CONSERVATION INSTITUTIONS TO TAKE OVER CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES

 

Livingstone House in Mikindani, Mtwara

 

Downtown Mikindani, Mtwara 

Naliendele Heroes Cemetery, Mtwara

By Lusungu Helela

Mtwara

THE government has started to implement a strategy plan that aims at boosting cultural tourism by dividing 16 cultural heritage centres to conservation institutions.

That move has comes when the government is going through transforming a new Cultural Heritage Policy on how to protect heritage sites following many historic buildings to be in bad situation.

The remark was recently made by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Constantine Kanyasu, during the visit at the historical Mikindani town in Mikindani municipality, Mtwara region. Mikindani town is protected and maintained by the National Museum of Tanzania (NMT).

He said the government’s plan is to empower institutions which will manage, maintain and rehabilitate all cultural heritage sites so as to boost tourism sector which will enable the government collect revenues.

He said about 16 cultural heritage sites will be under control of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), Tanzania Wildlife Authority (TAWA), National Museum of Tanzania (NMT) and Tanzania Forest Services (TFS).

However, in an assessment survey report conducted last year, the report found that about 85 buildings were at risk of falling down if not rehabilitated.

He insisted that all institutions will be responsible for maintaining, controlling, managing including promoting all heritage sites because they have a big history and tradition.

“We want all tourism attractions in Southern and other parts of Tanzania to be put in a package system, if a tourist comes to Mtwara to visit Lukwika Lumesule conservation forest then let him/her visit the old buildings to see traditional dances before going to sleep and breeze at our beautiful sandy beaches,” he said, adding;

“All cultural heritages will be promoted through a package system so as to enable tourists to visit other places, not Mikindani town alone,” he said

Kanyasu said all selected institutions will rehabilitate cultural heritage sites to back them to normal so as to catalyze the tourism sector in Tanzania.

For his part, the Assistant Director of National Cultural Heritage, Dr Fabian Kigadya, advised all municipal council to protect and develop all historical buildings so as to attract tourists in order to increase council revenues from cultural heritage sector.