I wish first to draw particular attention to a statement by President Nyerere, that “the United Republic of Tanzania is a country of our own creation. It is a result of a freely negotiated Agreement, arrived at by our own leaders (meaning himself and President Abeid Amani Karume of Zanzibar). It is not a creation by the colonialists, who arrogantly divided Africa among themselves at their conference held in Berlin”. This fact has, seemingly, escaped recognition and proper appreciation.
An American book titled “Adventures in Appreciation”; states that “there are two reasons for reading stories, namely for enjoyment, and for obtaining new insights”. And continues thus: “A good story should communicate the truth, not just the factual truth, but truth which is delivered living and whole to our senses, our emotions and imagination; as well as to our minds. It should be a source of enjoyment, as well as a means of increasing our experience, extending our sympathies, and deepening our understanding”.This sounds much like a ‘tall order’; but I will not give up the hope that the readers of my story in this presentation, will somehow get the benefits prescribed in the said book. The Unification story.
The story that will be told here, covers the aspects of: (a) the factors that facilitated the establishment of this Union; (b) the reasons for its continued existence in such enviable stable normal conditions of undisturbed peace and tranquility.
An American book titled “Adventures in Appreciation”; states that “there are two reasons for reading stories, namely for enjoyment, and for obtaining new insights”. And continues thus: “A good story should communicate the truth, not just the factual truth, but truth which is delivered living and whole to our senses, our emotions and imagination; as well as to our minds. It should be a source of enjoyment, as well as a means of increasing our experience, extending our sympathies, and deepening our understanding”.This sounds much like a ‘tall order’; but I will not give up the hope that the readers of my story in this presentation, will somehow get the benefits prescribed in the said book. The Unification story.
The story that will be told here, covers the aspects of: (a) the factors that facilitated the establishment of this Union; (b) the reasons for its continued existence in such enviable stable normal conditions of undisturbed peace and tranquility.
It is important to recognize, and appreciate, that these aspects; are the basic factors that distinguish t our ‘successful’ Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar from the ‘failed’ Unions and Federations in other parts of Africa. The ‘failed’ Unions include that between Egypt and Syria, which was established in February 1958, under the name of the “United Arab Republic” (UAR); which lasted for only four years before it was unceremoniously dissolved in September, 1961.
There was also the Union between Senegal and Gambia in West Africa; which was established on 1st February, 1982 under the name of “Senegambia”; but that Union ceased to exist only seven years later, on 30th September, 1989.
(a) The factors that facilitated the establishment of this Union.
These were stated by President Nyerere himself, in his speech to the National Assembly on 25th April, 1964; which can be summarized as follows:-
(a) The factors that facilitated the establishment of this Union.
These were stated by President Nyerere himself, in his speech to the National Assembly on 25th April, 1964; which can be summarized as follows:-
(i) the need to protect Zanzibar from possible attack by the deposed Arab Sultan; (ii) To further strengthen the brotherly relations already existing among the people of the two countries; and
(iii) The desire to achieve, progressively, the espoused continental African Union. “The Republic of Tanganyika and the People’s Republic of Zanzibar shall, on Union Day and forever after, be united in one Sovereign Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar” (now cited as the “United Republic of Tanzania”).
These are the exact words of section 4 of Act no.22 of 1964; which is the law that ratified the “Articles of Union”, which constituted the formal Agreement for the unification of these two countries, that had been signed on 22nd April, 1964. I wish to draw special attention to the words “and forever after”. In its proper usage, this is known as the “intention of the Legislature”, which is normally taken to be a useful guide in the interpretation of laws. Thus, it should be noted that this was the “intention of the Legislature”, namely that this Union ‘shall last forever’.
These are the exact words of section 4 of Act no.22 of 1964; which is the law that ratified the “Articles of Union”, which constituted the formal Agreement for the unification of these two countries, that had been signed on 22nd April, 1964. I wish to draw special attention to the words “and forever after”. In its proper usage, this is known as the “intention of the Legislature”, which is normally taken to be a useful guide in the interpretation of laws. Thus, it should be noted that this was the “intention of the Legislature”, namely that this Union ‘shall last forever’.
