(i) The Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964; which, significantly, remains the only successful political union out of several such Unions, which were attempted during the early years of independence in a number of African countries. I must emphasize the words “the only successful union”, because there is the Federal Republic of Cameroon in West Africa, which is another Union of two countries that has also survived for an even longer period of time, having been established on 1st October, 1961; but its existence has been afflicted by such serious internal conflicts, that it cannot be properly described as a “successful” Union.
(ii) The transition to multi-party politics in 1992; which, apart from the unfortunate problems which were caused by the recurring post-election violence in Zanzibar, plus other inconveniences caused by the personal ambitions of some politicians in Mainland Tanzania, the Union has otherwise been reasonably successfully operated for nearly three decades, to date.
These are the major political scores which our country can proudly boast about, that have been achieved during these six decades of independence; and which deserve special attention, and appreciation.
The Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
The Holy Bible says the following in Ecclesiastes, 3, 1-8:- “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. There certainly was a ‘time and purpose’ for the creation of the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; which was the fulfillment of the “burning desire for African Unity”. This ‘burning desire’ was expressed by President Nyerere which he said in his Address to Parliament on 25th April, 1964 in the following words:- “Leo hii kuna tama kubwa sana ya umoja wa Afrika. Mioyo ya Waafrika ina shauku kubwa ajabu ya kuungana tuwe kitu kimoja. Lakini pamoja na kujivunia shauku hii, yafaa tukumbuke kuwa umoja hutkuj kwa sababu ya shauku tu na maneno matupu. Hatua lazima zichukuliwe za kuonesha kwamba shauku hii na matumaini haya, si ndoto isiyowezekana, bali nii jambo linaloweza kutimia.
Hivyo basi, ikiwa nchi ambazo ni marafiki, na ni jirani zikiweza kuungana, Muungano huo waweza kuwa ni thibitisho la vitendo kwamba matumaini ya Bara ltu kuungana si ya bure; kwani nchi mbli zikiweza kuungana na uwa nchi moja, basi tatu pia zinaweza; na ikiwa tatu zinaweza, basi hata thelethini zinaweza”.
President Nyerere also expressed its purpose, in the following words:- “Tanganyika na Zanzibar ni nchi ndugu. Tunashirikiana kwa historia, lugha, mila, tabia, na siasa. Udugu wa Afro-Sirazi na TANU wte mnaufahamu. Udugu wa viongozi wa vyamma hivi haukuanza jana. Basi tunazo sababu zote hizo za kutufanya tuungane na kuwa kitu kimoja”.
This, basically, was just a ‘statement of facts’, which explains the reasons that justified the establishment of this Union. But what is most important for us Tanzanians six decades later, is that we can justifiably pride ourselves on the peaceful longevity of our Union; considering the fact that there are several other attempts which were made at establishing similar Unions between countries in Africa, but such Unions collapsed after very few years.
Live examples include the Arab countries of Egypt and Syria, which successfully united in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic (UAR). But this Union lasted only three years until September 1961, when it collapsed. The West African countries of Senegal and Gambia, also succeeded in uniting their jurisdictions on 1st February,1982, to form a united country by the name of Senegambia. But this Union ceased to exist on 30th September, 1989, after only seven years of troubled existence.
(ii) The transition to multi-party politics in 1992; which, apart from the unfortunate problems which were caused by the recurring post-election violence in Zanzibar, plus other inconveniences caused by the personal ambitions of some politicians in Mainland Tanzania, the Union has otherwise been reasonably successfully operated for nearly three decades, to date.
These are the major political scores which our country can proudly boast about, that have been achieved during these six decades of independence; and which deserve special attention, and appreciation.
The Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
The Holy Bible says the following in Ecclesiastes, 3, 1-8:- “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. There certainly was a ‘time and purpose’ for the creation of the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; which was the fulfillment of the “burning desire for African Unity”. This ‘burning desire’ was expressed by President Nyerere which he said in his Address to Parliament on 25th April, 1964 in the following words:- “Leo hii kuna tama kubwa sana ya umoja wa Afrika. Mioyo ya Waafrika ina shauku kubwa ajabu ya kuungana tuwe kitu kimoja. Lakini pamoja na kujivunia shauku hii, yafaa tukumbuke kuwa umoja hutkuj kwa sababu ya shauku tu na maneno matupu. Hatua lazima zichukuliwe za kuonesha kwamba shauku hii na matumaini haya, si ndoto isiyowezekana, bali nii jambo linaloweza kutimia.
