MUSOMA, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. - It is situated in the north-western part of the territory of Tanganyika, on the south-eastern shore of Lake Victoria; it is entrusted to the Society for the Foreign Missions of Maryknoll, and was erected on 24 June 1950 with territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of Musoma-Maswa.
By a decree of the same date, its boundaries were modified with the apostolic vicariate of Mwanza. It comprises the districts of M. and North Mara, has an area of approximately 10,240 sq. km, and a population of approximately 254,000 inhabitants.
At the time of its erection it had 10,100 Catholics, 3,500 catechumens, approximately 6,000 Protestants, and more than 230,000 pagans; 12 foreign priests, 2 foreign lay brothers, 3 foreign sisters, 1 major seminarian, 20 minor seminarians educated at the Seminary of Mwanza, and 83 catechists; 4 principal mission stations and 85 secondary ones; 3 churches and 98 chapels. Schools: 4 for boys, 2 for girls; 1 hospital. There is Catholic Action. The Protestants also have 4 schools in that territory.