Indeed, our Union has been in existence for 59 years now; and seems to have all the positive indicators that, God willing, it could exist for ever, (in compliance with the “intention of the Legislature” quoted above. However, in reality, this will depend almost entirely, on the political will of our future rulers. Our own experience shows that the loss of this “political will’ can easily lead to the break-up of an existing Union of States; as was visibly demonstrated on one occasion in respect of our Union; when Union President Nyerere, was deliberately misled into believing that Zanzibar President Abeid Amani Karume was opposed to this Union.
This conspiracy episode is recorded in a book titled “Masimulizi ya Sheikh Thabit Kombo”; in which it is reported that this misleading information was conveyed to President Nyerere by two of his Ministers, Oscar Kambona and Kassim Hanga; who had designed a false story, in which they told President Nyerere that President Karume had ordered the expulsion of some Union Civil Servants from Tanganyika, who had been sent to work in Zanzibar to work in a Union Department based there, an action which the said Ministers interpreted as President Karume’s ‘inherent dislike’ of the Union.
The narrative further says that President Nyerere had initially been convinced of the truth of this matter, so, he summoned the Cabinet, to inform the Ministers of this development, and to announce his considered decision on the matter. “If President Karume does not like this Union, I cannot force him to stay’. So said President Nyerere to the assembled Ministers, with maximum seriousness; and continued: I have therefore decided to let him have his way. Consequently, I am going to announce the termination of this Union tomorrow”. It is reported therein that the cabinet advised the President that before taking this drastic action, he should send a small delegation to Zanzibar to ascertain the authenticity of the said story from President Karume himself. President Nyerere gracefully accepted this advice.
The narrative further says that President Nyerere had initially been convinced of the truth of this matter, so, he summoned the Cabinet, to inform the Ministers of this development, and to announce his considered decision on the matter. “If President Karume does not like this Union, I cannot force him to stay’. So said President Nyerere to the assembled Ministers, with maximum seriousness; and continued: I have therefore decided to let him have his way. Consequently, I am going to announce the termination of this Union tomorrow”. It is reported therein that the cabinet advised the President that before taking this drastic action, he should send a small delegation to Zanzibar to ascertain the authenticity of the said story from President Karume himself. President Nyerere gracefully accepted this advice.
Thus, a two-person high-powered delegation, consisting of Vice President Rashid Kawawa and Thabit Kombo himself, was immediately dispatched to Zanzibar on that sensitive mission. They returned with the good news that President Karume had vehemently denied having taken any such a “stupid step”, and strongly condemned the “conspirators who had coined that silly story”. This is how the ‘grave danger’ of losing this Union was averted; which would have been the result of “loss of political will” on the part of Zanzibar President Karume.
(b) Its continued existence in conditions of peace and tranquility.
The significance of this aspect is clearly demonstrated in the case of the only other lasting Union to date, which is the “Federal Republic of Cameroon”, which was established in 1st October, 1961, between the countries of East Cameroon, and West Cameroon; but, unfortunately, that continues to exist under very difficult conditions of instability, and the absence of peace ; caused primarily by serious disagreements between the partner States, which have led West Cameroon to unilaterally declare its independence; and which was, inevitably, followed by the bitter war-like measures taken to suppress that rebellion. The story of this Union’s establishment: the sequence of events.
The historic happenings leading to the establishment of this Union, occurred in rapid succession over the three days of: (i) Thursday 22nd April, 1964; when the Presidents of the then Republic of Tanganyika, and of the then People's Republic of Zanzibar, formally signed the Agreement for the unification of these countries, which was embedded in what were cited as “ the Articles of Union”; (ii) Saturday 25th April, 1964; when the Legislatures of the two countries, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, separately ‘ratified’ this Agreement; and (iii) Sunday, 26th April, 1964; when the United Republic of Tanzania was born.
(b) Its continued existence in conditions of peace and tranquility.
The significance of this aspect is clearly demonstrated in the case of the only other lasting Union to date, which is the “Federal Republic of Cameroon”, which was established in 1st October, 1961, between the countries of East Cameroon, and West Cameroon; but, unfortunately, that continues to exist under very difficult conditions of instability, and the absence of peace ; caused primarily by serious disagreements between the partner States, which have led West Cameroon to unilaterally declare its independence; and which was, inevitably, followed by the bitter war-like measures taken to suppress that rebellion. The story of this Union’s establishment: the sequence of events.
