Saba Saba Day
Observed annually on the 7th of July, Saba Saba Day is a national holiday that commemorates the beginning of Tanzania’s journey towards statehood, which it undertook in 1954, on the day when the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) was founded.
Tanzania (Public holiday)This organization proved to be extremely important in merging Tanganyika and Zanzibar to create the United Republic of Tanzania just 10 years later. Today, this holiday is celebrated mainly with the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), also known as the Saba Saba Day festival. During this fair, consumers, traders, agents, wholesalers, and the general public show up.
The History of Saba Saba Day in Tanzania
In Swahili, Saba Saba means “7,7,” and this holiday falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the year. On July 7, 1954, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) was founded. TANU played an important role in the country’s journey towards independence. The efforts of this organization led to the merging of Tanganyika and Zanzibar and the 1964 creation of the Republic of Tanzania.
In 1976, the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) was held and has been held at the Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere Trade Fair Grounds. In the early 1980s, there were only about 100 companies that took part in this fair, but by the end of the 1990s, that number had jumped to over 1,000 companies. Now, over 1,500 companies participate in this fair.
Observing Saba Saba Day in Tanzania
The main event held on this day is the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair. This trade fair has established itself over the past few decades as the place to go to learn more about not only Tanzanian products but also products from other parts of the local African region.
Currently, there are over 1,500 exhibitors at the fair representing products from Tanzanian and foreign countries. Products that can be seen there include agricultural products, textiles, automobiles, timber, furniture, computer software, chemicals, garments, IT technology, and much more.
Tanzania (Public holiday)
