Job Lusinde

Immediately after independence in 1961, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, now deceased, visited the place and was very much impressed with the plant. He requested the missionaries to assist the introduction of grapevine production in Dodoma region by providing planting materials and expertise.

Isanga prison, the oldest institution in Tanzania started with only four acres in 1963 and after three years the crop was gradually introduced to the five villages namely Mpunguzi, Msalato, Nala, Nkulabi and Mundemu.

The National Service Camp at Makutupora near Dodoma town also accepted the idea thus increasing the acreage and the yields rising high from the grapes to be consumed fresh as table grapes to wine production.

The first government institution to invest much in wine production was Isanga prison which was prompted to construct a winery plant in 1969. The company, well-known and famous in Africa, was later the sole buyer of grapes for wine processing.

"Dodoma Wine Company DOWICO will not easily be forgotten in the history books of grapevine production in Tanzania," says Job Lusinde, the former Cabinet Minister and retired diplomat in a special interview.

"In setting up of a winery," Lusinde said, "DOWICO bought grapes from farmers, established a research centre to determine appropriate types of grapes of wines and encouraged more and more farmers to come forward and open grape farms".