Surely, some imaginations stem from the energy and the charisma of the two founders of this Union, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, then President of Tanganyika and Abeid Amani Karume, then President of the clove-rich islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.
Men and women in today’s Tanzania and the world at large, would be advised to have an imagination as to who Nyerere and Karume, as founders of the Union, were, or what they imagined and what they stood for.
The Union inspired an almost existential sense of national pride and also marked a profound change in our national story. One rarely finds anyone who lived through the events of April 26, 1964 who does not think that something profoundly changed Tanzania outlook.
Nyerere and Karume were desirous of examining and resolving together numerous problems of common interest which amounted essentially to mobilise all material and moral resources in order to effectively combat underdevelopment, and to set the seal on the political and economic emancipation of Africa.
In such a perspective, therefore, Nyerere and Karume saw that independence alone no longer appeared as an end in itself, but as the solemn proclamation of an irresistible aspiration of the people towards wellbeing and progress.
They thought that independence established a claim to dignity but did not entirely satisfy that claim as self-respect is really only accessible to people freed from hunger, sickness and ignorance.
In these conditions, both leaders envisioned that the political emancipation of Tanzania could be no more than the necessary prelude to the mobilisation of energies and resources with a view to raising people to a higher moral and material level.
Thus, the 51 years of the Union have brought about a remarkable expansion of cultural bonds, solidarity, equality and freedom between peoples of the two countries.
Today, Tanzanians born during the sordid history of colonial rule have personal experiences and a frame of reference of this auspicious occasion in the same manner that both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar were freed from British colonialism and the Arab oligarchy respectively.
As Tanzanians mark 51 years of the Union, they’re also proud to say that they have come a long way - having witnessed many momentous events which history teaches them not to forget.
On April 26, 1964 the founders of the Union gave a very clear cut definition why unity was fundamental in Tanzania’s development. They mapped out, in very bold and pace-setter of a manner, the strategy for furtherance and coordination of the next stages of Tanzania’s development.
The global events of the past half-century have drawn Tanzania’s attention, quite strongly, to the necessity to have good and effective leaders like we had the visionary architects of the Union.
Such leaders can more effectively guarantee national security, good governance and democracy in the country. They will also help to set-up and nurture state or governmental institutions and create the enabling environment for the promotion and sustenance of national security, good governance and democracy.
The marriage between the Mainland and the isles has placed its people as living witnesses to the collapse of despotic and unpopular regimes not only in Africa but the world over.
This has, no doubt, confirmed that if there is a political revolution going on throughout the world, it’s what might be called the participation revolution which has engulfed Tanzanians as well.
This great East African nation is proud of the fact that the Union architects realised the need to unite the two countries without waiting for further unpleasant developments to occur. It is for this reason that the country is now clearly in the fore-front of the democratisation process going on in Africa.
This process, promises to create favourable conditions for the emergence of the appropriate leadership that can better guarantee national security, unity and good governance that will promote democratic rights.
Tanzania’s young people today are known as the Born Free generation enjoying the dignity of being born into a democratic society with the right to vote and choose who will govern.
For the Tanzanian youth, unaware of what exactly took place on April 26, 1964, there have been impressive achievements since the formation of the Union: in building houses, schools, roads and infrastructure; the provision of water and electricity to millions; free education and healthcare; increases in pensions and social grants; financial and banking stability and slow but steady economic growth.
These gains, however, have been offset by a breakdown in service delivery, gross inadequacies and inequities in the education and health sectors and a ferocious rise in unemployment. With these problems aside, the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar was crucial to the success of the liberation struggle against colonialism in Africa and remains the envy of other African nations which had tried to unite to no avail.
Today, by contrast, Tanzania has occupied a place in Africa for having supported the liberation of some countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia to end colonialism. Tanzania can, therefore, be described as the land of hope with a longterm dynamo of growth in the next 50 years of its Union.
Indeed, it would be a mistake for Tanzania to abandon the road of structural reform of its economy. For this great country, whose majority people still languish in creeping poverty, sustainable economic growth is possible if those in power continue the courageous path of reforms and a stronger advocacy of the Union. Union.
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