Sumbawanga
Sumbawanga is a city located in western Tanzania.
It is the capital of Rukwa Region and the municipal seat of Sumbawanga Urban District with postcode number 55100. The district had a population of approximately 303,986 based on the 2022 census. Sumbawanga lies in the territory of the Wafipa Fipa tribe and so many people speak Kifipa, as well as Kiswahili, the most widely used language of Tanzania. The name of the town literally translates as "throw away your witchcraft", thought to be a warning from local spiritual "healers" to any bringing in superstitions and practices relating to spiritual healers from other areas. Until the 1980s approximately, Sumbawanga was a place where many witch doctors were located. Though fewer in numbers, there are still some healers who practice both in town and in the surrounding smaller villages on the plateau. The town has the largest hospital in the region, Rukwa General Hospital, which is government funded, as well as the smaller Dr. Atiman Hospital administrated and run by the Catholic Diocese of Sumbawanga.
Getting to Sumbawanga
Buses from Sumbawanga to Mpanda take around 7 hours. Buses from Sumbawanga to Mbeya via the Zambia border of Tunduma take around 5 hours. From Sumbawanga to the Zambia border town of Tunduma is 230 km. From Tunduma you can take a night train to Kapiri Mposhi Zambia. From Sumbawanga there is also a road going to Mbala in Zambia 120 km.
Worth seeing
Lake Rukwa. Kalambo Water Falls (on the Zambia border).
Where to eat
Mr Alright Juices & chips (next to Lornzo pub near Rukwa Minimarket).
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.