (what's your name?).

During this time in the city, the authors found that the landscape of Tanzania's capital is filled with apartments and buildings in addition to the narrow streets.

Inadequate infrastructure causes most roads to be poorly paved with dusty ambient factors.

In fact, this can be a major source of traffic congestion especially during peak hours. Even in the event of an accident, the vehicle is here, not moving at all.

Everywhere you can see a salesperson or a peddler selling lime, nuts, coconuts, cigarettes to shoes, car steering wheel and fire extinguishers.

To be sure, they do not require you to buy items for sale and you can easily take pictures or take pictures anywhere.

Halal food is not a problem as there are many restaurants offering glazed rice dishes or treats like in Malaysia.

The author himself was surprised to find that the words rice and ginger were also used in this country, proving that the dish was universal.

It is usually served in a tray of chicken or meat before being eaten in public exactly as the Middle Eastern people often practice.

The author also took the opportunity to visit the famous 'Kivukoni Fish Market' fish market which is considered a must-visit for outside tourists.

LIVING homes and business premises around the city of Dar es Salaam

The uniqueness of this fish market has been the location of fishermen's newly caught fishery.

These fresh fish will try to be offered by the public including traders at the best price. The authors note that the average marine life sold is still fresh without being put on ice. There are no foul smells here, but there are various 'luxurious' seafoods on sale including shrimp, curds and red grouper.

The view of the fisherman bringing down the sea from the row of boats on the coast near the fish market is amazing.

Even if you are lucky, you will find traders selling strange marine life such as sea snakes, eels, hawks, shark fins and more.

Another must also visit the Kariakoo Market in the center of this capital. This broader market than the Chow Kit area offers a range of everyday items including African fabrics, handicrafts, food and more.

Although the industry sector and the country's economic capabilities are not as great as Malaysia's, one thing to be thankful for is that it is difficult to find writers or beggars in the capital.

With this in mind, it comes to mind that the Tanzanian people are a hardworking and passionate business people.

They are not a group of people who expect or sympathize with many people. This is in stark contrast to the hundreds of beggars and homeless people the writers encounter on the sidewalks of Tunku Abdul Rahman and Chow Kit every night.

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