The word ‘Tanganyika’ was introduced by the British
colonial government to its territory which was once known as German East Africa
ruled by German colonialists since 1885 after the partitioning of African
continent. The German colonialists ruled the country for 33 years up to the end
of first Word War in 1918. A year later, the British Colonialists took over the
control of the territory and renamed it ‘Tanganyika’ up to the time of its
independence in 1961. The British colonial government existed for 42 years. A
year later the country attained its full autonomy and became a Republic under
the first President the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. The independent Tanganyika
state existed only for one year and nine months up to 25th April
1964. On the following day, a major historic event which has reshaped the face
of the country took place when two independent states, that’s Tanganyika and
Zanzibar which had just attained its independence in October 1963 decided to
unite and formed a union government. This was after a revolution which toppled
the minority regime of the Sultanate that took place on the eve of 12th
January 1964 and Abeid Aman Karume became the first African President by help
of the Revolutionary Council. Three months later the formation of the union
government came into being. The two states with their elected Presidents signed
articles of Union and it’s very disappointing to note that, the original draft
of the signed documents have never been seen up to now. This also includes the
Act by which the Revolutionary Council approved the union agreement. The missing
documents have become a challenge to members of Constituent Assembly who
currently are deliberating sections one and six of the second draft of National
Constitution which covers union issues of the two countries and about the
system of union government. The meeting which kicked off in early this week has
caused confusion among members who demanded for the original union documents
for verifications in order to be certain with their decision making. As the
debate rages on, careful observers have said that, despite there has been
different kinds of notions as related to what could be a suitable government
structure that could look at the union matters currently in controversy. The
matter has become a subject of debate ever since the CA started in Dadoma 42
days ago with many thinking that, the basis option is to follow what has been
proposed by the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) whose summary opinions
were collected from the people countrywide. The issue here is how to conduct a
union government basing on what type of a government system, be it a two or
three tier government structure as is the case from many people in the country.
In an interview with this paper, a cross
section of the people have said that, ‘there is a great need to revive
Tanganyika government which seems to have lost its integrity as a state which
became independent with nine million people over 50 years ago’. A well-known
CCM cadre who preferred anonymity said that, the government made a great
mistake to allow Zanzibar has its own constitution in 2010 that it recognizes
their territorial integrity, National Anthem and National flag, the three are
among the basic elements for a sovereign state. According ton him, this instinctively
shows that Zanzibar continues to be a sovereign state as it bears its national
flag as a sovereign state, adding that, Tanganyika also had the right to be
restored with the same by all means. Said Karim Seif, a businessman in Kariakoo
suburb in Dar es Salaam, remarked that, it was meaningless for the two states
to have united together and note one state is doing her matters by following
own constitution leaving the other without a constitution, in this case he
means Tanganyika. Karim aired out his dissatisfaction and noted that, if the
two countries were united it means that each one of them had a house and had
decided to destroy them and build a single one. His illustration indicates
that, the founders of these two nations, meaning Nyerere and Karume left a
single union of one government, now there are two governments. Definitely there
must be a three tier government structure to pave the way for the restoration
of Tanganyika government that was banned without reasons.
He further
recommended that, if a three tier government structure would become impossible,
what is needed here is to force the Isles government revert into former
constitution which recognizes its state is part of the union government and not
otherwise. He said adding that let the Zanzibar people accept with this and if
the proposal becomes impracticable for them, then let Tanganyika government be
revived to provide an equal opportunity for all as it before. Contributing over
the matter, the CCM Secretary General Abdulhaman Kinana was quoted early this
week by media as saying that, the 10th constitutional review making
in Zanzibar that gave powers to the Isles government as a sovereign state was a
great mistake committed irrespective of both union governments. According to
the changes made Zanzibar is now recognized a state an aspect which has now
denied the rights of the President of the Unit4ed Republic to intervene in some
matters on the Isles especially when it comes to the partitioning of regions
and districts and that the powers have now remained for the Isles President. He
further noted that, the opposition in Zanzibar contributed to some extent the
idea of having the Zanzibar constitution to be changed, but warned that, despite of this, there should
not occur separation and reminded Tanzanians to think of Nyerere’s philosophy
when he predicted effects likely to emerge in the wake of nationalities between
Tanzania mainlanders and those in the Zanzibar, meaning ‘Uzanzibaris and
Uzazibara. Many Tanzanians do not know reasons why the word Tanganyika has been
completely omitted in the administrative structure of the entire government of
the United Republic of Tanzania. But this is not seen even in recent years. According
to the book titled, “50 years of Independence” written by Pius Msekwa which was
published in January 2014, there has never been legal acceptance that paved the
way the legality of the union of Tanzania. According to him, what happened by
then is that President Julius Nyerere enacted a law known as Transitional
Provisions Decree 1964 instead of signing the articles of union. The statement
is contained within a report earlier presented by a Union formed by members of
Constituent Assembly (CA) with the aim of defending people’s constitution known
in Kiswahili acronym ‘UKAWA’ as proof before the CA members currently
discussing the writings of the new constitution in Dodoma. The book is quoted
as saying that, through such a decree, civil servants of the Tanganyika
government were changed and made servants of the existing United Republic of
Tanzania. Msekwa former CCM Executive Secretary further explain in his book
that, the High Court of Tanganyika was changed and known as the High Court of
the United Republic of Tanzania, Other national elements such as the national
emblem of the then Tanganyika government was changed and became an emblem for
the United Republic of Tanzania. On the same day, Msekwa is quoted as saying
that, President Nyerere introduced the so-called interim Const9otuition Decree
1964, the decree made it clear that, the constitution of Tanganyika should be a
temporary constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania. The book further
says that, on 15th June 1964 President Nyerere formed another decree
known as Transitional Provisions (No. 2) Decree 1964 which directed that wherever
there are laws which have mentioned the name Tanganyika, then it should be
deleted and replaced by the name United Republic of Tanzania. Also the same
decree directed that “wherever the government of Tanganyika has been mentioned
for anything which in any manner s dominated or owned by Tanganyika government
, then it should be taken as the property of the United Republic of Tanzania
which has been mentioned for that matter” Msekwa illustrated. According to
UKAWA’s recent statement which was issued in CA, bearing the a foretold
elements of such decrees, the existence of Tanganyika disappeared automatically.
This is an aspect which has brought confusion to the people who once knew the
geographical area of the once known to be a Tanganyika state by then has now
changed into mainland Tanzania.
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