Muyovozi · Kasulu

near Mtabila military area, Kigoma, Tanzania from refugee camp to school

The history you heard is true. What began in the early 1990s as a vast refugee settlement — Muyovozi / Mtabila camp — slowly transformed after repatriation. Today the same grounds host Muyovozi Secondary School, a government advanced-level boarding school. Below is the full journey from camp to classroom.

1993–2000s

Refugee camp era

Muyovozi and Mtabila became one of the largest refugee settlements in western Tanzania following the Burundian civil war in 1993. Thousands fled across the border; at its peak the camp hosted more than 90,000 refugees, mainly Hutus from Burundi. The UNHCR and WFP provided food, healthcare and basic education inside the camp. Makeshift classrooms – pole‑and‑mud schools – allowed refugee children to keep learning.

The area was chosen because of its proximity to the border and the presence of the Mtabila military barracks nearby, which helped maintain security. For almost a decade the landscape was defined by rows of emergency shelters, distribution centres and the constant hum of humanitarian work.

90,000+ refugees camp schools

2002–2010

Repatriation & closure

From the early 2000s, as the political situation in Burundi gradually stabilised, the majority of refugees chose to return home under UNHCR’s voluntary repatriation programme. By the end of the decade, camps in the Kigoma region – including Mtabila and Muyovozi – were officially closed. Most shelters were dismantled or left empty.

The Tanzanian government and local authorities took over the land and some remaining infrastructure. What was once a crowded camp turned into a quiet, almost abandoned area, but the buildings and cleared plots remained – a silent footprint of the displacement crisis.

2010–2013

Transition period

After the refugees left, the government repurposed part of the ex‑camp for local development. Some of the former camp structures – including warehouses, staff quarters and semi‑permanent classrooms – were handed over to the Kasulu District Council. Locals began using the water points and roads, and discussions started about establishing a formal secondary school to serve Tanzanian students in the rapidly growing Kasulu corridor.

The name Muyovozi stuck, rooted in the small river that runs nearby. The presence of the Mtabila barracks (still an active military zone) provided security and attracted some infrastructure.

2013 – today

Muyovozi Secondary School

Muyovozi Secondary School was formally established in 2013 as a government advanced-level boarding school (Forms 5 & 6). It sits about 34–44 km from Kasulu town along the Kibondo road, on the very land that once hosted the refugee camp. The school still uses some of the older buildings – a few staff houses and classroom blocks date back to the camp era, giving them a weathered look that hints at their past life.

The school enrols both boys and girls from across the region, offering combinations in sciences and arts (such as HGE, HKL etc.). It remains a crucial educational hub for the community, and each year students and teachers commemorate national events like Women’s Day, linking the school to broader development.

established 2013 boarding A‑level uses former camp site

Muyovozi secondary – today

official name: Muyovozi Secondary School

founded: 2013 (government A‑level)

location: Kasulu DC, Kigoma – near Mtabila

type: public boarding (co‑ed, Forms 5‑6)

streams: sciences & arts (HGE, HKL etc.)

camp legacy: some buildings date from 1990s camp

The school still occupies the land cleared for the refugee camp; a few staff houses are original camp structures.

Notes & further inquiry

Detailed archives of the camp–school transition are still largely held locally. Because the area was a closed camp for years, many records haven't been digitised. To learn more:

Kasulu District Council (education department)
village elders near Mtabila
school administration – Muyovozi Sec.

GPS hint: ~5°02′S 30°23′E (Kasulu, near Kibondo road) historic camp perimeter

kambi → shule · refugee camp → secondary school

compiled from public sources & oral history — Kasulu, March 2026