DELEGATES of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights have been delighted to learn about Tanzania’s richness of various historical tourist attractions preserved along the coastal line.
The delegates led by the court’s president Justice Imani Aboud over the weekend had opportunity to tour some tourist attractions in Bagamoyo district, Coast region.
“As the President of the African and Tanzanian, I am proud to bring the staff of this court here and they are satisfied after finding something to remember from the country and their families. This is also one of the opportunities to promote our country’s tourism,” Justice Aboud stated.
Justice Aboud called upon various visitors who come to Tanzania to visit such attractions. He said that if they had enough time they would spend more time touring more attractions.
On his part, the Head of Security of the African Court, Mr Patrick Ketty said it was a wonderful trip to Bagamoyo, advising every student to be given opportunity to learn about the country’s rich history, including slavery.
The Chief of Protocol of the continental court, Mr Tamambele Simba, appealed to the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources to seize opportunities, whenever available, including international forums to market the country’s attractions so that they mensely contribute to the country’s economic growth.
The delegates visited historical sites including Kaole ruins, German State House and the first church in Tanganyika.
In Bagamoyo they were received by official of the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resource with Kaole ruins being the first point of arrival.
While at that point, some tour guides, led by Mr Godpray Nasari, gave a detailed historical account about Kaole ruins before they were taken around to witness the historical sites, notably the first mosque, the grave of Sharifa, a young girl who is among the aristocrats and gifts.
The delegates also witnessed miracle water, believed to cure some diseases, depending on one’s faith.
Later on they were taken to see the oldest Bagamoyo Port and Palm (Bao Bao) tree which has lived for more than 500 years.
While at the tree, the delegates were told that if a person walks around it clockwise he or she may increase his or her lifetime.
The Kaole ruins is a site that holds the remains of the first settlement of the Arab foreigners in Bagamoyo as well as an archaeological remains excavation site. Some of the structures at the site include houses, mosques, water wells and graves of the foreigners who died there.
It is located in the south eastern outskirts of the small town of Bagamoyo, in an area known as Kaole.