Hivyo basi, ikiwa nchi ambazo ni marafiki, na ni jirani zikiweza kuungana, Muungano huo waweza kuwa ni thibitisho la vitendo kwamba matumaini ya Bara ltu kuungana si ya bure; kwani nchi mbli zikiweza kuungana na uwa nchi moja, basi tatu pia zinaweza; na ikiwa tatu zinaweza, basi hata thelethini zinaweza”.
President Nyerere also expressed its purpose, in the following words:- “Tanganyika na Zanzibar ni nchi ndugu. Tunashirikiana kwa historia, lugha, mila, tabia, na siasa. Udugu wa Afro-Sirazi na TANU wte mnaufahamu. Udugu wa viongozi wa vyamma hivi haukuanza jana. Basi tunazo sababu zote hizo za kutufanya tuungane na kuwa kitu kimoja”.
This, basically, was just a ‘statement of facts’, which explains the reasons that justified the establishment of this Union. But what is most important for us Tanzanians six decades later, is that we can justifiably pride ourselves on the peaceful longevity of our Union; considering the fact that there are several other attempts which were made at establishing similar Unions between countries in Africa, but such Unions collapsed after very few years.
Live examples include the Arab countries of Egypt and Syria, which successfully united in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic (UAR). But this Union lasted only three years until September 1961, when it collapsed. The West African countries of Senegal and Gambia, also succeeded in uniting their jurisdictions on 1st February,1982, to form a united country by the name of Senegambia. But this Union ceased to exist on 30th September, 1989, after only seven years of troubled existence.
There is also the failed attempt to form an East African Federation consisting of the countries of Tanganyika, Kenya and Uganda; following the 1963 joint “declaration of intention” to that effect. This happened during the month of June, 1963, when President Nyerere of the Republic of Tanganyika, President Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya; and Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda; jointly issued a formal Declaration, which announced to the world their commitment to form a Federation of those countries before the end of that year. But alas, that commitment was never implemented; and no reason has ever been given which accounts for that failure; a fine demonstration of the infallibility of Sir Winston Churchill’s holding that “ Politics is the ability to tell what is going to happen in the near future. And the ability to explain afterwards, why it did not happen”.
Fortunately, however; there is the consoling success story of Cameroon, also in West Africa, which has achieved exactly the same longevity success as Tanzania, because their Union was established on 1st October, 1961; and is still intact. The Federal Republic of Cameroon is a Union between the former two separate countries called East Cameroon, which was a French colony; and West Cameroon a British colony; which was established on 1st October, 1961. It is thus a much older Union that of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; But that union has suffered many more challenges than that of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; for the fundamental reason that: whereas the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar was premised on the firm foundations which were expressed by President Nyerere in his speech quoted above; this was not the case at all with regard to Cameroon.
Reliable sources of information indicate that all of the positive factors mentioned therein, were totally absent in Cameroon, which reportedly suffered from absolute “racial, tribal, religious, and political diversity challenges which the Federal structure (of the Union) was designed to meet”. And, unfortunately, they have not been able to overcome these nasty challenges; a factor which has inevitably destroyed the unity , solidarity, peace and tranquility which the United Republic of Tanzania has been blessed with for all these decades.
We are celebrating 60 years of TANGANYIKA’s independence.
Inquisitive minds may justifiably be wondering why we are celebrating the independence of Tanganyika; a country which, in fact, does not exist ! This is explained (if indeed explanation is necessary), that the name “Tanganyika” was statutorily dispensed with as a result of the enactment of the “Transitional Provisions (no .2 Decree, 1964; which was published in the Official Gazette on 15th June, 1964. It provided as follows:-
We are celebrating 60 years of TANGANYIKA’s independence.
Inquisitive minds may justifiably be wondering why we are celebrating the independence of Tanganyika; a country which, in fact, does not exist ! This is explained (if indeed explanation is necessary), that the name “Tanganyika” was statutorily dispensed with as a result of the enactment of the “Transitional Provisions (no .2 Decree, 1964; which was published in the Official Gazette on 15th June, 1964. It provided as follows:-
(a) that reference to “Tanganyika” in all existing laws of Tanganyika, shall henceforth read as references to the United Republic of Tanzania; and
(b) that reference to the Government of Tanganyika, or to any matter or thing in any way belonging to, or connected with the said government; shall henceforth read as references to the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. “Presidential Decrees” belong to the category of statute law known as Subsidiary Legislation; and become effective immediately upon publication in the government official Gazette.
