The Early History Of Dar-Es-Salaam

In 1862, Dar-Es-Salaam existed only in the imagination of Sayyid Majid, the young Sultan of Zanzibar. The construction of Suez Canal, which would link the Mediterranean with the Red Sea, was already in progress. Its completion would open up trade with Europe and a new steam ship line had already been proposed that would ply the east coast of Africa, stopping at various important points along the way. The more reachable steam-powered vessels were now rapidly replacing the sailing ships, with this the Sultan had learnt the existence of a natural harbor that existed on the mainland, just south of the small settlement of Mzizima. The Sultan quickly decided to take advantage of this and built a new capital and trading post there. He would call this 'Dari-Salama' translated as "safe root" and later translated as 'Haven of Peace'.

Armed with gifts and other luxury inducements, the Sultan's Chief Minister was sent to the small settlement at Mzizima to persuade the inhabitants to grant land to Sayyid Majid. Although, the tribal settlements were under the submissiveness of the Sultan, they acted very much as they pleased.