Memons, Bohras and Khojas were among the early visitors in the East African coast. In the middle of the eighteenth century the first Memons from Cutch and Bohras of Surat settled in Zanzibar. As they were small in number, the Bohras later mixed with the Memons to bury their relatives. The Bohras were numerous in Mombasa. Though initial settlers were from Surat and Cambay, the later arrivals were almost entirely from Kutch. The Bohras who resided in Lamu had their own mosque and burial grounds and formed a special community, since their families usually accompanied them when they emigrated from Kutch and Surat. Although they devoted their energies to commercial enterprise, many of them were artisans. The other group which settled in Zanzibar with their families were the Khojas. They were from Kutch and Kathiawar. The Khojas were much more assimilated into community life. Since they came with their families, they became numerous in Zanzibar, forming some 10 per cent of the town's population by 1861, and were mainly shop-keepers. They chose a large gravesite at Kizingo adjacent to Mnazi Mmoja, whereas Sunni Memons used a burial site outside the town on the jail road. The Swahilis called the Indian Muslim merchants Wahindi Overall at Zanzibar the Arabs, the Indian Muslims, the Banias represented the higher and the middle class of the society. According to the 1873-74 census the total Indian population was around 3,000 of which Cutchi Memons were just 41, 80% of the Indian population being Ismaili Khojas. Apart from trade other factors like security and climate of the place, were considered for settlements. Once Sultan Seyyid Said shifted his seat of government to Zanzibar and the British consul was appointed. In the 1840s there was constant influx of Indians to Zanzibar, as merchants were assured of their lives and property. This included numerous Cutchi Memon immigrants. From Zanzibar they eventually penetrated to Pemba. 

 

Dar es Salaam Memon Jamat is a unified registered body of Memons residing in Tanzania mainland.  It came into existence in 1970 after being registered with the Registrar of Societies as a charitable society. The Jamat comprises mainly of Cutchi Memons (90 %) whose grandparents first landed on the island of Zanzibar during the years 1900 and 1910, and later on, after the 1964 Revolution, migrated to Dar es Salaam and other nearby towns of the East African coast viz. Mombasa in Kenya, Mwanza and Tanga in Tanzania. However after the gross nationalization following the Arusha Declaration of 1967 a large number of Asians including many Cutchi Memons migrated to western countries, specially to the UK. 

Dar es Salaam has a Mosque Street with the Darkhana Jama'at-Khana, Memon Masjid and the Ibaddhi Masjid located on the same street. There is a Memon Masjid in Mwanza.