The historic happenings leading to the establishment of this Union, occurred in rapid succession over the three days of: (i) Thursday 22nd April, 1964; when the Presidents of the then Republic of Tanganyika, and of the then People's Republic of Zanzibar, formally signed the Agreement for the unification of these countries, which was embedded in what were cited as “ the Articles of Union”; (ii) Saturday 25th April, 1964; when the Legislatures of the two countries, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, separately ‘ratified’ this Agreement; and (iii) Sunday, 26th April, 1964; when the United Republic of Tanzania was born.
Apart from the first event of signing the Union Agreement (which was done in closely guarded secrecy); I was privileged to be an eyewitness to the remaining two of those major events, just because of the position I was holding in the civil service at the material time, as the Clerk of the National Assembly. It is in that capacity that I was summoned by President Nyerere to be given instructions to arrange for an urgent, extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly, which would ratify the Union Agreement.
It was also in that capacity, that I personally witnessed the signing by President Nyerere of the “Ratification Bill”, which signified the birth of this Union, on 26th April, 1964. The President had instructed me to deliver this Bill personally to him soon after it had been passed by the National Assembly, so I went to State House to deliver this Bill, at around 8.30 pm on Saturday 25th April, 1964; a provision of which stipulated that the Union would come into existence “on the day immediately following its Assent” by the President.
The factor of secrecy in the unification process
Another significant feature of our Union, is the absolute secrecy under which it was conducted. All the three major occurrences, namely, the signing of the ‘Unification Agreement’; the legislative action of ratifying this Agreement; and the birth of the Union itself; took place virtually unnoticed by the general public. But there is a reason for this.
The factor of secrecy in the unification process
Another significant feature of our Union, is the absolute secrecy under which it was conducted. All the three major occurrences, namely, the signing of the ‘Unification Agreement’; the legislative action of ratifying this Agreement; and the birth of the Union itself; took place virtually unnoticed by the general public. But there is a reason for this.
As the Holy Bible, in the Old Testament, says : “to everything there is a reason, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven”. Similarly, there were some very good and cogent reasons for this unusual secrecy. The basic reason was the need to protect the unification process from being frustrated, or ‘toppled’ by hidden enemies; such as happened in relation to the solemn Declaration, issued in June 1963 by the Presidents of Kenya, Tanganyika, and Uganda; of their firm intention to form the East African Federation “by the end of that year”. However, this pious intention never materialized; allegedly toppled by the “enemies of progress”.
Thus, in the desire to protect the Tanganyika/Zanzibar unification process from similar calamity; the first event (the signing of the Unification Agreement), took place literally ‘behind closed doors’; totally unnoticed by the general public. For there was absolutely no publicity whatsoever, prior to its occurrence; nor during the implementation of event itself. The witnessing of this event was confined to only a few selected Ministers from both countries.
Although the second event (the ratification of the Unification Agreement) took place in open Parliament; but still, there was no prior public notice, for fear that some elements among the Members of Parliament could be persuaded to cause trouble during the ratification proceedings.
And the third event (the birth of the Union) came and went away, also totally unnoticed by the public; with no celebrations taking place, for the reason only that in these circumstances of absolute secrecy, no preparations could be made for such organized celebrations. Hence, the first ever union Day celebrations took place on the first anniversary of the Union, 26th April, 1965. That is when the much publicized photograph of President Nyerere’s symbolic mixing of soils from Tanzania Mainland and from Zanzibar, was taken.
And the third event (the birth of the Union) came and went away, also totally unnoticed by the public; with no celebrations taking place, for the reason only that in these circumstances of absolute secrecy, no preparations could be made for such organized celebrations. Hence, the first ever union Day celebrations took place on the first anniversary of the Union, 26th April, 1965. That is when the much publicized photograph of President Nyerere’s symbolic mixing of soils from Tanzania Mainland and from Zanzibar, was taken.
piomsekwa@gmail.com / 0754767576.
Source: Cde Pius Msekwa.
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