Thus, the effect of this provision was to decree former “Tanganyika” completely out of existence; and that is when this country assumed the new name of ‘Tanzania Mainland’ (Tanzania Bara).
From Tanganyika to Tanzania : the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
The political Union which gave birth to the United Republic of Tanzania, became a constitutional entity on 26th April, 1964; after both the Tanganyika and the Zanzibar Legislatures had ratified the “Articles of Union” that had been previously been signed by the respective Presidents of Tanganyika Julius Kambarage Nyerere; and of Zanzibar Abedi Amani Karume. Section 4 of the ratification Act reads as follows:- “The Republic of Tanganyika and the Peoples’ Republic of Zanzibar shall, upon Union Day and ever after, be united into one sovereign Republic by the name of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar (this title was subsequently shortened to the United Republic of Tanzania).
Thus, the effect of this provision was to decree former “Tanganyika” completely out of existence; and that is when this country assumed the new name of ‘Tanzania Mainland’ (Tanzania Bara).
From Tanganyika to Tanzania : the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
The political Union which gave birth to the United Republic of Tanzania, became a constitutional entity on 26th April, 1964; after both the Tanganyika and the Zanzibar Legislatures had ratified the “Articles of Union” that had been previously been signed by the respective Presidents of Tanganyika Julius Kambarage Nyerere; and of Zanzibar Abedi Amani Karume. Section 4 of the ratification Act reads as follows:- “The Republic of Tanganyika and the Peoples’ Republic of Zanzibar shall, upon Union Day and ever after, be united into one sovereign Republic by the name of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar (this title was subsequently shortened to the United Republic of Tanzania).
The words “and ever after” which appear therein should be specially noted, as they demonstrate the hope and aspiration of the founder fathers of this Union, that it should last for ever and ever. Perhaps we should say Amen.
My personal participation in the making of this Union.
I happened to be the Clerk of the National Assembly at the material time, and this where most of the action was taking place. In the course of one blessed Tuesday morning, April 21st, 1964; while working as usual in my office, I received a telephone call from President Nyerere’s Private Secretary, asking me to report immediately to the President in his office at State House. I did as was instructed. On arrival there, President Nyerere asked me whether I could assemble all the members of Parliament in Dar es Salaam before the end of that week for an urgent meeting of the House. I said I could, and quickly returned to my office to do the needful.
By Friday morning, April 24th, 1964; all the MPs were in Dares Salaam; and so I went back to the President to report that achievement; whereupon he told me to prepare for a meeting of the National Assembly the next day, Saturday 25th April, 1964; and that he would himself come to address the House.
My personal participation in the making of this Union.
I happened to be the Clerk of the National Assembly at the material time, and this where most of the action was taking place. In the course of one blessed Tuesday morning, April 21st, 1964; while working as usual in my office, I received a telephone call from President Nyerere’s Private Secretary, asking me to report immediately to the President in his office at State House. I did as was instructed. On arrival there, President Nyerere asked me whether I could assemble all the members of Parliament in Dar es Salaam before the end of that week for an urgent meeting of the House. I said I could, and quickly returned to my office to do the needful.
By Friday morning, April 24th, 1964; all the MPs were in Dares Salaam; and so I went back to the President to report that achievement; whereupon he told me to prepare for a meeting of the National Assembly the next day, Saturday 25th April, 1964; and that he would himself come to address the House.
The Assembly convened at precisely five O’clock in the afternoon of that Saturday. The President’s Address was a masterpiece of a brilliant expose, in which he used his abundant capacity to convince people through artful persuasion. When it ended, the session had successfully accomplished it objective. After the conclusion of the President’s Address, and his departure to return to Sate House; the Leader of Government Business, Second Vice President Rashid Kawawa, then rose to introduce: “A Bill for an Act to ratify the Articles of Union between the Republic of Tanganyika and the Peoples’ Republic of Zanzibar; to provide for the government of the United Republic and of Zanzibar; to make provision for the modification and amendment of the Constitution and laws of Tanganyika for the purpose of giving effect to the Union and the said Articles; and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto”.
In the circumstances of the general excitement which prevailed among the MPs, the Bill was unanimously passed nemine contradicente (with no one dissenting). I had been instructed to deliver the Bill immediately after its endorsement by the National Assembly, to the President for his constitutional Assent; which I dutifully did, and was assented to. It thus became law on that same day; which is what made it possible for the Union to become a constitutional reality with effect from the next day, 26th April 1964.
(Will be continued next week).
piomsekwa@gmail.com / 0754767576.
piomsekwa@gmail.com / 0754767576.
Source: Daily News today
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