BUKOBA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. — The vicariate of B., evangelized by the White Fathers, was erected in 1929, its territory being taken from those of Tanganyika, Tabora, and Urundi. It comprises, in addition to the civil province of B., the region of Uha and the district of Kibondo in the province of Kigoma.
The population is approximately 450,000 souls, mostly Bahaya, with, in the south, a Baha minority, over an area of 27,230 sq. km. The vicariate, which began with little more than 25,000 Catholics, saw their number increase by almost 16,000 in 1934. Today the population is just over half a million, and there are 103,530 Catholics, 15,991 catechumens, 27,047 Protestants, 27,121 Muslims, and 327,782 pagans. Protestant competition is extremely vigorous, especially in the educational sector, but the influx into the Catholic schools, favored by pagan and Muslim chiefs, is so great that it cannot be accommodated; the central school for the training of teachers and civil employees is very well attended; the movement of conversions, even in the most distant regions, is consoling. The Fathers now number 24 indigenous and 68 foreign, the Brothers 19, the sisters 70, and the catechists 543. There are 17 quasi-parishes and 111 secondary stations. There are 23 elementary schools with 5,556 pupils, 1 middle school with 174 pupils, 1 vocational school with 18 pupils, and 3 higher schools of various grades with 245 pupils. In 246 rural schools, 17,778 pupils receive instruction. There are 3 hospitals with 120 beds and numerous other charitable works. The mission also publishes two periodicals, with a circulation exceeding 3,050 copies.
Giovanni B. Tragella